Home > Surrey > Kingston Upon Thames > The Crown The Crown

Picture source: Paul Bullen

The Crown was situated in Crown Passage and has now been demolished. Also known as The Old Crown.

This was a very old tudor style pub. Knocked down for redevelopment. Not sure when, but decades ago. A Courage House with separate Public and Saloon Bars. Public bar had pin ball machine, juke box, and a table football machine. One of my many fond memories there -  during the early 1970s, one sunny Sunday lunch time, I was sat on Lynn's horse just outside when my friend Ray grabbed the reins and led it through the open double doors of the public bar, me still on it. Everyone was in fits of laughter, except the barman. Not many can say that they have been on horseback inside a pub!

Tony Pugh

I used to go to the Jesters bar for the music in the early 80's. I remember the closing night for the Crown which must have been before 1986. One of the 'ladies' from the Robert Peel performed an interesting fire eating act! The pub was redeveloped as a Hatchard's bookshop, and has since become a late night bar called 'Bacchus'.

Julian Barker (April 2017)

Somebody said that it was demolished for redevelopment. This is completely untrue. It has been re-fitted as a shop premises but the ancient building is still there (even Kingston Council wouldn’t have been allowed to sell off such a historic building as this to developers !) Wouldn’t mind betting that the vast basement that housed Jesters is also still in existence.

Robin Cottee (February 2022)

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Contacts

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Name Dates Comments Terry Hardwick 1975/1979 I was the DJ here at the crown when it was turned into a small club called Jesters. Before that Fri & Sat were disco nights with DJ laurie James the door men were Ray Kennet or Dave Goddard two men you really didnt want to mess with. faces about town and in the Crown were Junior Wilson A mad dustman called Winston Tony Porter to name but a few Happy Days Debbie Foreman 1965/1971 My grandfather Bill Murphy and,mother Wendy Knight were publicans. Dave Godard mentioned in previous post was my mothers nephew in-law. John Wilson 1960s During the late 1960s there was a long table in the saloon bar frequented by "tough guys" in teddy boy style clothes. Morose and tough, they would sit like gloomy barons, unsmiling, making occasional remarks to each other. The atmosphere was unfriendly to say the least. In the public bar "the Kingston crowd" would associate - much more fun - bohemian dress and manners, conversations about the arts. Saturday lunchtime was good for a chat. Anne Leavey late 1950s My mother worked for the Murphys, I remember wendy, Kit and Kits daughter Jackie Mick Sansom 1970s/80s I used to D J there every lunch time and evenings when it was run by Tony and Carol think they came from Devon or Cornwall would love to here from either of them also used to D J in waves nightclub when Marcus was the manager Colin Morris 1974/1979 I was the publican for this period. 5 wonderful years. If anyone remembers these times please get in touch. Catherine Cameron-Martin / Morris 1974/1979 Publican...I left before it was Jesters..I think my ex husband started the club. Was sad to read the old place now demolished. I used to have a beautiful Afgan Hound called Zara and she would nervously come for walks around noisy Kingston!! Would love to hear from people who frequented the pub when I was there with Colin.. Tim Hendy 1979/1982 There was a great rock disco on certain nights, when the place was full of bikers, giving it large. Timothy Arnold 1978/1983 Although I lived near the Spring Grove in Kingston I actually considered the 'Crown' as my local. My friend and I frequented the pub most nights as it had a great pool table. When the New Romantic scene came about in the early 80's I wore a white blousey shirt, dodgy haircut and make-up and hit the 'The Jesters' at the back. Another thing I remember is the friendliness of the bar staff and customers especially the market lads.

Other Photos

Picture source: Paul Bullen