The Albert
A Grade II listed Victorian pub on Victoria Street in London’s Victoria district.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The Albert is a historic public house at 52 Victoria Street in Victoria, London, approximately 0.4 miles southwest of Westminster Abbey. Built in the 1860s by the Artillery Brewery, it is named in honour of Albert, Prince Consort, the husband of Queen Victoria. The pub occupies a prominent four-storey Victorian building and is recognized for its preserved exterior, original architectural details, and long association with the commercial and political life of central London. The site previously contained a public house called The Blue Coat Boy, a name connected with the nearby charity school. That earlier establishment was recorded by 1831 and was acquired by the Artillery Brewery during the nineteenth century. The building was reconstructed between 1862 and 1867 under Joseph Carter Wood, the brewery’s owner, and became known as The Albert. Its licence changed hands several times during the late nineteenth century, with surviving records identifying a succession of licensed victuallers, managers, bartenders, and cooks. These records illustrate the pub’s continuing operation as a conventional London drinking and eating establishment through the Victorian and early twentieth centuries. The Albert is a Grade II listed building. Its yellow-brick façade has red-brick dressings, stucco ornament, sash windows, iron balconies, and a distinctive ground-floor frontage with granite pilasters, cornices, balusters, and ball finials. The bar windows and doors contain cut, engraved, and frosted glass, while parts of the interior fittings date from around 1900. The building’s decorative ceilings, wrought-iron balconies, and other Victorian features survived the Blitz during the Second World War with little apparent alteration. The pub is described as the only surviving building from the original phase of Victoria Street’s development. Its historical identity is reinforced by memorabilia displayed inside, including a House of Commons Division Bell and a napkin associated with Queen Victoria. A Prime Ministers Gallery commemorates political figures connected with the site, reflecting the pub’s location close to Westminster and the British government district. The Albert therefore serves both as a working pub and as a heritage-oriented visitor destination. The drinks range has included cask ales, mainstream beers, cider, stout, lager, and craft beers. Listed offerings have included the house 1730 Special Pale Ale, London Glory, Greene King IPA, Foster’s, Stella Artois, Aspall Cider, Guinness, Budweiser, Peroni, Sol, and Bitburger. The pub has also gained a degree of popular visibility through screen use: its exterior appeared in the first series of the television drama Killing Eve, in the episode “I’ll Deal with Him Later,” broadcast in 2018. The interior used for that scene was filmed at another pub. The Albert is associated with Greene King’s pub estate. Available reference material does not establish a separate corporate owner, a founding company distinct from the historical Artillery Brewery, or current named management. Its principal positioning is as a traditional central London community pub combining everyday food and drink service with a preserved Victorian setting and links to Westminster’s political heritage.
History
The Albert stands on Victoria Street in the Victoria district of central London, near Westminster Abbey and the Palace of Westminster. The site was previously occupied by a pub called The Blue Coat Boy, whose name referred to the nearby charity school. That earlier establishment was recorded in 1831 and was later acquired by the Artillery Brewery for £978. During the nineteenth century, the brewery rebuilt the premises as part of the development of Victoria Street. The reconstructed building was produced between 1862 and 1867 under Joseph Carter Wood, owner of the Artillery Brewery. It was renamed The Albert in tribute to Albert, Prince Consort, the husband of Queen Victoria. The licence was transferred from George Fisher to James Robertson on 6 August 1867, and from Robertson to Joseph Walker on 2 February 1869. Census records provide a partial view of the pub’s staff and management. In 1871, Walker was the licensed victualler, William Brotherhood worked as the barman, and Emma Francis was the cook. In 1881, Walter E. Wilbourn was listed as licensed victualler, with William Bates as barman and Jane Thurlow as barmaid. By 1891, Thomas Butler was the licensed victualler, Fride W. Butler was manager, John Frankling was barman, and Louisa J. Welland, Miriam Jenkins, and Ellen Howard were barmaids. Later directory references identify John Rumsey in 1899, Thomas Hy Cook in 1915, and Mrs E. P. Darnell in 1934. These records indicate that the establishment remained in continuous use through the late Victorian and early twentieth-century periods, although they do not provide a complete ownership history. The Albert survived the Blitz during the Second World War. Its principal Victorian features remained substantially intact, including ornate ceilings, hand-etched and frosted glass, wrought-iron balconies, and parts of the historic bar installation. The pub also preserves historical memorabilia, among them a House of Commons Division Bell and a napkin associated with Queen Victoria. Its Prime Ministers Gallery reflects the building’s location close to Britain’s political centre and records associations with political figures who visited the establishment. Architecturally, The Albert is a four-storey yellow-brick building with red-brick dressings and stucco trim. The Victoria Street elevation is three windows wide, while the building extends five windows deep and includes a two-storey, three-window extension. The ground-floor frontage has a canted form, panelled glazed doors, flanking windows, granite pilasters, a fascia, cornice, balustrade, and ball finials. Upper-floor sash windows are recessed and connected by decorative iron balconies. A stucco parapet and prominent entablature complete the roofline, with the name “The Albert” incorporated into raised features on both sides. The pub’s historic character led to its Grade II listing. In its modern role, The Albert operates as a traditional London pub associated with Greene King. Its offer includes cask ales, beers, lager, cider, stout, craft beer, and food. Products identified in reference material include 1730 Special Pale Ale, London Glory, Greene King IPA, Foster’s, Stella Artois, Aspall Cider, Guinness, Budweiser, Peroni, Sol, and Bitburger. The pub’s exterior was used as a filming location for Killing Eve in 2018, giving the building additional recognition beyond its heritage status. The available sources do not establish a precise current manager, a separately documented owner, or a detailed chronology of Greene King’s involvement.
- 2018
Exterior used in Killing Eve
[1]The exterior appears in the first series of Killing Eve, in the episode “I’ll Deal with Him Later.”
- 1940
The pub survives the Blitz
[1]The Albert remains standing during the Blitz, retaining its notable Victorian façade and interior features.
- 1869
Licence transferred to Joseph Walker
[1]James Robertson transfers the licence to Joseph Walker on 2 February.
- 1867
The premises become The Albert
[1]The rebuilt pub is completed during the 1862–1867 period and bears the name The Albert, commemorating Albert, Prince Consort.
- 1867
Licence transferred to James Robertson
[1]The licence is transferred from George Fisher to James Robertson on 6 August.
- 1862
Reconstruction of the present building begins
[1]The Artillery Brewery begins rebuilding the premises on Victoria Street under Joseph Carter Wood.
- 1831
The Blue Coat Boy is recorded
[1]An earlier public house on the site, called The Blue Coat Boy, is documented in the historical record.
Products and positioning
A traditional community pub and heritage venue in central London, combining Victorian architecture, Westminster associations, and a broad pub drinks offer.
House beer
1730 Special Pale Ale
A house-associated pale ale listed among The Albert’s drinks offerings. The available reference material identifies the beer by name but does not provide a brewing specification, alcohol percentage, or production history.
Cask ale
London Glory
A cask ale included in the pub’s reported selection. It forms part of The Albert’s traditional beer range, alongside Greene King IPA and other draught and bottled options.
Cask ale
Greene King IPA
A Greene King India pale ale listed as one of the pub’s core beer options. It is consistent with The Albert’s positioning as a Greene King-associated traditional pub.
Beverages
Beer, lager, cider and stout selection
The reported broader selection includes Foster’s, Stella Artois, Aspall Cider, Guinness, Budweiser, Peroni, Sol, Bitburger, and various craft beers. Availability may change over time.
Food service
Pub food
The Albert is described as offering food alongside alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. The reference material does not provide a current menu or identify specific signature dishes.
Brand decisions
1862
Rebuild and rename the premisesStrategyBackground
The Artillery Brewery acquired the earlier Blue Coat Boy site during the nineteenth century and developed a substantially larger Victorian building on Victoria Street.
Action taken
The premises were reconstructed between 1862 and 1867 and renamed The Albert in honour of Albert, Prince Consort.
Aftermath
The rebuilt pub became a prominent surviving example of Victorian commercial architecture and was later Grade II listed.
Recent events
- 2018
The Albert appears in Killing Eve[1]
Other
The exterior of The Albert appeared in the second episode of the first series of Killing Eve, while the interior shown in the scene was filmed at another London pub.
Sources2 sources
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