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Joseph Butcher. Licensee February 1983 - November 1983.
Joseph was born in the Autumn of 1938 and, according to his first
Marriage Certificate, his father was also named Joseph, and was a
Lorry Driver.
At the time of his birth, his parents (Joseph and Edith) and
grandparents (Stanley and Florence) were all living at 92 Okendon
Road, Islington.
When Joseph was just 17 years old, he married Judith Poulter, also
17 years old, at the Watford Register Office on the 20th June 1956.
Joseph gave his profession as Labourer (Brewery) and his address as
36 Bowring Green, Oxhey, Watford.
They had three daughters; Susan born 1958, Elaine born 1959 and
Joanne born 1963. Having married at such young ages, it wasn’t
unexpected when the marriage failed and was dissolved.
On the 8th November 1968, aged 29 years, he married 25 years old
divorcee, Anne Hutchings (nee Ward), again at the Watford Register
Office. Anne had previously married Jeffrey Hutchings, in the Summer
of 1964.
Joseph now gave his profession as a Driver Drayman (a person who
delivers beer for a brewery) on their Marriage Certificate, having
progressed from a brewery Labourer in 1956.
Joseph was still living at 36 Bowring Green; his marital home from
the time he was married to his ex-wife, Judith.
We lose track of Joseph and Anne until they took over the New Cock
Inn in February 1983.
They stayed at the pub, now the Thirst and Last, for a few months
until November 1983; perhaps they didn’t get on with the new owners.
It’s unknown where they went thereafter, although there is a record
of a J. Butcher living at 7 Hadlow Road in 2001, and a Joseph and
Anne Butcher living at 76 Farmfield Road, Bromley, from 2003 - 2010.
Francis John Sawyer.
Licensee November 1983 - February 1986.
Francis was born in the Autumn of 1952 in Greenwich, South East
London. His parents were Doris and Frederick Sawyer, and the family
were living at 52 Armada Street.
By 1954 the family had moved to 35 Caradoc Street, Greenwich, then
to 59 West Heath Road, Bexley, and in 1961 to 2a Eardley Road,
Bexley.
Francis moved to Sevenoaks, where, aged 20 years, he married 19
years old Linda Elizabeth Heanue, at St John the Baptist catholic
church, Sevenoaks, on the 28th July 1973.
Francis gave his profession on their Marriage Certificate as a
Storeman living at Romney Street Farm, Sevenoaks.
They had one son, Matthew, born in the Summer of 1978.
We don’t know for sure what Francis was doing for a living after he
married, but in November 1983 he and Linda took over the Thirst and
Last.
As publicans, they were known as Frank and Lyn.
During 1984, Frank and Lyn immersed themselves into pub life, in
particular using their position as publicans to raise money for
charities.
In March they organised a sponsored 5 mile mini-marathon around the
village. In all 30 runners were expected to cover the course and be
back in time for last orders.
On August bank holiday weekend, Lyn, with her friend Yvonne Blanche,
embarked on a 1,000 cc motorbike challenge to ride from Land’s End
to John O’Groats in 24 hours.
Both events raised funds for Leukaemia Research (Lyn had overcome
cancer some ten years earlier).
However, it’s almost certain their marriage was already on the rocks
and they divorced around this time.
Linda probably reverted to her maiden name after their divorce.
Records show a Linda E Heanue living at 2 Green Cottages, Stone
Street, Seal, Sevenoaks, in 2004.
Francis left the Thirst and Last in February 1986 and moved to
Tunbridge Wells where, on the 4th November 1988, he married Margaret
Langridge, a 41 years old divorcee, at Tunbridge Wells Register
Office.
Francis, now 36 years old, gave his profession as a Motor Parts
Representative (it would seem the life of a publican wasn’t for him
after all) and they were both living at 49 Coniston Avenue.
Their movements couldn’t be determined after they married.
Charles Vaillant. Licensee February 1986 -
January 1988.
Charles was born on the 22nd December 1931 in Lambeth, London, to
Esther and Alphonse Vaillant, a Restaurateur.
As a young boy, Charles didn’t have a stable home, the family had
lived at four addresses by the time he was 8 years old; 52 Arthur
Road, Brixton; 2 Beverley Avenue, Bexley; 7 Queens Road, Peckham;
and in 1939 at 8 Luxor Street, Lambeth.
We lose track of Charles until the 1st July 1951 when, aged 19
years, he married 20 years old Margaret Place at St Peter’s church,
Southwark, London. Charles gave his profession as a Soldier;
probably doing his compulsory 2 year National Service, introduced
after WWII for able-bodied men between 18 and 24.
They lived with his parents at 90 Penrose Street, Southwark,
after they married and started their family; sadly, their first
child, Margaret, born in the Spring of 1953, died after just a few
weeks. They had three further children whilst living at Southwark (a
daughter and two sons). In 1963 they were living at 99 Sturgeon
Road, Newington, Southwark.
Charles’s occupation is unknown, but by 1964 they’d saved enough
money to put down a deposit on a new build 1960’s house at 12 Oak
Cottage Close, Hither Green, where their third son was born in 1967.
They stayed here until at least 1975 when they bought a large
detached house (Willow Bank) in Locksbottom, Farnborough, next to
the "Old White
Lion" public house.
They received an offer they couldn’t refuse from a developer and,
always wanting to own a pub, sold up and purchased the Thirst and
Last. On the 17th February 1986 the Licencing Committee granted a
Protection Order to Charles (a legal document required to buy a
public house at the time).
The liquor licence was formally transferred to them on the 26th
March. Charles and Margaret (now known as Charles and Peg) moved
into the Thirst and Last with two of their sons, Peter and Charles.
They began to promote the pub.
On the 8th September 1986, their 19 years old son, Charles (who
was still living at the pub), was involved in an horrendous accident
on the A21.
At 8.15 a.m., the car he was driving hit a pillar supporting the
central reservation, collided with two other vehicles, and split in
two. He suffered head injuries and a severed left foot.
Charles and Margaret remained at the Thirst and Last until
January 1988, when they sold the establishment (it’s unknown to
whom), and the premises became vacant.
During their tenure (according to their nephew): the pub was
popular with bikers but my uncle was aware that a load of bikes
parked outside would discourage passing trade so he asked them to
park at the back. They were happy to do this. They did an excellent
Sunday lunch but left because my aunt was unhappy there.
They saw out their days in Hildenborough; living at 45 Ashley
Road. Charles died on the 22nd December 1995, aged 64 years, and
Margaret died on the 18th May 2000, aged 70 years - they’re both
buried at St John the Evangelist churchyard.
Keith Douglas Ayton. Licensee February 1989 -
June 1990.
Keith was born in the Winter of 1959 and, according to his
Marriage Certificate, his father, Sydney Ayton, was a Property
Developer. There is evidence the company at which Sydney was
Contracts Director - Vogue (Kent) Limited - bought the Thirst and
Last in circa January 1989, after it had been vacant for about a
year, for a possible redevelopment project.
At the time of Keith’s birth, the Ayton family were living at 156
Norfolk Crescent, Chislehurst.
Little could be found about Keith’s early life until he married
38 years old divorcee, Frances E Osborne, on the 27th November 1987
at the Maidstone Register Office.
Frances had previously married John Osborne in the Summer of
1970, and they had one daughter, Jennifer, being born just a few
weeks after their marriage. Her marriage to John Osborne didn’t last
and was eventually dissolved.
Keith gave his profession as a Publican on their Marriage
Certificate, although despite extensive research, it’s unknown at
which public house he was the landlord (perhaps he was between
positions?). They both gave their address as 61 Roundhay, Leybourne,
West Malling.
Just over a year after their marriage, Keith and Frances moved
into the Thirst and Last, along with Frances’s daughter, Jennifer,
after his father’s company had purchased the pub.
However, by February 1990 (it’s unknown exactly when) the pub had
closed as licensed premises; although Keith and Frances continued to
live there.
A planning application appeal on behalf of Vogue (Kent) Limited
in February 1990, notes it has not been very prosperous and is
closed at the present. However, another licensing record shows
Outgoing licensee Keith Douglas Ayton, when the license was
transferred to Christina Pokropinski (see below) in June 1990.
It’s unknown what Keith and Frances did after leaving the Thirst
and Last, although records show a Keith and Frances Ayton living at
Snodland, Kent, in 2002.
Robert and Christina Hicks. Licensees June 1990 -
December 1999.
Preamble. Whilst most information found about their time at the
pub concerned Robert, the official licencing record shows us it was
Christina Pokropinski who took over as licensee on the 6th June
1990; no evidence could be found to show Robert was ever a joint
licensee. However, it’s believed they ran the pub together.
It’s unknown if the pub was a going concern when they took it
over from Keith Ayton, or if they had to start from scratch.
According to their Marriage Certificate in October 1995, Robert
Jessie Foster Hicks was 36 years old, meaning he was born in circa
1959, and his father, Leopold Hicks was a retired Fireman.
Records show a Robert J F Hicks was born in the Spring of 1959 at
Hammersmith, London - this is almost certainly our Robert.
Similarly, Christina would have been born circa 1964 and her
father, Joseph Pokropinski, was a Builder.
That’s all that could be found about them, or their families,
until they took over the Thirst and Last in June 1990, when Robert
was circa 32 years old, with his girlfriend / fiancée, Christina,
aged circa 27 years (Christina was known as Crissy at the pub).
On the 23rd October 1995, Robert and Christina married at the
West Oxfordshire Register Office (it’s believed her divorced parents
were still living in the Witney area of Oxfordshire).
They both gave their residence as The Thirst and Last, London
Road, Hildenborough and their professions as Publican.
All that could be found for the time they were at the pub were
some, not very complimentary, stories about Robert.
Rumour has it that the landlord, Robert, liked his Bacardi and
Coke as if it was going out of fashion, and often beat his wife
Crissy whilst under the influence.
One night, after the barman heard someone trying to break in
downstairs, he was called and he pulled out a sawn off shotgun from
under the bed. Both went to the rear where the new extension was and
could hear someone and he just fired 2 shots towards the noise.
Also, he once went calmly as you like into the kitchen, got a
massive meat carving knife and put it to the throat of one of the
staff. He was a bit of a loony when on the alcohol.
Pay day for those working there was a bit strange as well. It is
said that the money was not taken out of the till to pay their wages
but straight out of the bottom box of the fruit machine.
Similarly, reported in the local paper on the 20th May 1999.
After finding cat excrement around the mouth of his small son, a
pub landlord killed his pet cat by pulling its neck and hitting its
head on the floor has been banned from keeping animals for three
years. The cat lived after suffering injuries inflicted by Robert
Hicks landlord of the Thirst and Last.
Hicks pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to his pet
cat. He was fined £100 with £400 costs. He said he killed the cat
because it did not use its litter tray.
He picked up the cat and pulled it from below and it started
ripping at him, he fell down in the mud at the back of the pub and
the cat hit its head on the side of a rock, he then tried to finish
it off by hitting its head on the floor.
Despite what’s been reported above, it would seem they did try
and bring some life back to the pub after its recent closure.
From August 1990 to at least January 1997, they reintroduced
regular live music, hiring local bands, e.g., Vendetta and The
Distance.
Another newspaper article in August 1995, perhaps showing a
lighter side to Robert, reports that Adam Smith Helped by the
landlords of the Thirst and Last, raised £3,000 to buy his mother a
wheelchair, by a 24 hour pool potting marathon at the pub.
However, following the publicity from the cat incident, it’s
likely their regulars deserted the pub in their droves and, as a
consequence, they left the Thirst and Last in December 1999.
They were the last publicans before the pub was permanently
closed and eventually demolished in 2005.
In 2003 / 2004 they were living at 11 Alex Hughes Close,
Snodland, Kent. It’s unknown what became of Robert and Christina
thereafter.
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