DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Page Updated:- Friday, 13 August, 2021.

PUB LIST PUBLIC HOUSES Paul Skelton

Earliest 1824

Fox

Open 2020+

Bexley Road / 1 Bedonwell Hill / 79 Nuxley Road

Belvedere

01322 435557

http://thefoxpubbelvedere.co.uk/

https://whatpub.com/fox

Fox 2006

Above photo 2006 by Dave Patten Creative Commons Licence.

Outside the Fox 1950

Above photo outside the "Fox" circa 1950.

Fox matchbox

Above matchbox circa 1980s.

 

Sporting Life 03 January 1866.

This day (Wednesday), at Jesse Stapley's, "Fox Inn," Belvedere, Kent, a fat hog will be shot for, value £7, by fourteen members, at 10s. each, seven pigeons each. H and T traps, to be handicapped from 21 to 18 yards. Mr. Hammond will be on the ground with a good supply of the best blue rocks. Sweepstakes to follow the above. Jesse Stapley's "Fox Inn," Belvedere, is ten minutes walk from the station. Dinner will be provided after the shooting. Shooting to commence at twelve o'clock.

 

From the Woolwich Gazette, Friday 14 November 1890.

Alleged stealing pewter pots.

Henry New, 26, and Charles Beaumont, 26 living at 42, and 61, Beresford Street, Woolwich, were charged with stealing 10 pewter pots, value 26 s., the property of Richard Cream, a retired licensed victualler, living at Heron Hill, Belvedere, who said that the prisoners had been to him several times, wishing to buy some pewter pots. He told them that he did not care to sell them. He met them on Wednesday in the "Fox" public house, Belvedere, when New asked him if he still had got the pewter pots, and he replied that he had some in a bag in the kitchens, but was not disposed to sell them. When he got home he found that the prisoners had been to his house and had taken them away.

Mrs. Cream said the prisoners came to the house and said that Mr. Cream had sent them for the pots that were in a bag in the kitchen. She gave them 8 or 10 and I left half a crown on them.

Detective Clark said he met New in Beresford Street, Woolwich, that day and said and told them the charge. He said he did not pay for the pots and would get back "from over the water" and asked witness not to be too hard on them.

Detective Alexander said he apprehended Beaumont, who said they had the pots not arranged for the price, so they left half a crown on them. he said they consisted of 4 quarts, 2 pints and 2 half-pints.

Sergt-Gaoler Gillham said that New was a marine store dealer and had been fined for buying lead in less quantity than was allowed by the Act. He had also been fined at the Old Bailey.

Mr. Marham remanded them for a week.

 

From the https://www.newsshopper.co.uk 4th April 2018.

Shooting in Belvedere's The Fox Pub during Anthony Joshua fight.

Police are investigating after shots were fired in a Belvedere pub over the Easter weekend.

Panic ensued on the evening of Saturday, March 31, when punters reported how someone barged into The Fox in Nuxley Road and opened fire with a gun.

A Scotland Yard spokesman confirmed: “Police were called at approximately 22.43hrs on Saturday, March 31 to reports of a firearm being discharged at a property on Nuxley Road.

“Officers attended. An expended ammunition casing was recovered at the scene."

He added that no injuries were reported and so far no arrests have been made.

One shaken pubgoer took to Twitter and commented: “Shots fired in Fox Pub in Belvedere tonight.

“Pub was packed because of the boxing. Armed police in attendance.”

The account claimed “two men in balaclavas” came into the pub and started shooting.

It added: “Such a frightening world.”

News Shopper contacted The Fox for further information but a member of staff declined to comment.

Enquiries are ongoing.

 

From the https://www.bexleytimes.co.uk By Olivia Gantzer, 4 April 2018.

Police investigate reported shooting in Belvedere pub.

Fox 2018

Police are investigating after a gun was fired inside a crowded at Belvedere pub over the Easter weekend.

On Saturday, evening (March 31), someone entered The Fox, in Nuxley Road, and opened fire inside the pub, which was full of customers trying to watch the Anthony Joshua boxing match.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed officers were called at 10.43pm to reports of a firearm being discharged in Nuxley Road.

A spokesman said that an expended ammunition casing was recovered at the scene, and confirmed that no injuries had been reported and that enquiries are continuing.

The Woolwich Riverside Neighbourhood Watch tweeted: “Shots fired in Fox Pub in Belvedere tonight. Pub was packed because of the boxing.

“Armed police in attendance.”

The tweet also mentioned that “two men in balaclavas entered the pub” before beginning to shoot.

It ended: “Such a frightening world.”

 

Information below taken from their web site accessed 23 June 2020.

The Fox Pub Belvedere.

This tavern known by the name and sign of the Fox was built in the 4th year of George IV, in 1824. Though the original structure of the building has, at different intervals of time, undergone alterations, particularly during the latter years of Victoria.

When first built the property was a wheeling house with stables and a parcel of land. It was owned by a prominent farmer and wheelwright who it would appear conducted this latter from the property. The family of Stapley had been and were for many years to follow prominent farmers of Belvedere parish.

Mathew Stapley resided here with his wife Rebecca and nine children and throughout his time here is recorded as a wheelwright and Rebecca Stapley, a harness maker. However in 1831, he obtained a beer house licence under the terms of the 1830 beer act which enabled any householder of reputable character to obtain a licence to sell beer from a house or tenement of rateable value, by merely paying the small sum of two guineas to the excise, thereby avoiding the necessity of applying or being presented to Magistrates, who had no control over these beer houses and frowned upon the act, for many of them chose their own of trading, whereby some were open all night long.

And so in November 1831, Mathew Stapley having obtained his excise licence, opened the door of his house to the beer buying public for the first time. He called the house the “Fox Beer House”, and he gained the title of wheelwright and beer retailer. Prior to this the Stapley’s had owned a beer house nearby in Bexley Road, which was run by Nathaniel Stapley, brother of Mathew, which they sold in 1830. The “Fox Beer House” continued to thrive, as did Mathew Stapley’s wheelwrights shop, which he continued to operate as well as run the house.

In 1849, Stapley applied for and was granted a wine and spirits licence by Magistrates, who were eager to encourage holders of beer house licences to accept full licences so they that could gain control over them. The “Fox” became a registered tavern. Mathew Stapley kept it until his death in 1850, where after it passed, by the terms of his will to his eldest son Jesse, a farmer of Belvedere. By this date the stables belonging to the property had been enlarged to accommodate between ten and fifteen horses, for during his time here, Jesse Stapley advertised then as hait (feeding) stables, and himself as a tavern and livery keeper.

Jesse Stapley kept the “Fox” until his death in 1867, where after his widow Charlotte Elizabeth inherited the house. By this date the farming family of Stapley had obtained more land and merged with Josias Hood, to become “Stapley and Hood”, farmers of Belvedere. Charlotte Stapley kept the “Fox” and sold groceries from it as well ales and liquors, until 1888. For many years ales had been supplied by the Barclay, Perkins & Co. London stout and porter Brewery, through agent William Seabrook a wine merchant of Belvedere. In that year of 1888, Charlotte Stapley sold the “Fox’ to the brewery and they installed one Samson Roberts into the house as a tenant.

The address of the “Fox” at this date was still Bexley Road, by 1894 when Samson Roberts handed over to William Ely, it changed to Bedonwell Hill. Ely kept the “Fox” until 1898, when he handed over to George Cade and he in 1907 to Alfred Charles Miller. At the outbreak of World War 1 he was conscripted and replaced here by Herbert Breeching, who was here for the duration of the war until 1921, (Post office Directory says 1918) when he was succeeded by Arthur Hearn and he in 1929 by Walter Webb, who remained for many years to follow.

Barclay Perkins eventually sold out to the Courage Brewery who are the present owners of the “Fox” which since 1967.

 

LICENSEE LIST

STAPLEY Matthew 1831-50 dec'd (also wheelwright)

STAPLEY Jesse 1850-67 dec'd

STAPLEY Charlotte (widow) 1867-88 (age 55 in 1881Census)

ROBERTS Samson 1888-94

ELY William 1894-1898

CADE George 1898-1907 Kelly's 1903

MILLER Alfred Charles 1907-13

BEECHING Lewis 1913+

HEARNE Arthur 1918-29+

WEBB Walter 1929-38+

???? Terry & Debbie 2001+

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

 

Kelly's 1903From the Kelly's Directory 1903

CensusCensus

 

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

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