Some history of the Red Lion Inn on Ladypool Road at Sparkbrook in Birmingham in the County of Warwickshire
The Red Lion Inn was located on the south corner of Brunswick Road. Part of the structure still stands but the building was completely re-fronted and in the 2010's was trading as Desi Express Café. However, this closed down and in 2022 the building was empty.
![Birmingham : Map extract showing the location of the Red Lion on Ladypool Lane at Sparkbrook [1888]](https://www.midlandspubs.co.uk/images/birmingham/ladypool-lane-red-lion-map.jpg "Birmingham : Map extract showing the location of the Red Lion on Ladypool Lane at Sparkbrook [1888]")
© Crown Copyright. Reproduced with kind permission of the National Library of Scotland under the Creative Commons Attribution licence.
I have marked the location of the Red Lion on the above map extract. Note that the opposite site of the road was undeveloped at this time. The land was open fields and part of Stoney Lane Farm. This was later developed for housing, though redevelopment in more recent times has seen some of the farmland forming Spark Green Park.
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![Birmingham : The Red Lion on the corner of Ladypool Road and Brunswick Road at Sparkbrook [c.1936]](https://www.midlandspubs.co.uk/images/birmingham/ladypool-road-red-lion.jpg "Birmingham : The Red Lion on the corner of Ladypool Road and Brunswick Road at Sparkbrook [c.1936]")
© Image from author's photographic archive. DO NOT COPY
![Birmingham : The Red Lion on the corner of Ladypool Road and Brunswick Road at Sparkbrook [2002]](https://www.midlandspubs.co.uk/images/birmingham/ladypool-road-red-lion-2002.jpg "Birmingham : The Red Lion on the corner of Ladypool Road and Brunswick Road at Sparkbrook [2002]")
© Photo taken by author on March 19th, 2002. DO NOT COPY
![Birmingham : Bar of the Red Lion on Ladypool Road at Sparkbrook [2002]](https://www.midlandspubs.co.uk/images/birmingham/ladypool-road-red-lion-bar.jpg "Birmingham : Bar of the Red Lion on Ladypool Road at Sparkbrook [2002]")
© Photo taken by author on March 19th, 2002. DO NOT COPY
![Birmingham : Licensee and Customers at the Red Lion on Ladypool Road at Sparkbrook [2002]](https://www.midlandspubs.co.uk/images/birmingham/ladypool-road-red-lion-customers.jpg "Birmingham : Licensee and Customers at the Red Lion on Ladypool Road at Sparkbrook [2002]")
© Photo taken by author on March 19th, 2002. DO NOT COPY
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Licensees of the Red Lion Inn
1878 - George Cresser
1890 - John Thomas Newey
1891 - William Alma Harborne
1895 - Frank Stringer
1900 - George Price
1904 - Alfred Cottril
1913 - Thomas Frederick Fletcher
1921 - George John Boaler
1940 - Fred Lamb
Note : this is not a complete list of licensees for this pub. The dates of early licensees are sourced from trade directories, census
data, electoral rolls, rate books and newspaper articles. Names taken from trade directories may be slightly inaccurate as there is some slippage from publication dates
and the actual movement of people.
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![Birmingham : Inn Sign of the Red Lion on Ladypool Road at Sparkbrook [2002]](https://www.midlandspubs.co.uk/images/birmingham/ladypool-road-red-lion-inn-sign.jpg "Birmingham : Inn Sign of the Red Lion on Ladypool Road at Sparkbrook [2002]")
© Photo taken by author on March 19th, 2002. DO NOT COPY
"William Alma Harborne, landlord of the Red Lion Inn, 211 Ladypool Road, was summoned for selling intoxicating liquors to a drunken
person, named Edwin Pullen, on the 8th inst. Mr. Bickley defended. Police-Sergeant Rudwick and a constable stated that they entered the defendant's
premises and saw Pullen, who was drunk, with a jug containing beer near him. Mr. Bickley did not deny that the man was drunk, but urged that the man was not
supplied, nor was his presence known, and that the beer was served to another person. Witnesses were called in support of this statement, but the Bench though the
case proved, and fined the defendant 20s. and costs."
"Breach Of The Licensing Laws"
Birmingham Suburban Times : May 16th 1891 Page 5
