Eddie

Former landlord of the 'Two Puddings Pub' in Stratford, Eddie gives a fascinating insight on life in Stratford just after the Second World War.

Interview

Listen to an interview with Eddie.

You can also read excerpts from the interview below.

About this painting

Oil on canvas, 65x45cm, 2007

Eddie

From the interview

On the Two Puddings Pub

One of the licensees in 1910 used to put Christmas puddings out at Christmas and any pensioners who came along - he gave a slice to, which is where the name The Two Puddings came from. It is a unique name, not another pub of that name in the country.

Me and my brother in 1957 started the world's first disco and it spread - if we could have patented it, we'd have made a fortune. Cost half a crown to get in.

On Clarnico

As we walked along, the smell of chocolate was overpowering - it was a wonderful, wonderful smell when you've been deprived of chocolates and sweets for years. Clarnico was a big Victorian style building with bars up the windows... we used to climb up the bars and try to look in just to smell the chocolate.

On Boardmans

Stratford was quite a haven, a well known shopping centre. There was Boardman's - a wonderful West End type store; it had everything. It had a lovely tea shop. People used to come from all over (Bow, Bethnal Green) just to go shopping in Stratford.

"Penny Lane"

The Beatles made a film "Penny lane" down Angel Lane. The Beatles were all down there. I was in The Puddings and someone came running in and said that Beatles are down Angel Lane but, much to my chagrin, they all went in a little pub called the Salway Arms in Angel Lane. (I never saw them).

I used to have a big sign outside the Puddings saying "The greatest pub in the world". The following week, the chap at the Salway put a big notice up saying "We might not be the greatest pub in the world, but we had the greatest (pop) group in the world drinking in here!"