THE LION BREWERY BELVEDERE ROAD

O.k. so here goes. I hope you can stay with me on this one, as it can get confusing. I have been interested in this subject for a few years now, but the history of the Lion Brewery got me confused. The reason, is due to the fact, that there are not only a vast number of pubs called the Red Lion, but there are also other historical Red Lion & Lion breweries, the Lion Brewery once had a gigantic coaed stone lion standing proudly on top of the building. This is where the Red Lion aspect of the story, comes into play. After a bit of digging around, I can't be too sure, if  the lion on top of the brewery was red, or painted that colour when the brewery was demolished to make way for the Royal Festival Hall, which you can see in the picture above. I am assuming that the lion was red on top of its original home as the Lion Brewery was also known as the Red Lion Brewery.

The Lion Brewery once stood as a beacon on the south bank of the River Thames on the site where the Royal Festival Hall now stands. The brewery was founded in 1836. The land was owned by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The founder of the brewery, was a man named James Goding, who obtained a lease of ground on the south side of Belvedere road in Lambeth.

Luckily there was also a water works site close to the premises with the lease being bought in 1853 which Goding incorporated into the brewery. By 1866 the Goding family formed the Lion Brewery Company Ltd, which continued to operate until 1924 when it was taken over by the Hoare & Co company of brewers in Wapping, whose brewery was funnily enough named the Red Lion brewery, surprise, surprise.

The main building was then badly damaged in a fire in 1931 then was used a storage facility for waste paper, then stood derelict until it was demolished in 1949 to make way for the Royal Festival Hall. The brewery brewed beer that was transported to quench the thirst of people all across the British Empire. Ales were shipped to many British trade posts out from London by companies such as the East India Company. The beer was often used as ballast in the holds of ships, being heavily hopped, to survive the voyage. The journey could take up to six-months, by the time the beverage had reached its destination, the beer had taken on a particular taste & flavour, that the soldiers especially in India enjoyed, whilst enduring the incredulous sweltering heat of their surroundings. This is how India Pale Ale got its name.

I thought this was a website about pubs & breweries I hear you ask. The reason for the red lion in the photo opposite is where I started to get confused. Whilst doing research for a powerpoint talk I had to do for my guiding exam, I thought that it would be a good idea to do a talk on gin making in Clerkenwell. I came across 2-3 famous gin distilleries which are all but a stone throws distance between each other. This includes the like of Gordons/Tanqueray Gin. Doing the research, I came across some information that Felix Booth who made Booths gin a success, had purchased the Lion Brewery. Being a member of the British Brewing Heritage Society, it turned out the claim is false. Hence the connection of the red Booths lion motif, in connection with the red lion on top of the Lion Brewery wasn't had no merit.

Wow look another red lion, but this time it's the pub sign of the Red Lion pub in Westminster, with a very interesting parliament themed decor. Make sure when you pay a visit, you go spend a penny. The reason I say this, is that both the men & ladies conveniences, have number 10 & 11 Downing Street doors for you to walk through. Another area of the pub I suggest taking a gander at is the downstairs basement area. Being a Fullers pub, it has an elaborate Fullers mirror for you to look at yourselves in. I have a crush for pub mirrors. I am not going to go into too much depth regarding why pubs are named the Red Lion, but you can see how this motif, is extensively used. In all there are around 600 pubs in the United Kingdom, named the Red Lion.

Some say the reason goes all the way back to when James I and VI of Scotland, came to the throne in 1603. It is claimed, he ordered the red lion symbol, to be displayed on all buildings of importance, as well as pubs . Another historical reason, is that it may be connected to John of Gaunt. Known to be the founder of the House of Lancaster, ancestor to the dynasty of the British monarchy, from the reign of Henry IV through to Henry VI. He was also great-great grandfather to Henry VII first of the Tudors. Being quite well off, he had a part to play in the Peasants Revolt of 1381. Whilst on his travels, the revolters broke into his palace at the Savoy on the Thames. Rather than stealing his wealth, they melted his gold, & threw his jewels into the river.

Therefore, being such a hated figure,I can't see why his heraldic symbol, would want to be seen across public houses across the nation, not on your nelly. It may be the case others claim, that it is more of a local reason, as many landowners heraldic coats of arms had a red lion, so to show allegiance to the person who pays your wages & who you rent your land from landlords would show their allegiance to the local landowner. I think that for whatever the reason may be, it just helps to cement why the pub, is so important to British culture.

Being brought up around the Elephant & Castle, which  if you walk briskly, is about a thirty minute walk from the base of the Westminster Lion. If your lazy like me, there is a bus stop close by, I used to enjoy jumping on a number 12 route master to get me home, in time for my mothers, burger & chips. Believe it or not this is the lion that once stood proud over looking the Thames on top of the Lion Brewery. 

The lion story begins, when James Goding the owner of the Lion Brewery, commissioned the sculpture William Frederick Woodington to sculpt a pair of lions to advertise the brewery. Luckily next door to the brewery could be found a factory that specialised in a material known as Coade stone which consisted of a mixture of clay, flint, quartz, & soda lime glass that was fired for several days to form a material that was highly regarded for its weather proofing qualities. This is why the lion seems to always be immaculately white. The stone is actually a ceramic material, being perfected by Mrs Eleanor Coade in 1770 from a recipe by Richard Holt. It could also be cast into a wide range of shapes, being the ideal material for the sculptor William Woodington to use. An inscription on the lions paw,"WFWCoade24May1837", gives us a precise date for the birth of this magnificent beast.

 The lion was adored by Londoners, & tourists alike. It became a beacon of hope, especially during the blitz of bombs, that rained down on London during WWII. Londoners claimed that as long as the lion stood proud on top of the brewery London would stand. When the brewery was to be demolished  in 1949 King George VI the lion was to be preserved.

The lions new home was a plinth outside Waterloo Station, the lions red colour suiting that of the then British rail. He was a greeting sight for those who visited the Festival of Britain in 1951.