The Lord Howe's Fleet stood adjacent to the still standing Shamrock on Bengal Street, opposite the 1894 Victoria Square housing development. Known in the 1820s as the Wellington, the Fleet was demolished in the 1950s, as pictured above, leaving an unused plot of land, as seen in this photo. It was a three-story pub that loomed over the Shamrock slightly. In the early days it was used as a theatre and comedy venue, with characters such as Dicky Baines, author of the 1800s ditty 'Manchester's Improving Daily', appearing there [2].
'Manchester's Improving Daily'. (c) Sing London.
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Mick Burke "used to drink in the Shamrock and the Fleet with the Irishmen. The Catholics and the Orangemen used to mix in together. When they didn't want you to know their business they would speak Gaelic [1]."
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1. The Old Pubs of Ancoats, Neil Richardson (1987).
2. Papers of the Manchester Literary Club (1878).
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