The depiction of a pub sign within the community

I think it's partly the colourful nature of the beast, but I find myself having a curious fascination for pub signs.

I discover that there are entire websites and campaigns waged over them, but the bottom line is that they are a hang-over (LOL) from when pubs were more key as community venues.

http://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/PubSigns.htm

Now in a rural setting pubs are absolutely fundamental to a community - now in urban settings they are much more the local - and looking round in NW3 and NW6 I'm struck by the extent to which they reflect back the local communities in which they sit...

Of course part of this is the preservation of the old British boozer and whilst I'm no defender of dark and seedy joints the smoking ban has given an amazing rennaisance to
a) families in pubs and
b) street conversation - although the winter months makes the latter a much more chilly sport!

Some of the pubs signs reflect a much more significant local connection such as the Lillie Langtry (http://474towin.blogspot.com/2008/08/down-with-nations-princess-up-with.html) while others just reflect the rality of the development of the local area - The North London Tavern and the arrival of railways in Kilburn.

Now, there was quite a lot of internet hooha when the Sir Colin Campbell has taken down the pub sign and not replaced it - with all sorts of motives for that being mooted.

And now the Lillie Langtry is at risk with the pub being re-named The Cricketers.

http://www.camra.org.uk/

I've picked out here a range of pubs that I have recently passed and their signs:

• The Duke of Hamilton, The Flask and The White Bear (all in NW3 Hampstead)
• Ye Olde Swiss Cottage and The Old Bull and Bush
• North London Tavern and The Lillie Langtry

Street murals sure beat random graffiti...

I've posted at length before about the Kilburn High Road graffiti mural
http://www.signalproject.com/kilburn/
http://474towin.blogspot.com/2008/07/second-largest-man-in-world.html
http://474towin.blogspot.com/2008/06/when-you-are-rushing-along-its-often.html

Well, here is another on Kilburn Road - by the Lillie Langtry Pub just next to the Community Centre.

The really amazing thing about it is the cultural influence on the design.

I can't make my mind up on african, south american - does anyone out there have any tips or leads?

The mural is signed off by
"Solo One
ILC Crew
1999"

And it has the best tag line I have seen for a while:
"As long as we strive to succeed
We will always lead the way...."

Down with the nation's princess, up with the local mistress

Who would have thought that the name of a local pub could be so controversial - and not just today.

On the corner of Belsize Road and Abbey Road is The Cricketers pub - this is not a new pub but it is a new name.

Now I'm nostalgic and like 'old things' but I find it a real shame that pub names are just changed like this. But of course in this case it's not a new thing...

The pub is in fact built under Emminster House and came into existence in 1969 with the redevelopment of the estate. But before that the pub was the Princess of Wales.

Now I suspect that the Cricketers is a marketing play to make the pub more of a venue for those wanting to watch sport, and a calculation the people today don't know who Lillie Langtry was.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lillie_Langtry

But of course the great historical and local connection is that Alexandra Road - just over the road is indeed after the Princess of Wales and dates from her marriage to the future King in 1863. But of course one of the residents of Alexandra Road ironically was the future mistress Lillie Langtry, the story goes that Prince Edward actaully visited Lillie here at Leighton House (now gone).

The interesting short-hand relating to the pub here is that the change the name of the pub from Princess of Wales to the Lillie Langtry was to replace the wide of Edward VII with his mistress!

All good story telling stuff - my interest now is that the pub sign doesn't just disappear with the change to The Cricketers.