Census records in Hammersmith show it operated as a licensed Public House at least as early as 1863[1] and a 1950s brochure proclaimed it was "FAMOUS AS A RENDEZVOUS FOR OVER 100 YEARS" (see pictures).

From the 1950s to 1970s, it was home to London's country music scene, where bands such as The Westsiders, The Grovers, The Miller Brothers, The Hillsiders, The Westernaires & The Ranchers played regularly.

In the 1980s, bands such as U2,[3] Pulp,[4] Ramones, Birthday Party, Primal Scream, Damned,[5] Sisters of Mercy, Cramps, Meteors, Television Personalities, Big Black[6] (posthumously released as the live album Pigpile), Doctor and the Medics, Dead Can Dance, Ghost Dance, Blyth Power, Subhumans, Hanoi Rocks, Butthole Surfers and Xmal Deutschland gave one-off or rare performances.

Bands from the burgeoning thrash, heavy metal, punk, hardcore, indie and alternative music scenes were regular performers.

[citation needed] Along with Kensington Market, it was a defining part of the youth culture of the times and played a seminal role in the indie, goth and alternative music scenes.