Until 1928, members of the Eltham Branch (as it was then called) of the Kent Beekeepers’ Association, used to meet at each other’s apiaries.
But membership was declining. It was 10 years after the Great War and the war-time beekeepers had given up. Questions began to be asked as to what members got out of their subscription to the Association.
The only meetings which produced a good attendance were those where the host provided tea. Not every member was in a position to offer this hospitality. Those who could not were embarrassed by the fact that those who could were now needing to do so more frequently.

At this juncture, the idea of instituting a co-partnership apiary seems to have germinated in several minds simultaneously. At the 1928 Annual General Meeting the idea was laid before the branch, who voted the sum of £3 as a contribution to the apiary if, and when, it should become an accomplished fact, which, of course it did. The branch still makes an occasional donation to the apiary, which is virtually its own free headquarters.
Since branch assets legally belong to the Kent Beekeepers’ Association, ways were explored to prevent this in the case of the new apiary.

The branch committee of the time co-opted Mr P.C.Thornton, who later become Ruxley Apiary’s Club first president, and in May 1929 the project was launched.
1500 shares of 1/- (1 shilling = 5 pence now) cash were made available to members of the branch, who took them up so eagerly that they had to be limited to a maximum of 25/- each (old money), £75 total, which they could contribute in cash or in kind.
That “cash or kind” proved a mistake. The many different kinds of hives and other equipment tendered proved difficult to work, and this could only be solved by new equipment. But in spite of this, at the close of the first season, a dividend equal to 20% was paid, calculating honey at the then reasonable price of 1/3d per lb. And this from only 4 stocks!

The interest of the Apiary also had effect on the winter meetings of the branch. Improved attendances were found to be a direct result of the interest in the apiary and its management.
When, during 1930, a small tent was put up for the serving of teas at a small charge by a ladies committee, the Apiary can be said to have finally established itself on the road to success. Ruxley teas become famous.

The site at the back of Small Gains Farm on the Maidstone Road, was not the first site of the Apiary, which was on the other side of the road nearly opposite. However, the bees crossed the road in 1930, and in 1974 are still there, with in addition, a handsome pavilion and a storage shed. What is now the storage shed was used for all purposes until the pavilion was erected after the reconstitution of the Ruxley Apiary Club, which came about as follows:

Another major war had brought new members to what was now the Sidcup Branch of the Kent Beekeepers’ Association, and only one active member remained of the original founders, Mr P.C.Thornton. In order to regularise the position, as many of the original members were traced as possible; they had claimed their dividends for years, and were paid out from the accumulated funds. The fixed assets, worth about £100 were presented to the new Ruxley Apiary Club, membership of which is open to any Sidcup Branch member who cares to take up one share, and is limited to one share.
In march 1946 it started with 96 members and six stocks of bees, and beat the original venture by paying 50% dividend its first year.

It must surely be the cheapest Social Club in the world. The single subscription ensures life membership, provided the member continues to pay his/her branch subscription. In most years the dividend is 1lb of honey to all who claim it.

The Rules of Ruxley Apiary Club are issued to each member on joining, and must be strictly adhered to.

                                                            Written in 1974 by Marjorie Brain, founder member of Ruxley Apiary Club.

Developments since:

In the late 1980s the Ruxley Apiary moved again, a few hundred yards down the hill to its present location at Honeydale Farm, Maidstone Road, Sidcup.
In the mid-1990s, Ruxley Honey Co-operative was set-up to help with the sale of the Apiary and member produced honey.
In the new millennium, after many protracted meetings, the decision was taken to abolish the semi-autonomous position of the Ruxley Apiary and to incorporate the Apiary fully into the Sidcup Branch of the Kent Beekeepers’ Association.
Then, in 2007, members voted to abolish the distribution of the dividend, as there is no need to buy any shares for members of the Sidcup Branch to benefit from Ruxley Apiary.

Ruxley Apiary continues being famous for it's Saturday afternoon Teas.

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