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Mystery Pub in Halesowen Ye Dolls Head?

Dennis Williams

Dennis Williams

Gone but not forgotten
Came across this great photo of an old Brummie Bus...and noticed in the background a Pub that had a really weird name...Ye Dolls Head..???? Said to be on the corner of Laurel Road in Halesowen , by the Wilkinson's building.......now gone, but never seen or heard of such a funny pub name....or have I misread it? Any info? Ye Dolls Head Pub and Tram.jpg81498932_2728108773893910_1084159451860041728_o.jpg
 
Dennis Williams said:
Came across this great photo of an old Brummie Bus...and noticed in the background a Pub that had a really weird name...Ye Dolls Head..???? Said to be on the corner of Laurel Road in Halesowen , by the Wilkinson's building.......now gone, but never seen or heard of such a funny pub name....or have I misread it? Any info? View attachment 140326View attachment 140325
Click to expand...

When checking this out there seemed to be many, but when checked they were actually the Bulls Head and I think this is the case here.
 
The top photo shows a Tilling Stevens TTA2 bus of 1913 with a Hora (Camberwell) 27 seat body. A batch of six (OA 343 - OA 348. These were the first B&MMO salons with front entrance.
The buses in both photos were originally owned by the Birmingham District Power & Traction Co. Ltd. in 1913.
They did not operate them but hired these to the new B&MMO (Midland Red).
The lower photo shows one of the Tilling Stevens TTA2 type 27 seat BIRCH built bodies. Registered O 9937 - O 9942
They were rare in that they had rear entrances, Midland Red subsequently had front entrance single deck buses. They were apparently all initially based in Tennant Street but transferred to Bearwood in October 1914. The ownership passed to Midland Red in 1917 but by 1920 five of the O registered buses had been sold to C.F.Rymer in Liverpool.
O 9938 had a more interesting and longer life: in 1919 being withdrawn and rebuilt by Birch with an open top deck, seating 34 in total. Soon back in service and re-registered as OA 7100. Withdrawn and scrapped in February 1921.
A photo exists of O 9938 fitted with a roof luggage rack for parcel deliveries, it was being used for News of the World newspapers.
OA 344 and 347 were re-bodied and survived until 1924 and 1928 respectively. The rest were gone in 1920. OA 343 was rebodied in 1920 and re-registered O 9933 but was scrapped by 1921.
It can be seen that all the early Midland Red vehicles had Birmingham registrations, it was not until 1922 when sixteen chassis from American company Garford were bodied by Davidson (6 charabanc) and Carlyle 14 (saloons) and got the first of the very familiar HA series registrations. The first was HA 2318.
 
1954 map has it marked as Ye Bulls Head. Before that it was just marked as a public house. By 1966 map it had gone. It is also listed in the 1934 Kelly's at 18 Hagley Road Halesowen.
1577889246572.png
 
Last edited:
Radiorails said:
The top photo shows a Tilling Stevens TTA2 bus of 1913 with a Hora (Camberwell) 27 seat body. A batch of six (OA 343 - OA 348. These were the first B&MMO salons with front entrance.
The buses in both photos were originally owned by the Birmingham District Power & Traction Co. Ltd. in 1913.
They did not operate them but hired these to the new B&MMO (Midland Red).
The lower photo shows one of the Tilling Stevens TTA2 type 27 seat BIRCH built bodies. Registered O 9937 - O 9942
They were rare in that they had rear entrances, Midland Red subsequently had front entrance single deck buses. They were apparently all initially based in Tennant Street but transferred to Bearwood in October 1914. The ownership passed to Midland Red in 1917 but by 1920 five of the O registered buses had been sold to C.F.Rymer in Liverpool.
O 9938 had a more interesting and longer life: in 1919 being withdrawn and rebuilt by Birch with an open top deck, seating 34 in total. Soon back in service and re-registered as OA 7100. Withdrawn and scrapped in February 1921.
A photo exists of O 9938 fitted with a roof luggage rack for parcel deliveries, it was being used for News of the World newspapers.
OA 344 and 347 were re-bodied and survived until 1924 and 1928 respectively. The rest were gone in 1920. OA 343 was rebodied in 1920 and re-registered O 9933 but was scrapped by 1921.
It can be seen that all the early Midland Red vehicles had Birmingham registrations, it was not until 1922 when sixteen chassis from American company Garford were bodied by Davidson (6 charabanc) and Carlyle 14 (saloons) and got the first of the very familiar HA series registrations. The first was HA 2318.
Click to expand...


Gulp....who'd have thought? Cheers....
 
Many thanks to Radiorails for his very learned discourse on the vehicle. I got to know this area in 1954-5 because the 132 service came through here on its way to Birmingham (usually a BMMO LD8) on its way to Birmingham. Leaving Hagley Rd, it turned the corner into the strangely named street called Rumbow. Anyone any ideas as to the origin of that name?
 
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