The Arab Boy pub is a remarkable and unique landmark, both in its origins and in how its name came to be.

In the mid-nineteenth century, the landscape of Putney was changing under the guidance of solicitor and property developer Henry Scarth. In 1849, Scarth established The Arab Boy as a central feature of his Parkfields Development, an area now known as Coalcroft Road.

The pub’s name, however, tells a story far beyond just bricks and mortar. It honours Yussef Sirrie, a young Arab boy who crossed paths with Scarth in Turkey.

Legend has it that Scarth rescued Yussef from the grim fate of slavery, bringing him to England in 1843. Yussef became Scarth’s loyal servant and, in time, the landlord of the very pub that would bear his name.

Though Yussef has long since passed, his legacy endures. His final resting place is in the old burial ground at Rocks Lane, Barnes, but the pub continues to carry his name - a lasting tribute to a life and bond that transcended cultures and continents.