Hidden Horsham - The Black Jug

The Black Jug and China Brasserie

The Black Jug c1971

The Black Jug sits on the edge of the main town centre, en route to the station and the park. It is a well established public house run by the Brunning & Price brewery

The Black Jug is attached to the China Brasserie restuarant and, for a while, both buildings were in the shadow of the multi-storey Royal & Sun Alliance office block. The black and white photograph, taken from the 1972 official town guide shows this clearly. The office block was removed and replaced by a much improved looking building as is evident in the top photograph

The Black Jug was re-named for a while from the late 1800s as the Hurst Arms, almost certainly in respect of the Hurst family who donated the park and adjacent land to the town. Reference is made to the Hurst Arms in Howard Dudley's History & Antiquities of Horsham

The current building dates from the 1930s when it replaced its predessor that burnt down. It is in a similar style to the original. The building occupied by the China Brasserie seems to have survived this fire

The Black Jug is referred to by Henry Burstow in a song that he dates as 1847. Jeremiah Browne, the landlord is fondly recalled as Jerry in the verse:

Reproduced courtesy of The Francis Frith Collection. Horsham, North Street c1955. The Black Jug is on the right

The Black Jug sign

When our week's work is o'er, to the "Jug" we repair,
For we always enjoy ourselves when we meet there,
We laugh, talk, and smoke, and sing with such glee,
No party elsewhere half so happy as we.

Though the swells at the "King's Head" may boast they have got
All the nobs in the town, yet we envy them not,
For no joys are to us like those that are found,
On a Saturday night with our friend Jerry Brown.

When you are thirsty, oh where would you seek,
Such ale and good porter as Jerry Brown keeps;
In our club room for us there's a bright roaring fire,
And to make us all happy it is his desire.

Our number already is over two score,
And before Xmas comes we shall get many more,
For all those that love to hear music's sweet sounds,
Must join the "go-a-heads" when they meet at J. Brown's.

The "King's Head" swells brag about what they can do,
With their pianoforte and their songs that are new;
But we have a "brick," the guitar well can play,
Who can beat all their lot let them try what they may.

For drinking too much we are sometimes to blame,
You may go to the "King's Head" and tell them the same,
There's many a "cove" there that drinks more I'll be bound
Than any of us or our friend Jerry Browne

China Brasserie have a sign-written Mini Estate and this features in the Working Vehicles article

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