DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Page Updated:- Friday, 07 June, 2024.

PUB LIST PUBLIC HOUSES Paul Skelton

Earliest ????

Greyhound

Open 2020+

Ukfield Lane

Hever

01732 862221

https://www.greyhoundhever.co.uk/

https://www.whatpub.com/greyhound

Greyhound 1947

Above postcard, circa 1947. Kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Greyhopund 2017

Above photo 2017.

Greyhound sign 1993Greyhound sign 2017

Above sign left, June 1993, sign right, 2017.

With thanks from Brian Curtis www.innsignsociety.com.

 

I believe this has also been referred to as Grove Cottege.

I have reference to a "Greyhound" at Bough Beech. Which may be the same pub, local knowledge required.

 

Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser, Friday 19 August 1949.

Former hotelkeeper sent to prison.

Series of charges against an ex army officer.

The story of an ex-8th Army captain's incursion into the licensing trade was heard at Sevenoaks Court on Thursday when Gerald Thomas Uwins, formerly of the "Greyhound Inn," Hever, was sentenced to a total of 12 months imprisonment on seven charges, 21 other cases being taken into consideration.

Mention was made of a sum of £500 being advanced to accused (in connection with which there was no charge) to finance him on taking over the "Greyhound" by the man who was best man at his wedding and who had a receiving order made against him on his failure to repay the money, which he had borrowed.

It was stated that the accused's first wife had divorced him and that he had since married a girl of 21, telling her his age was 37 and that he had been to Oxford. According to the police, Uwins is 46 years of age.

Uwins pleaded guilty to the following charges.

Stealing by a trick £250 from Harold Charles Ward.

Obtaining £100 from Alfred John Studholme by false pretences, with intent to defraud.

Obtaining supplies from Preston Mineral Water co., to the value of £2 16s. by false pretences; obtaining supplies from the same company to the value of £3 12s. 9d.

Obtaining supplies from Leonard Groves, "Holmesdale Tavern," Sevenoaks, to the value of £2 12s. by false pretences; obtaining supplies from John Edward Mannifield, "Camden Arms," Sevenoaks to the value of £16 6s.

A false entry showing £7 to have been paid to Southdown Motor Coaches.

He elected to be dealt with summarily.

For the prosecution, Mr. Tunstall and leads that while working as a barman at the "Black Prince Hotel," Bexley, accused got to know a Mr. Roy Bawcutt, whom he told he had the opportunity of taking a public house and asking Bawcutt to finance him, offering to pay 50%, of the profit monthly. Bawcutt managed to get £500 which he paid to Uwins and was himself later sued for the money, which he had borrowed.

In November or December last, Uwins got into contract with Mr. Ward, father-in-law of Bawcutt. He told Ward he had taken the "Greyhound" at Hever and that Bawcutt had promised him £1,000 but had only giving him £700, that he was in low water and had not enough to buy a crate of brown ale. Ward let him have £250 on condition that he took out a life policy for £1,000. The policy was taken out but allowed to lapse after the first payment and Ward have not received anything back.

In January of this year, Uwins met Mr. Alfred John Studholme of High Ridge Farm, Oxted and told him he wanted to work up the catering business. He asked for and received £100, promising to repay as soon as business improved. Apparently just before Uwins left the "Greyhound" Studholm asked about the money and was issued he would be paid when the business was sold. Four or five days later Uwins left the "Greyhound" and Studholme heard no more about him or the money.

Mr. Tunstall detailed the transactions with the Presta Mineral Water Co., and how they have finally stopped supplies on credit, and describes how Uwins had approach Mr. Groves and Mr. Mannifield and obtained the supplies mentioned in the charges by saying in one case that he had sold out over Easter and then the other he had been let down by someone.

Dealing with the alleged falsification of accounts, Mr. Tunstall told the court that the South Downs Motor Company provided transport for the darts club connected with the "Greyhound," someone collecting the money and handling it to accused, who paid over to the company, when the account was produced it showed that all accounts had been paid when two items totalling £7 and not been paid.

Asking for two witnesses to be called "for cross-examination," Mr. Lance House said he had understood the witnesses would not be present, but they were.

The first was Roy Bawcett who agreed that he had been very friendly with Uwins. He agreed that Uwins might have had the impression that he would try and find £1,000 and that the arrangement was that he should find the money and Uwan's run the business.

He agrees that he was best man at Uwins wedding but did not know what part of the advance was used to meet the expenses of the wedding. He had gathered from Ewins that he had money but that it was tied up in property. He agreed he had never trouble to find out how much had been paid to the brewers and that he had £50 back. Following the action against him for the money he had borrowed to give Uwins, a receiving order had been made against witness and he had lost everything including his home and his job. Harold Charles Ward, Crayford, told Mr. House that when Uwins saw him he thought it was a case of distress.

Addressing the magistrates, Mr. House said the same to be some doubt about defendants age. He thought he was 38 but he had no birth certificate and it might be that he was older. He had no recollection of his parents but only knew that he had been brought up by an uncle and aunt.

He attended a grammar school and then went into various businesses eventually carrying on his own business as an estate agent. He had been a territorial and was called up on the outbreak of war, serving six years with the 8th Army and reaching the rank of Captain. In the meantime he had married, but his marriage was not happy. He separated from his wife and after the war was divorced by her on the grounds of desertion.

On coming out of the army he was rather at a loose end and ultimately decided he would like to learn the hotel trade and got a job at Bexley, where he started at the bottom.

When he took the "Greyhound" (for which he had paid £300,) he had no capital, only the expectation of another £500 being brought in. When he got to the "Greyhound" he found trade was poor and the catering season nearly it's end. His anxiety to carry on somehow until the summer season this year, when he hoped to make some money and repay the loans.

His wife had stood by him magnificently and will continue to work to help him get straight again.

It was stated by the police that Uwins was clearly 45 and London born. His mother was alive though it has been impossible to trace her. At the age of 6, Uwins was adopted by and uncle by marriage and was educated at Market Harborough Grammar School.

In 1930 he was married at Witney, and there was one child of the marriage. Before the war he was a commercial traveller and then listed in 1939, rising to the rank of Captain. He was demobilised in 1946 and on his discharge, deserted his wife who obtained a divorce on the grounds of his adultery, the decree nisi being made absolute in April, 1948.

Uwins was unemployed from the time of his demobilization until February 1948, when he obtained employment as a barman at the "Black Prince," being discharged in July 1948 for dishonesty.

On August 11th, 1948, he married a 21 year old girl at Dartford. He informed her and his relations that he had been educated at St. John's College, Oxford and that he was 37.

Worked on Farm.

Uwins became licensee of the "Greyhound Inn," Hever, in August 31st, 1948, but, alleged the police statement, owing to the manner in which he conducted the business, the brewers informed him in April of this year that is notice to quit would be appreciated. Uwins relinquished the licence in May 24th, and in June obtained a position on a farm in Hampshire.

The police also stated that accused had asked for 21 other cases to be taken into consideration, the total amount involved in all being £1,209, also that the majority of these were for obtaining money by false pretences and for for stealing.

After retirement of 20 minutes the chairman of the magistrates told Uwins he was guilty on his own confession of these seven senior charges and had asked them to take into consideration 21 other charges. These charges were all most serious and had extended over a considerable period. They had been deliberate and accused must realise he had cause distress to a great many people.
He then sentenced Uwins to six months imprisonment on each of the first two charges, to run consecutively and one month on each of the other 5 chargers, to run concurrently with the sentences on the first two charges.

 

From the http://www.kentonline.co.uk 21 October 2015.

Fire at Greyhound pub in Uckfield Lane, Hever.

Firefighters returned to a Hever pub this morning to investigate a fire that seriously damaged the building last night.

Six fire engines were sent to the "Greyhound Inn" in Uckfield Lane when a blaze broke out at 1.20am.

At the height of the fire, the six engines, a height vehicle and a command support unit were in attendance as Kent Fire and Rescue Service worked with colleagues from Surrey and Sussex.

The roof of the pub suffered the most damage.

The number of crews tackling the flames was gradually reduced throughout the night and by 4.30am there were just two fire engines left.

The final crews left at about 6.45am but firefighters returned this morning to investigate the cause of the fire.

Last night, firefighters searched the building and found everyone was accounted for.

Crews used hose reels, a main jet and a hydrant to tackle the blaze.

 

LICENSEE LIST

OUTRAM Edward 1881+ (also grocer age 78 in 1881Census)

EARL Edwin 1901+ (age 55 in 1901Census)

MITCHELL George 1913-30+

CONNOLLY P J 1938+

https://pubwiki.co.uk/Greyhound.shtml

 

CensusCensus

 

If anyone should have any further information, or indeed any pictures or photographs of the above licensed premises, please email:-

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