Humanity

Although I walk past every day, I've only recently noticed the name of this shabby building in Friargate.

For most of the 19th century and early 20th century it was the Roast Beef Inn. Sometime around 1930 it became the premises of the Preston Humane Assurance Collecting Society (Paul Swarbrick, 'Made In Preston'). They were still listed at that address in the 1948 Barretts directory (Preston Digital Archive).

I wonder if the building had the same name when it was the Roast Beef Inn, to indicate merciful killing, perhaps. Nowadays much of the meat sold in this street is halal.