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The Norton Inn Erdington
- Thread starter Frothblower
- Start date
hi froth good mornining to you
how long as that norton been demolished
yes it was a real hum dinger of a pub many years ago in its hay
day . it must have been the seventies the rot started to
settle in there , our kid used to used that pub in the fifties
he used to live in pype hayes rd right up until the clearance
of the area he worked down bagot street at the midland dairy all is life and then retired and put out to pasture
he still ives local up padmore rd along with another sister -inlaw of mine she lives at the juction of padmore
i beleive many years ago there has beenmany a shooting and stabbing during the latter part of the norton history ;
have a nice day froth ; best wishes astonian ;;
how long as that norton been demolished
yes it was a real hum dinger of a pub many years ago in its hay
day . it must have been the seventies the rot started to
settle in there , our kid used to used that pub in the fifties
he used to live in pype hayes rd right up until the clearance
of the area he worked down bagot street at the midland dairy all is life and then retired and put out to pasture
he still ives local up padmore rd along with another sister -inlaw of mine she lives at the juction of padmore
i beleive many years ago there has beenmany a shooting and stabbing during the latter part of the norton history ;
have a nice day froth ; best wishes astonian ;;
Frothblower
Lubrication In Moderation
The Norton as been gone for about 3 or 4 years Astonian, I think
Nice photos of the Navi Brian.
cookie273uk
master brummie
My late father in law worked as a gardener for the breweries including looking after the bowling greens which a number of pubs had (before they became car parks) and I think the Norton was one of them, we are talking 1930s to 1950s, can,t check with him he died in 1986 aged 86.... Eric
Frothblower
Lubrication In Moderation
It had a nice green Eric. Brian could tell you more about it
Some time in the early seventies I was driving back from London and gave a lift to a hitch-hiker on the A45 (I often gave lifts in those days; today - never!). This bloke asked if I was going anywhere near Tyburn Road, which I was, and if I could drop him off at The Norton. He said he was the manager, and his car had conked out while he too was on his way back from London. All I can recall of him was that his name was Ken, and he was one hard-looking character, but good company. When we got to The Norton he asked if I'd like to come in 'for a few', but I declined....
Big Gee
Big Gee
Frothblower
Lubrication In Moderation
Can anyone remember the colour of the doors and windows etc in this photo of the Norton
Paul Higgins
master brummie
I can only ever remember Horace Stokes as the landlord of the Norton in the early '70's- I am sure he was there in the '60's as I remember him catching me nicking books from a jumble sale in the gardens about then. in the late '70's somebody else took over, but I can't remember his name. Probably a good job you declined the drinks- he might have bought you a couple, then gone out and pinched your motor!
harry floyd
proper brummie kid
i think the doors was red ?
Frothblower
Lubrication In Moderation
Your probably right Harry But when Eric was asking for colours so he could paint it, I for one couldn't think of the door colour so I think blue was settled on
Paul Higgins
master brummie
The last few years I used the place the doors were red, but weren't they also a natural dark wood, well varnished at one time?
sistersue61
master brummie
The doors were definitely blue at one point, my "Aunty" Dot worked in Braggs just round the corner and we used to wait for her by the Noton - that would have been early 70's
Sue
Sue
Frothblower
Lubrication In Moderation
The Norton in it's last days
Norton painted by Eric
Norton painted by Eric
Am I correct in thinking that someone was murdered in the Norton? Presumably during a fight?
In the late 1960's I was driving back from London one evening along the old A41 and I picked up a hitch-hiker (as we did back then). This guy's car had conked out somewhere around Banbury I think and he wanted to get to Brum. It turned out he was the gaffer of The Norton, where I dropped him off and had a quick one with him. He seemed an okay kind of bloke, but not someone I'd argue with.
G
In the late 1960's I was driving back from London one evening along the old A41 and I picked up a hitch-hiker (as we did back then). This guy's car had conked out somewhere around Banbury I think and he wanted to get to Brum. It turned out he was the gaffer of The Norton, where I dropped him off and had a quick one with him. He seemed an okay kind of bloke, but not someone I'd argue with.
G
davidfowler
Exiled Brummie
This may be what you're looking for.
https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Man+'clubbed+to+death+with+cue+in+ferocious+attack'.-a079165033
https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Man+'clubbed+to+death+with+cue+in+ferocious+attack'.-a079165033
Frothblower
Lubrication In Moderation
Yes and they were mates.
The last time I went in the Norton, the pair had an argument, when one of them throw a bar stool at the other and it hit me on the leg. I walked (hobbled) out never to return to the pub I had so much fun in the past.
My Grandfather had a builders yard just across the road, behind the Bank building. I did go to the Norton occasionally. had a Girlfriend who lived just up the road in 1978. It had been quite a notable 'Pub in the early days of the 20th Century. The B'ham M'Cycle Clubs Road Trials used to start from here, and many of the Works Motorcycle Testers used it as an R/V. Like many large 'Pubs in B'ham its gone now, with little or no trace of its existence left. I noticed in the 90s how many such, like the Hobmoor, the Mackadown, etc were going, as a Corporate Monster took over the Pub Trade.
I must say that the LIDl there now is very useful to local residents. Another local story you may wish to research is how the old Concrete houses locally were emptied and demolished, many against their owners/tenants wishes.
I must say that the LIDl there now is very useful to local residents. Another local story you may wish to research is how the old Concrete houses locally were emptied and demolished, many against their owners/tenants wishes.
HI BIG GEE
Yes you are correct ;some one got murdered there the pub had a history of trouble and it became what we called a pub of chequerd history
with brawling and smashing the place up so eventualy the brewery installed door men ;and a crew was asigned to it '
but years later it happenmend again ; and that was enough the police and licences was provoked and moved to close it permantly
on orders to the licenceing board by the police ; on the subject of the hobmoor it later became abit of a yobs pub ; and local familys hopped
for the hay mills social family club run by a local lad a man named sqizzer whom at one time was the shop steward at the rover in bordesly
came out and ran the club for donkeys years he died about three years back after his death of his wife mavis a lovely lady
whom died about two year prior ; best wishes astonian;;
Yes you are correct ;some one got murdered there the pub had a history of trouble and it became what we called a pub of chequerd history
with brawling and smashing the place up so eventualy the brewery installed door men ;and a crew was asigned to it '
but years later it happenmend again ; and that was enough the police and licences was provoked and moved to close it permantly
on orders to the licenceing board by the police ; on the subject of the hobmoor it later became abit of a yobs pub ; and local familys hopped
for the hay mills social family club run by a local lad a man named sqizzer whom at one time was the shop steward at the rover in bordesly
came out and ran the club for donkeys years he died about three years back after his death of his wife mavis a lovely lady
whom died about two year prior ; best wishes astonian;;
Hiya Alan,
I never knew about the murder, but a friend of mine who lived somewhere off the Tyburn Road until a few years ago told me about it when we were chewing the fat the other night. The only time I ever went in was when I picked up the gaffer, as per my previous post, and it looked a little on the rough side, shall we say. Only recently I nipped into Lidl where The Norton was, for a few bits and pieces, and I remembered that night from 45 years ago. Strange really, because when I first embarked upon my career as a Noble Knight Of The Pulled Pint, I drank in and around Summer Lane, and don't remember a whiff of trouble (except during darts matches, which is understandable).
Take good care,
G
I never knew about the murder, but a friend of mine who lived somewhere off the Tyburn Road until a few years ago told me about it when we were chewing the fat the other night. The only time I ever went in was when I picked up the gaffer, as per my previous post, and it looked a little on the rough side, shall we say. Only recently I nipped into Lidl where The Norton was, for a few bits and pieces, and I remembered that night from 45 years ago. Strange really, because when I first embarked upon my career as a Noble Knight Of The Pulled Pint, I drank in and around Summer Lane, and don't remember a whiff of trouble (except during darts matches, which is understandable).
Take good care,
G
Good morning to you G ;
yes indeed how sad the human race as changed from those early days we used to know
i also used to play darts around the pubs and never knew or should i say came across any trouble whilst playing around these varios
areas of aston and winson green; yes there was quite afew characters knocking around the pubs in any part of brum
if it was abit of a dispute and a row ever occured the gaffer would shout and say take it out side , and you would go out side
and shout at each other then come back in but never no violence but these days have gone
as you kno i grew up in aston on the lichfield rd and i was very familar with summer lane and the hockley area
and i knew the pubs [ the old pubs of yester years ] with the old jo anna playing out and people sittin out side on stools and people
mixing and singing ; we al knew the characters of yester years down the lane
as i was growing up in my junior years of life around the years of en years old my dad was running the golden cross pub
and in hose days the old teddy boys would have occasionioal would have fights but my old manwould stopp them fighting ;
he would walk around the pub collecting theglasses and occasionaly he would glimpse see some one ging to throw a glass
he would take it off him and eject him out of the pubsome time he hadto knock one or two out cold and call steel house lane
for the black maria van and take them to the lock ups and they would say thanks bill sometimes there would be one or two of them together
my mom would tell us of the story next day ; but there was never any murder or such violents as there is today ;
many years ago i ran a pub when a guy got his arm chopped off for being to flash on those pool tables from chelmsley wood
by a gang ; and another one in the mercatt pub behind the market place digbethone of my old punters whom frequented the pub had a snooker que pushed into his eye and he died ; yes as you know of the old summer lane and old gathers of yester years sais out out of the pubyou went out and thy never came back but now days they comeback mob handed and armed up to the teeth for revenge
i myself have barred hundreds of hooglingans from various pubs i have ran all over the country but never experience the troble like the norton;
with such cases of murder ; it had happenend twice in a numer of years along with smashing up the pub as well during those years
there was another murder of a guy at the chester arms years ago over druggs
we used to say in the game the pub is only as good as the gaffer ; but sadly its not the case in this day and age ;
take care G ; GIVE MY REGARDS TO MARIA ; BEST WISHES ALAN;
yes indeed how sad the human race as changed from those early days we used to know
i also used to play darts around the pubs and never knew or should i say came across any trouble whilst playing around these varios
areas of aston and winson green; yes there was quite afew characters knocking around the pubs in any part of brum
if it was abit of a dispute and a row ever occured the gaffer would shout and say take it out side , and you would go out side
and shout at each other then come back in but never no violence but these days have gone
as you kno i grew up in aston on the lichfield rd and i was very familar with summer lane and the hockley area
and i knew the pubs [ the old pubs of yester years ] with the old jo anna playing out and people sittin out side on stools and people
mixing and singing ; we al knew the characters of yester years down the lane
as i was growing up in my junior years of life around the years of en years old my dad was running the golden cross pub
and in hose days the old teddy boys would have occasionioal would have fights but my old manwould stopp them fighting ;
he would walk around the pub collecting theglasses and occasionaly he would glimpse see some one ging to throw a glass
he would take it off him and eject him out of the pubsome time he hadto knock one or two out cold and call steel house lane
for the black maria van and take them to the lock ups and they would say thanks bill sometimes there would be one or two of them together
my mom would tell us of the story next day ; but there was never any murder or such violents as there is today ;
many years ago i ran a pub when a guy got his arm chopped off for being to flash on those pool tables from chelmsley wood
by a gang ; and another one in the mercatt pub behind the market place digbethone of my old punters whom frequented the pub had a snooker que pushed into his eye and he died ; yes as you know of the old summer lane and old gathers of yester years sais out out of the pubyou went out and thy never came back but now days they comeback mob handed and armed up to the teeth for revenge
i myself have barred hundreds of hooglingans from various pubs i have ran all over the country but never experience the troble like the norton;
with such cases of murder ; it had happenend twice in a numer of years along with smashing up the pub as well during those years
there was another murder of a guy at the chester arms years ago over druggs
we used to say in the game the pub is only as good as the gaffer ; but sadly its not the case in this day and age ;
take care G ; GIVE MY REGARDS TO MARIA ; BEST WISHES ALAN;
And Good Morning to you, Alan!
I enjoyed reading your post about the old days of quaffing. It's true, though, I hardly saw anything naughty in the pubs around Summer Lane back in the sixties - yes, there'd be the occasional argument, or a drunk who required escorting off the premises, but the gaffers were up to it, and as your rightly say the good gaffers stopped trouble almost before it started. As time went on, probably the fear of being charged with assault prevented pub gaffers from stopping trouble in the old-fashioned, time-honoured way. The gaffer at The Birmingham Arms in Digbeth, where we went for jazz, kept a cricket-bat behind the bar and I saw him use it once! My uncle, who kept The Britannia on Lichfield Rd, after which The Antelope in Sparkhill, always had a very large alsatian to keep the peace. His last dog, Laddie, was a pussy-cat behind the bar, but when Uncle gave him the word woe betide anyone who decided to take him on! When I was a youngster my dad said he saw that dog clear the bar at The Antelope. Awesome!
Sad to say, I rarely use pubs these days - they don't have the atmosphere of the old-time boozers. In fact, my missus says I've become an old-time boozer myself!
Look after yourself,
G
I enjoyed reading your post about the old days of quaffing. It's true, though, I hardly saw anything naughty in the pubs around Summer Lane back in the sixties - yes, there'd be the occasional argument, or a drunk who required escorting off the premises, but the gaffers were up to it, and as your rightly say the good gaffers stopped trouble almost before it started. As time went on, probably the fear of being charged with assault prevented pub gaffers from stopping trouble in the old-fashioned, time-honoured way. The gaffer at The Birmingham Arms in Digbeth, where we went for jazz, kept a cricket-bat behind the bar and I saw him use it once! My uncle, who kept The Britannia on Lichfield Rd, after which The Antelope in Sparkhill, always had a very large alsatian to keep the peace. His last dog, Laddie, was a pussy-cat behind the bar, but when Uncle gave him the word woe betide anyone who decided to take him on! When I was a youngster my dad said he saw that dog clear the bar at The Antelope. Awesome!
Sad to say, I rarely use pubs these days - they don't have the atmosphere of the old-time boozers. In fact, my missus says I've become an old-time boozer myself!
Look after yourself,
G
The Norton had a problem in that it was one of those 'Pubs which was at the boundary of several 'difficult' areas. Castle Vale, Bromford, Pype Hayes, Erdington, etc., and, as such became a front line for gangs from these areas. Another was the Navigation.......... This 'Pub saw several serious attacks on Ambulance Crews who were treating victims of gang violence, by the rival gang members. Similar problems existed on the Nechells/Aston Boundaries. I only went into the Norton a few times, but didn't see any problems. Likewise, I drank regularly in back street, Digbeth/Deritend pubs, and only once saw a fight, but that was dealt with by the Regulars, (a Buffalo Lodge).
frozenuk
Brummie
do you remember the Norton? (Now a Lidl)
My Mother used to be a barmaid there from 1979(ish) then she was in charge of the Lounge serving the food front of house.
Colin was the manager when I started glass collecting for a bit of weekend pocket money....I was there right up until about 1987 i think? Mainly in the Lounge of a busy weekend!
Simon.
My Mother used to be a barmaid there from 1979(ish) then she was in charge of the Lounge serving the food front of house.
Colin was the manager when I started glass collecting for a bit of weekend pocket money....I was there right up until about 1987 i think? Mainly in the Lounge of a busy weekend!
Simon.
Frothblower
Lubrication In Moderation
I had some happy hours in there.
My painting of the Norton by Eric Cook
My painting of the Norton by Eric Cook
alan bartlett
master brummie
My aunt, Ada Floyd was a barmaid at the Norton, late 50,s early 60,s. She was living in Kimble Grove at the time.
Frothblower
Lubrication In Moderation
I remember Ada. Took no nonsense.
alan bartlett
master brummie
Cheers Frothblower, its good that you remember Ada, she was as you describe her but a lovely women. Her mother and my mother, her sister were very similar but Ada had the edge. Who else did you know round there, did you know Adas husband Fred?
Frothblower
Lubrication In Moderation
I've looked at the dates again Alan. Not sure if she was the same Ada I knew? I frequented the Norton early 70s onwards
