De Hems has become a base for London’s Dutch community, serving bitterballen and frikandellen.
De Hems is on the site of the Horse & Dolphin coaching inn which was built in 1685 and had been owned by bare-knuckle boxer Bill ’The Black Terror’ Richmond in the early 19th century. This was rebuilt in 1890 by the accomplished pub architects, Saville and Martin, for the publican, Mr Crimmen. It was renamed The Macclesfield, being in Macclesfield Street, and was soon leased by a retired Dutch sea captain called "Papa" De Hem who ran it as an oyster-house, charging a shilling and fourpence ha’penny for a serving.
It was patronised by fin-de-siècle literati such as the poet Swinburne, who travelled 10 miles daily to eat oysters at the long marble bar.
In the early 20th century, literary figures such as Clemence Dane continued to purchase the establishment’s oysters, stout and champagne for their theatrical celebrations. When World War I started, patriotic Papa De Hem gave his staff £50 each to return to their threatened country. In the 1920s, it became the hangout of gangsters. During World War II, after the Netherlands fell to the German invasion, Dutch resistance exiles then met regularly at the pub which became their unofficial headquarters.
In 1959, it was renamed De Hems in honour of Papa De Hem.
