My big brother Chuck drinks in some pretty cool places and while he was in the UK, he partook here at The Eagle.

As you can imagine with a place that has been in business for 325 years, a lot of history has happened there. In 1874, the Cavendish Laboratory was built nearby. As a result, over the years the Eagle saw many experimental physicists come through the door for a pint. Francis Crick was one of the patrons and one of the scientists who discovered DNA — along with James Watson. It was in the Eagle, on the 28th February 1953, that he announced he and Watson had discovered the double-helix structure of DNA. He had told the pub's patrons that they had “discovered the secret to life.” Oh man, how cool!

The history that involves Chuck is a little bit more recent. During the Second World War, Allied airmen, who drank and socialized at The Eagle, used wax candles, petrol lighters and lipstick to write their names, squadron numbers and other doodles onto the ceiling of the rear bar. The tradition is believed to have been started by RAF Flight Sergeant P. E. Turner, who climbed up on the table one night to burn his squadron number on the ceiling. Unfortunately, after the war, the graffiti was hidden by a build up of dirt and smoke, but in the early 1990s, the ceiling was cleaned, the graffiti rediscovered, deciphered and preserved.

Today, airmen continue the tradition. My brother, Rear Adm. Charles Saffell (UNR) was honored to add his signature to those of the greatest generation.

Unbeknownst to me at the time (I had no idea of how covered the walls were), I asked our Cambridge-adjacent friend, Ian, to get a photograph of Chuck's signature. On his first attempt, he sent me these photos, slightly perplexed.

It wasn't until after I had sent him images of my brother signing at The Eagle that he was able to locate, and document that yes, Chuck Drank Here!