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From their web site at:-
http://www.hopperskent.org/history/1850-1910-the-rose-and-crown-beer-house/
1850-1910 The Rose and Crown Beer House.
The Beer Act of 1830 made provision for licenses to be obtained for 2
guineas, John Bowles acquired the premises in 1855 to start the beer
House. He raised a mortgage from John Waite in 1858 to finance the
extensive works that were undertaken. A survey for The Listed Buildings
in 1990, quoted above, suggests that the end chimney stacks were added
in the 19th Century. A look at the brickwork confirms this. The rear
extension, under the 'catslip' roof is of the same brickwork and was
used as the bowling alley. John Bowles Senior, described as a builder
and carpenter, bought the premises from Edward Monkton in 1822 for £200,
of which £100 was a loan from John Monkton. This, we must assume, was
the point at which Hoppers became a beer house.
John Bowles died in 1824 and was buried in Capel churchyard. He left the
property to his wife for life (she died 1853 and was also buried in
Capel churchyard) and then their 8 children in equal shares. John Bowles
junior bought out his siblings and their children in 1855 and under him
there seems to have been a period of expansion. He is described as a
carpenter and innkeeper and borrowed £250 from John White in 1858, which
he repaid in 1861.
He borrowed again in 1869 £240 from Eliza Skinner, which was repaid in
1876 when he sold the premises to Edward and Henry Kelsey in 1876 for
£605. This was the first deed that had a site plan. It shows the extent
of the beer house.
The picture above is dated in the 1870's it shows the licensee Willian Clinch, born 1836, and his family, whose names were
recorded in the 1881 census. The location of his grave in Capel
churchyard is known. This copy of the photo was sent to the trustees in
2014 by a descendant.
1878 was the peak year for Hops when 71,789 acres were in cultivation
and Capel was the centre of the Kent hop industry. The Kelsey's
partnership had started in 1855. They owned the Culverden Brewery in
Tunbridge Wells, and spent 40 years acquiring local pubs, one of which
was the Rose and Crown. By the time Henry retired in 1895 they owned
over 100.
Edward Kelsey died in 1903 leaving the brewery to his son Arthur, who
ran it until taken over by Flowers in 1948. Edward left the Rose and
Crown to his sons and Adelaide Tolhurst wife of William Tolhurst of Moat
farm. The sons sold out to Adelaide who, after the pub was closed at
Christmas 1909 under the Licensing Compensation Act, leased the premises
for a year and then sold it to Richard Wilson. He was lovingly referred
to by his family as Uncle Dick; the people of Stepney called him Father
Wilson and the press dubbed him 'The Hoppers Parson'.
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