RAILWAY TAVERN Pub of Strood

DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Sort file:- Strood, March, 2024.

Page Updated:- Tuesday, 26 March, 2024.

PUB LIST

PUBLIC HOUSES

Paul Skelton

Earliest 1849-

(Name from)

Railway Tavern

Latest ????

(Name to)

6 or 8 Canal Road

Strood

Above photo, date unknown.

Also referred as the "Railroad Tavern" in the 1851 census, and has also been addresses as 6 Canal Road, Frindsbury in an 1874 directory and the 1881 census. I am assuming this changed name from the "Canal and Railway Tavern" some time before that date.

This was mentioned in a book called the "History of Strood" by Henry Smetham, published 1899, who says it was situated on the south side of the High Street.

In 1871 ex-Emperor Napoleon III, his Empress Eugenie and the Prince Imperial waited in the garden of the "Railway Tavern" for a steamboat from Strood Pier. On their return on the boat news had spread of their presence. The Mayor and Mayoress and crowds of cheering people greeted them. The Landlord of the pub re-named it the "Railway Tavern and Imperial Hotel" the following day. I do not know how long this name lasted for or indeed whether that story is just an urban myth.

Ind Coope & Co Ltd purchased an unlicensed shop at 13 Canal Road from Budden & Biggs Brewery Ltd by conveyance and assignment dated 23 March 1931.

Around the 1960s the locals used to refer to this pub as the "Red Brick" but it never had that name officially.

From the Sevenoaks Chronicle, 31 August 1852.

CITY ANNUAL LICENSING DAY.

On Saturday a special petty session was held before a full bench, consisting of eleven magistrates, for the hearing of applications for new licenses and for other business of the general annual licensing day.

Mr. Lewis, on behalf of Mr. James Prudhoe, proprietor of the "Railway Tavern" beer shop, applied for a license for that house, the property of Sir H. Maux and Co., and situate at the terminus of the North East Railway at Strood.

Mr. King, solicitor, of Maidstone, opposed the application, and submitted that the service of the notice had not been consistent with the statute, inasmuch as the affixing on the church door only took place on one Sunday and not on three several Sundays as prescribed by the Act. The Court over-rules the objection, and the case proceeded with.

Mr. Lewis then stated the grounds on which he made the application, which, although nominally for Mr. Prudhoe, was really on behalf of the public. The house had been at an outlay of £1,000 and although having every accommodation, was capable of further improvement.

Mr. King opposed the application on behalf of the owners of the "Windmall Tavern," belonging to Mrs. and Miss Hulkes, and also the occupier, Mr. Roffway. Mr. Roffway had occupied the "Windmill Tavern" for about twenty years, a house containing all the accommodation that was requisite, and which had been increased by improvement from time to time. The application had been refused on two previous occasions, and there were no new grounds, he submitted, for coming to any other decision.

Mr. Coles said he was anxious to arrive at Mr. Prudhoe's position with regard to the road. The magistrates had had recently three or four cases before them, in which some doubt had been expressed as to whether it was a public road. Certain omnibuses were kept out, which the South Eastern Company said they had a right to keep out.

Mr. Lewis said there was an ancient public foot-path from Strood Street to Frindsbury, but he could not say whether the road was a public one.

Mr. Alderman Essel explained that until of late years the public had no right to the road. The pathway to which the public had a right was formerly on the top of the sea wall, but in order to negative the right of the public way, a bar was placed along the road. The public had no right to pass along that road with carriages, and it was not a public carriage way. He then called Mr. Roffway, who deposed that his house was within a minute or a minute and a half's walk of the station, and was on the same side of the way. When the works of the new bridge were begun, a great number of houses were taken down, by which he was deprived of a large portion of the trade which formerly belonged to this house.

Mr. Lewis having replied, the magistrates granted the license.

Southeastern Gazette, 21 June 1853.

STROOD, KENT. TO HOTEL AND TAVERN KEEPERS.

A Lease, Goodwill, and Possession of all that noted and well-known profitable Tavern, situate and being at the terminus of the Rochester, Chatham, and London North Kent Railway at Strood.

Mr. J. T. SKINNER is instructed by the freeholders to offer FOR SALE BY PUBLIC AUCTION, At Garraway’s Coffee-house, Change-alley, Corn-hill, London, on Thursday, June 30th, 1853, at Twelve o’clock at noon,

A LEASE, with the goodwill and possession of all that well-known "RAILWAY TAVERN," now in the tenure or occupation of Mr. James Prudhoe. The lease will be granted for a term of seven years, from Mid-summer-day, 1853, at a rental of £100 per annum, with an option to the purchaser to take a further term or terms so as to make fourteen or twenty-one years at the same rate and on the same condition as the lease to to be sold.

The house and grounds are pleasantly situated, and comprise a large frontage to the river Medway, enclosed by a neat iron and palisade fence, with lawn, shrubbery, and garden, excellent stable for seven horses, coach-house, paved stable yard, with convenient offices, &c., enclosed by a brick wall and folding gates, directly opposite the railway terminus. The basement floor contains a good and roomy kitchen, pantry, scullery, four cellars for the store of spirits, wine, beer, &c. On the ground floor are a convenient and well arranged bar, and bar parlour, coffee-room, smoking-room, tap-room, and passage. The upper floor consists of a large commodious dining-room, sitting-room, two bed-rooms, store closets, &c., and is now doing a large and profitable business, which may be considerably increased. The lease will be sold subject to the purchaser taking Sir H. Meux and Co's draught beer and ales, also to take the tenant’s goods, fixtures, and effects by valuation of two appraisers or their umpire, and the stock by guage in the usual way.
The house and premises may be viewed by application and leave of the tenant. Printed particulars and conditions of sale are preparing, and may be had, five days before the sale, by applying to Messrs Colley, Smith, Hunter, and Co., Solicitors, Lincoln’s Inn, London; the "Railway Tavern" and "Angel Inn," Strood; the "Crown," "Bull," and "Red Lion Inns," Rochester; the "Sun Inn," and of the Auctioneer, 278, High-street, Chatham; and Garraway’s, Corn-hill.

South Eastern Gazette, 22 November 1853.

Coroners Inquest.

On Friday evening Mr. Prall, deputy coroner, held an inquiry at the "Railway Tavern," Strood, touching the death of Stephen Kingsnorth, of Strood, who was found on the previous Wednesday, lying dead in the mud in the marsh, near the canal.

Thomas Wadhams deposed that between five and six o’clock in the evening he saw the deceased at the spot where he was subsequently found, standing in a stooping position. It was moonlight at the time, and witness knew deceased by his jacket and southwester.

Harriett Goatley stated that she went with the wife of the deceased to several public-houses to seek for deceased, as he had been absent since the first of the morning. They afterwards went to the canal, when the wife found his jacket, and afterwards screaming out, she said she saw his body lying in the mud. Information was then given to several parties, and the body was got out.

William Sharp, hearing cries of "Murder," hastened to the spot from whence the cries came, and there saw some females near Mrs. Culver’s cottage. Witness afterwards found the body near a sluice not far from Mr. Winch’s premises. With assistance be got the body out.

Dr. Brown, who had been sent for, said death might have been caused by suffocation.

This being the whole of the evidence, the jury returned a verdict accordingly.

South Eastern Gazette, 25 September, 1860.

CITY PETTY SESSIONS.

Tuesday. (Before B. B. Coles ad B. Everest. Esqrs.)

William Sharp, who did not appear to the charged with with using indecent and obscene language at Mr. Barker's "Railway Tavern," Canal-road.

The offence having been fully proved, Mr. Coles stated that in consequence of the accused treating the court with such disrespect, in not attending to the summons he would be imprisoned for one month.

From the Maidstone Telegraph, Rochester and Chatham Gazette, 16 November 1861.

Inquest.

On Wednesday evening last an inquest was held at the "Railway Tavern," Strood, before Rower Marsh, Esq., deputy coroner, touching the death of William Mills, a porter employed at the South Eastern Railway, at Strood, who was found on Tuesday evening in the canal near the good station.

William Potterton said that he was drinking a pint of ale with deceased at the "Refreshment Room," Strood, on Tuesday evening last, when he left, and said he was going home. He was perfectly sober at the time.

Mr. Price, the station master, spoke very highly of deceased as a very sober attentive man, and much regretted his death.

There being no evidence to show how deceased came into the water, the jury returned a verdict of "Found Drowned."

Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser 18 November 1949.

MARRIAGE. SIMMONS-HARRISON.

On the 12th November, 1949, at St. Mary's Church, Strood, by the Rev. Band, Maurice Auther, son of Mr. & Mrs. G. Simmons, of Orchard Cottage, Capel, to Laura Rosie, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harrison, of "Railway Tavern," Strood.

LICENSEE LIST

PRUDHOE James 1851-53+ (age 35 in 1851)