Above photo, date unknown, kindly supplied by the Lenham History Society.

Above photo, 1970s, kindly supplied by the Lenham History Society.

Above drawing, date unknown, kindly supplied by the Lenham History Society.

Above photo, date unknown kindly sent by Debi Birkin.

Information kindly supplied by the Lenham History Society.

The White Swan in Platts Heath by Henny Shotter.

 The earliest record we have of the White Swan which once occupied once the corner between Headcorn Road and Lenham Road in Platts Heath, is from 1861 when the licence was transferred from W. B. Fenner to to Thomas Powell. In 1891 the pub was then run by a woman, Mrs. Elizabeth Roberts, who was possibly a widow and made her living by selling her home brew from a tiny, 3 feet-wide bar.

Later on, this area was used as a take-away for some snacks… but mainly beer! We tend to forget that off-licences and supermarkets were not around in that era to serve the thirsty, and most beer lovers will in any case prefer a pint pulled straight from a well-kept barrel.

The beer was certainly well-kept during the 22 years (between 1969 and 1991) that Albert and Pat Wickison were the landlords of the White Swan between 1969 and 1991.

Above photo showing Albert & Pat Wickison.

At first the White Swan served beer from the Style and Winch Brewery in St Peter’s Street. Maidstone. However, when Pat and Albert became the landlords they served Courage beer on draft.

By that time, there were two new bars which were well-frequented by locals. In the saloon bar, the Wickisons served food as well as beer. Pat’s cooking was very popular, not only with locals but also with people from the Medway Towns, who visited the rural area around Lenham and would call in for a refreshing beer and a pub meal. During the summer months, the large beer garden (where a house now stands) was an additional attraction. The White Swan was not only a good eating and drinking venue but also very sociable: the other bar was a traditional public bar where the patrons played darts, board games, dominos, cribbage or cards.

When Pat and Albert left, the White Swan changed ownership a few times and became a Free House, but its heyday was over and it closed in 1999.

Today the ‘White Swan’ is a private house.

Thank you to Lee Wickison for providing us with information and photos.