The Royal Mint

[Dorothy Dodson]

We managed The Royal Mint Pub in Icknield Street, Brookfields, from 1960 to 1962. Anybody remember us :?: Dot and Bill, we had one little son in those days - Stephen, and then we had Michael just before we left.

The Royal Mint was opposite the Mint Birmingham Ltd (where they made coins of the Realm). Every lunchtime (we called it dinner time in those days) we had the employees dash over for their sandwiches and a pint. We also had a good clientele spend their lunch break from the Jewellery quarter.

I remember that the No 8 Inner Circle Bus used to stop outside our pub to clock in, it was door to door transport :!:

The Bradford's 'bread man' would call each day, with a tray of cobs, which we filled with cheese or ham, and put a dish of spanish onion on the counter (they had to pay for the cobs) but we never seemed to have enough - if we prepared 36 we would need 48, so next day it would be 48, then we could have sold 60. :shock:

Bill my husband, was very fussy about his beer and kept the pumps clean, consequently we upped the takings from when we took over. I remember the first Christmas that we were there, and we were not allowed staff during the daytime, well we prepared a counter-full of pints, (dont think that would be allowed these days) knowing that all our regulars would be dashing in. It was ab-sol-ute-ly chaotic . We had the bar, the snug and the smoke room to keep happy, just me and Bill...

We were only there 2 years, It was hard work but i wouldn't have missed those years for the world. :wink:

I remember the dray men, they always had a pint when they called, they were real comedians, one day the one - Fred, as he was eating one of my ham or cheese cobs, said - "Listen Missus this cafe's menu - 6 rashers of bacon, 3 eggs, 2 fried bread, sausage, a pot of tea and as much toast as yo can eat - 2 bob" - Me - " Crikey Fred - where's that?" - He burst out laughing - and said "Don't know luv but if ya find out will ya let me know?" Happy days :lol:

Our reason for giving up? Stephen was diagnosed with Perthes disease - this meant that he would be in plaster of paris for 3 years, and then we had the second baby, our kids came first. So Bill went back to his old boss, who had been visiting us nearly every week for the duration of our management. His parting shot was always - "Dont forget Bill whenever you want to come back to plumbing - the jobs yours"

 

[dakemp]

My Uncle Arthur Kemp used to run the Mint sometime in the 1950's. That me on the left of the photo c 1957. We were not allowed downstairs while the pub was open but after closing we were quick to get under the seats picking up coins. The woman in the front of the picture I think may have been the barmaid but Im not sure

 

[Astonian]

Hi Dorothy i used to use the mint often in those days along wit the trainors and the gangs you may have recalled and the little cafe out side the clock was a great little breakfast and sandwiches ii beleive in later years that little cafe closed down shame it was a little cosy one as you say can you recall the family that ran those three secondhand shops in a line just along from the stop i see you are a vistor dorothy but please fore give for asking was you or not running the golden cross in aston on the aston cross or was it you was living on rocky lane because there was dodds running the cross way back in time
please forgive me for asking best wishes Alan, Astonian;;;;;;

 

[Radiorails]

Alan, it seems that Dorothy is described as a Guest, so presumably no longer here. Her post was almost fifteen years ago.
A shame because you had things to share.

 

[Astonian]

Hi Alan many thanks for bringing that information to be honest i never looked at the date of her thread
When i was scrolling down the threads , yes you would have been correct Alan , yes we both had things to share and it would have openend another window for us all on the forum i knew dorothy would have the edge on me thanks
best wishes Alan;;;;;