Hythe Street

Dartford

Above photo, circa 1903, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. The pub appears to have been a very early example of what became known after WW1 as "Brewers' Tudor."

Above postcard, colourised version, date 1903.

I am informed by John Tidy that this was never a pub as such, although at one stage it did have an alcohol license for two hours a day. The premises as described above closed in 1907 as it wasn't really successful but the 1911 census it was described as a temperance hotel, so had obviously relinquished its license by then, after 1907 it was mainly used as offices.

It was built by Everard Hesketh of J E Hall as an alternative to the pub for their workforce to get their lunch. It could seat 250.  After just a few years because of lack of use Halls turned it into a document store. It got its name because at the time Halls made refrigerator units and the building was decorated with a Polar Bear on the top. The building was demolished around 1990.

LICENSEE LIST

FRANKLIN W J 1911+ (age 48 in 1911)