The Mayor of Garratt

The site of the Mayor of Garratt spoof elections.

Location: 538 Garratt Lane, Earlsfield, SW17 0NY

Description: This grand old pub was one of the halting places on the world's first railways - a horsedrawn one from Wandsworth to Croydon.

Hanging in the bar used to be the old bottle - is it still there?

An old custom that regularly took place in front of this pub was the Mayor of Garratt Election a satirical and entertaining ceremony and festival that drew great crowds. In essence, greedy squires were illegally grabbing more and more common land so local's defied the local landlords and elected their own mayor who during his term of office, was accorded a mock knighthood and expected to wear full regalia including a wooden sword (you can find one in Wandsworth Town Hall).

Themes: Pub Pub Theme