Swan Inn - St. John's Worcester: Pub History, Publicans, Photographs

The Swan Inn at St. John's occupied a fine-looking Georgian property. Below you can see the pub during the inter-war years, by which time it was operated by Ansell's Brewery Ltd. The name of E. Coombs can be seen behind the large lantern above the front door. Edmund Coombs was the licensee for many years. The former railway engine fireman had taken over from his father George as licensee of the Swan Inn. Edmund Coombs was born in Worcester in 1881. His father hailed from Birmingham and his mother Emma came from Kidderminster. The family had earlier lived in Mill Street. After a spell of living at the Swan Inn, Edmund married. He and his wife Lily spent some years in Birmingham before returning to Kidderminster, by which time the couple had a son and daughter. Edmund Coombs died in 1945. Looking further back - Joseph and Sarah Watkins were hosts at the Swan Inn during the early 1850's. The couple were evidently offering services to travellers heading out on, or arriving along the Malvern Road, as they employed Thomas Burns as an ostler, whilst Caroline Storey worked as a house servant. © Copyright. Posted on 26th January 2012 Images supplied by Digital Photographic Images.		1829 - Thomas Price 1841 - T. Francis 1851 - Joseph Watkins 1873 - Miss Ann Epps 1879 - William T. Hendley 1932 - Edmund Coombs If you have a genealogy story or query regarding the Swan Inn pub you can contact me and I will post it here in addition to including your message within the website pages for Worcestershire Genealogy. Click here for more information on the sign of the Swan. Worcester CAMRA Worcester City Museums Worcester News Worcestershire County Council "It is best to live with honour for just a day than with dishonour for many decades; better a short lived celestial swan than a century-lived crow.” Sri Sathya Sai Baba		St. John's in 1940 Kelly's Directory from Bull Ring 2 Farmer, Joseph, saddler 4 Marriott Stores, grocers 6 Pavely Peter Forman, tailor 8 Collard, Arthur Henry, newsagent 12 Worcester Sheet Metal & Pressings Co. sheet metal workers 14 London Central Meat Co. Ltd. 16 Osborne, Edwin, boot repairer 18 Dovey, Mrs. Lydia, ladies' hairdresser 18 Dovey, Albert Alex., hairdresser 20 Henson, Harold Edward, chemist 22 Bullock, John Arthur, confectioner 24 Angel Inn, Cyril Leonard Blunt 28 Millage, Thomas M. stationer 30 Williams, Mrs. Susan, shopkeeper 32 Watson, William Joseph, hairdresser here is Bromyard Road St. John's Church 38 Sambrook, E. & Co., boot repairers 40 Baker, Reginald Victor, electrical engineer 42 Cox & Davis, confectioners St. John's Garage [Frank Norman & Sons] 46 Warner, Percy Arthur. fruiterer 48 Burley, Mrs. Ann, ladies' hairdresser 50 St. John's Motor & Cycle Depot [P. Lewis] 52 Hudson William, hardware dealer 54 Burden W. J. & Son Ltd. bakers 56 Worcester Co-operative Society Ltd. [branch] 58 Perks, Walter Hy. corn dealer here are Malvern and Bransford Roads and Swanpool Walk here is Powell Row 87 & 89 Badham, Herbert Charles, boot repairer 85 Brewer, Fred, fried fish dealer 83 Swan Inn, Edmund Coombs 79 Symonds, Gordon Hy., grocer St. John's Cinema [Pitchcroft Theatres Ltd.] 69 Jones, Mrs. Edith, greengrocer 67 Warren, Charles George, hairdresser 65 Fischer, Claude Herbert, butcher 63 Ford, John, potato merchant 61 Heath, Thomas William, newsagent 59 Heath Maison, ladies' hairdressers 57 Williams Charles A., baker 55 Bowkett Mrs. Dorothy, wool shop 53 Parsons, Mrs. Daisy Charlotte, florist 51 Worcester Co-operative Society Ltd. Butchers 47 Rallings, Joseph Ernest, fried fish dealer 43 Watkins, Mrs. Ellen, confectioner 37, 41 & 41a Creese, Richard & Son, drapers 39 Sutton, Eli Joseph, grocer 35 Bell P.H. Walter Slater 33 Holland, Albert Edward, watch repairer 31 Tyler, James Hy., wireless engineer 29 Fudger, Henry John, butcher 27 Newmans, fruiterers 25 Bunting, Edward Lancelot, M.B. surgeon 25 O'Conor, Hugh, S.H. M.B. physician 23 Anderson & Virgo, chemists 21 Gray's Stores, grocers 15 Bradley, Mrs. Elsie, confectioner 13 Addyman, Percy J., ironmonger 11 Brooks, Ernest, hairdresser 9 Lewis, Gilbert Addis, butcher 7 Smith & Sons, ironmongers 5b Davis, Miss Helen, fancy draper 5 Whiteman, Richard Thomas 3a Huband, Harold, watch maker 3 Waters, Fras. Hy. fruiterer 1a Barrett, Mrs. Jane, milliner 1a National Provincial Bank Ltd. H. Morgan, manager here is Bull Ring Details to follow....		Worcestershire Places Abberley Alvechurch Astwood Bank Belbroughton Bewdley Birlingham Bournheath Bredon Bretforton Broadway Bromsgrove Catshill Chaddesley Corbett Churchill Cleeve Prior Clent Cookley Cradley Dodford Droitwich Dudley Eckington Elmley Castle Evesham Far Forest Feckenham Great Witley Hagley Halesowen Hallow Hanley Castle Hartlebury Harvington Inkberrow Kempsey Kidderminster Knightwick Langley Lye Malvern Martley Netherton Oldbury Oldswinford Ombersley Pedmore Pensax Pershore Powick Quinton Redditch Romsley Stone Stourbridge Stourport Tardebigge Tenbury Wells Upton-on-Severn Wollaston Wolverley Worcester

The Swan Inn at St. John's occupied a fine-looking Georgian property. Below you can see the pub during the inter-war years, by which time it was operated by Ansell's Brewery Ltd. The name of E. Coombs can be seen behind the large lantern above the front door. Edmund Coombs was the licensee for many years. The former railway engine fireman had taken over from his father George as licensee of the Swan Inn.

Edmund Coombs was born in Worcester in 1881. His father hailed from Birmingham and his mother Emma came from Kidderminster. The family had earlier lived in Mill Street. After a spell of living at the Swan Inn, Edmund married. He and his wife Lily spent some years in Birmingham before returning to Kidderminster, by which time the couple had a son and daughter. Edmund Coombs died in 1945.

Looking further back - Joseph and Sarah Watkins were hosts at the Swan Inn during the early 1850's. The couple were evidently offering services to travellers heading out on, or arriving along the Malvern Road, as they employed Thomas Burns as an ostler, whilst Caroline Storey worked as a house servant.
© Copyright. Posted on 26th January 2012
Images supplied by Digital Photographic Images.

1829 - Thomas Price
1841 - T. Francis
1851 - Joseph Watkins
1873 - Miss Ann Epps
1879 - William T. Hendley
1932 - Edmund Coombs

Ansell's - The Better Beer

Ansell's - Ah! The Better Ale

If you have a genealogy story or query regarding the Swan Inn pub you can contact me and I will post it here in addition to including your message within the website pages for Worcestershire Genealogy.

Click here for more information on the sign of the Swan.

Map to Follow

Worcester CAMRA
Worcester City Museums
Worcester News
Worcestershire County Council

Ansell's Helps You to Face Life's Little Snags

"It is best to live with honour for just a day than with dishonour for many decades; better a short lived celestial swan than a century-lived crow.”
Sri Sathya Sai Baba

St. John's in 1940 Kelly's Directory
from Bull Ring
2 Farmer, Joseph, saddler
4 Marriott Stores, grocers
6 Pavely Peter Forman, tailor
8 Collard, Arthur Henry, newsagent
12 Worcester Sheet Metal & Pressings Co.
     sheet metal workers
14 London Central Meat Co. Ltd.
16 Osborne, Edwin, boot repairer
18 Dovey, Mrs. Lydia, ladies' hairdresser
18 Dovey, Albert Alex., hairdresser
20 Henson, Harold Edward, chemist
22 Bullock, John Arthur, confectioner
24 Angel Inn, Cyril Leonard Blunt
28 Millage, Thomas M. stationer
30 Williams, Mrs. Susan, shopkeeper
32 Watson, William Joseph, hairdresser
here is Bromyard Road
     St. John's Church
38 Sambrook, E. & Co., boot repairers
40 Baker, Reginald Victor, electrical engineer
42 Cox & Davis, confectioners
     St. John's Garage [Frank Norman & Sons]
46 Warner, Percy Arthur. fruiterer
48 Burley, Mrs. Ann, ladies' hairdresser
50 St. John's Motor & Cycle Depot [P. Lewis]
52 Hudson William, hardware dealer
54 Burden W. J. & Son Ltd. bakers
56 Worcester Co-operative Society Ltd. [branch]
58 Perks, Walter Hy. corn dealer
here are Malvern and Bransford Roads
and Swanpool Walk
here is Powell Row
87 & 89 Badham, Herbert Charles, boot repairer
85 Brewer, Fred, fried fish dealer
83 Swan Inn, Edmund Coombs
79 Symonds, Gordon Hy., grocer
St. John's Cinema [Pitchcroft Theatres Ltd.]
69 Jones, Mrs. Edith, greengrocer
67 Warren, Charles George, hairdresser
65 Fischer, Claude Herbert, butcher
63 Ford, John, potato merchant
61 Heath, Thomas William, newsagent
59 Heath Maison, ladies' hairdressers
57 Williams Charles A., baker
55 Bowkett Mrs. Dorothy, wool shop
53 Parsons, Mrs. Daisy Charlotte, florist
51 Worcester Co-operative Society Ltd. Butchers
47 Rallings, Joseph Ernest, fried fish dealer
43 Watkins, Mrs. Ellen, confectioner
37, 41 & 41a Creese, Richard & Son, drapers
39 Sutton, Eli Joseph, grocer
35 Bell P.H. Walter Slater
33 Holland, Albert Edward, watch repairer
31 Tyler, James Hy., wireless engineer
29 Fudger, Henry John, butcher
27 Newmans, fruiterers
25 Bunting, Edward Lancelot, M.B. surgeon
25 O'Conor, Hugh, S.H. M.B. physician
23 Anderson & Virgo, chemists
21 Gray's Stores, grocers
15 Bradley, Mrs. Elsie, confectioner
13 Addyman, Percy J., ironmonger
11 Brooks, Ernest, hairdresser
9 Lewis, Gilbert Addis, butcher
7 Smith & Sons, ironmongers
5b Davis, Miss Helen, fancy draper
5 Whiteman, Richard Thomas
3a Huband, Harold, watch maker
3 Waters, Fras. Hy. fruiterer
1a Barrett, Mrs. Jane, milliner
1a National Provincial Bank Ltd.
       H. Morgan, manager
here is Bull Ring

Details to follow....

Worcestershire Places

History of the Swan Inn at St. John's Worcester in the county of Worcestershire. Research is augmented with photographs, details of licensees, stories of local folklore, census data, newspaper articles and a genealogy connections section for those studying their family history.

Worcestershire Places