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The Queens Head was situated on Birtley Lane.

The Queens at one time was the most popular pub in Birtley, but closed in about 2008. It is a brick built building set back from the road, and situated on the triangular village green overlooking the white marble statue of Edward Moseley Perkins,- a local industrialist. It was a ‘Newcastle Breweries’ house, with its blue neon star prominently shining at the front. At the North end adjoining the main building were a few brick built stables. In the 60’s and 70’s, the landlord could be seen each morning sweeping the paved area at the front, a duty he kept up for many years without fail. Within 50 yards of the Queens at the North side of the green, is the RAOB club. In the 1980’s, the club arranged a ‘mystery’ trip, and 40 club members boarded a bus outside the club. The luggage bay was duly loaded with crates of beer. The bus travelled halfway round the small green and stopped. Some crates were unloaded and the trippers on the bus all had a drink. The bus then continued round the green to the Queens and everyone alighted, for their evenings drinking. At closing time everyone happily reboarded the bus, had a stop at the other side of the green to empty the remaining bottles from the back of the bus, and finally reached home at the club after their ‘mystery’ trip around “Charlie” Perkins. The whole double journey was about 200 yards. Sadly the Queens, Birtley, is another lost pub. It is now in 2017, a nursery.

Alan Norwood (January 2018)

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