Rear of The Tiger Tavern, Tower Hill 1958

This authentic 1950s colour photograph provides a stark look at the post-war landscape of London in 1958, focusing on the rear of The Tiger Tavern. Once located at the corner of Lower Thames Street and Tower Hill, this 1893 building survived the Blitz even as the surrounding structures were reduced to rubble. The image captures the exposed brickwork and derelict state of the adjacent plots, with a sign for “Charrington’s Ales” visible on the pub’s facade. In the background, the historic White Tower of the Tower of London and the upper reaches of Tower Bridge stand as enduring landmarks against a cloudy blue sky.

The pub closed in January 1963 and was subsequently demolished. In 1965 a new office building appeared on the site which contained a pub called the Tiger Tavern. This too was demolished in 2002 and yet another new office building now occupies the site, albeit without a Tiger Tavern.

This archival print is a poignant record of London’s slow recovery from the Second World War and a vanished piece of the city’s social history, ideal for editorial use, research, or as a unique piece of vintage wall art.