# Red ensign club aldgate east



## stevevincent1974

can any body give me any knowledge about a public house i read in a thread on this site, it is purely of interest to know if it still exists.
It was the red ensign club which was allocated in aldgate east in east london.
any info and personal stories would be good to hear and if it still exist, if so rough (*)) ly where about in aldgate east. (*)) (*))


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## Baltic Wal

Red Ensign club was hardly a Public House, although I did spend a lot of time in the bar after signing on crew members in Dock Street. It was a hotel come meeting place come shop, I remember buying my initial Apprentice gear there after signing my indentures.

There was a thread about this before Xmas, last time I was down there the building existed and looked like students accommodation.


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## gdynia

Baltic Wal said:


> Red Ensign club was hardly a Public House, although I did spend a lot of time in the bar after signing on crew members in Dock Street. It was a hotel come meeting place come shop, I remember buying my initial Apprentice gear there after signing my indentures.
> 
> There was a thread about this before Xmas, last time I was down there the building existed and looked like students accommodation.


Wal

Theres a piece in one of the London websites that area is going to be knocked down for building for the Olympic Games.


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## benjidog

Hi Steve,

Click on this link and it will take you to the thread Baltic Wal was referring to: http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/showthread.php?t=3330&highlight=ensign+club

Brian


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## Caroline123

Hi!
You might already know this, but from what my mother says, seamen would live at the Red Ensign Club when not at sea. It was located in London. My dad lived there during the early 1950's. I'm not sure if it still exists.


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## billmaca

Last time I was in London it was a block o flats ,Used to stay there myself in the 60's the Brown Bear and the Jungle + the the Duke of ? was still there then but that was a few years ago now. the Blue Anchor that was on the corner towards the river was pulled down early 60's , that was quite a night when they clossed for the last time


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## R396040

*Red Ensign Club*



stevevincent1974 said:


> can any body give me any knowledge about a public house i read in a thread on this site, it is purely of interest to know if it still exists.
> It was the red ensign club which was allocated in aldgate east in east london.
> any info and personal stories would be good to hear and if it still exist, if so rough (*)) ly where about in aldgate east. (*)) (*))


It was a seamans missionif you like with accommodation,bar,welfare office etc and was just along from Dock Street pool and right up against the wallof London & St Katherine Docks. I used in many times in the 1950s and latefortiesas I was on Dock St Pool. London Dock was one of the main wine docks with hugewine cellars underneath. I used to sail there on General Steam ships and another regular company was MacAndrews, Curries of Leith and Coast Lines. To reach it you came out ofAldgate East underground,District Line,and turned sharp right heading towards Cable St. Real seamens pubs roundthat area with some I recallin a entry above. It was a LONG time ago....Good luck
Stuart H


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## pete

I never worked out how the Dock Street Shipping Office was in Ensign Street and the Ensign Club was in Dock Street. Odd place was London in the '60s.................pete (Pint)(Pint)


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## john fraser

billmaca said:


> Last time I was in London it was a block o flats ,Used to stay there myself in the 60's the Brown Bear and the Jungle + the the Duke of ? was still there then but that was a few years ago now. the Blue Anchor that was on the corner towards the river was pulled down early 60's , that was quite a night when they clossed for the last time


Bill. I was also in the Blue Anchor the night it closed down,late 64, I was in General Steam at the time. Quite a night as you stated.If I remember correctly they advertised it was to be closed by a well known personality.which was the landlord himself.


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## billmaca

All I can remember about that night John was having a bit of a argy bargy with a guy ,he was actually in the other bar but we seemed to fall out looking through the hatch that and the fact that everything had to go starboard light, tia maria, the lot
Bill


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## Jacko123

*Red Ensign*

If you fire up Google-Maps Street View you can navigate down Leman Street to Shark Island, under the bridge by the Brown Bear (still there, tho tarted up,to yuppy standards with flowers in baskets hangin outside. (Cloud) ) to the 'old' Red Ensign in Dock Street. I'm glad to see my pub is still there, looking much the same, bar a name change from Hearts of Oak to Pepperpot. The Brown Bear http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&ll=51.510886,-0.068547&spn=0.00238,0.006453&z=18&layer=c&cbll=51.51143,-0.068713&panoid=63m2QLX4LjgNtg2yzjyrDQ&cbp=12,110.19,,0,9.79 Good site lads, made me quite sad tho to see all these beautiful ships gone


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## E.Martin

Red Ensign Club otherwise known as Alcatraz,always made sure when sleeping
that the door was well battened down.


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## Pilot mac

was it the Princess of Prussia next to the pool?

Dave


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## Jacko123

Mac. Yes, The Princess of Prussia was there. Click on this link for a photo http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&layer=c&cbll=51.511716,-0.070505&panoid=sklX6_COgW8eLftsLMJXvw&cbp=12,201.06,,0,10.82&ll=51.511737,-0.07037&spn=0.002367,0.005858&z=18


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## Pilot mac

Jacko,
great picture on google maps but I see the brewer is now Shepherd Neame so I wont be rushing to go back.

Dave


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## Pearl Diver

*Red Ensign Club*



Jacko123 said:


> If you fire up Google-Maps Street View you can navigate down Leman Street to Shark Island, under the bridge by the Brown Bear (still there, tho tarted up,to yuppy standards with flowers in baskets hangin outside. (Cloud) ) to the 'old' Red Ensign in Dock Street. I'm glad to see my pub is still there, looking much the same, bar a name change from Hearts of Oak to Pepperpot. The Brown Bear http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&ll=51.510886,-0.068547&spn=0.00238,0.006453&z=18&layer=c&cbll=51.51143,-0.068713&panoid=63m2QLX4LjgNtg2yzjyrDQ&cbp=12,110.19,,0,9.79 Good site lads, made me quite sad tho to see all these beautiful ships gone


Hi Jacko,
My memories of that area are fading over the years, but they go back to the '50's so I do have some excuse. The pub you said was called The Hearts Of Oak was just a few doors away from the old Dock St. pool. It was always known as 'the pepper house' because of the strong smells from the spice warehouses around it. That is obviously how it got its new name. I always thought that The Red Ensign Club was in Leman St. next to the police station, unless that was another Sailors Home. I remember getting involved in a punch up there one night with some Polish seamen. We finished up in the nick, but were sent away at the finish with a caution. I haven't been that way now for at least 30 years but have visited the area often on Google, as you do. The top end of Leman St. is unrecognisable, and as for Gardners Corner and around that bit I think I would get lost now.
Cheers
Pete


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## Jacko123

Pearl Diver..I think Leman street finished at Cable street and and continued on as Dock Street down to The Highway. interesting that the 'local' name for the Hearts of Oak was The Pepperpot. I remember the cop shop near the top of Leman Street, (not intimately I hasten to add) rather as I was broke one time and was reading a book about Jack the Ripper so I wandered around all his old stamping grounds (all in the area). I went into the police station and the fellows were quite helpful and showed me a few papers and things from the time. 1888. I doubt if they would do that nowadays. The Dock Street pool was in Prescott Street and the shipping office was in Ensign Street. Switch from Google Street View to map view..I rather think I would get lost around there nowadays too.


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## Pearl Diver

*Red Ensign Club*



Jacko123 said:


> Pearl Diver..I think Leman street finished at Cable street and and continued on as Dock Street down to The Highway. interesting that the 'local' name for the Hearts of Oak was The Pepperpot. I remember the cop shop near the top of Leman Street, (not intimately I hasten to add) rather as I was broke one time and was reading a book about Jack the Ripper so I wandered around all his old stamping grounds (all in the area). I went into the police station and the fellows were quite helpful and showed me a few papers and things from the time. 1888. I doubt if they would do that nowadays. The Dock Street pool was in Prescott Street and the shipping office was in Ensign Street. Switch from Google Street View to map view..I rather think I would get lost around there nowadays too.


 Hello again Jacko, you must be one of the younger ones. The pool was switched from Dock St. to Prescott St. after my time at sea, and the office in Ensign St. was the NUS offices. Nice talking to you and stirring up memories of the most carefree time in my life.
PD (pete)


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## Jacko123

Long time since I was called 'one of the younger ones.' Around 1961 til 1963 Dock street then KG5, then back to DockenStrasse.Ended up in BP and Joe Shell contract.
One of the younger ones  hmm I may go out tonight and try my luck.


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## paul rennison

*Red Ensign Club*



Jacko123 said:


> Long time since I was called 'one of the younger ones.' Around 1961 til 1963 Dock street then KG5, then back to DockenStrasse.Ended up in BP and Joe Shell contract.
> One of the younger ones  hmm I may go out tonight and try my luck.


Stayed at Red Ensign Club in mid 60's, whilst taking silver service waiters course at P&O school in Prescott St, had great fun in the pubs of an evening - remember Brown Bear & Princess of Prussia,
an old salt in there pointed out a stained patch on the wooden floor and said it was bloodstain where one of the Kray twins victims was axed. Going to the smoke for a few days in June so will have a look around there then. We went up to Anchor house in Canning town for the dances - lots of lovely Irish Nurses there to boogie etc with. Worked by several P&O vessels whilst there serving at "special" lunches on Arcadia, Orcades etc at Tilbury, got a taxi back from Canning town toTilbury one night as we were stopping over onboard Arcadia & had to leg it as the only money we had between four of us was about 25 Singapore dollars! Come signing on day aboard Arcadia, expected after our training to sign on as commis waiters, but told it was night GD's, told them to stuff it & went back to Hull pool, only one of the four of us from Hull I remember & still see is Keith Patrick - he went on to be barman on Norwave, Norland etc -Happy days eh! (Pint) PaulR


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## Alex Salmond

Stayed in the Red Ensign in the early 70s what a dive does anyone remember coming out of the Prescott street Pool on signing on day when you got a few quid while on standby there was all these bums and stiffs hanging around putting the arm on you they would hear you talking and they would tell you in a broad Scottish accent they were a Jock fallen on hard times ,if you said sorry mate ,they would try the next guy He,d be a Scouser so all of a sudden the"Jock" had a broad Scouse accent ,same story,they were triers.You only stayed at the Red Ensign if you were on the bones of your A*** and couldnt get a ship when you got one it was Anchor House all the way,Father McGuiness now there was a character,hard as nails I saw him throw a few guys out in the street when they were playing up.


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## Billieboy

Alex Salmond said:


> You only stayed at the Red Ensign if you were on the bones of your A*** and couldnt get a ship when you got one it was Anchor House all the way,Father McGuiness now there was a character,hard as nails I saw him throw a few guys out in the street when they were playing up.


Father Mac was one of the friendliest, honest, men I ever met, never drank a glass with you, unless you would have one. Spent six or eight weeks there in 1967.


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## Alex Salmond

Billieboy said:


> Father Mac was one of the friendliest, honest, men I ever met, never drank a glass with you, unless you would have one. Spent six or eight weeks there in 1967.


Hi Billyboy,
Your right he was a great friendly man but definitely not one to mess around with,i was there about 1972 when i saw a good example of what i mean,also one of the funniest,there was a couple of seaman from Furryboot Toon (Aberdeen for the sasenachs amongst us) Drunk as in the bar they decided it was time for bed but were so pissed they kept falling over they were lying on the floor singing their heads off when Father Mac came over to see what all the commotion was when one of them peered up at him and said "Bugger off wi yer last rites am no deid yet" his feet hardly touched the ground before he was out on the street followed by his gear 10 minutes later,brilliant,
Alex.


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## stephen street

*red duster accommodation.*

Hi
just a short tale of three cadets staying over night at the above.
The same old story a good night in the bar and the ubiquitos Bulkhead shufle to the land of nod.No luxury of en-suite then,but a ten mile trek round endless coridors.Taffy felt the call of nature,leaving for the hike rapped in a hand towel.Apparently the little brown bottles took there toll on him,he fell asleep on the loo.Some little elf nicked his towel while he sleeped.Upon wakeing taff desided to run the guantlet Al A Natural.Yes you've guessed it no keys!That naughty little elf pretended to sleep thru the hammerings on the door of the very distressed young lad.Poor old thing. Then thru the fog of the little brown bottles he goes to the night porters for assistance.The night porter had some company that night ,the door was open by a pretty young lady.Taffy quickly sbbered up when he realized he was giveing a full frontal.
Steve. 52 Leanedhall st being just round the corner.


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## Kiwi One

I came to England from New zealand in 1946 to put in foreign-going time for Second Mate. Although working from the Connaught Rd. Pool office I stayed in the Red Ensign Club. it was prettty basic, laid out rather like a prison with three floors of tiny cubicles like cells ! But it was cheap and handy to the West End where I liked to for the cinemas and the theatres. They had a kitchen in a cellar (where I was told that thye trained ships' cooks).THe kitchen had gratings opening on to the foot path and men who were broke used to 'camp' on the gratings for the warm air that arose through them!
I recall hearing lots of fights from Cable St which was round the back of hte Club building
Alistair Kerr [email protected]


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## Sylvia

Hi. My grandfather Stanislaw (Stanley) Sieradzki lived in the Red Ensign between late 40s and early 50s. Would you remember him? He was born in 1922, was Polish, had a daughter, was divorced. Maybe any pictures from that time.
Does Red Ensign still exist?
Regards
Sylvia


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## KIWI

Found myself in the Red Ensign Club when I came across from Rotterdam to London 1950.My memory of it is exactly as laid out by Kiwi One.I used to think of it as Edgar Wallace territory as all the streets about featured in his books.The MN Hotel in Lancaster Gate opened & I then used there for my stays in London. KIWI


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## Sylvia

KIWI said:


> Found myself in the Red Ensign Club when I came across from Rotterdam to London 1950.My memory of it is exactly as laid out by Kiwi One.I used to think of it as Edgar Wallace territory as all the streets about featured in his books.The MN Hotel in Lancaster Gate opened & I then used there for my stays in London. KIWI


Thank you, KIWI


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## Malgray2

I remember staying in the Red Ensign Club in 64. Dock Street was a pretty gloomy affair, but you got a clean, individual cabin even though the place was pretty spartan. Had no trouble at all getting my kip.


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## barrie butler

reply to paul rennison.said to the wife tonight how distinctive aromas stay with you,, & one such was the red ensign club.i also attending a silver service course at prescot st 1962 prior to joining r m v athlone castle at Southampton. hull was also my pool,& one of my old ship mates later worked on norsea ferries..his name tony searby,,,we sailed together aboard the m v rotherwick castle out of king George dock hull,,we as galley/pantry boys.


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