Mysterious Visitor to the Pyle Cock

The Pyle Cock in Wednesfield had a visit just before Christmas from a notorious artist who leaves his mark in the pubs he visits across the Black Country by leaving line drawings of the opera singer Mario Lanza on beer mats.

The mystery figure has remained anonymous since 1959 when this first started happening, it seems the beer mat drawings are a mark of approval from the artist who always initials his work “AJW”.

Mario Lanza was an Italian American tenor who rose to success in the 1940’s and 1950’s and had his career cut short when he died aged 38. It seems the mystery artist draws a simple cartoon line drawing of the opera singer on the beer mat along with an accompanying fact or quote. The beer mats left at the Pyle Cock had a “Merry Christmas” message on them.

Peter Short who runs the Pyle Cock discovered the seven beer mats in the toilet and wasn’t aware at the time of the significance of them until someone from Wolverhampton CAMRA came into his pub and told him what the cards were.

The Pyle Cock is a traditional pub full of character that has an established local reputation as a great cask ale house and is popular with locals and real ale enthusiasts who travel here to enjoy first class beer.

We are currently recruiting for a new operator to take on the Pyle Cock, so if you are passionate about cask ales and have the experience and skills to run a pub that has “AJW’s” mark of approval click here to find out more.

Created: 16th January 2012