30/08/2025
On Friday, gathered at Gunnersbury Cemetery to mark the birthday of Harry Craddock (29 August 1876), the first President of the UK Bartenders’ Guild in 1934.
Last year, we launched a fundraising campaign to restore his grave, which had fallen into poor condition. Thanks to the generosity of so many contributors, the restoration is now complete (swipe to see the before-and-after). The craftsmanship is excellent, and the work should preserve his resting place for at least the next decade. You can see the results of this campaign via the link in our bio.
To honour the occasion, we revisited some of Craddock’s legacy. We read his first speech as UKBG President and explored Approved Cocktails (1935), the Guild’s very first published collection of standardised recipes, released exactly 90 years ago during his presidency.
Last year we raised a toast with The Donegall Cocktail. This year, we celebrated with the Jubilee Ideal, created by Craddock himself and the very first recipe listed alphabetically in Approved Cocktails:
50% Seagram’s Bourbon
25% French Vermouth
25% Italian Vermouth
Squeeze of Lemon
Mix
A fitting tribute to a man whose influence still shapes the bartending world today. Cheers to Harry Craddock. 🥂
