Hockley Heath. Nag's Head
The Nag's Head public house, Hockley Heath. 1910s
IMAGE LOCATION: (Warwickshire County Record Office)
Reference: PH, 352/180/1, img: 3085
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Comments
Did this pub have animals in cages in the car park in the ’60s?
Jean I can remember photos in the bar of the nags head showing someone in the bar with a lion cub,so perhaps there were animals in cages outside.
Back in the 60s this pub had a black bear & 2 lion cubs. Forgotten Landlords name then, but through the 70s & early 80s a Mr Powell was the licensee. Directly opposite across the Stratford Road is Watts Garage, (still there) but no longer an operational garage.. Next door to the garage, was Hockley Heath’s nursing home, demolished about
the mid 60s. A large rambling red brick property of many rooms & I think had 3 floors, reputed to be haunted. Ceased to be a nursing home late 50s, but not sure of closure date.
I seem to remember going to the Nags Head mid to late sixties and there where animals in cages in the Car Park and I am sure there was a Lion Cub in the Bar I would have been in my Morris 1000 then
The landlord was my father, John Blay, known as Jungle Jim. We had 2 lion cubs called Mild and Bitter and a Himalyan bear called Slobberchops – as well as a lion fish, stone fish, waterfall aviary of exotic birds and baby crocodiles, a python, chimpanzee, both a talking parrot and 2 minor birds, a bushbaby, plus numerous others.
Knew your dad well and worked for him for many years at the Wayfarer and remained friends until his untimely death. Stayed with him in Portugal in the nineties
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