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Navigation Inn Erdington

Hi guys
It was nice to see the old Navvie still standing even thou it stands alone
The building looked habit tired but I was wondering why it still there standing
Is it as still busy as the old days or is it a grade listed building as to the reason its still standing
Best wishes Alan,, Astonian,,,,,
 
Phil said:
Frothblower is this the one you want. I know its been a long wait.

Phil
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A bit late in joining this thread, but my great uncle, Percy Handsaker, ran The Navigation probably from the 1920s into the 1940s when he died. He trained lion and tiger cubs there for circuses and apparently took them for walks on leads around the surrounding streets. He also bred Dalmatians. His son, Walter, was an expert bareback rider and ran his own bareback riding act from about the age of 13. In about 1927 Walter did his act as part of a big police charity show at the Villa ground.
 
Hi Dams, fancy having such exciting relatives! So, were the animals kept on the premises? I used to work around the corner from the pub and that would have been so much more exciting than Lidl!
 
Steve.c said:
Does anyone knowb what the odd building in the car park is? It's almost circular, I presume it used to be some kind of storage outhouse.
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Yes it was storage in later years, I remember one Xmas putting hundreds of crates of beer in it, but I think originally was built for use to do with the bowling green, maybe a shelter.
 
Got some photos of the Buffet Island Chinese Restaurant while walking up the Bromford Lane towards Erdington.







According to their website, the Chinese Restaurant opened here in 2004, taking over an old derelict public house.
 
davidfowler said:
View attachment 106461
Thanks for that Phil, I lived just down the road from there as a child. Here's a drawing of what is supposed to be the Navi although Frothy doesn't think it is. I suggested it's a "plan" prior to building and so certain details may have been changed when it came to actually putting it up.:)
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A fine old building with many architectural features, some of them appearing to be quite old. The windows, the diamond shapes in the brickwork and the coloured brick chimney stack for instance. Other notable features are the very stout framework for the hanging sign, the horse trough and the square rear tower with little vents/windows. I presume they brewed their own beer there as I see no brewery company name?
There is a fascinating relief on one end gable. At a quick glance it looks like Britannia but I don't thing it is. There is also a legend beneath. I would be interesting to see a photo of it. I have the idea that the plan of the place, on the wall, was for visiting tradesmen and coachmen.
 
Just been searching for photographs or information on The Navigation Inn on Tyburn Road at the junction with Bromford Lane. The architect's drawing of the "Navi" is most likely the original one which stood on Bromford Lane. The map here is from 1905 and shows the pub at its original location with the canal on the right (to the north). The plan on the drawing shows the canal to the right. The "new Navi" was built with its back to the canal on the newly constructed Tyburn Road which isn't there on the 1905 map.

Navigation pub (original) - map 1905 - Bromford Lane runs N-S, Wheelwright Lane forks to the l...jpg
 
Lady Penelope said:
Hi Dams, fancy having such exciting relatives! So, were the animals kept on the premises? I used to work around the corner from the pub and that would have been so much more exciting than Lidl!
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I'm sorry - only just seen this, three years on! I think that some of the animals must have been kept at the pub as he walked them around the streets for exercise - but I think at that time, the area around the pub was far leafier and open than it is now. Sadly, there is no-one old enough in the family to ask the details. My dad used to tell me that his cousin, Lil Handsaker, used to go away with the circus every summer and I thought he was pulling my leg! If only I had believed him and asked more about it.
 
davidfowler said:
View attachment 106461
Thanks for that Phil, I lived just down the road from there as a child. Here's a drawing of what is supposed to be the Navi although Frothy doesn't think it is. I suggested it's a "plan" prior to building and so certain details may have been changed when it came to actually putting it up.:)
Click to expand...
Hi is there a reference for the image ? Do you have the date and edition of Building News and where the original can be found?
 
A couple of newspaper extracts about the Navigation. First the obit of Percy Handsaker - once a Circus tamer. 901F98AE-3E1B-4159-A0CC-662474E0C6E5.jpeg

Secondly, the removal of the Inn - as a result of Road widening - from Bromford Lane to Tyburn Road. Viv.
AFC8E7D9-FD87-4D8F-B8FF-541F772C10B2.jpeg
 
that's brilliant! wonderful to get the image and the description and the full reference! Thanks so much
 
A relative of mine George Keen was landlord at The Navigation, not sure when. I think he might have been my Dad's cousin.
 
Jollyjack said:
A relative of mine George Keen was landlord at The Navigation, not sure when. I think he might have been my Dad's cousin.
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A strange coincidence, reading the newspaper article reporting the death of the Licensee Percy Handsaker, I knew a Percy Handsaker from Great Barr and later in Brownhills, I wonder if they are related?
 
Templer said:
Hi Roger, the building you refer to was in fact to the right of the picture, it is still there but only the walls remain. ( will get a picture later)
I have heard some strange stories of what some people thought it was.
but it was only a very regal kind of summer house with pointed roof and bench seating around the inside and opening out on to what was then, the gardens.
I've spent some hours in there as a youngster waiting for my parents to come out, it was their local. Brian
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Hi Templer, you're right it is a summer house. I think it was an Ansells thing, when I ran the Four Oaks in Sutton Coldfield there was a similar one in the trees surrounding the carpark. It had been allowed to fall into disrepair as well. There was also a small rectangular one at the rear of the pub.
 
Dams said:
A bit late in joining this thread, but my great uncle, Percy Handsaker, ran The Navigation probably from the 1920s into the 1940s when he died. He trained lion and tiger cubs there for circuses and apparently took them for walks on leads around the surrounding streets. He also bred Dalmatians. His son, Walter, was an expert bareback rider and ran his own bareback riding act from about the age of 13. In about 1927 Walter did his act as part of a big police charity show at the Villa ground.
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I’m Peter Handsaker’s granddaughter !
Grandad always talks to me about the history of his dad and the circus and I’ve just told him you commented this while I’ve been searching about it all
 
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