Plaque

Black Lion pub ghost

Inscription

The Black Lion
Formerly known as the Black Lyon, a public house has stood on this site for well over 200 years. Originally a piggery it is reputed that the pig farmer started brewing beer for himself and his friends - this proved so popular that it overtook his agricultural interests as his main occupation.
The Hammersmith ghost started haunting Black Lion Lane, and St Paul's Churchyard in 1804. One night an excise officer, Francis Smith filled his blunderbuss with shot, and himself with ale before killing an unfortunate white-clothed bricklayer, Thomas Millwood, whom he had mistaken for the ghost. It was at the Black Lion that the body was taken and an inquest held later.

The ghost was covering quite a large area - St Paul's Churchyard was at what is now the Hammersmith roundabout, three quarters of a mile away.

Site: Black Lion pub ghost (1 memorial)

W6, Black Lion Lane, Black Lion pub

In our photo the plaque is hidden between the sun umbrellas at the left.

We have decided generally not to collect pub plaques since they are often either verbose historical lists of who, reportedly, drank here and/or little more than an advertisement. However this one is interesting since it locates a murder which became important for legal history.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Black Lion pub ghost

Subjects commemorated i

Thomas Millwood

See Francis Smith for the story.

Read More

Francis Smith

The Hammersmith ghost started haunting Black Lion Lane and St Paul's Churchya...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Jubilee Gardens - original opening stone in original location

Jubilee Gardens - original opening stone in original location

SE1, Jubilee Gardens

In our 2003 photo you can see two plaques: the one sticking out of the wall is in Braille. You can also see a corner of our fair city whi...

3 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Martha Gellhorn

Martha Gellhorn

SW3, Cadogan Square, 72

Martha Gellhorn, 1908 - 1998, war correspondent and writer, lived and worked in a flat here. English Heritage

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Peachey-Edwards

Peachey-Edwards

E2, Teesdale Street, Peachey Edwards House

British History Online describe the 1960s Peachey Edwards House as containing "20 flats for old people" but we cannot find an image of it.

3 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Eagle Hut - WW1

Eagle Hut - WW1

WC2, Aldwych, Bush House

Although very simple this is a quality plaque. The text is carved in a serif typeface and the red triangle is neatly made with small segm...

4 subjects commemorated
Reverend Joseph Harrison

Reverend Joseph Harrison

W5, Webster Gardens, 23

The style of the plaque, its typeface in particular, made us question the LCC attribution so we enquired and English Heritage (now respon...

1 subject commemorated

Previously viewed

Sam House

Sam House

W1, Wardour Street, The Intrepid Fox

1784 is the date of the election when the publican supported Fox's campaign.

2 subjects commemorated
Chateaubriand

Chateaubriand

W1, Paddington Street

In 1793 the author of Memoires D'Outre-Tombe, Chateaubriand, 1768 - 1848, lived as an émigré in a garret close to this site and began h...

1 subject commemorated
Joe Meek

Joe Meek

Record producer, e.g. 'Have I the right'.  Born Robert George Meek in Newent Gloucestershire, where there is a plaque. First truly independent record producer.  'Telstar' for The Tornados was the f...

Person, Music / songs

1 memorial
H G Wells - Baker Street

H G Wells - Baker Street

NW1, Baker Street, Chiltern Court

The H.G. Wells Society H.G. Wells, author, 1866 - 1946, lived and worked here, 1930 - 1936.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator