Saturday, 14 November 2009

The Centurion Pub.

























 I always remember this Deptford pub as a child because it had the sign  of a Centurion soldier  but now I see it has been changed to a Ship. When was changed? Could it now represent the HMS Centurion a 60 gun ship of the line? She was built in Portsmouth around 1732 and I believe commissioned in 1734. As a part of the home fleet she took part in the expedition to Lisbon captained by Sir John Norris. In 1738 she was captained by George Anson and led a small squadron to the African coast then to Jamaica and back to England. In 1740 she started her famous circumnavigation being the only ship to survive the entire voyage and capturing the Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de Cavadonga. After being cut down to a 50 gun ship she took part in the first battle of Finisterre. In 1769 she was broken up at Chatham. I always thought the pub had the sign of a centurion soldier as the photo on the left shows, taken in the 80’s just after the pub caught fire. Maybe the name was changed then?
Visit his photo archive he has a remarkable photo collection of old Deptford Pubs. http://www.flickr.com/photos/matt1965/





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8 comments:

  1. Anonymous30 November 2009 at 07:38

    The Centurion did have a centurion on the sign in thw 1980's. I dont know when they changed it, probably after the pub got burnt out. Heres a link to a photo showing the pub in August 1985.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/matt1965/3230201998/

    Matt.

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  2. Andy30 November 2009 at 22:47

    Thanks for that Matt, I always thought I knew it had a picture of a centurion on it way back in the 50's and probably before. Tell me Matt do you have any info or pictures of another pub which has long since gone. It was the King of Prussia in Union Street now Albury Street?

    Regards

    Andy

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  3. Matt4 December 2009 at 22:57

    I dont know anything about the King of Prussia, it must have been closed for many years. I have found some info but unfortunately no pictures. the following link may be of interest.

    http://kentvillages.com/Deptford/KingPrussia.shtml

    Regards.

    Matt

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  4. Andy6 December 2009 at 15:12

    Thanks for the link Matt/

    Andy

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  5. brian22 May 2018 at 14:15

    When I came to Greenwich in 1969, the sign showed the stern view of a man of war - obviously the 1734 built HMS Century. The sign changed to a roman soldier in the 1980's and I remember thinking 'How sad that Deptford is forgetting it's maritime past.'

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  6. brian22 May 2018 at 14:17

    Sorry - Centurion not Century - so much for a computer that thinks it is e my spelling mistakes!

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  7. Unknown26 October 2021 at 22:23

    My parents Noel and Pauline Harrison owned this pub in the late sixties, we moved to New Zealand in 1970

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  8. DavidHa16 August 2023 at 13:59

    I lived in that Pub for a couple of Years in the mid to late 1960's I was about 11 when we moved in and the staircase leading upto the living area was so dark and dingy and old. Mum sat on the stairs and cried her eyes out. Pauline was my mother Noel was my stepfather. Both have sadly passed 20 odd years for Dad, and over 10 for Mum, We sailed on the 10th Sept 1970 The weather gods send off was such that 50 years later it still brings a shiver to my spine.

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