# Talk:Pub names

We need a picture of a Blacksmiths Arms pub sign showing the left and right arms of a blacksmith; and ideally also a reliable source saying that the pub name puns on the blacksmiths' arm strength. The article is becoming more accurate but also humourless, which isn't quite right for this topic. Chiswick Chap (talk) 06:35, 19 April 2025 (UTC)

Does this London pub name have any connection with the 1609 play by Ben Johnson The Case is Altered? The HE listing here says the oldest parts are 16th-century, but says nothing about the name, which may well have come later? Martinevans123 (talk) 14:59, 2 July 2025 (UTC)

This review is transcluded from Talk:Pub names/GA1. The edit link for this section can be used to add comments to the review.
Nominator: Chiswick Chap (talk · contribs) 12:20, 15 August 2025 (UTC)
Reviewer: Tim riley (talk · contribs) 05:53, 26 August 2025 (UTC)
Happy to review. Starting first read-through now. Tim riley talk 05:53, 26 August 2025 (UTC)
Thanks Tim. Cheers! Chiswick Chap (talk) 07:23, 26 August 2025 (UTC)


### Review and comment
Cards on the table: I could in good conscience simply state that in my judgement this article meets all the GA criteria and promote it forthwith. It's an utter delight to read, too. But before I cut the ceremonial ribbon I offer a few points you may or may not wish to consider and a few anecdotal comments that you may or may not find illuminating.

The first thing I feel it necessary to emphasise is that this article is not – could never conceivably be – comprehensive. Some of my favourite pubs are not here: The Fox and Anchor in Smithfield, The Two Chairmen in St James's, The Philharmonic in Liverpool, The Goat and Compasses, Camden †, The Case is Altered, Harrow, the Gilbert and Sullivan †, near the Savoy,  I could go on, but you just can't mention every strange pub name – and comprehensiveness is not a requirement for GA.
Absolutely.
In the lead I wonder if a bit of geographical specificity might be useful. "Pub names are used to identify and differentiate traditional drinking establishments". But they have pubs in Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, which this article doesn't cover, and it might be prudent to indicate at the outset that we are only looking at Great Britain here.
Done.
Still on geography: is it worth looking at whole areas named after pubs? I do much of my grocery shopping at the Nag's Head, Holloway, am a bus ride from the Angel, Islington and Swiss Cottage and once used to work at the Elephant and Castle (and don't buy that nonsense about the Infanta of Castile).
It's a feasible enhancement, yes.
"Finally, the Rabbits, Gainsborough" – till I Googled it I was unsure if "Finally" was or wasn't part of the pub name, and I suggest you delete it.
Done.
I don't think the point is covered by any of the GA criteria, but I'm blest if I can work out your rationale for blue-linking place names or not blue-linking them. In your first table Collier's Wood, Aston and Arnold have no links, for instance. Other unlinked places that caught my eye were Hatton Garden, Burford and Southwold. Contrariwise, we have duplicate blue links for Leicestershire, Cambridge and Oxford.
Fixed.
"The Defector's Weld, Shepherd's Bush is apparently named for the coming together of the Cambridge Five spies who were working at the BBC nearby during the Cold War" – but were they? I think Burgess worked for the BBC at some point, but I don't know that any of the other four did. And now I check, I see your source says that just one of the five did.
Fixed.
As a Wodehousean I can reel off a list of pub names invented (I think) by him, including The Angler's Rest, The Beetle and Wedge, The Blue Cow, The Cow and Grasshopper, The Goat and Feathers, The Jolly Cricketers, The Stitch in Time and The Waggoner's Rest). A merely mention it.
Noted. We ought to find a secondary source for those if there's to be a proper mention.
Happy to provide citations if you ever pursue this point. Tim riley talk 08:23, 26 August 2025 (UTC)
You seem to me inconsistent about capitalising the definite article in pub names when they occur in mid-sentence: e.g. The Man in the Moon, The Black Boy(s), The Fishing Buss, The Wheatsheaf, but the King of Prussia, the Queen of Bohemia, the Three Queens Inn.
Fixed those.
You will, I trust, attend to the "citation needed" tag in the Individuals section.
Done.
That's more than enough from me. I have delighted you long enough and commend the above points for your consideration in futher expanding the article, which I now have the pleasure of promoting to GA:

Many thanks again.


### Overall summary
GA review – see WP:WIAGA for criteria

Is it reasonably well written?
A. Prose quality: 

B. MoS compliance for lead, layout, words to watch, fiction, and lists: 

Is it factually accurate and verifiable?
A. References to sources: 
Well referenced.
B. Citation of reliable sources where necessary: 
Well referenced.
C. No original research: 

Is it broad in its coverage?
A. Major aspects: 

B. Focused: 

Is it neutral?
Fair representation without bias: 

Is it stable?
No edit wars, etc: 

Does it contain images to illustrate the topic?
A. Images are copyright tagged, and non-free images have fair use rationales: 
Well illustrated.
B. Images are provided where possible and appropriate, with suitable captions: 
Well illustrated.
Overall:
Pass or Fail: 

Having read the article twice with my reviewer's hat on I then read it again for the pleasure of it, and one can't say that about most articles one reviews here. Tim riley talk 07:57, 26 August 2025 (UTC)

Many thanks Tim, I'll work through the (additional) comments this week. Chiswick Chap (talk) 07:59, 26 August 2025 (UTC)