The Beneficiary Join the list

The Beneficiary

Live music upstairs at the Old Benny

42 Kent Street · Portsea · Built 1784
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By desire of the town of Portsea The Beneficiary Kent Street Will shortly open its doors with music, lights and a full house Upstairs in the hall Date to be announced
The Georgian front of 42 Kent Street, Portsea, with its large arched Venetian windowPhoto: Hassocks5489, CC0
The hall

Built for Portsea in 1784

This building was erected in 1784 by the Beneficial Society for their Free School for Boys.
1784Built
1836Enlarged
II*Listed
Read the history of the building →
Journal

Stories from number 42

All stories
Portrait of Charles Dickens as a young man, painted by Daniel Maclise in 1839
It is said

Was Charles Dickens nearly born at the Old Benny?

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Portrait photograph of Sir Henry Ayers in later life
Old boys

Henry Ayers: the Portsea schoolboy behind Ayers Rock

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Stone tablet in the brick pediment of 42 Kent Street recording that the building was erected in 1784 by the Beneficial Society
The founders

What was the Portsea Beneficial Society?

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Not just a bar.
A night out.

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Find us

42 Kent Street
Portsea, Portsmouth
PO1 3BS
Get directions
Portsmouth Harbour station 6 min walk
Gunwharf Quays 7 min walk
Historic Dockyard 9 min walk