London - Vauxhall to Chelsea

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Please note: Some of the sites are a considerable distance apart. Therefore we recommend the use of an Oyster Card or all day Travel card.

"To help you understand the history of these sites make sure you carry a copy of London Brewed, available here: "

Start at Vauxhall Tube/Rail Station

Proceed to Royal Vauxhall Tavern on Kennington Road.

ROYAL VAUXHALL TAVERN

The Royal Vauxhall Tavern is a Grade II listed gay entertainment venue in Vauxhall, London. It is South London's oldest surviving gay venue. The Royal Vauxhall Tavern was built between 1860 and 1862 at Spring Gardens, Kennington Lane, on land which was originally part of the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens. After the Second World War, returning servicemen and local gay men were reportedly attracted to the venue, which held shows by female impersonators The public bar attracted local workers and had a dart board whilst the lounge attracted the local gay community. Notable acts from this era include "Carla", famous for her Barbra Streisand impersonation The Great Lee Paris on a Saturday night who sang Land of Hope and Glory, and There'll always be an England Freddie Mercury was also a frequent visitor during the 1970s as were Hinge and Bracket. Lily Savage, the drag persona of Paul O'Grady, was a regular performer for eight years, with shows four times per week Diana Dors also appeared there According to Cleo Rocos in her memoir The Power of Positive Drinking, Diana, Princess of Wales, visited the RVT in the late 1980s, disguised as a man and accompanied by Rocos, Freddie Mercury and Kenny Everett. Made a Grade II listed building on 8 September 2015 – the UK's first building to be listed in recognition of its importance to LGBTQ community history.


Walk to Durham Street to view the remains of the New London Brewery Co. Ltd.

Return to Vauxhall Bus Station Stop “G” and join buses 77 or 87 or 452

Alight at Larkhall Road stop.

Note on the journey 90-93 Wandsworth Road. Whilst nothing remains it is the original location of what became Vauxhall Motors [[1]].

Note directly opposite bus stop and restores ex-pub sporting the Wenlock Brewery signage.

Cross the Larkhall Park to Union Road and view remains of Best's Brewery Co. Ltd in Larkhall Road on the corner. Now a shop.

Return to Wandsworth Road by Union Road and turn left at Wandsworth Road with Vauxhall behind you.

On the corner of Wandsworth Road and Silverthorne Road view the Plough Brewery of Thomas Woodward & Son.

Continue down the Wandsworth road, away from Vauxhall until you come to the junction with Queenstown Road.

From here either:-

1) catch a bus (or walk) to Wandsworth to view the remains of Young & Co (Wandsworth)

or

2) catch bus number 137 or 452 to Sloan Square

Alight at Sloane Square and proceed down the Kings Road until you reach Sydney Street. Turn right up Sydney Stree, then right again into Britten Road.

View the gateway of the brewery of Matthews & Canning. Note the Builder Arms pub next door is particularly inviting!

Return to the Kings Road and turn right, continuing away from Sloane Square. On the journey on the left behind the houses and shops is the Lotts Road Power Station which was built to power the London Underground. Now disused. [[2]]

Contine down the Kings Road until you see the Chelsea Brewery Co. Ltd on the right.

You have completed the tour!

However, if you walk further on to The Jolly Maltster [[3]] to view a pub which still has the remains of advertising from Royal Brewery (Brentford) Ltd.