Rose McCann
The Bull - Price Street

Rose McCann was born in County Meath in Southern Ireland, the daughter of a carpenter. Rose's mother was a full-time housewife as Rose had four sisters and two brothers. The family lived in the country, so the kids had a daily 3½ mile walk to primary school - no school run in those days.

On leaving school, Rose went to work in Dublin at St James's Hospital, where she was a domestic assistant and St. Luke's Hospital, where she was matron's maid. In the fifties, a crowd of local girls went to the Isle of Man, where Rose started work as a waitress in the Oakland's Hotel, on the promenade in Douglas.

Her next port of call was London, where she worked in the Red Lion in Bermondsey and the Case is Altered in Harrow and Wealdstone. Having got the taste for the licensed trade, she then worked part-time at the greyhound stadium in Wembley, whilst holding down a full-time job.

Moving back to Ireland, Rose worked at the Greville Arms in Mulligar, where she worked her way up to housekeeper. Some time later, rose visited her sister in Birmingham. It was suggested that they went for a drink at the White Swan in Bradford Street, where her sister was friends with the gaffer. The pub was packed and short staffed, so it was suggested that Rose, being an excellent barmaid, should help out - She did and ended up staying as a live-in barmaid !

The area manager of Ansells saw Rose's potential and offered her a pub - the Nag's Head in Charles Henry Street, where the first five weeks takings amounted to the princely sum of £80. With hard work, this was soon up to £500 a week ! Rose moved on to run a number of pubs, sadly, most of which have disappeared. The Emily Arms, Gooch Street, where she remembers the Piano Bar, the Acorn, Winson Green, the Gladiator, Druids Heath and the Bournbrook, Selly Oak. She also ran the Shakespeare, Winson Green, The Holmshead, Wolverhampton and the Harriers, Perry Barr, before ending up doing relief at the Outrigger next to Moor Street Station. This later became the Ship Ashore, before being demolished in the nineties.

By 1980, Rose had three Children and decided she needed to settle down and consequently took over the Village Maid in Lozells, where she stayed for 5 Years. She then went onto the relief circuit again, until being offered the Bull, Price Street in 1993. The pub had no customers and was very run down, but the accommodation was good for a family. Rose worked hard to get the Bull off the ground and in 1997, major alterations were carried out. Around this time, a group of regulars asked if there was a bedroom available for a colleague and as Rose's son was away, she offered his room. This became a regular request, so she decided to go into B+B and the rest is history.

The Bull is well-known for good food and has featured in the Good Beer Guide for many years, for the 3 regular Ales and 1 changing guest beer. The pub is adorned with the most impressive collection of china, a hobby Rose inherited from her mother, which apparently is a bit of an Irish thing !

When she can get away from the Bull, Rose enjoys dancing and holidays, well deserved for a fine lady who runs a fine pub.

Nigel Barker 2007

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Last modified: 03/11/07