Sun

Above photo, circa 1900s. W. King, licensee.

Above postcard, date unknown.

Above photo, circa 1905, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. Charles Kidd's Steam Brewery Dartford Towering over the pub is the ten-arched Darent Valley Viaduct built in1859/60 to a design by Joseph Cubitt, on behalf of the London, Chatham & Dover Railway. Just down the road, in 1820, Henry Hall established a flour mill. In the early-Victorian era, the mill was converted to the production of paper and the River Darent was diverted, in order to offer power, as well as water for the papermaking business. The "Sun" first opened in 1871, presumably to serve the increasing local population. The Oak Brewery, Dartford had only recently changed hands, with the Miskin brothers selling up in 1868, to Charles Newman Kidd, who set about developing the brewery and expanding its tied estate. The Sun would have been an early investment and it remained a Kidd's tied house right up until 1937, when Courage's Horsleydown Brewery, London SE1 swooped and closed the Oak Brewery soon afterwards.

Above postcard, date unknown.

Above photo, date unknown.

Above photo 1990s.

Bill and Em Gillingwater ran The Sun pub in Horton Kirby from 1971 until 1983.