After I'd taken some photographs the other week near Christie Hospital, I walked towards Withington looking for further photo opportunites and came across The Orion.
From its sign it would appear to have been named after a ship.
If the uboat.net site is to be believed, "HMS Orion" was a light cruiser of the Leander class, launched in 1932 and scrapped in 1949.
According to another website it was part of the British West Indies squadron based in Kingston, Jamaica.
In trying to find out what the connection might be with this South Manchester pub, all I managed to come across was a posting on the Curious Fox website where someone asks
Any information or pictures sought on the ORION INN on Burton Road, Withington, a public house that is still standing today. The inn is still standing today, and my 2x Gt grandfather John Norbury was landlord there in the 1870s/1880s along with his father George Norbury. John was apparently also the parish clerk, and served in the navy on the HMS Orion, which is presumably how the inn first got its name. Would be interested in contact with anyone with a connection to the pub past and present, and especially of any old photos of the Orion Inn around the turn of the century (1900) or earlier. Would also like to talk to anyone who has a Norbury connection in Withington during this period as John and his wife Martha had a number of children.which rather begs the question - was the pub still called the Orion in the 1870s?
Edit: Since first posting this I've been sent this link to the full history of HMS Orion on the Naval History website.
For more O posts visit ABC Wednesday.
Good question! I'm always delighted by how many old Pubs there are! This looks like a good one.
ReplyDeleteSylvia
The ship was probably named after the pub. ???
ReplyDeleteI have no answers but it does look like a delightful place for a brew!
ReplyDeleteI love unusual pub names, and a Holts pub at that, even better.
ReplyDeleteRN ship names tend to be historic so once a ship goes out of service the name can be used again. The second vessel in the 1800s to be called HMS Orion, which it could have been, was a 80 gun ship so obviously not the one on the pub sign but guess that is a bit of artistic licence.
Great to have the history of these old pubs and the naming of them. Looks like a nice place to stop in!
ReplyDeleteI miss our traditional English pubs! So wouldn't mind dropping in for a pie and a pint!!
ReplyDeleteThe floridian translant visitng again!!
Would love to visit The Orion!!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds and looks like a very special place.
O is for...
Pubs have interesting histories and often great beer with meals.
ReplyDeleteYou se why I love the ABC? I wouldn't know about it any other way! Love the look of it!
ReplyDeleteKisses from Nydia.
Interesting story! My ancestors were publicans - well, some of them anyway. It's fun to find the pubs and see what has become of them!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a very nice pub with history, lol !
ReplyDeleteShip sign is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteOne learns quite a bit of history just following your blog.
ReplyDelete