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the vine inn villa st hockley

Astoness

Astoness

TRUE BRUMMIE MODERATOR
Staff member
i used to live in villa street hockley almost opposite the vine pub. would anyone out there remember it. i am also looking for photos of it and photos of the old houses in villa street. now sadly demolished
 
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Buried at Key Hill Cemetery

Here are two people buried at Key Hill Cemetery which may interest someone.
WAKELING Mabel of the Vine Inn Carver Street died 12th December 1940.
WAKELING Alfred James Vine Inn Carver Street died 12th December 1940

Buried Section R plot no 1260.
 
Well, Alfred Wakeling would have been my Great-Uncle as he was my grandfather's elder brother. My mum tells me of a gruesome twist to their sad deaths.

Alfred and Mabel (his second wife) were the licencees of the Vine, and on the night of this particular bombing my grandad was standing on the step of his shop on Spring Hill (he didn't like going down the cellar and preferred to have a 'breather', aka a fag) when a passer by told him that The Vine had been hit.

The story goes that the blast killed Alf outright as his head was found on the factory roof opposite, and the woman initially buried with him was not Mabel but the remains of a passer by; Mabels body was found two-weeks later, still in the pub cellar :shocked:.

Alfred's remains, together with whom they thought was Mabel were buried in the same coffin; Mabel was eventually buried in the same plot, but in a seperate coffin.

So, a menage a trois for all eterntity; and what about the mystery woman, I wonder how long her loved ones must they have been searching for a missing family member, never to be found?

The undertaker gave my grandad had Alfred's wedding ring and it was incorporated into my mum's wedding ring, which she still wears today.

Talk about a twist in the tale ...
 
hi missbee...what a story...thank you....can you just confirm that the vine you talk about was instead the vine inn that was in villa st...i only ask as this pub and its history is of great interest to me...

cheers...:)
 
Hello Astoness :handshake:

Have just rang Mum and she confirms that it was the Vine in Carver Street (off Icknield Street).

Hope this helps?

:)
 
ahh missbee thanks for that.i didnt think it was the vine in villa street as i lived more or less opposite the pub and there were no factories there...

cheers:)
 
taken a long time to find this pic folks so at long last here it is..:)

the vine inn...villa st...hockley dated 1954

lyn:)
 

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  • Lozells Vine Inn Villa Street.jpg
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thanks rob...its also under the kelly section but thought i best post it where it actually should be...:D i look at that pic and can just see us kids walking into the outdoor on the far right to take back the empties...thats the one that we took from the back yard of the pub of course...:D:D:D
 
Was just wondering Lyn,when about was this pic taken?
My guess would be mid 50s to mid 60s...but that is only a guess.
 
I propose to do a watercolour of the Vine Inn for Lyn, being a black and White pic it presents one or two colour problems, Would I be right in thinking the word ANSELLS is usually orange with a dark green background???
Also the first floor appears to have new lighter coloured brick work and modern window frames. Eric
 
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hi wessex..i did date it i think...1954...21st of may to be presise...so it was taken 4 years before i moved to villa street...still cant get over it...

thanks for the help with colouring froth....:):)

lyn:):)
 
Eric,
As a signwriter I used to do lots of pubs for M&B's and Ansells.
You are right, orange lettering and squirrel on a dark green background,
the window frames would in all probability have been a mid oak grained finish and the side wall usually cream or buff coloured.
Good luck with your painting, I look forward to seeing it.
Regards John.
 
ASTONESS
been readingall these replys about the vine inn my gran keeped the place through the 40s and 50s happy days
ynot
 
hi ynot...this is wonderful...i take it you have seen the pic of the vine i have posted..it was taken in 1954 when i would imagine your gran ran it....it took me the best part of 3 years to track this pic down and now someone turns up whose relative ran it...:) i wonder do you have anymore pics of the pub...and did you live close by..i would love to hear any memories you have of it..i also have a pic of the regulars inside the bar on the last day before it closed down in 1978 and also another of the inside of the pub..

oh and welcome to the forum..hope you enjoy it and if you need any help just give us a shout....

lyn:)
 
Hiastoness
mygrans name was minnie jones and i lived there with her as well as my mom marg and brother terry we were there from1941 to1954 iusedto knock about with tommy and the rest of the woodward clan they had factory up there yard do army badges sorry no photos only good memories bye for now ynot
 
:)hi ynot..so the pic i have posted of the vine was most likely taken when you were all living at the vine then...at least you have this pic and it must bring back so many memories to you...you are quite welcome to take a copy of it if you would like to...

lyn....
 
hi ynot..i forgot to ask you do you remember the other pub just a few doors up from the vine called the villa tavern...think it was demolished in the early 60s..ive also been searching for a pic of that one...anyhow here are the other two photos i have..the first one is taken in 1978 ...the day the last pint was pulled and the other is playing darts prob taken in the late 60s...
 
ooppsss...got that wrong..it was his nan...moorhouse...lived in one of the backhouses??
 
hi hanna..the name morrall does not ring any bells with me but i will ask my brother...i see you are researching the name moorhouse..probably just a coinsidence but there were moorhouses in villa st...

lyn:)
 
hi hanna..just read your last post...there were moorhouses at no 106.... it wasnt a back house though.... i was good friends with all of the family...:)
 
oh how lovely...hope it's thwe same family!!!!...I'll have to check properly ...but...it was my mother in law Olive Moorhouse before she got married in the 40's and her mom, brother John and some others??!!!
 
ok hanna...i shall look forward to seeing the photos if you can manage it...took me months to master it..:D and yes please any info on the moorhouse family...ie names and what years they were in villa st..like i said the one i know lived at number 106 and i lived at 118...

hope you hear from you soon....

lyn:)
 
At last Lyn..the good and the bad news!!!!..this is what you have been waiti for..hope I am putting it on the right page but I'm syre it will get to you!! The picture I have got of the Vine Inn is the samre as the one you have got...BUT I have got one of 93 Villa Street, Dec 29 1960,( the one you have got I HAVE GOT DATED may 21st. 1954)...I've also got one of Villa St. from one end, much older...one of Birmigham House pub Dec 5th. 1966,one 0f 67 Villa st.( i think) towards Nursery RD.AND 2 OTHERS THAT HOPEFULLY YOU CAN IDENTIFY! ...to begin with !! I'm excited for you so ...as it will take me forever to learn how to put them on here if you send me your email address Ican scan them . send them toy you as attachments and you can put them on here!! TODAY!!!!!!...
MY MOTHER IN LAW was/is!!! TYPING GONE TO POT IN MY HURRY) Olive Moorhouse 5 back of 113 Villa Street.( born 1924 at 5 Cartes Place Villa Steet. She married in 1942 aged 18 to Len Morrall...dad was Alfred( died 1940) mom was Frances . HOPE THATKEEPS YOU GOING TO THE NEXT INSTALLMENT...ENJOY!!!
hanna
 
hi ya hanna...i will happily have any pics of villa street you have...thank you so much for taking the time...i thought it was to good to be true getting two different pics of the vine...but no matter i am happy with the one we do have...ok i am sending you a private message with me email address...thanks ever so much...

lyn..

ps..cant be sure if you moorhouses and the ones i know belong to the same family...i will have to go into it more for you...
 
all sent:wave:...hope you won't be too disappointed with these...hope too that others will enjoy them when you put them up..I'd be so chuffed to have something to share!!:beam:
 
astoness hows things been reading allthe replys the Moorhouses had relations up the street opposite thevillatavern (dirty dicks is what we called it) called hadlington
ynot
 
hi ynot..i think me and hanna are soon about to make the moorhouse connection...its a long story and we are still trying to work it all out..thanks for that..i would give anything for a pic of the villa tavern...may turn up one day...the vine did...:)

lyn
 
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