Some history of the Justice Inn on Great Russell Street at Hockley in Birmingham in Warwickshire

Birmingham | Great Russell Street | Justice Inn

This public-house was located on the eastern side of Great Russell Street, on the north corner of Frankfort Street and opposite the Frankfort Arms.

Mitchell's and Butler's operated this building in the 20th century. Mitchell's first leased the building from George Harding on the 13th July 1897, the freehold finally being acquired from Mrs. E. J. Benson on May 7th 1925. The sale included five neighbouring properties.

Note : George Harding had previously been landlord of the Rolling Mill Inn on Thimble Mill Lane. He later took over at the Beggars' Bush at New Oscott.

The last pints of M&B beer were pulled by Anthony Meehan on January 3rd, 1965 when the Justice Inn closed its doors for good.

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More information on the Justice Inn on Great Russell Street to follow. I probably created the page as I had a link to the Justice Inn from another page. When building the site it is easier to place links as they crop up rather than go back later on. I realise this is frustrating if you were specifically looking for information on the Justice Inn. There is information on Birmingham dotted around the website - click here for a suitable starting place.

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"Yesterday morning, two children, named Joseph Day and Sarah Murray, aged respectively 3 and 2 years of age, unfortunately met their death by drowning in Wheeler Street. At the corner of Bridge Street, and at the rear of the premises of Mr. Ward, baker, Wheeler Street, there is plot of land, on which it is intended to build a chapel. For this purpose, excavations had been made, and the late rains had produced a considerable pond, in some places three or four feet deep. On the banks of this the children were playing, about eleven o'clock yesterday morning, when they slipped down the clayey sides into the water. Several attempts were made by boys to rescue them but they were unsuccessful, and when the bodies were recovered life was extinct. The bodies were removed to the Justice Inn, Great Russell Street, to await the Coroner's enquiry."
"Two Children Drowned in Wheeler Street"
Birmingham Daily Post : December 9th 1868 Page 3

"Yesterday, Dr. Birt Davies, the Borough Coroner, held an inquest at The Justice Inn, Great Russell Street, on the body of Thomas Fletcher [24], iron-plate worker, who lived at 3 house, 3 Court, Frankland Street, and who met with his death through injuries received during a fight, at Brookfields, on Saturday. Emma Fletcher, wife of the deceased, stated that he left his home about half-past six o'clock on Saturday morning. Between ten and eleven o'clock she was sent for from her work, and on reaching home found the deceased lying on the bed in a state of insensibility. A surgeon was sent for. The deceased died about eight o'clock in the evening. Robert Overthrow stated that he and the deceased worked at Messrs. Morris and Sons, in Branston Street. On Tuesday last, a practical joke was played upon the deceased by Lewis Cole [in custody], and on Wednesday morning there was a dispute over it, and Cole and Fletcher had a fight. Witness and others parted them. Cole called out that he would make Fletcher fight it out on Friday night. Fletcher replied that it would not require any making. On Saturday morning they met to fight in the Brookfields. Fletcher and Cole had several friends with them. They stripped, shook hands, and then began to fight. He should think there were twenty rounds fought. Many heavy blows were given on both sides. According to witness's view of the matter, the combatants sparred well, but they did not fight like regular prize-fighters. At the end of the last round. Cole fell upon Fletcher. Cole's backers pulled him off, but as they were in the act of doing so Cole struck the deceased just below his left arm. He [witness] considered it a cowardly blow, as the deceased was down. It was a very violent blow - it made a dull heavy sound. Deceased did not speak after this. One of his friends threw up a cap as a signal that the fight was at an end, a cab was fetched, and the deceased was taken home. The men were pretty well matched; if anything the deceased was the bigger of the two. Both were quite willing to fight. There was a wager of 10s. a-side, About the fifteenth round a man put his foot behind Fletcher's left leg, and thus contributed to his fall. Witness thought it was done on purpose, but Fletcher came up to the "scratch" directly. By the Foreman: After Cole's last blow he saw no one kick or strike the deceased. Alfred Fletcher, brother of the deceased, said he saw some twenty rounds, and then went to look for a policeman, the "foul" play having begun. He saw one man kicking the deceased while he was on the ground. This man was nicknamed "Cabbage." He kicked him in his left side. "Cabbage" sparred in the face of the deceased, and several times put his leg round the leg of the deceased, in order to cause him to fall. This was done four or five times while the combatants were struggling for the fall. It caused the deceased to fall heavily. Did not see anyone else interfere. He went to seek for a policeman because they were treating his brother so brutally. He should think there were 200 or 300 persons present. He saw "Cabbage" kick the deceased five or six tunes while he was on the ground. All the kicks were on the left side. In reply to the prisoner, witness said he did not fetch any brandy, and the deceased did not drink towards the end of the fight. George Dolphin, back of 27, Kenyon Street, said that both the deceased and Cole fought as well as they could until the last round. In the last round neither of the men struck while they were on the ground. Witness having stated that he saw the fight from the commencement, the Coroner reminded him that those who were witnesses of a prize fight were liable for the results. Witness then said that while he was down the deceased was kicked by a man called "Cabbage," and another man. He knew both of the men by sight. It was not in the last round that Cole struck deceased in the side while on the ground, but in the last round but one. Cole struck the deceased foul twice while on the ground. The referee was called, but he did not interfere. Dr. Poncia, Albion House, New John Street West, stated that he was called in to see the deceased about eight o'clock on Saturday night. He was then dead. He made a post-mortem examination. The deceased's left eye was blackened and there was a bruise on the nose and bruises on the forehead and over the left ear. There were no bruises on the body. There was no fracture of the ribs. In his internal examination he found various bruises about the scalp. There was a bruise over the left eye, another over the left ear, and another on the crown of the head. There was a large effusion of blood over the right hemisphere of the brain. There was no fracture of the skull. There was also a considerable quantity of blood suffused about the upper part of the thorax. The cause of death was the extravasations of blood in the head. He could not refer the extravasations more to one bruise than to another. The prisoner Cole, having been cautioned, said all he had to say was, that he was very sorry for what had occurred. The Jury, after some deliberation, expressed a wish that the enquiry might be adjourned. The inquest was accordingly adjourned until Friday next. At the Police Court, yesterday, Louis Cole [21], iron-plate worker, Grosvenor Row, Grosvenor Street, was brought before Mr. Kynnersley, on a charge of causing the death of Thomas Fletcher, while engaged in fighting with him, at Brookfields, on the 28th inst. The prisoner had surrendered himself into custody, at the Moor Street Station, at ten o'clock yesterday morning. Police-Sergeant Sandy asked for a remand, until after the Coroner had held an inquest on the body of Fletcher. He was accordingly remanded till today."
"The Fatal Fight at Brookfields"
Birmingham Daily Post : October 31st 1871 Page 7