Lionel Cole's research

ANDREW COLE of Hever, butcher (1641-1699).

Andrew was baptised at Edenbridge on August 9th 1641, the second son of William Cole (died 1671) and his wife Elizabeth. On the death of his father Andrew received £40 and his father's butcher's tackle. Shortly afterwards at Tandridge on February 6th 1672 he married Frances Allen, the daughter of John Allen of Brasted and Edenbridge, probably a husbandman. In 1673 on the death of his brother Richard Andrew received his father's house, occupied by Zachary Honor. This was "Cowpers" in Church Lane, part of TA 503.In 1677 Andrew mortgaged the house to Edward Risbrook for £25 and in 1698 sold it to the same person for a further £5.

Andrew's first daughter Frances was baptised in Edenbridge in 1673 but when she died in 1674 Andrew was established as a butcher in Hever.He became a ratepayer of Hever parish in 1674 and continued such until his death in 1699. He was also recorded as a freeholder of Stanford Borough from 1677 to 1697, and a tenant of Sir Charles Waldegrave, later Lord Waldegrave, for property in Hever from 1674 until his death. In 1680 Andrew served as borsholder of Stanford Borough.

The Hever overseers' records show that Andrew Cole was on many occasions paid for keeping various people, of whom the most noteworthy were a boy who fell down the steeple stairs, and widow Budgen who had to be cleaned of lice. (Phew!) Andrew Cole was clearly a victualler and innkeeper as well as a butcher, and indeed was licensed in 1678-89 and probably beyond. The inn was the Red Lyon in Hever, probably the same place as the present public house in Hever, later called the Bull & Butcher (a pun on Bullen Butcher) and since 1830 the Henry VIII. It stands at the gates to Hever Castle, home to Anne Boleyn.

Andrew died, probably at Hever, and was buried in Edenbridge on 29th August 1699, aged 58. He was illiterate, but at the end of his life had learned to sign his name. After his death Frances kept the family business going. However she was struggling. In 1704 she promised 10s towards the five new bells hung in the steeple of the parish church, but was unable to pay. In 1707 she failed to renew her alehouse licence and was forced to pay at double the rate. In 1708 William Cole of Chiddingstone appears to have paid her rates. On 19th July 1709 Henry Streatfeild, collector of the Window Tax in Stanford Borough for 1708 reported that he could not receive 6s charged on the widow Cole because she was broke and run away leaving the house so empty that no distress was to be had there.

After this Frances Cole received relief from the parish, while others took on the tenancy of the Red Lyon. In 1716 William Cole of Chiddingstone left her 20s. She died and was buried in Hever on October 7th 1733, aged 83.