The original Legs of Man dates back to 1793 when Michael Hunt opened the pub adjacent to cottages he'd built in Hunts Court on the corner of Gravel Lane. The pub was listed as the 'Legs of Man and Imperial Wreath' in the 1830s-'40s then the Three Legs of Man from 1850. Atlas Brewery took the pub in 1867 and James May who took over at Atlas Brewery also became owner of the Three Legs of Man. May then demolished the original building (shown below, centre) and built a more ornate boozer which Robinsons took over as part of the Kays Atlas deal in the 1920s.
Three Legs of Man, Greengate, Salford (centre). (c). Neil Richardson [1].
As a Robinsons pub in the 1970s, the Three Legs of Man was well run with an enthusiastic landlord but was "a victim of planning" (like much of Salford). Another pub with former glories as evidenced by several large rooms - a vault, an unused stage, lounge, games room, tabled corridor and hotel rooms. Robbies bitter and mild were served on beer engines along with keg Cock Robin and Guinness. Robinsons sold the pub in 1994 to Barry Johnston who reopened it as the Cornerhouse. It lasted about six years into the new Millennium but closed soon after, being demolished in the mid-'00s to make way for the ugly Abito Greengate development.
1. Salford Pubs - Part One: The Old Town, including Chapel Street, Greengate and the Adelphi, Neil Richardson (2003).
2. Manchester Pub Guide, Manchester & Salford City Centres (1975).
Back in the mid 1970's, this was the final pub on the "Dirty Dozen" pub crawl involving real ale in tied houses owned by twelve different breweries. The route was mostly in Ancoats and Salford, because Manchester city centre was a beer desert. One reason for it to be the last one was that it sold Old Tom on draught. The clientele back then was mostly dossers in a big doss house round the corner. The pub was the nearest Robinsons house to the city centre, before they bought one in Oldham Street from Wilsons.
ReplyDeleteHow sad it closed and got demolished, my mum and dad were landlord and landlady in 1986
ReplyDeleteDo you have nay more info? My Great grandparents are shown as having this pub in the 1901 census
DeleteMy mam and dad had this place in the 80,s aswell
DeleteDid you move to sale I think I remember the family who left in 86 and my family moved in the gallaghers
DeleteSo pleased to find this entry :) My great grandparents (Robert and Margaret Byrne) had this pub in the 1900's and my grandma was born there. Any more info?
ReplyDeleteI'm researching family and my mother (recenetly died at 97 years of age) always said that her aunt ran a pub in Salford called The Legs of Man which I see from this article became The Three Legs of Man later. I have no dates to work with as yet but as mum was born in 1917 I imagine her aunt owned it in the 1920's perhaps? I'm still working on that. I wonder if there is anywhere a record of all the landlords who ran this pub?
ReplyDeleteMy late wife was also a landlady at the three legs of man, at the time her name was Theresa Clarke, I think she was there some time in the 70s.
ReplyDeleteIn the '70s, the landlord's daughter started at my primary school, Blackfriars, the landlord use to bring mackerel he had caught to the school to hand out. I believe they had moved there from Cirencester.
ReplyDeleteI lived here in about 2000 for a few months. Barry was the owner. He was a little dirty get, we used to listen to him shaggin his missus on a Sunday morning in the basement.
ReplyDeleteI remember playing footie outside one day and twatted the fucker right into that top bedroom window.
ReplyDeleteOh and I fingered a Spanish student there.
In the 1980s the buffs used to hold there meetings on Saturday evenings
ReplyDeletei use too knock around the three legs of man pub when i lived on green gate aged about 10 in the 80's. i remember playin football on the car park a facing the pub...great memories great times and i can still picture the day
ReplyDeleteMy mum and dad had their wedding reception at this pub in the sixties - its almost impossible to visit any old buildings in salford unless you count salford precinct !!
ReplyDeletehaha - i am from Berlin and i stayed there a week in Spring '99 and did'nt know what would expect me when i booked it via telephone - was quite an experience the people there. rough and underworldish but they were all friendly. i was even allowed to bring my bike inside so it doesnt get stolen on the streets at night. the house was like a little underworld castle inside with freaky people. the small window in my room was directly besides some industrial exhaustion from the neighbour kind of little factory and that was quite loud. i liked the stay there though i was a bit scared of the place & owner the first moments...
ReplyDeleteah i was wrong - it was spring 2000.
DeleteI stayed there for a couple of months in 1996 whilst working in the city. It was a friendly pub and the rent was dirt cheap! I remember that some of the windows were blown out during the IRA bombing that year, still some boarded up when I was there.
ReplyDeleteStayed there in the late 90’s while working as a plasterer. Barry and Sue the owners, nice people. It’s a shame it no longer exists.
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