Pub on Morden Road at the eastern corner of Ravensbury Grove, which was possibly built prior to 1869 as it was licensed before then. It was demolished in the late 1990s and replaced by a block of flats.

Originally called the Ravensbury Arms, it was renamed the Ravensbury Tavern. Although the 1871 census uses ‘Tavern’, the 1881 census uses ‘Arms’, and ‘Tavern’ is how it is listed in street directories from 1891.

Owners included Youngs when it was Young & Bainbridge, Nalder & Collyer, Ind Coope.

In 1936 Nalder & Collyer sold the leasehold to Ind Coope & Allsop.

Shown on 1894 OS map, but not named:

A photo on Merton Memories shows the pub when it was called the Ravensbury Arms, and the brewer was Young & Bainbridge:

The name of the licensee shown in this photo was John Dent. From the website FindMyPast (subscription required) the 1871 census shows John Dent, aged 57, as licensed victualler for the Ravensbury Tavern. In the 7th October 1876 issue of the Croydon Advertiser, the license of the Ravensbury Tavern was transferred from John Dent to Thomas Sayers:

POLICE INTELLIGENCE. Croydon, Saturday, Sept. 30th.

— Before Dr. Carpenter (Chairman): Lewis Loyd, Esq. ; and J. Young, Esq. Transfer of Licenses.

— The license of the Surrey Cricketers, West-street, Croydon, was transferred from Mr. George Richardson, Southbridge-place (executor to Francis Broadribb. deceased) Mr. John Franks Page. The license of the Eagle Brewery Tap, South End, Croydon, was transferred from Charles Linton to Richard Cheesman, of Carshalton.

— The license of the Crescent Arms Inn, Whitehorse-road, Croydon, was transferred from William Hall to Benjamin Haley, Bow-common, London.

— The license the Ravensbury Tavern, Morden-lane, Mitcham, was transferred from John Dent to Thomas Sayers, of Church-road, Mitcham.

Source: Croydon Advertiser and East Surrey Reporter – Saturday 07 October 1876 from the British Newspaper Archive (subscription required)

The 4th November 1876 issue of the same newspaper says that John Dent took up the license at the Gorringe Park Hotel.

Thus the photo on Merton Memories is from before October 1876.

In the Licensed Victuallers records of 1903 it was shown as fully licensed, and having been licensed before 1869. The owners were Nalder & Collyers Brewery Co., Croydon, to which the pub was tied for draught beer. The name of the licensee was Richard Evans who resided on the premises. Six bedrooms were available for the public and there was stabling for 1 horse. Bread and cheese was available. There was also a urinal and w.c. It served the ‘ordinary class trade’.

In the 1891 street directory the pub was listed as Ravensbury Tavern, with the licensee named as William Wood. In the 1915 street directory, the licensee was shown as Richard Cownden, and in 1925, and 1930, as George Thomas Deeprose. In 1933, the pub contributed to the Explosion Relief Fund, where the licensee was named as H. Deeprose.

This clip is from an undated photo of the pub on Merton Memories. The walls of the upper floors have been rendered. The brewery owner is shown as Taylor Walker. This dates the photo as between 1979 and 1999.

Aerial photo of 1947 from Britain From Above:

1952 OS map:

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Sources:

Helen Osborne’s book Inn and Around London – A History of Young’s Pubs, page 6 : re Young’s partnership with Bainbridge.

Licensed Victuallers Records 1785-1903 on Ancestry.com

1936 list of conveyances on Brewery History wiki.

The Taylor Walker name

Licensees
1871 : John DENT
1876 : Thomas SAYERS
1880 : George BROOKS
1891 : William WOOD
1915 : Richard COWNDEN
1967 : Charles and Pamela LAWRENCE
1925 : George Thomas DEEPROSE
1930 : George Thomas DEEPROSE
1933 : H. DEEPROSE
1967 : Charles LAWRENCE

News Articles
1967 : Roy Castle at the Ravensbury Tavern

Norwood News – Friday 29 November 1929

RAVENSBURY HOMING SOCIETY.

The annual dinner and prize-giving of the Ravensbury Homing Society took place at tne Ravensbury Tavern, Mitcham, last week. The chair was taken by Mr. G. Kearey, and after dinner the members were entertained by ” The Yorricks Concert Party,” which the company greatly enjoyed. During the interval Mr. G. Kearey presented the prizes won by the members, and congratulated them on a successful season and a good balance sheet. Over £80 was distributed, together with four cups. The principal winners were : J. Conning, Bull Bros., Goodsell Bros., L. C. Ashthorpe, Fry and Bouchard, Neville and Sharp, W. Gray, H. Halliday, R. Small and Son, Cook and Beadle.

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Maps are reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.