Boleyn Tavern
The Boleyn Tavern is a Grade II listed public house in East Ham, East London, at the junction of Barking Road and Green Street.[1]
| Boleyn Tavern | |
|---|---|
 The Boleyn Tavern | |
  Boleyn Tavern  Boleyn Tavern | |
| General information | |
| Address | 1 Barking Road, East Ham, East London |
| Town or city | London |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°31′49″N 0°02′17″E |
| Designations | |
Listed Building – Grade II | |
| Official name | Boleyn Tavern Public House |
| Designated | 25 October 1984 |
| Reference no. | 1293693 |
It was built in 1899–1900, with the entrance consoles bearing a 1900 date.[1] The Tavern was frequented by West Ham United F.C. supporters due to its proximity to West Ham's ground, the Boleyn Ground. Often at risk from vandalism from opposing supporters, it has its windows boarded-up.[2]
It is on the Campaign for Real Ale's National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors.[3]
A visit from Gandhi
The local tradition is that Mahatma Gandhi visited the Boleyn Tavern at least once in 1931. In that year Gandhi was in London for a three month period for talks on the future of India, he based himself at Kingsley Hall in Bromley-by-Bow and was enthusiastically received by East Enders.[4][5]
It is said that he attended several West Ham games during his stay[6] and visited the Boleyn Tavern where he drank cream soda while discussing football and radical politics with local people.[7]
Gandhi was a keen football fan, establishing three teams in South Africa,[8] and already had a strong connection to West Ham through his friendship with its founder, Arnold Hills, while living in London completing his law studies in 1888–91. During this period Hills brought the young Gandhi onto the executive committee of the London Vegetarian Society.
During his 1931 stay in London, Gandhi would take long early morning walks, and often used the nearby Sewerbank (or Greenway) between Stratford and Plaistow.[9] Gandhi also met Charlie Chaplin in nearby Canning Town.[10]
References
- Historic England. "Boleyn public house (1293693)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
- "West Ham v Millwall: Massive police operation for London derby – Crime & Courts". Islington Gazette. Archived from the original on 26 June 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
- Brandwood, Geoff (2013). Britain's best real heritage pubs. St. Albans: CAMRA. p. 91. ISBN 9781852493042.
- Link showing MKG love of the East End, and the greetings from local children http://kingsley-hall.co.uk/gandhicw48.htm
- Footahe of MKG arriving in the UK and coming to Bromley by Bow https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8557D0yPcE
- From the book "Bottled- English Football's Boozy Story" by Benjamin Roberts https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=c4-pDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT36&lpg=PT36&dq=gandhi+boleyn+football&source=bl&ots=b-2h77KsQA&sig=ACfU3U0tE3mzkmBkwLNHOZykiP50kiBk8Q&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj6l7Ptlb_kAhVxThUIHRZQApI4ChDoATACegQICRAB#v=onepage&q=gandhi%20boleyn%20football&f=false
- discussed by Brian Belton in his book 'The Thames Ironworks' Chapter 4
- FIFA article on Gandhi's love of football https://www.fifa.com/news/y=2010/m=10/news=mahatma-gandhi-football-legend-1322010.html
- Gandhi's host at Kinsley Hall, Muriel Lester, described these walks in her account of his 3 month stay with her "Entertaining Gandhi", chapter 6 "Sewer Walk by Starlight"
- article on the meeting between the two men http://www.canningtownlife.com/2014/05/gandhi-and-charlie-chaplin-a-famous-meet-in-canning-town/ Archived 27 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine
