Guest Book

Whilst I was at Admiralty, I shared a big flat in Balham with Tony Newrick and Roger Edwards and Spud Murphy for a while, and we used to frequent a local pub in the evenings. Forget what it was called, but Roger, who had a fantastic singing voice, used to entertain the clientele with Rolling Stones and The Animals songs - like 'It's All Over Now' and 'House Of The Rising Sun' He was really good!

I visited it a few years back and did go down stairs and it wasnt that pleasant, needed a few drinks to forget the surrounds, the staff were not pleasant. after over 45 years in the trade I insisted that all customers were greeted with respect, not " what u want mate " followed by "like init " even after I had thrown them out I still called them Sir.

Johnny I think you have found the name of the bar for me, I think it was indeed called the Silver Cross. Down the stairs and very dark, I am sure that was the Silver Cross.

I remember a few Pubs there was the Ship and Shovel I think there was a kiosk that did great rolls. there was also the Pub with numerous Cap Ribbons above the Bar, I think it was the Silver Cross. There was another where one walked down a wide stairway it was quite plush but cannot think of its name. Memory not as sharp as it use to be.

Just have a look at page 37. It is exactly 4 years ago that the guestbook got up and running again. Guess who is on there with contributions? Brooker and Ashton! Plus sa change et plus la meme chose

As I remember it there was also a bar right on the corner of the Strand and Northumberland Avenue. You had to go downstairs to it but I can't remember the name of it. Bit of a "shady" gaff, a good few cauliflower ears and sharp suits.
The least busy pub and one of the most comfortable was the Sherlock Holmes on Northumberland Avenue, always good for a quiet but excellent pint!

I think the Salisbury was a bit like what you describe in the 60,s
a lot of clocking went on in those very large mirrors.
Ray I remember that young Lady from the Chandos took her on one of the Office Run Ashore. There was a small Pub a little further up across from the Salisbury use to serve a potent winter brew. had some really good times around the area. considering I spent 53% of my total service time at Admiralty not many pubs escaped my presence.

Whilst like everybody who ever served at the Admiralty I also frequented the Chandos, but my favourite pub in the sixties was the Salisbury, halfway up St Martins Lane.
Being in the heart of theatre land there were always a few well known faces in there and the beer was fantastic.
When I worked a Crown paints I took a bunch of my colleagues there one night in the late eighties having gone on about it being a fantastic place.
I got some really funny looks from my colleagues after the very very short visit because in the twenty or so years that had passed since my time in London, the clientele had changed very dramatically in that time.
Suffice to say that there was a distinct cloud of strong perfume emanating from the very large crowd of exclusively male customers.
My reputation was never the same after that night out!

We've come full circle again - back to President, the Chandos and big Bierta, who you loved, or we wouldn't have spent so many hours in there, with you chatting her up.

Getting closer Ray Stranger on the shore came out in late 1962,I had left Seahawk in 1961. I remember in the Shower room at Seahawk a cloud of Foo Foo, I did indulge in the Aromas of Bougie when on the Hermes in Oct 1962 before returning to President in Aug 1963 in the Asweps Office, you were there then Ray.