Happy Days Chinese Take-away   (???? – current)
Mr & Mrs Betts,  Haberdasher  (????)   PVN Issues 84/85  1995 – Pembury Library   1970, 1974 Kelly’s Dir
Mr Walter, Clothes Outfitter    (????)   PVN Issues 84/85  1995 – Pembury Library
Pauline & Peter Mills   Drapers, Outfitters   (1977)    PVN Issue 12
E.R. Walker  Draper, Bespoke Tailor, Men’s Outfitter, Knitting & Wools   High St. (WISB  1965) 1955, 1965, 1968 Kelly’s Dir
E.R. Walker  Draper (c1930)    From Mary Standen’s  Old Picture Postcards  p14

Mrs A.M. Towner   Tobacconist   High St   1940, 1948    Kelly’s Dir
Mrs Alice Towner  stationer    1937,  1938  Kelly’s Dir
Postmaster 1927  Alice M. Towner   (Kelly’s 1916, 1919, 1927)    Telephone No   Pembury 1
Postmaster 1914  Henry George Towner   (Kelly’s 1914)
Postmaster 1904  Mrs Charlotte Poxon   (Kelly’s 1903, 1904)
National Telephone Company  Ltd (public calls offices) High St & Lower Green   Kelly’s  1904, 1911
Postmaster 1882  Stephen Neale    (Kelly’s  1882)
Postmaster 1858  George Edward Neale    (Melvilles 1858 Directory of Kent)Stephen Neale – Boot & Shoe Maker, and
Postmaster   (Kelly’s  1882)
Neal, Stephen, boot and shoe maker, post-office, stationer, and agent to the Provincial
Welsh Kre and Life Office, and the Peoples’ Provident Life Assurance Society   (Melvilles Directory 1858)

Melville’s Directory of 1858 has the Camden Arms listed as the Posting House / Post Office under John Faircloth.
Post Office Directory of 1855 has the Camden Arms listed as the Posting House / Post Office under George Edward Neal.

Correction to Mary Standen’s (Old Picture Postcards  p15 ) –

Description of the Bell Telephone sign outside the Post Office.
The American company Bell was a supplier of handsets and equipment to the early telephone companies in Great Britain.
The telephone service was operated by the National Telephone Company and the initials NTC can be seen within the bell shaped sign –  NTC Public Telephone.  The NTC eventually became the GPO, later British Telecom.
Telephone services came to the Tunbridge Wells area in 1901 with the Tunbridge Wells Municipal Telephone Company.

This was absorbed by the NTC in 1913.  It is assumed that Pembury took its telephone feed from Tunbridge Wells.
There is little documented evidence to support the Bell Telephone Company operating the telephone service in Pembury.
(Source:  http://www.britishtelephones.com/histuk.htm  & http://www.whitstablescene.co.uk/1901.htm )

Official History of Pembury Post Office:

Pembury PO: established 21/9/1834 under the administration of Tonbridge postal town;
incorporated a Money Order office on 1/10/1863 and a Savings Bank on 28/12/1863;
designated a Telegraph Office in 1870;   taken under the administration of Tunbridge Wells in 1870.
closure date not given.
Courtesy of  Robin Sampson,  The British Postal Museum & Archive   via email  18/04/2013  (TN).

Indication that Post Office was transferred to Hastings Rd  around 1935  From Mary Standen’s  Old Picture Postcards  p14

Telephone Exchange chronology :

No 4 High St   c1901,1902 –  1950s
Pembury Telephone Exchange occupied the floors above the shops 25-31 High St.
From Pembury Conservation Area Report 1998  p18
Address given as 31 High St.  –  listed in Kelly’s Dir in 1968
Custom built exchange in 39/41 Hastings Rd – listed in Kelly’s Dir in 1970

Ocean Fish & Chips   (??? – current)
G.E.Marino’s Fish Bar    Fish & Chips  (????)
Left side (2013 as restaurant part of Fish & Chip shop)   Previously 8a High St
Your Move  Estate Agent  (???)    (SM)
GA  Estate Agent  (???)     (SM)
Cobbs   Surveyors & Estate Agent  (1986)   8a High  St    PVN Issue 48  1986
Country Estates    House Agents  (1966)  Pembury Parish Guide 1966

Graham Walker & Co  Estate Agent,    8a High St     1968, 1972, 1974  Kelly’s Dir
Graham Walker & Co  Estate Agent, Auctioneers & Valuers   8a High St      Kent Trade Guide  1969-70
Graham Walker   Estate Agent  (c1965 ?)   (PVWS)  From partial photo
Right Side
Spar mini market   (c1965 ?)  Same as Harding & Vale at No 6?   (SM)
Shopping Basket   grocers   8 High St    1965, 1968, 1970, 1974   Kelly’s Dir

Henry Paul Funerals   (??? – current)
Threshers Wine Merchants  (c 2008)
Unwins Wines – Off License   (1965 – c2000)    (WISB  1965)    1965, 1968, 1972 Kelly’s Dir
John Maynard  – Grocer       ???? – 1964   (DG) (TK)
Walter C. Raiswell  Photo (WISB 1965)    
Walter C. Raiswell Ld  Grocer, Wines & Spirits  High St      1950, 1955     Kelly’s Dir 
Walter C. Raiswell Ld  Grocer  High St      1934, 1938,  1940     Kelly’s Dir 
Walter C. Raiswell   High Class Grocer  (???)      From Mary Standen’s  Old Picture Postcards  p16 & p19
Walter C. Raiswell   photograph  (c1920s)      From Mary Standen’s  Pembury in the Past  p32
Fritz Featherstone   Grocer, Draper  (c1912)    From Mary Standen’s  Old Picture Postcards  p18  Kelly’s Dir 1903, 1904, 1911, 1914, 1919  
Carved stone with a date of 1871 set into lower corner close to an old gate hinge. Might reflect date of building.

Black Horse   Public House & Restaurant    (c1801 – current)
Postcard of 1930 showing part of frontage  –   Mary Standen’s  Old Picture Postcards  p19
Postcard of 1920 showing part of frontage  –   Mary Standen’s  Old Picture Postcards  p16
Various Views – PVWS   (WISB 1965)
In both cases frontage has a fence and lamp above door.
Pub extension & Restaurant annex  2000  (MC)
Building Dates from 1801    From Pembury Conservation Area Report 1998  P15
See Pembury Pubs page for more detail.

BarnesKingsnorth   Estate Agent  (???? – current)
Kingsnorth   Estate Agent  (????)
Denise Barnes   Estate Agent   (pre1990 – ????)
Photo of c1990 shows Denise Barnes next door to a hardware shop     Pembury Our Village, Our Future  1990
Paul Champion & Prall  Estate Agents  c1981   (DG)
Stationery Store & Office Supplies ??  moved to rear in Blackhorse Mews   (????)  (SM)
Camden Ironmongers (Carrs)  16 – 18 High  St  (1977)    PVN Issue 12   1977  (DG)
Camden Ironmongers (Moss, Rose Ltd)  16-18 High St      1965, 1968, 1970, 1974  Kelly’s Dir
Stan’s Hardware Store    Stan Moxan   c1960s   (SM)  Former manager of Camden Ironmonger (JS)  Moved to No 18
Linkworth Ltd,  ironmongers  16 High St    1963  Kelly’s Dir
Sweet Shop / Barber (c1920) at rear of this site – now Blackhorse Mews.   Mary Standen’s  Old Picture Postcards  p16
John Taylor   Tobacconist     High St         1940, 1955    Kelly’s Dir
J. Taylor   Tobacconist   14 High St     1959    Kelly’s Dir    Confirmation of address  ????
Jn. Taylor   Tobacconist   High St     1927, 1937    Kelly’s Dir  
Jack Taylor –  tobacco, cigarettes & betting.    From Mary Standen’s  Old Picture Postcards  p16
Parker - Saddler  from an undated photograph.
Arthur Thomas Verrels,  Saddler   1911, 1919    Kelly’s Dir   (Identified from High Street photograph showing his shop next to Wood’s bakers)  This thought to be No 14.
Later photographs show Parker as a Saddler at No 14 and it is assumed he took over from Verrels at the same address.

The dwellings behind this site, access via Blackhorse Mews, were at one time the haunts of small traders.
Old address listings quote this block as 16 – 18 High Street.

Note that No 14 High Street, between 12 (Black Horse) and 16 is no longer there.
It was demolished (date unknown) to make way for Blackhorse Mews.
Maps and plans of the High Street do not adequately show the gap between Nos 12 & 16,
but standing on the opposite side of the road it is clear that there was another building there.

Hospice in the Weald  Charity Shop  (???? – current)
Photo of c1990 shows a hardware shop     Pembury Our Village, Our Future  1990
Stan’s Hardware Store    Stan Moxon   c1990s   (SM)  Former manager of Camden Ironmonger (JS)
Stan’s   18 High Street    Outlook (church magazine) adverts  1991 – 1994
Stan Moved from No 16 to No 18     (DG) (TK) 
Camden Ironmongers   14 – 18 High  St  (1972 -1977)    PVN Issue 12 1977      Kelly’s Dir 1972
Acotts ,  Baker  (????)   PVN Issues 84/85  1995 – Pembury Library
Avards – Baker  c1960s  (JS)
Albert Acott, Baker,  16High St       1959  Kelly’s Dir   This enrty has an address of 16 High St.
Albert Acott, Baker,  High St       1950, 1955, 1961     Kelly’s Dir
Albert Cott  Baker   High St   1938  Kelly’s       (possible spelling error on Albert Acott  18 High St)
Alfred Woods   Baker High St   1934   Kelly’s Dir
Wood’s Bakers (c1920)   From Mary Standen’s  Old Picture Postcards  p17 – Hovis sign
Alfred Henry Woods – Baker,  High St      Kelly’s Directory 1899, 1904, 1911,  1914, 1916, 1919

Camden Arms  Public House, Hotel & Restaurant  (c1820 – current)
Site of current car park was originally a coffee room & stables in the time or horse drawn coaches.  (JC)
Refreshment & stable buildings demolished for Maidstone & District bus station.

Bus station demolished for car park.  (JC)
M & D bus station said to be at the rear of the current car park – now houses.  (JC)
M & D moved into Pembury in 1935 after purchase of  The Victor Motor Transport Company (Item 31 below)
Derek Jones, Secretary,   The M&D and East Kent Bus ClubNew hotel annex added in 2007.
See Pembury Pubs page for more detail.

Photo c1912 shows out buildings     From Pembury in the Past by Mary Standen p21
Photo of 1930s shows Leneys Ales & Stouts & AA sign   From Mary Standen’s  Old Picture Postcards  p9
Pembury Conservation Area Report 1998  p23  mentions intrusive floodlighting
Aerial photo showing corner door and secondary front door, now both bricked in. (????) (RS)

See Pembury Pubs page for more detail.

Garage buildings demolished in preparation for housing – 2018
Unbranded secondhand car dealer (2012 – 2017)
S & B Autos   Body Repair & Maintenance – Rob Sargent  (???? – c2010)
Address given in most advertisements –  Camden Service Station.   1980 (PVN 23)     1986 (PVN 47)
PVN 27   1981 — Rear of Camden Service Station.     Why Rear?
Petrol Filling site (???)    Pembury Conservation Area Report 1998  p10
Petrol Filling site in Camden Avenue photo    (PVWS)
Aerial photo showing filling station, 3 Fina pumps and canopy (????) (RS)
Aerial photo showing filling station, 3 Fina pumps, no canopy (1966) (Mary Standen – Pembury in the Past , inside cover)

Camden Service Station    3 High St      1969-70  Kent Trade Guide
Camden Service Station  motor agents & dealers (Morris dealers)  3 High St      1965, 1970, 1972, 1974  Kelley’s Dir
Anstey’s  Austin (cars) Distribution    3 High St   1959, 1961   Kelly’s Dir
Blacksmith’s forge & carriage works for Camden Arms in the days or horse drawn coaches.
    From Mary Standen’s  A History of Pembury  p44
1909 photo of building in  Mary Standen’s  A History of Pembury  p11
Pembury Conservation Area Report 1998  p10, p17  & P18  mentioning petrol filling station.
Pembury Conservation Area Report 1998  p24  mentions the petrol filling station being untidy and unsightly.
Ordnance Survey map c1908

Payden’s Pharmacy –  Chemists  (2003 – current)
P.J. & J.M. Ditchett Chemists   (1984 – 2003)    (JD)
John H. Wilkinson  Chemists (1947 – 1984)   PVN Issue 23  1980    (JD)
J.J. Glendinning   (1932 – 1947)  From Mary Standen’s  Old Picture Postcards  p17   (JD)
Building constructed as a chemist’s shop for JJ Gendinning in 1932    (JD)
Glendinning previously at 25 High St.

Pembury Chiropractic Clinic      (???? – current)
Shelie’s Flowers  Shelie Green   7 High St    PVN Issue 102  2000
Lloyds Bank (c1995)  7 High St. (SM)     1965, 1970, 1972, 1974  Kelly’s Dir
F. Battell  Hairdresser  7 High St    1959, 1961  Kelly’s Dir
Frederick Battell  Hairdresser    High St    1948,  1950, 1955  Kelly’s Dir
Manser’s Newsagent & Stationers   7 High St     1955   Kelly’s Dir
..
Hairdresser (c2000)  9 High St. (SM)
Marlene  Hair Stylist  9  High St    (WISB  1965)   1963, 1965, 1970, 1974  Kelly’s Dir
Marlene (Mrs N.M. Ratcliff)  Hairdresser & Beauty Culturist    High St  1961,   1955   Kelly’s Dir
Marlene (Mrs E.M. Austen)  Ladies’ Hairdresser    High St     1938   Kelly’s Dir

Smithy / Blacksmith / Wheelwright  workshop on village green     Ordnance Survey maps  1865, 1897
Fire Engine House on the village green.  Smithy buildings shown, but not named.    Ordnance Survey maps 1909
Photo of 1909 shows small structure   From Mary Standen’s  Old Picture Postcards  p1 
Photos of c1910 show several small structures   From Mary Standen’s  Pembury in the Past
PVWS  photo of 1909 Motor Dash to Hastings shows buildings on the green.  Photo 1  
Photo from Melvyn Cole showing the wheelwright workshop & house on the green.

CWC Builders    (current)
Jerrom & Co  Chartered Accountants   13 High St   PVN Issue 102  2000
Cullen at Pembury  Chartered Accountants    13 High  St    PVN Issue 110    2002

Penn  Builder   13 High  St    PVN Issue 48  1986
Kent Radiator Services   13 High  St    PVN Issue 48  1986
Burton Solicitor  Penn House 13a High  St    PVN Issue 48  1986
G.F. Penn Funeral Director & Chapel of Rest.   Pembury Parish Guide of 1966     Confirmed at this address (BR)
G & F Penn Ltd   (Est 1862)  High St  1938, 1940    Kelly’s Dir

Block of four addresses – 15 to 21    One tea room owner reported living at No 21, and
several photographs indicate the tea room sign at No 21. Otherwise no street numbers.

Hearts Ease Tea Rooms (Mrs E.M. Swaffer)  High St.   1948, 1950, 1955    Kelly’s Dir
..   Mrs Swaffer private resident at 21 High St –  1959, 1961 Kelly’s residential listings
Hearts Ease Tea Rooms (George Ernest Swaffer)  High St.    1940    Kelly’s Dir
Heartsease Cafe  Mrs Swaffer  (c1935)     From Mary Standen’s  Old Picture Postcards  p17
Hearts Ease Tea Rooms (William Alfred Hill)  High St.    1927, 1934, 1937    Kelly’s Dir
Heartease Tea Rooms   Willie Smith   1924  Kelly’s Dir
Heartease Coffee Tavern,  High St.   Sidney Golds  1914, 1916, 1919           (Kelly’s Dir 1914 )
A postcard of this period (1911-1919) shows a sign: “The Heartease Tea Rooms and Cyclists Rest”
Heartease Coffee Tavern  Walter Joseph Crotty     1911, 1912  Kelly’s Dir
Heartease Coffee Tavern  Allan Lewis Brooke      1899, 1904  Kelly’s Dir
Heartease Coffee Tavern / Workmen’s Club & Reading Room   Allan Lewis Brooke      1903  Kelly’s Dir
Dance Hall located with Heartease Cafe  (????)   PVN Issues 84/85  1995 – Pembury Library
Possibly   The Cottage Tea Rooms   Mrs K. Anderson –
… from undated cream coloured pamphlet in Tunbridge Wells Reference Library
Nos 15 – 21 High St date from c1820s    From Pembury Conservation Area Report 1998  P18
Early OS maps (1909) show “P.O.”(Post Office) next to No 15 High St. This is thought to be wrong.
The map does not show “P.O.” against No 4 High St, it’s true location.

This shop was once listed as No 23 but is now assumed to be the same as 23a High St.
All retail occupants of 23 & 23a listed below.

Burtons Solicitors    (???? – current)
Billy Jeffcoat   Butcher  (c1993)     (MC)
W.F Jeffcoat   Family Butcher   23 High St     Outlook adverts   1991 – 1993 
A. Bruce  Family Butcher    From Pembury Parish Guide  1966  in Tunbridge Wells Reference Library
A. Bruce   Family Butcher   High  St.    (WISB  1965)      Kelly’s Dir  1955, 1959 1965, 1972
William Hills Butcher & Grazier  (KI)  Cattle were grazed at rear of shop.   Estimated sale to A. Bruce c1953 (KI)
Hills Photo 1        Hills Photo 2           Hills Photo 3
William Hills Butcher  1934, 1937,  1940, 1948, 1950  Kelly’s Dir
W. Hills    Butcher & Grocer (c1935)     From Mary Standen’s  Old Picture Postcards  p17   (PVWS)
Wm. Hills    Butcher  no address    1924, 1927   Kelly’s Dir
Charles Crouch   Butcher & Grocer   23(a) High Street   (????)     (PVWS)     (Kelly’s Dir 1912,  1914, 1916, 1919)
From all photos of this building the retail business appears to be conducted from the right-hand side.
It is assumed that the whole of the building was originally No 23, but later usage had the property split.
The dual use of the building required a new address of 23a.
This may help to explain why the retail address hops from No 23 to 23a.  Pure speculation!

Pembury Beauty Salon        (??? – current)
Headmasters formally Pembury Hair Studio   25 – 27 High  St      PVN Issue 102  2000 
Arthur Hayes   Optician   25 High  St    (????)   (SM)

Pembury Opticians   Karen Erret   25 High  St    Outlook magazine adverts  1991 – 1993
Pembury Opticians   Karen Erret   25 High  St    (1988)   PVN Issue 55 1988 Pembury Library

Pembury Hair Studio   27 High  St      PVN Issue 56  1989 – Pembury Library

Judith’s  Ladies Hairdresser    27 High  St     1970, 1972, 1974  Kelly’s Dir

Norman Miller – Dentist  c1965   1st Floor surgery.  (JS)   later moved to 75 Hastings Rd.
N.D. Miller   dental surgeon  31 High St.   1972, 1974  Kelly’s Dir
Midland Bank   25 High  St    (????)     (PVWS)    (WISB 1965 reports 3 banks in the village)
Midland Bank Ltd   25 High St   1955, 1961,  1963, 1965, 1968, 1970   Kelly’s Dir  (not listed in 1972)
Tobacconist & Confection (next to Midland Bank)   27 High  St    (????)     (PVWS)

Queen’s Express Cleaners  27 High St     1968  Kelly’s Dir

National Provincial Bank  27 High St     1959  Kelly’s Dir           Later at No 4 High St in 1961

J.J. Glendinning   Chemist   (pre 1932)   25 High St    From Mary Standen’s  Old Picture Postcards  p17

Tea Rooms & refreshments  (c1935)  25 High St    From Mary Standen’s  Old Picture Postcards  p17

Pembury Telephone Exchange occupied the floors above the shops 25-31 High St.  (????)
From Pembury Conservation Area Report 1998  p14.
Pembury Telephone Exchange on first floor of No 31   (Brian Aylard  PVN  Issue 118 p27  2004)
Moved from 4 High St.    Moved to Hastings Road.

Telephone Exchange  31 High St  1963, 1968  Kelly’s Dir     ( 1970 at 39/41 Hastings Road)
In 2013 Your Move advertised one of the flats as being a part of the old telephone exchange.

Holistic Therapies   (????)       Google Street View
South Eastern Orthodontics – Denture Repair Service     29 High St      PVN Issue 110   2002

Maynard,  grocer  29 High St    1970, 1974  Kelly’s Dir
George Rideout  Family Grocer  29 High St.   (WISB  1965)     1961, 1965, 1970, 1972  Kelly’s Dir

E.R. Barwick  confectioner   29 High St   1959  Kelly’s Dir

Village Newsagents & Post Office    (2018 – current)   Mr & Mrs D. Patel
……Post Office moved from 47 Hastings Rd in Feb 2018.
Village Newsagents Ltd Newsagent  Mr & Mrs D. Patel  (1998 – 2018)   (PVN 95)
H.L Eldred  Newsagent, Tobacconist, Stationer, Confectioner, Lending Library 37 High St. (WISB  1965)  1963 Kelly’s
R.H. Cox   Newsagent   37 High St     1965, 1968   Kelly’s Dir       1969-70  Kent Trade Guide
W.J. Gunn   Newsagent   37 High St     1961   Kelly’s Dir
W.H. Luxford   Newsagent, bookseller, tobacconist   37 High St     1959   Kelly’s Dir

This shop might have been occupied by Drury & family  (1911 – 1950) – see Unresolved Shopkeepers at bottom of the page.  Drury did nor specify his shop number in any data so far witnessed.  Dates would conflict with Dan Collins stay, unless they shared the address.

Walter Drury  Newsagent  1912, 1924   Kelly’s Dir

Dan Collins – bootmaker.  None of Mr Collin’s directory entries gave a specific address – just High Street.
Mary Standen’s vague account suggests that he occupied what was a newsagent’s shop in her day.
Daniel Collins   boot maker  High St    1899, 1904, 1911, 1914, 1916,  1919, 1924, 1927, 1934, 1938, 1940     Kelly’s Dir
Dan Collins  Shoemaker  (c1910)      From Mary Standen’s  Old Picture Postcards  p20

Transport Cafe –  The Square Deal  –  High Street   From Mary Standen’s  Old Picture Postcards  p33
Demolished in 1980 to make way for a small block of starter homes.  This may be in Map of Approved Conservartion Area (PVN 1980) shows a Cafe opposite Sunhill Court  – shows it set back from road.
Square Deal Cafe closed & sold 1977 (JL) see below.
Square Deal Cafe   53 High St     1965, 1974  Kelly’s Dir
Square Deal Cafe (T. Sumner & Sons)  53 High St     1959, 1961, 1963  Kelly’s Dir
Square Deal Cafe (J. M. Matthew)   High St     1955  Kelly’s Dir
Square Deal Cafe      George Alert Greenwood and Marjory Violet Greenwood  1954 – 1977  (JL)
Square Deal Cafe      Mr & Mrs Beasalls  pre 1954   (JL)
..    The entries for Greenwood and Beasalls were forwarded by Jen Lewis  –  see Item 001  Articles/Snippets  page.
Prior to the Square Deal this cafe was known as ‘Grove Cot’ or Grove Cottage.
Grove Cafe.   Places cafe next to the village hall.  (????)   PVN Issues 84/85  1995 – Pembury Library 
William Rowlinson  Cafe  Grove Cottage,  High St   1948, 1950  Kelly’s Dir
Mrs Skinner  Cafe  Grove Cottage,  High St    1940  Kelly’s Dir
Benjamin Skinner  Cafe  Grove Cottage,  High St    1937, 1938  Kelly’s Dir
Photo of Square Deal Cafe –   Melvyn Cole
Photo of High Street showing the development signs for Sycamore Cottages –   Melvyn Cole.
Henry Cooper ,  Harness Maker, Grove Cot.    1904,  Kelly’s Dir
Pony Mail depot & stable in 19th century   Mary Standen’s Pembury in the Past p20
No detail of ‘Pony Mail’ – not a mail service – may have been a carrier, coach or transport service.

Pembury Auto Centre      address given as
Woodsgate Garage          From Mary Standen’s  A History of Pembury  p38
Several photos of Woodsgate Corner now surfaced – see Woodsgate House entry.
Old garages usually occupy the sites of old stables or blacksmith’s yards.  Needs investigation.
Woodsgate Motors Ltd   68 High St    1961,  1965  Kelly’s Dir
Woodsgate Garage & Service Station   1950  Kelly’s Dir
Baggesens  Woodsgate  nurseries    1927, 1934   Kelly’s Dir    
Baggesens, The Shack & Woodsgate nurseries  1931  Kelly’s Dir    Location not known.

Texaco Filling Station  (??? – current) & convenience store.

Woodsgate Hotel    (Rt Hon See)     64 High St      1959  Kelly’s Dir
Woodsgate Motors Ltd  (Volkswagen 1959)     68 High St      1959, 1970  Kelly’s Dir
Woodsgate Country Club  (H. Cartwright)      1955 Kelly’s Dir
Woodsgate House / Woodsgate Hotel / Woodsgate Restaurant / Woodsgate Inn / Woodsgate Coaching Inn.
House Demolished 1960

W. & A. Mordaunt   Tea Garden      Woodsgate    1931  Kelly’s Dir
Miss Zoe Mordaunt   Refreshment rooms,  Woodsgate    1927  Kelly’s Dir
Tea garden  1928   From Mary Standen’s  Old Picture Postcards  p32
Postcard of Tea Garden shows Woodsgate House from the rear.
General views and data   From Mary Standen’s  Old Picture Postcards  p30 & p31
Photo (PVWS) of Woodsgate Restaurant shows advertisment for swimming pool and petrol filling station.
Petrol filling station looks to occupy the 2013 site of Pembury Auto Centre.
Coaching Inn also known as The Royal Oak in the 1700s through to the 1830s – needs confirmation.

Location confirmed as the Cafe associated with the Woodsgate Swimming Pool (BR)    PVN Issue 153 p7  2013
Site of a lido / swimming pool.   Reported to be intact and buried under Woodsgate Way and its houses (SM).
OS map of 1936 shows site (TN).       Closed in 1973 (Tunbridge Wells Museum)

Woodsgate Lido & Swimming Pool     62 High St      1970, 1972, 1974  Kelly’s Dir
Woodsgate Club     62 High St      1970, 1972, 1974  Kelly’s Dir
Woodsgate Swimming Pool   Hugh Boorman  PVN Issue 153  2013  Claims site to be at Woodhill Park. (HB) 
Woodsgate Transport Cafe  1965  ???  (WISB  1965)
Woodsgate Transport Cafe –  sometime in the early 1970s the owners of the Swimming Pool extended their car park for
..  lorries and broadened the existing cafe for transport drivers (KI)
Woodsgate Lido & Swimming Pool (Finch & Hamsley)  62 High St.       Kelly’s Directory  1959, 1961, 1963, 1965
Some discrepancy in the name of the owner of the swimming pool –
…   Frank Holden (KI)    Frank Hemsley (SS)    Finch & Hamsley  (Kelly 1959 – 65) 

See Woodsgate Maps    (Localities / Woodsgate)  for greater detail of area and photos of the swimming pool.

Cycle and Motor Repairs        From Mary Standen’s  Old Picture Postcards  p20  &  PVWS
Fred Rendell  c1910 ?  Cycle Repairs   From Mary Standen’s  Old Picture Postcards  p20

Fred Rendell is dotted around the village from c1903 to c1961. This entry will try and list all his achievements.
It is interesting to speculate on some of Mr Rendell’s change of trade.

Frederick Rendell – Cylce maker     From Kelly’s Directory 1903, 1904, 1913 
Frederick Rendell – Motor Car Engineer,  Hastings Rd.  Kelly’s Dir 1914, 1916, 1919 1927, 1931, 1934, 1937, 1938. 
Frederick Rendell – Confectioner    Hastings Rd.  Kelly’s Dir 1937.    Also listed as Motor Car Engineer
Frederick Rendell – Motor Car Engineer,  Hastings Rd.  Kelly’s Dir 1940. 
Frederick Rendell – Electrical Engineer,  Hastings Rd.  Kelly’s Dir 1948, 1950, 1955 (4 Hill View), 1961 (18 Hastings Rd), 1959. 

Associated with Pembury Garage –  Hastings Road?     See Item 28 on Hastings Road page.

The postcard shows a long block of wooden clad houses with 6 upper windows.
Only the far end of this block remains – the portion with 2 windows – this is now No 41 High St.
In 2010 it is still recognisable with wood cladding, one flush window to the right of door and one bay window to the left.
In 2013 the door between the windows has been bricked in and moved to the far end of the building.
The Cycle Shop occupies the next house – what is now a red brick house – No 43.
This Composite Photo shows 3 views from c1910, c2008, & 2013.
The top and middle shots show the women in very nearly the same location.

Notcutts Garden Centre    1989 – current    (CW) (MPn)
Whitelegg’s Garden Centre     1960s – 1989   (CW) (MPn)     1967 – 1989  (BW)
G.G. Whitelegg Ltd  Lakeside nurseries,  Tonbridge Road   Kelly’s  Dir  1963,  1970, 1972, 1974
Wallace Nursery (R. Wallace & Co) nurserymen & landscape gardeners. The Nursery, Tonbridge Road  1965  Kelly’s Dir

Wallace & Co at Pembury 1963 – 1967   (BW)

..           A History of the Whitelegg / Wallace / Barr businesses by Brian Wates
..           Thanks to Brian Wates for permission to archive and print this document.  Original documents now with RHS.
..           For further details & clarification Brian Wates can be contacted at   http://www.brian-wates.co.uk/

The following reverse chronology summarises Brian Wates’ article in terms of the Pembury interest.

1967  R. Wallace & Co  taken over by George Whitelegg.
1965  Mr. Hale quit.  George Whitelegg approached to assist in management.
1964  New glasshouses & offices erected at Pembury.
1963  Mr J. Stewart Hale sold Lakeland Nursery at Pembury to George Leslie Wates (Wallace & Co).
1962  Business was split.  Wallace & Barr name sold to P. de Jager & Sons (London) Ltd.
1961  Mr J. Stewart Hale, manager of Wallace & Barr since 1954, purchased Lakeland nursery at Pembury
..         – possibly from B. Reeves.
1961  B. Reeves  nurseryman,   Tonbridge Road    1961  Kelly’s Directory.
..          No business entries for a nursery in Tonbridge Rd, Pembury in  1959, 1955, 1950.  Kelly’s Directory.
1960  Land at Forest Row, Tunbridge Wells sold for development.
1956  Merged business of Wallace & Barr operating from The Old Gardens, Tunbridge Wells until 1963/4.    Link to map
1955  George Leslie Wates purchased  Barr & Sons a nursery based in Taplow, Bucks.
1940  R. Wallace & Co sold to George Leslie Wates, still trading as R. Wallace & Co.
1937  Additional land acquired at  Forest Way, off Forest Road, Tunbridge Wells.
1920  Moved to The Old Gardens, Bayham Rd, Tunbridge Wells.   Previously used as nursery since 1837
1890  Robert Whistler Wallace’s original nursery at Kilnfield Gardens, Colchester, Essex  Trading as R.Wallace & Co

The Articles Archive page contains Mick Pattenden’s memoirs from 1957 – 1997    (Article 013)
Pembury Village News (PVN) Issue 90, page6 has an article about Mick Pattenden and his recollections.

Thanks to Carol Watson at Notcutts for kick-starting this topic.

Link to Hastings Road page
Link to Lower Green Page
Link to Pembury Pubs page

PVN        Pembury Village News –  quarterly journal
PVWS     Pembury Village Web Site        www.pembury.org
WISB      Pembury Women’s Institute Scrap Book 1965
TN          Tony Nicholls
SM         Steve Morton
JC          James Cunningham
HB          Hugh Boorman
BR          Barbara Russell
MP          Michelle Pierce
RS          Rob Sargent
MG         Maggie Godley
MC         Michele Coldwell
JD          Janet Ditchett
JS          Jack Stead
DG         Derek Goodwin
TK          Terry Killick
MPt         Martin Petch
MPn        Mick Pattenden
CW         Carol Watson
KI           Ken Isaac
BW         Brian Wates
JH           Jill Hickmott
SS          Sylvia Schmocker
JL           Jen Lewis