The building has a number of iconic connections. In the early 1970s, David Bowie rehearsed on the 2nd floor with the prototype 'Spiders From Mars', while James Fox trained in the first floor boxing gym for his part in Performance. Henry Cooper trained there and bizarrely Dave Prowse (the original Darth Vader) is selling photos of him meeting Muhammed Ali there. John Martyn also did a photoshoot there. Way back in 1888, a suspect in the Jack the Ripper murders was arrested after 'leaving a shiny black bag at the Thomas a Becket public house' containing 'a very sharp dagger, a clasp knife, two pairs of very long and vary curious looking scissors, and two preservers'.
We can only hope that the building itself will survive, unlike the recently demolished Gin Palace nearby.
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41 comments:
would make a great boxing museum dont you think
My father Derek John Palmer trained at this gym with Henry Cooper and many others. His old friend Bobby Paget works there also if I remember.
Derek Palmer
my grandad William Ernest Pierce USED TO BOX AT THIS GYM IN THE 1900S/30S LIVED IN DEPTFORD ALSO A DECORATED WAR HERO. HAD A BROTHER HARRY AND SISTER LILLIAN PIERCE. MOVED TO NOTTINGHAM MAPPERLY DISTRICT / THEN WORKED IN THE IRON FOUNDRY. HE WAS BORN 1890S GUESS; ANY INFO ;
passed it the other day and some work going on in there also local gossip is that is is opening again,
Hello all, the Thomas A Becket pub is indeed being redeveloped by us at Thomas A Becket Leisure Investments. We are very excited to bring this historic and renowned local attraction back to its former glory and will look forward to seeing you join us once it is up and running in around a months time. We are opening a restaurant-cum-bar-cum-nightclub at the venue and are sure it will prove popular with all visitors.
Thomas A Becket Leisure Investments.
hello, I would really like to put on an exhibition/put some art work on the walls in or upstairs in the pub. I have family ties with the pub and would love to show some work in there i also have experience with exhibiting in that enviroment, please could you get in contact with in order to discuss this?
IS this the pub, that has a boxing club above it?
Glad to hear that The Becket is opening again and hope that the painting of all the old fighters is still on the wall.
My husband trained there and also remember Beryl and the late great Danny Holland who ran the gym for many years.
Would be great idea to reopen the gym or have a boxing museum there.
Its good to hear that the Becket is reopening. My husband trained there and I also remember The Late Great Danny Holland who ran the gym.
I hope that the painting of all the old fighters is still in the bar. I believe that was done when Gary Davison took the pub over from Beryl gibbons.
The mural that the late and much loved Gary Davidson had painted on the wall in 1984 is now gone. When he owned the pub it was transformed into a museum downstairs the even housed the gloves Cooper wore when putting Ali on the floor. All that memerobilia was sold when Billy Aird took the pub over from Gary. I believe that now it is a wine bar and hope it does well as the Old Kent Road itself is a tough nut to crack, more so now than ever.
Hi glad to hear the pub might be reopen again .In the 60s it was my cousins pub Tommy Gibbons and his partner Beryl,i was young then and do not remember much,does any one recall my cousin whilst he ran the pub. Thanks
We remember Beryl, and have very fond memories of the Thomas A’beckett we spent 6 nights a week listening and enjoying some of the best bands e.g. Scarecrow, Anvil, Blunderbuss with (Vanantine Sweetheart helping out) Blackfoot Sue and many more. We were a group of kid’s from the Bonamy Estate and surrounding areas, walk home from the Beckett we would stop at the hole in the wall chippy on Dunton Road Bridge. My boyfriend now husband of 35 years still think Scarecrow was one of the best bands of the time. Our place to stand was on the stairs going up to the Boxing club and we were forever having to move to let boxers go up to the club some of whom were famous, but the Bands were so much more important..
Anyone remember tommy gibbons who ran the beckett in the 60s info
Happy memories seeing Blunderbuss at the Becket nearly every weekend - place was always packed.
Sadly ended when guitarist Stevie Blunder (aka 'Viscount Valentine Fotheringay Asquin Smythe') died.
Vocalist/Comedian Laurie's new band 'Rough Edges' continued for a while until the pub was taken over and emptied as a result.
Scarecrow also very good - made recording of one of their gigs at the Becket and still got it somewhere.
Mebbe I'll upload to Youtube sometime :)
Talking to some old mates the other week about bands that we saw in our 'younger days'! We all agreed that some of the best nights we had were at the Becket in the mid/late 70's early 80's watching Blunderbuss. We used to make the journey up from deep south London (Mitcham!). Great band, great nights, great memories.
Also, knew Gary Davidson. Prior to running the Becket, he was Landlord of The Angel in Sutton for a few years. We used to drink in there a lot, so got to know him and his wife quite well, could not believe our luck when he got to run the Becket, never a problem with a few afters!!
Two really great guys Stevie Blunder and Gary.
This post was from a few years ago, pub has re-opened since:
http://transpont.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/pubs-living-and-dying.html
Fantastic memories of the 'Becket', used to play there myself back in the early 70's in 'Stan's Blues Band'. My favourites were always 'Blunderbus'. Now living in Dorset and am always reminiscing about the 'old days' to anyone who will listen. Would love to hear them again so if anyone knows of any existing recordings of them I would love to hear from you. My email is: jorolo@virginmedia.com
Used to live in Cobourg road next to Albany Road. Watched so so many great rock bands (Information on Tuesdays were the best, but Stans Blues band were close) in the Becket and the Blunders at the weekend were always great fun. That was in the seventies but remember my dad going to Tommy Gibbons funeral much earlier.
Blunderbus were my favourite great weekends in the Becket ,great musicians and singer Laurie a great front man who held the whole night together with his jokes etc..Still hear so many of the tracks on the radio and memories keep flooding back,
old girlfriends and friends from the Coopers road and Avondale estates.
Anyone know of any recordings ?
could do with more live music,in fact could do with a few more pubs!!
great memories regards John Johnston.
j.johnston6@btinternet.com
Hi Frank good to see your still about.
Yeah nice to hear from you John, hows life been? Frank Stroud.
I have very fond memories of evenings spent at the TAB watching and listening Blunderbuss.
Until I read this blog, I hadn't heard that it all stopped because Steve Blunder sadly died. We always wondered why.
As I recall it, Laurie would introduce the band as 'Stevie Blunder on guitar, Valentine Fotheringay Aspen Smythe on Bass, Bobby Mularkis on keyboards and 'Mighty Mick the Cowshit' on drums.'
I think they called the occasional eccentric guest 'Valentine Tweazy'. He sang 'Hey Joe', including guitar solos, while Laurie mouthed 'pratt' and pointed at him. Very funny.
They were so, so good. Wonderful times.
Hi,
I am writing a book on the film Performance, there will be contributions from Mick Jagger, James Fox, director Nic Roeg and producer Sandy Lieberson and many more.
I would love to hear of any memories of the landlord Tommy Gibbons, Beryl or James Fox training in the gym.
Best
Jay
jayglennie@hotmail.co.uk
I remember this great pub in the late 70's with so much affection and love. Every Saturday was the fantastic Blunderbuss playing covers and with so much humour, sometimes, no at at all times,
blue and rude! Lost times never to be repeated. The Old Kent Road rocked with pub bands. Peter Christmas.
Loved Blunderbuss. Sad to hear that (only from reading this blog) Stevie Blunder had died. One of the last times I saw the band was New Years Eve 1980. Had a friend over from Canada and stopped off in there for a drink en route to the fireworks in London. But, never made that as we stayed in the Becket. What a fantastic night it was.
Laurie was such a character and held the night together with his rude, and very funny, wit. Whenever I hear Hall and Oats, Your kiss is on my lips or Next, Alex Harvey Band,,, my mind wanders back to all those years ago and the good times in that pub. So wish I had a time machine and could nip back to see them again.
Robert
Yeah Blunderbuss - my mates and I were frequent visitors to the Beckett. Hotel California being a memorable toon. It was always packed, sad that Pubs can’t keep going.
We used to travel down from Hendon in the early 1970's to watch the band, which I now realise from the previous comments must have been Blunderbuss. Great evenings and I have always remembered the way Steve Blunder would sort of tap the strings of his guitar on some songs to make what to me sounded like a unique and an amazing sound. We came down one evening on the off chance and as they weren't on headed back stopping at the Frog and Nightgown and they had a chap playing the Hammond Organ who looked and sounded very like Roy Phillips of The Peddlers, very good but not good enough to keep us away from the Beckett on future trips south.
I also remember Blunderbuss and me, my mate Kev and our respective girlfriends would drive from Eltham at the weekend to take in the spectacle. I was disappointed on arriving one weekend to find there was no Blunderbuss, Laurie had broken his leg or damaged it in some way. He made it back soon after and normalish service was resumed albeit with Laurie on a bar stool. Always an amazing atmosphere and they were a superb band - RIP Stevie, sorry to hear that he is no longer with us. The highlight for me was always their version of Blowin' Free. The 'special guest' that sticks in my mind was Senor Egbert no bacon. Very happy days and a fantastic memory of my yoof!
My dad became Beryls business partner when they took over the Walmer Castle in Peckham. Contact me if you want to hear some stories
Hi yes would like to here some stories. I didn't know she had the Walmer castle. Did you know her son ?
Hi I just wanted to reply to this as mighty mick was my dad :)) I had been searching online for anything about the band. And found this. Really made me smile thank you.
Hello, I think my Dad boxed there in the late 1950 or 60s I think. Would love to hear a story
So pleased to have found this thread. My friend Dave and I had so many great nights driving from Bexleyheath to the Becket to enjoy the antics of Laurie and Blunderbuss. Laurie was so amusing, the band did not take themselves seriously but they could really play... Still every time I hear 'Ricky dont lose that number' played I still hear Blunderbuss singing 'Ricky don't phone that plumber'! And at the end of night Laurie would bounce the PA amp on its shelf so it sounded like a machine gun so he could then pretend shoot the audience with the mic and tell us all to 'F off as soon as you like'. No one was ever offended! Great times.
Hi Tina I used to go to see Blunderbus most weekends,fantastic band. In fact it was your dad Mick who inspired me to take up drums and I used to play at the Becket on Monday night's in Stans Blues Band.
You really should. They were excellent. Great Tuesday night's.
Oh my gosh just found this thread...
I absolutely loved Blunderbuss such a brilliant band brings back lovely memories of my husband and the great times we had together in the Thomas a Becket
Now drink up as quick as you can and piss off as quick as you like!
Blunderbuss - my all time favourite band.
I was a roadie in the 1970's for a friends band, 'Fusion Orchestra', we did a lot of gigs there. A great pub and music venue. Loved the place. Great that it's re opened. Far too many have closed and been demolished. Part of London's history, boxing's history, and music history.
My dad who was a trainer took us all down there in the 80 s as amatuers to see the pro s r
Train I meant Bob paget as young boy didn't know he sparkled with Henry Cooper and also Jimmy tibbs trained there too amazing experience never forget it miss u dad to r.i.p.
Friday night at the TAB: what a great end to the week. Used to drive up from Sidcup with my mate John. Remember shouts of "Next!" as the evening progressed. What WAS that song?
Place was always packed tight and never any trouble. Happy days.
Just stumbled on this group whilst looking for info on Blunderbus and was amazed to hear some great memories you have. Stevie Blunder was my Dad, sadly he passed away when I was very young ,so reading your enjoyment of him playing was really nice to hear and made my day :)
All these comments bring back so many happy memories of the Beckett and Blunderbuss and as others have said especially Wishbone Ash - Blowing Free, Steely Dan - Rikki dont lose that number, ELP - fanfare for the common man, too many to mention.
Remember 1 song they did where Stevie Blunder would be playing and signing and Laurie would stand behind him and put his arms between Stevie's as if they were his arms and hand and make signs and scratch and poke his ears and nose and others, doesn't seem funny the way I write it but it was.
always packed when big football or rugby matches on at Wembley, fans seem to make a bee line for the Beckett.
Think we were told by a singer who sometimes did a number with them, Joe Cocker - The letter, that Stevie Blunder died this must have been about 1982
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