Old Saracen's Head, Edgbaston Street

[glaciermint]

I have a receipt from this old Birmingham pub and wonder if anybody can supply any information about the pub or its landlord. I am attaching a scan of the document which I think is very interesting in its own right and gives us some insight into a pub of the mid nineteenth century. The bill is dated March 8 1865. I hope the scan is clear and if so you will see one or two interesting items such as:

• An ordinary every day at 1/2 past 1 o'clock
• Beef 10/-, Beef for men 5/6
• Fowels 9/-

It has a Victorian penny stamp which says Inland Revenue and has been oversigned by G Taylor March 22 1865

If anybody has any old directories or pub histories I would love to build up a picture of George Taylor and his pub

Bob

 

[Pomgolian]

A couple of pic's 1912 and 1974

 

[Lloyd]

That Saracen's Head is on Kings Norton Green, not in Edgbaston Street, Pomgolian.

 

[Wendy]

Interesting point Lloyd, the recipt that glaciermint has posted clearly states Edgebaston Street. We now need a map or trade directory.

 

[Pomgolian]

I was just going by the name on the 'Third' Pic' which clearly states 'The Old Saracen's Head on the front... Have I got pic's of two different Pubs? (they looked the same to me though). Or could the Pub have been moved years ago like some others were? Or were there two 'Old Saracen's Heads' ?

 

[Lloyd]

'The Saracen's Head' was not an uncommon pub name, like the King's Head, etc. I think the pubs used to be known by a picture in the days before most people could read, and the idea of distinctive names stuck.

 

[horsencart]

in the 1862 dircetory there is a Old Saracens Head George Taylor

In the 1865 Directory there is a
Taylor George Saracens Head 20 Edgbaston St


In the 1868 directory there is a
20 Edgbaston St Old Saracen Head George Taylor


In 1870 the pub is run by a george upton

 

[horsencart]

That Saracen's Head is on Kings Norton Green, not in Edgbaston Street, Pomgolian.

Yes it was

 

[glaciermint]

That's great. Thanks for the help so far. Can you please clarify Bammot 'yes it was' what.

Bob

 

[Phil]

In 1903 The Old Saracens Head was still open in Edgbaston St.

No 20 Old Saracens Head PH Edward Fenemar. Kelly's TD

Ten years later in 1913 it was closed.

No 20 Frederick John Collins & Co Wholesale Stationers. Kelly's TD

I hope this helps.

Phil

 

[Pomgolian]

Sorry if I made a blue here guys, because another thing I was going by was this:

Directory: Pigot
Page: 877
King's Norton
Created 1st July 1837. Abolished 1st January 1925 (incorporated into Birmingham North and Birmingham South districts).
[Kings Norton] was mainly in Worcestershire, but included parts of Staffordshire and Warwickshire.
Sub-districts : Balsall Heath; Edgbaston; Harborne; Kings Norton.
GRO volumes : XVIII (1837-51); 6c (1852-1924).

I always thought Edgbaston St was in a part of Balsall Heath where I lived as a child.
So also mistakenly thought that it could have been part of KN Green too.
This is a great site for putting folk right ... Thanx everyone.

 

[glaciermint]

Thanks for everyone's input on this one (including Pomgolian despite attempts to throw us off the scent!!).

When time allows I think I'll try to build up a bigger picture of either George Taylor or the Old Saracen's Head as a little private research project.

One thing I have come across is that in the excellent book 'Birmingham Pubs 1880-1939 by Alan Crawford, Michael Dunn & Robert Thorne; Alan Sutton Publishing, 1986'
they mention that the old Swanpool Tavern (originally called the Gate Inn, then the Station Inn), now the Swan & Mitre on Lichfield Road, was leased from the Hockley Brewery in 1888, the proprietor of which was a George Taylor . There may be no connection as it is not a rare name of course but it could be that the Taylor family was a significant name in the mid Victorian Birmingham brewery scene.

Any further info will be gratefully received
Bob

 

[Wendy]

Glaciermint do keep us informed of any progress. I have the book you mention and yes its very good. I did some research into the Cox family who were brewers in Aston. Their magnificent headstone I found at Key Hill Cemetery gave me a lot of clues. Good luck with your search.