Knave of Clubs, London

Some of the late Victorian interior of this pub has survived – in particular three large original Victorian glass advertisement panels for brands of spirits etc. These are remarkable survivors as it closed as a pub in 1994 and has been an Art Gallery, Restaurant and re-opened in its present guise as Dirty Bones Restaurant in 2017.

Three-storey building of grey brick re-built 1880 (date in stone parapet(?) at the top of the building). The existence of five original doors indicate it was divided into a number of small room separated by partitions originally. From the left hand door on Bethnal Green Road there is a mosaic floor which would have been a partitioned entrance to the separate Saloon Bar (wording on a door). There is also a tiled dado on the left hand wall of green tiles and three tiled panels in pale ochre.

Above the tiled dado are three impressive ornamental gilt Victorian glass advertisement panels 'Martell Hennessey's Pale and Brown Brandies'; Knave of Clubs Family Wine and Spirit Stores' and 'Choice old Pure Malt Scotch and Irish Whiskies'. Such advertising panels were widely seen in London in Victorian times but now very few remain – there are two impressive ones in the Tipperary in Fleet Street.

The bar counter, which looks to be the original but now painted an off white colour, has moved – it was originally to the left and forward of its present position to create the small saloon where the mirrors are situated. It has a modern brass top.

Sadly, in the period 1994 to 2017 the equally impressive mirrored arcading that was situated under what might be described as a canopy over the present servery has been destroyed. A photo (plate 37 in ‘Pubs of Tower Hamlets by Tony Philips (London Borough of Tower Hamlets (1988)) shows the decorated fluted columns with capital foliage – now painted cream – with the arcading situated just behind it.