"ook?!": Pub names

Tuesday, 27 December 2011

Pub names

For Dru- The Monkey in Crosskeys was, I think, the Drum and Monkey in full.
Now recently closed, like so many other pubs.

I will try and find out why the King of Prussia is so called.

A couple of miles further on is what is now called The Hardwick....and in that, has lost touch with its history. It was The Horse and Jockey, being on the site of the grandstand of a racecourse.
There must be so many pubs having their names changed without reference to why the old name existed. Another example is the Owen Glendower in Cardiff, by St John's Church near Cardiff Castle. Originally called the Tennis Courts, because it was built on the site of Real Tennis ( that came before Lawn Tennis) courts.

There is so much history taken for granted.

side note...this is post 701....and I thought I wouldn't have much to write when I started the first one!!

12 comments:

Blue Shed Thinking said...: I used to live in Archway, north London, very near to Highgate Hill. My nearest pub was a real old man's pub - wooden floors, open fire. Didn't even have a TV. In fact, even in the mid 1990's, the newest piece of decor was a photo of Arsenal's double winning team of 1971! Towards the back of the bar, they even had a mummified cat in a case.

The pub was officially called The Whittington & Cat, though being next door to a hospital, it was referred to by another name - the Dick & Pussy!; 27 December 2011 at 09:12
smartcat said...: Keep on posting! Plllleeeezzzzw?; 27 December 2011 at 11:02
julia said...: perhaps we should also be supping in pubs instead of sat home, in addition to buying our reading material from bookstores instead of Amazon?

I am so sick of large, faceless corporations, one of my resolutions this year will be to be a thoughtful consumer and a supporter of small enterprises.

Now, how about some red, pottery candle holders for my house in France? Would that be possible please? Perhaps with a wee mouse on them????; 27 December 2011 at 11:03
Zhoen said...: Mazel Tov! 701 is pretty good.; 27 December 2011 at 13:25
yeractual said...: There was a Drum & Monkey in Clydach, the old Heads of Valley Rd between Abergavenny & Brynmawr. Never a very inspiring place, I'm afraid!; 27 December 2011 at 13:58
Sandy Miller said...: post 701......... keep going. I love reading your blog!!

Where I grew up we had pub called the Jigsaw Saloon. The walls were covered with jigsaw puzzles patrons had completed over the years.

Wish we had a good pub around these parts!; 27 December 2011 at 15:52
Dru Marland said...: That was a niggle.... I was *sure* it was called something else, and a friend in Cwmcarn reminds me that it was the Tredegar Arms, but known to eryone as the Monkey.

http://www.crosskeys.me.uk/photos/gladwyn1/view16.htm

...I like the hidden history aspect of the name, rather spoiled when they renamed the pub to make it official. There's another pub just up the way called the Philanthropic, which I once called into on a hot day and found very friendly. Wonder if the name had rubbed off on them?

Oh, and one in Porstmouth called the Gravediggers, right next to Eastney cemetery. They renamed it the Diggers, with a picture of children and sandcastles. But it was still next to the cemetery....; 27 December 2011 at 18:12
Kerry O'Gorman said...: There's a project for you, record the history of such places. I was always interested in the paintings on the signs for those who couldn't read.; 28 December 2011 at 01:00
red dirt girl said...: (o)
xxx; 28 December 2011 at 07:37
Unknown said...: Creating posts is a funny thing. It made me smile to see what you said about thinking you wouldn't have much to talk about. We are like the eternal rice bowl.

I look forward to seeing more of your posts in the new year.; 28 December 2011 at 13:50
soubriquet said...: I too regret the passing of pubs, and their places in history.
So many of the boarded up, torn down, or converted to other things, with no hint left that in earlier times they were a haven for travellers, that drovers overnighted, that packhorse trains unloaded and traded goods from distant parts, that pilgrims assembled there, coaches halted for a few days to await the abatement of heavy rains, and repairs to the roads ahead. So easily it's all lost.

Post 701?
Keep going... is there to be a grand celebration at 1000?; 28 December 2011 at 14:05
gz said...: Mouse-what size candles?

Dru, pub signs change too, even though they keep the name. The Philanthropic now has a sign showing a "nob" handing a gift to someone...but the Philanthropic Societies came into being whgen unions were not allowed- so it was the Common Man giving to his fellow man. The name by word of mouth has changed...Philanthropic....Phil and Traffic...now just "The Traff"; 29 December 2011 at 09:17