Basics

People

Properties

Can You Help?

Roads Off

Janet's Research

Sources & More

The Pub Hub

Vic Rosewarne and Jim Storrar have researched the histories of many beerhouses and licensed houses in Brentford. This page brings together links to access their hard work.

Vic has derived a list of over 400 licence transfers and the names of over 170 licensed victuallers and beersellers from the latter half of the19th century:

Brentford pub licence transfers

• In date order, spanning 1806-1945 with some gaps
• As above, in pub name order

List of licensed victuallers and beersellers
Three lists of licensed victuallers and beersellers, from 1861, 1882 and 1900

Brentford pub histories
Vic Rosewarne has made extensive use of newspaper accounts, licensing records, censuses and other material to trace often vivid histories of the following Brentford beerhouses and licensed houses, from their opening to closure (or the current day for survivors). Each house had its own character and reputation, ranging from 'notorious' to well-kept and respectable.

• Alton Arms, 179 High Street (Waterman's Arms from ca 1868)
• Barleycorn beerhouse at 98 High Street
• Black Boys or Two Black Boys, 140 High Street
• Black Boy and Still 87 High Street
• Castle 208 High Street
• Catherine Wheel, 94 High Street
• Crown and Anchor at 224 High Street
• Crystal Fountain at 175 High Street
• Drum at 319 High Street
• Eight Bells at 380 High Street
• Jolly Boatman beerhouse 156 High Street
• Junction Arms beerhouse aka Grand ~ ~ or Notorious ~ ~, 166 High Street
• Lamb beerhouse, 409 High Street
• Lord Nelson beerhouse, 154 High Street
• Magpie and Stump at 124 High Street
• Queen's Arms, 366 High Street
• Royal Hotel, 26-27 High Street (news items from 1893 and 1897 that describe inept burglaries at this establishment)
• Three Pigeons, 195 High Street
• Two Black Boys or Black Boys, 140 High Street
• Waterman's Arms, 179 High Street (aka Alton Arms in the mid-1800s)
• Waterman's Hall beerhouse, Catherine Wheel Yard

Vic has also sent an 1886 account of Brentford pubs written for the Middlesex Independent: read more.

Jim Storrar has prepared a comprehensive 83-page document The Pubs, Inns and Beer Houses of Brentford: download - around 8MB. The document covers 112 houses, past and present, and includes many images. He has also researched a house with an unusual setting:

• Three Swans or Swan Tavern on Brentford Ait

Brentford Pub Maps
Jim has prepared maps showing the public houses in Brentford:

• East Brentford to Kew Bridge: Barge Aground, Eight Bells/Retort, Express, Fox & Hounds, Grand Junction Arms, Hand & Flower, Jolly Tar/, Lamb, Marquis of Granby, One Over the Ait, Oxford & Cambridge, O'Riordans/ Jolly Tar, Plough, Queens Arms, Retort/Eight Bells, Salutation, Star & Garter, Three Swans, Wagon & Horses
• Ealing Road and Ferry Lane: Albany Arms, Alexandra, Brewery Tap, Bull, Bunch of Grapes/Ferry Hotel, Cannon, Drum, Ferry Hotel/Bunch of Grapes, George IV, Half Moon & Seven Stars, Kings Arms, Old Fire Station, One Tun, Prince of Wales/Running Horses, Red Lion x 2, Rising Sun, Royal Horse Guardsman, Royal Hotel, Running Horses/Prince of Wales, Swan, Watermans Arms
• Brentford End and north Brentford: Angel Inn/Park Tavern, Coach & Horses, Duke of York/New England, Globe, Half Moon & Crown, Kings Arms, Lord Nelson, New England/Duke of York, Park Tavern/Angel Inn, White Hart, Windmill
• BFC ground and north Brentford: Bricklayers Arms, Carpenters Arms, Griffin, New Inn, North Star, Princess Royal, Royal Oak, Seven Stars
• New Brentford: 28 pubs including the Castle, Three Pigeons, Red Lion, Six Bells and White Horse

Top

Other pub material
A list of pubs and landlords was compiled for Brentford Local History Day, 2011, the theme being 'Pubs and Inns in and around Brentford'.

• Brentford Pubs A-Z
• Brentford Beer Retailers and Licensed Victuallers A-Z

Published November 2019; last updated January 2023