There is a tremendous interest in pubs on BHF. Lots about pubs and their history.
It might be interesting to know the reason(s) why someone would have liked to visit a pub, but never did.
I was too young to go in a pub for a drink but I would loved to have had a drink in the Drawbridge at Shirley (before modernisation of course). I looked a pleasant and old style place with stone flags on the floor. It was a Dares house.
The photo below is how I remember it. My memory, fortunately is before the addition of traffic signals and modern bridge apparatus.
View attachment 146747
When we were on the canal on our trip to Stratford, it was the day of a televised event (football I think) and we had picked the boat up at Alvechurch and got to Shirley and decided it was eating time, opened and closed the bridge, tied up and decided to eat at the Drawbridge. My daughter is disabled and for small hops we don't use the wheelchair, so she walks between two of us. Went in and the place was heaving. @Are you here to eat?' asked a voice. 'Yes' I replied. 'Hang on' said the voice (not a staff member), moments later we heard 'Make way, mind your backs, over there is a table for four, I just moved some of our lot off it'. 'Thanks very much' we shouted, not seeing our benefactor, but aware that he was with a very large group as they nodded, smiled and really made way for us so that we could get through. The atmosphere was superb, noisy but cheery with people speaking to us about the canal, where we were from etc, etc and although they were busy and had been busy, the meal was superb, in fact we added it to that list of places we must visit again and have, twice on visits up there.
While on about the drawbridge is electrically operated, unlike all the others on the canal which are manual. Press a button to lift and another one to drop back. On all these trips my wife and I saw to the locks etc. On the way back, my wife said she would like to open the bridge, so after the physio had inspected her fingers and the masseur had worked on them I said she should. We walked to the bridge with her, put the key in the lock, ensured she wiggled her fingers and was ready, walked to the road and waited until it was clear of traffic, nodded to her, in a move not seen very often her finger shot to the button, the lights started flashing and then the bridge started to move. I got back to the control box to hear my wife screaming 'what is that car doing there?, looked up and saw a car stopped on the bridge in a position where the counterweight would have crushed the car roof. Once again her finger released the lift button and landed on the close button. The bridge lowered, stopped and she(the lady driver) drove across waving at us she went. No one else moved, there were looks of disbelief from the drivers who were patiently waiting, so we lifted the bridge and let our boat through.
Fleur de Lys, Dog & Doublet only two of the names I remember of pubs that border the canals bordered by the ring that goes from Worcester to Stafford, to Lichfield, Tamworth, Rugby, Brierly Hill, etc etc, just remembered The Fountain at Tipton (Black Country friendliness at its best, stonking two for £10.00 meal and an amazing selection of wines. There was just one we would never visit again Sampson and the Lion at Brierley Hill. Want a pub and good meal, get on the towpath (There was one at Knowle opposite the motor dealers, been their two or thee times. Also a pub at Clent, one or two at Catshill near Bromsgrove. The Dog in Dog Lane Water Orton side of Birmingham.
Bob
