Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past History Information Request HEN and CHICKEN'S UNION STREET WALLASEY

Do any photos exist of this long gone pub? I believe it was very small inside.

Until 1838 these dedicated souls had to endure long walks to Seacombe Ferry and pay the 6p for the crossing to hear the 8.00 a.m. Mass in St Mary's Church, Edmund Street, Liverpool. One of these was a Mrs Mary Hall. This lady had a family of eight children which she shepherded to Mass each Sunday - a formidable task. Her husband had been a ship's purser and had died in Calcutta in 1840 leaving Mrs Hall to look after the children alone. To support the family she obtained the necessary permission and turned her home into a Public House which she very appropriately named the "Hen and Chickens"! It must have been a relief to her when agreement was given to set up a Mission in Wallasey so that Mass could be celebrated locally each Sunday. Initially this was accommodated in a little room over a joiner's shop in Union Street. As numbers attending Mass increased and space became limited Mrs Hall offered a larger room in the "Hen and Chickens".

When i saw the title of this thread, i assumed my mate that lives in union st was selling her chickens (unbeknown to me that she a wiki-ite) but this story is most interesting! Where was this pub? Am assuming its not the Sheps, renamed?

No not the Sheps, but it was in Union Street. Kimpri's post is very interesting. I read some else years ago about the Hen and Chickens that suggested the bar could have been England's smallest. Don't know when it closed. Not in living memory.

Hen and Chickens , N. Beamish, King street, Egremont,
in 1857 PO directory Cheshire

also in 1861
Hen and Chickens Hotel, Martins place, 7 King street, Egremont

must have been on one of the corners of Union st

That's interesting Derek. Had no idea where.

The Hen And The Chickens,later renamed The Great Britain Hotel.
demolished in 1957,

The 1938 Kelly directory gives the Great Britain Hotel at 15 King Street, on the corner of Burnaby Street, landlord now Henry Jones.

No 7 is listed as Miss Margaret Tyte, stationer.

Did it move? was King St renumbered? or is one of them wrong?

the plot thickens Watson
methinks this is a 2 pipe job

Great Britain hotel, Joseph Herman Gramer, 15 King street, Egremont
(Kellys directory 1902)

where did the Union St address come from? tigertiger1953 ?

Sadly, to understand the The Hen & The Chickens...I need to go relgious on ya ass..!!

...and it all begins with St. Albans Church, Wallasey...

The Catholics of Wallasey, until 1837, had to endure long walks to Seacombe Ferry and pay the 6p for the crossing to hear the 8.00 a.m. Mass in St Mary's Church, Edmund Street, Liverpool. One of these was a Mrs Mary Hall. This lady had a family of eight children which she shepherded to Mass each Sunday - a formidable task. Her husband had been a ship's purser and had died in Calcutta in 1840 leaving Mrs Hall to look after the children alone. To support the family she obtained the necessary permission and turned her home into a Public House which she very appropriately named the "Hen and Chickens"! It must have been a relief to her when agreement was given to set up a Mission in Wallasey so that Mass could be celebrated locally each Sunday. Initially this was accommodated in a little room over a joiner's shop in Union Street. As numbers attending Mass increased and space became limited Mrs Hall offered a larger room in the "Hen and Chickens".

Mrs Hall later married a Mr Beamish and died in 1865 as a result of an accident aged 58 years. She is buried in the Churchyard by St Alban's Road with other members of her family.

...the following info is actually taken from a St.Albans Church religious pamphlet :-

"...decided in 1841 to open a mission in a room attached to the 'The Hen & The Chickens' public house, later renamed 'Great Britain Hotel' (demolished in 1957 to make way for a shopping block) in King's Street, Egremont. With the mission proving successful, the number of worshippers having increased to about 290, the Revd. John Dawber was appointed resident priest and on 8th September 1842 a new Chapel-School was opened on St. Alban's Road!

Hope that clears up the puzzle!

1874 Morris & Co Directory gives:

Great Britain Hotel, Noah Beamish, 7 King Street.

To summarise, so far we have:

1857 Hen and Chickens King Street (N.Beamish)
1861 Hen and Chickens 7 King Street
1874 Great Britain Hotel 7 King Street (Noah Beamish)
1902 Great Britain Hotel 15 King Street (Joseph Gramer)
1938 Great Britain Hotel 15 King Street (Henry Jones)

Many roads in Wallasey were renumbered between 1880-1890/1900 when many more shops began to open (birth of the 'High Street' in many repects) so of course there was a lot of renumbering. Victoria Road, New Brighton is a prime example of renumbering during that period.

I can't remember where I read it. It was years ago think it was a local news article. They probably got it wrong.