PORTOBELLO Pubs of West Kingsdown

DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Page Updated:- Wednesday, 12 January, 2022.

PUB LIST

PUBLIC HOUSES

Paul Skelton

Earliest 1774-

Portobello Inn

Open 2020+

London Road

West Kingsdown

01474 852238

https://whatpub.com/portobello-inn

Above postcard, circa 1910, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Above postcard, circa 1937, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Above image taken from Google 2009.

Above photo 2015.

Above photo kindly sent by Tricia Francis, 30 March 2015.

The "Portobello" celebrated the British capture of the port following the Treaty of Utrecht ending the War of the Spanish Succession in 1713, which allowed Britain to send one ship a year to trade in Portobello.

This was a tied "Fleet Brewery" pub in 1865 when the brewery was put up for auction.

Kentish Gazette Saturday 05 May 1781.

Catalogues of the goods with conditions of sale of the estate of Thomas Luck deceased surgeon, apothecary and man-midwife can be had at the "Portobello," Kingsdown four days preceding the sale.

Morning Chronicle Tuesday 1 August 1820. Caledonian Mercury Saturday 5 August 1820.

Sheffield Independent Saturday 5 August 1820. Glasgow Herald Monday 7 August 1820.

The mother of James Nesbitt, who was hanged at Penenden Heath on 31 July 1820 for the murders on 3 March 1820 of Thomas Parker and Sarah Brown at Woolwich, took shelter at the "Portobello" during a tremendous thunder storm after her farewell visit to him.

Sheffield Independent 05 August 1820.

A lengthy report, faint print difficult to read, shows that the "Portobello," Kingsdown, was open in 1820. The mother of Nesbitt who was executed around the date of the newspaper, took shelter there, from a storm, after visiting her son in jail.

The Examiner Sunday 30 December 1827.

On the evening of the 20th instant, as the Balloon coach which runs between Maidstone and London was on its way to Maidstone, it stopped as usual at the "Porto Bello," Kingsdown, and the coachman got down to deliver a parcel, leaving the horses in the care of a hostler.

Several of the passengers also alighted, and some of them had again taken their seats and the coachman was looking at his way-bill preparatory to mounting his box, when the hostler's attention was diverted from the horses to a cart which was passing, and they immediately set off at full speed, the reins dragging along the ground. In a few minutes they came up to two hop waggons, heavily laden, against both of which the coach came in contact, but sustained no serious injury.

The passengers, of whom there were eight on the outside and four inside, now became much alarmed, and those on the outside attempted to jump off. Several succeeded in doing so, unhurt; but one elderly gentleman dislocated his collar-bone by the fall, another injured his back seriously, and a third fell on some flints and cut his head very much. Another gentleman wrapped his coat close round him, and waiting till the coach came up to a large heap of mud collected on the road-side, he threw himself into it, and thus saved himself from injury, but presented a most ludicrous, though pitiable spectacle, being bedaubed with mud from head to foot. In this Manner all the outside passengers escaped: a woman and her child kept their seats, and received no injury.

Having run about a mile and a half, the horses drew the coach in contact with another waggon, by which the leaders broke their traces, &c. and turning round against the wheel horses their further progress was arrested.

Kentish Gazette, 8 June 1847.

DEATH.

Woodward:— May 22, at Gravel-hill, Greenhithe, in hit 82nd year, Mr. J. Woodward, formerly landlord of the "Porto Bello Inn," on the Wrotham and Maidstone road.

South Eastern Gazette 21 March 1848.

MARRIAGE.

On the 19th inst., at St. George's, Southwark, Mr. William. Hillyer, to Ann, fourth daughter of Mr. Peter Bates, of the "Portobello Inn," Kingsdown, Kent.

South Eastern Gazette 16 September 1851.

TO BE LET.

That old-established road-side inn, the "Portobello," Kingsdown, Kent, recently newly-built, with every accommodation, together with about 3 acres of orchard, garden, and meadow, in the centre of and a favourite meet for the West Kent fox-hounds, with excellent stall stables and coach-houses. To an industrious young man this is an opportunity of realizing an independence in a few years.

For particulars apply to Mr. George Mandy, Auctioneer and Estate Agent, Farningham, Kent.

South Eastern Gazette 17 May 1864.

HORSEBREAKING.

John Paine, Jun., the "Portabello Inn," Kingsdown, near Farningham. Horses carefully broken for double and single harness, for riding, and thoroughly trained for hunting.

Kentish Mercury Friday 01 June 1866.

Gravesend Reporter, North Kent & South Essex Advertiser 2 June 1866.

John Friend and William Friend, labourers, were charged with assaulting Thomas Whiting, at Kingsdown, on the 13th May. It appeared that the complainant and a friend were proceeding to church, when the defendants came out of the "Portobello" public-house, both drunk, and wanted to toss the complainant for ale. He told them he wanted nothing to do with them, when they committed the assault complained of.

Fined 15s. each, including costs.

Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser 31 October 1884.

At the Petty Sessions on Saturday, Thomas Wakeman, a labourer, was fined £5 and costs for riotous conduct, and refusing to quit the "Portobello Inn," Kingsdown, when requested by the landlord, Harold Oxley, to do so.

Defendant did not put in an appearance.

From the Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald. 7 July 1894. Price 1d.

KINGSDOWN. BIGAMY BY A KENTISH PUBLICAN.

On Thursday at the Old Bailey, before the Recorder, Sidney Gordon Diplock, described as a publican, was found guilty of bigamy. Prisoner, with his wife, kept the “Portobello Hotel,” Kingsdown, near Dartford, from 1886 until last year, when be lost the business at another house, but prisoner gave way to habits of dissipation, and went to London, where he made the acquaintance of Charlotte Elizabeth Welstead, an artist's model, who at the time was a waitress in a Pimlico restaurant. In June of last year the prisoner went through the marriage ceremony with her at a registry office in Hanover Square, The prisoner left her a few weeks later, and she did not see him again until a few weeks ago, when she met him at Chatham.

The Recorder sentenced the prisoner to four weeks' imprisonment.

Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser 04 April 1924.

MOTOR COLLISION.

In the claim by Mr. Frederick Charles Wilkinson. Looe Rocks, Manor Way, Beckenham, for £51 3s. for damages done to his car against Mr. Wilfred Hayter Jarvis, "Portobello Hotel," Kingsdown. defendant did not appear, and counsel for the plaintiff, Mr. White, called evidence to show that while plaintiff's car was being driven through Seal the defendant's Ford car in endeavouring to pass another vehicle ran straight into it. Judgment for plaintiff, with costs.

Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser 25 September 1925.

WEDDING.

The wedding took place on Wednesday, at the Church of St. Edmund the King, Kingsdown, the Rector, Rev. F. W. Warland, M.A., officiating, of Miss Myrel Ethel Butcher, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. T. E. Butcher, the "Portobello Inn," Kingsdown, and Mr. Gerald C. Stains, I son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Betts Stains, Tottenham, London.

Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser 03 November 1939.

KILLED WHILE CROSSING THE ROAD. ANOTHER KINGSDOWN FATALITY.

Miss Edith Winifred Blowfield, of Stocklands, Green lane, Kingsdown, was instantly killed when she was knocked down by a car in the London-road a short distance on the Maidstone side of the "Portobello Inn," Kingsdown, on Friday afternoon.

Miss Blowfield, who resided with her mother, was 62 years of age, and was well known in the village.

When Mr. J. H. Soady, the West Kent Coroner, held an inquest at the "Gamecock Inn," Kingsdown, on Monday afternoon, conflicting evidence was heard from two witnesses concerning another car, which, one of them stated, first struck Miss Blowfield, and then threw her in the path of the second car—the one that caused her death.

Evidence of identification was given by Mrs. Emily Caroline Martin, 21, Courtside, Round Hill, Sydenham, a cousin of deceased.

Dr. John S. Rogers, of Farningham, said he was called to the scene of the accident about 5 p.m. He found deceased under a car which was standing on the verge by the roadside. She was dead. He made a detailed examination after she had been moved, and found the base of the skull bad been fractured—this being the cause of death - and also extensive injuries to the body. Death must have been instantaneous and he thought deceased must have been carried some distance by the car.

Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, Friday 02 December 1938.

Hunting With a Camera : No. 3 (Second Series)

The West Kent By David Livingstone-Learmonth

MOVING OFF FROM THE PORTOBELLO ARMS: The West Kent off to the first draw with the Master and huntsman, Captain J. A. Garle on the left, and the first whip and kennel huntsman, A. Martin, on the right. Conditions, unfortunately, were foggy and this state of affairs continued in some degree nearly all day.

AN awkward fog lay over that part of the county over which the West Kent had elected to hunt, when we went to the meet at the "Portobello Arms." This public-house is on the main road between Famingham and Maidstone. The fog was annoying, as the Master naturally drew first in the least foggy direction, and this is heavily wooded.

A fox was soon on foot, but the music of hounds in the woodland did not last long; the Master then made a move to Brands Hatch. We waited with the field for a long time in the valley beside this long covert; but no sound could we hear. Eventually, the field moved on out of sight and we, guided by the Hon. Secretary, who had broken some ribs, and other local injured as well as a distinguished yachtsman, dashed along twisting lanes to a spot where, if everything went right, hounds should emerge from the mist and race towards us across the open.

THE MASTER: Captain J. A. Carle, M.F.H., has had these hounds since 1933, when he succeeded Mr. George Davidson, and has carried the horn during all these seasons.

They did not materialise, not being able to come without a fox; so we made another peregrination and found hounds drawing Broomfield Wood on Mr. Leavey’s South Ash Manor estate. This proved blank and the Master crossed a couple of fields to another of Mr. Leavey’s coverts—Hatch Wood.

A fox went away from here with only a couple of hounds after him. However, the rest were got on and a circle resulted. Hounds divided on some ploughland, some running heelwise, we saw the Whip stop them and bring them on; then all disappeared. We went to look for them and when we found them they were back at Hatch Wood again. We will pass over the results of our photographer’s enthusiasm here, except to say that, at least, he did not head the fox.

THE HON. SECRETARY: Mr. Ralph Greaves, the Hort. Secretary, who has broken some ribs, talks to Mrs. C. V. Bolster.

From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Kent Messenger reporter, 10 June 2014.

West Kingsdown kebab van worker savagely beaten by gang outside Portobello Inn pub after refusing to give free food.

A kebab van worker was knocked unconscious in a savage attack involving as many as 10 people - before he was robbed of up to £1,500.

The man, in his 40s, was the victim of a frenzied and unprovoked assault outside a West Kingsdown pub.

He was set upon when a crooked-nosed woman using a crutch demanded free food from his van outside the Portobello Inn.

After denying her begging, police said the worker was threatened by a number of people from inside the pub.

He is believed to have been dragged from the food van before being kicked and repeatedly punched.

The assault might have involved as many as 10 people, with the woman's crutch being used to strike the man.

It is reported the attackers stole up to £1,500 in cash from the victim as he lay knocked out on the ground.

Police said the woman using the crutch is about 40, with long dark hair and a distinctive crooked nose. She was seen driving away in a Vauxhall Zafira with a 57 plate.

Descriptions of two men, believed to be the main offenders in the assault, have also been released.

The first is in his late 30s, about 5ft 11ins with short light brown hair. He was wearing a grey hoodie and blue jeans.

The second man was 5ft 10ins and aged about 40. He had short brown hair and was wearing a sports jacket and jogging bottoms.

A third man who blocked a friend of the victim from stopping the assault is described as large, bald and wearing a white shirt.

The attack happened at about 9.30pm on Friday, May 23, but details have only just been released.

DC Stuart Cook said: "This was a frenzied and entirely unprovoked assault, which left the victim suffering significant visible injuries, including heavy bruising and lacerations.

"I would appeal to anyone with information to call us as soon as possible."

Witnesses or anyone with information is asked to phone police on 01732 379160, quoting reference YY/10147/14, or Kent Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

LICENSEE LIST

TERRY Henry 1774+