Where is the Admiral Duncan Pub?
In the heart of London’s LGBTQ+ scene in Soho you’ll find the Admiral Duncan Pub, a wonderful and welcoming gay bar, where you are likely to see one of our regular Free LGBTQ+ History tours lingering outside. However, this site is also where perhaps the darkest episode in the history of London’s gay community took place. Be warned, this story does not have a happy ending.
What is Old Compton Street known for? When it comes to Old Compton Street, nightlife is nothing new. From post-WWII jazz to swinging-sixties London, this street has long attracted party goers. After all, it is lively, colourful and runs right through the centre of Soho. The name refers to Bishop Henry Compton, who helped raise desperately needed funds for his church in 1686 – that’s St Anne’s and it still stands today (just around the corner!). Nowadays it is home to several gay bars and nightclubs. After the partial decriminalisation of same sex activity in 1967, the gay community started to meet openly and bravely on the dance floors of Soho, including at the Admiral Duncan, 56 Old Compton Street.
Who was Admiral Duncan? Named after Admiral Adam Duncan, who defeated the Dutch fleet at the Battle of Camperdown in 1797, the pub opened in the 1830s. It was initially frequented by sailors, soldiers, and other working-class men, a den of violence and illicit activities. Shortly after it opened, a wooden-legged Irish ex-sailor named Dennis Collins, who lived at the pub, was charged with high treason after he hurled a handful of rocks at King William IV at Ascot Racecourse. He was initially sentenced to be hanged, drawn and quartered, but his punishment was later commuted to transportation to Australia. By the 20th century, the Admiral Duncan was a gathering place for members of the Sabini gang, an infamous group of Italian immigrants who ruled over the West End and soon the pub became the site of violent clashes with their rivals, such as the Hoxton Gang and the Elephant and Castle Mob. After the Second World War, The Admiral Duncan began to attract a more artistic crowd, like Dylan Thomas, who had the misfortune of leaving the only hand-written copy of his radio drama Under Milk Wood in the pub in 1953. By the 1980s, the Admiral Duncan had become a popular spot for the LGBTQ+ community, a safe haven for young men and women.
What happened at the Admiral Duncan?
30th April 1999 was a Friday and the start of a bank holiday weekend. Gay men, lesbians, bisexuals and their friends gathered in the pub, looking forward to a night on the town. Suddenly, at 6.37pm, there was a deafening bang. A sports bag containing a nail bomb had been left in the Admiral Duncan around half an hour earlier. Three people lost their lives and another 79 were injured, many of them seriously. As emergency services rushed in, news crews quickly followed. The area was evacuated. Those that weren’t rushed to hospital were treated in nearby Soho Square. Shock waves ran through the city. It was the most horrific attack on the gay community in London’s history. The perpetrator was a 23-year-old Neo-Nazi called David Copeland. This was not his first attack, having previously targeted London’s black community on Electric Avenue in Brixton, and London’s Bangladeshi community on Brick Lane in East London. He was arrested on the night of the attack, and after pleading guilty, received six life sentences. Following extensive repair work, the Admiral Duncan reopened two months later, daubed in rainbow flags, flowers and with countless messages of support and solidarity. Celebrities, politicians and public figures visited the pub, including Prince Charles.
Is the Admiral Duncan still open?
If you visit the venue today, rest assured that you will have a great time. It is open late and hosts events every single evening – drag, cabaret and karaoke all included. So grab a drink and have a good time! But perhaps the plaque of remembrance outside the pub will encourage you to spare a thought for the people and their loved ones that were killed and injured on that terrible evening. Or the memorial chandelier that hangs from the ceiling. Though the parties continue, these moving features ensure that that awful attack will never be forgotten.
If you would like to learn more, join our LGBTQ+ History Tour or for information on Soho in general, why not check out our Rock n Roll Soho Tour.
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