Harry Martin's retirement (1935)

Post date: Apr 02, 2014 10:23:34 AM

Extract from The House of Whitbread April 1935:

With Mr. Harry Martin's retirement on March 4th, the licensed trade in Kent lost one of its best known figures; for he had held a license in the same village during the last 50 years. He has spent the past 43 years as tenant of our house, the "Queen's Head", Wateringbury; previously he was in the "Wheatsheaf" (another Wateringbury house ) for seven years.

As his portrait shows, the years lie lightly upon him, and although he is 77, he served in the bar up to his very last day as a publican. As modest as he is genial, he has little to say about himself; but he admits his 43 years at the "Queen's" were interesting and, at times, very amusing.

As one of the local "hopping houses" the "Queen's Head" was in pre-War days the scene of many diversions; during his long stay, Mr. Martin is proud of the fact that he never had more trouble than he could deal with alone. Mafeking night is perhaps the exception-"No one would go home," he says.

Excusing his reticence about himself, Mr. Martin says he was too busy for hobbies; he seems nevertheless to have found time for a little cricket and, in later years, was Wateringbury's official umpire. All his life he has been interested in campanology, and was for 40 years a bell-ringer, part of the time being Captain.

He has put by few souvenirs but there is one of which he is very proud. It is an invitation from the Lord Mayor (Sir Horatio Davis)to attend the Mansion House ball in 1897. Mr. and Mrs. Martin went and, although it is some years ago , he still has a lively recollection of it; in fact he can remember leaving Mansion House at 7.00 a.m. the next morning.

Many of the older inhabitants of Wateringbury will miss him from his accustomed place, and it fortunate their oracle is not leaving the neighbourhood. The familiar figure which, for so many yeards, leaned over the front railings of the "Queen's Head" dispensing wisdom, with that dogmatic touch that only the stem of a short clay pipe can give , is still to be seen about the village.

In our last issue we reported the triumph of the "Queen's Head" at quoits, and it is no doubt of great satisfaction to Mr. Martin to feel that after so many years of trying, his team brought off the Championship in the actual year of his retirement.

At West Malling Court on the day of the change , the Chairman of the Magistrates (Sir A. Lynden Bell) said on behalf of the Bench, "Mr. Martin we are sorry to lose you. We congratulate you on the way you have conducted your house for the last 50 years, and we all wish you happiness and comfort in your retirement."