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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
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
Kindly provided by Alex Wilkinson
** Provided By Stephen Harris
*** Provided By Alex Wilkinson
**** Provided By
Kevan
The Deadpubs site contact with new detail is: Kevan If you wish to use any information on another site, please link back to the deadpubs site with a proper reference link.