JOHN FULFORD 1816 THE BULLS HEAD

 

 

“You were made to soar, to crash to earth, then to rise and soar again” 

Alfred Wainwright: British fellwalker, guide book author and illustrator. 

 

JOHN FULFORD (1816- )

Brewer, Maltster. Hop Merchant and Publican at The Bull’s Head Public House, 

1 Price St (now The Bull). 

 


PARENTS:  

Father: John Fulford (1785)  Publican/Brewer on Canal St. Ref: Trade directories 1839 

Mother: Ann 

BIRTH:

Born: 6th February 1816 

Baptised: 27th February 1816, St Phillips

Residence: Legge St

 

Courtesy: Family Search

 

SIBLINGS :

  1. Joseph (1812-1868) Born: 20 September 1812. Baptism: 28 December 1812, St Phillips. Brewer: Minerva Brewery. Publican: Minerva Vaults.  
  2. Mary Ann (1814-) Born: 8th May 1814. Baptism: 29th August 1814, St Phillips, Residence: Legge St.
  3. John (1816-) Born: 6th February 1816. Baptism: 27th August 1816. Residence: Legge St, Brewer: Trinity Rd, The Bulls Head: Publican.
  4. Thomas (1817-1882)  Born: 18th June 1817 Baptism: 14 August 1817, Legge St. Publican: Beer Hse, 1 Barr St, The Bartons Arms.
  5. Henry (1818-)  Born: 21st September 1818. Baptism: 11th January 1819. Residence: Dale End. Publican: The Vine Inn, Summer Lane. 
  6. Edwin (1820-) Born: 11th June 1820. Canal St. Baptism: 3rd July 1820. Publican: Beer Hse, Blews St, The Globe Public House.  
  7. Harriet (1822-) Born: 25th July 1822. Residence: Canal St.
  8. James (0) (1823-1824) Born: 24th November 1823. Baptism: 16th December 1823. Residence: Canal St. Buried: 8th November 1824. St Mary. 
  9. William (1825- ) Born:.25th May1825 Canal St, Baptism: 23rd January 1826. St Phillips, Victualler/Publican: Witton Arms.  
  10. Louisa (1826-1827) Born: 8th November 1826. Baptism: 6th July 1827. St Phillips. Residence: Canal St. Buried: 2nd November 1827, St Mary’s. 
  11. Ann (1828-1831) Born 13th July 1828. Died: 1831 at 3 years, Residence: Canal st. Buried 23rd September 1831
  12. Elizabeth (1830-1831)  Born: 27th February 1830 Residence: Canal st. Baptism: St Phillips 
  13. Emily (1832-1833) Baptism: 1th September 1832, St Phillips. Residence  Canal St, Died 1833. Father listed as Victualler.

 

MARRIAGE:  JOHN FULFORDS (1816) TO MARY (1819)

CHILDREN: 

  1. John Joseph (1847) Born:1st August 1847, Whiteheath, Staffordshire,      Christened: 27th August 1846. married Jane Fulford (1851). Co licensee of The Bulls Head, The White Swan and The Woolpack, Summer Lane, Birmingham. 
  2. George James (1849) married Emma (1851). ‘Maltsters Assistant’ and Publican at ‘The White Swan’. Later taking over from Uncle Thomas Fulford (1818) at the Bartons Arms. 
  3. Catherine M (1853)
  4. Anne J. (1857)
  5. Emily R. (1859)


OCCUPATION: 


Licensee: John Fulford (1816-): Bulls Head  Public House  (1848-1878)

Joint Licensees: John & Son (1847-): Bulls Head Public House (1878-1898)

Ref:  ‘1862 Corporation Directory of Birmingham and it’s environs, 

        
John Fulford and son at ‘The White Swan Public House, 74 Victoria Rd. 

Ref: 1892: Kelly’s Directory


Also listed at several different addresses;

John Fulford: Maltster and Hop Merchant, House 225  New John St, West;  27 Trinity Rd and at  Birchfield Rd. 

John Fulford (1816) and John Fulford (1847)  listed in Birmingham Commercial Listings as  Maltsters at 14 Bloomsbury, 60 (back of) Church street, Great Charles St and Lozells Rd. 


THE BULL 

1 Price St 

 

 

Birmingham’s public  houses have existed for over 600 years and The Bull, previously The Bulls Head is one of the 10 oldest, serving ale since 1729 as written on the pub’s Blue Plaque ! This old ale house has been described as “a jewel in the crown of Birmingham’s pubs” (The Evening Mail) and is situated in the historic Gun Quarter. 

 

‘A BRIEF LOOK AT THE HERITAGE OF THE BULL (FORMERLY THE BULL’S HEAD) PRICE STREET, BIRMINGHAM 4’  By John Ashby 

 

 

“People who know the area well claim that as early as 1729 there was a gun implement maker residing at No. 1 Price St. He was also a beer retailer”. 

The frequent brawls, when the pub was used as a place to pay wages and the resident fiddle player who continued playing regardless, conjures scenes from the sinking of the Titanic when despite everything, the band played on.

 


The Showell family ran The Bulls Head from 1810 to 1847 and had  an important role in Birmingham’s history. Walter Showell and sons wrote a comprehensive guide book, ‘Showell’s  Dictionary of Birmingham’ published in 1885. 


John Fulford (1816) and Son were licensees of  The Bulls Head from 1848 to 1898. A time frame spanning an impressive 50 years !

John Fulford (1816-) LANDLORD 1848-1878 

John Fulford (1847-) and Son LANDLORD 1878-1898

 

Courtesy midlandspubs.uk

 

 

Photograph Jane Fulford 2019 

 

Rose Mc Cann featured above was a licensee at The Bull for nearly thirty years and only retired last year in 2020 ! 

 

Photograph Jane Fulford 2019 ‘The Bull’ Bar Counter. My beer, my handbag and A. Wainwright’s quotation;

“You were made to soar, to crash to earth, then to rise and soar again. 


DEATH:

Census Records of 1881 show John Fulford (1816), living at 65 years of age, on Trinity Rd as a Maltster, employing 9 men. 

 

NOTABLE EVENTS: 

 

  • Four Generations of John Fulford’s;

 

    1. John Fulford (1785) Publican marries Ann and later Mary (1813) The Fox and Grapes Public House.
    2. John Fulford (1816) married Mary (1819), The Bulls Head, Trinity Rd 
    3. John Joseph Fulford (1847) married Jane The White Swan and The Woolpack
    4. John Fulford (1876) 


  • Military Records:

 

WW1 1914-1918 

WW2  1939-1945 

 

Records below suggest that John Fulford recorded as an ‘absent voter’ residing  at 1 back 24 Park Street, Aston was listed as a ‘Pte’ (Private) in the army during the 1918-1925 WW1 and 1939 WW2. This John Fulford is likely to have been born between 1890 and at the latest 1900 in order to be eligible to join WW1 at 18 years of age. The Park Street, 1918,  Aston address indicates likely links with the other Fulfords in Aston and a possible 5th generation John Fulford.

 

 

Courtesy: Ancestry.com

 

  • Money lending at The Bulls Head

 

 

 

Note the link to brother Henry Fulford (1818-), brother of John Fulford (1816), at The Vine Inn Public House, acting as “House Agent and Collector”. 

 

THE VINE INN 

22 Summer Lane 

 

 

 

*  John Fulford (1816) proving brother Thomas Fulford’s (1817-1882) of The Barton’s Arms Will

 

 

 

Personal Estate: £422 12s 1d equivalent to £53, 521.66 in 2021

 

THE BARTONS ARMS 

 

Courtesy Flickr.com

 

George James (1849),  John Fulford’s (1816) second eldest son took over from uncle Thomas Fulford (1818)  at The Bartons Arms after Thomas died at the pub in 1882.  

 

JOHN JOSEPH FULFORD (1847): Maltster

PARENTS :

Father: John Fulford (1816) 

Mother: Mary Fulford (1819)

MARRIED: Jane (1851)

CHILDREN:

John S. Fulford (1876)

George H. Fulford (1880)

William A. Fullford (1889) 

OCCUPATION: 

THE BULLS HEAD  Licensee:

John Fulford (1816-) The Bulls Head  Public House (1848-1878)

Joint Licensees: John & Son: The Bulls Head Public House (1878-1898)

 

THE WHITE SWAN

74 Victoria Rd, Aston, Birmingham    

C. 1934 

Below: Listed at The White Swan, 74 Victoria Rd. 


Courtesy pubwiki.co.uk

 

1881: George James (1849) Maltster and Brewer: The White Swan with wife  Emma (1850) (29).

1891-1892: John Joseph (1847) Manager: The White Swan

1891: John J (1847) (44) with wife Jane (1851) (40), John S (1876) (15), George H (1880) (11), William A (1889) (3)

1898: Joint Licensees: John Fulford & Son: The White Swan

 

Is the “Squirrel holding branch”  a reference to the Holt Brewery squirrel emblem ? ?

 

NB: Note breweryhistory.com reference links with the Holt Brewery. 

 

The Holt Brewery operated by Henry Charles Fulford (1850) was taken over by Ansells. The Woolpack (below) became an Ansells Brewery public house. 

 

THE WOOLPACK 

362 Summer Lane 


John Joseph Fulford (1847). 

Licensee Beer Hse, 362 Summer Lane (The Woolpack) 

 

Situated on the corner of Summer Lane and Henrietta Street. 

 

Below Trade Directory lists;

“Fulford John, Jun, beer hs, 362, Summer Ln.” 

Alongside his;

Uncle: Edwin Fulford (1820), beerhouse, 35 Blews St, later The Globe. 

2nd Cousin: George Fulford (1821), Victualler, Black Swan, 8 Bromsgrove street. 

2nd Cousin: Henry Fulford (1823) Maltster, Holt st, later named Holt Brewery. 

Father: John Fulford (1816) Maltster and Hop Merchant. 

Grandfather: John Fulford (1785) & Uncle Joseph (1812), Maltster and Victuallers, Mott st. 

Uncle: Joseph (1812) Minerva Inn, Brewery & Minerva Brewery, Mott st. 

Great Uncle: Richard (1789), Corn Merchant, Aston Rd.

Uncle: Thomas Fulford (1818), beer hse, 1 Barr st., W.

 

 

GEORGE JAMES FULFORD (1849 -) 

PARENTS:

Father : John Fulford (1816)  Bulls Head and Trinity Rd. 

Mother : Mary Fulford (1819) 

Younger Brother; of John Joseph (1847) also at The White Swan 1891/2 onwards. 

MARRIED :Emma Fulford (1851) 

CENSUS RECORDS:


1871 Census ‘Maltster  Asst’ Living with the family at ‘The Limes’, Birchfield Rd,  Handsworth. 

1881 George James (1849) (31)  ‘Maltster and Brewer’: The White Swan with wife Emma Fulford (1850) (29).

 

George James Fulford  (1849) (John Fulford (1816)’s second eldest son, took over from Thomas Fulford (1818), uncle at the Barton Arms in 1884.

 

Interestingly, there is also another relative George Fulford (1821-) at ‘The Black Swan’ 8 Bromsgrove St. This ‘George’ is the son of  William Fulford (1790), brother of  John Fulford (1785) and Richard Fulford (1789). 

 

William Fulford (1790) is both on Holt st and with his son George Fulford (1821)  at The Black Swan.

 

THE BLACK SWAN 

8 Bromsgrove St

 

Courtesy midlandspubs.co.uk


CENSUS RECORDS:

 

1851 Census:  John Fulford (1816), (35) ‘Victualler’ and son John Fulford (1847) (4) at The Bulls Head with 2 servants.

 

 

The 1851 Census does not show John and Mary living together at The Bulls Head. Just John Fulford (35) and John Fulford (4) ! 

 

 

1861 Census:

Family at The Bulls Head; John Fulford (44) Victualler, Mary Jackson (18) niece, John J (14), George J (12) , Catherine M. (8), Anne J. (4), Emily R. (2), Mary Richards, niece widow (60). 

  • 2 servants

(not wife Mary). Is she at Trinity Rd ?

 

 

1861 Census report, Ann Fulford (30) and Mary A. Fulford (22) at 3 Price St (presumably the building next door). Ref: Rootspoint.

 

1861 Census Park Lane – John Fulford (1816) and Mary (1819) visitors, together at a different address ! @ Park Lane, Mount Pleasant.

 

 

 

1871 Census

Residence: ‘The Limes’, Birchfield Rd, West Bromwich, Handsworth, Staffordshire.

John Fulford (1816) (55) ‘Maltsters Victualler’, wife Mary Fulford (1819) (52) and the family, John Fulford (1847) ‘Jeweller’, George Fulford (1850) ‘Maltsters Assistant’, Catherine (1854), Ann (1857) and Emily (1859) 

 +2 servants 

 

 

Also John Fulford’s (1816) cousin, Henry Charles Fulford (1823), his wife Elizabeth Fulford (1823) and their son Henry Charles (1850), (The Holt Brewery) are at Birchfield Lodge, Birchfield Rd, ref Rootspoint.  

 

Brother Joseph Fulford (1812) and family also lived in Handsworth at Warren farm during this time.

 

1881 Census:

Family at 27 Trinity Rd, Handsworth, Staffordshire 

Registration district: West Bromwich

 

John Fulford (1816) (65), Maltster and Brewer employing 9 men.  

Mary, Wife (62), Catherine M. (27) Daughter, Emily R. (22) Daughter.

  • Sarah Rigby servant 

 

 

 

 

1891 Census;

John Joseph  (1847) and Jane (1851

Manager: The White Swan Public House 74 Victoria rd 

John J. (1847) (44), Jane (1851) Wife (40), John S (1876) Son (15), George H (1880) Son (11), William A (1888) Son (3).

Ref Brewery History page and Rootspoint

 

1901 Census ;

John J Fulford (1847) ‘Licensed Victualler’  

 

 

RESIDENCES 

 

 

Above listed;

John Fulford (1816) at Trinity house, Birchfield 

& sons 

John Joseph (1847) at 5 Bloomfield Villas, Handsworth 

George James (1849) Stanhope Villas, Birchfield Rd, Birchfield

Also cousin and nephew of John Fulford (1816);

Henry Charles Fulford (1823) & wife Elizabeth (1823) and their son 

Henry Charles(1850), Birchfield Lodge, Birchfield Rd, Birchfield.

Also Miss Fulford at Park Rd a likely link with the Park Lane Address 

and a Mrs Fulford at Millward Villas, Aston Lane, Witton with likely links to William and family at The Witton Arms.