Hawkenbury Road

Hawkenbury

Staplehurst

Above photo, 1983, kindly sent by Nigel Bowles.

Above photo, 1983, kindly sent by Nigel Bowles.

Above photo, 1983, kindly sent by Nigel Bowles.

Above map 1914.

Trading circa 1890, the pub was very popular with hop pickers on their annual “Londoners’ Holiday”. At its height, in the inter-war years, about 200,000 East Enders - mostly women and children - made the annual pilgrimage down into the Kentish hop gardens and pub, was a local pub which welcomed the people who worked in the fields opposite.

In WWII the Hare and Hounds was the watering hole for RAF Staplehurst, based behind the pub towards Chickenden Lane. The USAAF Station Code was "SH" and 363D Fighter Group was based there. Headcorn Aerodrome has a fascinating WWII flying history museum with many exhibits of local interest, with free parking and admission Link www.lashendenairwarfaremuseum.co.uk/.

One of the most notable WWII patrons at the Hawkenbury was Colonel John R. Ulricson who flew his P-51 "Lolita" from RAF Staplehurst.

LICENSEE LIST

HAYTER William 1871+ (age 46 in 1871)

BALES Jane 1891+ (widow age 54 in 1891)

AMONE/AMOKE Albert Hatch 1901+ (age 29 in 1901)

FEAKINS Samuel 1903+

KENNARD James 1911+ (age 40 in 1911)

FROST Bill to 1975

BOWLES Nigel 1975-85

WILLARD John 1985+

From the Kelly's Directory 1903

Census