Half Moon, Herne Hill

The Half Moon

The Half Moon Tavern, 1880

The Half Moon is a Grade II* listed public house at 10 Half Moon Lane, Herne Hill, London. It is on the Campaign for Real Ale's National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors, and has been a noteworthy live music venue for over 40 years. The Half Moon Public House is listed by Southwark Council as an Asset of Community Value.

History

An inn has stood on the site at the west end of Half Moon Lane, nearest Herne Hill, since the middle of the 17th century, but the first public house "known by the Sign of the Half Moon" was built by Joseph Miller in 1760.

In 1844, Edward Alleyn's original tombstone, removed many years before from Dulwich College Chapel, was 're-discovered' in the skittle ground of the Half Moon, where it was believed to be serving as a cover or break-water for a parish sewer. It is said that the tombstone had "doubtless proved advantageous to the landlord in drawing visitors to his house." One contemporary source states that "Mr. Webb, of the Half Moon Inn, Dulwich, presented the college with the original gravestone of Edward Alleyn, which for many years had been preserved by himself and father in the tea gardens at the rear of the inn." John Webb is shown to be the tenant of the Half Moon Public House, stable and paddock for 22 years from 1824. John Webb of the Half Moon Public House, Dulwich is also shown in Old Bailey records from 1833, providing a reference of good character for a prisoner named William Patten, aged 22, who was found guilty of stealing 2 live pigs and sentenced to be "Transported for Seven Years".

In 1853, William John Webb, is shown as giving evidence in the Old Bailey in the case of Daniel Allen, aged 32, feloniously uttering a forged ten shilling Bank of England note, with intent to defraud. He states in his evidence, "I keep the Half-moon, at Dulwich. On Sunday, 7th Nov., between 3 and 4 o'clock in the afternoon, I was in my bar; the prisoner came in and asked me if I could change a 10/. note for Mrs. Goulding—I told him I could—he had a glass of ale and a cigar, and then left—I paid the note into the Excise-office next day (Monday), and on the following Saturday it was returned to me stamped "Forged"—I had not known the prisoner before—this was on a Sunday—people dress differently on a Sunday in my neighbourhood." The prisoner was found guilty and "Transported for Ten Years".

In 1878, the area of Dulwich is described as being "a favourite resort for the working men of London, for the purpose of holding their annual gatherings at one or other of its taverns, the chief of which are the "Greyhound," the "Half Moon," and the "Crown."" At this time, the Half Moon was particularly noted for its flower garden, lawns and tea gardens.

19th century English author, poet and artist John Ruskin refers to walking "between the hostelry of the Half-moon at the bottom of Herne Hill, and the secluded college of Dulwich". Stanfords' 1864 map shows a tributary of the River Effra flowing north towards Half Moon Lane and running along it, past the Half Moon pub, to Herne Hill. Before the river was covered over in this area in 19th century, John Ruskin describes this tributary as a "tadpole-haunted ditch". During this period, the Half Moon Tavern was accessed by crossing a bridge over the Effra, which appears in an early sketch from 1810. The rural nature of the Half Moon’s environs in the early part of the 19th century, is demonstrated by the fact that in 1805, during the Napoleonic Wars, army manoeuvres took place in Dulwich, with troops stationed on the village green in Half Moon Lane and at the cross roads by the Half Moon Public House.

Between 1894 and 1896, the old Half Moon was rebuilt as a hotel by architect J. W. Brooker in Jacobethan Revival style. The demolition of the former Half Moon Tavern by its owners The Dulwich Estate was clearly not universally popular at the time, with a subsequent poem appearing in Punch entitled "The Doom of Dulwich", including the lines, "Alas for the famous old inns! Ah! progress is all very well, But one of its shockingest sins, Is ringing antiquity's knell. The “Crown” and the “Half Moon” are gone, And now they the Greyhound attack."

In 1908, Edith Smith, barmaid at the Half Moon Hotel, Herne Hill, gives evidence at the Old Bailey in a case of counterfeit coinage stating, "The "Half Moon" is a large house and was rebuilt some years ago. There are six bars ... the front bar, or public bar ... is quite open and there are no screens round it." She states that the pub is never busy in the afternoon, that she usually serves in the saloon bar, and that "a glass of ale and a screw of tobacco" costs two pence. The pub at this time is also described as having a cash register.

The Historic England listing for the Half Moon Public House states that, "The proliferation of ornament across the surface of this building gives the whole a sense of vital unity through their sheer number." The Half Moon is also listed by CAMRA as, "A pub with a nationally important historic interior." The snug bar contains six back-painted mirrors depicting birds and signed by the renowned ‘W. Gibbs & Sons glass decorators’ of Blackfriars. Photos of the pub from the first part of the 20th century, show it to be operated by Barclay Perkins & Co. The rear of the Half Moon comprises both an original element forming a billiards room, and a later addition constructed during the 1930s to convert this area into a snooker room. These two activities are still advertised in the stained glasswork on the outside of the pub.

The poet and writer Dylan Thomas lived locally on Milkwood Road and used to drink at The Half Moon. One anecdote recounts how, "Dylan used to come to watch the London Welsh games, and when, after the match, the teams would gather, as rugger clubs do, for a few pints at the old Half Moon Hotel at Herne Hill, Dylan would be there adding lustre to the gathering. He was a great conversationalist".

London Welsh Rugby Football Club had their home at the nearby Herne Hill Velodrome for over 40 years after World War I, where "alcohol was not permitted by the Dulwich College landlords". The club adopted the Half Moon pub, with player Vivian Jenkins recalling, "If I had been given a fiver for every time I sang Sospan Fach or Calon Lan at the old 'Half Moon' near Herne Hill Station in my playing days in the thirties I should be a millionaire!"

Music venue

Live Music Venue Sign - Half Moon, Herne Hill

The Half Moon has been a live music venue for over 40 years, with bands having appeared early in their careers including The Police, Van Morrison and U2. Locals still refer to an impromptu Half Moon performance by Frank Sinatra, who dropped by to visit his old chauffeur. A press photo of Sinatra's ex-wife Mia Farrow meeting her former chauffeur Dennis Parker, on his first night as landlord of the Half Moon at Herne Hill, would also appear to substantiate this connection. Sinatra is said to have introduced Dennis Parker to everyone as "my friend Dennis".

The Half Moon was a significant South London venue on the 1970s pub rock circuit, hosting performances by Dr. Feelgood and Eddie and the Hot Rods. Around 1974, local musician Stevie Smith started the renowned Sunday jam sessions at the Half Moon. These sessions featured other Herne Hill musicians such as Steve Waller and Brendan Hoban, alongside an amazing array of musical talent from contemporary bands, including The Jeff Beck Group, the Rory Gallagher band, and Thin Lizzy. Steve Waller went on to join Manfred Mann's Earth Band after Manfred Mann was, "recommended to check out a popular South London circuit musician – a singer and guitarist – at the Half Moon pub, Herne Hill."

The Half Moon in Herne Hill also has a notable place in rock history as being the venue where Chris Blackwell, the founder of Island Records, first met the members of U2 and watched them perform. The 11th July 1980 gig at the Half Moon, was also a milestone for U2, as it was the first time they'd sold out a concert venue in the UK. Not everyone was impressed by their performance. Comedian Vic Reeves states that, "I saw U2 there. I wasn’t impressed – they looked like they wanted to be punks but they weren’t. Bono’s haircut was atrocious."

The Half Moon was the venue where The Alarm announced their new name to the world in January 1981, and also hosted the first ever gig by Then Jerico in 1983, and the first gig by Gavin Rossdale of Bush. The era of New wave music in the early 1980s was a particularly rich period in the Half Moon's music history, with a succession of bands and performers including The Comsat Angels, The Triffids, The Sound, The Go-Betweens, The Chameleons, and Billy Bragg all appearing. Grammy Award winner Albert Lee played the Half Moon in 1990. In 1998, "The Bard of Salford" John Cooper Clarke performed at the Half Moon.

More recent acts at the Half Moon during the tenancy of Robert Harrison from 2006-13, include Paloma Faith, Anna Calvi, Kate Tempest, Rumer, The Beat, The Handsome Family, The Wonderstuff, and Turin Brakes. A poster for Clinic's show at the Half Moon in 2010, appears in the book "Classic Rock Posters - Sixty Years of Posters and Flyers: 1952 to 2012". Grammy Award winner La Roux launched her singing career at the pub when she was 17, after being encouraged by her parents to perform at an open mic night. The pub is particularly renowned as a long-standing venue for live blues music.

As well as music, the Half Moon has hosted regular comedy, with acts including Mark Lamarr, Eddie Izzard and Omid Djalili. The pub has also been a regular venue for theatre. The play Botallack O'Clock premiered at the Half Moon in 2011, before transferring to the Edinburgh Festival in 2012, and New York in 2013. The Half Moon has also been a venue for Rollapaluza cycling.

There has also been a boxing gym upstairs at the Half Moon. Danny Williams, who knocked out Mike Tyson in 2004, and went on to fight for the WBC heavyweight title, trained here as a child. The boxing gym was run for a number years by former British and European light welterweight champion Clinton McKenzie.

Depictions

In 1988, the public bar of the Half Moon featured in an advert for Red Rock Cider, directed by John Lloyd and starring Leslie Nielsen.

The Half Moon is depicted in the graphic novel, From Hell, by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell.

In April 2008, comedian Ronnie Corbett was interviewed with TV presenters Ant and Dec in the Half Moon for The Observer.

Scenes from the 2011 British movie Treacle Jr. starring Aidan Gillen were filmed in the Half Moon.

Recent history

The pub closed after a 2013 flooding, and has yet to reopen. In December 2015, the pub was awarded Asset of Community Value (ACV) status by Southwark Council. The ACV status of the Half Moon was upheld by Southwark Council in April 2016, following an appeal by The Dulwich Estate against the listing. In January 2016, London's Fuller's Brewery acquired the lease from the freeholder, The Dulwich Estate, and it is predicted the pub will re-open in late 2016.

A community campaign to save the music venue at the rear of the pub received backing from local celebrities including Jo Brand, La Roux, and even the Mayor of London, but suffered a setback in April 2016 when Southwark Council approved plans to remove the stage and replace it with a new kitchen and dining area. The future of live entertainment at the pub is currently uncertain.

In April 2016, the Half Moon made international news after a picture of its barred list became a viral hit on Twitter. A book of stories inspired by the barred list is currently being crowd-funded.