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Picture source: Colin Landry

The Plough was situated at 599 Harrow Road. This pub has now been demolished and replaced with a small and quite modern housing block.

Source: T C

Many years ago, I lived in the Plough, at 599 Harrow Road, London W10. The Plough, I recall, was often referred to as the ‘Big Plough’. There was another Plough further up the Kensal Rise, called ‘The Old Plough’, which was also referred to as the Little Plough. A glance at your site tells me that the Old Plough was still standing and in business, which I am happy to learn. My father, John F. Crossey, and my stepmother, Kay (Courtney), had managed and tenanted (licensed free) a number of public houses in Belfast, and at various locations in and around London, including Stanmore in Middlesex. For the most part, I had a lot of happy memories growing up in those early years. Especially the many times I used to walk our dog, Mark, up the Harrow Road then turning left past the Kensal Rise Cemetery and heading down to the Wormwood Scrubs where I would kick a football around with the dog for a good hour or so, then heading back up to The Plough, via Ladbrook Grove. On one sunny occasion on our way home, I still recall, passing Ernie Wise, of the famous comedy duo, Morecambe and Wise. He was clad in a rather neat light-gray summer suite, with the usual bright colored shirt and tie. I still remember his broad smiling face and his words: "He looks thirsty!" he said, pointing at Mark, as he hurried past us. From the early-1970s and for a few years afterwards, my stepmother’s younger brother, Paul Courtney (from Belfast) managed ‘The Flora’, which was a little further along the Harrow Road, at the side of the canal. The following is a paragraph from a book that I bought in Tokyo. Actually, I had not long bought the book, and was sitting in a pub-restaurant called 'Victoria Station' in the Roppongi area of Tokyo. I was flicking through the book, while at the same time looking up at the television on the wall -- The Challenger Space Shuttle Disaster (1986). “Queens Park is an example of solid Victorian enterprise. No public houses were allowed on the estate. In 1890 Chelsea built the Queen’s Park Public Library to the designs of Karslake and Mortimer. Opposite these are gardens beside the canal. The Floral public house commemorates the pleasure gardens of that name which once stood here, and Kensal House marks the end of this section of the Harrow Road with dignity. Queen’s Park, in Harvist Road further north, has no connection with the estate; it was led out by the City Of London in 1886.” (Quoted from: ‘The London Encyclopedia’ (p. 634). Edited by Ben Weinreb and Christopher Hibbert (Macmillan, London, 1985). Other lost public houses that I think are mentioned on your site, which my father managed or tenanted through the 1970s onwards were: The Honey Pot in Stanmore (1971-73); The Clem Attlee in Fulham (1973-75); 'The Rising Sun, Fulham' (1975-77); The Andover Arms, Hammersmith (from 1975 through the 1980s); and The Jubilee Inn, Finchley N. 12 (from 1976 through the 1980s). There were other public houses that my father ran through those years, but sadlyI have lost further details.

Michael Crossey (February 2020)

This was my local for 2 years. lived in London 1994-96. From Montréal, Canada. The opposite corner of Ladbroke Grove and Harrow Road were a row of squats back then. The Plough was the local of quite a few of us ''tenants'' of them squats. I remember on Fridays or Saturdays(or both) there was live music by some guys playing covers. One ''band'' was called ''Faraway Shores'' and also another band called ''Safe Bet''. It was some Irish folks running the place. Quite a ''family and friends'' athmosphere on weekends but although the people running the place had quite a large group of acquaintances doing their own thing, all them folks were always accomodating and welcoming to us. We were quite a mix of characters us squat dwellers! We were courteously ''locked-in'' often times!

Colin Landry (May 2021)

The name of an historic pub in Kensal Green has been brought back to life by a London church to celebrate a greening scheme supported by Westminster City Council. A four year project has seen a tarmac drive transformed into bedding and lawns with pedestrian access from the Harrow Road through the church grounds. The Lord Mayor of Westminster will unveil a new plaque in April recalling a medieval inn that once stood closeby, the Plough Inn. Carved by Martin Cook, the inscription revives the name of the Inn which in rebult form stood until the 1980’s. The Revd David Ackerman, Vicar of St John’s Kensal Green, explained “the new sign not only indicates a walk way but revives the name of a local landmark from the days when Kensal Green was rural. Westminster City Council has generously funded the work and enabled a small part of the city to return to nature”

Church Times  (March 2024)

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Name	Dates	Comments
James Hoskins	c1954	I was the landlords son. what i can say is this pub was haunted, the previous tenants on our arrival told my parents that the pub was haunted. i saw the ghost during our stay and so did my mother my father did not see the apparition but felt uneasy in the time that he was there.i am curious to know ,is there an uneasy presence in any parts of the flats that have been built on the Pub site ?

Other Photos
Picture source: Michael Crossey
Date of photo: 2024	Picture source: Reverend David Ackerman