WELLINGTON Pub of Sheerness

DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Sort file:- Sheerness, October, 2023.

Page Updated:- Monday, 30 October, 2023.

PUB LIST

PUBLIC HOUSES

Paul Skelton

Earliest 1827-

Wellington

Latest ????

90 High Street

Mile Town

Sheerness

Above Google image, May 2009.

South Eastern Gazette, Tuesday 22 Mai 1827.

Mile Town, Sheerness.

Superior Old Ship timber, consisting of breaking up of Old Ships, Slips, and old Docks, from H.M. Dockyard, Sheerness, removed into and stacked in 5 and 10 fathom Lots, in a field at the back of the "Wellington Inn," Mile Town, Sheerness, to be sold by auction, by James Attwater, at the "Wellington Inn," Mile Town, Sheerness, on Wednesday, 23rd day of May, 1827, at 12, for 1 o'clock precisely.

Which consists of all the above large and small Oak Timber, the breaking up of Old Ships, with Oak and Elm Timber, the breaking up of Ships and Docks, with a quantity of new Fir Pile and Pile Heads, the whole on or about 500 fans at this present Sale.

From the Kentish Gazette, 28 February 1837.

DEATHS.

At Sheerness, Mr. Rice Selby, landlord of the "Wellington Inn."

From the Kentish Gazette, 27 February 1838.

Coroner's Inquest. Suicide.

On Saturday week an inquest was held at the "Wellington Inn," before Robert Hinde, Esq. on the body of Elizabeth Smeed, wife of Mr. William Smeed, Mile Town, Sheerness, who was found hanging; by a silk handkerchief from the curtain-rod of a four-post bedstead, about four o’clock in the afternoon of the previous day. It appeared from the evidence of Mr. Smeed, the husband of the deceased, that he had been married to the deceased about two months, during which time they had lived happily together, but he could perceive his wife had something on her mind which caused great depression of spirits, and her conduct at times was very strange. She had, about two or three days previous to the one on which she was found as above described, made an attempt to cut her throat, but he took the razor with which she was about to commit the rash act out of her hand; and on the day on which she committed suicide, she had conducted herself as usual till about two o’clock in the afternoon, when she gave witness a Bible, and told him to read it, and said she was going up stairs. When she had been gone about ten minutes witness went up to see her, and found her kneeling on the floor of the room, with her head lying on the bed. He requested her to come down, as he thought she would be cold; she told him to go down again, and she would soon follow him, but not doing so, a few minutes before four o’clock witness went up again, and found her as first described. He immediately called in a sister-in-law of the deceased by a former marriage, who lived on the opposite side of the street, and both proceeded up stairs, when witness cut her down, and found that she was quite dead and cold. Witness then fetched a surgeon, who attempted to bleed her, but to no purpose.

Charlotte Robins, wife of Thomas Robins, surgeon, brother of the deceased's former husband, corroborated the latter part of Mr. Smeed’s evidence, and stated that she thought the deceased was frequently deranged, she having told her (witness) that about two months ago she attempted to cut her throat, but had not power to do it.

Mrs. Webb, a next-door neighbour of the deceased, stated that she was very intimate with the deceased, that her husband was very kind to her, and did all in his power to make her comfortable (the former witness said the same), but, notwithstanding, something appeared to be on her mind, and, in consequence, witness was in the habit of calling in to see her four or five times a day. Both of these witnesses stated that they were not surprised when they heard that the deceased had committed suicide.After the above evidence the coroner addressed the jury, who returned a verdict "That the deceased hanged herself in a temporary state of insanity." The deceased was 52 years of age.

From the Kentish Gazette, 11 March 1845.

DEATH.

Beeching:— Feb 28, at Sheerness, Mr. H. Beeching, landlord of the "Wellington Inn, Mile Town, aged 47.

From the Kentish Mercury, November 1856.

The contemplated scheme for a water supply.

Prior to the Year 1800 all the freshwater consumed, both in the town, in the fort and the dockyard, was brought from the mainland, mostly in barrels from Chatham. About the year 1795 a few spirited gentleman adventured upon a douptful effort to sink a public well in a central situation in Blue Town, the Government having failed in a similar attempt at scarcely 100 yards from the same spot, but at a depth of 360 feet the enterprise was successful. At this time the well supplied the population, which did not exceed 4,000, while it now number 12,000, and in 7 years after the undertaking, the proprietors received back the whole of their capital, and to the present time have been receiving an average of ten percent, on their original outlay.

Recently, however, the old well has fallen in and become useless, the proprietors resolving to discontinue working it. The supply is now derived from the Government well in the dockyard, from a well in Mile Town, and one at Mr. Raynor's Brewery. Owing to the closing of the company's well, a meeting was called to take into consideration the scheme for a permanent supply of fresh water. At an adjourned special general meeting of the company the proprietors, held at the "Wellington Inn," on Tuesday, 4th inst. Mr. Gorham in the chair, it was proposed by Mr. Brightman, seconded by Mr Polson, supported by Mr. Elliot, and unanimously resolved, "That the meeting having had submitted to it by Messrs. Hughes and Hooker of London (solicitors), assisted by Mr. Whichcord, an eminent practical engineer and architect a scheme for establishing a New Water Works Company upon an extended scale, for the supply of water, by laying on the same to the houses; and having duly considers the said scheme and considering also that a continuous, easy, and cheap supply of this necessary of life is essential to the comfort of the inhabitants and for sanitary purposes, and is importantly demanded by the increasing population of the town and by the progress of society; to adopt the same and recommend is the attention of their neighbours and friends." It was also proposed by Mr. McDonald and seconded by Mr. Elliot, that the following gentlemen be elected as a canvassing committee, Messrs. Gorham, Ward, Barnard, Brightmam, Polson, Hall, and Hookey (secretary). We sincerely trust the efforts will prove effective in carrying out this great desideratum.

Sheerness Guardian 7 May 1859.

SITTINGBOURNE PETTY SESSION'S.

Monday May 2nd, before the Rev. J. Poore, D.D., and W. Bland, Esq.

The following parties appeared in answer to charges made by the police, of having their houses open after forbidden hours for the sale of beer, &c., viz:—

Abraham Brisley, of the "Wellington Inn," Mile Town, was fined 10s, and costs, for having his house open at 12 p.m. on the night of Good Friday, April 22nd.

Whitstable times and Herne Bay Herald, Saturday 7th May 1898.

Sheerness. The rating of licensed houses.

Nearly the whole of the licensed houses of Sheerness have recently been reassessed for rating purposes for the overseers. The increase in the assessments in some cases are double, the rating of the "Wellington Hotel" having been advanced from £60 to £125, the "Belle and Lion Inn," from £44 to £84, the "Britannia Hotel" from £80 to £165, the "Goat Inn" from £32 to £84, the "Victory Tavern" from £48 to £92, the "Criterion Inn" from £36 to £75.

The total increase in the ratings of 55 licensed premises amounts to £1,161 10s.

I am informed that at one time the upstairs of the building housed a cinema. Later the upstairs was renamed the Wellington Hall and the pub occupied the space downstairs. Unfortunately the original building was demolished and replaced for what we see today (2021) as the "New Look" shop.

LICENSEE LIST

BRISENDEN C 1824+

ATTWATER James 1827+

BAKER William 1828-32+