DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Page Updated:- Friday, 22 March, 2024.

PUB LIST PUBLIC HOUSES Paul Skelton

Earliest 1500s

George and Dragon

Open 2020+

39 High Street

Chipstead

10732 779019

http://georgeanddragonchipstead.com/

https://whatpub.com/george-dragon

https://kent.muddystilettos.co.uk

George and Dragon

Above postcard, date unknown, kindly sent by Debi Birkin.

George and Dragon 2010

Photo taken 31 August 2010 from http://www.flickr.com by Glen.

George and Dragon 2022

Above photo 2022.

George and Dragon inside 2022

Above photo 2022.

George and Dragon inside 2022

Above photo 2022.

George and Dragon sign 2018

Above sign 2018.

 

South Eastern Gazette, 28 February, 1860.

Petty sessions, Friday. (Before Earl Amherst, chairman, J. P. Atkins, C. R. C. Petley, and J. Rogers, Esqrs.)

Transfers of Licenses.

The "George," Chipstead, from Thomas Fishenden to Stephen Shoobridge.

 

From the Maidstone Telegraph, Rochester and Chatham Gazette, Saturday 3 March, 1860. Price 1d.

TRANSFER OF LICENSES

The "George," Chipstead, from Thomas Fishenden to Stephen Shoobridge.

 

Pigot's Directory of 1828 referred this pub as simply the "George. Again the same name in the 1901 census.

Their web site states that the pub has been in existence sine King Henry VIII's reign (1509-47)

 

From the Kent and Sussex Courier, 16 January, 1914.

SEVENOAKS PETTY SESSIONS. LICENSING.

A temporary license was granted in regard to the license of the "George and Dragon," Chipstead, from Mr. Edward Capping to Mr. Henry James Collingbourne.

 

Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser 06 February 1931.

CHIPSTEAD WOMAN'S DEATH. DUE TO NATURAL CAUSES, "NO POISON FOUND."

All doubts concerning the cause of the death of Mrs. Annie Livinia Gore, of the "George and Dragon," Chipstead, were cleared up at the resumed inquest held by Mr. A. H. Neve at Sevenoaks on Wednesday, when a verdict of "Death from Natural Causes" was recorded.

At the first hearing last week, the deceased's husband told how he and his wife had had supper of bread and cheese and tea just before retiring, and how in the early hours of the next morning he awoke to find her dying. The Coroner then stated that Dr. Archer, who was called immediately by the husband, and found Mrs. Gore dead, and had been unable to certify the cause of death and that certain organs had been sent to the county analyst, following a post mortem examination by Dr. Archer.

On Wednesday Dr. Archer gave evidence that he had not attended Mrs. Gore in her lifetime. On January 23rd he received a message and went to the "George and Dragon" about 6.45 a.m. Mrs. Gore had died within an hour previously. He could not give a certificate and subsequently made a post mortem examination and came to the conclusion that death was due to gastro enteritis or some irritant poison. As a result of the analytical examination of the organs, showing that no poisonous substance had been found, he was satisfied that death was due to acute gastro enteritis.

By the Coroner:- The supper mentioned in the husband's evidence was unwise in her condition and probably hastened death.

Recording a verdict as stated above, the Coroner said that in view of the possibility of some irritant poison having caused death, he felt it desirable, in fact essential, to submit certain organs to the county analyst, from whom he had received a report that morning. He was glad to say that no poison had been found but he thought the analysis necessary not only in the interests of the public but also for the satisfaction of the husband. He was glad he could record that death was due to natural causes, and the sympathy of all were due to the husband in the death of his wife.

(Checking on the Internet Birth, Marriage & Death records, Mrs. Gore was aged 57 at her death. Mike Coomber.)

 

Kent & Sussex Courier 06 November 1936.

"DEATH TRAP ROAD"

CAR VICTIM THOUGHT CHIPSTEAD HIGHWAY DANGEROUS.

Often called a "death trap" by Mr. Harry Bowater Monk, of the "George and Dragon," Chipstead, the stretch of road between Dryhill and Chipstead corner the scene of an accident which cost him his life and was the subject of an inquiry conducted by Mr. A. H. Neve and a jury at the Sevenoaks and Holmesdale Hospital on Friday.

Mr. Monk was run down by a car while walking home on the evening of Thursday, October 22, from the Darenth River Ballast Co.'s pits at Sundridge, of which he was manager. He died a week later in hospital.

Monk's age was given as 53 by John Gore, licensee of the "George and Dragon," Chipstead, who said that Monk knew the spot well where he was killed.

The Coroner:- Did he ever make any complaint about the road?

Gore:- He often said it was a death trap.

William Knight Richard Griffin, a commercial traveller, of 32, Quarry Hill, Tonbridge was the driver of the vehicle which injured Monk. He told the Coroner that at about 6.20 p.m. on October 22 he approached Chipstead Corner from Sundridge at 30 miles per hour. Three hundred yards past Bannister's nurseries he noticed the lights of an oncoming vehicle. He had dimmed his lights and slowed to 15 miles per hour when the other car came into sight, showing four headlights, and completely dazzling him. He pulled up almost to a standstill.

COMPLETE BLACK OUT.

The Coroner:- Could you see anything at all?

Griffin: No, I was completely blacked out.

"I was travelling about two feet from the verge and did not see the man until I had hit him," Griffin added.

The Coroner:- When you say you slowed down on being dazzled, what do you mean your speed was. Was it five miles an hour?

Griffin:- Yes.

That is the walking speed of a man. Mr. Monk was walking. How do you account for the fact that you overtook and knocked him down?

He must have been going slower than I was.

How far ahead could you see? About 12 to 15 feet.

Was there any pedestrian in the road?

I did not see one.

As the approaching car came round the bend, did its lights show up the pedestrian?

No.

Mr. T. H. Cassels (for Griffin):- Is it right that you have been driving as a commercial traveller 25,000 miles a year since 1933 and have never had an accident or been prosecuted?

Yes.

Further cross-examined by Mr. Cassells, Griffin said he pulled up as soon as he could after hitting the man and sounded his horn to stop the other car. He ex-changed names with its driver, who said he could not stop because he had a train to catch.

"I DID NOT SEE HIM"

Mr. Lance House asked Griffin if he might have been wrong in saying the approaching car had four lights.

Griffin:- "Yes. But they were dipped or dimmed at all."

If the car came round the corner and all four lights on, surely that would have shown up the man?"

I did not see him.

Did you apply your brakes immediately you saw the car?

Yes.

Do you think that at five miles per hour with your brakes hard on or fully applied you would run 12 feet before stopping.

Yes.

The Coroner:- Did you and the other driver have an argument about the dipping of lights?

Yes, I told him he did not dip his lights and he disputed that.

"Did he take you back to the car or did you go back?

No.

How he saw the man run down Griffin's car was described by Frank Dicker, of Tanner's Lodge, Brasted, chauffeur to Mr. A. E. Scott Arnott. He was the driver of the car whose head lights were alleged to have dazzled Grifffin, and declared that he did dip his headlamps. His car had reached the top of a hump before he did so, and it was probable that as his car followed the curve it's lights flashed across at an angle and blinded the other driver. He knew from personal observation that that was so at that spot Griffin's speed was slow so far as he could judge. After the argument about whether he had dipped or not, he took Griffin back to his car and found the lamps in a dimmed position. He admitted telling Griffin he could not wait because he had a train to catch.

SHOULD HAVE STOPPED

Dr. Kenneth Ward, of Brasted, said he found found Monk unconscious. X-ray examination in hospital revealed that he had a badly fractured skull. He had a bruises on the left shoulder which proved he must have been walking fairly well out in the road, otherwise he would have received the blow from the car on his right. That the skin on the shoulder was not broken suggested he had been knocked over by a slow moving vehicle and sustained his other injuries through contact with the road surface. Dr. Ward added that he knew both the drivers concerned were careful on the road.

Mr. Neve declared that he could not help feeling that Griffin made a mistake in not stopping dead when he became blinded. To test the accuracy of Griffins evidence the jury had to take into consideration the dispute concerning the dimming of the lights. From Monk point of view, he could not understand why he had not seen the lights of the car behind him or heard some noise, the presence of Dicker's car might have accounted for that.

Mr. W. Davies said the jury was satisfied that Monk's death was due to accidental causes, but were of the opinion that something should be done to make more safe the winding stretch of road upon which the accident occurred.

 

LICENSEE LIST

LANGRIDGE William 1828+ Pigot's Directory 1828-29 ("George")

ENSCOMBE Edward 1832+ Pigot's Directory 1832-34 ("George")

HARVEY George Thomas 1851+ (age 40 in 1851Census)

FISHERDEN Thomas to Mar/1860 Maidstone Telegraph

SHOOBRIDGE Stephen Mar/1860+ Maidstone Telegraph

RANGER Harriett 1901+ (widow age 69 in 1901) ("George")

HILL Henry A 1903+ Kelly's 1903 ("George")

CAPPING Edward to Jan/1914

COLLINGBOURNE Henry James Jan/1914+

MONK Harry Bowater to Nov/1936 dec'd

JAMES Benjamin 2009+

 

Maidstone TelegraphMaidstone Telegraph

Pigot's Directory 1828-29From the Pigot's Directory 1828-29

Pigot's Directory 1832-34From the Pigot's Directory 1832-33-34

Kelly's 1903From the Kelly's Directory 1903

CensusCensus

 

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