Bee Hive, Oldham Road, Ancoats. (c) Manchester Local Image Collection. Click here to view full image.
The Bee Hive was described as one of the best pubs in Ancoats, frequented by "moochers" (modern-day scallies or pissheads?) who would mither punters for a ha'penny or penny, the price of a drink. The Bee Hive had been the house of a painter, Joseph Townley, before he opened the beerhouse which lasted until 1945. By 1948 it was a tripe shop [1], but the Chesters Ales & Stout signage and bee hive mural lasted into the '60s, as seen in 1960 and 1961. The exact location of the Bee Hive was opposite Livesey Street, a spot which today has been built over with the slight diversion of Butler Street.
1. The Old Pubs of Ancoats, Neil Richardson (1987).
The Bee Hive was still open as a pub in the 1950's, contrary to the details above. I know this because we lived just off Livesey St, in Clarion St, until 1957 and my mam dad used to go in there, from where they would go into The Angel, on the corner of Butler St and Oldham Rd. If not either of those, it was the Apollo on Livesey St, or the Shakespeare on New Allen St. But The Bee Hive was still open as a pub in the early 50's. From Vincent Marcroft.
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