The London, Essex, Kent, Suffolk, Sussex, Surrey, Berkshire, Middlesex, Devon, Buckinghamshire, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire & Oxfordshire, Cornwall, Dorset, Wiltshire, Somerset Pubs

Search the London & Southern England Pub History site and Street directory by historical Pub name, surname or street address, i.e. use the search box below. The Pub history site is a major historical street directory which lists mainly Pubs, beer retailers, taverns and hotels; and street name changes between about 1840 and 1940. All transcriptions and imagery is copyright, and excepting personal usage (which is fine); is NOT available for commercial usage without explicit permission. Many of the Pubs are still open, as I do not differentiate between dead and open Pubs. The site is updated every day, mainly during pub opening hours. Please contact: Kevan with any updates and additional details to the site/s. Thanks.
site search by freefind

The Pub History Sitemap

Bird Cage, 68 Columbia Road, Bethnal Green E2

Bethnal Green pub history index

This pub was established by 1760 and may have been called the Kings Head in its earliest days. In Barnet Street in 1869 **

The Birdcage

The Birdcage

Kindly provided by Ken Finch

A listing of historical public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels in Bethnal Green, Middlesex - now in East London. The Bethnal Green, East London listing uses information from census, Trade Directories and History to add licensees, bar staff, Lodgers and Visitors.

The following entries are in this format:

Year/Publican or other Resident/Relationship to Head and or Occupation/Age/Where Born/Source.

1787/Samuel Lazonby/../../../British History On-Line **

1844/Dinah Jones/../../../Thompson’s Directory **

1869/William Aitken/../../../Post Office Directory **

1876/William Aitken/../../../Post Office Directory **

1881/George Leeder/Manager Of Licensed Victualler/28/Watton, Norfolk/Census ****
1881/Emma Leeder/Wife/34/Attleborough, Norfolk/Census
1881/Kate Leeder/Daughter/13/Islington, Middlesex/Census
1881/Mary Leeder/Daughter/2/Bethnal Green, Middlesex/Census
1881/Annie Leeder/Daughter/11 months/Bethnal Green, Middlesex/Census
1881/Isabella Middlemiss/Visitor, Milliner/18/Kelso, Scotland/Census
1881/Emma L Cornes/Nurse/48/St Giles, Middlesex/Census
1881/Eliza Jay/General Servant/19/Ipswich, Suffolk/Census
1881/Alice Coleman/General Servant/17/Lowestoft, Suffolk/Census
1881/William Russell/Barman/23/Warwick, Warwick/Census
1881/William Haynes/Barman/19/Chelsea, Middlesex/Census
1881/John Mifhill/Barman/14/St Andrews, Norfolk/Census

1882/Billinghurst & Clifford/../../../Post Office Directory ****

1884/Thomas Harwood/../../../Post Office Directory ****

1885/Couston & Harris/../../../Post Office Directory **

1886/Couston & Harris/../../../Business Directory of London **

1891/Francis Brien & Co/../../../Post Office Directory ****

1899/Frank Brien & Co/../../../Post Office Directory ****

1906/Brien & Co/../../../Morris’ Business Directory of London **

1910/Mrs Agnes Mary Arnold/../../../Post Office Directory ****

1915/Mrs Agnes Mary Arnold/../../../Post Office Directory ****

1921/Mrs Agnes Mary Arnold/../../../Post Office Directory ****

1934/Harry Joel/../../../Kelly's ****

1938/Harry Joel/../../../Post Office Directory ****

1944/Harry Joel/../../../Post Office Directory ****

Mrs R Joel, died on October 2nd, 1955, widow of the late Harry Joel, she had served the public for sixty years, first at the Spread Eagle, Whitecross Street, and from 1928 at the Birdcage - Black Eagle Quarterly Journal ***

1962/Nat Joel/../../../Black Eagle Journal ***

Mr and Mrs Joel with two of their regulars: Mr Matt Peers (standing) and Mr Charlie Mossell, whose combined patronage of the Bird Cage adds up to nearly 80 years. - Black Eagle Journal [1962] ***

The pattern of life in the east End is changing, but Mr and Mrs Joel at the Bird cage in Columbia Road still have a house which retains the atmosphere of a good Cockney Pub. They claim that thay have the "longest living customers in Bethnal Green" and this may help to account for the Bird Cage being unique as a family house. When Nat Joel first took over a public house in 1922, he was the youngest licensee in the Trade, being just 21 years of age on the day the licence was granted. His grandparents were in the Trade and Nat was born in the Spread Eagle, Whitecross Street, then a Trumans house. he has more than 50 years experience selling beer to the public; his family were at one time the largest family in the Trade. His brother in Law is our own Alfie Harris at the Princess Alice, Whitechapel.
Mrs Joel, nee Phillips, born in Covent garden, was a childhood friend of Jessie Matthews and appeared with her recently in the BBC "This is Your Life". Her grandparents and parents were well known in Trade circles. Nat has lots of memories of the old days when the Columbia Market was still in operation. During the 1939-45 War, the market was bombed and the Bird Cage became a casualty clearing station; the late King George VI with Queen Elizabeth and Winston Churchill visited the market on this occasion. Although the windows of the Bird cage were blown out during the Blitz, the house remained open and Mr and Mrs Joel slept in the cellar between spells of fire watching.

Mr and Mrs Joel, Bird Cage, Columbia Road in 1962

Mr and Mrs Joel, Bird Cage, Columbia Road in 1962

Kindly provided by Alex Wilkinson

** Provided By Stephen Harris

*** Provided By Alex Wilkinson

**** Provided By Kevan

Search the London & Southern England Pub History site and Street directory by historical Pub name, surname or street address. The Pub history site is a major historical street directory which lists mainly Pubs and street name changes between about 1840 and 1940. The site is updated every day. Contact: Kevan with any updates and additions.
site search by freefind

All transcriptions and imagery is copyright, and excepting personal usage (which is fine); it is NOT available for commercial usage without explicit permission.
The historical trade directory and census listing of all of London, Essex, Kent, Suffolk, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Sussex, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire Oxfordshire, and Dorset. If you are searching for a historical address, try the census and street directory database. This is a Victorian view on the streets of london and the south of England.

Best Broadband Providers in the UK - tested in October 2010. Recommendations for a web site provider are: eukhost.com - see my Whats New page to clarify this

An exceptionally strong recommendation for a Gas Safe engineer in Essex is N R Heating who fixed several gas leaks in my home today. The work was very professional, totally committed to safety and quality; plus the price was very competitive; and after sales service is again exceptional. New boiler installation was also another brilliant service. A very high class recommendation for a Gas Safe Engineer in Essex and London.

Apologies for British Telecom who provide my broadband until the 18 month contract ends. I suffer from BT Infinity. who appear to have a severe shortage of lack of after sales service, hence my broadband not working for nearly a week, so far. The BT engineer has purportedly fixed the problem, and not bothered to visit. I apologise reservedly for the total lack of care by BT Infinity in this matter of NOT fixing my broadband. I have made three apointments for them to visit, but they appear to not understand customer care and arranged visits. Have you tried Virgin broadband, allegedly faster according to Ofcom. I am certain the service is also better. I do not think that BT care, but I do!
And Last updated on: Tuesday, 04-Oct-2011 22:39:35 BST