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Hen And Chickens Hotel New Street

Pedrocut

Master Barmmie
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The Hen and Chickens (at least prior to 1741 until 1894)

The Making Of Birmingham (Robert Dent, 1894) provides a nice engraving of the Hen and Chickens, by a Samuel Lines from 1833, but only gives a brief mention. A few lines from the book The Taverns of Old Birmingham by E Edwards written in 1879 may be of interest.

The tavern was originally in High Street, the first record may be around 1741 in Aris's Gazette, and described as stabling 70 horses. In 1798 it was in the ownership of Mrs Sarah Lloyd who sold the old premises and moved over the road into New Street...to increase the hotel accommodation in the town. Soon after she sold out to a Mr Waddell.

As early as 1819 it is said that 30 coaches a day left the Hen and Chickens, and 15 to 20 years later the number had doubled. It also housed the Fire Brigade. In 1830. Mr Waddell bought the freehold an erected the portico....receipts from beds alone was 800 pounds per year

Talking in 1879 Edwards says that within the last few months the whole place has been entirely re-modeled and the frontage would not be recognised, being converted to a commodious restaurant.

Some of the visitors to the Inn are listed....William McCready (theatre), 1829 and 1843 Daniel O'Connell (first Roman Catholic MP since Reformation), 1857 Crown Prince Oude, 1863 Prince Louis of Hesse, as well as Charles Dickens and many great actors. Literary men such as Wordsworth, Southey and Thackery, and musicians aplenty.

"Gillott (of steel pen fame) was a frequent morning visitor into the bar for a half glass, and never had more, of bitter ale; and he had his own glass, which no one else was permitted to drink. He and a few others came every night for about an hour to the little smoking room at the back, from which Gillott regularly adjourned to the Theatre."

"At this time, too, the office-room was the special rendezvous of "Young Birmingham." It was here 20 years ago that the young bloods came in the morning for a "B and S" or a glass of "Divy Shewwy"...they nicknamed the place as "The Fowls." (The young bloods)...when the streets were crowded would heat half pence on a fire shovel and scatter them from the upper windows amongst the people below...great amusement being had at the antics of those who found the coppers hot.

It is interesting that in 1879 he remarks, "Nowadays you are not a guest, you are only a customer."

In December 1894 the Newspaper carried the headline...Hen and Chikens; Last of a Birmingham Hotel.

...will close its doors after Christmas in order that the ground be cleared for the erection of King Edwards High School for Girls...for a few years past it has occupied a very humble, and been a casual, corner of Birmingham life...but now it is about to disappear there are many who will regret the loss of such an important landmark in Birmingham's history
 
Been trying to build up a visual record over time of the H&C, so have collected together the various images showing the Hotel which we have on the Forum. Be nice to be able to put these into date order and to attach dates to each image. Here goes. Viv.
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Below is a Paul Braddon painting of New Street with the H&C on the left. This might be a retrospective view.
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The following two photos show the H&C position to the left, although in the final image I think it had been demolished.
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Hello, and thank you for this post! I am interested in knowing more about this hotel. If it was demolished in 1894, did it move somewhere else? In the attached census report from 1911, it lists Eliza Sims as Manager for the Hens and Chickens hotel on New Street. I'm trying to track down more info about Eliza Sims. Can anyone please help shed any light on this? Thanks!
 

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Hello, and thank you for this post! I am interested in knowing more about this hotel. If it was demolished in 1894, did it move somewhere else? In the attached census report from 1911, it lists Eliza Sims as Manager for the Hens and Chickens hotel on New Street. I'm trying to track down more info about Eliza Sims. Can anyone please help shed any light on this? Thanks!
Dear Heather , Over recent months I have been uncovering information about the Wonder stagecoach that had stopped at the Hen and Chickens. According to Harpers reconstructed time bill the Wonder stopped at the Albion Hotel and Coach Office after the H&C. The proprietor was Thomas Hicks and those premises were located at in the High Street /Carrs Lane area of the City; I would advise that you wait for the responses from other members of this forum who have more expertise than the knowledge I have gained from 3rd, sometimes incorrect parties. Interestingly I was due to cycle along the Wonders route to London this Friday then post the story of that adventure onto this forum. Unfortunately rising levels of coronavirus infection has resulted in my Harlech home being part of the Wales lockdown for a fortnight, so my plans have been postponed until next spring. Thats aside, the feedback you receive from other forum members will help to support or correct the information I have offered. All the best- Joe
 
I'm so sorry your plans were derailed :-( I am located in New Brunswick, Canada, and we are just experiencing our second wave after several months of low numbers. It's all disruptive and annoying. I hope you stay safe!

Thank you so much for your input. Yes, let's wait and see who else can contribute!
 
Heather. I am not sure about the building , but there was still a Hen & Chickens hotel listed at the same position in the 1912 Kellys directory:
130 Hen & Chickens Hotel, (Birmingham Coffee House Co. Lim. proprs).
This is listed there till the 1938 kellys, but in 1939 edition it is described as the Arden Hotel (formerly the Hen & Chickens)
 
Joseph Hill refers to the Hen & Chickens in his (1907) 'The Old Bookmakers of Birmingham'. He says that when Johnson visited in 1735, the Hen & Chickens was kept by a J. Attwood. He describes it as an old hostelry with a good yard and that it faced the Beast Market. (p.43). It had been renamed (previously known as the Angel). I believe that the sketches listed in prev. comments refer to the 'new' Hen and Chickens which was built on the site of the Old Grammar School (not sure if that was widow Sarah Lloyd's 'big' venture - or she just moved in and retained the name).
According to a 2016 article (in Bham Post & Mail), it was demolished in 1878 and another one built in 1896 - being renamed in the 1930's (confirmed in mikejee's post). its final demolition apparently being in 1972 (nb. Mail didnt cite original sources).
 
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