Home

Themes | Tours | By Area
Map | New | Hot

Latest News
Comments
On This Day in London
Can You Help?
Email Newsletter

Sign Up/Register
Forgot Password?
Contribute a Location

About Us
Friends
Contact Us

RSS Feeds

IN THE NEWS

BBC Media Village and White City 

I NEED A...

• London Xmas Shop
• London Betting
• London Bookshop
• London Car Hire
• London Car Parking
• London Shopping
• London Dating
• London Flats to Rent
• Flights to London
• London Flower Delivery
• London Hotel
• London Music
• London Finance
• London Restaurant
• London Theatre

Number of Locations:

LATEST TOURS

TOP TOURS

TOP TOUR GUIDES

    1. Ade  
    2. Jez  
    3. Dave Evans  
    4. Brian  
    5. James Robertson  

LONDON THEMES

The Colony Room

This is the infamous Muriel Belcher's Colony Rooms were.

Location: 41 Dean Street, Soho, London, W1D 4PY

Description: Muriel Belcher was the founder and proprietress of this private drinking club known as the Colony Room (also known as Muriel's) here.

The Room operated between 1948 and her death in 1979. A lesbian, she was considered by many to be foul-mouthed. One of her former customers remembered her as a handsome, Jewish dyke; another, George Melly said of her, Muriel was a benevolent witch, who managed to draw in all London's talent up those filthy stairs. She was like a great cook, working with the ingredients of people and drink. And she loved money.

Her sexuality attracted many gay men to the club, many of them being brought to the club by her Jamaican girlfriend, Carmel. She had an intuition that lead her to attract or discover interesting and colourful people. The patronage of men like Melly and Francis Bacon helped to establish the Colony's close-knit community. One of Bacon's friends, Lady Rose McLaren was a habitue of the club in her London days.

Belcher was famous if not synonymous for her rudeness, a trait which rubbed off onto the club and became part of its culture; with lesbian forthrightness her favourite word was cunt; this she delivered in her distinctive and ringing tones. According to Muriel the word cunt was a term of abuse, however, Cunty was a term of affection. The ultimate accolade and term of acceptance was if she called you Mary.

• Location
• Comments
• More

Themes: Society  Alcohol  Art
Submitted by: Ade 
Ranking This Month: 275/2548
Pages Hit This Month: 136
Link to This Page: http://www.shadyoldlady.com/location.php?loc=904
Credits: http://www.colonyroom.com/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/multimedia/alcohol/colony.shtml

The Colony Room This is the infamous Muriel Belcher's Colony Rooms were.

The Shady Old Lady points out that you can drag this map using mouse. Or visit our full massive map.

1» Soho writer Jeffrey Bernard and artist Lucian Freud were both regulars. I also spotted Clash singer Joe Strummer in here too. (Bill Stealer)

Posted by Bill Stealer on 2011-11-14

Got something to add? Write it 'ere:

Name:     Email:
Your email will ONLY be used once, to confirm the publication of your comments. We value your contribution and privacy.
<Put your comments here>
Anti-spam Security: Please enter this code: