Christie Connections – Paul Pry

Introduction – Christie Connections with Loughborough

As you know from last a recent post, I recently finished the challenge of reading all the Agatha Christie novels, and had been surprised at how many references there were within her books to Loughborough-related things, or, at least, things that connected in some way with Loughborough.      

“Hickory Dickory Dock”

Today’s post is prompted by something I read in Hickory Dickory Dock, on p300.

Written in 1955, unlike Sleeping Murder which featured Miss Marple, HDD is a Poirot affair, a synopsis of which can be found elsewhere. In short, a number of items go missing from a student hostel, then come the murders …

One of the characters in the novel, Mrs Christina Nicoletis, is the eccentric and volatile owner of the student accommodation, and in the reference we’re interested in, she is in conversation with Mrs Hubbard, who is the warden of the accommodation, and incidentally just happens to be the sister of Poirot’s secretary, Miss Lemon. Here’s what’s said, when Mrs Nicoletis flew into one of her tempers:

“Ah, you do not think I have cause for anxiety? You know best as usual! You know everything! You are so wonderful: you cater, you manage, you spend money like water on food so that the students are fond of you, and now you want to manage my affairs! But that, no! I keep my affairs to myself and nobody shall pry into them, do you hear? No, Mrs What-do-you-call-it Paul Pry.”

The Loughborough Connection

Back in March 2022 I posted an article entitled ‘So Who Was Paul Pry?’

This post gave a detailed description of the character of ‘Paul Pry’ – a do-gooding, nosey busybody – as he appeared in a play written in 1825 by the writer John Poole (1786-1872). And it is this character that is referenced in Hickory Dickory Dock, in which, essentially, Mrs Nicoletis is telling Mrs Hubbard to mind her own business!

Apparently, according to a report in the Leicestershire Mercury of October 1839, we had a Paul Pry in Church Gate, one John Hollingsworth, who knocked over William Smith, who he accused of catching him “playing the part of Paul Pry, by listening under [someone's] window, a practice of which he was frequently guilty.”  

However, in my earlier post about Paul Pry, I focussed on the name as the name of a local beer-off premises, that according to a newspaper report (Leicester Evening Mail of 5th March 1930), was on Leicester Road, and was once the home of the Clemerson family, when it was known as the White House, and later was Maher’s Off-Licence. Since then, research has revealed that the George Moore referred to in that article, who was of the Paul Pry and who had been in court in 1832 for not looking after his apprentice, was listed in a trade directory of 1835 as a beer retailer on Wood Gate. Later, in 1841, a report of a gun being shot up the chimney of the Paul Pry gives no indication of who was running the business, nor where it was situated, although we are told that the perpetrator lives close to the Roman Catholic Chapel – presumably on Ashby Road.

A similar situation arises in 1846 when two shoemakers – Mr Rozzell and Mr Barker – have a bit of an argument. They were drinking in the Paul Pry – but where, is not stated!

Could the Paul Pry have been in Ward’s End?

By 1851 we find that there is a publican listed in Ward’s End, called Matthew Ward. On the 1841 census return he was in Ward’s End but listed as either a farrier or a farmer. I suspect the latter, as he also appears in a polling book as owning property in Ward’s End. In 1858, Matthew Ward of the Paul Pry beerhouse (no address given) was convicted of keeping his house open on Sunday 17 th January, for the sale of beer, and was fined £1 and costs. Matthew Ward died in 1859, aged 75, and is buried in Emmanuel churchyard.

In October 1923, a letter which appeared in the Leicester Daily Mercury mentioned that a farmer stopped off at “the tavern known as the Paul Pry, in Bedford Square”, I don’t know about you, but I can never quite work out where Bedford Square ends, and Ward’s End begins, but this could well be the same premises as mention in 1851.

In 1952, the Loughborough Echo published a piece quoting extracts from an account book that was about 100 years old. This account book belonged to Mr John Cooper, a maltster from Hathern and in it is recorded the sales he made, many of which were to Loughborough folk. The first entry in the book is for 1843, but the one of more interest here is an entry for 1852, which named the Paul Pry on Ward’s End as one of the customers.

So, was there a Paul Pry on Leicester Road, and on Ward’s End / Bedford Square? I can honestly say I really have no idea!!

But, just one more thing before I leave you in peace, in September 1891, the Loughborough cyclers indulged in a lantern parade, and the participants were decked out in gorgeous array, representing historical characters like "Ally Soper", "Paul Pry", and others!

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Posted by lynneaboutloughborough

With apologies for typos which are all mine!

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Dyer, Lynne (2025). Christie Connections – Paul Pry. Available from: https://lynneaboutloughborough.blogspot.com/2025/03/christie-connections-paul-pry.html  [Accessed 6 April 2025]

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So who was Paul Pry?

Whilst there may well be someone actually named Paul Pry, for the purposes of this blogpost, the name might refer to a rather unsavoury publication, or a collection of stories in two volumes by Erle Stanley Gardner, called “The adventures of Paul Pry”, or a collection of stories by John Poole. Paul Pry was also a character in a play by John Poole, which was written in 1825, and it is this Paul Pry I am referring to. A bit of background info before we get to the Loughborough connection!!

John Poole (1786-1872) was a master of comedy-drama, known as farce, and seems to have been rather prolific. His play “Paul Pry: a comedy in three acts” was very popular at the time (1825), and toured the country. The leading part was played by the actor John Liston, who apparently expertly brought the character of Paul Pry to life. The Paul Pry of the play has been described as a meddling sort of fellow, of no occupation, who spends much of his time interfering with the lives of others, and can often be found frequenting inns. 

The catchphrases associated with him relate to his interference in everything, like 

“Hope I don’t intrude”, 

“I wouldn’t wish to intrude”, 

“Would not intrude for the world”, 

“I’m the last to intrude”,  

which all clearly indicate that he does in fact mean to, and knows he is!!

According to a review of the performance that took place in the Haymarket Theatre in London on Tuesday 13th September, a review that appeared in ‘Bell’s Weekly Messenger’ of 18th September, there was “nothing new in the plot”, the “incidents of this piece are whimsical and ludicrous, but without much of originality”

But, despite this, the article continues “Paul Pry is decidedly the best comedy which has been got up this season – there was no room for ennui – the audience were kept in a constant roar of laughter”, and they attributed much of this to the “excellent acting of Mr Liston, who, as Paul, had ample scope for his peculiar style of acting.” The verdict issued by the newspaper was that “Paul Pry, however troublesome to his neighbours, will become a great favourite with the public.”

During the course of the play, a couple of songs were performed, which were sung by Madame Vestris, an opera singer, although more known for her work as a theatre producer and manager. The music for one of these, “Cherry Ripe”, was composed by Charles Edward Horn, and the words were written in the 1600s by a poet who experienced a revival in the nineteenth century. This poet was one Robert Herrick. 

If the name sounds familiar, you’d be right, for Robert Herrick (1591-1674), poet, was the nephew of Robert Herrick (sometimes spelled Heyrick) (1540-1618). The elder Robert was the MP for Leicester, who at one time lived on the site of the dissolved Greyfriars monastery in Leicester. This lay opposite what is now the cathedral, the site later being used for the buildings near which a certain king was recently found buried. Robert the MP, also had a brother, William, who purchased a country estate – possibly that at Beaumanor, although the hall itself has since been replaced in the 1840s by the building we see today, which was designed by William Railton.

Of course, one connection between Paul Pry with our area is not enough!!!

Across the country there were a number of pubs and inns called the Paul Pry, for example at Sheffield, Peterborough, Alrewas, and Sneinton. Indeed there are a few establishments that bear the name today, notably that at Worcester, one in Rayleigh in Essex, and there is still one in Peterborough.

A report in the 'Leicester Evening Mail' of 5th March 1930, states that a property in Loughborough has applied for a licence to sell beer – to become an off-licence. Almost 100 years earlier, the 'Leicester Chronicle' had reported that George Moore of Loughborough had been charged by the overseers with not providing for his apprentice, and was ordered to take her back, provide for her, and pay the costs. Moore was said to be “of the Paul Pry”. Back to 1930, where we find the article reporting that the Paul Pry was situated on Leicester Road, at the extreme end of the town and “which afterwards became a private residence known as The White House, on the corner of Beeches Road”! It's certain from the article that the Paul Pry was still in existence in 1869, but unclear if it continued much beyond this date. 

You can read about The White House in a previous blogpost, and about Fairfield House, which is affectionately called The White House on the Fairfield School website. 

So, maybe the title of this blogpost should have been “What was Paul Pry”?!

The White House at the corner of Beeches Road and Leicester Road, once known as the Paul Pry

Beaumanor Hall, designed by William Railton and once home to the Herrick family

You are welcome to quote passages from any of my posts, with appropriate credit. The correct citation for this looks as follows:

Dyer, Lynne (2022). So who was Paul Pry? Available from: https://lynneaboutloughborough.blogspot.com/2022/03/so-who-was-paul-pry.html           [Accessed 27 March 2022]

Take down policy:

I post no pictures that are not my own, unless I have express permission so to do. All text is my own, and not copied from any other information sources, printed or electronic, unless identified and credited as such. If you find I have posted something in contravention of these statements, or if there are photographs of you which you would prefer not to be here, please contact me at the address listed on the About Me page, and I will remove these.

Thank you for reading this blog. 

Lynne