Above photo circa 1908.

Above photo March 1970, kindly taken and sent by Terry Farebrother.

Above sign, August 1986.

With thanks from Brian Curtis www.innsignsociety.com.

The following information has been taken from http://www.cliffehistory.co.uk/pubs.html

The Royal Albert began as a simple beer house licensed to retail beer and cider on the premises until 1887 then, like many of the beer houses, it was licensed to sell off the premises.

Its location along Salt Lane, leading to the various cement works and explosive works, meant it was a well frequented ‘watering-hole' for workers on their way home from a hard and busy day.

The publican at that time was Mr George Cloake who ran the "Royal Albert" with his wife May and lived nearby in 6, Concrete Cottages, Salt Lane, Cliffe. A short distance away, at number 2 Concrete Cottages, lived John Jarrett who took the licensee of the pub for a month. Possibly George, who was 71 by then, was in ill-health at this time for he died a short time later in the winter of 1897. His place at the "Royal Albert" was taken over by his grandson Henry. George's son, Alfred, at this time was a licensed victualler in nearby Strood running the "Western Arms" Public House.

By 1911 the "Royal Albert Inn" was in the capable hands of Edwin George Thompson who, together with his wife Emily, ran the pub for the next twenty years.