Harmer Street

Gravesend

https://whatpub.com/call-boy

Above photo, circa 2010. Kindly supplied by John Hopperton.

Above sign, 1967, kindly sent by Roger Pester.

Above sign left, June 1977. Sign right, 2008. Above two signs, February 1987. With thanks from Brian Curtis www.innsignsociety.com.

Starting life as the "Institute Shades" in 1846, the pub changed name some time between that year and 1920 to the "Grand Bars" and operating under that guise till about 1953. In that year the pub was rebuilt, replacing the demolished "Assembly Rooms" pub when it again changed names to the "Call Boy," it remained with that name till 2010 when it was renamed "Bar Liquorice" for two years. 2012 saw its latest change to "Angels."

The "Assembly Rooms" pub was associated with the Grand Theatre and had a number of names. According to Kevans excellent deadpubs site it was originally known as the "Institution Shades" circa 1846; the "Assembly Rooms" by 1866; Grand Bars in 1920; and also as Theatre Tap and Theatre Bar.

The Theatre closed in 1933 but the pub remained open until the roof fell in in 1952. Subsequently the "Call Boy" was built on the site.

A licensee (early 80s) stated that it was named after the 1927 winner of the Derby. Another story says it was named after a ballot held by the customers of the time. Either way the theatre call boy sounds more likely as it was built on the site of the old theatre.

Shepherd Neame closed this pub in 2008 along with a lot of their others. It reopened as "Bar Liquorice" a year later, closing down in 2012. Now used as "Angels," a gay brasserie/bar, although that has changed again, please read on from this link.

LICENSEE LIST

http://www.closedpubs.co.uk/callboy.html