Royal Standard

Whitehaven, Cumbria. A historic three-story Georgian public house located on the harbourside of Whitehaven, the building is deeply tied to the town's history as a prominent industrial, maritime port. Over the years the pub has operated under many names - the Black's Head in 1787, The Schooner in 1826, the New Lighthouse Inn in 1829, The British Standard in 1860, then The Royal Standard, The Waterfront, and finally back to the Royal Standard in 2021.

In its heyday the establishment held a rare "mariners license" (or "tidal license") that allowed the pub to serve local sailors and shipmen at all times of the day and night as they arrived on the changing tides. During the mid-1800s a small theatre was constructed at the back of the premises. This "palace of varieties" provided entertainment to sailors and locals alike, operating well into the 1900s.

To this day it remains a working man's pub, and I received a roomful of stares when I entered. So I grabbed a pint of Wainwright Gold Fresh Ale and slipped into the back room, out of sight.

A couple of historical notes about Whitehaven. In the 1860s Sir John Lowther began designing the town using a strict, elegant Georgian grid-iron system, widely believed to have inspired the grid systems of major American cities, including New York City. In the mid 18th century it was England's second busiest port by tonnage, second only to London. Two industries dominated - coal, and the Triangular/American trade (tobacco, rum, sugar, spices, and slaves). And during the American War of Independence in 1778, John Paul Jones led a naval raid against Whitehaven (his own home port), cited as the last invasion attempt on Engish soil.