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Picture source: Simon Carey

The Victoria Inn is situated on Station Road and has now been converted into flats.

My family on my mother’s side have lived in Groombridge for many years (5 generations) and I grew up there. As a child I recall the landlords surname was Osborne. When I started to go into the Victoria in the early 1960’s the landlord was Reginald Jones and his wife’s name was Molly. Reg had been a pilot in the First World War I believe. The next landlord, also in the 1960’s, was Doug Hillman who ran the pub with his wife Heather. They were not there very long but really built up the trade. The landlords that then followed were Roy & Alma Wheeler who continued to make it a thriving village pub. The Victoria Inn was extremely busy particularly at weekends with many people visiting from Tunbridge Wells and neighbouring villages. I have wonderful memories of drinking in the Victoria at lunch times with Gordon Bates a local agricultural contractor and the two brothers who’s farm was on the other side of the road to the pub. Pints of Courage bitter always comprised the first round, every round after that was a bottle of strong barley wine until by the end of the session we were all drinking pints of barley wine. Aubrey one of the brothers used to tell some wonderful and amusing stories. I and most of my friends held our stag nights at the Vic, what memorable times they were. My father came to Groombridge with the London Rifle Brigade during World War Two and this is where he met my mother. On the right hand corner of the Victoria Inn there is evidence of damage. Some of this was caused by my father who hit it whilst driving a bren gun carrier.

Keith Grose (December 2016)

My father, Harry Amos was the tenant of this pub from late 1943 until mid 1961. The Previous tenant was Gordon Pullen who later became tenant of the Clarence in Church Rd Tunbridge Wells. The tenant preceding Gordon Pullen at the Junction, I believe to be someone called Frost. No Christian name was ever known to me.

Geoff Amos (October 2019)

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