VICTORIA HOTEL, 85 CENTRAL PARADE (Formaly 13 Parade Villas) A History of Victoria Hotel
Herne Bay Windmill was built in 1825 for Mr Edward Charles, and was originally worked by a baker named Thorp. Over the years it was not an outstanding success, and changed hands several times; its land the Mill Field was recorded as three quarters of an acre. To the west was land belonging to Sir Henry Oxenden, acquired in the 1830s by James Jenkins as building land, which remained undeveloped for a many years although it was in the centre of the sea-front. Beyond this stood the original Royal Kent Hotel and Richmond Street. In 1863 when the hotel had become a private house, a small Hotel, built of the materials built of the materials of Herne Bay's first railway station, was placed next to the former Jenkins land. This later became the site of the Connaught Hotel.br /> Meanwhile the Mill was going out of business, and in the early 1860s George Farley, a photographer, came to Herne Bay, and settled on the remainder of James Jenkins field, ultimately claiming 'squatters rights', according to local tradition, and building a house on it. By 1879 this had become two houses and three small shops in temporary buildings and these were soon replaced to make a terrace of five houses. By the end of 1881, the mill had gone, and Farley had acquired the mill field, building more houses, including the cul-de-sac, Sea View Square on the site of the mill itself. In the rate book for April 1882, five houses had been built on either side of Sea View Square , of which three at the western end and two at the eastern end were actually occupied with five still empty, as were all nine in the Square. By October the five empty houses were occupied as well as Parade Villas, and all seven in Sea View Square also, thus No. 13 Parade Villas, now the Victoria Hotel was first occupied during the summer of 1882, by Thomas Harrison. It's rack-rent value, on which the rates were based , was £32 15s 0d., as were its fellows. Farley's first five earlier houses were of lower value at £21 15s, £25 5s. or £28 10s. while those in the square were on a much more modest scale at only £11 10s each.	By 1885, No. 13 was called Elverland House, and was occupied by Miss Catherine Isacke, who remained there until 1889. In 1890 only, the name N. C. Cutting appears; he was a baker with a business in Mortimer Street; but next year his place was taken by H. C. Freshwater. In 1893-1895 the house was empty, while a Mrs Boden had taken it by 1899. In 1902 the names of Miss L. E. Birks and J. Watson appear in the local directory, and Miss Birks was still there in 1910, her name is followed by the letters "L. H." so she was using it as a lodging house for visitors. The 1915 directory shows the house empty, but in the 1920s it was occupied by Percy Hargreaves, a photographer who produced many local picture postcards. By 1935 the house was called Holmleigh, and was run by Mrs D. G. Wilson; in the 1938 and 1939 directories it was again empty. It had become No. 85 Central Parade during the official numbering of the sea-front in March 1936. From 1947 to 1958, at least, 85 Central Parade was called Clifton House, and the proprietors were Mr and Mrs A. Deketelaere, who also run the Mark Davis Drug store and Gift Shop, at 64 Central Parade. Electoral rolls from 1963-1972 list A J Wilkie; 1973-1975 H Hirst; in 1977 S Todd and R Nelson. Empty again in 1978-9, from 1980-1982 it was occupied by Mr and Mrs G Gough. July 1982-85 Central Parade became Victoria Private Hotel Proprietors Alan and Jenny Watson , 1986 Jenny Watson left. Alan Watson still runs the business with his daughter Clare Sidders.
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