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the barrel inn watery lane

Astoness, I remember The Barrel Inn from working in Garrison Lane c1943 to when the Watery Lane area was restructured, i used to pass it on my way to the former Albert St car park, i don`t remember going in the pub but i may have done. Len.
 
thanks for that len..until now the only barrel i know of is the one on the corner of summer lane/tower st...although its quite easy to see why its named so as the roof is barrel shaped...ive always wondered why its original name was the boy in the barrel...

lyn..
 
does anyone recall this pub...dated 1976

pic courtesy of carl chinn
the barrel inn was on the bottom of kingston hill,i had my first rum &blackcurrant in there with brian phillips who lived in the maisonettes just up the hill don't know if the maisonettes are still standing,haven't been there for a few years.
 
thanks pmcdermott for your memories of the barrel...hope someone will know something of the maisonettes....

lyn:)
 
I lived in the maisonettes from 1941 until 1949. Firstly on Coventry Road when we lived with my grandfather after being bombed out, then on Kingston Hill opposite the park. I remember the name Phillips....was Brian's mother known as Dolly? Next door to the 'Barrel' was a little shop and the old man who ran/owned it was named Shepherd. We used to go there after dinner on a Sunday afternoon with our sweet coupons for our weekly ration of sweets. If 'Old Man' Shepherd had had a delivery of Cadbury's blended chocolate we thought we were in heaven. Junie.

P.S. I have been out of circulation since 12th March 2009...had a van reverse into me on pavement outside my house...broke neck of right femur...in hospital and rehab 3 months and still having problems, other than that I am fine.
 
I remember the pub well,in fact I put a post up about it earlier.
The pic you got is well before 1976.There's been maisonettes up there since I'd estimate at least the 60s.
A friend lived in Dart St between 81-84.I often stayed there,and we'd play pool there.Danny,an Irishman was the gaffer,it closed about 1985,and was told he turned to drink as a result.
 
I lived in the maisonettes from 1941 until 1949. Firstly on Coventry Road when we lived with my grandfather after being bombed out, then on Kingston Hill opposite the park. I remember the name Phillips....was Brian's mother known as Dolly? Next door to the 'Barrel' was a little shop and the old man who ran/owned it was named Shepherd. We used to go there after dinner on a Sunday afternoon with our sweet coupons for our weekly ration of sweets. If 'Old Man' Shepherd had had a delivery of Cadbury's blended chocolate we thought we were in heaven. Junie.

P.S. I have been out of circulation since 12th March 2009...had a van reverse into me on pavement outside my house...broke neck of right femur...in hospital and rehab 3 months and still having problems, other than that I am fine.
he had a brother called micky, i can't remember his moms name; he also had a sister, i think her name was carol; last time i saw brian he was living up yardley in the early 70s.sorry to hear about your accident, i hope you are completely recovered soon.
 
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i used to drink in the barrel back in the 70s jack chapman was the land lord i can remember when watery lane flooded and we had to sit on the bar to drink our skol lager.
 
I don't have any knowledge of the Barrel but my Gran Worrall was born in the lane in 1876 although her parents lived in St Andrews Road just a hop away. Another Gran, Sarah Carter lived there for a time in her Widowhood, in the 1840's, she was a Greengrocer. So if by any chance there are photo's of Watery Lane I would love to see them. :) I drove around there some years ago and there was very little left, I think St Andrew's church still stood and was being used as a warehouse. St Andrews Road is now under Birmingham's ground.:rolleyes:
 
i was born in watery lane we lived halfway between the barrel and the anchor pubs from 1949 till we moved to dart st in the maisonettes in 1970 i had many a good night in the barrel. i had my first ever pint of mild in there, i honed my skills as a dart player on a board older than my grandad, my skills were only surpassed by everyone i played against. there were a good crowd who used it in the mid sixties. i nipped in there for a swift pint an hour before i got married for a bit of dutch courage. it was a good place to be in those days. the mild was cheaper as well, we would not have believed we would be paying two quid for a pint one day i could have had about ten pints for that then.
 
Does anyone remember the Gibbons family from Watery Lane. They had the transport firm by the name of Mansells and G B Knight?. They used the Barrel inn. Jean.
 
hello GG jean i remember a harry gibbon who lived watery lane he would be about 67/68 now he was a tall lad. he was about 6 years older than me,i think he went to st andrews school or ada rd as it was then i dont know if it was his family who ran the business my elder brother may know him better than me i will ask when i see him. formula t
 
Hi formula t that is the family and H would be 65 now and he had a brother David and an older sister Brenda. They did own that company and moved to Birchfield road where their house had some land at the back for their lorries. My first steady boyfriend was Harry and years after my family went on holiday and his family had the bungalow the other side of the pool. I met his sister a few years ago in Sutton. Jean.
 
I'd love to see a vintage pic of Watery Lane - my Grandmother Brueton was born there in 1916
 
Talking of Watery Lane, does anyone recall the pig that used to be in the sty near the GPO place near the traffic lights with the Cov?
 
Thanks for the pics Colin & Beamish. She was born at number 68. I'd like to know more of the pig too!
 
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