Aston Tavern, Aston Hall Road

[Astoness]

the king edward is a fine strong building el thats for sure but at the end of the day its only a 1900s building and means nothing to the powers that be..lets face if they are happy to demolish the 17th century fox and grapes because it sits on where platform 6 is intended for the new HS2 station then its got no chance..i should know the fate of the fox and grapes at next months meeting and it cant be incorporated into the scheme of the station and if it is to be demolished then i will fight tooth and nail to get it taken down brick by brick and get it to the black country museum and re built there

lyn

 

[Frothblower]

I'll miss the eddy I see it every morning. Will leave a gap on that corner.

 

[ellbrown]

There's an article on the Birmingham Mail about the King Edward VII pub Aston Villa fans' King Edward VII pub facing demolition

The demolition of a landmark Birmingham pub, popular with Aston Villa fans on matchdays, is set to be approved by city planners.
The King Edward VII, which has stood proudly on Lichfield Road, Aston, since about 1900 is to be pulled down as part of a major industrial park development.
On Thursday, the council’s planning committee is set to approve the demolition of the venue as part of a wider revamp of the junction with Aston Hall Road.
According to a report to the committee the pub’s owner, Paul McMahon, will move his business to the derelict Aston Tavern, nearby.
The Tavern, unlike the King Edward VII, has a Grade II listing from English Heritage to prevent demolition.
Planning officer Vicky Chadaway said: “The council has sought to secure the renovation of the nearby Aston Tavern public house.
‘‘The Aston Tavern public house is also an important historic asset. It is currently in a poor state of repair and has been vacant for a number of years.”

 

[ellbrown]

Also an article about the KEVII in the Birmingham Post

Conservation group in battle to save historic Aston pub

A conservation group has made a last-ditch plea for an historic Birmingham pub, popular with Aston Villa fans, to be saved from the bulldozer.
The Victorian Society believes the King Edward VII pub in Aston, far from standing in the way of development, could become a landmark feature for the new industrial estate.
Birmingham’s planning committee is expected to approve the demolition of the pub and alterations to the Lichfield Road and Aston Hall Road junction to pave the way for the Aston Regional Investment site – expected to create 3,000 manufacturing jobs over the next decade.
Although a major landmark built in 1902 the King Edward VII has no legal protection – but is included in the council’s own local list of historic buildings.

But the Victorian Society is calling on the council to think again.
Society conservation advisor Tim Bridges said: “The proposal is for total demolition of this locally listed building.
‘‘While we are keen to see the economic regeneration of this area, this Edwardian building, which in our view enhances the character of the area, should be retained as part of the redevelopment.
“We therefore urge the council to refuse consent for these proposals as presented and reconsider how the building can be incorporated into alternative proposals for this road junction and adjacent sites.”

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[jennyann]

STOP THE BULLDOZERS...The following article is in today's Birmingham Mail and it looks as though for now, at least, the King Edward pub is safe.
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/aston-villa-pub-king-edward-1727576

 

[Astonian]

HI THERE;
I Have just read the thread and the mail article ;yes it was hearitage building but in this case its had it hay day as i see it ;
i know the pub very well brought up along it and lived very close to it on lichfield rd and used it ;and walked passed it thousands of time ;
and yes it as its villa fans supporting it by going in there on match days; buts thats about all ; and yes it needs restoring work done
to it but it is very drabb and tired looking now and needs money to bring it up to scratch ;
i cannnot see any logic in demo and rebuilding it else where ; it does not beat the object as it the actual spot of land with its history that counts
out of foot ball seasons its takes no money ; the cliental as gone the neibour hood as gone
we all know it was a thriving pub for decades especialy if you are a aston lad it was always jammed packed
but now its a ghostly rd and area ;its not a place you would walk around of the nights ; especialy late nights
i myself are all for saving heartitages and old building ; that are over the hundred yars old ; but if you know the council like i do you can expect it to go
i know of dozens of old heartitage bulding they have made a mistake and demo it i had one of my relies bulding which came under the grades
but they done it demoed it and later years stating sorry w made a mistake we have got it wrong ;
there as been dozens of pubs of heartitage that was demo ; there was one yards from it and when i was in the aston area which was well known along the lichfield rd yards fromthe king edwards we was told thirty years ago they would neverdemo these two pub as they are listed building ; but just look ;
they went and demolished it down;after all they said and done ; so don,t think for one min; they are gonna reseve it ;
i an recall in my younger days how everybiody in the yards and courts discussing the future of lichfield rd way back in the early fifties about the motor way coming down through lichfield rd and the widening of the rd ; way back then and of future of robots taking over our lives slowly but sure its bearing fruit today ;shout and scream guys but at the end of the day it will go and it aint no good knocking down and rebuilding else where it not the historical site of the
orinigla foundations with ts hearitage and history it like moveing aston hall to another park it does not fit;
best wishes astonian;;

 

[Astoness]

work well under way now....extension to be be built on the back...the pub is due to be re opened in about a years time...

lyn

 

[sistersue61]

that's good news then Lyn.
Sue

 

[Phil]

Here are two of the pub that is being renovated at the moment, and another of what must be the original pub.

 

[Astoness]

quick update on the aston tavern...passed by the other day and had a word with the workmen...the renovation is on target and the pub should be reopening august next year...big extentions going on on the back and side of the pub...

lyn










the original tiles you can just see will be retained...



took this pic of the inlaid stone last february that was at the front of the pub...this has now been removed for a tidy up and will be replaced..
phil you are right..the first pic you posted would have been of the original aston tavern built 1561

 

[Di.Poppitt]

We popped into Birmingham the other day, when we finished what we had gone for we drove to Aston Park to eat fish and chips in the sun, overlooking the old tennis courts. We then drove past the Aston Tavern and it was so nice to see it without being boarded up and to see glass in the windows. Thanks for the photo's Lynn, I didn't have my camera with me.

 

[G G Jean]

Been to many a party there before that monstrosity of a road overhead was built. Will never be the same.

 

[the smiths]

Thanks for the update and pics great to see it being renovated happy memories of having a drink before the match with good friends in there......

 

[Astoness]

a few pics taken yesterday of the work in progress inside the aston tavern..still on shedule to re open in august..

lyn

 

[Astoness]

some more..

 

[Astoness]

just to add to the inside shots i posted 3 weeks ago recent outside ones...its looking good now...much better than the photos i posted on post 37

lyn

 

[Shell0121]

Hi,

My Husband and I have recently purchased the Aston Tavern on Aston hall road, and spent the last two years renovating the site.

I have come across this site as I am trying find out some information on the site, and possibly old photos to create a history board to mount in the pub.

We took an old stone from the wall which states; YE OLDE ASTON TAVERN, built 1561 rebuilt 1891, but I am having trouble finding anything before the 20th Century.

I was wondering if any members had any photos, or information relating to the site pre 1900's?

Many Thanks, Michelle

 

[Astoness]

hello michelle and welcome....we have been following the progress of the renovation of the aston tavern and last may i met your husband and daughter stacey who very kindly allowed me inside to take photos of the work going on inside and also allowed me inside the eddy to take some final pics before demo...if you go to link below there is a photo of the old aston tavern before the 1891 rebuild...many congratulations on bringing this pub back to life im sure it will do very well...here is the link to the aston tavern thread and also that of the king edward thread...if there are some photos you cant view on the aston tavern thread its because the forum was hacked nearly 4 years ago and we lost all of our images but they can be re posted if the original poster is still a member..just as a matter of interest has the old stone been replaced yet..there maybe other members on this forum who can give you more info on the site pre 1900s..actually michelle i will post you the one of the original aston tavern here although you may already have it.. you will notice the church spire to the left..click on photo to enlarge..






https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=872


https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=41545

all the best

lyn

 

[mikejee]

The only really old picture of the pub is the same as that Astoness has already given you. I can , however give you soem information.Below is a set of landlords and dates i ahve extracted for the pub. these are from a combination of directories, , online electoral rolls (where available), newspaper reports and , for the period 1801-1830, the online Warwickshire victuallers database. The directories are likely to be slightly out of date by a year or so, as date given is publication date, but many of the dates from directories have been confirmed from other sources, such as reported licence renewals, deaths of family members, advertisements etc from newspapers, Incidently Lyn's (Astoness) picture shows the name "R Wilson on the pub, yet I can find no R Wilson in the list, though there is a W and a J Wilson.Maybe this wasn't the landlord's name on the board, though the picture would, to my mind, seem to be from an early period .

Landlords

1801-02 Sarah Greensill
1804-24 Thomas Sharman
1824- 37 William Wilkinson
1839 Thomas Craggs
1836-46 James Neville
1846-47 William Wilson
1847-58 Mrs Jane.Wilson
1860-62 S. Harrison
1863-70 Thomas Owen (licence taken away 1869 but returned on appeal)
1870-73 Thomas Williamson ( (financial) liquidation by arrangement dec.1873)
1876-77 Thomas Brown (bankrupt hearing dec.1877)
1879 Samuel Wetton
1879-80 George Favell Cant
1882-86 James Birch
1888 Frank H.Wooley ( stated in bankruptcy hearing that he held license in 1888 for a time)
1888-90 Mrs Charlotte Mills
1892-97 Charles Mills
1899 George Frederick H.Hawthorn
1900 Thomas Brueton
1903 James Dempster Short
1904-05 Mrs Agnes Chilton
1908-10 Mrs Agnes Chilton Harris
1913 Augustine Flynn
1914 G.Magee
1914-1917 George Wager
1921-24 George Harris
1928-37 Henry Adoph Lapidus
1938-65 William Harold Foster
1956-57 Ronald Geoffrey Knowles
1960-62 George T,Cole
1965 Albert C.James

 

[Phil]

HI Michelle

This early image of the present pub replaced the one in Lyn's photo after the old one was purchased by Ansells in 1898 for the sum of £2500 it had been there since at least 1845 obviously replacing the earlier building that you mention in your post. The earlier building was demolished and replaced by the present one in 1904 and was closed in 1996.

 

[Astoness]

good info phil and thanks mike for the list of some of the previous landlords..would it be fair to say that the older photo i posted was the pub that had been there since 1561?? if so i take it the list of landlords prior to say 1891 would be those of the original aston tavern??

lyn

 

[mikejee]

Well, I don't know how much of it goes back to 1561 (assuming it does), but I certainly think that it must be the one that was knocked down in 1891. Its likely to have been considerably added to over the years. I note that it says Trueman's Burton ales. Trueman's was originally a london firm and according to Wikipedia Trueman's took over Phillips Brewery in Burton in 1873, so photo is post 1873, but pre 1891

 

[Shell0121]

Hi, many thanks for the information provided, its all fascinating,
Ive attached a picture of the original stone, which we will be having restored by a specialist to insert somewhere in the pub,
it is a little degraded but definatley says built 1561 ...... whilst Elizabeth I was still on the throne, amazing!
Shame some of the pictures have been lost to hackers, I could spend hours looking at them!

 

[Astoness]

happy to help michelle and so pleased that the stone will eventually find a nice spot either inside or outside the pub..at least you have a photo of what we believe to be the original aston tavern..what a lot of landlords do and you most likely know this already is to frame a photo of the pub with a list of previous landlords underneath the photo...in your case your could do this with both the original pub and the one that stands now but to get the names of landlords after 1965 you would need to go to the main library archives in town and look up the electoral rolls as e rolls after 1965 are not available online..but as already said to date we have only ever found that one pic of the original pub...if you have an interest in the history of birmingham in general there are hours to be spent on here time permitting of course..

all the best i shall pop into the pub when i can to have a look around...

lyn

 

[dottieau]

On the 11 February 1928 during a storm a chimney blew down and fell on Frank GARRATY he died from his injuries his wife Lillian was injured.. Harry Lapidus was the land lord he was the brother in law of Frank.

 

[Astoness]

crikey dottie what a thing to happen...was the family rellies of yours...just wondering where you found this out...

all adds to the history of the pub

lyn

 

[dottieau]

Lyn I have been doing my friends family tree name GARRATY and she told me one of her fathers brothers had been killed at the pub. You can imagine my surprise when I opened a family history magazine this year and it had the coroners report about it there was even small pictures of Frank and his wife.

 

[Astoness]

Lyn I have been doing my friends family tree name GARRATY and she told me one of her fathers brothers had been killed at the pub. You can imagine my surprise when I opened a family history magazine this year and it had the coroners report about it there was even small pictures of Frank and his wife.

wow thats a great find dottie...and we can now add harry lapidus as landlord in 1928...if you still have the article and photo of frank and his wife would it be possible for you to post them on here...not to worry if not...thanks dottie

lyn

 

[dottieau]

Lyn here is the article on the Aston Tavern hope you can read this.

 

[Astoness]

i can read it perfectly dottie what an awful tragedy...thanks everso much for posting it...it could be of interest to the new owners of the aston tavern...

lyn x