Tributes paid as Lye-born ex pub landlord David Hall dies

David Hall played for Kinver Football Club as well as being a keen cricketer in his youth and from the mid 1970s he became a pub landlord – managing an array of local watering holes and social clubs in the Stourbridge, Brierley Hill and Cradley areas.

Born in Lye in 1935, he played in the former Kidderminster League football team Kinver FC for many years after meeting his wife Margaret (nee Handley) who was from Kinver.

David Hall during his footballing days (Image: Max Hall)

He also played cricket for Kinver and for Stourbridge Taverners and was a lifelong supporter of West Bromwich Albion football club and Worcestershire County Cricket Club.

In 1976, David and Margaret entered the pub trade - taking stewardship of the Shovel Inn, in Pedmore Road, Lye, until 1978 when they moved to roadhouse pub The Oakfield Tavern, on Oak Park Road, Audnam, which has now been redeveloped for housing.

The couple moved to the Pensnett & Bromley Labour Club, on Bradley Street, Pensnett (which is now Summerhill Bathrooms) in 1982 and two years later they moved to the Beech Tree Miners’ Welfare Club (now known as the Beech Tree Social and Welfare Club), on Wassell Road, Wollescote.

After his divorce from Margaret, David took over the Cradley Liberal Club (now the Cradley Sports & Social Club) on Colley Lane, in Colley Gate before moving up the road to the Wilson Hall Labour Club. After stints running the Blue Ball pub (now an Indian restaurant of the same name) on Old High Street, Quarry Bank (in the mid 90s), and a brief spell living near Appledore, in Devon, David returned to the Wilson Hall until his retirement, when he moved into rented accommodation near Colley Gate.

David Hall (Image: Max Hall)

Sadly, he suffered a stroke in Cradley High Street in 2016 which led to vascular dementia. After living in sheltered accommodation for a time, he was cared for first at the Camelot Rest Home, in Dudley, and latterly at the Ashley Court Care Home in Penn, Wolverhampton, and he died on March 12 at New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton, from sepsis after a bout of pneumonia.

He is survived by two sons – Tim, a 56-year-old professor of criminology and geography at the University of Winchester, and 49-year-old journalist Max - a former News Group sports editor who now lives in Genoa, northern Italy.

He also leaves two grandchildren – Isabella, aged 21, and Jake who was born in October.

David’s youngest son Max said: “Apart from a laid-back – some would say horizontal – attitude to life and work, my dad’s greatest grift to me was making me a Lye Town supporter. With me choosing Wolves, as a kid, and him a Baggies fan, we were in opposite camps but we used to meet up at The Lye’s ground every Saturday after my parents divorced. The sports ground was yards away from where his parents lived, on the corner of Cemetery Road and Lewis Road. I cannot thank him enough for starting my lifelong association with The Lye.”

David’s brother-in-law and former Kinver FC teammate Tony ‘Tosh’ Handley added: “David was a damn good publican. He pulled a bloody good pint.”

David had a natural burial at Wrottesley Park Natural Burial Ground, near Perton, Wolverhampton, on Monday April 8; and a wake is to be held at Cradley Sports & Social Club on Friday May 3 from 2pm to 5pm. All are welcome.

Max said: “May 3 will be a day before the promotion play-off final from Lye Town's division. What a coincidence!”