Eagle & Ball by BCUSU - A Birmingham Gem!

The Eagle & Ball by BCUSU is located at the corner of Penn Street and Gopsal Street in Eastside. Now part of Birmingham City University Eastside Campus. Was Moby Dicks


Where is the Eagle & Ball?

The Eagle & Ball is at 12 Penn Street, Eastside, Birmingham, B4 7RJ. Part of Birmingham City University Students Union.

 

In brief

An Ansell's pub built in the 1840s. By the 1960s it was renamed to the Moby Dicks. Now a Grade II listed building, lovingly restored and incorporated into Birmingham City University. It was renamed back to The Eagle & Ball.

Eagle & BallEagle & Ball from Gopsal Street in Eastside (March 2018). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Eagle & Ball - history

The Eagle & Ball was built in the 1840’s and opened to the public as a backstreet public house, sometime in the 1850’s.

Originally one of the first Ansells pubs in Birmingham, The Eagle & Ball promised the local residents of Birmingham, good ale, good times and an array of musical entertainment.

Although not much is known about the history of this amazing piece of Birmingham’s heritage, its close proximity to the canal network, factories and being central to the slum housing of the time, may have meant that the pub has experienced a very colourful past.

The now infamous Peaky Blinders were notorious in much of the surrounding areas, so may have kept a very close eye on the goings-on in The Eagle & Ball.

Records regarding early landlords of the pub is sadly lacking, so little is known of who resided above the Eagle & Ball.

However, todays staff have experienced what they believe is ‘ghostly’ behaviour, with extreme temperature changes, doors closing on their own and an uneasiness if you stay in the cellar too long.

This has led the current management to believe that many a landlord may not have wanted to leave this great pub, and to look over it for all of eternity. Of course, these ‘ghostly happenings’ could all be down to the craft ales and fabulous wine selection that the pub now serves.

The Eagle & Ball underwent a name change in the 1960’s and was called Moby Dicks until very recently.

When Moby Dicks closed, it was a Banks's Free House.

It was also the home of the Birmingham Yacht Club, which celebrated its centenary in 1989.

Moby DicksMoby Dicks boarded up from Gopsal Street (January 2010). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

The former Moby Dicks was restored during the building of The Curzon Building for Birmingham City University, from 2013 to 2015.

Eagle & BallEagle & Ball during restoration while the BCU Curzon Building was under construction (December 2014) Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Now a Grade II listed building, the has been lovingly restored and incorporated into the new Birmingham City University building, and renamed The Eagle & Ball once more, in a nod to a true piece of Birmingham’s past.

Eagle & BallEagle & Ball from Gopsal Street in Eastside (March 2018). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Contact Details

Eagle & Ball

The Curzon Building

Eastside

Birmingham

B4 7BD

0121 331 6835

info@eagleandball.co.uk

Project dates

01 Jun 2022 - On-going

Passions

History & heritage, Food & drink, Education
Classic Architecture

Contact

Your Place Your Space

Jonathan Bostock

0121 410 5520
jonathan.bostock@ yourplaceyourspace.com