The Photo Elective – Murphy’s Tavern

Last week we did pretty well with a visit to The Mardi Gras Club and were actually graced by the presence of the Miss Vicki. Over on the Facebook pages for Westville and Gloucester City there was a lot of back and forth between folks there offering their memories of the place and time. Somebody mentioned Murphy’s Tavern which brings us today’s post.
Murphy's Tavern
As I said before I had a photography course in art school, and I recently uncovered several plastic binder pages filled with the negatives. I don’t remember what the assignments entailed, but being that I lived in Westville and commuted to school, I shot pictures in Westville. My fellow art students lived in dorms, student housing and apartments in Philly and shot every square inch of Center City Philadelphia. At the time, I thought my photos were lackluster compared to the other kids’ cosmopolitan shots of glass and brick and steel in the big city. Now that I’m looking at my shots with fresh eyes, they’re not that bad. I wish I shot ten times as much!

As always comments, questions and anecdotes are welcome, and feel free to leave them below.

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10 Responses to The Photo Elective – Murphy’s Tavern

  1. Old NFO says:

    Snapshots in time… I wonder how many of those places still exist?

  2. Anne Rumaker Seaton says:

    I loved Murphy’s a real home town place where everyone knew everyone. When you grow up in a small town like Westville you knew everyone back then. Murphy’s was a family owned and run place where you could go unwind on the weekend after a long week. The fireplace was perfect, pool tables for all, pinball was my favorite. Although I was pretty good at pool! It was a classy place that was decorated to feel homey. I remember the sign hanging on the wall between the bathroom doors ” Murphy’s Law” after it was sold it was never the same and I never went back until a few years ago. I’m sorry to say how sad I felt that the home town bar with great appeal was a dive. Times change everything, how sad!

  3. Joe_Williams says:

    NFO:
    I’ll have to head back there to see.

    Anne:
    Thanks for your comments. Sadly, I only have the exterior shot. Wish I went inside with the camera.

  4. Patty Brown says:

    Murphy’s sure was a great place. I used to go every night but Sunday because they were closed. They had the best sandwiches. As of the “Murphy’s Law” poster one of my Best Friends Jeanne bought that and gave it to Billy. He had to cut it down to size because it was too large for any frames. I slowed down on going when they hired a DJ and people came from all over and just made it too crowded and not as neighborhood as I was accustomed to. Oh , another thing.. on St. Pats day you could barely get in. Great times and great memories.

  5. Robyn Abrams Reola says:

    My first apartment – at 18 years old – was above Murphy’s Tavern!! Kim Riddell and I moved in right after graduation (1979)! I loved there for several years!! Best times of my life! I loved Mrs Murphy, and Billy and Bobby!!! It was a great place to be – and great hometown time!! Once Mrs Murphy sold it – I moved out and the place was just never the same!! and YES Patty Brown!! I would have to leave my work early on St Patty’s day so I could get to my apartment and PARK before the crowd came!! Then of course – I couldn’t leave – but who wanted to?? Everyone was at Murphy’s for St Patty’s Day!!

  6. Joe_Williams says:

    Thanks, Patty and Robyn! Great memories!

  7. PMCB says:

    Murphy’s Tavern was next door to Mom and Pop Bea’s where I boarded as a child. Billy and Bobby Murphy were my neighborhood friends.
    Mom Bea raised parakeets and guppies, and enjoyed feeding me graham crackers and Pepsi. On Sundays, Mom Bea and I went to St. Luke’s Episcopal pastored by Father Ronald Conklin. When Mom Bea passed away her viewing was held in the living room parlor. She was such a sweet little lady.

  8. Joe says:

    Thanks so much for commenting.

  9. Jim Stewart says:

    Billy Murphy was a good friend of mine in school. I remember we camped out on the east side of the bar one time. We were just nearly teens at the time. I remember he invited me into the bar one time to go through the pennies in the hugh bottle, looking for Indian head pennies for my collection. We spread them out on the pool table! Probably not a good idea. I moved out of Westville in 62.

  10. Joe says:

    Thanks for commenting. I’m so glad people are enjoying these old photos!

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