GREYHOUND Pub of Sutton at Hone

DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Page Updated:- Sunday, 07 March, 2021.

PUB LIST

PUBLIC HOUSES

Paul Skelton

Earliest ????

Greyhound

Closed by 2016

58 Main Street

Sutton at Hone

https://whatpub.com/greyhound

Above photo, circa 1900, also showing the "Rose and Crown" far right.

Above photo, 1910s, kindly sent by Sal Harbour.

Above photo, circa 1930s, kindly sent by Sal Harbour.

Above photo circa 1960.

Above photo 2010 by Dr Neil Clifton Creative Commons Licence.

Above photo, August 2017, kindly sent by Ian Goodrick.

Above sign July 2012.

With thanks from Brian Curtis www.innsignsociety.com.

I am informed that the pub had a forge here in 1900.

From the Maidstone Telegraph, Rochester and Chatham Gazette, Saturday 26 February 1859. Price 1d.

SUTTON VALENCE.

The second anniversary dinner of “Court Star, of Sutton” took place on Friday evening, 11th February. At the “Greyhound Inn.” It was well attended by its members, and also by many of the respectable inhabitants . Mr. Thorn supplied one of the best dinners of the kind we ever sat down to, and in the most artistic manner. After the cloth was cleared the usual toasts were drunk, and ably responded to. Some capital singing followed, including that beautiful glee, “The Hardy Horseman.” Which was performed in a highly creditable manner, and duly appreciated by the whole company. We were glad to find that the court had not forgotten their sick brethren in the hour of their own festivity, but had taken care that they had been attended to.

Maidstone Journal and Kentish Advertiser, Monday 27 August 1866.

DARTFORD PETTY SESSIONS.

Mr. Gibson applied for Mr. Packman, "Greyhound," Sutton-at-Hone, Refused.

Bromley & District Times - Friday 13 March 1891.

Dartford. Assault Cases.

Saturday. Before Mr. T Bevax (in the chair), Colonel Beamish, and Mr. E. J. Elgood.

Water Harber, blacksmith of Sutton-at-Hone, was submitted for assaulting Sarah George, a married woman, of the same place on February 28th. Defendant pleaded not guilty.

Complainant stated that she was the wife of Albert George, and they lived next door to defendant's workshop. On the previous Saturday, about 9:30 a.m. she was looking out of her sitting room window, and heard a child scream. Looking across the yard she saw defendant with a big stick in his hand, which he dropped and picked up a halter and cord. Harber was calling one of his boys, who was very terrified, and appeared to be running away from him. Knowing that defendant was in the habit of chastising his children very severely, she went outside and said "Walter, do have mercy on the boy." Defendant said he would give it to her, and struck her a severe blow across the arm. Complainant showed the bench the bruise on her arm caused by the blow, in consequence of which he had been attended by a doctor.

Albert George, husband of complainant, saw the boy running away from the defendant, and heard his wife ask him to have mercy on the boy, when Harber struck her a blow across the arm. Defendant had since called on him, and apologised for what he had done, and he would have forgiven him, but for the intervention of Superintendent Webster.

In defence Harber stated that complainant and her husband kept the "Greyhound Inn." Complainant had a grudge against him, because he did not go to their house, and threatened to bring him to Dartford Court first chance she had. He was obliged to correct his boy, and complainant had no cause to interfere, as he was not unduly severe.

Richard Tompkins, in defendant's employ, stated that Harber struck complainant quite accidentally as he was leaning over the fence when he (defendant) was chasing the boy.

The Chairman said defendant must correct his children moderately, and he would be fined 10s. and the costs, amounted to £1. 2s. 6d.

From http://kenttodayandyesterday.blogspot.co.uk 31 December 2010. (1885)

DOUBLE MURDER AT THE GREYHOUND - A NEW YEAR TALE

The popular "Greyhound" pub in the quiet village of Sutton At Hone on the outskirts of Dartford, Kent has a very dark secret.

Exactly 125 years ago today it was the scene of a horrific double murder..... (1885)

Following his customary routine, at ten o'clock in the evening, the 64 year old landlord David Smith had locked the front door for the night.

In the dimly lit taproom, two of his lodgers, Alfred Kemp a bricklayer's labourer and James Stroude a boot maker, shared a pot of ale at a table by the window.

A third lodger, John Crowhurst had already retired upstairs to bed.

Shortly after ten, 42 year old paper mill worker John Knocker entered the taproom, ordered a pint of beer and sat near the fireplace.

About fifteen minutes later, Knocker suddenly got up and walked calmly across to Kemp.

Without uttering a single word, he placed his left arm around Kemp's neck and with his right hand drew a razor deep across his throat.

Kemp fell sideways to the floor with blood spurting from the six inch wound to his neck.

In horror, Stroude saw Knocker making towards him but managed to effect his escape through the back door of the pub.

Passing the landlord Smith in the passageway he shouted "John's gone wrong tonight!" and set off to raise the alarm.

Smith entered the taproom and was immediately set upon by Knocker.

A ferocious struggle ensued but "old man" Smith was no match for Knocker who had served 25 years in the army.

Smith was pushed to the ground and his throat slit virtually from ear to ear.

On hearing the commotion, Crowhurst rushed downstairs to find the lifeless bodies of Kemp and Smith lying in a pool of blood on the taproom floor.

Of Knocker, there was no sign.

Shortly before midnight, John Knocker was apprehended by Police Constable Benge on West Hill, Dartford.

His face, hands and clothes covered in his victim's blood, Knocker immediately confessed to his crimes and was taken into custody.

An inquest was held into the tragic events.

Knocker had been resident at The "Greyhound" for around five months and had previously always been on very good terms with the landlord and his fellow lodgers.

His army conduct had been exemplary and Police Constable Benge who had made the arrest confirmed that he was not drunk.

So what had gone so terribly wrong?

At the inquest Mrs Smith told how Knocker had left The "Greyhound" in apparent good spirits on Christmas Eve for a short holiday but had returned the following Tuesday "a different man"....

We can only speculate what it was that tipped a sane man over the edge and made him commit such crimes.

Unfortunately I have not so far been able to find out what happened to John Knocker at trial but I can confirm that he was not hanged for his crimes.

In view of the circumstances of the case I imagine he may have been declared insane and committed to a lunatic asylum.

Nowadays, he would probably be tried for manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

David Smith the landlord was buried in the nearby graveyard at St John the Baptist church on 10th January 1886.

From The Times, 13 January, 1886.

South Eastern Circuit.

Yesterday, before Mr. Justice Stephen, at Maidstone, Mr Dickens, for the treasury, applied that the trial of the Dartford murder case might be postponed so that inquiries might be made by competent persons into the state of the prisoner’s mind. The prisoner, John Knocker, offering no objection, the application was granted. The case will therefore be tried at the alternate Spring Assizes to be held at Lewes.

From the Criminal Registers County of Kent May 1986.

Spring Assize held at Lewes 24th. May 1886.

John Knocker – Offence Murder – Insane when act was comitted to be kept in strict custody.

Warrant of removal of a Criminal Lunatic, ordered to be detained during her Majesty’s pleasure, from Prison to Broadmoor.

CRIMINAL LUNATIC ASYLUMS ACT, 1860

Registered number of Criminal lunatic X 10441

Court Lewes assizes

Order of Court - To be detained during Her Majesty’s pleasure.

Prison in which confined at date of Warrant – Lewes

Signed by Hugh Culling Eardley Childers (Home Secretary) One of Her Majesty’s Principal Secretaries of State. Whitehall, 2 day of June 1886.

To the Governor of H. M. Prison at Lewes and To the Superintendent of Broadmoor Lunatic Asylum.

From the Maidstone Journal and Kentish Advertiser, 12 July 1892.

A protection order to sell at the "Greyhound," Sutton-at-Hone, till next transfer day, was granted to Mr. Henry Selling.

From The Times, 13 January, 1886.

SOUTH-EASTERN CIRCUIT.

Yesterday before Mr. Justice Stephen, at Maidstone, Mr. Dickens, for the Treasury, applied that the trial of the Dartford murder case might be postponed so that inquiries might be made by competent persons into the state of the prisoner's mind. The prisoner, John Knocker, offered no objection, the application was granted. The case will therefore be tried at the alternative Spring Assizes to be held at Lewes.

From http://www.tescopoly.org. 29 August 2013.

NEW TESCO STORE

Tesco has put in a planning order to take over another local village pub - the "Greyhound" in Sutton-at-hone, DA4 9EU, Near Dartford, Kent.

Residents feel that the Main Road can't take any more increased traffic. The hazards to cyclist and families walking to the local village school and playgroup is currently very high. The local convenience store situated opposite the proposed site that has served Sutton-at-hone for many years will be crushed by Tesco's arrival. The store would be squeezed between families houses and gardens.

From http://www.newsshopper.co.uk 29 August 2013. By Alan Woods.

RESIDENTS OBJECT TO NEW TESCO STORE

THIRTY-NINE Sutton-at-Hone residents have submitted objections against the opening of a new Tesco store in the village.

Dartford Council's development control board will discuss proposed changes to "Greyhound" pub, in Main Road, put forward by the supermarket giant at a meeting next Thursday (September 4).

However, the recommendation from the council is the application is refused.

The new store, which will include an on-site bakery, will be open between 6am and 11pm, seven days a week.

Ten car parking spaces are also planned for the new store, but residents have lodged a list of objections with the council.

These include arguments Sutton-at-Hone does not need a Tesco store, the 10 parking spaces are inadequate and deliveries to the store will be noisy.

In a report, Dartford Council's development control board officer Sonia Bunn justifies the recommended refusal by saying the size of the shop requires at least 22 parking spaces.

Ms Bunn writes: “I consider the proposed extension and the subsequent use of the property as a retail shop is an over-intensified use of the site which will result in unacceptable disturbance and inconvenience to local residents and a change to the character of the village.”

From http://www.tescopoly.org. 31 October 2013.

PLANS REFUSED

As the proposal fails to provide adequate car parking on-site which is likely to result in conflict between vehicles and pedestrians and car parking on surrounding roads leading to inconvenience for other road users, and is detrimental to the residential amenity of neighbouring occupiers and will have a detrimental impact on the character of the village. The proposal is therefore contrary to the Council's adopted Parking Standards Supplementary Guidance 2012 and Policies B1, V5 and T23 of the adopted Dartford Local Plan 1995.

From an email received 23 July 2015.

My husband Alan Bayley had the "Greyhound" from 1982, he did much construction work to the pub, uncovering a very deep well which has now been covered over by the now toilets, we closed the pub for a short period to do the works, the pub was reopened by the then world champion snooker player Steve Davies, so very sad that the pub has now seen better days!

Linda Bayley.

Steve Davis and Linda and Alan Bayley 1982.

Re-opening of the pub in 1982.

Steve Davis and Linda and Alan Bayley 1982.

From the http://www.tescopoly.org 31 October 2013.

Tesco has put in a planning order to take over another local village pub - the Greyhound in Sutton-at-hone, DA4 9EU, Near Dartford, Kent.

Plans refused

From the http://www.newsshopper.co.uk 15th February 2018.

The Greyhound in Sutton at Hone: HMO plan for pub rejected.

A plan to turn an empty north Kent pub into a house in multiple occupation has been thrown out by Dartford councillors.

An application to renovate the Greyhound in Main Street, Sutton at Hone, into an 11-bedroom HMO has been rejected following a meeting.

The developer, Bestsafe Development, wanted to replace the roof with a higher single-pitched roof increasing the height by 1.4m.

In its application, the developer said: "This proposal for the conversion of a former public house to form an HMO of 11 no. single bedrooms would be a positive addition to the local area.

"The proposals will reinvigorate a tired building that has been unoccupied for a number of years by providing high quality HMO units which will provide much needed choice for the local housing market.

"It will enable young persons to live locally, close to their families, and yet be able to commute to central London via nearby train station. It will bring much needed economy to the area and local businesses."

An HMO is a home that has at least three tenants living there - and the scheme for the Greyhound proposed 11 single bedrooms, along with 12 parking spaces.

However, the scheme has been rejected because of how the new roof would impact on the setting of a Grade II listed building.

The council rejected the application on the grounds that the height of the new new roof would have significant detrimental impact to the appearance of the building.

LICENSEE LIST

PACKHAM James 1861-71+ (also basket maker age 28 in 1861)