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Written By: Edward James Gilbert-Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. 19 June, 2017.
THE WILTSHIRE ARMS. 82 VICTORIA ROAD.
OVERVIEW.
The "Wiltshire Arms" public house operated from premises at 82 Victoria
Road on the north east corner of Victoria Road and Goods Station Road in
a 2 storey red brick building. Located in a rather rough working class part
of town it served as a local watering hole since 1871 at the latest and
was still in operation until about 1917. When the building was
constructed and first used as a pub is not known but it was not found in
the 1867 directory suggesting that it began sometime between 1868 and
before 1871.
In the period of 1871 to 1874 James Young (1821-1908) was the beer house
keeper. He was followed by 1881 up to about 1900 by William Young
(1845-1917) who’s son William Young (1878-1914) emigrated to Canada and
was killed in France while serving with the Canadian Expeditionary
Force, and who is among the 25 men remembered on the St Augustine Church
war memorial in Tunbridge Wells.
From 1901 at the latest until about 1906 George Albert Saunders was the
beer house keeper. During his tenure The Teasdale Mercury of March
16, 1904 reported on the stabbing of a young woman at the "Wiltshire Arms."
She was badly injured but survived, thanks to the protection provided by
her corset, and the perpetrator Richard Johnson was apprehended; found
guilty and sentenced.
When Saunders left the pub was taken over by William Atherall who was
still there at the time of the 1911 census. His wife died in Tunbridge
Wells in 1914 and it is believed that he soon after left Tunbridge
Wells. William had married his wife Eva Florence Terrill in 1908
Tunbridge Wells. The 1911 census recorded that 82 Victoria Road was a
building consisting of 5 rooms.
By 1922 the former pub became the premises of Thomas Stickland who
operated a hosier & glovers shop there and up to 1971 the building was
occupied by various shops with a flat above.
In 1971 the building was divided up into shops and since that time part
of the premises has been occupied by The Dancing Boutique with another
part of the building serving as the premises of the Kitsu Sushi Bar. The
second floor of the building serves as a flat(s).
Shown at the top of the page is a postcard view of the "Wiltshire Arms" taken in the early
1900’s. The pub was reportedly, at least for part of its history, owned
by the William & Thomas Edwards of the Grosvenor Brewery on Tunnell
Road, which operated from about 1870 to 1900.
LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION.
The "Wiltshire Arms" pub was a 2 storey red brick building located on
the north east corner of Victoria Road and Goods Station Road, with an
address of 82 Victoria Road. The building still exists but when the pub
closed circa 1917 the main floor of the building was converted into
shops with the upper floor being at least one flat. During the time the
pub was in operation the second floor of the pub served as the residence
of the beer house keeper and his family.
The pub was not a large one described in the 1911 census as a building
with five rooms. The area around the pub was a working class district
and by no stretch of the imagination was the "Wiltshire Arms" a high class
establishment, but rather one that catered to the local trade of
workmen, many of whom were employed by the Baltic Sawmills business on
Goods Station Road and other similar businesses associated with the
Goods Station.
A review of Planning Authority records was made but the earliest one
available for viewing was for 1984 regarding a new shop front at 82A
Victoria Road, in which it was noted that the applicant was a Mr Pang.
The website of The Dancing Boutique states that they moved into 82
Victoria Road in 1971 and that the building was the former "Wiltshire Arms"
which had been divided up into shops when it closed. In fact the
"Wiltshire Arms" became a hosier and glovers shop as early as 1922 and was
occupied by various other shops after that. The building may well have
been divided up into more than one shop in 1971 as The Dancing Boutique
suggests. The Dancing Boutique is still there and during the time of
their occupancy part of 82 Victoria Road was the Kitsue Sushi Bar. Both
of these businesses can be seen in the Google photographs of 82 Victoria
Road shown at the top.
THE OCCUPANTS.
Given below is a list of known occupants of 82 Victoria Road covering
the period of 1871 to 1922. This list is based on a review of local
directories, census records and other documents during the study period
and since annual records were not available to the researcher this list
may not be complete. This building was last used as a pub circa 1918 and
then became the hosier and glovers shop of Thomas Strickland by 1922.
Who occupied the building after 1922 was not investigated since it was
no longer a pub.
[1] JAMES YOUNG (1821-1908)
James was born 1821 at Tudley, Kent, one of several children born to
William Young. On April 23, 1843 in Frant, he married Caroline Elizabeth
Crundwell, the daughter of John Crundwell. Caroline had been born 1821
in Frant.
James and Caroline had five children between 1844 and 1854 before
Caroline died soon after the birth of her daughter.
The 1851 census, taken in Frant gave James Young as an agricultural
labourer. With him was his wife Caroline and their children William,
born 1844 Frant, Matilda, Esther and George. William is of some
significance as he took over the running of the "Wiltshire Arms" from his
father.
The 1861 census, taken in Frant, gave James Young as a wood sawyer and a
widow. With him was his children Esther, George and Fanny (age 7).
The 1871 census taken at the "Wiltshire Arms," 82 Victoria Road gave James
young as an “ale house keeper”. With him was his second wife Anne, who
had been born 1828 in Speldhurst. When his marriage to Ann took place
was not established. Also there was his son in law John C. Faircloth,
born 1856 in Tunbridge Wells who was an “apprentice”. Also there were
two nieces Eliza May, age 15 and Ellen Mary age 12 both born in Tunbridge
Wells. The 1874 Kelly directory recorded James Young at the "Wiltshire
Arms."
The 1881 census, taken at 57 Camden Road gave James Young as a sawyer
and beer house keeper. With him was his wife Ann; his son George (a
plasterer); his widowed daughter Esther Long and his grandson Arthur
Long, born 1871 in London.
The 1891 census, taken at 119 St James Road, Tunbridge Wells, gave James
Young was a widower living on own means. With him was his widowed
daughter Esther his grandson Arthur (a labourer) and George Faircloth,
age 35, a visitor and whitesmith. A granddaughter Minnie Long born 1889
was also there.
At the time of the 1901 census James Long was still living at 119 St
James Road and probate records show him there when he died November
2,1908. The executor of his £1,633 estate was his daughter Esther
Long, widow and Thomas Buss, solicitor.
[2] WILLIAM LONG.
William Long was born in Frant in 1844 and was the son of James Young
reported on above. William was living with his parents up to the time of
the 1851 census.
The 1861 census gave William Young at Pit House in Wadhurst, Sussex
working as a brickmakers labourer and living as a lodger with the Joiner
family.
The 1871 census, taken at 42 North Street, Tunbridge Wells gave William
Young as a sawyer. With him was his wife Hannah, born 1849 at Black
Rock, Ireland and his two sons Thomas, born 1868 and James, born 1870.
Both children were born in Tunbridge Wells.
The 1881 census, taken at the "Wiltshire Arms," 82 Victoria Road gave
William Young as a beer house keeper. With him was his wife Hannah and
their children Thomas, age 13; James, age 11; Julia, age 6 and William
age 3 who had been born in Tunbridge Wells on March 4, 1878. The 1882
Kelly directory listed William Young at the "Wiltshire Arms."
The 1891 census, taken at the "Wiltshire Arms" gave William Young as the
beer house keeper. With him was his wife (given as Ann) born 1849 Cork,
Ireland. Also there were his children James, age 21; Julia Ann, age 15;
William, age 13; Caroline Mary, age 8 and Charles, age 34. His son James
was working as a plumber and his daughter Julia Ann as a dressmaker.
The 1901 census, taken at the "Bull Inn" on Frant Road gave William Young
as a publican on own account. With him was his wife Ann N Young, born
1850 Cork, Ireland and his son James, a plumber and his daughter
Julia. William Young died in Tunbridge Wells in 1917.
William Young’s son William, born 4 March, 1878 emigrated to Canada
before WW1. He had served for four years with the 21st Lancers before
the war and while in Canada enlisted with the Canadian Expeditionary
Force (CEF) at Winnipeg on December 29,1914. He no doubt went to Canada
to work on a farm but gave his occupation as blacksmith. He died on 22 May,
1915 while serving as a private (#81989) with the 50th Btn Canadian
Infantry. His death was announced at St Augustines Church in Tunbridge
Wells on 30 July,1915. His name is inscribed, as one of 25 men, on the
St Augustine Church war memorial which was unveiled on 11 December, 1918.
His name is also inscribed on the Vimy Memorial along with 11,000 other
Canadian servicemen who died in France and have no known grave.
[3] GEORGE ALFRED SAUNDERS.
George was born in the 4th qtr of 1865 at Mayfield, Sussex, one of seven
children born to William and Mary Saunders He was baptised 7 January, 1866 at Mayfield.
The 1881 census, taken at Clayton Farm Cottage in Mayfield gave William
Saunders as an agricultural labourer born 1833 in Mayfield. With him was
his wife Mary, born 1840 in Mayfield and seven of their children who
were all born in Mayfield between 1862 and 1882. Among the children was
a son, George Alfred Saunders of no occupation.
George Aflred Saunders went on to marry Kate Fenner (1866-1943) who was
born in the 2nd qtr of 1866 in Rotherfield, Sussex, one of nine children
born to Reuben Fenner (1830-1890) and Naomi Fenner, born 1835. George
and his wife had just one known child namely Olive Saunders (1895-1965)
who had been born in Hawkhurst, Kent.
The 1901 census, taken at the "Wiltshire Arms," 82 Victoria Road gave
George Alfred Saunders as the beer house keeper. With him was his wife
Kate; his daughter Olive; one boarder and one visitor. The 1903 Kelly
directory listed George at the "Wiltshire Arms" but had left the pub by
1911.
[4] WILLIAM ATHERALL.
William had been born 1884 in Wighyam, Sussex. In the 1st qtr of 1908 he
married Eva Florence Terrill in Tunbridge Wells. Eva had been born
3 January, 1886 at Cranbrook, Kent and one was one of several children
born to John and Ann Terrill.
The 1911 census, taken at the "Wiltshire Arms" gave William as the “manager
for brewer”. With him was his wife Eva who was given as “manageress”.
Also there was his daughter Mabel Violet, born 1909 in Tunbridge Wells,
and his daughter Kate, born 1910 in Tunbridge Wells. One lodger was also
there. The census recorded that the building had five rooms; that the
couple had been married four years and that they had just the two
children.
Eva died in Tunbridge Wells in the 4th qtr of 1914 and not long
afterwards William left the pub and the town and by 1922 82 Victoria
Road was the hosiers and glovers shop of Thomas Strickland.
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