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Clements Vaults Inn The (Naked) Board 102 Digbeth

Astoness

Astoness

TRUE BRUMMIE MODERATOR
Staff member
hi mike...ive found another pub with family connections...i wonder if you could go back to the digbeth map please and mark out no 102 which is meant to have been the clements vaults...demolished in 1907 to make way for digbeth police station...

many thanks mike..
 
mike im just reading some of the info you gave me ages back which was......albert henry downes (my gt grandfather) was landlord at the clements vaults at no 102 digbeth...he had left the pub by 1904..pub was demolished to make way for digbeth police station in 1907..

so according to that info 102 was the clements vaults but 102 down on the map as being next to a pub called the board pub.......not to worrry mike..... later on i will have a look at the kellys...

thanks mike...

lyn
 
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Lyn
Sometimes there are two pubs next door to each other. I don't think you will find the board listed in Kellys as that. according to McKenna (who is sometimes a bit fallable and doesn't list the number of the Board), the Board is first referred to in 1588, its sign was just a plaiin deal board, and it was a billeting house before the barracks was built.For much of the 19th century it was used as a wine & spirits store. It was closed (no date) and converted to other uses. Clements vaults were definitely 102 (from kellys)./In 1872 Kellys, no 102,103 104 were owned by William Clements, distiller etc. I reckon these three were the one in yellow, the one marked "Board" and theone to the left of that. the Castle & Falcon on the other side of the corner were 109
Mike
 
Lyn
I should have added that i was influenced by Mckenna, who lists Clements vaults as if it was separate from the Board (2 pages away), and states that it opened in 1893 with Edward hope as its first landlord, and closed in 1907. I have just checked the 1892 Kellys, which I didn't look at before, and found that in that year no 102 is listed as Board Vaults. so my earlier map is wrong, and the Board and Clements Vaults are the same building. I will delete the map , with a note and refer to correct map below, where Clements Vaults are in yellow

map_c_1889_Digbeth_showing_nos_502C_572C_102___115.jpg
 
Here is an advert for William Clements, who were at 102 -104 Digbeth 1872 and 1873 with the business being Richard Martin, Bird & Co by 1876..In 1868 and oreviuously they only occupied 102-103. William lived at Blakesley Hall in Yardley

William Clements' Digbeth premises.jpg
 
Lyn, have created this thread for you as I know you have a personel interest. After your relation's time, but just for info the contents of The Board/Clements Vaults were up for auction in 1907, pre-demolition.
Screenshot_20260105_200853_Chrome.jpg
Source: British Newspaper Archive
 
many thanks viv..yes my albert downes was there in 1901 and i wrongly read that it was demolished to make way for the new police station just goes to show sometimes its worth checking on info we read or are told..did not realise that it was also known as the board inn as ive just caught up with above posts from mike confirming that and now i have a drawing of it

lyn
 
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Goad's plan of 1895 showing the premises (blue dot) at #102 Digbeth.

A debate in 1905 was reported about its demolition, note it claims to be built 1625 ! In 1905, under the new licensing act, it was marked for 'extinction' along with quite a few other public houses in the area (including The Rose)

And some other history is attached.

Screenshot_20260105_203201_Chrome.jpgScreenshot_20260106_135203_Chrome.jpg

Source: British Newspaper Archive
 

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Astoness said:
many thanks viv..yes my albert downes was there in 1901 and i wrongly read that it was demolished to make way for the new police station just goes to show sometimes its worth checking on info we read or are told..did not realise that it was also known as the board inn as ive just caught up with above posts from mike confirming that and now i have a drawing of it

lyn
Click to expand...
Quite possibly it was confused with the demolition of The Rose Inn, Lyn, at 119 Digbeth or the Beehive at #115 as they disappeared under Digbeth Police Station.

Looks like the 1904 Licensing Act presented the opportunity to remove quite a few public houses from the area.
 
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crikey mike that is useful information..i bet you would not even find 27 pubs in those locations even open now...some things just do not change

lyn
 
Interesting that over half of those condemned were licensed as beerhouses (including the Clements). So presumably in 1905 it was still only licensed to sell beer (and not spirits).
 
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