The Swan With Two Necks was opposite the entrance to the old Arndale Bus Station, on the corner of Withy Grove and Garden Street. The outside was largely cased in concrete in later days which was a shame considering the elegant stone masonry hidden beneath, as seen here in 1959, which dated back to 1795 when the pub opened (not as dull as the deli that stands there now though). The only licensee we can find is a Mr Hy. Sagar who kept the Swan in 1850 [1].
Swan With Two Necks, Withy Grove, 1974. (c) NAH1952 at flickr.
The Swan was a two-roomed house and the two couldn't have been more different from one another. In the back room was a fairly elegant lounge area, welcoming to all, with red velvedour chairs and a comfortable, cosy feel. Food was served at lunchtime, just standard pub grub but nice enough. At the front, a type of vault is about the best way to describe it, but a much bigger room than the back, filled with plenty of undesireables and rather unwelcoming. It did have a pool table though and bar skittles, both of which aren't common place in Manchester pubs these days. The beer at the end was Websters and Wilsons but was electric pumped as was common at the time.
Former location of Swan With Two Necks, Withy Grove. (c) Google 2010. View Larger Map.
1. Manchester Victoria 1849, Alan Godfrey Maps (2009).
Swan With Two Necks, Withy Grove, 1974. (c) NAH1952 at flickr.
The Swan was a two-roomed house and the two couldn't have been more different from one another. In the back room was a fairly elegant lounge area, welcoming to all, with red velvedour chairs and a comfortable, cosy feel. Food was served at lunchtime, just standard pub grub but nice enough. At the front, a type of vault is about the best way to describe it, but a much bigger room than the back, filled with plenty of undesireables and rather unwelcoming. It did have a pool table though and bar skittles, both of which aren't common place in Manchester pubs these days. The beer at the end was Websters and Wilsons but was electric pumped as was common at the time.
Former location of Swan With Two Necks, Withy Grove. (c) Google 2010. View Larger Map.
In the late 70's/80's the Landlord was Ronnie Morgan - who later went on to manage John Willie Lee's , opposite in the Arndale.
ReplyDeleteMy mates and I used to have lunch once a week here between 1966/68, before rushing back to St. John's College for afternoon lectures. Always steak and chips once a week. Happy days!
ReplyDeleteMy dad Lionel Hampson used to manage this pub from 1957-1962, I would be interested if anyone knew him ,
ReplyDeleteMy great great great grandparents, Andrew and Lydia Oliver, owned this pub in the early 1800s - Andrew died in 1821 but Lydia continued until 1828.
ReplyDeleteGordon Dunn was landlord or manager some time in the 70's
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