Pub in Toxteth

[pablo42]

Can anyone help me discover the name and location of a pub in the Toxteth area. We knew it as the Snakepit. I don't know if that was it's real name or where it was. I seem to remember it being behind Upper Parliament Street somewhere. I went ther a few times in the seventies, and if I remember right it used to be a right place. I thank you in advance, knowing that someone will know it

[Ged]

Will check it out but a stripper in the Gladray did use a boa constrictor.

[Paddy]

It might be the Alexandra were you shopping?

[pablo42]

Thanks Ged, I remember spending many a Friday afternoon in the Gladray. One of the many shebeens around the city in the seventies and eighties. This was before all day opening, for our younger friends

[pablo42]

Maybe Paddy, didn't ever know the real name. My dad took me there to show me where he was brought up. He was from Upper Hill Street. My dad used to drive and I never noticed where we were going. But I do remember it was like the Alamo. It was the only building standing at the time. It was also an extremly rough house.

[lindylou]

It might be the Alexandra were you shopping?

yeah, first place I thought of was the Alex. it was like a rough cowboy saloon form the wild west ! http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y249/rubinda/avatars/hysterical.gif

it was standing on it's own when everywhere else was being pulled down.

[Ged]

What was being pulled down? :ninja:

[pablo42]

Thanks Lindy. It certainly was all that. When we used to go there, i was amazed at how full it was. Where did they come from? It was as though they had come from Central Casting. It was full of characters. What was the name of the road it was in?

[pablo42]

Ged, if I remember right, there was nothing around it. All the houses were gone. I reckon a cry for help in that bar was a cry in vain.

[lindylou]

Thanks Lindy. It certainly was all that. When we used to go there, i was amazed at how full it was. Where did they come from? It was as though they had come from Central Casting. It was full of characters. What was the name of the road it was in?

I think it was Northumberland st. The pub was tucked away at the back between Northumberland and Stanhope st if I'm not mistaken.

[lindylou]

What was being pulled down? :ninja:

I can't remember the names of all the roads but I do know they pulled down Arnold Close and Carter st. They built new property there eventually.

I'd have to look at an old A to Z to refresh my memory.

[lindylou]

What was being pulled down? :ninja:

Ged ! I've only just got what you mean !!! lol !

[pablo42]

Thanks Lindy. I never got Geds comments. I'm getting slow and old

[Paddy]

You came in at Stanhope Street it was a for connoisseurs of grass:037:

[Ged]

Ged ! I've only just got what you mean !!! lol !

Ah, oh so innocent. :)

[pablo42]

aaah, we never heard of such things in the seventies. Our drug in those days were a brown mild.

[Ronijayne]

Ah, oh so innocent. :)


Yikes, went right by me until it was pointed out. I have to sharpen my thought pattern!

[Ged]

Well if it was the Alexandra, this pic might jog your memories?



http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/3600/lrot.jpg (http://img193.imageshack.us/i/lrot.jpg/)


This stood on the corner of Upper Parly and the now abolished Oliver Street. When photographed here c1960, the manager was Peter Condon and it was known locally as the 'mad house', it was demolished in the 70s.



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[Davec]

I think there must have been 2 pubs of that name in the area, cos the 'Alex' I knew was in Upper Hill St.

[pablo42]

Ged, I may be mistaken, it was a long time ago, but I'm pretty certain that wasn't the pub I was asking about. I got the impression it was further up, nearer Upper Parliament Street. Coul;d be wrong though.

[Ged]

Here's the other Alex Dave.

http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/4571/alexm.jpg (http://img212.imageshack.us/i/alexm.jpg/)




.

[pablo42]

Ged, you're a gem. I'm sure that was the pub. I've been looking at a lot of your photos and I'm really impressed. All I got is cheesey photos of me and the kids. Gonna have to go out and take some pics of this great city. Any places you aint got photos of, I'll start there. Thanks.

[Ged]

Thanks Pablo. Here's another view of it.

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/5176/alexhotel2003.jpg (http://img401.imageshack.us/i/alexhotel2003.jpg/)




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[pablo42]

Excellent Ged. Last time I was there the houses in the background weren't there. Magic.

[Davec]

Excellent Ged. Last time I was there the houses in the background weren't there. Magic.

I don't think it was magic Pablo, they probably just hadn't been built yet.

[pablo42]

Nice one Dave. I was meaning the photo, not the fact that the houses miraculously appeared. Is the pub still there?

[lindylou]

Thanks Pablo. Here's another view of it.

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/5176/alexhotel2003.jpg (http://img401.imageshack.us/i/alexhotel2003.jpg/)




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yes that's the one. Down Upper Hill st (not Northumberland like I said).

That's the new property that was built at the back. (Carter st.)

[lindylou]

Yikes, went right by me until it was pointed out. I have to sharpen my thought pattern!

ha,ha, I've got to know what Ged is like with his jokes now ... you gotta' be on the look out for them :PDT_Aliboronz_24: .. but sometimes they still slip past. :)

[pablo42]

Thanks Lindy. Seen his replies on a few post now. I shall reply accordingly. How do you know so much about pubs like that. I've seen a few of your replies and I'm intriuged on how you would know thes things. I seen your replies about nightclubs, and reckon you must be around my age. Yet, you know about pubs like this. I'm a big lad, yet I never liked going into this pub. Tell me more...

[gerry_2]

Can anyone help me discover the name and location of a pub in the Toxteth area. We knew it as the Snakepit. I don't know if that was it's real name or where it was. I seem to remember it being behind Upper Parliament Street somewhere. I went ther a few times in the seventies, and if I remember right it used to be a right place. I thank you in advance, knowing that someone will know it

The Snakepit was a Bents Brewery pub. I think it was in Berkeley St Toxteth could have been called The Berkeley. It was the only Bents pub that sold there famous tipple Bentox (redbiddy) over the counter by the bottle. In all the other Bents pubs you had to buy it by the measure.

[pablo42]

Hi Jerry, that sounds very familiar. I'm right back at square one now. Don't know where it is, Thanks anyhow.

[gerry_2]

Can anyone help me discover the name and location of a pub in the Toxteth area. We knew it as the Snakepit. I don't know if that was it's real name or where it was. I seem to remember it being behind Upper Parliament Street somewhere. I went ther a few times in the seventies, and if I remember right it used to be a right place. I thank you in advance, knowing that someone will know it
The Snakepit was in Berkeley St Toxteth I think it was called The Berkekey. It was owend by Bents Brewery. It was the only Bents pub in Liverpool you could buy there famous tipple Bentox(redbiddy) over the counter by the bottle, everywhere else it was sold by the measure.

[pablo42]

Lindylou was saying that the Alex was a bit rough and ready. The pub I'm talking about was certainly rough and ready. What was that pub like? Is it still there? Thanks for your help.

[gerry_2]

Lindylou was saying that the Alex was a bit rough and ready. The pub I'm talking about was certainly rough and ready. What was that pub like? Is it still there? Thanks for your help.

Bents Brewery finished years ago, and the Snakepit was certanly rough. But if it's still standing I dont know, but I wouldnt think so.

[lindylou]

Thanks Lindy. Seen his replies on a few post now. I shall reply accordingly. How do you know so much about pubs like that. I've seen a few of your replies and I'm intriuged on how you would know thes things. I seen your replies about nightclubs, and reckon you must be around my age. Yet, you know about pubs like this. I'm a big lad, yet I never liked going into this pub. Tell me more...

ha,ha ... I hasten to add that I didn't frequent rough dives !! :PDT_Xtremez_42:

Although I am an Anfield girl, I had friends and family in L8 and got to know the area very well. My ex and ex in-laws are an L8 family and I got to know all their friends and neighbours too. We used to visit someone who lived near to the Alex - I knew it was a scruffy little pub and we only went in there once one afternoon to meet up with someone. All it was short of was a sawdust floor. lol !
Passing the Alex many times to visit someone living nearby, and also hearing tales of the place - we saw enough to know it was a rough house. We were not one for pubs anyway - we liked clubs better. I've never liked sitting around in pubs - still don't - much prefer clubs with good music where you can dance :)
In our younger days we had some good nights in some of the L8 clubs.
Some clubs had a reputation of being dives - - but there were also some ok ones too with a good crowd. You just had to know where to go or where to avoid :) if you knew the local people you could have a great time, it was a tight knit community with everyone knowing everyone else.

Like you said, there would be shabeens - - called 'blues' in later years :)

[lindylou]

The Snakepit was a Bents Brewery pub. I think it was in Berkeley St Toxteth could have been called The Berkeley. It was the only Bents pub that sold there famous tipple Bentox (redbiddy) over the counter by the bottle. In all the other Bents pubs you had to buy it by the measure.

You are probably right about 'the Snakepit' being in Berkley st.
I don't recall ever hearing the Alex being called that and I knew people who it was their local. (... who it was their local ... that's bad grammar isn't it - but you know what I mean ) :)
I could be wrong - it was a long time ago, but I never heard anyone call the Alex the Snakepit.

[Davec]

This adds nothing to the thread but....the licensee of the Alex in the early 60's was named Pugh.

[pablo42]

Thanks guys, that's great. Gonna go exploring now.

[t-malone@sky.com]

Was it at the corner of Berkley Stret and Upper Stanhope Street? Was it the terrace that was knocked down about 10 years ago opposite the Greek Church

[marky]

Grecian Hotel (Snake Pit), Upper Hill Street/Berkley Street. A small picture appears p.9 A pub on every corner Vol.2 Freddy O'Connor.

[pablo42]

Thanks guys, that's great.

[Ged]

Further to Marky's post. Here is that pic. Copyright Freddy O'Connor. Great books.


http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/4439/lrok.jpg (http://img195.imageshack.us/i/lrok.jpg/)




.

[pablo42]

Thanks for that Ged. That's great.

[Spike]

Nice work Ged. What are the flats in the background called?

[t-malone@sky.com]

Even the lampost is bladdered

[pablo42]

If you knew the place that wouldn'tsurprise you.