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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Warwickshire => Topic started by: fayl on Monday 03 September 07 09:38 BST (UK)
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Does anyone have any ideas how I can find out the name of a pub in Nuneaton in the
?1960's that my ancestors owned/ran.
I'm afraid that I don't have a street name.
We used to visit (when I was a small child, so things are a little hazy).
It was in a built up area, not a large pub, no car park at the front. We would have approached from Birmingham and I remember turning left and driving up a steep hill with the pub on the right hand side of the road.
My ancestors names were ?Kath GILBERT and I think her husband was called Walter/Wally.
We used to visit in the late '50's early '60 and their ages would have been around 50/60.
I am trying to find the family connection between ?Kath and her husband.
Sorry that's all I have to go in.
Fay
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I don't recognise the area which you describe, would you recognise the name of the pub if I gave you a list?
The only really steep hill is Tuttle Hill but there is no pub on the right besides which that is on the way in from Birmingham, however I will hazard a guess. If you come from the Birmingham direction but use the Ansley road then turn left before the Cock and Bear and continue towards Stockingford you are going up quite a slope for a mile and next to the site of the old Stockingford Station on the right is the Midland Railway Inn an old traditional pub. It has no car park to the front and the footpath dips down to pass it with the road on a higher level and it is in a built-up area. Does that ring any bells?
Apart from that I havn't a clue but will inquire in the Library where they may have a Trades directory for those years and i will also ask around .
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All in Vane
Thank you for your help none of that seems familiar though.
As a child of around 6/7years of age names of roads/districts weren't taken on board - neither were names of pubs i'm afraid.
The steep hill may not seem that steep now but when you are little - well.
The pub was an old pub - right on the pavement.
It had a room to the right (as you went through the door - if my memory serves me correctly) there was a large/very large painting on the right hand wall in a gold/gilt frame - horses - wild horses/stallions running through the countryside.
That's all I can remember.
Fay
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Fayl, I looked in the 1962 Trades Directory for Nuneaton and no mention of that family at any of the pubs. If you know roughly what age you were at the time can you work out a more specific year span as they will have the Directories from other years. From your description of the area I just cannot think of one that fits and I have lived here all my life. Like you say, things look different when you are young.
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All in Vane
Thanks for checking that out for me.
We always referred to aunty Kath as having a pub in Nuneaton. Maybe that was the closest town and maybe it was a ?village just before you got to Nuneaton.
I even asked my mother this morning (she's 83) and she said Nuneaton - but couldn't remember the name of the pub.
I just cannot remember how old I was - posssibly about 5 - 7 years old so that would put the time scale around 1958 - 1960.
Oh well - back to the drawing board.
Thanks again.
Fay
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Actually, i've just had a thought (although i'm probably clutching at straws).
I remember seeing details for a death for a Kath Gilbert somtime in the ?1990's (I think), and the death was registered in Foleshill.
Is this close to Nuneaton?
Regards
Fay
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Fayl, Foleshill is about six miles away just before you get to Coventry. If they referred to the pub as being in Nuneaton then that's where it would be, or on the outskirts. I will check up in the previous Trades Directory to the one I have already done, possibly this afternoon as I have to go into town.
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Fayl,
Went through the 1959 Directory and not a sniff, even looked at the Atherstone one as you said you went to the left coming in from Birmingham. Not much else I can do unless your mother or someone comes up with some more information, I don't suppose your mother can remember any directions? It could possibly have been one of the villages such as Ansley or Arley I suppose but you did say it was a built-up area which somehow doesn't fit the bill.
With the Foleshill death at one time that included Bedworth which is a possibility as there were lots of pubs there fitting your description but if that was the case they would not have said it was a Nuneaton pub.
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All in Vane
Thank you so much for all you have done, I really appreciate it.
I thought this would be a hard task. Not much to go on and childhood memories.
I don't think my mother ever visited this pub she can only remember family conversation.
My father used to drive us out there occasionaly on a Sunday morning. We used to stop off (sometimes) at the Griffin Pub in Shustoke and then carry on to see Aunty Kath in Nuneaton at her pub.
I have spoken to my younger sister and all she recalls is "Aunty Kath from Nuneaton".
Once again thank you for trying.
Best wishes
Fay
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There was a pub in Nuneaton right side of Tuttle hill called the The Rose Bowl before being knocked down and moving to the top of the hill across from what was then the white horse which still stands today well for the time, I have a picture of it next to the canal
Your Noel W
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Actually, i've just had a thought (although i'm probably clutching at straws).
I remember seeing details for a death for a Kath Gilbert somtime in the ?1990's (I think), and the death was registered in Foleshill.
I can't see that at all in the indexes, but I do see this:
Death reg Jan 1999
Catherine GILBERT
Date of birth 10 Sep 1894
Nuneaton & Bedworth
Register number: B35C
District and Subdistrict: 7681B
Entry number: 78
Anna
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In answer to Noel the pub is actually called the Punch Bowl and is on the right near the top of Tuttle Hill as you approach from Birmingham. The White Horse is on the right going in the same direction and it is at the bottom of the hill next to the canal. Some years ago it became a sort of night club called The Crazey Horse but a couple of years or so down the line became a Chinese Restaurant and I believe it is closed now.
I had considered those two as being the one that fayl was after but both had a car park in front although the directions indicate they would be on the wrong side of the road.
I will dig those Year Books out again next time I am in the Library and see if I can find a Cath Gilbert in charge of a pub.
Al
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Unfortunately the 1960 BT phone book for the Coventry area (covering Nuneaton) shows nobody called Gilbert on the Nuneaton telephone exchange at all.
The only Gilbert in the area who looks as though he's a publican in 1960 is this one:
GILBERT W., Royal Oak Hartshill - phone no. Chapel End 260
http://www.royaloakhartshill.co.uk/
Could they have lived in Hartshill rather than Nuneaton itself? Could this be Walter/Wally?
Anna
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I think you have cracked it Anna!
Hartshill is regarded as Nuneaton but only just. Taking Fay's original memories of the route she would have either have turned left in Chapel End and up a slight hill then left into Oldbury Road and the Royal Oak is on the right or it sounds like she went further and turned left at Windmill Corner at the top of Tuttle Hill then left just past the Anker and up what is a very steep climb into Hartshill and the Royal Oak is left and then right. Hardly a built up area but to a small child the row of houses would perhaps seem like it. If they went the latter route it is the long way round, something like two miles further, but the views across the Trent Valley to Charnwood are worth every penny! I have often walked up that lane from the valley gasping for a pint in the Oak or round the corner to the Stag and Pheasant on the Green!
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Well everyone, as Al in Vane has said - I think you have cracked it Anna.
Just looked at the web site for the Royal Oak and it does look very similar - although it's frontage looks bigger than I remember, but trying to recall a pub 50 years on - when as a small child all that interested you was a bottle of Vimto.
As soon as I have a free weekend (unfortunately my Mother is in hospital so my time is very limited at the moment) then I will get my husband to take me out there and let you all know if this is the pub.
Thank you all so much for your help.
Regards
Fay
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Sorry for the Mistake found out it's the Punch boel Today but i Still Have a Picture of it And a Friend of mine as One facing down the hill
Sorry again Noel W
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No problem Noel, I have trouble remembering what day it is at times!!
Fay, In Library and just decided to look at Nuneaton Observer for 1960 and first one I looked at, guess what? Mr W. Gilbert licensee of the Royal Oak, Hartshill who was connected with Hartshill Old Boys (Football team).
Took a couple of photo copies, not bad considering they are off a film of a newspaper.
If you drop me your details on a PM I will send them off snail mail with my compliments.
Al
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Al that would be great - what a bonus.
Just gonna drop you a PM.
Again everyone - thank you so much for your help.
Regards
Fay