MAN OF KENT Pub of Sevenoaks

DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Sort file:- Sevenoaks, June, 2025.

Page Updated:- Tuesday, 03 June, 2025.

PUB LIST

PUBLIC HOUSES

Paul Skelton

Earliest ????

Man of Kent

Closed 2012-

Hartsland Road

Sevenoaks

Above photo kindly sent by Peter Moynahan, date unknown.

Above photo, 1971, kindly sent by Robin Wright.

Above sign, June 1993.

With thanks from Brian Curtis www.innsignsociety.com.

The pub building has unfortunately been demolished, date as yet unknown and replaced with the private residence shown below.

Above photo, date unknown by Darkstar.

From the Southeastern Gazette, 27 February 1866

Serious Stabbing Case.

Joseph Meeks, plasterer, was I brought up on remand, charged with cutting and wounding, with intent to do grievous bodily harm, William Outred, of the “Man of Kent” public-house, at Harts Lands. It appeared that on the previous Saturday night the house in question was closed at the usual hour, and shortly afterwards the prisoner came to the door, and wished to be served with some rum. As his request was not complied with, he commenced kicking at the door, and the landlord then opened it for the purpose of removing the prisoner, but the latter drew a knife and, in the scuffle which ensued, he stabbed Mr. Outred in three places, one of the cuts being of a very serious nature. He then made off, but was soon apprehended and taken to the police station. Mr. Outred has since been attended by Mr. Thompson, surgeon, but although the injuries received are not likely to prove fatal, they are of that character that will prevents him appearing for some time, and a medical certificate was produced. The prisoner was remanded.

From the Southeastern Gazette, 6 March 1866.

The late Stabbing Cask.

On Wednesday last, at the magistrates’ clerk’s office, before W. Lambarde, Esq., Joseph Meoke, mentioned last week as having been remanded on a charge of cutting and wounding William Outred, of the “Man of Kent” public house, was brought up in custody of Supt. Colman. The facts are briefly, that the prisoner went to the prosecutor’s shortly after midnight on the 17th February, and wished to be served first with bear and afterwards with rum; but the prosecutor refused to serve him, as the house was closed. As the prisoner continued kicking at thy door, Outred went out to him to put him away, but the prisoner rushed at him twice, and in so doing used a knife, inflicting three wounds of a serious nature. On the prosecutor entering the house he found blood running from his arm, and he then directed two persons, who were staying in the house, to follow the prisoner. They did so, and took him to the police station, and Supt. Colman found two clasp knives upon him, one of which had fresh blood upon it. The prosecutor had the wound on the arm dressed by Mr. Herbert Thompson, Burgeon, and afterwards two other wounds on the body were discovered. On the second day, the prosecutor was considered in danger, but he has since made favourable progress under Mr. Thompson’s care. The prisoner, who is only about twenty years of age, was fully committed for trial at the next assizes.

From the Southeastern Gazette, 20 March 1866.

Wounding at Sevenoaks.

Joseph Meek, 21, plasterer, was charged with cutting and wounding William Outred, at Sevenoaks, on the 18th February. The Hon. Mr. Stanhope prosecuted, and Mr. Ribton defended.

Mr. Outred said he was the landlord of the “Man of Kent” public-house, at Hartslands, Sevenoaks. Prisoner came to the door of his house after-hours on the night in question. He demanded at the door to have some rum, and witness, in preventing him from coming in, received some stabs on the arm.

By Mr. Ribton:— He struck the prisoner after he was stabbed. Prisoner said he had a right to enter, because he knew there were others inside.

His Lordship thought that they could not find him guilty of an intent to do bodily harm.

Mr. Ribton said his client admitted the charge of unlawfully wounding.

A witness named Nye was called to the prisoner’s character.

Five months’ hard labour.

Kent & Sussex Courier, Friday 4 December 1874.

Shocking suicide of a publican at Sevenoaks.

On Monday last, and inquest was held at the "Man of Kent" public house, Heart Lands, before J. N. Dudlow, Esq., coroner, on the body of William Antred, landlord of the house, who committed suicide by shooting himself, on the previous afternoon.

Mr. T. Lockwood was chosen foreman of the jury.

The first witness called was William Farrow, who said that he had lodged at the "Man of Kent" public house about 12 months. About 20 minutes to 3 o'clock on the previous afternoon, just after the house was closed, the deceased and his wife had a few words about the saucepan boiling over into the fire. He then walked into the passage, and about 2 minutes afterwards there was a report of a gun. On witness going out he saw the deceased lying on the ground, just in front of the bar, with a double barrel gun under his right arm. One barrel had been discharged, and he saw blood flowing from the deceased, who was dead. He had heard deceased say several times that he was queer. Some little time ago he was stabbed two or three times in the stomach. On Friday last, the deceased said to him that he should never be a man any more, and he had seemed very strange for the last two or three weeks. He believed that his mind was distressed. In the quarrel with his wife he struck her, and he said that he did not know what he was about.

George Bligh, a shoemaker, who lodged in the house, said that he was in the tap-room when the affair took place, and the words between the deceased and his wife were of no moment. The deceased went out shooting on Friday, and sometimes the gun was left loaded when he returned, but he generally took the cap off. He had not time to load the gun after leaving the kitchen before the report was heard. He had heard the deceased say that he was very 'dicky,' and that he should never get over the stabbing. The stabbing was done by man who wanted some liquor after they had gone to bed, the deceased having gone down to the door to refuse him. He had complained of his head very frequently, and had been very strange at times. Witness thought his head was affected, as at times he did not know what he was about. He could not say whether he had anything on his mind.

Mr. Herbert Thompson, surgeon, said that he was called in to see the deceased, and found him lying in the bath in a pool of blood and quite dead, with a gun shot wound in his head. He thought the only way in which the injury could have been inflicted was by placing the muzzle of the gun in his mouth, and he then could reach the trigger. The skull was very much shattered, and death must have been instantaneous. He had attended the deceased at times during the last 18 years, and he thought it was quite that time since he was stabbed. He thought the deceased the had told him that he had never had such good health since, but he had not noticed anything in his manner. From what he had heard he should be inclined to think that his mind was affected, and that he was not in his right senses.

The jury immediately returned a verdict that the deceased shot himself, being in an unsound state of mind at the time.

LICENSEE LIST

OUTRED William 1866-74 dec'd (age 38 in 1871)