DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Page Updated:- Wednesday, 04 August, 2021.

PUB LIST PUBLIC HOUSES Paul Skelton

Earliest 1822-

Crown and Thistle

Closed 1954

Northdown Hill (12 High Street 1891Census)

St. Peter's

https://whatpub.com/crown-thistle

Crown and Thistle

Above photo date unknown from Flickr Chris Roos. Showing the "Crown and Thistle" and St Peter's Church.

Crown and Thistle 1905

Above photo, circa 1905.

Crown and Thistle 1905

Above postcard, circa 1905, a coloured version of the one above.

Crown and Thistle 1908

Above postcard dated 1908.

Crown and Thistle 1910

Above photo, showing a parade of the local school children from the church, circa 1910, photo from Barry Stickings.

From the Early Broadstairs & St Peters in old photographs collected by Barrie Wootton.

Crown and Thistle licensees 1954

Mr. and Mrs. Richardson, the Crown and Thistle’s last landlord and his wife standing behind the public bar. Circa 1954.

From the Early Broadstairs & St Peters in old photographs collected by Barrie Wootton.

Crown and Thistle darts team 1954

Darts room of the Crown and Thistle. Those regulars known to the author are, second from left: Bob Brenchley. Centre: Walter Goodhew. Third from right: Mr Richardson (the landlord). Second from right: Tom (surname unknown). Circa 1954.

Site of Crown and Thistle

Above photo showing the same shot as above from Google May 2014. The move to a new home at Northdown Hill came in the 1950s, and the site of the new shops shown on the left.

Crown and Thistle 1989

Above photo, 1989, kindly sent by Michael Mirams.

Crown and Thistle card

Above Whitbread card, 1973 and series unknown.

Kentish Weekly Post or Canterbury Journal 05 February 1822.

DIED.

Jan. 26, Mr. John Birch, landlord of the "Crown and Thistle," St. Peters, Isle of Thanet.

 

Sussex Advertiser 20 February 1826.

At the sale of the public houses and other estates, situate in the eastern parts of the County of Kent, which took place at the "Bell Inn," Sandwich, on Monday last, Messrs. Pott and Denne knocked down the following lots, at the sums affixed to them, viz.:—

The "Bull," at Eastry, £1,190.

"Three Colts," Tilmanstone, £500.

"White Horse," Eythorne, £575.

"Red Lion," Frogham, £455.

"Rose and Crown," Womenswould, £166.

"Duke of Cumberland," Barham, £910.

"Charity," Woodnesborough, £710.

"Three Crowns," Goodnestone, £620.

"Admiral Harvey," Ramsgate, £1,150.

"Ship," Ramsgate, £1,250.

"Red Lion," St. Peters, £1,100.

"Crown and Thistle," St. Peters, £705.

"Crown, or Halfway-house," Sarr, £940.

"King's Head," Walmer Road, £425.

The "Duke of York," Walmer Road, £310.

The sale-room was most numerously attended.

We understand that the "Ship," at Ash, and "Crispin," at Worth, have since been sold by private contract, the former for £750, and the latter for five hundred guineas.

 

 

 The crown is combined with a thistle at St. Peter's, Broadstairs, marking the Union of England and Scotland in 1707. This modern pub replaced an older building in St Peter's; in 1833 Mockett's Journal recorded that ‘the very ancient house, called the "Crown and Thistle," was pulled down in the village'.

 

From the Kentish Gazette, 28 February 1843.

ST. PETER’S, THANET, Feb. 23.

The annual dinner of the members of the St. Peter’s Amicable Association, for the prosecution of offences, took place at Mr. Hamlett’s (the "Crown and Thistle Inn"), on Thursday, the 16th instant. The meeting was ably presided over by Mr. Manser, of Dumpton. The dinner, wines, &c. gave great satisfaction, and the whole arrangements reflected much credit on the worthy host and hostess. The object of this society is to give rewards for the apprehension of persons committing offences against the person or property of its members; but, much to the credit and honesty of the parish, the members are very seldom called upon either to prosecute or give rewards. Several excellent speeches were delivered and some good songs sung during the evening; the National Anthem was given in beautiful style by Messrs. Busbridge, Moss, and Hill. The company broke up at an early hour, evidently determined that the evening’s amusement should bear the morning’s reflection.

 

Kentish Gazette, 28 May 1844.

ST. PETER'S, THANET.

Shocking Accident.

A coroner’s inquest was held on Saturday last, at the "Crown and Thistle Inn," before L. Tomson, Esq., coroner for Dover, on the body of an elderly woman of the name of Pain, one of the inmates of Nuckell's Almshouses. It appeared by evidence adduced that on Thursday night, about 10 o'clock, the deceased was preparing for bed, when her night clothes accidentally caught fire, and before any assistance could be rendered to her she was so much burnt that after lingering to the next day death put an end to her sufferings. A verdict of "Accidental Death" was returned. The unfortunate woman was 77 years of age.

 

From the Kentish Gazette, 1 August 1848.

KENT SUMMER ASSIZES.

William Palmer, letter carrier, was charged with stealing a post letter, containing one sovereign and two half-crowns, the property of her Majesty’s Postmaster General, at the parish of St. Peter, in the liberties of the Cinque Ports.

Mr. Clarkson and Mr. Bodkin prosecuted.

Elizabeth Leachford, resided at St. Peter’s, Margate. Prisoner was the letter carrier. On the 28th of April witness wrote a letter to Mrs. G. Roe, No. 52. High-street, Margate, enclosing a sovereign and 5s. There was a receiving house at St. Peter’s. When she gave prisoner the letter she gave him a penny, and told him to deliver it to Mrs. Roe, and he said he would. He shook it and said, "Is it money?" She replied that it was. He then asked. "Do you belong to a club?" and she replied that she did not. Two or three days afterwards prisoner came to bring a letter for her mistress, Mrs. Sayer, when he said he did not deliver the letter till that morning; he dare say it was not of much consequence. She replied it was not of any consequence if he had delivered it. The letter produced is what she gave him.

Mrs. Roe, Margate, said she never received the letter now produced, nor the money said to have been sent.

Frederick Gower, deputy postmaster at Margate, deposed that the prisoner had been a letter carrier for about twelve years. If a letter was given to him he ought to have brought it to the Post-office to receive the post stamp; he had done so on previous occasions, and he ought not to deliver a letter without it, as it was contrary to the regulations. The letter produced had not been presented to the Post-office.

Thomas F. Cramp, receiver of letters at St. Peter's, said the letter now produced had never passed through his hands, nor been presented to him at St. Peter's.

S. C. Murchant, superintendent of police, took prisoner into custody on the 16th of May. On telling him what he was charged with, he said it was in his coat pocket at the "Crown and Thistle," at St. Peter’s, and wished to go and get it. Witness said be could not permit that, but he would send some one to find it. He afterwards, when at the station-house, said he had lost it. Witness, however, went to St. Peter's, but could not find the coat or the letter.

Daniel Shelby, police constable, searched the prisoner, and found the letter now produced squeezed up in his hand in a pocket handkerchief. It was addressed to Mrs. Roe; it was broken open, and the money had been extracted.

Sentence deferred.

 

Kentish Gazette, 12 June 1849.

Fatal Occurrence.

On Wednesday morning St. Peter's was thrown into a state of excitement, by the discovery of a man and woman apparently lifeless, in a chalk pit, about 45 feet deep. As soon as assistance could he procured, it was ascertained that the woman was really dead, having broken her neck and thigh; the man proved to be merely in a state of insensibility. The man's name is Robinson, who keeps a cigar shop at Margate, and during the day he had been at Mr. Woodruffe's, at the "Kent Hotel," to assist that gentleman in his business; and on Tuesday evening he was seen somewhat intoxicated at the Ranelagh gardens, St. Peter's; he there fell in company with a young woman of the name of Sarah Ann Brothers; they left the gardens at the closing, and were found in the chalk pit above described, by a man who saw a woman's bonnet in a tree about 3 o'clock in the morning. The inquest was held on Thursday before G. T. Thompson, Esq., the coroner for the borough of Dover, when after a minute investigation the following verdict was returned:—

That the deceased met with her death by accidentally falling into a chalk-pit, called the Cove. The jury recommend that a boarded fence, at least six feet high, be put up on the highway next the Cove, either by the Surveyor or owner of the property, and regret that the "Crown and Thistle" was open all night."

 

Canterbury Journal, Kentish Times and Farmers' Gazette, Saturday 13 April 1889.

Fatal Termination of a Fall Downstairs.

On Wednesday afternoon evening last the City Coroner held an inquest at the "Crown and Sceptre," (sic) St. Peter's, on the body of Robert Wilkinson, late town Sergeant, who met his death from falling down stairs. Mr. F. Wacher, surgeon, died last Tuesday evening he was called to see deceased soon after 7, and found him suffering from concussion of the brain. He attended him until he died on Monday night. He attended deceased when he had had brain affection. The cause of death was concussion of the brain.

Mary Wilkinson, living at 5, Victoria Terrace, St. Peter's Grove, said the deceased was her father. He had not been very well of late. On Thursday about quarter to four they heard in fall down stairs, and they went and found him unconscious. He must have fallen from the top or halfway down.

The Coroner having summed up, the jury returned a verdict of accidental death. Deceased was 66 years of age.

 

From Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald 18 July 1891.

ST. PETER'S. SUDDEN DEATH.

Early on Thursday morning, Mr. Richard Wilson, landlord of the "Crown and Thistle," died somewhat suddenly from heart disease. Mr. Wilson, who had been in the village about 13 years, was very much respected, and although he had been unwell for some time, he was out and about the day previous to his death.

 

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday 9 June, 1933.

LICENSING TRANSFER SESSIONS.

The "Crown and Thistle," St. Peter's, from William E. F. Balcombe to Wallace Arthur Thompson, of 16, Kent Road, Margate.

A music and singing licence was granted to Mr. Wallace Arthur Thompson, of the "Crown and Thistle," St. Peter’s.

 

The pub closed in 1954 and was finally pulled down in 1960 for road widening.

The pub was sold off just after the turn of 2000 and was demolished to make way for houses and shops.

 

LICENSEE LIST

BIRCH John dec'd to Feb/1822

BIRCH William 1826-28+ Pigot's Directory 1828-29

LARAMAN Ann 1832-39+ Pigot's Directory 1832-34

HAMLET James 1839-41+ (age 35 in 1841Census)

ANDREWS John 1847-51+ (age 57 in 1851Census)

LORD Jeremiah 1858-67+ (widower age 58 in 1861Census)

HEWITT Joseph Napoleon 1874+

WILSON Richard 1881-July/91 (age 52 in 1881Census)

WILSON Mary Louisa Jane Mrs 1899-1903+ Kelly's 1903

SMITH Albert Edwin 1913+

NICHOLS Ernest 1922+

HILLS Arthur 1930+

BALCOMBE William E F to June/1933 Next pub licensee had Dover Express

THOMPSON Wallace Arthur June/1933-34+ Dover Express

BALL Mrs to Dec/1934 Dover Express

RUST E E Mr Dec/1934+ Dover Express

BALL James 1938+

RICHARDSON Mr & Mrs to 1954

https://pubwiki.co.uk/CrownThistle.shtml

 

Pigot's Directory 1828-29From the Pigot's Directory 1828-29

Pigot's Directory 1832-34From the Pigot's Directory 1832-33-34

Kelly's 1903From the Kelly's Directory 1903

Dover ExpressFrom the Dover Express

 

If anyone should have any further information, or indeed any pictures or photographs of the above licensed premises, please email:-

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