The Lamp Tavern, Hamstead Road

Description:Situated opposite the parish church of St Mary in Hamstead Road, the Lamp Tavern was originally built about 1750 and at times was also known as the Handsworth Tavern. In 1787 and in 1831 it was used as a meeting house for the Turnpike Trustees.
In 1794 the Public House and its attached gardens were held by Mary Birch, a widow who died aged 81 and was buried in St Mary's churchyard on 31st May 1809. She was probably the widow of James Birch who died aged 71 in 1793.
The Lunar Society also used the Lamp Tavern for meetings in the last quarter of the 18th century. During the early part of the 19th century it was also frequently used for the Petty Sessions held by the County Magistrates.
In June 1841, at the time of the national census, Robert Beeson was the license holder and he is listed there as a 35 year-old Tavern keeper. Also in the household is his wife Elizabeth and their children James aged 7, Ann aged 6 and Thomas aged 3. Two female servants and a male servant are also resident there.
The license holder between 1868 and 1876 was Alfred Farrell and from 1877 to 1881 Alfred Thomas Hale.
During the 1930's the public house license was transferred to the nearby Church Hill House which was renamed as The Endwood and the Lamp Tavern, now no longer licensed, was used by the Air Training Corps. The building had been demolished by 1970.