Olive Branch

Pembroke Street was once awash with pubs many of them concentrated around the western end of the street where it met the heavy pedestrian traffic coming up from Mutton Cove. Subject to several redevelopments over the years there are but a few nineteenth century buildings left in this once busy thoroughfare today, including one or two old pubs like the wonderful King’s Arms: the Olive Branch however is long gone. A similarly named pub in Plymouth was renamed the Library some years ago, and around the country there are still a number of pubs that owe their name to that widely regarded symbol of peace – the Olive Branch – which in turn would appear to derive from the story of Noah and the Ark in Genesis when a dove flying out from the vessel returned with an olive leaf, indicating that the floods had subsided.

Licensees

1847 - Charles Hasling
1852 - John Williams