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135 High Street
Sevenoaks
Above engraving 1800. |
Above photo, date unknown. |
Above photo, date unknown. |
Above photo, date unknown. |
Above postcard, circa 1940. With licensees car outside. |
Above photo, date unknown. Kindly sent by Wendy and Carole Dixon (nee
Dati). |
Above photo, date unknown, showing Carole Dati as young girl with her
parents, staff and customers. Kindly sent by Wendy and Carole Dixon (nee Dati). |
Above photo, set up for a banquet probably for V E Day, 1945. Kindly sent by Wendy
and Carole Dixon (nee Dati). |
Above photo 1961. Creative Commons Licence. |
Charrington's ledger. Creative Commons Licence. |
Above photon 1981. |
Above plaque taken in September 1993. |
Above advert, date unknown. Kindly sent by Wendy and Carole Dixon (nee Dati). |
Above sign, June 1993.
With thanks from Brian Curtis
www.innsignsociety.com. |
The building is a 16th century timber framed building on two storeys with
1: 2: 1 window façade and has gained a Grade 2 listing status.
Originally, Bethlehem or "Bedlam Farm" on lands extending from Brewery Lane
over to London Road and north beyond St. Botolph's to Bradbourne Park Road
and Lower Tubs Hill. Associated with the farm were a number of buildings
including two large round oasts, two storey stone upper weather-boarded
barns and lofts and two rectangular buildings to the north of the oasts, the
latter being demolished around 1900 with the ‘Town or Pound Pond' to allow
for the formation of Pembroke Road and the remainder including the oasts in
1919 to 1920 when St. Botolph's Dairy was demolished and the farm operations
closed down. The building was restored in 1929 and refurbished in 1999.
Farm – leased to farmers, names unknown, from before 1600 to 1852.
Farmer and Brewer – John Bligh – 1852 to c. 1881
Farm House/Hotel – John Bligh – 1881 to 1928. (The census of 1881 gave
this the title of "Bedlan Farm and Hotel.")
(part farm/part private hotel/beer house, subject to extensive repairs
during this period).
Public Hotel and Restaurant – various breweries – 1928 to 1999
The premises occupy the Oak Tree restaurant and bar and upper floor(s)
form six one and two bed flats.
Wendy and Carole nee Dati tell me the following:- My grandfather and
father were licensees of Blighs Hotel Sevenoaks from 1939 to 1949. Their
names were Terzo Dati and Dante Dati. We remember vividly the sound of dance
music coming from the halls, during the war very frequently. Our grandfather
and mother ran the business until our father returned from the war.
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Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser, Friday 18 March 1927.
BLIGH'S AND THE ANCHOR.
Mr. W. H. Moresby appeared in support of an application for the removal
of the full license from "Bligh’s Hotel" to the "Anchor Inn."
Colonel C. K. Warner opposed on behalf of the licensees of the "Rose and
Crown" and the "Chequers." Mr. F. S. Harries (Messrs. Cripps, Son and
Harries) on behalf of the licensee of the "Dorset Arms" and the "Black
Boy," and on behalf of the Licensed Victuallers’ Association, and Mr. W.
H. House, on behalf of the Temperance People.
Mr. Moresby reminded the Magistrates of the application of a year ago to
have the license transferred to the "Elephant’s Head," but said the
present application was different and was based on the increased
luncheon trade at the "Anchor." He pointed out that the effect of the
removal would be to reduce the number of licenses by one, and that
without any claim being made on the Compensation Fund.
Evidence was given by the licensee of the "Anchor Inn" as to the number
of luncheons served, these showing a steady increase.
Mrs. Bennett (wife of the licensee) stated that she had had as many as
eight people at one time go elsewhere for lunch because they could not
serve wine.
Mr. Ronald Gale, owner of "Bligh's Hotel," was asked by Colonel Warner
how much he was getting out of this removal arrangements.
Mr. Gale:- I don't think you are justified in asking that question.
Colonel Wamer:- It would be of interest to know.
Mr. Moresby:- It seems quite irrelevant, but I am not objecting.
Mr. Gale replied that he would have £600 for the license.
Colonel Wamer said he had not asked Mrs. Kay (licensee of "Bligh's")
what she was receiving as he did not like to do that.
Mr. Moresby:- She is getting no less than £100, although there was
nothing legally due to her.
Mr. White:- Who is giving it?
Mr. Moresby:- The brewers.
Colonel Warner submitted that the proper application would have been for
a new license.
After hearing Mr. House and Mr. Harries, the Magistrates retired, and on
their return the Chairman intimated that by a majority they had decided
to allow the removal.
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Kent & Sussex Courier, 8 January 1937.
Above photo showing the happy company which attended the New Year's
Eve Dance at Bligh's Hotel. |
On 30 January 1967 the Beatles, filming their video for "Strawberry
Fields" used the hotel as their dressing room. It was booked out in the name
of Tony Bramwell.
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From an email received 28 August 2025.
My name is Tracy King, and i was the licencee of "Blighs" from 1997
-1999. At that time, it was owned by the Bass Brewery company. It
was my first ever pub as a landlady/manager and I was 25 years old
when I took it over.
When I moved in in the April of 1997, the place was run down and
neglected and I knew I was only going to be there until the massive
refurbishment was done and turned into "The Oak".
I loved my time there! I had great staff, loyal customers and a
couple of ghosts in resident too! Lol.
I remember it had remnants left over from its past life as a hotel
and had a sprung dance floor attached to the back of the pub where I
believe that "The Who" once played there years and years ago-
unfortunately, these were both derelict and sad looking.
I have fond memories of the place, and remember going back after the
refurb to have a look! So much had changed, but so much stayed the
same.
Good times.
Yours sincerly,
Miss Tracy King |
LICENSEE LIST
BLIGH Samuel 1841-71+ (age 65 in 1871 )
BLIGH Elizabeth 1881-Aug/1888 dec'd (also farmer widow age 68 in 1881)
BLIGH John Samuel & HOOPER George Aug/1888+
BLIGH Mary E & (sister) Charlotte 1901+ (age 60 & 55 in 1901)
BLIGH Charlotte Jane 1911+ (age 65 in 1911)
KAY Alice 1919-27+
DATI Terzo & Danti (father & son) 1939-49
KING Tracy Apr/1997-99
Census
Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser
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