Search my many thousands of pubs and London history

Six Bells, 181 Church Street, Cliffe, Strood, Medway

Cliffe Public Houses

Six Bells, Cliffe - circa 1911

Kindly provided by Roy Barrett

Six Bells, 181 Church Street, Cliffe - in January 2011

Kindly provided by Stephen Harris

Directory of Pubs in the UK, historical public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels in Cliffe, Strood, Kent .

Residents at this address

1738-40, John Saviklle 1740-57, Thomas Chamberlain

1758-59, John Hawkins

1760-63, Henry Pankhurst

1764-65+, John Smith

1808-13, Edward Parker

1814-40, Mary Parker

1841 Steve Blundell

1842-51, James Vinton

1855/William John Topley/../../../Post Office Directory **

1858/William John Topley/../../../Melvilles Directory

In 1861 at Church Street, Cliffe, North Aylesford
William Topley, Victualler aged 53 and born in Frindsbury, Kent
Ann Topley, Wife aged 52 and born in Strood, Kent
Sarah Topley, Daughter, House servant aged 19 and born in St Marys, Kent
Henry Topley, Son, House servant aged 17 and born in St Marys, Kent
Thomas Topley, Son aged 14 and born in St Marys, Kent
Davin Topley, Son aged 11 and born in Snodland, Kent
Hester Topley, Daughter aged 9 and born in Snodland, Kent
Seth Waren, Boarder, Agricultural labourer aged 19 and born in Saffron Walden, Essex
Edward Harrey, Boarder, Agricultural labourer aged 25 and born in Newport, Essex

1862/William John Topley/../../../Post Office Directory

In 1871 at Six Bell Inn, High Street, Cliffe, North Aylesford
Ann Topley, Licensed vitualler aged 61 and born in Strood, Kent
Hester Topley, Daughter aged 19 and born in Snodland, Kent

1874/Mrs Ann Topley/../../../Post Office Directory

1878/Mrs Ann Topley/../../../Post Office Directory **

1881/John Topley/Victualler And Market Gardener/43/St Marys H Of Hoo, Kent/Census
1881/Julia Topley/Wife/42/Martin, Warwick/Census
1881/Thomas Richard Topley/Son, Market Gardener/18/Rochester, Kent/Census
1881/Ann Eliza Topley/Daughter/17/Cliffe, Kent/Census
1881/Sarah Hester Topley/Daughter/16/Cliffe, Kent/Census
1881/William John Topley/Son, Market Gardener/15/Cliffe, Kent/Census
1881/Harry Topley/Son, Market Gardener/13/Cliffe, Kent/Census
1881/Hester Topley/Daughter/10/Cliffe, Kent/Census
1881/Alfred Charles Berry/Lodger, Builders Labourer/25/Suffolk/Census
1881/William Brown/Lodger, Farm Labourer/22/Cumberland/Census
1881/William Finnis/Lodger, General Labourer/27/Oxford,/Census
1881/Edward Wyard/Lodger, General Labourer/28/Ipswich/Census
1881/George Brown/Lodger, General Labourer/29/Auckland, New Zealand/Census
1881/Geotge Williams/Lodger, General Labourer/45/Bromley, Kent/Census
1881/John Green/Lodger, General Labourer/30/Essex/Census
1881/James Turner/Lodger, General Labourer/40/Somerset/Census
1881/John Wilson/Lodger/25/Manchester, Lancashire/Census

1882/John Topley/../../../Post Office Directory

1891/John Topley/../../../Post Office Directory

1891/John Topley/Hotel Keeper/54/Martin, Warwickshire/Census
1891/Julia Topley/Wife/53/St Marys, Kent/Census
1891/Thos R Topley/Son, Cement Labourer/28/Rochester, Kent/Census
1891/Ann E Topley/Daughter, Barmaid/27/Cliffe at Hoo, Kent/Census
1891/William J Topley/Son, Cement Labourer/25/Cliffe at Hoo, Kent/Census
1891/Hester Topley/Daughter, Barmaid/20/Cliffe at Hoo, Kent/Census
1891/Lilly Topley/Daughter/9/Cliffe at Hoo, Kent/Census

[William J Thorndike is previously at the White Horse, The Street, Stoke, Rochester]
In 1901 at Bells Inn, High Street, Cliffe At Hoo, Kent
William J Thorndike, Licensed vitualler aged 37 and born in Cliffe At Hoo, Kent
Clare Thorndike, Wife aged 37 and born in Strood, Kent
Mary A Elford, Niece, Barmaid aged 23 and born in Frindsbury, Kent
Frances Thorndike, Sister, Barmaid aged 21 and born in Cliffe At Hoo, Kent
William H Thorndike, Son aged 9 and born in Stoke, Kent
Winifred M Thorndike, Daughter aged 7 and born in Cliffe At Hoo, Kent
Dorothy Thorndike, Daughter aged 1 and born in Cliffe At Hoo, Kent
Emmeline Petts, Servant aged 15 and born in Cliffe At Hoo, Kent
Maud Sophia Wallis, Visitor aged 15 and born in Greenwich, Kent
George Batchelor, Agricultural labourer aged 61 and born in Newport, Isle of Wight

1903/William J Thorndike/../../../Post Office Directory

Priscilla Payne, Patricia Payne and David Payne at the Six Bells, Cliffe - circa 1914

Kindly provided by Philippa Dedman

My family photograph shows Priscilla Payne (who married William Thorndike of the six bells in 1912) with my grandmother Patricia Payne born in 1908 (approx age 6) and her eldest brother David Payne.
Priscilla was the licencee of the six bells following the suicide of William Thorndike. She went on to marry a Mr Thorpe in 1915 in Edmonton, whom we believe is the following licencee until 1937/8. *

1911/William John Thorndike/Publican, Widow/47/Cliffe, Kent/Census
1911/Emma Thorndike/Mother, widow/68/Cliffe, Kent/Census
1911/Ida Caroline Smith/Servant/19/Cliffe, Kent/Census
1911/Winifred May Thorndike/Daughter/17/Cliffe, Kent/Census
1911/Ezekial Farrow/Servant, Widow/69/Suffolk/Census

1913/Mrs Priscilla Thorndike/../../../Post Office Directory

1918/John Thorpe/../../../Post Office Directory

In 1921 at Six Bells, Cliffe, Kent
John Thorpe, Licensed Victualler aged 51 years 9 months and born in Burham, Kent
Priscilla Thorpe, Wife aged 54 years 10 months and born in Burham, Kent
Alma Marie Hamblin, Step-daughter, Widow, aged 33 years 5 months and born in Bradford, Yorkshire
David H Payne, Step-son, Barman, John Thorpe aged 26 years 9 months and born in Heckmondwike, yorkshire
John Norman Darrel Thorpe, Son, Motor Engineer, Out Of Work Curtice Harvey aged 20 and born in Chatham, Kent
Patricia Payne,, Step-daughter aged 13 years 2 months and born in Bradford, Yorkshire
Tom Kirby, Visitor, Engineer Commercial Traveller, Liquidation & Disposal Commission, Earls Court London Exhibition aged 34 years and born in Watton, Yorkshire
Jennette Kirby, Visitor aged 31 years 11 months and born in Birmingham, Warwickshire
Kathleen Winifred Kirby, Visitor aged 3 years 7 months and born in Hammersmith, London

1938/Charles V Lugg/../../../Post Office Directory

In 1939 at "six Bells" St Helens, Buttway Lane, Cliffe
Charles Vivian Lugg, Licensed Victualler, born 26 Mar 1905
Jessie Marie Lugg, Wife, born 21 Nov 1899

Kent Evening Post. 11 March 1976
Few poeple achieve what Garry and Val Conrad have done - they are now a two pub family.
Husband, and wife team Garry and Val both lead a double existence now.
They have looked after the Chequers Inn at Lower Higham for four years. Yesterday, they doubled their responsibility when they took over the Six Bell at Cliffe, four miles away.
Rather than each look after one pub Garry and Val, are going to take it in turn daily to each run one.
The Conrads, both 30, live at the Chequers.
Mrs Conrad said "We thought it better to both contribute to running each pub rather than let one personality be limited to one place,"
In between nipping from one building to another, Mr Conrad devotes his time to being a Higham parish councillor.



* Provided By Philippa Dedman
** Provided By Stephen Harris