The Railway Telegraph pub, Forest Hill
The Railway Telegraph pub, Forest Hill
Any ideas when this was built and if it has been re-built since?
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Steve Grindlay
- Posts: 606
- Joined: 4 Oct 2004 05:07
- Location: Upper Sydenham
The Railway Telegraph was built, as a pub, in 1852-3 and licensed in October 1853. Two brothers, Harry and Vincent Nicholls, who owned a brewery in Lewisham, acquired the lease from the Earl of Dartmouth and installed a tenant as landlord. Apparently this is regarded as a very early example of a pub tied to a brewery. I'm pretty sure the original building still stands, although it has been extended on the ground floor.
By a delightful coincidence, in the 1851 census Vincent Nicholls was visiting a friend, wine merchant Robert Byass, at Westwood Cottage, Westwood Hill (on the site of Sydenham High School). In 1835 Robert Byass was joint founder of Gonzales Byass, the sherry makers. Rather sadly, perhaps, it is for this reason that Tio Pepe is my sherry of choice.
By a delightful coincidence, in the 1851 census Vincent Nicholls was visiting a friend, wine merchant Robert Byass, at Westwood Cottage, Westwood Hill (on the site of Sydenham High School). In 1835 Robert Byass was joint founder of Gonzales Byass, the sherry makers. Rather sadly, perhaps, it is for this reason that Tio Pepe is my sherry of choice.