The Kings Arms was situated at 167 Bow Road. Did you use the pub? What happened there? Who socialised there?
If you have any memories of the pub Where’s My Boozer Gone? is keen to hear from you. What we do know is that the pub was established in 1850, though the building looks older and may date from an earlier age. It was a Taylor Walker Brewery pub which, in later years at least, was associated with the local Irish population.
Hi All
Worked in this pub back in the early 1990’s when is was owned by Shane and his partner Deirdre. I was a student nurse as St Andrews Hospital and worked when they needed me. A very Irish pub back then and Shane always maintained that his taking over and success of the pub in the early days was largely due to The Electric House flats back the which were squated at the time by mainly an Irish and Spanish population, myself being one until I began my nurse training and moved into the halls. The main barman back then was Victor from Dublin the life and soul of the pub who met a tragic end there. Paul was drafted in after Victor died and reading the posts seems to have eventually ran it. Have so so many greàt memories, great crack and and sadness also..
Teddy and Flossy were my Great Aunt and Uncle. Teddy’s brother, my Grandad Harry used to play the drums in there in the early to mid 70’s. As a kid I was always here playing out front with a bag if crisps and a glass bottle of coke. I think on Saturdays they used to have a stripper in there and I was not allowed to go inside. I have fond memories of the place, all my Dad’s cousins, (Flossy and Teddy’s kids) and my Great Nanny Goode who was wheelchair bound. Every time I drive past I covet the wrought iron work above the doors to this day as it is part of my history. We lived for a while by Watney Street and when my parents bought their first house in Hornchurch one of their sons Keith bought a house a few doors along from our house. Flossy and Teddy eventually moved out to Essex where most of their kids lived. Flossy was a colourful character and was renowned for having a potty mouth, you alwYs heard Flossy coming before you saw her. She was a real salt of the earth kind if person but didnt suffer fools gladly. Teddy was a Goode from a large family of boys.
I often had a jar in this pub, lovely little spot, great for Gaa matches and all live sports.
Great Guinness. Just over the road beside the Bow road tube station I would pick up a copy of the Kilkenny people and one or two other Irish newspapers, a really helpful man at the newsagents.
Such a shame a loss.
My great great grandmother Julia Golding worked here in 1881 from the census of that time
My aunt Marge Rodgerson ran this pub with her husband in the 1950’s and 1960’s. I used to be sent here to stay every summer from Oxford on the steam train, as my parents both worked in the summer holidays. The only food was cheese rolls, which were kept under a glass cabinet.
I remember there was a piano where people would sing. At weekends I would look out of the second floor bedroom windows and see people drunk brawling.
Totally agree with Joe,
Paul was a superb barman, a total professional. Spot on with the mixture of clientele as it was a decent mix of Irish city and canary wharf folk along with great craic and interesting friendly locals. I remember a yugoslavian elderly gentleman that had great stories of escaping after WW II, he still looked strong as an ox.
The Pub was the personification of what its purpose was over hundreds of years and in this case since 1850. It was a community gathering area, where as mix of ideas and people shared time. All the Irish sports were on during the summer, followed by live music or Karaoke.
I remember hearing Ali G on Red nose day there saying to ( an unfortunate) David Beckham and Posh Spice that he ” Bets she takes it up ….” I won’t be crass and finish that here but the Pub roared laughing and Beckham got a speeding ticket on the way home. He was so furious but cool about it as he didn’t deck Ali – G, raising a tonne of cash for Red Nose charities. If he had said that to the girlfriend I was with I wouldn’t have had the restraint.
Many more early 2000’s memories there and such a shame that this community pub is gone.
The Thai food was delicious, a great kitchen, great barman and Guinness.
Was a good pub, a landlord called Paul ran it up until it closed. He moved back to Ireland, it had thai food kitchen and no gimmicks bar. The Irish still used it, and lots of working class locals mixing with canary wharf office girls and boys.
Fantastic pint of Guinness!
Paul was a lovely man and very friendly and a damn good landlord. Such a sad shame it closed.
Thanks for sending this Wendy
Had my first legal drink in 1978, as an American youth. Was on tour with a classical musical group. Had a lovely Gin and Tonic. Returned every evening whilst we were staying nearby for ten days. Returned the year after The Arms had been shuttered. Had a bit of a tear and paid my respects. Cheers, old friend.
I was mates with Ted’s son, Terry. We went to bow boys school together. I often stayed upstairs after drinking into the early hours, in Terry’s brothers bed I don’t think big brother used to be too happy when he got home, I used to pretend to be asleep?
In 2000 it was owned by an Irish guy called Ken. It was a LaSS joint.
Hi. I remember when the Kings arms was owned & run by Olie & Margaret. Who also owned the Midford Caste ( Top of the Morning) & The Railway Tavern in Old Ford Rd. It was a very busy Pub, used a lot by local Irish people. Who would meet there regularly to change their wages cheques.
In the 1970s the kings Arms was owned by ted and flossy good at weekends it used to get packed solid my dad Arthur and Billy bows used to sing in there it was a great pub and when I was old enough I would work behind the bar.