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The Sailors Return

mikeflan

master brummie
Hi.....going back to my trainspotting days......on coming back from a day at Tamworth trainspotting in the 1950's.....I always seemed to be at the carriage door awaiting to arrive back at New Street stn. ready for the rush to get the bus home.....but when nearing New Street I'd be observing the various landmarks.....one of which was a pub notice very prominent from the railway carriage and the pub was 'The Sailors Return'...... my knowledge of that part of the town was a little limited to say the least ......after all these years it has me wondering just where it was.......has anyone the knowledge of where this pub was ???? I'm sure I never imagined it......just couldn't determine where it was at all...........many thanks
 
Mike, there was a Sailors return in Garrison Lane just down the road from the Blues ground. I think there was also one in Aston, but not sure where.???
 
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The Sailor's Return pub was in Watery Lane .The landlord in 1949 was Hubert Rex Whatley

Colin
 
Sailor's Return

This pub was No.3 Watery Lane near to Great Barr Street corner.It was a large red building and I have a couple of photos of it that I took way back in 1982.It was demolished the year after.When I learn how to do it I will put them on the site.BobS.
 
Sailor's Return

I have also just noticed a picture of it in 1953 in Alton Douglas's book, Birmingham in the Fifties vol.2, page 37.It was demolished for the widening of Watery Lane.
 
Got It !;)
 

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Hi

Im not sure of the Memories of this Pub.
I travelled on a No 53 to Town from Stechford
past this Pub. It alway's seemed run down even in the 1950's.
The picture shows clearly the area.
I see you travelled past it from Tamworth in the 1950's.
I did my time in the Field from 1953 to 1960.
I have a picture of the area of Tamworth. Not sure
of the Thread.

Mike Jenks
 
Sailors Return

Thanks to everyone for their info........brilliant response and thanks Mike Jenks.....I did see Tamworth a few years back....but I see they have Park Homes now on there...one time it went to caravans I know...I went back just as the water tower had been demolished and it was just a pile of bricks...on the station master's advice...I took photos of the old warehouses there too before the by pass went in........Oh those days in the 50's....One shilling and fourpence Ha' penny return...get there for the 9'o clock stopper....A bottle of Cheethams lemonade too from the cafe....what memories!!!
 
This might bring back a few memories. Tamworth high level station. Photo from to-days Sunday Mercury.

Colin
 

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Ah yes the Sailors Return, happy memories of coming home on leave, two sights used to greet me from the train, BCT buses in their lovely livery and the Sailors Return, yes I knew I was home.
 
The Sailor's Return pub was in Watery Lane .The landlord in 1949 was Hubert Rex Whatley

Colin
The Sailor's Return , no 3 Watery Lane, part of Aston then, belonged to my great grandfather, where he and his wife lived with their children in the late 1800's, and was part of the defining area to the White Swan on Legge Street to HP sauce and the Holte (Ansell's) Brewery, This area was mainly the Wades, Pearsons, Pears and the Simpsons. These were the main families of the area. It is also noted that the Sailor's Return was the headquarters of the Shelby family...!!! Peaky Blinders fans..!!
 
Have just discovered, thanks to this site, that George Pearson was the licensed victualler in 1861, which confirms my earlier statement, about our families. Confirmed that the pub was no 85 Legge Street, Birmingham.
 
I remember being invited to a "Lock In" at this pub by a girl I was going out with whose auntie was running the pub at the time. This would have been late 60s I think.
 
I was recently informed that my great grandfather Thomas Worrall was the licensed victualler of the Sailor's Return at 3 Watery Lane. He was there from 1908 to 1915.
 
I have just typed a paragraph on this pub which may be of interest :

"The name of the house suggests that a mariner returned to Birmingham with sufficient booty to open a public-house. The earliest mention I have seen of the Sailor's Return is an entry in the licence register dated 1819 in which John Undrell was the publican. He may have moved to the Rose and Crown on Bromsgrove Street. This was in the year 1825 following the death of his wife Sophia. In tracing Sophia Fletcher, I have found that she married John Undrell of HMS Ganges at Portsmouth in 1817 so it would appear that this solves the origins of the inn sign. It was reported that John Undrell died in November 1830 in the 55th year of his age."
 
The Sailor's Return , no 3 Watery Lane, part of Aston then, belonged to my great grandfather, where he and his wife lived with their children in the late 1800's, and was part of the defining area to the White Swan on Legge Street to HP sauce and the Holte (Ansell's) Brewery, This area was mainly the Wades, Pearsons, Pears and the Simpsons. These were the main families of the area. It is also noted that the Sailor's Return was the headquarters of the Shelby family...!!! Peaky Blinders fans..!!
Really interested to read this. My Grandfather Henry Ward, could have been known as Harry was taken in by the publican of the Sailors return after His father died. It is said he was about 7, his mothe going to Manchester making the year around 1871 or thereabouts although we have nothing in writing. Sometime before he married he was a bookies runner and got into problems having to escape out theback door having done someone out of money. Before marriage it is said he inherited some money from a trust fund (his parents had a nail or screw factory in Digbeths.) and he went to America. There he got involved in some revolution, possibly having been in Chile. The British Consul had h!m
smuggled him out on a sai!ing ship and going round the cape he fell from the mast and was unconscious most the journey home.
Given his colourful history and reading the connection of the Sailors Return you can imagine my meal was swiftly taken from first place.
 
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