Star Inn

Above photo, circa 1949, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. In 1929, Whitbread's unfurled their "umbrella" for the first time and using the Canterbury-based Jude, Hanbury's Dane John Brewery as cover, clandestinely purchased Mackeson's Hythe Brewery from H & G Simonds' Reading Brewery. Although Whitbreads' main interest was the rights to Mackeson's famous Milk Stout, the acquisition also included some 115 tied houses located throughout East Kent. Pretty much as soon as the ink was dry on the deal, Whitbread's snapped their "umbrella" shut and the Jude Hanbury name was dropped, with the Canterbury brewery being shut.

The c.60 Jude Hanbury tied houses in East Kent were amalgamated into Mackeson's estate. Over the next twenty years or so, standard Whitbread corporate livery largely replaced that of Mackeson's but there was usually some visual reference to the Hythe brewery outside their former tied houses. An exception to this rule appears to be the Star, which is odd, given the pub's close proximity to Mackeson's Brewery.

Above photo, date unknown.

Above photo, 2009, kindly sent by Michael Mirams.

The above sign, wasn't actually designed and released by Whitbread, but has been designed by Robert Greenham in the same style as the card sets they distributed as a representation of what the sign looked like. Robert says:- This was based on the image which appeared on Whitbread's metal map for East Kent which was painted by D. W. Burley in 1950, on commission from Whitbread.

The above metal map, kindly sent by Robert Greenham was released, in 1950 and painted by D. W. Burley, and was titled Inn-Signia of Whitbread Houses in East Kent, Whitbread & Co Ltd. The Inn Signs designed by:- M. C. Balston, Vena Chalker, Kathleen M Claxton, K. M. Doyle, Ralph Ellis, Marjorie Hutton, Harvey James, Prudence Rae-Martin, Violet Rutter, L. Toynbee and Kit Watson.