Amanda
I should watch out for the pigs flying over Bearwood, and try then !
You will have this probably but Hitchmough lists Richard Sankey as being there 1834-73 (but this is only when he could verify this), and William Sankey 1878-1884 (again this was just when he could confirm him living there. A Charles Wilkes left in 1892, but no start date is given.). He also states that at some date (not known) the pub was owned (as opposed to the licensee) by Mary Jane Sankey of Willow avenue, Edgebaston. Richard Sankey is also listed as a horse dealer in 1878, 1879 & 1883, and lists the censuses for 1851, 1871 and 1881, which you will have. It quotes the Smethwick Telephone (17.5.1884) as saying that Ricjhard kept the Bear for 40 years. Also on 14.3 1885 the Telephone tells of the Bear “ Mr Thomas Howell is instructed by the executrix of the late Mr William Hankey to sell by auction the whole of the valuable live and dead (??) farming stock and implements of husbandry”