Melbourne Brewery Signs

stonesey · Post by **stonesey** » Sun 29 Jun, 2008 7:37 pm

One of the best Melbourne Pubs was the Highfield Hotel at Beeston. The main reason I say that is because my Grandmother, Sarah (Sally)Brogden was Landlady there for over 30 years. She was one of the longest serving Landladies in Leeds, and became president of The Leeds Ladies Licensed Victuallers Assn. (try saying that when you've had a few). I practically lived at the pub from being 2 years old until I was about 17, when she finally retired aged 70! I can remember it was Melbourne Ales she served. Light mild,dark mild, bitter, & a pint of mixed at one shilling & eightpence was very popular(about 9pence in todays money!) She didn't have a spirits license, but she did sell Babycham- which later became my favourite drink. A 'black velvet' was Guinness & Babycham mixed. I'd earn spending money by polishing & cleaning all the pewter mugs & glass pint pots that some of the regulars owned-were can you go now & ask for your own glass?The 'outsales ' was at the side of the pub where customers came with jugs to buy beer to take home. The 'snug' was a small room where people went for a bit of peace & quiet, & a gossip. At weekends someone would usually play the piano in the 'best' room & a sing song would ensue. The taproom was were most of the regulars went, playing darts & dominoes & having a good drink. You didn't get many women coming in pubs unaccompanied in those days- late 1950's- and if they did they usually stood in the passage at the side of the bar ( and were often gossiped about later).Sally was a very good darts, dominoes & and 5&3s player and taught me how to play them all. I still enjoy playing to this day, and play for a local pub.I can remember going to the Melbourne Brewery & another small brewery near The Bridge Pub at Kirkstall I think . Tetleys took over the brewery round about the time Sally retired, and Joe Hird & his wife took over the pub. I've so many good memories of pubs in Beeston, Holbeck, & Hunslet having accompanied my Grandma to functions at lots of them when I was young, and having pub-crawls in them when I was older! The Mulberry, The Green man on Dewsbury Road, The Duke of York, Gardeners Arms, Kings Arms,The Engine etc. Pubs must be in my blood as later I worked at The Punch Bowl, The Whistlestop, and The Malvern. Speaking of the Malvern-in my opinion that is one pub that does need pulling down! It's seems to be boarded up more than it's open and bears no relation to the good pub it used to be!Didn't mean to write a novel- just got carried away reminiscing.

drapesy · Post by **drapesy** » Sun 29 Jun, 2008 10:58 pm

Thanks for that Stonesey - very interesting stuff. Here's a pic from leodis of the Highfield that might bring back a few memories. As you will see from the signage this was taken in its Tetley days - but you can just make out the Melbourne 'courtiers' on the front windows. The brewery in Kirkstall would have been Dutton's at that time I think.

Post by **cnosni** » Tue 01 Jul, 2008 1:33 am

drapesy wrote: Thanks for that Stonesey - very interesting stuff. Here's a pic from leodis of the Highfield that might bring back a few memories. As you will see from the signage this was taken in its Tetley days - but you can just make out the Melbourne 'courtiers' on the front windows. The brewery in Kirkstall would have been Dutton's at that time I think. Steve,where was that in Beeston?

drapesy · Post by **drapesy** » Tue 01 Jul, 2008 11:41 pm

cnosni wrote: drapesy wrote: Thanks for that Stonesey - very interesting stuff. Here's a pic from leodis of the Highfield that might bring back a few memories. As you will see from the signage this was taken in its Tetley days - but you can just make out the Melbourne 'courtiers' on the front windows. The brewery in Kirkstall would have been Dutton's at that time I think. Steve,where was that in Beeston? The Highfield fronted onto South Ridge Street , which led off Beeston Road. The streets either side were West Mount Street (left) and West Mount Place (right) - shown in photo. All these streets have long since been demolished. hard to explain where it is now - do you know the bank on Beeston Road near the Junction with Cemetery Road - I think its HSBC?? well the pub would have been behind it about 50 yards to the north.

stonesey · Post by **stonesey** » Wed 02 Jul, 2008 12:09 pm

The bank is the HSBC as you said Drapesy. When I lived at the Highfield there were a few ways I could get there. One was down the road that used to be to the left of the bank,South Mount Street. ('Barber Jims' was on the opposite corner of South Mt Street.) I could walk down to were South Mt Street met South Ridge Rd, then turn left and the pub was on the next street corner, but I usually cut through a small ginnell on the left hand side of South Mt St, about half way down, then the Highfield would be at the bottom of the street it led out to.(Can't remember if it was Highfield Terrace or Highfield Street). Or I'd walk straight along South Ridge Rd, which was further down Beeston Road on the left ,facing where a small parade of shops are now.(follow Beeston Rd down past the HSBC, parade of shops on right, then Lodge Lane on right, then another small parade of shops.) I can remember men used to jump off the trams coming from Leeds as they slowed down slightly to go round the bend, as this would save them walking all the way down from the tram stop above the crossroads. Another bit of history you may remember- At the bottom of the small parade of shops on Beeston Hill-facing the end of South Ridge Street -was a cobblers shop, it was there for years. William Hills bookies took over the shop. The bookies have now moved to bigger premises further up Beeston Rd on the next parade)Another way to get to the pub was if you were on Malvern Road, go along to were St Lukes Church still stands, walking up the hill to the left of the church you would then turn right into South Ridge Street and the Highfield was on the corner a couple of streets away.You could also walk down from Cemetery Rd, by the side of The Imperial Pub, and cut through the streets to the Highfield.

stevief · Post by **stevief** » Thu 10 Jul, 2008 10:15 pm

Some detective work required with these photos.I can't remember where I got them from...

stevief · Post by **stevief** » Thu 10 Jul, 2008 10:18 pm

And again...

drapesy · Post by **drapesy** » Fri 11 Jul, 2008 11:23 am

nice one Stevie f!. The Fox was on Meanwood Road - Its been discussed on here before and there's a pic or two on Leodis. The Accommodation is a new one to me! I'll try to find out where it was - presumably on Accommodation/South Accommodation or Upper Accommodation Road.I like the 'Melbourne Regal' advert - never heard of that before.2008 has been a bad year for 'Melbourne signs, The etched glass courtiers at the Woodside have been removed and destroyed. Vandals have smashed similar ones at the Haddon Hall and Mosaics at the Shaftesbury are, presumably, buried under piles of rubble.

Si · Post by Si » Fri 11 Jul, 2008 11:29 am

Hi Drapesy, I know how you feel.A couple of years ago, some alterations were being carried out on an old house near where I live in Otley. The workers discovered a beautiful etched glass door panel with "Surgery" on it. I asked if they would put it on one side for me, if they didn't want it. The next day I found it smashed. Oh well...

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Mon 25 Aug, 2008 3:37 pm

There's a Melbourne poster in The West Riding Refreshment Rooms on Dewsbury Station.(also a great pint of Landlord!)