The Londesborough
Pub/bar in/near Stoke Newington
| The Londesborough Pub/bar in/near Stoke Newington |
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This pub existed immediately prior to the 2020 global pandemic and may still do so.
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| CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LOCALITY |
  Jeff Owen Added: 20 Mar 2021 15:44 GMT | Memories of "The Londesborough" I lived in Sandbrook Road from 1956 until 1964 and then in Harcombe Road until 1994. “The Londesborough” was my local in my formative drinking years. It was a pub typical of its time. Clean and tidy and well run by a proper guv’nor who stood no nonsense. It had a single island bartop serving three separate bars. The Public Bar had its door on the corner of Londesborough Road and had a dart board. The other two shared a single entrance on the right as you look at the pub. The Saloon bar formed the majority of the pub and was the most plush. It extended to the back of the premises with the back portion – at a slightly lower level – housing a full size snooker table. The small Private bar was between the other two. I recall that prices were a penny or two more in the Saloon bar. The first landlord I remember was Bob Baker. He and his wife Else ran the pub until about 1969-ish. Bob was a retired coalminer from Leicester. He had two daughters - Penny and Jane – who would very occasionally work behind the bar. Bob had a full time live-in barman/cellarman by the name of Gwyn Evans, who could be a bit temperamental at times! My Dad also worked there from time to time and I recall being invited upstairs to watch the 1961 FA Cup Final between Spurs and Leicester City. Following Bob’s retirement Lou Levine and his wife Pearl took the helm. Lou was a fine guv’nor and the pub flourished under his tenancy. When I left the area I believe Lou still had the tenancy but had put a manager, whose name I cannot recall, in overall charge. Saturday evening and Sunday lunchtimes the pub was packed. But it also had a good patronage during the week. Among the occasional visitors was Eric Bristow, the late world champion darts player. Eric would challenge the locals to a game and would even things up a bit by throwing his darts from the kneeling position! Footballer and former England manager Terry Venables could also be found there from time to time as one of his pals was the son of Lou’s business partner. The pub has certainly gone upmarket (as has that small area) but I will take issue with one claim made on its website: “In the 1960’s, the Londesborough was one of the pubs that the notorious Kray Twins took a drink in.” My Dad knew just about everybody who “took a drink” in the Londesborough in the 1960s and Bob Baker knew absolutely everybody. We often spoke about the Kray twins (their “manor” was the other side of Stoke Newington High Street). No mention of them visiting the pub was ever made by them or any other of the locals. One other slight correction: the map on this website is slightly incorrect. The pub is on the corner of Londesborough Road and Barbauld Road, and not as indicated. The pub had one big drawback. It was a "Watneys" Pub. But you can’t have everything! Source: The Londesborough Reply |
 David Gibbs Added: 3 May 2021 16:48 GMT | 73 Bus Crash in Albion Rd 1961 From a Newspaper cutting of which I have a copy with photo. On Tuesday August 15th 1961 a 73 bus destined for Mortlake at 8.10am. The bus had just turned into Albion Road when the driver passed out, apparently due to a heart attack, and crashed into a wall on the western side of Albion Road outside No 207. The bus driver, George Jefferies aged 56 of Observatory Road, East Sheen, died after being trapped in his cab when he collided with a parked car. Passengers on the bus were thrown from their seats as it swerved. Several fainted, and ambulances were called. The bus crashed into a front garden and became jammed against a wall. The car driver, who had just parked, suffered shock. Reply |
  Jeff Owen Added: 19 Mar 2021 13:49 GMT | Swift House, N16 Swift House was completed in 1956. I moved into No 12 when it was brand new. The bock consisted of 12 residences. The six on the ground floor were three bedroomed maisonettes with gardens. The six on the top floor were a mixture of two bedroomed flats (2), one bedroomed flats (2) and what were then called "one unit" flats (2) which were in fact bedsits. There was a similar block opposite named Dryden House (all the flats on the Hawksley Court Estate were named after famous writers). It was a lovely flat which my Mum & Dad cherished, having moved from two rooms which they’d had since they were married. Reply |
 Jeff Owen Added: 19 Mar 2021 15:28 GMT | Galsworthy Terrace, N16 Galsworthy Terrace was opposite Swift House, where I lived from 1956 to 1964. My pal Roger Beamish lived at No 1, just adjacent to the slope which joins Sandbrook Road to Woodlea Road. When I first lived there the plot that now accommodates Stowe House was a rock garden containing a wide flight of steps and a sloped pathway. Other occupants of Galsworthy Terrace were the Lake family, good friends with my Mum, and the Walker family. Mr Walker ran the Hawksley Court Tenants’ Club for many years and he would organise an annual "beano" usually to Margate. Reply |
| LATEST LONDON-WIDE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PROJECT |
Jude Allen Added: 29 Jul 2021 07:53 GMT | Bra top I jave a jewelled item of clothong worn by a revie girl. It is red with diamante straps. Inside it jas a label Bermans Revue 16 Orange Street but I cannot find any info online about the revue only that 16 Orange Street used to be a theatre. Does any one know about the revue. I would be intesrested to imagine the wearer of the article and her London life. Reply |
 Kathleen Added: 28 Jul 2021 09:12 GMT | Dunloe Avenue, N17 I was born in 1951,my grandparents lived at 5 Dunloe Avenue.I had photos of the coronation decorations in the area for 1953.The houses were rented out by Rowleys,their ’workers yard’ was at the top of Dunloe Avenue.The house was fairly big 3 bedroom with bath and toilet upstairs,and kitchenette downstairs -a fairly big garden.My Grandmother died 1980 and the house was taken back to be rented again Reply |
 Kathleen Added: 28 Jul 2021 08:59 GMT | Spigurnell Road, N17 I was born and lived in Spigurnell Road no 32 from 1951.My father George lived in Spigurnell Road from 1930’s.When he died in’76 we moved to number 3 until I got married in 1982 and moved to Edmonton.Spigurnell Road was a great place to live.Number 32 was 2 up 2 down toilet out the back council house in those days Reply |
Lewis Added: 27 Jul 2021 20:48 GMT | Ploy Allotment Reply |
Added: 27 Jul 2021 14:31 GMT | correction Chaucer did not write Pilgrims Progress. His stories were called the Canterbury Tales Reply |
old lady Added: 19 Jul 2021 11:58 GMT | mis information Cheltenham road was originally Hall road not Hill rd original street name printed on house still standing Reply |
Patricia Bridges Added: 19 Jul 2021 10:57 GMT | Lancefield Coachworks My grandfather Tom Murray worked here Reply |
 Former Philbeach Gardens Resident Added: 14 Jul 2021 00:44 GMT | Philbeach Gardens Resident (Al Stewart) Al Stewart, who had huts in the 70s with the sings ’Year of the Cat’ and ’On The Borders’, lived in Philbeach Gdns for a while and referenced Earl’s Court in a couple of his songs. I lived in Philbeach Gardens from a child until my late teens. For a few years, on one evening in the midst of Summer, you could hear Al Stewart songs ringing out across Philbeach Gardens, particularly from his album ’Time Passages". I don’t think Al was living there at the time but perhaps he came back to see some pals. Or perhaps the broadcasters were just his fans,like me. Either way, it was a wonderful treat to hear! Reply |
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Stoke Newington is an area of north London.| LOCAL PHOTOS |
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