Hose

On the north-east side of the county, Hose is situated close to the Nottinghamshire border in the Vale of Belvoir. The village sits astride an ancient, pre-Roman trackway which ran from Burrough Camp, some six miles south of Melton Mowbray, into Nottinghamshire, with to its south the escarpment of the Wolds. The Grantham-Nottingham Canal of 1793 runs through the parish, and a wharf once served the village. The photograph, taken on the edge of the green and close to the church, records rather mundane, red brick buildings under pantiled roofs, along with a rather more interesting chestnut tree.
An extract from from"Leicestershire Villages Photographic Memories".

In a not unattractive red brick, end-of-village group, it is impossible not to notice the Black Horse pub, with its well- mannered frontage and attractive pantiled roofs. The cantilevered pub sign over the front door advertises Home Ales from the Home Brewery in Nottingham, now a cog in Scottish & Newcastle’s big wheel, but still producing good real ale.
An extract from from"Leicestershire Villages Photographic Memories".

A fashionable place to be seen throughout the 19th century was the luxurious Harboro Hotel (right), originally the Lord Harborough Arms and a coaching inn. It was carpeted throughout, which was a huge extravagance for the time.
An extract from from"Melton Mowbray Town and City Memories".

This view looks from the junction of the High Street and South Parade on market day. The sign of the popular White Lion Hotel is just visible in the centre of this photograph and Barclays Bank (now Ladbrokes) is on the far left.
An extract from from"Melton Mowbray Town and City Memories".

MANY MORE people know the name of Loughborough than know the town itself, or even where it is. That name is read, said and rings out across the world. Loughborough is unique. It is a small market town in the East Midlands of England, yet it has a university with an international reputation for excellence in sciences and sports. It is home to the largest bell foundry in the world. For generations, children in every corner of the globe have seen the words ‘Ladybird Books, Loughborough, England’ on the brightly coloured books which helped to shape their lives. Cranes and hoists, some of giant size, designed and built in Loughborough have been employed from the docks of New Jersey to the shipyards of Korea. Turbines, trams and transporters have all been made at the Falcon Works of the strangely named ‘Brush’ Electrical Company. If you visit Loughborough, the evidence for this wealth of industry and knowledge is not easily seen. Far less apparent still is the long and often turbulent past of the town. I approached the writing of this book with some trepidation. There are, already, many books about Loughborough from the seriously academic to the purely anecdotal. The difficulty in the end was not what to include, but what to leave out. The choices, and the faults, are the writer’s, but, if your favourite place or story is missing, there will hopefully still be much to enjoy. Many famous and noble families were involved in Loughborough’s past - De Spensers and Beaumonts, Herricks and Hastingses and, most poignant of all, Lady Jane Grey, litter the past of Loughborough. Many of them came to a sad and savage end. The town lies next to the wild landscape of Charnwood Forest, is surrounded by ancient hunting parks and was, for centuries, ‘owned’ by one family. It may appear a quiet place to the casual observer, but Loughborough hides a fascinating story just under that placid surface.
An extract from from"Loughborough - A History & Celebration".