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TheWhyNot Tavern

Vivienne14

Vivienne14

Kentish Brummie Moderator
Staff member
This auction advert in the Birmingham Journal September 1852 advertises the Livery Street tavern ‘The Why Not’. A very unusual (and unique ?) name for a pub. Did it have another name ? It claims to have been a well established tavern by 1852. Viv.

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Not unique. If you look at google, it lists ones named "The Why Not" at present (if not since closed recently) in Wolverhampton, Halesowen, Darlaston, Redditch, Essington, Astwood Bank and Wednesbury. Unfortunately, as you will have realised, the newspaper archive search omits some short words, so it gives many references to "why" , but ignores "not" . Tried looking for licensing applications around that time, but they were not well reported and could not find any for this name. Of the 14 licensed premises listed in the PO directory for 1849, only two are unnamed. (listed as beer sellers), no 145 occupied by John Parton and no 117. occupied by John Brown. The 1851 census shows no145 occupied by John parton ,listed as publican, and no 117 occupied by Joseph Tandy, retail brewer, but no name given in either case to the pub. (to me retail brewer suggests beerhouse rather than off licence) Was not able to check the 1862 census , as for that year Ancestry seems at the moment to only respond to names in wales and scotland ! There was a renumbering before 1871, so have not had chance to check the 1871 census
 
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most unusual name for a pub back then...wouldnt have thought a name like that would have thought of in the 1850s..more like a modern day name to me...thanks viv and mike i have just learned something else

lyn
 
mikejee said:
Was not able to check the 1862 census , as for that year Ancestry seems at the moment to only respond to names in wales and scotland ! There was a renumbering before 1871, so have not had chance to check the 1871 census
Click to expand...

Jas Parton is at 109 Livery Street in 1862 directory still as a retail brewers. Also Joseph Tandy at 121 Livery Street. No "why not" is as a licensed victualler.
 
Ancestry still only showing welsh & scottish people for 1861. Both 1871 and 1881 do not name pubs. By 1892 kellys the pubs both seems to have disappeared
 
Margaret Evans was listed as Publican at 119 Livery Street in 1861 and Joseph Tandy aged 65 at 121 Livery St again listed as Publican
 
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