Duke's Head overview

Post date: Aug 28, 2012 9:37:31 PM

This note draws together what is known about the Duke's Head, a pub formerly situated on Old Road near Pizien Well.

There is in a publication 'About Wateringbury' (Wateringbury Local History Society 2005) with an article about all the pubs and brewers of Wateringbury, which includes a paragraph on the Duke's Head. This article notes that on 16th April 1827 a meeting at the Duke's Head including the overseer Peter Sinclair agreed that the parish workhouse (The Old Poor House next door but one??) should be abolished (? moved to the Malling Union?) . Other pubs in Wateringbury owned by the Judes included

• the North Pole,

• Queens Head Inn (on Tonbridge Road , now Nightingale House) and

  • the Telegraph Inn (at bottom of Bow Road).

ORIGINS

Steven MacDougall's ebook People of Wateringbury, 1650-1841 (published 2012 by Lulu) records some of the early history of the pub. He believes the building was originally owned by William Orpin (d. 1720) and opened as a pub in 1721 by William Taylor, who served as overseer in 1724. A parish meeting is first recorded as taking place at the pub in 1726. In 1729 William Bone (d. 1734) bought it and called it the Duke of Cumberland. Another parish meeting is recorded as taking place there in 1733. In 1734 it was inherited by Elzabeth and Sarah Bone who appointed a Mr. Stanley to run it. In 1745 it was acquired by William Hosmer (1709-1776) who initially appointed Thomas Moore followed by William Hart (1714-1779)to run it.

BRITISH LIBRARY MAPS

Two maps of the late 18th century held at The British Library show the Duke's Head and they can be viewed at Map (1789) and Map2 (1797)

1839 TITHE SURVEY

The pub is mentioned in this survey (on sheet 5) when it owned by John Beale Jude (of the Kent Brewery in Bow Road) and occupied by David Borman. It can be seen at

http://www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/Research/Maps/WTR/02.htm.

The Old Poor House referred to above is on sheet 14.

Photos of the Tithe map are at Tithe Survey .

1851 CENSUS

This census show David Boorman (aged 44, born in Marden) as head of the household and described as a "carpenter and victualler". He lived there with his wife Mary 2 sons and 2 daughter. There were also 5 other younger Boorman children living at Latter's Buildings (including a George Boorman then aged 6).

1881 CENSUS

David Boorman is still at the Duke's Head and is now described as "publican and builder master" with 5 men and 1 boy (meaning in his employment). His wife and children are no longer there but his nephew, Frederick Baker, aged 30 is there and described as Manager's Accountant. He has come up in the world as he now has two domestic seravants, Louisa Orpin aged 63 (Housekeeper Dom) and Emma Straw aged 15 (General Servant domestic). Three men are living there, George Pledge aged 45 a carpenter, Harry Gilman, aged 40, a wheelwright and William Brayhouse, aged 62 and another carpenter.

INQUESTS

There are two inquests known to have taken place at the Duke's Head. See inquest1836 and Inquest 1844. Note the later inquest was a manslaughter resulting from a brawl which started at The King's Head (situated at the Crossroads). Pubs were frequently used for public administration of all types until this was progressively banned by legislation in 1882, 1894 and finally (coroners courts) in 1902.

AMICABLE BENEFIT SOCIETY

The two reports of this society's annual meeting were both in the Duke's Head, in 1836 and 1860. See prettiest maidens in Kent and Amicable Benefit Society

CHURCH SERVICES

Whilst the Church was being altered in 1883, Sunday evening services were held in "the large room adjoining the Duke's Head Inn". See Church alterations . The pub was used for a Sunday School in 1890 and Entertainment at the Duke's Head (1890) shows it had been used for some special Friday services.

MISC

Francis Rose stole some sheets and towels from the garden in 1850.

The pub was extended in 1871 (now a separate home) and a brick has the initials GEB 1871 on it, the initials of the brickmaker, builder or owner. Possibly it was George E. Boorman, the son of the then publican David Boorman and who, aged 35 in the 1881 census, was described as a "Surveyor and Builders Manager" living with his wife Ellen and two small children, Eva and Hubert, in Old Road. There was another family of Boorman's also living in Old Road who were butchers. The middle name or middle initial is rarely shown in the census but George's is shown and it is E.