Donations wanted as new museum pub begins to take shape

Now the museum's Collections Team have put out the request for bar items from the 1960s to help fully furnish the Elephant & Castle pub, a former grand Edwardian pub which stood on the corner of Stafford Street and Cannock Road in Wolverhampton.

The pub suffered a decline over the years and was unexpectedly demolished in 2001, shortly before it could be considered for listing, but is being brought back to life as part of the museum's 1940s to 1960s Forging Ahead development.

The Museum’s Collections Team said it is interested in bar items from the 1960s specifically, such as wooden tables and dark mahogany spindle back chairs, beer, wines and spirits bottles and promotional glasses.

To help set dress the walls and tables, it is also looking for promotional materials such as wall plaques, mirrors, coasters and in particular, items that were marketed to women such as Babycham, Cherry B and Golden Godwin.

Collections manager Chloe Taylor said the rebuild of the pub had been going well, with the aim of opening in the summer, and spoke about the plans for keeping it authentic.

She said: "We've been working with researchers, with landlords and with people who remember the pub to recreate the historic setting and fittings, and make sure we recreate it as best as possible.

"The key for us has been authenticity, so while it will sit on our 1930s street, it will blend in with the surroundings, and the idea has been to try and create the multi-sensory experience, from the glasses to iconic brands such as Babycham.

"We'd love to get donations for this pub and really want to get the community involved to help create the nostalgic feel of the pub and help people who lived in that era think they were back in the 1960s, having a pint in the local."

The exterior of the pub has nearly been completed, with just some green tiling on the outside and the famous landmark Elephant statue set to be added to the outside after being reproduced by A Studio.

Chief operating officer Paul Crofts said he and the museum were looking forward to welcome visitors to the Elephant & Castle and said it and the rest of Forging ahead was about creating a living memory.

He said: "The idea really is to bring it all back to living memory and start to tell the story of life between the 1940s and 1960s, allowing parents and people to understand and find connections at the museum.

"This is not just about moving one building or building a place, but it's more about the stories that we want from people and about the community we have here and that is what the museum is all about.

"The absolute purpose of this is so that people can find a connection to themselves or their family members and take something away, so it's a very exciting time."

To find out more and to make a donation to the Elephant & Castle pub, email collections@bclm.com.