Opening Hours: Mon-Sat : 11am-11pm Sun : 11am-22pm
So why is a small pub / restaurant near Balsall Common called The Tipperary Inn? Harry Williams was born in Erdington in the district of Aston, Birmingham on September 23rd 1873 and was baptised Henry James Williams. He was the first born of Mary Ann and Henry Sketchley Williams.
His father was a publican and the family moved from one pub to another during his childhood. Whilst at a pub in Aston, Harry fell down the steps to the cellar, breaking both legs. For the rest of his life he was severely disabled.
From an early age he showed a great talent for writing. This developed into song-writing. During his adolescence he spent most of his time studying music and poetry, eventually becoming an accomplished pianist and mandolin player.
Around 1900 Harry and his parents moved to The Plough Inn, Meer End near Balsall Common in Warwickshire from The Malt Shovel in Oldbury. His brother, Benjamin, had meanwhile become the licensee of The Malt Shovel, where Harry returned periodically to entertain the customers playing his original compositions for piano and mandolin. During one of these visits to The Malt Shovel, Harry first me Jack Judge with whom he was to begin collaborating on a series of songs. It was a partnership which was to result in the most famous marching song of the First World War – ‘It’s a Long Way to Tipperary’. With his substantial royalties Harry bought The Plough for his parents and they changed its name to The Tipperary Inn.
A shy, sensitive introvert he was confined to a wheelchair after a childhood accident in which he fell down the cellar steps at his father’s pub, breaking both of his legs. Harry lived in The Tipperary Inn – when it was still The Plough. His father Henry Sketchley moved from Oldbury to become the licensee of the pub in 1900.
Harry met Jack in Oldbury, who at the time was running a fish stall in the town. Their song-writing partnership lasted 15 years and the pair produced 32 songs.
“Harry was a very sensitive, sickly man. He was in a wheelchair and prone to all kinds of illnesses. But he was a great poet, an accomplished pianist and composer. He played lots of different instruments,” says Meg.
“I have the proof it was written at The Plough in 1909 from my mother, who lived at the pub, including the original manuscript.”
At first the song was called It’s a Long Way to Connemara. “It was originally written as a sentimental ballad about a lovesick boy in London,” says Meg.
But the song’s title was changed after Jack won a five shillings bet at the Grand Theatre in Stalybridge, near Manchester. A fellow artist bet Jack he couldn’t write and perform a new song in 24 hours.
“A bit of a gambler” Jack pulled out their unpublished work and switched Connemara with Tipperary.
The song was published in 1912 by London publisher Bert Feldman.
“I don’t know if he knew of the approaching war but Bert made two important suggestions. Firstly to change the song from a ballad to a marching song; and secondly the repetition of the word ‘long’. In the original printed manuscript the correct title is It’s a long, long way to Tipperary,” Meg explains.
“The song sold three million copies in the UK and six million worldwide after 1912.
“Both men earned £164,000 between them in 1915 from royalties – a fortune at the time.”
Meg Pybus, grand-neice of It’s a Long Way to Tipperary’s Warwickshire composer Harry Williams.
Meg Pybus had only ever driven passed The Tipperary Inn in Honiley, near Balsall Common.
The pub was the home of her great-uncle who co-wrote one of the most famous marching songs of the First World War.
As part of a BBC project to commemorate the centenary of the war, the 76-year-old food writer from Shropshire has ventured into the pub for the first time.
“For me it was a very moving experience,” she explains. “I had not seen the pub for a long, long time and it brought back so many wonderful stories my mother and her sisters told.
“The pub really is a shrine to my grand-uncle Harry Williams. He bought the pub for his parents with the royalties. They have pictures of him there. It was quite enchanting.”
BBC Coventry and Warwickshire Radio will be broadcasting a 30-minute special recorded at The Tipperary Inn on February 25 during the Annie Othen show.
Leamington singer-songwriter Wes Finch performed a contemporary version of the song in its original style, as a ballad for the station; and The Warwickshire Band also performed the song.
Harry composed It’s A Long Way to Tipperary with music hall entertainer Jack Judge, but was overshadowed by his more extrovert co-writer, who performed the song across the country.
