Brazell’s Bar – Opening Doors in Brick Walls

Samuel Royalty “Roy” LILLIE, son of Isaac Spencer “Ike” LILLIE and Florence ROYALTY, played in important roll in this collection of old photographs. It was very likely his mother Florence who saved most of the older photographs while Roy added to the collection with his own portraits. His son Lynn Vance LILLIE was the last owner of the collection before it was saved from the trash.

Last week we saw Roy posing with a bottle of liquor at Brazell’s Bar in Detroit, Michigan, in 1939. It is not known how long he was a part-time bartender and saloon owner. At the time of the 1940 census he working for a steel mill. In 1942 on his WW II card his employer was the Great Lakes Steel Co. in Ecorse, Michigan. He remained in their employ until his retirement on June 1st, 1960.

PRESENTED TO
Great Lakes Steel Corp.
June 1st 1960 RETIRED
Samuel Royalty Lillie

Samuel Royalty LILLIE is on the left with an unidentified man. I don’t believe he is Wilfred Donald MacDonnell (1911-1999), President of Great Lakes Steel Corp. from 1957-1962. Photos found of Mr. MacDonnell show he wore glasses.

I was not able to find any information about the presentation of this plaque and why it has what looks like Texas longhorns.

Other photographs of Samuel Royalty LILLIE:
#53 Samuel Royalty “Roy” LILLIE 1895-1979 (young Roy)
#54 Samuel Royalty “Roy” LILLIE 1895-1979 (in uniform)
#55 Samuel Royalty “Roy” LILLIE 1895-1979 (portrait with hat)
#56 Samuel Royalty “Roy” LILLIE 1895-1979 (in uniform with rifle)
#57 Samuel Royalty “Roy” LILLIE 1895-1979 (barber staff)
#58 Samuel Royalty “Roy” LILLIE 1895-1979 (Liberty trucks)
#59 Samuel Royalty “Roy” LILLIE 1895-1979 (in New Orleans)
#61 Bartender and Owner of Brazell’s Bar in Detroit (1939)
#62 Samuel Roy LILLIE and his Retirement Plaque (1960)
#63 Taking a Walk in Detroit (1930s)
#64 Brother and Sister in 1950

More about this collection, how it came to be in my possession,
and links to previous posts in the series can be found here.

Please contact me!
Are you related to a person mentioned in this post? Send an email to
openingdoorsinbrickwalls @ pt.lu or message me on my Facebook page
Opening Doors in Brick Walls.

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In this photograph we see Roy posing with a bottle of liquor at Brazell’s Bar in Detroit, Michigan in 1939.

Roy and his business partner Russell (King) HEATH bought the “saloon” around 1939 for $1,000, “liquor license & all.” King, as he was known to Roy, was a switch-man for the steam railroad in 1930, as was Roy. In 1942 at the time of the World War II registration draft Heath was working for Golda Kline as a bartender. He died in 1944.

Buying Brazell’s Bar did not make bar-tending a full time job for Roy. He had changed from working as a switch-man with the railroad in 1930 to working for the steel mill as a by 1940. In 1942 on his WW II card his employer was the Great Lakes Steel Co. in Ecorse, Michigan. He would remain with this employer until retirement as we will see next week.

S.R. Lillie & Russell (King) Heath
Detroit Mich. Brazell’s Bar
Taken 1939 Bot (sic) Saloon for $1,000.00
Liquor Lic & all.

More about this collection, how it came to be in my possession,
and links to previous posts in the series can be found here.

Please contact me!
Are you related to a person mentioned in this post? Send an email to
openingdoorsinbrickwalls @ pt.lu or message me on my Facebook page
Opening Doors in Brick Walls.

Save