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Picture source: David Gray

The Valley was situated on Yardley Wood Road. This pub has now been demolished and replaced by the apartments in the above photo.

Source: Philip Charlton

My aunt Rose and uncle Joe Lucy managed The Valley for Mitchell & Butlers, I am not sure when they first started there, but most likely before the War [WW2] as they were long time managers for the brewery prewar and post war until my uncle died in the 1950s. At that time females were not able to run Pubs on their own (not sure if that was general or just M & B rules). My aunt was then offered an off-licence which then ran for many years. I remember the Valley as I was sent by my mother by train form Kings Cross to New Street in the late 1940s to spend my school holidays. The building was quite big as it had been built as a Hotel before the war. My aunt and uncle never ran it as such, but I remember it had a number bedrooms, most not used as there was only the two of them and my cousin Eric. The ground floor had three maybe four bars at the front (One was men only) and a so called assembly room at the rear which was so large that I cannot remember it being used, As a young lad to me the room seemed massive but I guess it was no more than 40 to 50 ft. by 20 to 30 ft. it also had very small hatch for serving possibly no more than 8 ft. long which for such a large room seemed not in proportion to the room and look wrong. At the rear was a large garden of which about halt had full size crown green bowling rink, this kept in condition by two times week gardener - often when I was there I used play with him after he finish doing green and and tending garden. On Saturdays if there was home bowls match I would help with the teas this did the daughter of my aunt cleaning lady Mrs.Pigeon. I became friendly with family and her other children and we would go days out like taking a bus ride right round the outer circle or the Midland Red to The Lickey Hills.

Ian Hopping (January 2016)

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