*Historical* This South London pub has an old Victorian plaque screwed to the top of the bar, perhaps a remnant from when it was a butcher’s shop.

Drinkers may have rested their pints on this often-missed brass plaque in The Woodman, Carshalton – a building that dates back to the 1600s.

Woodman Victorian Plaque
Plaque is hidden in plain sight © Secret Carshalton
Woodman Victorian Plaque
A view of the bar © Secret Carshalton

The Victorian momento reads:

Woodmane the Butchers
Presented to Woodmane the Butchers in recognition of their generosity in supplying meats to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria
22 June 1897

Woodman Victorian Plaque
A close-up of the plaque © Secret Carshalton

It’s interesting to note the slightly different spelling of the butcher’s surname – this is who the current pub is named after.

Queen Victoria was the first British monarch ever to celebrate a Diamond Jubilee.

Queen Victoria Jubilee
The official portrait for the Diamond Jubilee © Deliberately not under copyright ensuring it would be distributed throughout the Empire at the time.

Questions remain: Who presented the plaque and what was it for exactly? Was the celebration a local event or something in London?

The Woodman still has iron meat hooks from its time as a butcher, in situ outside the building.

Woodman Victorian Plaque
The butcher meat hooks outside © Secret Carshalton
Woodman Victorian Plaque
A view of the outdoor area at the rear of The Woodman © Secret Carshalton

Click here to read more about the history of this wonderful old building.

Found this interesting? Got something to add? Let us know in the comments below 😊

The address of the pub is: The Woodman, 6 High Street, Carshalton, SM5 3AG

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