The Vampire Great Hampton St Newtown
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These pictures sent by George Lovegrove are remarkably revealing. They are striking on more than one count. The tavern appears a Mom and Dad operation. The premises might have been owned by Holt Brewery, Aston. The photo is obviously pre World War I. Probably the pub was located in Aston or nearby. Where in those days dray horses hauled open wagons of brew along cobble stone streets. |
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The taverns name is itself is quite remarkable and one wonders what bright spark of a visionary dreamt that one up. Another striking reveal is the size of the place. It appears tiny. Of course people were much closer in physicality terms in those days; everybody walked locally. The adjoining premises is a butchers shop. It would hardly be fast food pork bun operation with so many carcasses in those days. ( and No refrigeration! ) |
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| It's compactness of living and working conditions is a typical residential size entryway in which many swine are hung, as well as out on the frontage. Presumably the picture was taken from the street and not a courtyard (which it could well have been). Public health in those days was either absent or put in a very slight attendance. There would have been a cellar 'neath The Vampire as pale ale (stronger than Bitter), etc., had to be kept cool in the wooden casks. The full barrels were very heavy and a great deal of muscle used , working with gravity, necessary to transport from production to point of use. |
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It was likely too small to accommodate an upright piano. However, the
premises might have extended 'back' to a yard and so more than one room.
The way it is it looks more like an corner off license, much smaller than
the altarpieces of Victoriana otherwise, this was likely to be the kind of
tavern Hogarth, Pepys, & c., would have known of. In those days people spent most of their time in the same locale. One week's holiday was it. A six day working week was de rigueur. (Until very recently the average working minimum week was 46-47 hours.) It was not until 1918 that the embryonic labour movement demonstrated publicly wielding the slogan, "Eight Hours Work, Eight Hours Play, Eight Hours Rest, Eight Shillings A Day." Derek Harte San Francisco California |
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Photos courtesy of
George Lovegrove
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"Pub memories of Summer lane and Newtown between the wars"
Pauline and Bernard Mannion Page 81, THE VAMPIRE A Holders pub was in
Great Hampton St, Next to Knights Pork Butchers near the corner of Tower
Street. The pub closed in 1912 and was old by the brewery to the factory
next door Bloor and Pillar to extend their factory JIM HYLAND M.A. B.A. |
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