Look closely at the facade before you. This was once Kennedys Sausages at 305 Walworth Road. It served South Londoners for almost 100 years.
Kennedy’s first shop opened in 1877. It was located at 140 Rye Lane, Peckham. Over time, the company expanded. They opened nine branches across South-east London.
Let’s step back in time. Picture Walworth Road in the 1920s. Kennedy’s is bustling with customers. They are eager for pork sausages and bacon. They also craved egg pies and savory pasties. For almost a century, Kennedy’s was a mecca for meat-eaters.
The Walworth Road branch opened in 1923. It took over a former Victorian shoe shop. Even a bomb during World War Two couldn’t keep it down.
Notice the Art Deco style. The shopfront is original and well-preserved. Brightly colored internal tiling catches the eye. Original fittings, including mirrors, add to its charm. The polished glass front proudly announced “305 KENNEDY 305”.
The Kennedy family’s sausage-making history is fascinating. The family came from the Stranraer area in Scotland. Andrew Kennedy, a tea trader, moved to Kent. His son, John, married Mary Ann Rolfe. Her parents sold meat and sausages. In 1877, John and Mary Ann moved to 140 Rye Lane, Peckham. They started their meat business there.
John Kennedy died in 1895. His two eldest sons took over. Later, the business split. Alexander Kennedy created Alex Kennedy Ltd. He converted an old fire station into a sausage factory. The John Kennedy business moved to Harders Road in 1931.
Sadly, Kennedy’s closed all its shops in 2007. This marked the end of 130 years of sausage-making. Supermarkets and changing populations made the business unsustainable.
Fortunately, this shop was saved. In 2022, Historic England gave a grant of £33,975. The grant was for repair and restoration. The original interior and shop front were restored. Southwark council partnered in the Walworth Road Heritage Action Zone scheme.
Today, the building houses the LaoDao restaurant. It serves Xinjiang Chinese cuisine. Yet, Kennedy’s legacy lives on. The restored shopfront reminds us of its rich history. It is a Grade II listed building. It stands as one of the oldest shops in South London.