Some history of the Turner's Arms in Turner Street and Ladypool Lane at Sparkbrook in Birmingham in the County of Warwickshire

Birmingham | Ladypool Road | Turner's Arms

The Turner's Arms was located on the corner of Ladypool Lane and Turner Street. No building remains on the site of the old public-house, just a grassy mound where the building once stood.

© 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 Turner's Arms on the above map extract surveyed in 1887 and published during the following year. When comparing this with the 1950s photograph it can be seen that the wedge-shaped building was extended to occupy the corner space. It looks as though the premises was extended into the house fronting Ladypool Road. When the brewery acquired the Turner's Arms the purchase included eight adjoining houses.

I realise that the address of the tavern was in Turner Street for much of its life. However, as can be seen from the photograph on this page, the building was extended and had a frontage on Ladypool Road. In addition, when the house was first built, it was included in trade directories under Ladypool Lane. The above extract, taken from Kelly's Directory published in 1868, shows the pub on Ladypool Lane close to The Larches, a grouping of recently-built houses. They were so named as they were erected on land that once formed part of the Larches Estate, home to Dr. William Withering, the physician and botanist who was instrumental in recognising the properties of digitalis as a cure for dropsy.¹

The inn sign, along with the thoroughfare and nearby Marshall Street, recognised George Marshall Turner, the successful draper who seemingly invested and speculated in land and property around the burgeoning suburbs. His portfolio included the freehold of this pub. He amassed a fortune by the time of his death in 1924, by which time he was living at Montpellier House on Abbey Hill in Kenilworth. He left an estate with a gross value of £137,261 [almost £7m in today's money], his will having an extraordinary clause. The document stipulated that his grandson, Roland Sumner Wilson, "should forfeit his share if he entered a monastery or embrace the Roman Catholic faith." The people who had been loyal to him for many years did not enjoy a substantial windfall. The testator left only £50 each to his coachman, William Henry Drane, and his gardener, Andrew Cotton. His housekeeper, Jane Prudence Mackall, received £10 less. Other servants were left with a measly £20.²

Occupying the premises from 1867, Denham Baker was an early licensee of the Turner's Arms. The son of a cordwainer, he was born at Astwood Bank in 1837. He moved to Birmingham and was working as a carpenter when he married Harriet Harborne at Saint Mark's Church in August 1858. I note from the marriage register that he had very neat handwriting. In contrast, Harriet could not write. The couple established a home in a court on Adelaide Street, a locale in which many woodworkers lived - their local pub was also named to commemorate their trade. Harriet died at an early age, Denham Baker re-marrying in 1866 to the widow Ann Jennings, daughter of a jeweller. The couple kept the Turner's Arms for a short spell, though during their tenure, in August 1869, Denham Baker applied unsuccessfully for a spirits licence for the house.³

At a Special Sessions held at the Police Court on October 5th, 1871, the licence of the Turner's Arms was transferred from Denham Baker to William Palmer.⁴ The Baker family moved into an adjacent house at No.5 Ashwood Place in Turner Street.

MORE TO FOLLOW ON THE TURNER'S ARMS

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© Image from author's photographic archive. DO NOT COPY

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© Image created by author on April 24th, 2013. DO NOT COPY

"A charge of attempting to obtain a shilling by means of a trick was brought at the Birmingham Police Court today against Alice Louisa Glazebrook [23], 23, Little Broom Street, Camp Hill. On Thursday last, it was alleged by the prosecution, prisoner entered the Turner's Arms public-house, Turner Street, and asked the landlord, John Pritchett, for a bottle of dry ginger. He gave it to her, and she handed him 2s. 6d. He gave her two shillings and 3½d. as change, and went a few yards away to serve another customer, and upon returning prisoner complained that she had not received the correct change, pointing to one shilling and the coppers. She showed him her purse, holding it up by the end flap, and remarked : "You can see I have no more money," but as she did so a shilling fell into her hand from the flap. She closed her hand, but he hit the back of the hand and the shilling fell. He said : "You are a nice young woman," and sent for a policeman. Prisoner, who pleaded not guilt, was committed for trial at the Quarter Sessions. Detective Elderton said there were further charges against the woman of stealing 2s. from the Selly Oak Post Office on September 12th and 2s. from the Sparkhill Post Office on September 23. Upon these charges she was remanded until tomorrow."
"Camp Hill Woman And Her Change"
Birmingham Mail : December 10th 1914 Page 4

References
1. Wilson, Philip K. "William Withering" within Encyclopædia Britannica
<https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Withering>, Accessed March 6th, 2024.
2. "Fortunes Of Drapers" : Birmingham Daily Gazette; December 18th, 1924. p.7.
3. "Birmingham Licensing Session" : Birmingham Daily Post; August 17th, 1869. p.4.
4. "Transfer Of Licences" : Birmingham Daily Post; October 6th, 1871. p.6.