19th Century Penn

From the 1830s Ordnance Survey map.

The principal crops at Penn were wheat, barley, oats, potatoes, and peas. There were also cows and pigs. By 1851 there were 716 inhabitants. The principal landowners were the Duke of Sutherland, John W. Sparrow of Penn Hall, Rev. William Dalton of Lloyd House, Robert Thacker of Muchall Hall, and Sidney Cartwright of The Leasowes.

The Hollybush

One of Penn's older pubs is The Holly Bush, which had opened by 1834 under the name Old Holly Bush. The first licensee was Thomas Davies who kept a tame monkey for the amusement of his customers. The original building was described as a quaint timber and brick structure with a thatched roof and a low taproom with a wide chimney. It stood on the site of the existing pub. By 1834 it was known as The Holly Bush, owned by the devisees of Richard Taylor and run by John Fox.

In the 1881 census, William Reynolds was the licensee. He lived there with his wife Mary and their three daughters, who were all barmaids. By 1891 William had died and his widow, Mary was licensee.

The Hollybush was once part of the Lloyd Estate, which was sold-off in 1901.

From the 1901 Lloyd Estate sales brochure.

The original Hollybush was demolished and replaced in 1937 by today's much larger building.

The Hollybush in 2011. After the 2010 refurbishment.

The Hollybush in 1945. On the right are the old cottages on the corner of Vicarage Road.

Hollybush Cottages and Post Office

The old cottages that were opposite the Hollybush. From an old postcard.

Mr. Henry Beckett of 'Pennover', in Vicarage Road is remembered for his diary. It is noted in his diary that the post office at Penn was opposite the Hollybush and that on the 19th June, 1859 the spring near the post office was cleaned out and rocked over. A pump was provided with a galvanised iron drinking ladle, along with two stone drinking troughs, one for cattle and another for dogs. They were paid for by himself and the vicar at St. Bart's Church.

In the 1850s the sub-postmaster was George Roden. Letters were received from Wolverhampton post office at around 7 a.m. and despatched at 6 p.m. By 1896 the sub-postmaster was William Smith. Letters then arrived from Wolverhampton at 7 a.m. and 2.50 p.m. They were despatched at 2.20 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. Postal orders could be issued here, but not paid.

The post office and the post box can be seen in the photograph above. The post office moved to where the Tesco Express car park now stands on Penn Road, close to the pedestrian crossing. In the early 1900s, Maud Hughes was Penn postmistress.

The old post office had been demolished by 1937 and the bottom of Vicarage Road widened at its junction with Penn Road. The cottages were known locally as 'Hollybush Cottages' or 'Penn Hall Cottages'.

The cottages in June 1962, long after the post office had gone.


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