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Picture source: Timothy Keane

The Three Rabbits was situated at 833 Romford Road, closing in the 2000s. The site is now a chemists with flats above.

Source: Colin Price

I remember the Rabbits being a music pub when I lived in the area in the early 1980s. I am sure that Martha Reeves and the Vandellas played there in 1982 which is certainly an indication of its being a serious music venue at that time.

Simon Burt (June 2011)

The Three Rabbits was originally an old coaching inn way back in the day and I once saw an oil painting of how it may have looked. I first worked there as a barmaid in the evenings in addition to my day job in 1970 together with my two closest friends and met my future husband there. He also later worked behind the bar and we did our pub training there but then decided running a pub wasn't for us at that time. It was a great place to work. The Governor ran a large staff and we all seemed to get on well. Following the revamp of the huge Saloon Bar there was live music on Fridays and Saturdays including some famous bands. Brian Poole (formerly of Brian Poole and the Tremeloes drank there) and there was also a house band in the later 70s called Screamer who were so talented but sadly never made it big. The pub had a large cellar and there were many tales told among the staff of seeing a ghost both in the cellar and elsewhere in the pub. I didn't see the ghost but believed the stories because it was that kind of place. We continued to work there on and off throughout the 70s because the pub was packed especially at the weekends, so bar staff were always needed. Considering its popularity and the number of people crammed in there at the weekends, there was very little trouble - people just seemed to want to enjoy themselves.

Viv Borley (May 2015)

I used to work as a barmaid at The Three Rabbits, Manor Park around 1972-1974. The Landlords were called Bill and Fran and they had two children and a pub Alsatian called Sheba. There was an undermanager called Ron. I loved working there, it was a very friendly pub with really great live music at weekends. I was about 18-19 years old, full of energy. I would do an office job in London all day, then rush to work at The Rabbits in the evening, also Sunday mornings in the Public Bar. Great memories! I also remember Brian Poole being there.

Lynda Morson (October 2019)

I was a Post Office Engineering Apprentice in 1974 and the apprentice intake was so large that the Post Office block-booked college courses just for us at West Ham College. The “out-of-towners” stayed at The Courtney Hotel in Aldersbrook Road. One week all the gang decided to join a dancing school, Dennis Drew’s School of Dancing in Romford Road. It was a Tuesday night and I only lasted half and hour before suicide seemed like an good option. Me and a mate left and saw a pub across the road, The Three Rabbits, and thought a beer might lift our spirits (sorry!). Well, as soon as I entered I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. Real, live, vintage Rock’n’Roll was being belted out by real, live, vintage Teddy Boys, and the place was full to bursting with drape suits, brothel creepers, circle skirts, and stiletto shoes. I was dressed casual in black leather jacket, drainpipe jeans, and winkle-picker shoes but it didn’t matter. It turns out that Tuesday night was Rock’n’Roll night at The Three Rabbits pub and the band playing was The Flying Saucers, the regular Tuesday night band. Needless to say I visited every Tuesday night from then on. Great times.

Neal Farrow (June 2020)

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Name Dates Comments Sue 1950s I remember having lunch with my Dad at the pub many times. I would go to work with him and we would go to the Three Rabbits for lunch. He would often order sheep's head and I would stand a menu in front of me so I would not have to look at it. Ah so many wonderful memories.

Other Photos

Picture source: Darkstar