The Birdcage
Kindly provided by Ken Finch
A listing of historical public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels in Bethnal Green, Middlesex - now in East London. The Bethnal Green, East London listing uses information from census, Trade Directories and History to add licensees, bar staff, Lodgers and Visitors.
The following entries are in this format:
Year/Publican or other Resident/Relationship to Head and or Occupation/Age/Where Born/Source.
1881/George
Leeder/Manager
Of Licensed Victualler/28/Watton, Norfolk/Census
****
1881/Emma Leeder/Wife/34/Attleborough, Norfolk/Census
1881/Kate Leeder/Daughter/13/Islington, Middlesex/Census
1881/Mary Leeder/Daughter/2/Bethnal Green, Middlesex/Census
1881/Annie Leeder/Daughter/11 months/Bethnal Green, Middlesex/Census
1881/Isabella Middlemiss/Visitor, Milliner/18/Kelso, Scotland/Census
1881/Emma L Cornes/Nurse/48/St Giles, Middlesex/Census
1881/Eliza Jay/General Servant/19/Ipswich, Suffolk/Census
1881/Alice Coleman/General Servant/17/Lowestoft, Suffolk/Census
1881/William Russell/Barman/23/Warwick, Warwick/Census
1881/William Haynes/Barman/19/Chelsea, Middlesex/Census
1881/John Mifhill/Barman/14/St Andrews, Norfolk/Census
1882/Billinghurst & Clifford/../../../Post Office Directory ****
1884/Thomas Harwood/../../../Post Office Directory ****
1891/Francis Brien & Co/../../../Post Office Directory ****
1899/Frank Brien & Co/../../../Post Office Directory ****
1910/Mrs Agnes Mary Arnold/../../../Post Office Directory ****
1915/Mrs Agnes Mary Arnold/../../../Post Office Directory ****
1921/Mrs Agnes Mary Arnold/../../../Post Office Directory ****
1934/Harry Joel/../../../Kelly's ****
1938/Harry Joel/../../../Post Office Directory ****
1944/Harry Joel/../../../Post Office Directory ****
Mrs R Joel, died on October 2nd, 1955, widow of the late Harry Joel, she had served the public for sixty years, first at the Spread Eagle, Whitecross Street, and from 1928 at the Birdcage - Black Eagle Quarterly Journal ***
1962/Nat Joel/../../../Black Eagle Journal ***
Mr and Mrs Joel with two of their regulars: Mr Matt Peers (standing) and Mr Charlie Mossell, whose combined patronage of the Bird Cage adds up to nearly 80 years. - Black Eagle Journal [1962] ***
The pattern of life in the east End is changing, but Mr and Mrs
Joel at the Bird cage in Columbia Road still have a house which retains the
atmosphere of a good Cockney Pub. They claim that thay have the "longest living
customers in Bethnal Green" and this may help to account for the Bird Cage being
unique as a family house. When Nat Joel first took over a public house in 1922,
he was the youngest licensee in the Trade, being just 21 years of age on the day
the licence was granted. His grandparents were in the Trade and Nat was born in
the Spread Eagle, Whitecross
Street, then a Trumans house. he has more than 50 years experience selling
beer to the public; his family were at one time the largest family in the Trade.
His brother in Law is our own Alfie Harris at the
Princess Alice, Whitechapel.
Mrs Joel, nee Phillips, born in Covent garden, was a childhood friend of Jessie
Matthews and appeared with her recently in the BBC "This is Your Life". Her
grandparents and parents were well known in Trade circles. Nat has lots of
memories of the old days when the Columbia Market was still in operation. During
the 1939-45 War, the market was bombed and the Bird Cage became a casualty
clearing station; the late King George VI with Queen Elizabeth and Winston
Churchill visited the market on this occasion. Although the windows of the Bird
cage were blown out during the Blitz, the house remained open and Mr and Mrs
Joel slept in the cellar between spells of fire watching.
Mr and Mrs Joel, Bird Cage, Columbia Road in 1962
Kindly provided by Alex Wilkinson
*** Provided by Alex Wilkinson
**** Provided ByKevan