Some history of the Roebuck Inn on the corner of Monument Road and Bellis Street at Edgbaston in Birmingham in the County of Warwickshire

Birmingham | Monument Road | Roebuck Inn

The Roebuck Inn was located on the southern corner of Monument Road and Bellis Street. It was originally a beer house and remained so for at least a century.

The tavern was certainly known as the Roebuck Inn in 1860s. There were two other beer houses just along Bellis Street. The above advertisement shows that the Monument Inn was kept by Thomas Cook in 1864. This tavern was located at No.24 Bellis Street. Located between Brighton Terrace and Monument Square, there was also the Star Inn.

Licensee of the Roebuck Inn during the mid-19th century, George Heafield was documented as a retail brewer so it is likely that the tavern was selling homebrewed ales. At this time the adjoining properties along Monument Road housed a grocery shop and bakery.

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Matthew Horne succeeded George Heafield as publican. He had married Caroline Heafield, the licensee's daughter. She died at the early age of 22 in February 1879.

The Hotchkiss family were in charge of the Roebuck Inn for a good chunk of the early 20th century. When they were in residence during the Edwardian period the tavern was operated by Rushton's Brewery Limited. The Aston-based firm were operating some 100 public-houses before the company was incorporated with Ansell's in 1922.

The son of a blacksmith, Joseph Hotchkiss, a former brewer, was born at Dudley Port in 1846. He and his wife Jane had previously kept the Cape Hotel on Spon Lane at West Bromwich. The publican lived to a good old age, finally checking out in October 1932. His son Arthur succeeded him as licensee of the Roebuck Inn. He remained for a couple of years before moving to the Old Moseley Arms on Tindal Street at Balsall Heath. Another son, Frederick, managed an off-licence and grocery store on Bradford Street.

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