Coleherne pub
Encyclopedia
The Coleherne public house was a gay pub in west London
. Located at 261 Old Brompton Road
, Earls Court
, it was a popular landmark Leather bar
during the 1970s and 1980s.
The Coleherne pub (named after Coleherne Road) began life in 1866, at Old Brompton Road in the heart of the west London Bohemian Quarter. It had a long history of attracting a bohemian clientele before becoming known as a gay pub. A life-long resident of Earls Court Square, Jennifer Ware, recollects as a child being taken there to Sunday lunch in the 1930s, when drag entertainers performed after lunch had finished. It became a gay pub in the mid-fifties. Originally it was segregated into two bars, one for the straight crowd and one for the gay community at a time when homosexuality was illegal. In the 1970s it became a notorious Leather bar, with blacked-out windows, attracting an international crowd including Freddie Mercury
, Kenny Everett
, Rudolf Nureyev
, and Anthony Perkins
. Leather men wearing chaps and leather jackets with key chains and colour-coded handkerchiefs
formed the clientele. The Coleherne was known internationally as a leather bar by 1965 The gay community
flourished in Earls Court and many international tourists joined the locals.
American author Armistead Maupin
included references to the Coleherne in his Tales of the City
book Babycakes. It is referred to in the lyrics of "Hanging Around" by The Stranglers
.
It sought to lighten its image with a makeover in the mid-1990s to attract a wider clientele, but to no avail. In September 2008, it was purchased by Realpubs, underwent a major refurbishment and reopened as a gastro-pub, The Pembroke.
(GLF) pelted passing parade goers with bottles in 1972.
It was infamous as the stalking ground for three separate serial killers from the 1970s to 1990s: Dennis Nilsen
, Michael Lupo
and Colin Ireland
. Serial killer Colin Ireland
began a series of five murders in 1993, as a New Year's resolution
. Ireland, who claimed he was straight, picked up men at the Coleherne, whose colour coded handkerchiefs
indicated that they were into sadomasochism and passive. Ireland took them home, restrained them and in five cases, killed them.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Located at 261 Old Brompton Road
Old Brompton Road
Old Brompton Road is a major street in the South Kensington district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London.It starts from South Kensington tube station and runs south-west, through a mainly residential area, until it reaches West Brompton and the area around Earl's Court tube station...
, Earls Court
Earls Court
Earls Court is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. It is an inner-city district centred on Earl's Court Road and surrounding streets, located 3.1 miles west south-west of Charing Cross. It borders the sub-districts of South Kensington to the East, West...
, it was a popular landmark Leather bar
Leather subculture
The leather subculture denotes practices and styles of dress organized around sexual activities. Wearing leather garments is one way that participants in this culture self-consciously distinguish themselves from mainstream sexual cultures...
during the 1970s and 1980s.
The Coleherne pub (named after Coleherne Road) began life in 1866, at Old Brompton Road in the heart of the west London Bohemian Quarter. It had a long history of attracting a bohemian clientele before becoming known as a gay pub. A life-long resident of Earls Court Square, Jennifer Ware, recollects as a child being taken there to Sunday lunch in the 1930s, when drag entertainers performed after lunch had finished. It became a gay pub in the mid-fifties. Originally it was segregated into two bars, one for the straight crowd and one for the gay community at a time when homosexuality was illegal. In the 1970s it became a notorious Leather bar, with blacked-out windows, attracting an international crowd including Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury was a British musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range...
, Kenny Everett
Kenny Everett
Kenny Everett was an English comedian, radio DJ and television entertainer. Born Maurice James Christopher Cole, Everett is best known for his career as a radio DJ and for the Kenny Everett television shows.-Early life:...
, Rudolf Nureyev
Rudolf Nureyev
Rudolf Khametovich Nureyev was a Russian dancer, considered one of the most celebrated ballet dancers of the 20th century. Nureyev's artistic skills explored expressive areas of the dance, providing a new role to the male ballet dancer who once served only as support to the women.In 1961 he...
, and Anthony Perkins
Anthony Perkins
Anthony Perkins was an American actor, best known for his Oscar-nominated role in Friendly Persuasion and as Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho , and its three sequels.-Early life:...
. Leather men wearing chaps and leather jackets with key chains and colour-coded handkerchiefs
Handkerchief code
Handkerchief code or hanky code is color-coded system, employed usually among the gay male casual-sex seekers or BDSM practitioners in the leather subculture in the United States, Canada and Europe, to indicate preferred fetishes, what kind of sex they are seeking, and whether they are a...
formed the clientele. The Coleherne was known internationally as a leather bar by 1965 The gay community
Gay community
The gay community, or LGBT community, is a loosely defined grouping of LGBT and LGBT-supportive people, organizations and subcultures, united by a common culture and civil rights movements. These communities generally celebrate pride, diversity, individuality, and sexuality...
flourished in Earls Court and many international tourists joined the locals.
American author Armistead Maupin
Armistead Maupin
Armistead Jones Maupin, Jr. is an American writer, best known for his Tales of the City series of novels, based in San Francisco.-Early life:...
included references to the Coleherne in his Tales of the City
Tales of the City
Tales of the City refers to a series of eight novels written by American author Armistead Maupin. The stories from Tales were originally serialized prior to their novelization, with the first four titles appearing as regular installments in the San Francisco Chronicle, while the fifth appeared in...
book Babycakes. It is referred to in the lyrics of "Hanging Around" by The Stranglers
The Stranglers
The Stranglers are an English punk/rock music group.Scoring some 23 UK top 40 singles and 17 UK top 40 albums to date in a career spanning five decades, the Stranglers are the longest-surviving and most "continuously successful" band to have originated in the UK punk scene of the mid to late 1970s...
.
It sought to lighten its image with a makeover in the mid-1990s to attract a wider clientele, but to no avail. In September 2008, it was purchased by Realpubs, underwent a major refurbishment and reopened as a gastro-pub, The Pembroke.
Notable events
Coleherne pub goers, angry at the politicisation of gay sex, lifestyle and position in society, by the Gay Liberation FrontGay Liberation Front
Gay Liberation Front was the name of a number of Gay Liberation groups, the first of which was formed in New York City in 1969, immediately after the Stonewall riots, in which police clashed with gay demonstrators.-The Gay Liberation Front:...
(GLF) pelted passing parade goers with bottles in 1972.
It was infamous as the stalking ground for three separate serial killers from the 1970s to 1990s: Dennis Nilsen
Dennis Nilsen
Dennis Andrew Nilsen also known as the Muswell Hill Murderer and the Kindly Killer is a British serial killer who lived in London....
, Michael Lupo
Michael Lupo
Michael Lupo was a homosexual serial killer originally from Italy, operating in Britain. He was based at the YSL boutique in Brompton Road, London during the 1980s.- History :...
and Colin Ireland
Colin Ireland
Colin Ireland is a British serial killer known as the "Gay Slayer" because he specifically murdered gay men. His victims were five men....
. Serial killer Colin Ireland
Colin Ireland
Colin Ireland is a British serial killer known as the "Gay Slayer" because he specifically murdered gay men. His victims were five men....
began a series of five murders in 1993, as a New Year's resolution
New Year's resolution
A New Year resolution is a commitment that an individual makes to one or more personal goals, projects, or the reforming of a habit. This lifestyle change is generally interpreted as advantageous. A New Years Resolution is generally a goal someone sets out to accomplish in the coming year...
. Ireland, who claimed he was straight, picked up men at the Coleherne, whose colour coded handkerchiefs
Handkerchief code
Handkerchief code or hanky code is color-coded system, employed usually among the gay male casual-sex seekers or BDSM practitioners in the leather subculture in the United States, Canada and Europe, to indicate preferred fetishes, what kind of sex they are seeking, and whether they are a...
indicated that they were into sadomasochism and passive. Ireland took them home, restrained them and in five cases, killed them.