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From an account by Les found at
http://www.ramsgatehistory.com
Henekey's', was a very impressive
place in its time. It had been built in the High Street where the 'The
Central Hotel' had previously stood (no. 30). I think that the full name
was, 'Henekey's Wine Lodge'.
It was built in the late 1930's by WW Martin, anyhow I know that they
were responsible for the impressive, oaken, interior woodwork as a friend
had worked for them and one of his jobs was to deliver blocks of oak to an
elderly gentleman who then carved them into faces to be mounted under the
roof support arches. The building had a narrow frontage and high ceiling,
not unlike the centre aisle of a Cathedral. There was a courtyard between
the pavement and the front of it, on the left there was a door leading to a
balcony that ran the length of the long bar below. As it was wartime, this
section was not used. The main bar was entered from the front right through
a short passage. It had a stone floor and a most unusual fireplace in the
centre of this floor. It was about 3-4 feet square and about 3 feet high
with a flat top, I think there were two open fire grates, one facing the
High street and the other facing Effingham Street. The building extended to
Cavendish Street, where supplies were delivered. The flue and chimney for
this fire was nowhere to be seen but must have been under the flooring.
Behind the counter and at the back, casks of ale and cider were on a rack
and there was a cash desk with a cashier in the middle of the rack. There
were also named and varnished Sherry cask fronts facing the bar, they had
taps but were not in use at that time. We would drink draught cider then and
later, draught Bass or Worthington. When the wine room opened after the war,
we sometimes treated ourselves to Drambuie, not often, as it was 2/6d per
tot.
The unusual fire had a hidden chimney which went downwards are under the
Yorkstone floor.
Sadly Henekeys burned down one night when the carpet shop next down was
arsoned and the fire spread.
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