GREYHOUND Pub of Hadlow

DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Sort file:- Hadlow, December, 2023.

Page Updated:- Tuesday, 12 December, 2023.

PUB LIST

PUBLIC HOUSES

Paul Skelton

Earliest 1738-

Greyhound

Closed 1938

High Street

Hadlow

Above postcard, 1926.

Serving as early as 1738, probably earlier.

Source: Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Probate 5 Dec 1738.

John Weekley of West Mailing, gent. will dated 13 Nov 1738 parsonage of Hadlow called Goldwell-Ward occupied by Thomas Thompson, "Greyhound" Alehouse in Hadlow Street, Hadlow, occupied by Nicholas Robus mother, Mrs. Mattheia Weekley, brother George, executor.

Land, part of Knighton Field occupied by Thomas Oben the younger, 3 cousins Margaret, Mary & Katherine Weekley maid Barbara Lovegrove.

Witnesses Henry Randal - Joseph Wilkins - Will. Weldish.

From the Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, 12 June 1860. Price 1d.

HADLOW. AN IMPOSTER.

On Monday, a young man respectably-dressed, called at the "Greyhound Inn," and representing himself as a stranger in ill- health, enquired if he could board and lodge there for a few weeks.

The landlady assented, and the terms were agreed on, but on payment in advance being taken for, the amount was not forthcoming, and the adventurer departed, as it appears, to seek some more hospitable hearth, which he found at a private house in the village, where he stated that he was a carver and gilder in the employ of Messrs. Cubitt, of London, and was ordered into the country for change of air. He stated that he expected his luggage by the carrier, of whom for a day or two he made enquiries, with apparent anxiety.

On his landlady hinting that a settlement was desirable, he treated the matter with great indifference, saying that he had no change, but would step into the brewery close by, order a small cask of ale, and obtain some; he went out, ostensibly for that purpose and has not since been heard of.

South Eastern Gazette. Tuesday 23 June 1863.

TO BE LET, THE GREYHOUND INN, HADLOW.

For further particulars apply to Messrs. Kenward and Barnett, the Brewery, Hadlow, Tunbridge.

South Eastern Gazette, 8 May, 1860.

An Imposter.

Last Monday, a young man, respectably dressed, called at the "Greyhound Inn," and representing himself as a stranger in ill health, enquired if he could board and lodge there for a few weeks. The landlady assented, and the terms were agreed on, but on a payment in advance being asked for, the amount was not forthcoming, and the adventurer departed, as it appears to seek some more hospitable hearth, which he found at a private house in the village, where he stated that he was a carver and gilder in the employ of Messrs. Cubitt of London, and was ordered into the country for change air. He stated that he expected his luggage by the carrier, of whom for a day or two he made enquiries, with apparent anxiety. On his landlady hinting that a settlement was desirable, he treated the matter with great indifference, saying that he had no change, but would step into the brewery close by, order a small cask of ale, and obtain some; he went out, ostensibly for this purpose, and has not since been heard of.

Maidstone Telegraph, Saturday 12 November 1870.

Letting off fireworks on the highway.

Albert Baker and Thomas Nightingale alias Pierce were charged with letting off fireworks on the highway at Hadlow, on the 22nd October.

P.C. James Hasemore deposed that on the 22nd October, about 9:30, he saw Nightingale throw a cracker on to the highway. A short time afterwards he also saw Baker throw some from the "Greyhound" public house. There was a horse outside the "Greyhound," and had not the person held it he could not tell what the consequences might have been.

By Sir David Solomon:- He spoke to Nightingale about throwing the squib. The other was thrown afterwards, but he had not previously spoken to the other defendant about throwing.

Find 2s. 6d. and 6s. costs. Baker paid the money, but Nightingale was allowed a fortnight.

From the Kent and Sussex Courier. 15 August 1873. Price 1d.

RIVAL PUBLICANS.

Mr. Frederick Gloucester Smith, publican, of Hadlow applied for an extension of the hours for closing on the occasion of the fete to be held in Hadlow Park. After the fete there was to be a ball in an oast-house, and he applied that he should be put in the same position as Mr. Pine, the landlord of the "Greyhound," who had an extension of time allowed him.

The Chairman: When was the time granted to Mr. Pine?

Mr. Walker (the Clerk): Last Tuesday.

The Chairman (to applicant): Upon what ground do you apply?

Applicant: Mr. Pine has had his license granted to him.

The Chairman: I see, it is a sort of rivalry then. Does the oast-house belong to you?

Applicant: No, it belongs to a farmer. My house is the nearest.

Mr. Walker: Mr. Pine has the contract to supply the provisions.

The Chairman: Mr. Pine has got the contract you see, you have not. It is mere rivalry you see. As I understand it is this; this ball is to be given in the hop-oast, and Mr. Pine has the contract to supply the provisions. He has had an extension of time granted him in consequence. You have no contract, but merely keep a public house in Hadlow.

Applicant: But I am close to this oast-house.

The Chairman: If you can give us some better reason we might grant you an extension.

Mr. Walker: It is doubtful whether you have the power.

The Chairman: The other man has a contract to supply.

Mr. Powell: If we allow one we must allow the whole. Application refused.

Kent & Sussex Courier 20 November 1874.

Extensions of time were granted to Mr. Pine, of the "Greyhound," Hadlow.

Leeds Times 09 March 1872.

BANKRUPTS FROM LAST NIGHT'S GAZETTE.

Henry HARMER, jun., publican, Hadlow.

Sussex Agricultural Express 15 June 1889.

LICENSING.

An occasional license was granted to Mr. E. G. Pine, of the "Greyhound Hotel," Hadlow, to serve refreshments at a sale at North Frith.

Sussex Agricultural Express, Saturday 29 July 1899.

Licensing Mr. E.G. Pine, of the "Greyhound," Hadlow, was granted occasional licences for a flower show in the Vicarage grounds on August 2nd, and for a cricket match on Hadlow common on August 28th.

Kent & Sussex Courier, Friday 15 May 1931.

BIRTHDAY PARTY.

A happy gathering met at the "Greyhound Hall" on Wednesday evening to celebrate the 21st birthday of Miss Vera Tully, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. F. J. Tully, the popular proprietor and proprietress of the "Greyhound Hotel." Although not long resident in Hadlow, both the parents and daughter, by their courtesy, have established themselves as popular favourites in the old-established hostelry, where a former proprietor, the late Mr. Edward Gooding Pine, held the license for 44 years.

About 50 guests, mostly about Miss Tally's age, were invited to celebrate the occasion, augmented by personal friends and relatives from Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, Snodland and London, and the local business firms. Refreshments were provided by the host and hostess, and a carnival dance with novelties added to the enjoyment of the happy gathering, the music being provided by the 20th Century Band, under the conductorship of Mr. Gilbert; the duties of M.C. being efficiently carried out by Mr. Wells. Miss Tully was the recipient of many beautiful and valuable presents.

Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser, Friday 11 March 1938.

Hadlow Inn to be demolished. Surprise for local residents.

Bolted doors and a notice saying "closed" greeting customers of the "Greyhound Inn," Hadlow, when they went for the usual drink on Wednesday evening.

They were dumbfounded to find that the "Greyhound," whose hospitable doors greeted the travellers during the last two centuries or more, were closed forever. No suspicion that the inn was to be shut was in the minds of Hadlow residents, and there was much speculation as to what had occurred.

Actually the inn, which stands on the bend by the square, has been compulsorily acquired by the Kent County Council for road widening purposes, and on Tuesday at the adjourned licensing sessions at Tonbridge the licence of the inn was transferred to premises at High Brooms.

At one time the "Greyhound" was a posting inn, and it was here that Tom Sayers, the famous pugilist, trained for his Herculean bare fisted encounters.

A possible explanation.

The inn appears to have been associated with coursing for many years, and it is possible that it's name arose from the connection with the greyhound. Before the war the Royden Hall Harriers had the inn as their headquarters, and the pack appears to have been of very great antiquity.

An interesting relic of bygone days in this picturesque oak-beamed inn is a fine specimen of a "tax clock." In the 1870's a tax was imposed on all watches and clocks and as a result clockmakers evolved a special kind of timepiece known as a "tax clock." These had enormous faces some as big as 5 feet across - and were placed in buildings much frequented by the public, such as the village inn, where the public by passing into its doors, or better still by buying a drink, could easily find out the time. The tax was repealed after one year, and therefore those clocks are by no means common. The "Greyhound" clock measures 3 feet across the face and has a large trunk to accommodate it's necessarily cumbersome pendulum.

Another point of interest in that there are still in existence a number of money tokens stamped with a greyhound which were issued from the inn during the time of the Peninsular War (1807-14) in lieu of money, which then became very scarce.

The demolition of this fine old inn is but part of the scheme for the widening of Hadlow's High Street, and it is possible that other buildings of character in this village may suffer a similar fate.

LICENSEE LIST

THIOMPSON Thomas 1738

BATEMAN John circa 1814

PALMER John 1828-41+ (age 60 in 1841)