Historic home brew houses and lost pubs
THE area in and around Hill Top and Harvills Hawthorn has a long and distinguished history. Hill Top is one of the oldest settlements surrounding West Bromwich heath, lying astride the Londonchester turnpike road of 1727, but soon developed with collieries, foundries and ironworks, aided by the coming of the canals and railway.
Harvills Hawthorn was originally known as Harvill’s Oak (1531), recalling Heronville and the lords of Wednesbury. Golds Green and Golds Hill owe their existence to benevolent ironmaster, John Bagnall. All this heavy industry was thirsty work, and over the years, the area was served by more than 60 pubs, but only a handful remain today.
The oldest pub in the area is probably the Sow and Pigs, dating from the 1770s. Once a home-brew pub kept by Thomas Griffiths and Joseph Wesley, it was acquired by Hanson’s (Dudley) for £1,500 in 1938. Until recently, Two Crafty Brewers brewed their own beer here, and now it’s a popular music venue and Indian grill bar.
In Black Lake, George Lyman brewed his own beer at the New Talbot (1871) until it passed to Hanson’s in 1921 when it was rebuilt. It was kept by Norman and Ivy Harding from 1953-1968, but closed in 2020. On the corner of Church Lane, the King Edward VII (1870-2006) was originally the Britannia, but was renamed to celebrate the king’s coronation in 1902.
Almost opposite was the Roebuck (1860), while further along Church Prince of Wales visited Lane is the Queen’s Head the area in 1923, he recognised (1870), kept by George, landlord Jack Martin Annie and Bert Sperring as a stoker who served from 1904-1951 and with him in Hindustan. rebuilt in 1949. In the back streets, the
In Old Meeting Street, Great Western (1872) in not far from St Andrew’s Chapel Street was once a Church, is the Halfway home-brew pub where an House, originally dating inquest was held in 1881 from 1881 as the George, into the death of shoemaker but rebuilt in 1937 as a Henry Crow, who Darby’s Brewery (West choked on eating a piece Bromwich) pub. When the of cooked beef! It became a Cheshire’s Brewery (Smethwick) pub, kept by Albert Reece from 19131930, but closed in 1960.
Back in the heart of Hill Top, the Springmakers Arms (1868) was once a Holder’s (Birmingham) pub, but closed a century later.
On the corner of Hawkes Lane, the Hen and Chickens is another venerable hostelry dating from 1818, but later rebuilt. In New Street, the Globe (1861-2010) was originally the Struggling Man, kept
Samuel and Jane Stanley from 19041931. In 1910, Samuel was accused of stealing a pigeon from Arthur Deakin and was ordered to return the bird and pay the costs of the court hearing.
Nearby, the Golden Pheasant (1861-1932) was once a Frank Myatt Brewery (Wolverhampton) pub.
The area around Hawkes Lane has largely been redeveloped. The Bulls Head (1853) was originally the Moulders Arms, but since it adjoined a butchers shop, was renamed in 1892 and kept by Herbert Pritchard from 1908-1931. A few doors away were the Grapes (1871-1903) and British Oak (1858), kept by Amos Jones from 1914-1941, opposite the Swan (1868-1915) In the back streets were the Vine (1871), kept by William Innes from 1955 until it closed in 1967, Railway Tavern (1871-1922), kept throughout by Benjamin and Elizabeth Ludlow, and Bird in Hand (1864-1966), which only had nine licensees during its 100+ year life.
Back on the High Street, the Box Iron (18011911) was another venerable tavern, whose first landlord, John Siddons, held the licence for over 40 years. He also made saddle pistols and was brother to Joseph Siddons who founded the nearby Hill Top Foundry. In 1868, the inn sign showing a large gilded box iron was removed by rioting supporters of Wednesbury’s first Liberal MP, Alexander
Brogden.
Ironworker John Burgess was charged with attempting to blow up the Boat because he wouldn’t be served!
A few doors away, the Stores (1871) was once a Wordsley Brewery pub, but was closed by 1907. The Three Crowns dated from 1818 and was the centre of village life, hosting dinners and political, miners’ and football club meetings. Once another Holder’s pub, it closed in 1969, and its licence was transferred to the new Dovecote (1971), previously named Flash Harry and Hillcrest, a few doors away. In Barncroft Street, Enoch and Eleanor Dabbs kept the Brown Lion (1872-1921) until 1906.
Witton Lane was home to the Junction (1858), kept by Harry Bladon from 1904-1948, but converted into a supermarket in 2008, and Golden Lion (1835-1938). The Three Horseshoes originally
In 1910 Samuel Stanley was accused of stealing a pigeon from Afthur Deakin and was ordered to return the bird
dates from 1864, was rebuilt for William Butler (Wolverhampton) in 1908 and is now a fine Black Country Ales’ real ale pub.
At the junction with Jowetts Lane, the Gough Arms originally dates from 1849, passed to Hanson’s in 1929 for £2,152, and was later rebuilt in Art-deco style.
In Crookhay Lane, the Cottage Spring (1850) was bought by Bent’s Brewery (Stone, Staffordshire) for £3,628 in 1929, kept by George and Jane Ferguson from 1936-1966 and rebuilt in 1960.
The steep hill of Holloway Bank was home to the Hop Pole (1872-1955), acquired by Darby’s in 1934, and the Miners Arms (1868-1907), another Wordsley Brewery pub. Close to Wednesbury Bridge was the Globe (1855-1982), once a Highgate Brewery (Walsall) pub, and Fountain (1818), an old coaching inn, known locally as the “Fountain in th’ole”, rebuilt in 1936 and closed in 2009.
Harvills Hawthorn lies beyond the Great Western railway line, where several pubs served the thirsty workers. The Spring Cottage (1858) was rebuilt on the site of the Old Crown (1818) in 1961, but was demolished in 1999. The Samson and Lion (1872), once another Bent’s
Brewery pub, became a fish and chip shop in 1994, while the Royal Exchange (1870) closed in 1977.
Dial Lane was home to the Hawthorn (1835), which became a Holt, Plant and Deakin pub in 1989, but was converted into housing in 2012. Nearby were the Shoulder of Mutton (1870-1908) and Britannia (1858), a Banks’s (Wolverhampton) pub, allegedly haunted by Ebenezer the ghost, rebuilt in 1962, but converted into function rooms in 2012.
Golds Green and Golds Hill were centred on the quaintly-named Puddingbag and Pikehelve Streets, formerly on “Puddingland”, an area of rough pasture land sloping down to the canal.
This was also home to
John Bagnall’s iron works near the old colliery and canal bridge and not far from Brickhouse and Golds Green collieries, brickworks and slag works. Bagnalls provided the local school and church, while Bagnall Street was home to the Navigation (1869-1911), once owned by Flower’s Brew- ery (Stratfordonavon), Miners Arms (1868-1907), another Wordsley Brewery pub, and Three Furnaces (18341913).
In Pikehelve Street, the Britannia (1853) was sold for £1,500 in 1900 and became a Darby’s Brewery pub, kept by William, Medelina and Sumaria Heath from 1853-1922. It was later known locally as “Merther’s” after landlord John “Bill” Merther, who ran it from 1937 until it
closed in 1957. In Old Row, close to the canal, the Boat (18711937) was a home-brew pub, kept by Thomas Burgess, Dan and John Bishop, Joseph Jones and Herbert and Florence Francis. In 1881, ironworker John Burgess was charged with attempting to blow up the pub because h e wouldn’t be served! Although the area around Hill Top and Harvills Hawthorn has changed dramatically and lost most of its heavy industry, a handful of interesting and historic pubs remain. Long may they prosper!