Herbert Road Small Heath

[sospiri]

Edit. A detailed discussion about the location of the unidentified pub below is now in this thread here https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/where-is-was-this-ansell’s-pub.52661/


Further to my post #20, our new member, Toni Partridge, has kindly supplied me with a photograph of the off-licence at number 61 that was run by her late aunt, Emily Lewis, who was also the late widow of my cousin, John George Sheppard.

I mentioned in that post that John George was believed to have died in a road accident outside the Stonebridge Hotel, Meriden, of which he was the landlord until his death. However, evidence has since come to light that he died of pneumonia in Powick Emergency Hospital. My thanks to Toni for the photograph, which is reproduced below.

Maurice

 

[Astoness]

hi maurice unless i have read your post wrong that looks more like a pub on a corner to me not an off licence as you said...here is map showing where the off licence was at no 61

lyn

 

[sospiri]

Viv, Mike, Lyn,

If it is any help Emily Sheppard kept the off-licene at number 61 [?] from Circa 1941 until 1954. The number was given to me six years ago by her son, so possibly that may be wrong. Kellys anyone between those dates? Beyond that I have no further info. I no longer have contact with the son as this was some years ago.

Maurice

 

[Astoness]

yes hopefully someone can look in kellys for emily sheppard maurice just to confirm the outdoor was at no 61...

lyn

 

[mikejee]

Yes Maurice. She is listed as a beer retailer at 61 Herbert Road in the1950 Kellys

 

[Vivienne14]

Thanks Maurice.

Ok then. I shall move the interesting photo and related posts to a new thread. Another challenge for members to tackle. Viv.

Here’s the new thread link: https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/where-is-was-this-ansell’s-pub.52661/

 

[sospiri]

The strange thing is that there is no pub name on that photo in post #31. Is it an off-licence that was once a pub?

Maurice

 

[mikejee]

I have seen that at other places, so very possibly

 

[Vivienne14]

There was once a sign high up on the wall to the right of the lamp. And there is a sign “Bar” written in the glass door beneath the lamp. So it definitely was at one time a pub. It does seem strange there’s no pub sign. And all the small windows are open on the ground level, so it was occupied at the time of the photo, and not vacant. Be useful to find out it’s address so we can get to the history. It certainly doesn’t seem to fit the footprint of building #61 Herbert Road marked on Lyn’s map in post #32. It has to be at a road junction if a bus is coming alongside the pub to the left, and I’d guess near a main road judging by the overhead wires/cables and supporting posts.

Viv.

 

[mikejee]

Maurice
Checking in Kellys. In 1947 no 61 is occupied by Mrs Elsie Stubbs, and in 1949 by Leslie Stubbs. Emily is first mentioned in the 1950 edition (which would probably refer to 1949, and she is listed till 1955. I found this as I was searching in case she had another off licence before and that the photo might have been of that, but there seems no listing of her pre 1950 at all. I assume she did not marry Leslie Stubbs?

 

[sospiri]

Mike,

She certainly did not re-marry and moved to Gloucester in 1954. However, the start date of 1941 was from a email from her son 6 or 7 years ago and it says "circa 1941". Her husband died in 1941, but did she immediately move out of the Stonebridge Hotel? I have no idea, nor do I know if she lived somewhere between Meriden and assuming control of No. 61. Certainly the name Stubbs does not feature in my family tree. The only name connected with her during this time was a married couple with the surname Blake, who lived in the same area. They were just good friends. That's the extent of my knowledge.

Now, would Keiron (midlandpubs) recognise this place I wonder?

Maurice

 

[Vivienne14]

Hopefully Kieron will see the “Where is this Ansell’s pub” thread Maurice or might even give us one or two clues. Viv.

 

[jonnybrowne]

My great grandfather, Thomas Ward, moved to Herbert Road with his children around 1911 & he remained living in the road until his death having lived in a couple of different houses there. His unmarried daughter, Lily Ward, remained living there until her death in 1962 when she was aged 75 so you could well have seen her whilst you lived there Cliffe. She always wore a black eye patch having lost an eye in her younger years. There were tales told that she lost it whilst abroad working as a missionary when a burrowing insect ate her eye away but the truth was that she got kicked by a horse really.
As to Bastock's old property in Herbert Road ~ that was of interest to me cos my grandad used to go there as a young lad where he had got to know the stable hand & he used to help look after the horses & do the mucking out. He also used to help wash the old glass hearse carriage in readiness for funerals which earned him some pocket money.
I was just wondering ~ have you got any old pictures of the old sweet shop by any chance?

That's interesting - my great-grandfather and namesake, John Browne, lived at 151 Herbert Road, having moved from Whitmore Road after 1911, and lived there until his death in 1925. Maybe our great-grandfathers knew of each other or were neighbours. I know a lot of the buildings in the road have since been demolished but I'd also love to see what it looked like at that tme