I hadn't realised this pub had been posted so I just want to dispel a 'myth'
The background : - The pub is the one of the oldest in New Brighton (Magazine Hotel being the oldest, 1759). Little Brighton Inn opened in c1845. Initially called "Chequers" it changed its name to "Jenny Lind Inn" after the Swedish opera singer Johanna Maria Lind stayed there whilst she performed in Liverpool. The pub then got the nickmae of the "Little Ginnie"
There is no factual evidence that she ever stayed at The Little Brighton Inn (which changed its name in 1855). It could well be the case that the choice of name for the inn was inspired by the great wave of popularity that swept through England in the late 1840's for the singer, which is often referred as 'Jenny Lind fever'. Many pubs around England also took the same name.
'Upper Brighton' refers to the township above New Brighton, and the road running through it. This is a practice that we still see in the likes of Liscard Village.
Older maps show Rowson St as just being the road down to the sea, and south of Upper Brighton is the top of Rake Lane. Later ones extend Rowson Street through the township to join Rake Lane, as we know it today.
Everything points to this being one and the same place. I can only guess that the compilers have got two sets of data from different dates or sources and not made the connection.
It's future is not looking good.
(N.B. With ref to the other comment above, The Pilot Boat is supposed to date from 1747 and modified in 1876, thus making it older than the Magazines.)
On Upper Rowson Street stands one of the oldest pubs in Wallasey, the Little Brighton Inn. The building was probably built about 1845 and has changed very little over the years. Originally the inn was called 'Chequers' but was renamed by Birkenhead Brewery, who owned the pub, to Little Brighton after the stretch of ground surrounding the inn which was known as the Little Brighton Common. The first landlord was Henry Evans who left by 1853 and was replaced by John Evans. He came from West Kirby and remained as licensee until 1865 when records show that William Jones became the new landlord. William remained at the inn until 1880 when Robert Voas took over. He was raised in Folly Lane, Wallasey Village. One reputed visitor to the Little Brighton Inn, which gave the pub the familiar nickname of 'The Ginnie', was Johanna Maria Lind (1820-1887), known affectionately as Jennie Lind. Whilst visiting Liverpool for a stage performance she is said to have crossed the river and stayed at the inn, where her name, or rather a corrupted version of her name, has endured ever since. Unfortunately, the claim that Jenny Lind was a guest at the inn lacks the authority of any form of historical evidence. It could well be the case that the choice of name for the inn was inspired by the great wave of popularity that swept through England in the late 1840's for the singer. The early 1870's marked the appearance of the Sandridge Hotel, built just across the road from the Little Brighton Inn, in Upper Rowson Street.
Sad with the demise of some of our heritage in this way. Sad tha t I point out were some of our community centres used to be to my offspring in this way
