Young’s turns 185: A look at one of London’s biggest pub groups through the years

As Young’s celebrates a big birthday, Ben Norum looks back at 185 years of pub history in London

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Ben Norum25 August 2016

Next month will see one of London’s biggest pub groups celebrate a very big birthday, as Young’s turns 185.

Founded in Wandsworth in 1831, the group started out with five pubs and now has over 250.

To put that into perspective, through the pub company’s history there have been seven different monarchs, 48 different Prime Ministers, two world wars and London has hosted the Olympics three times.

The pubs may have changed decor and raised the price of pints over the years — and the brewery doesn’t deliver by horse anymore — but they have stayed more constant than many things.

Browse the gallery above to read a chronological potted history of Young’s, and see photos from years gone by of many of the pubs you know today.

Also see: The oldest pubs in London: Their colourful histories and where to find them