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The Two Hands, The Packhorse, The Cheshire Cat and The Harlequin - Shard End!

Frank Parker

https://frankparker.website
Does anyone have any memories of these pubs from Shard End. Like many other pubs these days they have now disappeared! :(

The Two Hands.
The Packhorse.
The Cheshire Cat.
The Harlequin.

My apologies if they already have been talked about. :)
 
Hello Frank,

I lived on the Heathway about mid way between the Cheshire and the Harlequin. I think I went in the Packhorse and Harlequin once, the Cheshire many times (I was in the fishing club) and I do not recall the Two Hands. I mentioned in another post (about the Kingshurst pub) that "Fat George" ran the Cat and always kept superb Ansells mild. The Cat was a plain and simple local boozer with a dartboard and bar football. It was never crowded except maybe Christmas Morning.

Cheers!

Ron
 
Hi Ron,

I did read your other post which inspired me to write this one!

I never really went in pubs that much but I did go to the Packhorse in the early 80's when they ran a CB club there.

Funny thing is I used to meet my ex wife at the Cheshire before we got married to go down to my house at Hurst Lane. We had our wedding reception at the Harlequin and used to go to the Two Hands sometimes. I think I jinxed them all! lol

I always remember going down to the Hands as a kid, taking one of our Staffies down on a Sunday afternoon, to meet Mom and Dad. I could just about see through the top glass on the bar door! Then it was back home for Sunday Dinner and to watch Star Soccer! :)
 
Hi Frank, I feel that I should know you:) I lived in Pear Tree Road until 1980 and then moved to Bromford Road and I also went to BKC. From our front bedroom window if you leaned out you could see the back of the Harlequin pub. My Dad was a frequent visitor there and used to organise the Corner Club which raised money for the retired 'frequenters' of the pub to go on trips out and a Christmas lunch. I think that the landlady here at one time was called Mrs Pickering who I'm led to believe stood at around 5 foot and was fearsome:D Allegedly she had a shotgun over the bar:shocked:. This must have been round about the mid-sixties; I'm not sure who took over after her. The pub also had its own donkey which was kept in the large over-run garden at the back. I can remember there being an uproar by the neighbours whose houses backed onto the fields as they were over run with rats and eventually the donkey went:(:( I know that the pub was eventually closed down due to drugs, but up until the late 70s and early 80s there was hardly any trouble there at all. Bingo was held every week in the back room and I won a fair few bob:) My ex-husband also played regulary for the darts team and fair to say he was very good. I have a picture somewhere of the pub which I'll post if the quality is good enough - it's an old black and white photo copy.

I also used to on occasion go into the Two Hands. If I remember rightly it was opposite Maryland Tower flats in Kitsland Road?

And finally....yes I did used to go into the Packhorse too. Not so good memories in there. I remember one night sitting in the bar and all the chairs flying past the door from the lounge as something was kicking off:(

Makes me sound as though I had a drink problem, but NO I haven't before you ask :beam: Oh and by the way your photos are lovely:) Can you remind me was the 'Red Welly Club' something to do with All Saints Church?
 
Hi Gillian,

You know more about pubs than I do! lol

I used to live in Hurst Lane, corner house over the road from the Legion. I started BKC in 1977 so I don't think I would know you but it is possible you could know one of my Sisters??

That's a good idea about posting a photo of The Harlequin. It would be good to see lots of old pub photo's on here!

I don't have fond memories of The Two Hands as I was there celebrating my 21st and I got glassed in the face and booted in the lower of my back so I never went since that and that was in 1987/8! Yes it was by the Australian flats, near Berrowside Road.

Thank you for the comments about my photo's. The Red Welly club was at All Saints Church and I had a lot of good times there. It was ran by Carol and Roy and Carol can be found on Friends Reunited. :)
 
I have read through this thread with great interest, but to be honest without a clue what you are on about as I never seemed to get over your end of Birmingham drinking. I suppose it would have been too much drinking time wasted traveling.

I have been able to find a couple of the watering holes mentioned, but I'm afraid the Packhorse and the Cheshire Cat still elude me,

Phil

ShardEndfHarlequin_in_the_heathway1.jpg


ShardEndKitslandRoadTwoHands.jpg
 
Thanks they are brilliant Phil! Do you know what year they were taken?

The Heathway is still going but to be honest It probably be a matter of time before it closes! :)
 
bluebrummie

I'm glad you enjoyed the photo's, and I'm sorry but I haven't a clue when they were taken other than to say that they all look new and fresh, so I would imagine it would be close to when they were first built.

Phil
 
I live in Castle Bromwich, and can tell you The Heathway is a dump and seems to attract the low life, I have only ever been in there once and couldn't wait to get out. The Harlequin was demolished many years ago and is now the site of a Care Home - The Orchards, and has a medical centre facing Shard End Crescent. I don't know the other two pubs mentioned.
 
I suppose that could be said of a lot of places in Brum and everywhere else for that matter:rolleyes: In my Dad's time the Harlequin was not a bad pub as estate pubs go....the pensioners seemed happy there anyway, they were well looked after by all:)
 
I live in Castle Bromwich, and can tell you The Heathway is a dump and seems to attract the low life, I have only ever been in there once and couldn't wait to get out. The Harlequin was demolished many years ago and is now the site of a Care Home - The Orchards, and has a medical centre facing Shard End Crescent. I don't know the other two pubs mentioned.

Sylvia, I entirely agree with our opinion of the Heathway and it's clientel, I went once and once was enough.

I used the Two Hands for many years, indeed, our son celebrated his 21st there six years ago. It was a down to earth, working man's pub, trying to live down it's nickname "The Stab and Glass" from years previous.

My great regret is that, since it's closure, the once united "family" has become fragmented and will never gather as a group again.

Another one bites the blasted dust!

Ian
 
F.A.O. Bluebrummie.
Your father would'nt be Frank Parker would it? who use to play darts in the Two Hands, if it is I knew him quite well.

Terry
 
I drove through Shard End yesterday, first time I been round there in years. Couldnt believe that all those pubs are gone.

What do people around there do for a drink without getting the car out ?
 
Hi
We lived just down the road from the Heathway. My dad Bill Wardell was a very good patron to The Heathway and the 'Cat'. He was in the darts team in the 70's early 80's does anyone remember him!
Sue
 
Used the Harlequin. I was in the choir at All Saints Church (as well as Sunday School teacher and ran the Youth 80's Club - what an example), and after choir practice a few of us use to go and have a couple of drinks. Went to the Pack Horse in Packington Avenue as we had line dancing there. Had some really good times in both.
 
I was a regular at the Two Hands, in fact I drank in there not long before it was demolished along with the shops opposite on Kitland Road and the flats behind it as well. One of the last Landlords was killed on a night out with his wife in Olton. It's very weird seeing how the area is now, so different. In fact I grew up living on Berrowside Road.

You're missing a couple off though. The infamous Brook Meadow (Shard End) - still open and was doing well. Haven't drank there for a good while though. Also the Woodside in Yorks Wood. This place was brilliant and I miss it dearly. Sadly it was knocked down to make way for a retirment home.

Alex.
 
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