The Lord Napier

I see this sad little row of buildings from the train on my way to work in Camden every day. Every time I see them I wonder about them and what might have accompanied them once upon a time - a whole street perhaps? This street is very close to the 2012 Olympic site and next to Hackney Wick Over-ground Station, and so I suspect it will get swept away along with much that has already gone before. So, I decided that I would take a Saturday morning out and, taking the train as I would do during the week, I alighted at Hackney Wick Station (an eerie experience in itself) and descended the slope from the westbound platform. I was one of three other people with business in Hackney Wick this crisp, bright Saturday morning.

This little derelict row is the first sight that greets you when you come down the westbound slope of Hackney Wick Train station and is surrounded by industrial buildings and yards. On the corner of White Post Lane and Hepscott Road stands a graffiti daubed structure that at one time was known as The Lord Napier public house, the name still discernable through the red paint.

I was so intrigued by this derelict remnant of a street that when I returned home from having taken a few moody photographs of the row, I jumped on my trusty laptop and did a little research about this forgotten street. I wondered about what had been and what would become of this little group of buildings. The pub was really the only building that I could find anything out about; squatters, raves, and club nights being the more recent events in its history.

I found, unsurprisingly really, that I was not alone in my interest in this building; others had gone before me, giving up their leisure hours to photograph The Lord Napier and its neighbours. Mostly the photographic interest is in capturing the graffiti on the building, whereas my interest is in the life and future of the building. Here are a few snippets that I discovered about the place – amazing what you can find out! Shame to think that it’ll probably be just a memory in this blog (and to those others who care or have memories of The Lord Napier and White Post Lane) by 2012.

"Thanks to toby150 for this amazing shot of the Lord Napier!! It was taken by his dad - who took it from the upstairs window of 44 White Post Lane in the 1940's or 50's. His house was where the Bagel Factory is now - looking straight over to The Lord Napier Pub in its heyday.
Notice the yard of Carless Capel and Leonard that is still there to this day and where Petrol was invented/given its name as we all know it.
His Uncle Clem Ward and his brother BIG John Ward - were piano players in all the local boozers 1940's /50's including The Lea Tavern.
toby150 also found an article where it mentions a big flood at the turn of the century - which made the petrol tanks in CC & Leonard overspill into the streets and someone dropped a match or ciggy and the whole area went up in flames.
Now THIS is exactly the kind of brilliant information I was hoping we would get on this site!! toby150 - thank you a million times over!!"
From http://hackneywick.blogspot.com/2008/12/lord-napier-in-hackney-wick.html

"A Sunday Swing in Hackney Wick
If you find yourself in our fair and crisp capital next Sunday, the 20th November, may I suggest that you check out the latest Creative Swing. The smell of bagels and a walk of stars will bring you to The Lord Napier, 25 White Post Lane, E9 5EN, wherein you will find all manner of earthly delights - spoken word, dance, knitting, and general arty gubbins. As part of the evening there will be some sort of Keshco performance, presumably involving the singing of certain words and the playing of certain melodies. There may also be a new episode of Johnny Cocktail, for the truly fearless. Best of all, it's entirely free! How could you resist... "
From blog of keshcologist November 2005


1983 pub guide
E9 LORD NAPIER: 25 White Post Lane. Allied Breweries. BURTON ALE, TAYLOR WALKER BITTER, MAINLINE. Quiet two bar pub surrounded by factories. Food am/Pool/Musak/Juke Box.

Census Lord Napier1881/Henry Delaforce/Licenced Victualler/39/London, Middlesex/Census ****1881/Martha Delaforce/Wife/37/London, Middlesex/Census1881/Lucy Delaforce/Daughter/15/London, Middlesex/Census1881/Harrey Delaforce/Son/5/London, Middlesex/Census1881/Janet Cole/Domestic Servant/19/London, Middlesex/Census1891/George Verney/Licensed Victualler/49/Devonport, Devon/Census ****1891/Henrietta H Verney/Wife/52/Queenborough, Kent/Census1891/John J Oatway/Visitor/35/Tolleshunt D'Arcey, Essex/Census1891/William Weeler/Potman/32/W Croydon, Surrey/Census1891/Alice Harcourt/Domestic Servant/26/Honiton, Devon/Census1891/Elizabeth Wilks/Domestic Servant/17/Barkingside, Essex/Census1934/Edward William Marsh/../../../Kelly's ****1938/Edward William Marsh/../../../Post Office Directory **

Hackney Wick E9 (Lord Napier)
Now used as a squat - well at least until the developers for the Olympics 2012 move in..
Jo writes: "My great great grandfather was a potman in the Lord Napier in the 1890s, and in fact his daughter, my great grandmother Martha Ruston was a bar maid there before her marriage in 1901. I wish I could do a spot of time travelling to take a look inside it then ... what a contrast to its latter years!"

David Eason writes: "Below are two poor qlty picks that my dad took from his upstairs window opposite in the 30's or 40's.
My Uncles brother played piano in this pub and the Lea Tavern around the corner (Big John Ward) Also as a point of interest the Napier is opposite an old yard that was once owned by Carles Capel and Leonard who invented the word "Petrol" This booza is also a stones throw from where the worlds first plastic was invented, the diode valve and Dry Cleaning."