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Brixton history: Then & Now

J Young, Eel & Pie House

426 Coldharbour Lane, Brixton SW9 8LF
[Map location]. Published 23rd July 2012

Brixton history - J Young Eel and Pie restaurant, 426 Coldharbour Lane, Brixton SW9 8LF, now Gyozo Chinese and Japanese restaurant, Lambeth, London

[pic: Lambeth Archives]

Situated on Coldharbour Lane close to Brixton's many theatres and cinemas was J. Young's Eeel and Pie House, a smart looking restaurant offering the working classes an affordable and healthy meal.

In the window can be seen signs advertising 'Live Eels Always In Stock,' with prices for stewed eels starting from 3d (1.5p). The window also has notices promoting its 'mashed potatoes, meat and fruit pies.'

Eel and Pie (or Pie and Mash) houses first appeared in London around 1850, taking over from the traditional street vendors.

The stores would often sell live eels from stalls outside, while the interior would be kept smart with marble floors, pictures and mirrors. The floor would be covered in sawdust to gather up the eel bones that were spat out.

Dishes were sold with 'eel liquor,' which used the water from the preparation of the stewed eels, with added parsley giving the sauce a rather startling bright green hue.

Brixton history - J Young Eel and Pie restaurant, 426 Coldharbour Lane, Brixton SW9 8LF, now Gyozo Chinese and Japanese restaurant, Lambeth, London

The building notably narrowly escaped being burnt down in the 1981 Brixton riots (see photo above).

Brixton history - J Young Eel and Pie restaurant, 426 Coldharbour Lane, Brixton SW9 8LF, now Gyozo Chinese and Japanese restaurant, Lambeth, London

This interior photo was taken in the 1980s by Tim Wells - see more here.

The Brixton Eel and Pie house managed to survive right up to the mid 1990s and remained pretty much unchanged in all that time.

Brixton history - J Young Eel and Pie restaurant, 426 Coldharbour Lane, Brixton SW9 8LF, now Gyozo Chinese and Japanese restaurant, Lambeth, London

Now trading as Gyoza, a Japanese and Chinese restaurant, the building remains more or less intact, although it has lost much of its architectural detail.

The attractive tiling has been painted over and the window reduced in size. A particular sad loss is the striking dual suspended gas lamps, although the impressive upstairs windows remain.

A contributor to urban75 recalled that when a new sign was being put up on the building, the old frontage was exposed with a painted sign underneath saying, 'Theatre Restaurant'.

Share your memories and discuss the old Pie and Mash House on the urban75 discussion thread. top


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BRIXTON THEN AND NOW:

Acre Lane
Atlantic/Railton
Brixton Hill
Brixton Road
Brixton Station Rd
Central Brixton
Coldharbour Lane
Effra Road
Electric Ave/Lane
Herne Hill
Loughboro Junc


COLDHARBOUR LANE
Angel pub
Coldharbour La W
Coldharbour La E
Coldharbour Lane
439 Coldharbour La
CL/Barrington
CL/Cooltan
CL/Moorlands Est
CL/Moorland Rd
CL/Shakespeare
1958 street scene
E Brixton station
E Brixton stn 2
E Brixton stn 3
E Brixton stn 4
Eel & Pie house
Geneva Road
Granville Arcade
Gresham Fire sta
Gresham Road
Moorland Rd
Somerleyton Rd
Somerleyton Rd, S
Sussex Arms

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