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Winchester Road
Hawkhurst
Above photo 1965. |
Above Google image March 2009. |
Above photo, 1951 showing Buster Sisley driving our delivery lorry in
the local annual carnival. Shown outside the Harkhurst pharmacy. Kindly
sent by Paul Sisley. |
The above group of 3 houses is known today as Beehive Cottages and
operating as a beerhouse in 1881. Although still known as the "Little
Beehive" there was no mention regarding the selling of beers in the 1911
census, but was described as the "Little Beehive Stores."
This operated as an Off-license till at least 1915, and once removed I
believe it was transferred to another building some 125 yards from this one,
but which at present I have no name, but now addressed as 23 Cranbrook Road.
Paul Sisley emailed me in January 2023 with the following information:-
My father Mr. Sisley, "Buster," ran the office licence from 1951 until 1968
on behalf of Fremlins and Whitbread. After 1968 he ran the the off licence
independently but tied to Whitbread/Fremlins beers. It remained an off
licence until ill health forced retirement in 1976, when property was sold
by Whitbread.
When I lived there with my family. We had the rooms
above the shop and to the left. Our front door being adjacent shop. However,
we always used the shop entrance. Although it looked relatively small, there
was a three roomed cellar with remnants of an old bakers oven and the house
and shop had 12 rooms.
The cover to the cellar can be seen in the front of
the shop. Barrels and beer deliveries were on a Tuesday from the brewery and
went down the wooden chute to the cellar.
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South Eastern Gazette, Tuesday 9th February, 1915.
At Cranbrook Licensing Sessions on Thursday the Chairman (Mr. W.
H. Tylden Pattinson) announced that all the licences would be
renewed with the exception of the "Kings Head," the "Bell," the
"Lamb," and the "Crown," all in Staplehurst; and the "Prince of
Wales," in Rolvenden Lane. These, on the grounds of redundancy,
would be referred to the March Sessions. He congratulate it the
licence holders on the way they had conducted their business.
Messrs. Fremlin Bros., Maidstone, applied for the removal of the
off-licence at present held by them at the "Beehive," Winchester
Road, Hawkhurst, to their stores on the main road, about 125 yards
off. Mr. W. C. Cripps, in support of the application, said that if
it were granted, it would result in a reduction of the number of the
licensed houses, as the wine licence at present held at the
"Beehive" would be given up. He called Mr. Henry Hills on behalf of
the firm.
Cross-examined by Mr. Dickens K.C. (who opposed the application,)
the witness denied that Messrs Fremlin bought the "Beehive" to get a
licence at the other premises.
Mr. Hensley, manager of the stores, said Mr. Roberts, tenants of the
"Beehive," having given evidence, Mr. Dickens put in a largely
signed petition against the removal of the licence, and contended
that Messrs Fremlin had acquired the "Beehive" with the object of
capturing trade in Hawkhurst, owing to the refusal of the Justices
to grant an off-licence all the stores in the main road.
Mr. Harry Oliver, Winchester carriage works, gave evidence as to the
convenience of the present position of the "Beehive," to his own
premises.
The Bench refused the application.
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South Eastern Gazette, Tuesday 9th November, 1915.
Herbert Vidler, Hawkhurst, was summoned under Defence of the Realm
Act for supplying soldiers with bottles of beer.
Leonora Roberts, the "Beehive," Hawkhurst, stated that just before 4
on October 9th defendant called for 2 quart bottles of beer. She
asked if they were for soldiers, and he said "No." She asked if he
was shore, and he said "Yes, it will be all right." She watched him
down the road, however, and saw him give the bottles to two
soldiers.
The Chairman said it was a very serious charge, but possibly
defendant acted in ignorance, and as he had enlisted he would be
discharged.
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LICENSEE LIST
OLIVER Thomas F 1881-91+ (also grocer age 37 in 1881 )
NEAL Thomas 1903+ (also grocer)
BUTLER Fanny Mrs 1913+
VIDLER Herbert 1915+
ROBERT Ebenezer T 1918-30+ (also furniture dealer)
SISLEY Buster 1951-76
https://pubwiki.co.uk/LittleBeehive.shtml
Census
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