Railway Tavern
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The Railway Tavern opened in 1854 as a beer house which was offered for sale in an auction during 1858[1].
Subsequent to this sale, the premises gained a full licence in 1862; the first landlord being Frederick Campbell, formerly an Inn-keeper from Broad Oak.
He soon found himself in trouble with the law - having allowed regulars to accumulate their ‘score’ for a week, and not just on the night. A customer by the name of George Rummens had left without paying for his accumulated debt - £1 4s. 2½d. Frederick went in pursuit of the delinquent individual, meeting him in the Terminus Hotel. After some discussion between the two with George being abusive, Frederick lost his temper and punched him in the eye. At the subsequent magistrates hearing on the 27th of June 1863, the Mayor stated he was satisfied that Frederick was quite reasonable in his first request for payment - George admitting the debt - and Frederick admitting to the assault. As a result, the fine was the smallest that could be imposed as a fine of 1s. and costs of 12s[2].
The pub was the location of an inquest held on the body of the well-known geologist Phillip Rufford, aged 50, in June 1902. Phillip had been a Fellow of the Geological Society and resided at 37 Magdalen Road. Evidence was presented that Phillip had been in poor health for some time and moved to Wadhurst about two weeks prior to the inquest on the 21st of June. Appearing to others as severely depressed, Rufford had been suffering severe headaches and, following tea with his brother-in-law, took himself off for a walk on the previous Thursday. An hour later, his headless body was found on the railway tracks beneath Scragoak Bridge - some two miles distant from Wadhurst. A farewell note addressed to his wife was subsequently found at his lodgings. The inquest found a verdict of "Suicide whilst temporarily insane"[3].
In 1907, the pub installed a telephone, receiving the phone number Hastings 543[4].
Licencees[edit]
Images[edit]
References & Notes
- ↑ British Newspaper Archive [1]]Not Found please add periodical to the BNA/Data page 3 July 1858 Pg. 0003]
- ↑ a b British Newspaper Archive Hastings and St. Leonards News 3 July 1863 Pg. 0003
- ↑ British Newspaper Archive Hastings and Bexhill Independent 26 June 1902 Pg. 0005
- ↑ a b British Newspaper Archive [2]]Not Found please add periodical to the BNA/Data page 13 June 1907 Pg. 0020]
- ↑ British Newspaper Archive [3]]Not Found please add periodical to the BNA/Data page 20 June 1901 Pg. 0022]