Historic London Pubcast

Ep 21 A Pride of Red Lions - A Pub Crawl of Britain's Most Popular Pub Name Near Big Ben, Houses of Parliament & Downing Street

• Eric Blair • Season 1 • Episode 21

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Let's explore 3 historic pubs all with the same name -- The Red Lion
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Google map with pubs covered in previous episodes pinned, courtesy of Andy Meddick:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/4/edit?mid=12c-WKa3XiT1qTLydK8psZocUR7Y_Wes&usp=sharing

Or TinyURL: https://tinyurl.com/bduca5dv

The following resources are referenced or quoted frequently in these episodes:

  • Ted Bruning  -- Historic Pubs of London (ISBN 978-0658005022) and London By Pub (ISBN 978-0658005022)
  • Wikipedia
  • https://londonspubswherehistoryreallyhappened.wordpress.com/  by Ann Laffeaty  (Red Lion Crown Passage article)

Additionally, the  following resource(s) were used / quoted in this episode:

Intro music:
Vivaldi - Spring Allegro by John Harrison w/ the Wichita State University Chamber Orch

Photo:  Leonard Bentley



Website: https://historiclondonpubcast.com/

E-mail: hosteric@historiclondonpubcast.com

Welcome to this episode of The Historic London Pubcast. I'm Eric Blair, and I'd like to take you on a journey through the rich history of London's iconic pubs. My goal is to share with you my passion for the great old pubs of London. I want to give you some facts to help you appreciate the history of these hallowed establishments mixed in with some fun stories that make it all go down as smooth as a well poured pint. 

I've entitled today's episode, A Pride of Red Lions. Well, at least The Pride of Three Red Lions. All historic and all in London. In fact, by one estimate, there are 26 pubs in London that have some form of Red Lion in their name. Why is this name so popular? 

The website mentalfloss.com tells us, 

“The Red Lion is the most popular pub name in Britain, being taken by more than 500 pubs throughout the country. Two possible reasons are offered. The first goes back to 14th Century England and a man called John of Gaunt.” 

Side note frequent Listeners might recall that good old John ended up as the guest that wouldn't leave Ely Palace. See our Episode on The Old Mitre. 

“John was the third son of King Edward The Third, and a succession crisis led to infighting within the family. The country's support was split between John and his nephew, who would eventually become King Richard The Second. John had incorporated the Red Lion into his Coat of Arms after he married into the Castilian Royal Family, which featured a Red Lion on the Coat of Arms. Meanwhile, Richard's emblem was a White Hart. Pubs would show their support for John by displaying a Red Lion outside. Those who favored Richard opted for a White Hart. While Richard became the man on the throne, it seems that John would have the last laugh. His son would eventually capture the throne from Richard and crown himself Henry The Fourth. But there's a second reason why the Red Lion pubs are so popular. To my mind, this may be the more credible of the two possible reasons. Two centuries after John of Gaunt died, a Scottish King ascended the English Throne for the first time. Originally, James The Sixth of Scotland and then James The First of England, or just James The Sixth and First for short. He ordered many public buildings to show their support for him by displaying his Crest, which also happened to be a Red Lion.”

The three that we will visit today are one on Parliament Street in Westminster, two - Crown Passage in the Saint James area, and three - Duke of York Street in Mayfair. You can physically visit all three in a late morning to mid-afternoon mini pub crawl. I did it recently and it was lots of fun. 

Let's start in Westminster. A pub has been on this site since 1434, when a medieval tavern known as Hopping Hall existed there. The tavern passed through various hands and traded under many names in its early years, before it was bought by The Crown in 1531. That was so far back, the good old Henry The Eighth was still with his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, but it was said at the time that the marriage was a bit shaky. The Crown's hold on the tavern was more of a serious commitment than Henry's marriage vows.

It was centuries later that the pub fell back into private hands, at one point being known as The Roses. By 1733, though sources say it was known as The Red Lion. Ted Bruning, the Author of one of the best books on London pubs, tells us that, 

“The next historical point of interest came about in 1824, when the Red Lion was the scene of a seemingly trivial incident in the childhood of Charles Dickens, then 12, and fending for himself by working in a shoe black factory while his parents were in Debtors’ Prison.”

Evidently, though, it made a deep impression on him, for he resurrected it for use in one of his most famous novels. The relevant scene can be found in his book David Copperfield, Chapter 11, about 30 paragraphs in. In his Biography, The Life of Dickens, published only a few years after Charlie's death, Author John Forster relates Dickens telling him of the true-life event. It seems to be almost identical to what appeared in the novel. He mentions a saveloy and a loaf. Per Google, saveloy is a seasoned smoked sausage that's typically served in UK fish and chip shops. Okay, here's what Mr. Dickens told his Biographer,

“I was such a little fellow with my poor white hat, little jacket and corduroy trousers that frequently when I went into a bar of a strange public house for a glass of ale or Porter to wash down the saveloy and loaf I'd eaten in the street, they didn't like to give it to me. I remember one evening I had been somewhere for my father and was going back to the Borough over Westminster Bridge, that I went into a public house in Parliament Street (which is still there, though altered) at the corner of the Short Street (side note that would be Derby Gate leading into Cannon Row) and asked the landlord behind the bar, “What is your best, the very best ale.” A glass, for the occasion, was a festive one. For some reason I forget why. It may have been my birthday or someone else's. “Two pence,” he said. “Then,” says I, “Just draw me a glass of that, if you please, with a good head on it.” The Landlord looked at me in return over the bar from head to foot with a strange smile on his face, and instead of drawing the beer, looked around the screen and said something to his wife, who came out from behind it with her work in her hand and joined him in surveying me.” 

The first sentence of the next part, Dickens relates to his Biographer, Forester, that even after all this time that has passed, the image is still very clear in his mind before continuing on,  

“Here we stand, all three before me now in my study in Devonshire Terrace. The Landlord in his shirtsleeves against the bar window frame his wife, looking over the little half door, and I, in some confusion, looking up at them from outside the partition. They asked me a good many questions, as what my name was, how old I was, where I lived, how I was employed, etc. To all of which I invented appropriate answers. They served me with the ale, though I suspected it was not the strongest on the premises and the Landlord’s wife opening the little half door and bending, gave me a kiss that was half admiring and half compassionate, but all womanly and good, I’m sure.” 

The pub was substantially rebuilt in the 1890s, as would be expected from a pub architecture dating back to that time. It has a nice Victorian feel good attribute, but its location makes it special. The pub website says, 

“Being so close to Downing Street and The Houses of Parliament, The Red Lion also became a popular haunt for British Prime Ministers. Indeed, the pub served every British Prime Minister up until Edward Heath in the 1970s, welcoming the likes of Sir Winston Churchill and Clement Attlee for a drink. The Red Lion is probably the best pub in the city for lovers of political history. There's every chance you'll catch a glimpse of some of our government's elite in the bar, too.” 

It is one of the pubs that has a Division Bell. I didn't see it on my recent visit, so I don't know if I should say it had a Bell rather than has a Bell. The Division Bell was a feature of a number of pubs around Parliament that let the imbibing MPs know that an important vote was coming up. We mentioned this feature in the Episode covering The Albert, a pub that also has a Division Bell.

All right. So, we have political types drinking and talking. What could possibly go wrong? Wiki gives us one example,

“The pub’s association with UK politics became notorious in 1997 when Charlie Whelan, Press Adviser for then Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown, unofficially briefed Journalists at The Red lion that the UK would not be adopting the Euro. Whelan did so without the knowledge or authorization of Tony Blair, with some sources suggesting that the briefing was simply that Whelan was overheard by Journalists discussing the policy. Blair was reportedly outraged at the breach of protocol and rang Whelan, who was still in the pub, to complain only to be told, “Sorry, Tony, it's too late!”” 

One final piece of political intrigue. In 2016, The Guardian reported, 

“MPs consider nationalizing a Whitehall pub to avoid a drinking ban while they are relocated to the Department of Health's offices for the duration of refurbishment works at The Palace of Westminster. Richmond House, which hosts the department, is one of the three government buildings owned by Middle East financiers who have bought into an Islamic Bond issued by the Government. One of its stipulations is that no alcohol will be served on the premises. To get around the restrictions, some MPs proposed taking the Red Lion pub located between Parliament and Richmond House into public ownership and banning entry to the general public.”

However, according to The Times, the move was opposed by Fuller’s Inns, The Red Lion’s Owners, and a Parliamentary Subcommittee eventually ruled out the proposal. 

What's going on here? The paper further explained, 

“David Cameron, the former Prime Minister, unveiled the Islamic bond known as a Sukuk, in 2013 as part of a drive to raise cash from Islamic investors who cannot buy in to interest paying government bonds because of religious rules against usury. Instead, the 200-million-pound bond sees investors effectively taking ownership of three government buildings Richmond House, Wellington House and a third Whitehall property, and take rent from the UK government for their use. However, the small print of the deal means that the buildings must be run according to the principles of Sharia Law. Any attempt to serve alcohol in the buildings could lead to a conflict with investors.”

At the time of the printing, the paper was optimistic that a crisis could be averted. 

“Alternative drinking arrangements will still need to be made for MPs and peers, who at Westminster can choose from ten licensed bars and restaurants when they are moved out for the building renovation from 2020 onwards.”

Be sure to visit this nice pub when you are taking in the sights at Westminster, with it being a Fuller’s pub you can visit the website linked in the notes. Click on the Gallery section and get a 360-degree visual look around. I would bet doing so will make you eager to experience the non-virtual version. 

The second Red Lion today is the one at Crown Passage in the Saint James area. The street it is on, Crown Passage, is really just a walkway allowing only pedestrians.

The Blog Know Your London gives us a nice introduction, 

“The Red Lion in Crown Passage was rebuilt in 1861, and it probably goes back to the late 18th Century. The pub makes the rather dubious claim that it has the second oldest license in the West End. The alleyway in which it's situated runs north and south between King Street and Pall Mall. Narrow pedestrian alleys, which in Georgian and Victorian times were so common across central London, are today something of a rarity in the City of London. Once charming alleyways are now no more than just plain short cuts between towering office blocks. Only a few have any features to recommend them. Of the two pedestrian thoroughfares running north of Pall Mall, Crown Passage comes as a real surprise to the pedestrian. This is rather a small pub, but you get the feeling that is popular with local clientele.”

Most of my visits have been early after opening, and you typically feel your fellow patrons are regulars, popping in for a beer or a coffee before they get about their business. Its 1861 rebuild means that the architecture is solid Victorian, but the site in previous times was a pub with some interesting legends.

Note. I have not called these historical facts, so take them at face value.

The first claim about being the second oldest license in the West End. I hope that's true, but most sources offer that tidbit with a disclaimer. Blogger Ann Lafferty takes a similar stance with other legend points, 

“The pub has allegedly long been a favorite, with Royalty and its regal visitors are said to have included everyone from Henry The Eighth and Charles The Second, to Edward The eighth, and even The Queen Mother. Mind you, it's more or less the Monarch’s local being just across the road from Saint James Palace. But how many of these royals ever actually popped into The Red lion? It's not actually known. Surprise, surprise, though, it's said to have been the location for a lovers’ twist between Charles the Second and Nell Gwynne. The famous Orange Seller (side note that would be Nell) now lived just around the corner at 79 Pall Mall, and the legend has it that our Nell would sneak along Crown Passage and into The Red Lion cellars, where she would meet Charles in a tunnel beneath the pub. A lovely romantic story, but a) skeptics have had a poke around the cellars and have found no trace of a tunnel, and b) Charles and Nell were at it so blatantly everywhere else that why would they need to go sneaking around in cellars?”

Well written Ann. Her terrific Blog is linked in the notes.As she mentioned, Saint James Palace is near, just a two-minute walk away. Wiki tells us that,

“Saint James Palace is the most senior Royal Palace in London. The Palace gives its name to the Court of Saint James, which is the Monarch's Royal Court. Although no longer the principal residence of The Monarch, it is a ceremonial meeting place of The Succession Council, The Office of The Marshal of The Diplomatic Corps, and the London residence of several members of the Royal Family. Built by order of Henry The Eighth in the 1530s on the site of an isolated leper hospital, the Palace was second in importance to the Palace of Whitehall for the Tudor and Stuart Monarchs. Charles The Second was born there. His father Charles The First spent his final night at the palace before his execution in January of 1649. In the Hanoverian Monarchy era, it became a principal residence. George The First and George The Second both housed their respective mistresses there. George The Third found the palace unsuitable, and why not? He had no mistresses. George Three preferred his recent purchase - Buckingham Palace. So, Saint James just became a place for formal occasions. Queen Victoria married Prince Albert there, and her daughter, Princess Victoria married her husband, Prince Frederick of Prussia there.”

Lots of pub names from these folks - The Victoria, The Albert, but not The Princess of Prussia. That pub was named for Victoria's granddaughter. 

Okay, back to The Red Lion. So, in short, the pub in this build and in previous builds was a local for a lot of Royals.

Even though they came and went from residence at Saint James Palace. They were around enough to expect that they popped in from time to time. We just can't say exactly when other than Saint James Palace. There are a couple of other interesting historical points just steps away from the pub. Nearby, at three Saint James Street is the headquarters of Berry Brothers and Rudd, a wine shop founded in 1698.

They no longer sell retail at that location but do so close by. Their flagship retail outlet is now round the corner at 63 Pall Mall. The company started out selling coffee and then diversified into cocoa, tea, snuff, spices and other exotic goods, quickly becoming one of London's most fashionable grocers. Its West End location and the close proximity to Saint James Palace also contributed to its growing popularity.

They have been the official wine supplier to the British Royal Family since the reign of George the Third. In 1923, Berry Brothers & Rudd launched Cutty Sark Scotch Whiskey, now which they no longer own, but still market. Despite their long history, Berry Brothers & Rudd are not afraid to get with the times. They became the first wine merchant to open an online shop.

Today they also have an online trading platform called BBX that enables customers to sell and trade their own wines if they are stored in the company's bonded warehouses. Currently, BBX is the world's most extensive online fine wine trading platform. One final historic point of interest, although maybe to just us Yanks. While you were looking at the Berry Brothers & Rudd's historic building at Three Saint James, look to the left to an alleyway called Pickering Place.

There is a plaque attached to the building that reads. 

“In this building was the location for the Ministers from the Republic of Texas to the Court of St. James, 1842 to 1845.”

After obtaining its independence from Mexico, Texas was an Independent Republic from 1836 to 1845, but Leaders were concerned that Mexico would take back control. So, in a bid to protect itself from invasion from their neighbor to the south, the Texas Government sought to foster international ties and so opened The Texas Legations in London and Paris. When Texas sought to join the United States in 1845, the British supported keeping it independent, even offering to guarantee Texas's borders with both the United States and Mexico. Texas was a tactical ally for Britain, which wanted a counterweight to the United States. Nonetheless, an independent Texas probably didn't make sense for financial reasons. So, the Republic became a State in 1845, and the Legations were shut down.

You can bet that the Ministers from Texas enjoyed a beer, so they must have been patrons of The Red Lion as well. From Royals to Texans, I guess you can say this pub has seen it all. Our final Red Lion is over in Mayfair. Two Duke of York Street.Once again, let's turn to Ted Bruning in his book Historic Pubs of London to get a well-written introduction to this classic pub. Let me quote from that a bit, noting that he starts with a comparison to a pub that we covered in the Gin Palaces Number One Episode. Ted says,

“Like the Argyle Arms at Oxford Circus, this Red Lion is all about glass. A small pub clearly meant to satisfy the needs of servants and tradespeople associated with the surrounding mansions. The pub was built in the 1820s and given its present frontage, which is neat but frankly unremarkable, by an Architect named Rawlings in 1871. What lifts it out of ordinary is its amazing array of brilliant cut and acid etched mirrors, all flowers and writhing tendrils held in elegantly arched mahogany frames. The glass appears to date from about 1890, a great period of plate glass technology.”

Ted then poses a rhetorical question,

“Why should anyone go to such trouble and expense to deck out such a humble neighborhood bar? To this extravagant degree?”

He offers that there are two answers: speculation and prostitution. Now that response piques your interest, doesn’t it? First, speculation. Landlords were trying to sell up in the fierce competition that occurred in the second half of the 1800s for good boozer sites. A modern and lavish interior was a sure way of driving up the bidding. And in the case of The Red Lion, a newcomer to the London market, Ind Coope won the bid. That company eventually became part of what is now The Carlsberg Group. But this Red Lion is now a Fuller’s pub. Then Ted elaborates on the second answer, prostitution like this, 

“Casual prostitution was endemic among the scandalously underpaid women workers of the time, and the myriad small parlors and snugs of contemporary pubs were feared by Magistrates to be the scenes of many at tryst. Mirrors were the answers favored by the Magistrates to allow the Landlord overall supervision of a whole interior from a single vantage point. Indeed, in some licensing divisions, frosting of external windows was not permitted above five feet from the ground, so that passing Constables could peer in and ensure that public morals were not being outraged.”

Ah, those Victorians! Thanks, Ted, for the insight. This being another Fuller’s pub, by visiting the website's gallery section, link in the notes, you can get a 360-degree tour virtual look around. I think you'll agree this is a mini Gin Palace in architecture. CAMRA also loves this pub, 

“A gem. Absolutely not to be missed by fans of Victorian pubs and described by a former Editor of the Architectural Review as a perfect example of a small Victorian Gin Palace at its best.”

CAMRA also reminds us that the pub has a famous next-door neighbor, George F. Trumper, whom Wiki describes as,

“A British barber and perfumer who established in 1875 a Gentleman's barber shop. George was not only an excellent Barber, but also a Master Perfumer, and he soon gained a reputation as such among the Gentlemen of London's Elite. This is their second location. Their original shop still exists on Curzon Street.” 

Barber Trumper’s shop gets some good press. Evelyn Waugh refers to George Trumper in his novel Brideshead Revisited, when he writes about a request for a man from that establishment to be sent out to shave a couple of well-heeled characters after they were held in jail on charges of driving while intoxicated.

In the James Bond novel On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Ian Fleming mentions a fragrance by George F. Trumper when one visits Marseilles and finds a bottle of Eucris in his bathroom. In John le Carre's novel Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Spymaster George Smiley is intercepted by a disagreeable minor character who has just had his haircut at Trumper’s establishment on Curzon Street.

Wow. I would like this Pubcast to get honorable mentions like that, but you know I’ll settle for a thumbs up, likes, subscribe, all that stuff. As you, dear Listeners, see fit. And that pretty much wraps up this episode. I hope you enjoyed my release of The Lions. Drop me a line, not a lion at the email in the notes if you'd like hosteric@historiclondonpubcast.com.

Until next time then, Cheers!