All aboard – charabanc trip from The Swan
THE Swan public house in Stream Road, Kingswinford, is a popular village watering hole – but I wonder how many of its patrons are aware of its previous location?
I think that the current Swan was built sometime in the 1950s and prior to that it was situated on the other side of Stream Road – I am just about old enough to remember it!
This photograph showing the original Swan was given to me by my friend Bernard Stokes, although he assures me that he was not a resident of the village at the time that the photo was taken. I would estimate it was in the early part of the 20th century. The vehicle, the forerunner of the charabanc, belonged to Kingswinford Motor Services, and appears to have both a driver and a conductor. It may well have been part of the public transport system of the time (it is pointed in the direction of Stourbridge) or, on the other hand, it could have been a pub outing with the staff gathered outside to see them off. I doubt if we will ever know for sure.
The previous Swan was situated on the other side of the road from where the current one stands