White Lion Portway

[sheilatoughcookie]

Hi Roxxy I would love to see the booklet you have on the white lion portway I have many happy memories there of dancing to Phil Phillips and his band. Is there any way I could get a copy? Thanks Sheila

 

[Phil]

Can anyone confirm that this is the photo that "Justin" posted. If so I will put it back in the correct place and will attempt to repair the rest of the thread later.

 

[sheilatoughcookie]

Hi Phil yes that's it. Justin also had an aerial view of the white lion showing just how extensive it was. Do you have that photo as well? This looks identical to Justin's picture. Great I will see if I can somehow save it to my computer. I have lost it once already. Thanks you've made my day Sheila

 

[sheilatoughcookie]

Hi

I can get you a photo of this pub. I will get it scanned and save the file and send it to you. My father used to own this pub until its demolition in the late 1980's.

 

[Elmdon Boy]

Was the White Lion at Portway the one that a mock wild west town erected in its grounds.
Just the frontages like you see in the movie sets.
I believe there used to be a cowboy, western re enactment group that used to use it.
I remember seeing the back of it in the late 70s whilst travelling along the A435 from Maypole to Redditch.
I suppose were going away from Birmingham now on this thread, but there is no other forum to discuss these areas.
I would like to discuss areas of Solihull but there heritage forum is as good as dead.
I put on two discussions in Sept, still waiting for a response. The last person to put anything on it was in
October!! Not very active, I don't no why.

 

[sheilatoughcookie]

Was the White Lion at Portway the one that a mock wild west town erected in its grounds.
Just the frontages like you see in the movie sets.
I believe there used to be a cowboy, western re enactment group that used to use it.
I remember seeing the back of it in the late 70s whilst travelling along the A435 from Maypole to Redditch.
I suppose were going away from Birmingham now on this thread, but there is no other forum to discuss these areas.
I would like to discuss areas of Solihull but there heritage forum is as good as dead.
I put on two discussions in Sept, still waiting for a response. The last person to put anything on it was in
October!! Not very active, I don't no why.

Yes that's it. I didn't know it then that happened after I stopped going to the dances. But someone contacted me last time I discussed it who said his father was licencee when they had the wild west display. It was a lovely looking pub it was a sad way for it to end up. When they were demolishing it I worked n Redditch and I heard about it. When I left work I went to the site where it had been stood and there wasn't a single brick left. It was like it had never existed!! I have asked on several sites for any photos of the inside as they held wedding receptions there but haven't found any. I live in hope!!

 

[bombed out brummie]

My wife's great grandfather, John Whitehouse, kept The White Lion Portway in 1881, when it was also a farm. He gave evidence against Moses Shrimpton the poacher who killed the policeman in Weatheroak in 1885, Moses was a frequent drinker in there. In 1977 my wife and I bought a house at Portway on the Alcester Road opposite what was then the old post office, and later a pet shop. It was years later that we knew that her great grandfather kept it, and her grandfather was born there. I never thought to take a photo of The pub before it was demolished, I had no reason to then. But since I have traced my wife's family history have regretted it ever since. I would be very grateful for any photos of The White Lion. Thanks in advance.

 

[mikejee]

Here you are. I think this is the photo that was on post 2 of this thread but was lost after the site was hacked.

 

[bombed out brummie]

Thank you Mikejee for taking the time to reply to my query, but unfortunately that photo is not The White Lion Portway. The White Lion Portway stood in its own grounds surrounded by fields, it was about 5 miles from Redditch on the old Alcester Road. But again thank for your trouble.

 

[Nik Lloyd]

Hi, I know this is an old post but I have recently been going through hundreds of my Late Fathers old negatives and came across this Colour Neg of the White Lion..... I cant find a single other picture of it anywhere online ! Cheers. Nik

 

[mhumphreys]

Lovely pub but Flowers bitter ? Yuk had some good nights there in the 1960's particularly on Sundays

 

[bombed out brummie]

Hi, I know this is an old post but I have recently been going through hundreds of my Late Fathers old negatives and came across this Colour Neg of the White Lion..... I cant find a single other picture of it anywhere online ! Cheers. Nik

Hi Nik, Thank you for your message, I have a photo just the same as that but in black and white. It was taken in 1959 by my wife's relative Alice Whitehouse, who was born there in 1881 as her father, John Whitehouse (My wife's great grandfather) was the landlord at that time, he also had a small farm there. He was also a witness at the murder trail of Moses Shrimpton who was found guilty of the murder of policeman James Davies at Weatheroak Hill in 1885. Alice took the photo whilst over here from Australia where she was then living, but was here visiting on holiday. To answer some of the other questions on this thread, my wife and I, between 1977 and 1995, lived on the Alcester Road almost opposite The White Lion until it was demolished, the house we lived in is still there. Directly opposite our house in 1977 was a very old small Post Office & small shop, which later became a pet shop, because the owner looked after our dog when we went on holiday. From memory it never became the Italian restaurant, I am pretty sure the restaurant was just a little further down on the same side towards the Rose & Crown. But thank you for the photo & your interest.

 

[Nik Lloyd]

Hi Nik, Thank you for your message, I have a photo just the same as that but in black and white. It was taken in 1959 by my wife's relative Alice Whitehouse, who was born there in 1881 as her father, John Whitehouse (My wife's great grandfather) was the landlord at that time, he also had a small farm there. He was also a witness at the murder trail of Moses Shrimpton who was found guilty of the murder of policeman James Davies at Weatheroak Hill in 1885. Alice took the photo whilst over here from Australia where she was then living, but was here visiting on holiday. To answer some of the other questions on this thread, my wife and I, between 1977 and 1995, lived on the Alcester Road almost opposite The White Lion until it was demolished, the house we lived in is still there. Directly opposite our house in 1977 was a very old small Post Office & small shop, which later became a pet shop, because the owner looked after our dog when we went on holiday. From memory it never became the Italian restaurant, I am pretty sure the restaurant was just a little further down on the same side towards the Rose & Crown. But thank you for the photo & your interest.

Thanks for the info, very interesting We think Dad's picture is from around 1966. Atb. Nik

 

[Ogri]

We used to go the White lion about 70/71 ish when there was a folk club for a short time (fingamygigs i think it was called)
Jasper Carrot was usually there with a few other well known acts.
Also played darts at the Holly bush , great memories. (remember the local bobby was Mr Pinchin).

 

[www.midlandspubs.co.uk]

From my website images ...



BTW this pub belongs to Tanworth-in-Arden. This dates from around 1937, the year in which the new building was re-rated. It was probably just completed as there is no signage. I am pretty sure that it was built for Atkinson's.