Blind Beggar
Encyclopedia
The Blind Beggar is a public house
on Whitechapel Road
, Whitechapel
in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets
. It is notable as the former brewery tap of the Manns Albion brewery, where the first modern Brown Ale was brewed. It's also where Ronnie Kray
shot and murdered George Cornell
in front of witnesses, and as the location of William Booth
's first sermon, which led to the creation of The Salvation Army
. It was built in 1894 on the site of an inn which had been established before 1654, and takes its name from the legend of Henry de Montfort
.
, a son of Simon de Montfort
.
The Blind Beggar is the site on which the Salvation Army
started. In 1865 William Booth
preached his first open air sermon outside the public house which led to the establishment of the East London Christian Mission, later to become the Salvation Army. William Booth is commemorated by a nearby statue.
The Blind Beggar is notorious for its connection to East End
gangsters, the Kray twins
. On 9 March 1966, Ronnie Kray
shot and murdered George Cornell
, an associate of a rival gang, the Richardsons
, as he was sitting at the bar. The murder took place in the then saloon bar.
The pub is also a popular starting point for the Monopoly Pub Crawl, despite being located on the board's third space.
The freehold ownership of the pub was sold at Allsop auction on 17 May 2010, the buyers being a family of Indian descent who previously owned a casino in Whitechapel at the time of the Krays.
in 1265, and was nursed to health by a baroness, and together they had a child named Besse (commemorated in Besse Road). He became the "Blind Beggar of Bethnal Green" and used to beg at the crossroads. The story of how he went from landed gentry to poor beggar became popular in the Tudor era, and was revived by Percy’s Reliques of Ancient English Poetry
, published in 1765. The legend came to be adopted in the arms of the Metropolitan Borough of Bethnal Green
in 1900.
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
on Whitechapel Road
Whitechapel Road
Whitechapel Road is a major arterial road in the East End of London, England. It connects Whitechapel High Street to the west with Mile End Road to the east and forms part of the A11 road. It is a main shopping street in the Whitechapel area of Tower Hamlets and has a street market...
, Whitechapel
Whitechapel
Whitechapel is a built-up inner city district in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, London, England. It is located east of Charing Cross and roughly bounded by the Bishopsgate thoroughfare on the west, Fashion Street on the north, Brady Street and Cavell Street on the east and The Highway on the...
in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is a London borough to the east of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It is in the eastern part of London and covers much of the traditional East End. It also includes much of the redeveloped Docklands region of London, including West India Docks...
. It is notable as the former brewery tap of the Manns Albion brewery, where the first modern Brown Ale was brewed. It's also where Ronnie Kray
Kray twins
Reginald "Reggie" Kray and his twin brother Ronald "Ronnie" Kray were the foremost perpetrators of organised crime in London's East End during the 1950s and 1960s...
shot and murdered George Cornell
George Cornell
George Cornell was an English criminal and member of the Richardson Gang, who were scrap metal dealers and criminals.He was shot and killed by Ronnie Kray at the Blind Beggar public house in Whitechapel...
in front of witnesses, and as the location of William Booth
William Booth
William Booth was a British Methodist preacher who founded The Salvation Army and became its first General...
's first sermon, which led to the creation of The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
. It was built in 1894 on the site of an inn which had been established before 1654, and takes its name from the legend of Henry de Montfort
Henry de Montfort
Sir Henry de Montfort was the son of Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, and with his father played an important role in the struggle of the barons against King Henry III...
.
History
It was built in 1894 on the site of an inn which had been established before 1654, and named after the legend of Henry de MontfortHenry de Montfort
Sir Henry de Montfort was the son of Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, and with his father played an important role in the struggle of the barons against King Henry III...
, a son of Simon de Montfort
Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester
Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, 1st Earl of Chester , sometimes referred to as Simon V de Montfort to distinguish him from other Simon de Montforts, was an Anglo-Norman nobleman. He led the barons' rebellion against King Henry III of England during the Second Barons' War of 1263-4, and...
.
The Blind Beggar is the site on which the Salvation Army
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
started. In 1865 William Booth
William Booth
William Booth was a British Methodist preacher who founded The Salvation Army and became its first General...
preached his first open air sermon outside the public house which led to the establishment of the East London Christian Mission, later to become the Salvation Army. William Booth is commemorated by a nearby statue.
The Blind Beggar is notorious for its connection to East End
East End of London
The East End of London, also known simply as the East End, is the area of London, England, United Kingdom, east of the medieval walled City of London and north of the River Thames. Although not defined by universally accepted formal boundaries, the River Lea can be considered another boundary...
gangsters, the Kray twins
Kray twins
Reginald "Reggie" Kray and his twin brother Ronald "Ronnie" Kray were the foremost perpetrators of organised crime in London's East End during the 1950s and 1960s...
. On 9 March 1966, Ronnie Kray
Kray twins
Reginald "Reggie" Kray and his twin brother Ronald "Ronnie" Kray were the foremost perpetrators of organised crime in London's East End during the 1950s and 1960s...
shot and murdered George Cornell
George Cornell
George Cornell was an English criminal and member of the Richardson Gang, who were scrap metal dealers and criminals.He was shot and killed by Ronnie Kray at the Blind Beggar public house in Whitechapel...
, an associate of a rival gang, the Richardsons
The Richardson Gang
The Richardson Gang was a 1960s group of criminals in South London, England. Less well remembered than their rivals the Krays, they nevertheless had a reputation at their peak as being some of London's most infamous and sadistic gangsters...
, as he was sitting at the bar. The murder took place in the then saloon bar.
The pub is also a popular starting point for the Monopoly Pub Crawl, despite being located on the board's third space.
The freehold ownership of the pub was sold at Allsop auction on 17 May 2010, the buyers being a family of Indian descent who previously owned a casino in Whitechapel at the time of the Krays.
Henry de Montfort legend
In the Blind Beggar legend, de Montfort was wounded and lost his sight in the Battle of EveshamBattle of Evesham
The Battle of Evesham was one of the two main battles of 13th century England's Second Barons' War. It marked the defeat of Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester, and the rebellious barons by Prince Edward – later King Edward I – who led the forces of his father, King Henry III...
in 1265, and was nursed to health by a baroness, and together they had a child named Besse (commemorated in Besse Road). He became the "Blind Beggar of Bethnal Green" and used to beg at the crossroads. The story of how he went from landed gentry to poor beggar became popular in the Tudor era, and was revived by Percy’s Reliques of Ancient English Poetry
Reliques of Ancient English Poetry
The Reliques of Ancient English Poetry is a collection of ballads and popular songs collected by Thomas Percy and published in 1765.-Sources:...
, published in 1765. The legend came to be adopted in the arms of the Metropolitan Borough of Bethnal Green
Metropolitan Borough of Bethnal Green
Bethnal Green was a civil parish and a metropolitan borough in the East End of London, England. It was formed as a civil parish in 1743 from the Bethnal Green hamlet in Stepney ancient parish. The vestry became an electing authority to the Metropolitan Board of Works in 1855 and in 1889 it became...
in 1900.