Celebrating 50 years

 

Fifty years ago this month (25th April 1974) the Croydon branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) held its initial meeting at the Horse & Groom in Cherry Orchard Road, Croydon (The pub was renamed the Glamorgan following a spell known as the Grouse & Claret). Unfortunately, the building is now forlorn and empty.

In the first year of the branch, meetings were also held at the Newton Arms in Croydon, the Two Brewers in Selhurst, the New Town in Sutton, the Greyhound in Carshalton, the Stag & Hounds in Croydon and the Shirley Poppy in Shirley.

Out of area visits to the Derby Arms in Epsom Downs and the Nutley Hall in Reigate also took place.

Only three of these pubs remain open.

The ‘and Sutton’ part was added to the branch title in 1975.

The first edition of Real Beer in London was published in May 1974. A copy of this is available on the CAMRA London website.

Of the local pubs included in that guide, 15 remain open with cask beer still available; a further five are open but without cask. We intend to visit all 15 of these pubs over the course of the year; dates will be fixed later.

In 1974 beer was predominately supplied by two breweries – Charrington and Young's. One pub supplied beer from Fuller Smith & Turner (Royal Standard) and one pub from Shepherd Neame (Two Brewers). Both of these pubs are still open with beer from the same breweries. The only other brewer represented was Whitbread at the long closed New Inn Sutton.

There were no free houses, the vast majority of the pubs were owned and supplied by one brewer.

Fifty years later we have more pubs that remain open and have cask beer but many have only the product of a few multi-national brewers. Let us celebrate the pubs which sell beer from smaller producers both near and far, as well as the long established pubs.

The 15 pubs are: (those in bold were also in the 1974 Good Beer Guide).

Plough Beddington

Coach & Horses Carshalton

Greyhound Carshalton

Builders Arms Croydon

Dog & Bull Croydon

Royal Standard Croydon

Two Brewers Selhurst

Surprise Shirley

Little Windsor [was Windsor Castle] Sutton

Lord Nelson Sutton

Robin Hood Sutton

Railway Telegraph Thornton Heath

Royal Albert Upper Norwood

White Hart Upper Norwood

Dukes Head Wallington

The first of our 50th anniversary presentations to pubs which were selling cask ale in 1974 and are still selling cask in 2024. On 5 June branch chair David Lands presented the certificate to the Dog & Bull Croydon.

The second of our 50th anniversary presentations to pubs. Also on 5 June branch chair David Lands presented the certificate to the Royal Standard, Croydon.

On 12 June we presented certificates to two pubs in Sutton which sold cask ale in 1974 and still are in 2024. David Lands, branch chair, presented the certificate to the Lord Nelson (first picture below) and to the Little Windsor (second picture).

Another of our 50th anniversary presentations. Branch chair David Lands presented the certificate to Bernie, landlord of the Royal Albert, Upper Norwood, for selling cask ale in 1974 and in 2024.

On 8 August we made another 50th anniversary presentation. Branch webmaster Steve Thompson presented the certificate to Danny Foley, landlord of the Two Brewers, Selhurst, for selling cask ale in 1974 and in 2024.

On 15 August we held our branch's 50th anniversary celebration at the Hope, Carshalton. Thank you to Lorraine Gray and Cathy Bone for organising the event, and thanks too to Mark from the Hope for coming in on his day off to serve Drop Project Crush and Anspach & Hobday The Ordinary Bitter from casks in the marquee.

On 21 August we made two 50 years presentations in Carshalton to the Greyhound Hotel and to the Coach & Horses. Dave Lands, branch chair, is shown presenting the certificates to Colum and Anne-Marie of the Greyhound, and to Sam of the Coach & Horses.