The Ten Bells

[John Bennett]

...looks like a young Martin Fido!

Either that or it's Colin Wilson in need of a haircut...

[WARSPITE]

Hi John

Is that correct re: it was called the Jack the Ripper pub 1975-88 ?

I am positive it was called the Jack the Ripper pub when I went in the early 90`s. The bar was partitioned off, with the wall behind you with the victims board upon it, as you faced the bar.

I remember being disapointed that it wasn`t called the Ten Bells, as I wanted a photo of the Ten Bells sign.

Hi Jon, yes I think JBs correct.My first visit was Oct1988 and it was the Ten Bells by then. Staff were friendlier then, and cockney.

[Rob1n]

Yes, probably modernised, they did it again a year or two back and changed it - not for the better.

The bar staff now are a surly lot, not very friendly

[RivkahChaya]

Is it the same building, however renovated? Surely the chairs and stools would have been replaced since 1888, and so would the plumbing, if it existed at the time, and electricity would have been installed, probably some gas lines removed, stove pipes bricked up, but having the same address is a big deal.

The Stonewall Inn on Christopher St. in the Village doesn't exist anymore, but there's a bar that's in part of the downstairs space, and partly next door, which is called "The Stonewall." The owner is gay, and so are most of the employees, instead of the mafia, which owned it in 1969. My lesbian cousin's son's middle name is Christopher, which didn't go over too well with the Jewish family. The name is on his birth certificate, but they just used his first name at his bris and his bar mitzvah. I've been to The Stonewall. It's small, and pretty quiet for Manhattan.

Anyway, the site of the building is considered an historic site, and there's a plaque.

For Brits, who may not know, there was a riot at the Stonewall Inn in 1969 that sparked the current gay rights movement, which continues into the present. The homophobia of the police, and their ability to legally harass gay people was unbelievable in the 1960s. My parents were extreme liberals in the 1970s, with the position that they didn't care what people did, as long as they kept it to themselves.

My point is, just retaining the location is important. I don't believe in literal spirits, but I think the reason a lot of people do is that our brains conjure them up from knowledge about what happened where. That's why historical sites are such tourist attractions. Drinking in the same geographic spot MJK did is emotional, no matter how much the edifice has changed.

[John Bennett]

Hi Jon, yes I think JBs correct.My first visit was Oct1988 and it was the Ten Bells by then. Staff were friendlier then, and cockney.

I have a newspaper clipping from 22 January 1988 announcing that the name will be changed back to the 'Ten Bells'. I expect it was changed not long after.

JB