Spot and Peter
The Old George, Mortlake, Surrey
WE all know of the B.B.G. announcer who, every Spring, is heard
to say in excited tones during the Boat Race:
“Passing the Brewery
In”Out”In”Out. . . .”
But we don’t get the wrong impression.
As you approach Mortlake on the Surrey side of the river,
just in front of the Brewery hangs a sign indicating the glad tidings
that here is journey’s end”The Old George.
This charming pub has every right to proclaim itself The Old
George for, apart from a few modern alterations, it stands very
much as it did when it was first built about seven hundred years
ago.
(This Limited Edition Original Book Plate/Lithograph, May still be for sale ) see Our Sales sites
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The Old George
This is such a friendly, fascinating little pub that one tries,
almost instinctively, to find out more of its history. It must be
soaked in it. And, alas, its records were lost in the Thames when
the Brewery was ,flooded.
Indeed, whenever the landlords or managers of these river-
side taverns are asked about the history of their charges, all proudly
point (rather in the manner of veterans showing their medals and
their scars) to the brass strip attached to the wall, recording the
level the Thames reached during the great ,oods of 1928.
Apart from its many heart-warming quaint antiques, The
Old George contains the smallest offlicence in the South of England.
It consists of a tiny door, measuring about fifteen inches by nine
inches wide, placed just at the side of the saloon bar. This entrance
is much in demand by Spot and Peter on the prowl.
SPOT AND PETER
You will never see another pub quite like this one, and it is
extremely unlikely you will see a dog that corresponds to Peter.
To his adoring mistress, Peter is the one and only. In any case, his
type is very rare.
Peter is a Dutch barge dog. His mistress, in search of a good
house dog, wisely visited the Battersea Dogs’ Home. This remarkable
home could provide a specimen from every known breed .
