Above photo, date unknown, by kind permission of Erik Hartland.

Above photo showing a similar shot today, 2014. By kind permission of Erik Hartland.

From an email received 19 May 2016.

My Grandmother Harriet Coatsworth was born in the "Duke of Brunswick" on 11 October 1886. Family story has it that her mother Isabella went into labour serving behind the bar, went upstairs to give birth, and everyone in the pub toasted the baby when her father Alfred brought her down later!

Alfred Coatsworth was born on 17 December 1840. His Birth Certificate says he was born in Stone Street, Maidstone, father William, beer retailer, mother Mary, formerly Cook. The family didn't just sell beer, because in the 1861 Census Alfred is age 20, single, a pipe maker, living with his parents and brother Tom, a brewer, at "Duke of Brunswick," Upper Stone Street. Presumably they made and sold clay pipes for use in the pub. His father William was described as a brewer, baker and beer retailer.

Alfred married Isabella Pinhorn in 1867. They had nine children, my grandmother being the youngest. In the 1871 and 1881 Census their address is 26 Upper Stone Street. The 1881 Census describes Alfred as a tobacco pipe maker, and it is only in 1891, aged 50, he is a pipe maker and beer retailer, and their address is 28 Upper Stone Street, "Duke of Brunswick." Alfred died aged 54 in 1894. The family gave up the pub after that.

This lovely picture is of my grandmother Harriet and her mother Isabella.

Hope that information is useful to you.

Molly Turner.

From an email received 15 August 2017.

My father Jack Brough was licensee of the "Duke of Brunswick" for a couple of years from 1958ish. The pub had been closed and had an unenviable reputation and was known as 'The Blood House'. We moved there from 'The Singing Kettle Cafe' at Lenham. The main source of custom was from the Common Lodging (Kip) Houses located further up Stone Street. The attached photo was taken in the pub's back yard. We make a handsome couple my dad and me. I would have been 13ish.

John Brough.