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The Crown Hotel The General Elliott "Cutlers" Station Street.

Jenny Allen said:
Hello thank you all for the information. As way of explanation. You may have heard on the news that The Crown has now been sold for redevelopment, apparently going to be housing. I started using this pub in the late 70's as a punk lol. Still in touch with a lot of old Punky friends and we have had regular reunions at The Crown. There is a group being set up now trying to save the pub and get it saved as a music venue. Several famous bands played upstairs inc. Black Sabbath. Henry's Blueshouse also upstairs. I also think there was at one time a boxing ring. The group are looking for anything that they can use to try and save the pub, shame it's not a listed building. There will soon be a page set up on facebook.


We could have stood next to each other at the bar :)


thanks again Jenny
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Hi Jenny, I hope that you don't mind me messaging you. I was researching the Crown pub in Birmingham merely as a walk down memory lane. I was a regular visitor at the Crown at weekends in my punk days (late 70s so many moon's ago lol) and had some great nights there before moving on to Barbarella's. Over the years I've lost touch with the friends I had at the time, do you still have reunions with punky pals from that era?
Kind regards,
Andy Smith
 
As the music historian points out in the article, it's just the start and the building needs to be back in use. Unoccupied buildngs are, as we know too well, still at serious risk.

An early name was the General Elliott, so I've added this to the thread title.
 
Posted today on the Birmingham Music Archive FB page confirming the Crown should be retained as a listed building at Grade 2 - we will have to see what happens next in Station Street! ....

The contempt & disregard @toyokoinn_japan
have for The Crown & Birmingham is exemplified in their attempt to overturn the @historicengland
& @dcmsgovuk decision to list The Crown. I’m so happy their appeal has been dismissed out of hand. We need to bring this building back to life so we can celebrate the incredible musical history and heritage that has happened here and to inspire the musical history and heritage to come by new generations of Brummies! #music #heavymetal #blacksabbath #birmingham #history #heritage #culture
 
From Birmingham Live this morning...

Black Sabbath step in to help save iconic Birmingham landmark before farewell gig​

EXCLUSIVE: The Crown Pub on Station Street is currently covered in graffiti - but change is promised​

An architect has confirmed that work has begun on plans to transform listed pub The Crown - and that Black Sabbath is involved with the changes.
The iconic pub, known for being the first place Black Sabbath ever played live, sits empty, covered in graffiti and pasted with flyers in one of the city centre's prominent locations.
Manchester-based firm Stephenson Hamilton Risley (SHR) Studio has said today (Thursday, June 5) that it is working with Birmingham City Council (BCC) and Black Sabbath on essential repairs and artwork proposals for the historic Station Street boozer.

Fingers crossed!
 
Astoness said:
lets hope it happens...we have heard all this before with other pubs/buildings but nothing has come of it...actions speak louder than words

lyn
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Yes, I hope so too!
I know Sharon Osborne has been in Brum this week, probably to do with the Villa show but she also went to see the Black Sabbath mural in Navigation Street and spoke to the artist - she may also have had something to do with the Crown perhaps?
 
For those who havent seen the Crown window displays which appeared for the recent Black Sabbath final performance and were seen during the funeral procession for Ozzy Osbourne, the Crown has been displaying old, and rare photos of Black Sabbath in its windows. These were made available by Jim Simpson, Black Sabbath's first manager.

A nice tribute, and a move which now highlights nationally (if not internationally) the importance of this building to Birmingham and the music industry. Screenshot_20250802_143555_Chrome.jpgScreenshot_20250802_143530_Chrome.jpg
 
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After a little research, I've now found references to the General Elliot. It was on the site of the Crown from at least 1807 with the location given as Hill Street (pre- New Street Station ?). Mr Goode was the landlord at the time.

There's also reference in 1877 to the General Elliot being on Tonk Street and a Mr Cutler of the General Elliot - presumably that could be where the informal name "Cutlers" came from. But was Tonk Street at this location ? A map (c1860s/70s) might help if anyone has one please. Thanks.


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Source: British Newspaper Archive
 
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Looking at the whole Crown building it seems to me that it has a missing section on Hill Street. Could be wrong, but the decorative features and the design abruptly stops as you turn the corner. There's also a victorian pillar against the wall which looks like a gateway to the rear (maybe access to earlier stables ?). Could the Hotel premises have continued over this gateway? It would make sense if the Hotel design was intended to give an overall symmetrical appearance. And the number of chimneys seems excessive to me for that side of the building. Could this side of the Hotel be the location of the 1891 building collapse dispute in Mike's post #83 ?

This was a substantial building, probably redeveloped on the original older site to accommodate travellers using the early New Street Station (possibly either c1850s, or later when the station was expanded c1880s). I imagine the previous building would have been on a much smaller scale, being later significantly modernised or redeveloped. Maybe it was redeveloped because the hotel at the corner of Station Street and Dudley Street had been built and was in direct competition.

Be great if we could turn up a photo of this side of the building on Hill Street prior to 1891.

Screenshot_20250803_071958_Maps.jpg
Screenshot_20250803_072331_Maps.jpg
 
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Alex's pie stand - what a good position : beside a pub, near the station, buses and the Bull Ring. Must have made some good money.

The Crown was dismantled and the building materials were sold off in 1869. It was part of the Borough Improvenent plan. So the building we see would be it's complete replacement.

By 1878 it was known as "Cutler's Commercial Hotel".


Screenshot_20250803_112056_Chrome.jpg

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Source: British Newspaper Archive
 
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