The Raven – 375 Goldhawk Road, Stamford Brook, London W6

The Raven came into existence in 1839 and it didn’t surprise me to learn that it was originally a stable block. Formerly known as ‘The Raven Tavern’, the name is supposed to be linked to the old Ravenscourt Manor House and the park. The Manor House was at one time surrounded by a moat fed by the Stamford Brook and then demolished after suffering severe damage by incendiary bombs in 1941. The pub is situated almost opposite Stamford Brook Station and on the Hammersmith and Chiswick border.

A few months ago the pub was featured in the local Gazette’s weekly series, ‘Pub Quiz’. I was particularly interested in the final question put to the landlord. It asked him for an historical fact about the pub:

‘We used to have a maternity hospital at the end of the road and when the child was born, traditionally the father used to come in here and sign a book. We still have the old entries from the 1940’s.’ I don’t know why he described it as being ‘down the road’, but as I was born in Queen Charlotte’s, I later planned a visit. Eventually myself and Bernard Lambert (Kerrins to the Indy R’s message board), popped in to investigate. The staff were happy to oblige, but pointed out that they had to be cautious as at least one of the books had been stolen because they contained various famous and well known names.

Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols, Zak Starkey and American Jazz singer, Marion Montgomery’s daughter Abigail were all born in Queen Charlotte’s. The list also includes Daniel Radcliffe, Emily Franke, Mischa Barton and Dame Helen Mirren who portrayed the hospital namesake in ‘The Madness of King George’. We gingerly turned the pages, but the nearest entry was the day after I entered this world. Dad may well have had a pint in ‘The Sun’ or the ‘Queen of England’ after I was born or maybe he just went home ?

There was a good choice of real ale and Bernard settled as usual for a Club Orange. The staff were friendly and the tapas looked tempting, but we settled for a sandwich. With the framed rugby shirts on the wall, this gastro pub must of been quite different to the 1970’s as Bernard recalls:

‘In the 1970’s myself and a lot of friends and R’s supporters used to frequent the Raven, but I always thought that it was somewhat small and cramped. I seem to recall a low ceiling in one of the bars. None the less it was a decent boozer I suppose.’

However qprjd did indeed have a quiet celebratory pint in the Raven after his son Adrian was born in Queen Charlotte’s in 1974. He says that he was never a regular as he lived in Priory Road, off Acton Lane. Further memories come from ‘sixties’ who remembers:

‘Having been born a little later than the 40’s, and not having been born in either Queen Charlotte’s or Hammersmith Hospital, this leaves me with the Raven, which was our regular pub from the very late 60’s through to probably the mid-70’s. It was a very Rangers pub in those days. Although with Queen Charlotte’s and the Royal Masonic hospitals nearby and with attached nurses homes, there were other distractions as well !!!’

Steve Russell

(The above drawing is by Joan Bloxham and dates from the 1920’s/30’s)

8 thoughts on “The Raven – 375 Goldhawk Road, Stamford Brook, London W6

  1. A pub I’ve driven past many times Steve but never been into. It’s always looked tempting. Shame that Mr Russsell senior didn’t wet his whistle in there!

  2. Although, as with Kerrins, I lived for some years near the Raven I can’t recall supping ale within it!
    I notice in another place that Kevin Gallen was also born in Queen C. The peasants amongst us were born in Hammersmith Hospital!

  3. The pub itself has gone upmarket since the 1970’s. I certainly noticed that when I visited the place a few weeks ago.

    Circa 1971 to 1976 a lot of R’s supporters used to be regular customers…Cant imagine the current patrons looking favourably upon a cluster of zealous QPR Fans crowding the bar area these days lol

    Very good and interesing article Steve.

  4. Never been to the pub, but how interesting that they kept a book of new arrivals’ since the 1940’s… brilliant.
    Any note of a young Jim Gallen signature?… that said, a man who I believe doesn’t take a drink, so unlikely I guess.

  5. I went there once as my grandparents wrote in the books when my parents and aunts/uncles were born. The Kiwi barman was a complete arsehole and we had to fight to be allowed to see them. The staff on the whole were crap. The clientele were pseudo-wine drinking pratts and all in all the place is a shadow of what my uncle remembers.

  6. Anyone remember al canning who ran this pub in the sixties, my dad was a barman here for a while, ive been in to have a pint but not that often, its ok though

  7. I was born in Queen Charlottes.
    We lived in the Bush in Tamarisk Square where my dad still does.
    This pub used to be a regular friday night drink for us then on to the Burlington club down the road.
    Fond memories for me and probably run across Steve in the 70s.
    The pub on a friday used to be chock a block, great times!
    I often wonder what happened to all the regulars sitting here in my little bar in Western Australia. It’s nearly as big as the Raven.

    Sludger

  8. I was born in Queen Charlotte’s in 1942, and lived in Stamford Brook Avenue, opposite the common. My dad drank regularly in The Raven, when he wasn’t drinking in the Queen of England. Next door was a bootmender’s, and on the other side was a greengrocer’s called Higgins’ Stores, where I was sent to get our veg every Saturday morning. Just the other side of the bridge was a florist’s called Slaughter. I’ve just discovered this string, and have been enjoying the string ‘in praise of the local shopkeeper’ which has been enabling me to re-examine my childhood years. I loved the drawing of the Raven, by the way. Gastropub? What has Stamford Brook come to?

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