135 Flask, Hampstead
In 1689 six acres of waste land that contained certain medicinal waters were given by the Hon Susanna Noel on behalf of her son the Earl of Gainsborough for the benefit of the poor of Hampstead. The land to the east of Hampstead village and the spring from the Heath ran down to form a small pool. In 1700 the trustees of the charity came up with the idea to sell these “medicinal” waters at threepence a flask. Collected the water was taken to the Flask (then the Thatched House) where it was bottled and sent to taverns and coffee houses in London.
For some time, the Flask was known as the Lower Flask to distinguish it from the Upper Flask where the Kit Kat Club met. The Upper Flask, being a grander establishment, had a different type of person to the “second rate characters” found at the Lower Flask. It didn’t stop the Flask flourishing. It retained its original thatched state until 1874 when it was replaced by today’s building. Young & Co bought the pub in 1904.
135 Flask, Hampstead
In 1689 six acres of waste land that contained certain medicinal waters were given by the Hon Susanna Noel on behalf of her son the Earl of Gainsborough for the benefit of the poor of Hampstead. The land to the east of Hampstead village and the spring from the Heath ran down to form a small pool. In 1700 the trustees of the charity came up with the idea to sell these “medicinal” waters at threepence a flask. Collected the water was taken to the Flask (then the Thatched House) where it was bottled and sent to taverns and coffee houses in London.
For some time, the Flask was known as the Lower Flask to distinguish it from the Upper Flask where the Kit Kat Club met. The Upper Flask, being a grander establishment, had a different type of person to the “second rate characters” found at the Lower Flask. It didn’t stop the Flask flourishing. It retained its original thatched state until 1874 when it was replaced by today’s building. Young & Co bought the pub in 1904.