- welcome
- opening hours
- historic brentwood
- the halfway house in literature
- accommodation
- sports and leisure
- local entertainment
- local history
| the halfway house - welcome | ||||
| The Halfway House is a famous landmark in South Essex, renowned for its warm welcome, great food and friendly service. Family owned for 25 years, The Halfway House offers a consistently high standard - from a freshly cut doorstep sandwich to a gourmet banquet for 200. Come and enjoy a unique experience in a relaxed and informal atmosphere whilst sampling the delights from our range of traditional English and Continental cuisine.
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| the halfway house - historic brentwood |
| Seat of the Peasants’ Revolt In 1381, the British peasantry had got just about sick of their lot. Richard 11’s poll tax was the final straw and Wat Tyler led a rebellion from Brentwood against the crown. It all ended when the Mayor of London killed Tyler on behalf of the king. If any parts of this story sound familiar... Excommunicate the King? Events here in 1232 nearly led to the excommunication of King Henry 111. The King, it seems, violated the sanctuary of the Thomas a Beckett chapel in Brentwood in pursuit of Hubert de Burgh, Earl of Kent who had been accused of treason by the bishop of Winchester. In comparison, it is fairly quiet in Brentwood now. |
| the halfway house - the halfway house in literature |
| It may not be the same Halfway House, as the book, film and author were all American, but the name is mentioned, as is the town of Brentwood in the 1946 film of Ernest Hemingway’s ’The Killers’: Dum Dum and Blinky arrive at Farmer Brown’s (Charles B. Middleton) farm house to split up the unmarked cash with Colfax. However, the Swede, thinking that he has been betrayed and double-crossed [through information from Kitty - to be revealed later], creeps up on the group, holds them at gunpoint, and runs off with the quarter of a million dollars: Swede: Swell idea you guys had. Leave me holdin’ the bag at the half-way house while you split up the dough, huh?... Colfax: The half-way house burnt down last night. That’s why we came here. Swede: Somebody ought to have let me know. Colfax: You were told, you’re here. Swede: Next time, play it straight. [Colfax’s alibi that the half-way house burnt down is conveniently interjected, but the plan to betray the Swede - and change locations - had been made much earlier with Kitty.] As the Swede leaves, he flattens the gang’s car tires so they can’t pursue him. Reardon follows a hunch to discover who shot Blinky, by visiting Brentwood and staking out the Swede’s room. As predicted, Dum Dum arrives in town to rent the vacant room for $9/week. From the adjacent room, Reardon listens as Dum Dum searches the room and splits open the mattress looking for the Swede’s stolen payroll money. Reardon bursts in with his gun drawn, asking for information to clarify what happened: You don’t know what the Swede did with the money or you wouldn’t be here tearing his room to pieces. But maybe you do know things that put together with the things I know will tell me where the money is. Reardon asks why the gang met at the farmhouse instead of the half-way house as originally planned. [A fire report later states that the half-way house burned down at 2:53 am, almost three hours after Kitty began telling gang members of the change in rendezvous.] According to Dum Dum, boss Colfax picked the new location, and Kitty delivered the news of the change in plans to gang members in various hideouts. Reardon deduces that Dum Dum and Blinky couldn’t be suspects in the Swede’s murder (because they believed only the Swede knew where the payroll money was), but Dum Dum undoubtedly killed competitor Blinky to get to the Swede’s money first. After a brief struggle, the tables are reversed and Dum Dum holds the gun on Reardon and asks a question of his own: ’Why’d you want to know about Kitty?’ Reardon speculates that Kitty stole the money back from the Swede and returned to Colfax. The Swede never had his hands on the dough for very long: I think she knows where the money is...The Swede and some girl checked into an Atlantic City hotel the night of the holdup. Two days later, the girl took a powder. I’ve got an idea the dough went with her. Dum Dum viciously kicks Reardon in the head, rendering him unconscious, and flees out the boarding room window onto the roof, where he is confronted by police that Reardon had earlier summoned to surround the building. But he eventually escapes, although wounded, after a brief gun battle. [This is a crucial turning point. Until now, Dum Dum thought the Swede acted alone in stealing the payroll. However, after learning that Kitty was involved in the robbery, and knowing that Colfax and Kitty were married, he would now realize that Kitty and Colfax were accomplices. Dum Dum’s next target will be Colfax!] Reardon travels by train to Pittsburgh with Lieut. Lubinsky to speak to Big Jim Colfax [reportedly ’Kitty’s ex-boyfriend’ but actually her husband], the gang leader who planned the hat factory heist. Apparently, Colfax has ’gone legit’ as a big-time contractor and builder. In Colfax’s office, Reardon questions the ex-gangster about the death of Ole Andersen (’alias Pete Lunn but best known as the Swede’), but Colfax claims no knowledge of the man, and asserts his honesty as a citizen (’I’ve got nothing to hide’). ’Without one shred of evidence’ against Colfax, Reardon reasons that he must speak to Kitty Collins to glean the last piece of the puzzle: ...it was Kitty Collins and not the Swede that reaped the golden harvest...When the gang met to divvy up after the robbery, the Swede pulled a fast one and walked off with the whole take...That same night, he and Kitty were together in Atlantic City. She walked out on him a couple of days later. The money disappeared when she did... Colfax lies about not knowing Kitty’s whereabouts. [In the setup planned by Colfax against the Swede, Kitty’s duplicity wasn’t known by the other gang members. They would assume that Ole had all of the money, allowing Kitty to rejoin Colfax with the re-stolen money so the couple could re-establish their married life without fear of reprisal or detection.] If there’s one thing I hate, it’s a double-crossing dame...the Swede never had a chance, did he? Any one of the gang that ran onto him would have been sure to knock him off. You might say Kitty Collins signed his death warrant. Although unlikely after six years, Reardon claims that the chambermaid in the Atlantic City hotel could identify Kitty. He threatens to take his information to the police, unless he can speak to Kitty (through a message delivered by ’voice from the past’ Jake the Rake). Fearing that he and Kitty will be exposed, Colfax further deceives Reardon about his relationship with the femme fatale: If you do run onto her, let me know, will ya? After you’re through with her, I’d like to have a word or two with Kitty myself. We got some unfinished business. |
| the halfway house - accommodation |
Although we have no accommodation at the Halfway House, we do have arrangements with carefully selected local hotels and can recommend the following places to stay after your wedding, conference or party:
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| the halfway house - sports and leisure |
| For the energetic visitor, Brentwood has a multitude of attractions. You can walk, cycle or ride horseback in the adjoining Thorndon Country Park, and just a little way up the road is the challenging terrain of the South Weald Country Park where some of the 2012 Olympic mountain biking events will be staged. Golf Venues There is no shortage of places to play the ancient game of golf around Brentwood.
For more information on what to do in Brentwood, please contact us prior to your visit and we will be delighted to recommend some venues and options. |
| the halfway house - local entertainment |
| Thre is always a lot going on in the area. Brentwood has its own theatre, plus the regular entertainment events on at the Brentwood Centre mean that there is usually something on to suit every taste. If you prefer a more intimate venue, our sister house, the Belvedere in Billericay is very close, and has regular blues, jazz and comedy nights as well as the regular dinner discos and over-30’s clubs. The Belvedere is also one of the area’s hot-spots for learning latin dance. If shopping is your bag, then Lakeside and Bluewater shopping centres are just a short run down the M25 from here. With miles of shops to browse, you are bound to work up a good appetite for our restaurant and bars while you rest your weary feet in comfortable surroundings. |
| the halfway house - local history |
| The area around the Halfway House is part of an ancient wood, now the remains of which are mostly given over to the Thorndon Country Park, which backs onto the pub gardens. Neigthbouring Hartswood was once owned by John Evelyn, who was inspired by it to write the first ever book on forestry ’Sylva’ in 1664. The fact that you can now get a refreshing glass of 1664 over the counter may just be a coincidence, but it gives you something to ponder. The 8th Lord Petre, a former owner of Thorndon hall was a pioneering gardener, laying out very elaborate surroundings in the late 16th century that even included a small zoo! Well ahead of his time. These days the park is available for all to enjoy. There are many recommended walks through the country park to relax and work up a hunger and thirst to be sated in the welcoming restaurant and bar of the Halfway House at the end of your ramble. |
