Kings Highway, Quinton

[ethanedwards]

Any information or photos,
would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Stitcher]

Ethan, a man who was landlord at several pubs had the Highway, and the Duke of York in Harborn, both pubs went downhill whilst his name was on the licence and they both ended up shut. He is reputed to have had the same effect on several others as well. I do know he had The George in Smethwick but that is still going. The Court Oak is local to me and I would not use it in the evening for the reasons I posted earlier. I used The Highway for nigh on fifty years, sunday lunchtime usually. A group of us used to go every weekend for a peaceful drink. Unfortunately for me, I was the youngest of the group and as my friends died one by one, so the clientele of the Highway went down as well. I have ended up without a local and only one of my old friends is still alive and he now lives in Wales.
The standard of behaviour in the Highway was getting bad long before the smoking ban was introduced, the Duke of York was the same. It was rumoured that a Netto store was going up on the Highway sight but nothing has happened as yet.

 

[Lloyd]

The Quinton Local History Society site ( https://www.qlhs.org.uk/history/history.htm ) gives this:

"QUINTAIN GREEN - Also known as Quinton Farm or Moncton House. Ambrose Foley, a well-known resident of Quinton, resided in the farmhouse, which was rebuilt in 1750. John Wesley visited the house in 1782 and did preach there. The house is demolished but was on the site of the Kings Highway Public House."

The Birmingham - Hales Owen (original spelling) turnpike road passed the site, following what is now Hagley Road West, doubtless the name relates to that.

 

[ethanedwards]

Ethan, a man who was landlord at several pubs had the Highway, and the Duke of York in Harborn, both pubs went downhill whilst his name was on the licence and they both ended up shut. He is reputed to have had the same effect on several others as well. I do know he had The George in Smethwick but that is still going. The Court Oak is local to me and I would not use it in the evening for the reasons I posted earlier. I used The Highway for nigh on fifty years, sunday lunchtime usually. A group of us used to go every weekend for a peaceful drink. Unfortunately for me, I was the youngest of the group and as my friends died one by one, so the clientele of the Highway went down as well. I have ended up without a local and only one of my old friends is still alive and he now lives in Wales.
The standard of behaviour in the Highway was getting bad long before the smoking ban was introduced, the Duke of York was the same. It was rumoured that a Netto store was going up on the Highway sight but nothing has happened as yet.

Thanks for your post, and it is indeed sad to see the demise of the Highway.
When I drank there, it had been recently refurbished approx 1975-85.
It was a lovey pub than with an excellent restaraunt which was
seperated from the lounge bar, as to afford the diners their own bar.
Having said that the regulars were a great bunch of people and there was never any trouble.
As metioned in 'The Stag' thread, Ron Wagstaff,
was there when I first went folloWed by couple called Don and Pat,
who I befriended,(don't know what happened to them, in the end)

So I think the rogue landlord must have been much later!

 

[Stitcher]

Lloyd, my wife is talking about what do I want for dinner this evening and caused me to post this on the wrong thread so I will tell you again on this one.
If you have not been past lately you may not know but the two quaint and very old cottages adjoining the Highway car park have gone as well.

 

[ethanedwards]

Great stuff Lloyd,
thanks for the photo and the informative reply

 

[Jollyjack]

Thanks for your post, and it is indeed sad to see the demise of the Highway.
When I drank there, it had been recently refurbished approx 1975-85.
It was a lovey pub than with an excellent restaraunt which was
seperated from the lounge bar, as to afford the diners their own bar.
Having said that the regulars were a great bunch of people and there was never any trouble.
As metioned in 'The Stag' thread, Ron Wagstaff,
was there when I first went folloWed by couple called Don and Pat,
who I befriended,(don't know what happened to them, in the end)

So I think the rogue landlord must have been much later!

When I left the Royal Navy I went to the Highway as Assistant Manager to Ron Wagstaff and his wife Esther. I was there for a couple of years before taking on my own premises. Ron was ex RN and a great manager, he increased the trade substantially. The grill room was very busy and the function room was constantly in demand. The bar had a solid regular customer base and was lively, with plenty of banter. The lounge bar also had a large regular attendance, with a wide range of people ranging from company directors and owners, police officers, car dealers, M&B employees and many others. Lots of nicknames, Gordon the plane, Harry the Tap, Big Tel and others. The Head Chef was Ben, ex army, Grill Chef Dom, Head Waiter Alf and Wine waiter Surinder. Ron had run the Crown in Broad Street and the Old Royal previously. He moved to the Stag after leaving the Highway. Sadly like other great pubs poor choice of managers and disastrous decisions by the brewery, changing offerings to suit trends such as sports pubs, led to it's demise. The only pub to open in the war it was demolished by the owners and not German bombers. Henry Mitchell of M&B was a property man and the land that the Highway stood on also encompassed the cinema and supermarket alongside, but not the small cottage next door. Must have been worth a tidy sum so selling it all off was inevitable I suppose. There was one more person I haven't mentioned and that was Norah, a long standing friend of Ron and Esther, she was with them at the Old Royal and was very hot on cash handling and bookkeeping.