Aston St Aston Road Lichfield Road pubs

[Vivienne14]

According to some notes Mort with the Aston Street SWTN drawing, it says the name came from the 'nicks' made on the beaks of swans to indicate ownership. Nicks becoming 'necks'. Don't know how accurate this is though. Viv.

 

[Morturn]

Yes, I have heard that. Apparently the queen owns all the swans, and would make their beaks

 

[mikejee]

Mary Hubbard (can't help thinking of Mother Hubbard) is listed in the 1829 Wrightson's directory as being a victualler in Lancaster St, but by the time of the 1033 version was a victualler in Aston St

 

[mikejee]

The queen does not own all the swans. Some are owned by the Vintners & Dyers livery companies. They don't nick the beaks now, but every year they have a "jolly" on the Thames, when the offspring are marked with a ring to indicate ownership. All the "uppers" go down the river over several days and do this, stopping for a boozy lunch on the way. Some "outsiders " are allowed also on th eboats. A friend won a place one year in a charity raffle, and told me it was the boozy lunch that took up a large part of the day.. Thus is life at Henley on Thames

 

[Pedrocut]

Of course in Birmingham we would call it a long dinner time session!

 

[Pedrocut]

In 1824 Benjamin Hubbard was the licencee of the Swan with Two Necks, also in that year his son, another Benjamin, died at the age of 24.

Benjamin Snr died in 1827 and Mrs Hubbard took over the licence until at least 1838

 

[Radiorails]

The queen does not own all the swans. Some are owned by the Vintners & Dyers livery companies. They don't nick the beaks now, but every year they have a "jolly" on the Thames, when the offspring are marked with a ring to indicate ownership. All the "uppers" go down the river over several days and do this, stopping for a boozy lunch on the way. Some "outsiders " are allowed also on th eboats. A friend won a place one year in a charity raffle, and told me it was the boozy lunch that took up a large part of the day.. Thus is life at Henley on Thames

I am sure it is more sober in Henley-in-ARDEN!

 

[mikejee]

No Hoorah Henrys in the Arden

 

[Phil]

Some images of three of the pubs that have been mentioned on this thread, first we have the Old Castle that stood between Duke Street & Sheep Street on Aston Street in 1966 shortly before it was demolished. Then across the road was the Old Peacock that was demolished to make way or the new technical school that is now Aston University. Lastly we have the Swan With Two Necks that stood at the junction of Aston Street and originally Lancaster Street before it was lost under the extension of Corporation Street and the New Central Fire Station.

 

[Phil]

I don't think this hostelry has been mentioned on this thread, it's the New Peacock just down from the General Wolfe on Aston Road next to the Aston junction of the Birmingham - Fazeley and the Digbeth Branch of the BCN canal.

The photo has to be dated before 1919 when M & B acquired Holders Brewery and who's product is still prominently advertised on the upstairs windows.

 

[Pedrocut]

I don't think this hostelry has been mentioned on this thread, it's the New Peacock just down from the General Wolfe on Aston Road next to the Aston junction of the Birmingham - Fazeley and the Digbeth Branch of the BCN canal.

The photo has to be dated before 1919 when M & B acquired Holders Brewery and who's product is still prominently advertised on the upstairs windows.

View attachment 125950

The New Peacock was sited in Post 1 and the earliest date said to be 1840.

[later info may mention an earlier date, but now found to be at least 1824, and the Old Peacock In Aston Street is mentioned 1829]

 

[Bob Davis]

On my nostalgia tour on Saturday, I was coming up from Salford Bridge under the railway line at Aston Station and suddenly into a landscape almost devoid of habitation and just before I hung a right to follow the signs for Kidderminster, passed a large grey boarded up building. Was this once a pub? There have been so many changes and roads not going where they used to, but the greatest change seems to be the closure of the pubs. I am sure that a lot of the streets coming out of town, had pubs on almost every corner, I know Summer Lane\?Road on the 5a route did, I often thought that from Salford Bridge to Lancaster Place there were plenty as well, in fact I do seem to recall coming through any of the areas on the main roads coming out of town, there were pubs a plenty, sometimes almost next door to each other and likewise on the council estates, the big places usually built at one of the big traffic islands (there were a couple in Kingstanding) they seem to no longer be serving Ales and suchlike. Of course it could be that the average Brummie is now into health foods and fruit drinks, because I am sure that old beer at home (what a pale weak liquid it was) - Davenports is no more. As my wife enjoyed (is that how you spell endured) the great Bob down memory lane trip, some like the Dog on Hagley Road and the Ivy Bush are still there and of course as we know from another topic the Beggars Bush is still going, as were one or two of the old favourites on Aldridge Road/Kingstanding Road, The Golden Hind, The Boars Head,

Bob
Moderators I have gone off topic, so perhaps you might want to move this to your pubs theme park

 

[Phil]

So it was Pedrocut, I must have missed that Sorry.

 

[Pedrocut]

So it was Pedrocut, I must have missed that Sorry.

To put a picture to the Inn is great, and a chance to bring the info together. The Old and New Peacocks were in Aston Street and Aston Road, both old and existing at the same time.

 

[rockit]

maybe a swan with two nicks i.e. marks on its neck to indicate something about its ownership or status

 

[VickyM1]

These were/are all located on Lichfield Road, Aston.I've put dates in brackets to show where there are newspaper references. Some may be one and the same (through name changes). Quite a few date back to at least the 1860s. Some may go back further to when Lichfield Road was Aston Road. I searched using the Lichfield Road title only. Viv.

Church Tavern (1865, 1866, 1867)
Red Lion (1866, 1867, 1877, 1951)
Aston Hall Tavern (1866)
Victoria Inn (1862, 1871)
Duke of York (1869)
Swanpool Tavern (1877)
Manor Tavern (1877)
Reservoir Tavern (1865)
Gunmaker's Arms (1866)
Britannia Inn (1950)

Hi Vivienne, do you know anything about a pub on lichfield road maybe called the white lion?
I think the pub manager could of been George Davies and his wife Winnie.

 

[cookie273uk]

A pub frequented by my Dad called the 'Brit' (Britiania) by Aston station - is that still functioning ? Eric

 

[jonnybrowne]

Hi Vivienne, do you know anything about a pub on lichfield road maybe called the white lion?
I think the pub manager could of been George Davies and his wife Winnie.

Does anyone know anything about the Red Lion in Lancaster Street? I've recently uncovered a rather grisly family story about my 3 x great uncle being sentenced to 10 years' in prison for the manslaughter of his common law wife, my 3 x great aunt (who was also my 2 x great grandmother's twin sister) after an apparent drunken altercation outside the pub. Obviously given the circumstances I'd have no wish to go there for a drink - I'd guess it's long gone anyway - but I'd be curious to see any old photos as my family, the Rays (or Reays) lived in the immediate area from the 1850's up to the 1930's.

 

[MWS]

Here's a map from 1889...



...Lancaster Street is still there but it has been widened where the Red Lion was and Brick Kiln St no longer exists either.

You've probably already seen it but there is a newspaper article about the incident in the Bham Daily Post 3 Sep 1873.

 

[Astoness]

ive checked my pub files and cant seem to find a photo of this pub but if mikejee sees this post i wouldnt mind a map showing its location..

lyn

 

[jonnybrowne]

Here's a map from 1889...

View attachment 150417

...Lancaster Street is still there but it has been widened where the Red Lion was and Brick Kiln St no longer exists either.

You've probably already seen it but there is a newspaper article about the incident in the Bham Daily Post 3 Sep 1873.

Thank you!! I had a rough idea where it was but that’s really helpful in pinning it down.

I have seen the newspaper article, it makes quite gruesome reading. I also have a photo (well, mug shot) of Benjamin courtesy of the West Midlands Police Museum, and have found details of several other convictions - he was certainly an unsavoury character.

 

[Astoness]

checked my brick kiln st photos and thought i had found a pic of the red lion but it does not seem to fit the map posted

lyn

 

[jonnybrowne]

checked my brick kiln st photos and thought i had found a pic of the red lion but it does not seem to fit the map posted

lyn

Thank you very much for looking anyway, Lyn, really appreciated.

I’d be very interested if anyone has any photos from the period - my family lived round the area of Staniforth Street, Sheep Street, Balloon Street.

Jonny

 

[jonnybrowne]

I’ve now got a copy of Susannah’s death certificate (more gruesome reading) and she died, two weeks after the incident, at 11 Brick Kiln Street.

 

[Astoness]

Thank you very much for looking anyway, Lyn, really appreciated.

I’d be very interested if anyone has any photos from the period - my family lived round the area of Staniforth Street, Sheep Street, Balloon Street.

Jonny

should be a couple of photos of staniforth and sheep st on the forum...will have a look for balloon st

lyn

 

[Astoness]

got this one but it says henn st/balloon st so a tad confused also a map of balloon st which runs off sheep st

 

[mikejee]

Lyn
Henn St was the street that ballon st ends on that is unnamed on the map. I assume that the photo is at the junction of the two looking towards the dead end of Henn St

 

[Astoness]

Lyn
Henn St was the street that ballon st ends on that is unnamed on the map. I assume that the photo is at the junction of the two looking towards the dead end of Henn St

thanks mike got me bearings now..mike could i have a map please showing the location of the red lion pub brick kiln st...thanks

lyn

 

[mikejee]

Here you are Lyn. Re Lion in red

 

[Astoness]

thanks mike i cant see it but there look like a pub on the second left corner next to the newer building...i can make out a pubs lantern could this be the red lion...reason i ask is im not sure it fits the map