Enterprise Cafe, East Farleigh.

A Memory of Maidstone.

Does anybody remember Harry Smart and family who ran and owned the cafe at East Farleigh? It was a bikers' cafe and riders used to come from all over Kent to sit and talk bikes etc. His son Paul was a successful rider with a works team and his brother in law I believe was Barry Sheene. You could even hire a boat from Harry if you fancied a trip on the River Medway that ran past the door of the cafe. Harry, an engineer, was always happy to lend a hand if you had a problem with your car or bike, nice family all round. The Victory pub back then was only very small, if 10 people were in the bar it was full. A young couple, Wendy and Farouk who owned a large house called Half Yoke House opposite the Victory, used to let out bedsit rooms, I often stayed there at weekends with a friend. On the other side of the river to the cafe were the brick and tin huts where the hop pickers lived at hopping time in the autumn. These are still there I believe but are now used for storage.

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Added 14 November 2010

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Hi anybody know if the victory pub at farleigh is still a thriving pub?must pay a visit to the old place this summer,also the bull at the top of the hill too.wonder if any of the old faces are still about,any body know if billy order is still around{spelling of surname may be incorrect}or a very blond man by the name of monty sunnucks,lived close to the bull p.h.

By Paul Cattano on Thu Jan 15th 2015, at 10:02 pm

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what price are the houses in the area now?very expensive??would like a 4 bed with some room for a few ponies in the area.along the top rd by the old gallants farm would be good.

By Paul Cattano on Thu Jan 15th 2015, at 10:05 pm

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I have known the Enteprise cafe since the late 1940 ,When it was owned by Mr Coppin who also owned the caravan site and the rowing boat ect,it was least to Mr Thomas until Jim Pain took it on,I believe in 1953 ,that was when I was 14 years old,and Jim employed me to collect.use cups and clean the tables ect. In the autum 1956 Harry Smart took the lease on until the mid 1960s ,Harry then bought the freehold Mr Coppin including the caravan site and boats , It was the place to go in the 50s / 60s .several of us boys met our wife,s there,I did,my brother John married Harry's daughter Penny .With regards Bill Alder unfortunately he died some years ago.I lived next door to Bill up till I got married .both the pubs are still very busy .I hope this information has been of use to, with regard Basil Sunnucks

By Basil Sunnucks on Thu Feb 12th 2015, at 3:36 pm

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Hi Paul, I forgot to mention my brother Monty ,yes he still alive and kicking,he now lives in tunbridgewells . Regards Basil

By Basil Sunnucks on Thu Feb 12th 2015, at 3:46 pm

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Thanks for that basil,good to hear that monty is still around,i presume he is a family man now like me.he may remember me as one of the london boys who came for the hop picking and then carried on visiting the old place as we got older,liked a drink,my cousin was always with me,his name was dave and there was bobby and terry,we were always together ,used to drink in the bull and the victory,if i remember rightly monty used to live in the houses opposite the bull.Give my regards to him if he still remembers us,we are all still alive,what about bernie the bookie's runner who was always in the cafe,i think he married harry's wife sister madge.thats all for now,bye till the next time.

By Paul Cattano on Thu Feb 12th 2015, at 10:20 pm

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Used to frequent the Enterprice with my two brothers from about 1960 to 65. Harry used to be a Motorcycle racer (not sure if it was track or dirttrack.
His son Paul started racing with a Bultaco 125 and had a little success, mainly due to reliability problems. He then bought a Honda 125 and had much more success. He eventually raced with Suzuki at wolrld class GP and had great success. He was in the team with Barry Sheene and has a few mentions in Barry's Book.
There were quite a few characters who regularly frequented the Enterprise, 'Tovill" who had a Triumph Tiger 500cc, Fred who was into Trials and had the first Mini Ute (Utility) I ever sawMy brother Peter who first had a James 150 cc and later a 350cc BSA. We normallt arrived in my Mini 850 after mid 1962 and would often then go to the Motorway Cafe on the M2 via Boxley and enter though the staff access gate. Took some photos which I will find and post.

Martin Coull, Paynresville, Australia

By martin on Sun May 12th 2019, at 11:29 am

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