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The Royal Oak was situated at 113 Tooley Street.  This pub has now been demolished.

Source: Ian Chapman

In the early 1970's, when I was studying at O.T. College, I worked as a barmaid on Sarurday nights at this Pub, then owned by Philly Jacobs (but I think managed by his sister). I never met him, I think he was in jail? I remember it as a happy time, I enjoyed working with the other employees, & we all got on well together. We were generously paid, 'cash in hand'! I do remember quite a few fights, we got used to ducking down safely behind the bar, until the 'bouncers' got it 'sorted'! I also remember these 'hard' men (the bouncers) as being really friendly & always taking care of us. Maybe not so much to some of the patrons! I remember too that we bar-girls had a synchronised 'dance' that we did, behind the bar, every time The Stones "Brown Sugar" was played! Those were the days!

Sarah Kors-Campkin (January 2018)

I remember a night in there I think it was it was one of the 1st pubs to have music , myself and a mate were drinking down stairs when somebody behind me pulled at a light the barman said to me " leave the light alone " I said it weren't me mate, then the light moved again he said " touch that light again and I'll have you" I replied again not me, of course it moved again so he came storming round the bar , me and my mate legged it as fast as we could and ran over the bridge back to the safety over North London.I was a lot fitter in those days and he didn't catch us. A few months later this barmans face was in the paper as one of the Richardson gang think his name was Dixon, lucky he never caught us.

Tony Peakall (April 2020)

I worked as a DJ in this pub from 1978-82 or there about's, on a Thursday night. The manager I remember was John Sullivan, his sister Mag's worked behind the bar at times. The owner was Ronnie Jeffries, he owned this and other pub's in the area. The disco dance area was downstairs, there was also another bar their. One of the other DJ's was a young Gordon Mac, he later went on to found Kiss FM. Another was a guy who called himself Big Bad John. So many memories. John Sullivan was a terrible gambler and frequently there would be a lock in where John was playing cards. One night on a loosing streak he took the cash out of the pub's safe in an attempt to regain his looses, he lost that too. I don't know how he replaced it or explained it to Ronnie. Ronnie was not a man to take advantage of. I remember a drive by shooting of a bouncer who'd put someone out, he suffered a wound to the torso, he lived. Fights were common, it kicked off one night over a drinker insulting a barmaid. It was a large group of blokes from the East End who were deliberately looking for trouble. We managed to lock the doors into the downstairs area and keep the out until either the police arrived or friends of the owner, the pub was a mess after. It's over 40yrs ago now does anyone me?

Steve Dennis (November 2023)

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