George & Vulture Tavern

The " The George and Vulture," a famous Masonic House, is described as "near Balls Alley was the George Inn since the Great Fire built with very good Houses, well inhabited and warehouses being a large open Yard called George Yard the further end of which is the George and Vulture which is a large House, and of a good trade having a passage into St. Michael's Alley." The Tavern was much damaged in the fire of the 25th March, 1748, for we read in the London Magazine of that date that the back premises were burnt down, and other houses in the Yard entii'ely destroyed. The Inn was restored and enlarged, and from about 1810 to 1848 many distinguished Lodges met there. We find the St. George's Lodge (now St. George and Corner Stone No. 5) there in 1839, but it seems to have taken its name from " The George Tavern," Commercial Road, Stepney, when it met in 1820. Amongst other Lodges, the Old Dundee Lodge No. 18 met there in 1821, and the Emulation Lodge No. 21 in 1815. It will be remembered that the " George and Vulture " was much beloved

by Mr. Pickwick (Charles Dickens’ s Pickwick Papers).

Of Taverns of lesser note we have the " Edinburgh Castle Inn " "which stood on the site of the Castle" mentioned by Stow, and the Albion Lodge No. 9 found a home there in 1774. " The Cock and Lion Tavern " where the Royal Kent Lodge of Antiquity No. 20 met in 1740, was entirely destroyed in the fire of 1748. " The Sun behind the Royal Exchange" was in the reign of Charles II. kept by John Wadlow, sometime land- lord of " The Devil Tavern," Fleet Street. Pepys relates on the 28th June, 1667, "Mr. Lowther tells me the Duke of Buckingham do dine at Wadlow's at the Sun Tavern." A Lodge was meeting here in 1743, but lapsed in 1761.

It is a grade II listed building. What is amazing is that there has been an in on the site since 1142 and was the home to the notorious Hell Fire Club.