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?
