The Woolwich Infant stood at 9 Plumstead Road and served generations of residents.
The Woolwich Infant’s name might sound innocent, but it actually referred to a massive gun once stationed at Woolwich Dockyard.
The pub is believed to have opened in the early 1900s and was conveniently located next to Woolwich’s popular covered market.
Later in its life, it gained a reputation as a gay-friendly venue.
It was featured in the first edition of Derelict London by Paul Talling, who recalled thinking it was closed on his first visit, only to find it still open.
Although it looked healthier a few years later, the revival was short-lived.
After closing, the building became a clothes shop and later a Sam’s Chicken branch.
For years, the old Woolwich Infant sign hung outside the chicken shop until it disappeared in 2019.
The story of the Woolwich Infant is now featured in London’s Lost Pubs (£20 Pen and Sword), a newly released book by author Sam Cullen.
The book documents over 200 pubs that have disappeared from London in the past 25 years, drawing on decades of reviews, guides, and memories to bring their histories to life.
Cullen said: “As much as it’s sad that these pubs don’t exist anymore, I wanted to make sure they are not lost to time by telling their stories, their history, and some of the quirky characters who drank in them.
“Pubs can tell you so much about social and cultural history.
“The book is a celebration of pubs that existed as a vehicle for looking at aspects of London life.
“My criteria for inclusion were that they closed within the past twenty-five years, and there was an interesting story to tell.”
Although the Woolwich Infant is no longer standing, its legacy endures in the memories of those who experienced it, and now, in the pages of Cullen’s book.
