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St Clements Lane (3 High Street 1847)
Rochester
Above engraving and photo, dates unknown.
The naive sketch of the Tavern, by the Rochester Historian Edwin
Harris, is all there remains to give an idea of its appearance. His
sketch does include the viaduct of the London Chatham and Dover Railway,
this being the furthest bridge in the photo.
The Tavern would have stood to the left in the photo, facing the
entrance to Town Quay, where the nearer of the two bridges cross, indeed
had it not already gone it would have been demolished by 1899 when the
South Eastern Railway built this bridge and viaduct to carry the Chatham
Extension Railway across Rochester Common. For reference the 'Crown'
can be seen opposite the top end of Horsewash Lane. |
Identified on the 1866 map as the light blue building top/middle. |
The earliest reference to this Tavern was in 1712 when the address was
given as 3, High Street and was situated opposite the Town Quay and was a
notorious public house.
In 1864 Superintendent Radley of the city police tried to shut down seven
pubs as prostitution was rife in the area. This pub was one on the list. The
location was given then as Horsewash lane.
In 1858 the listing gave the location as 'Bridgefoot', we must bear in
mind that at this time the bridge would have been the Medieval one, some
yards further upstream from todays bridge.
Identified on an 1866 map as being situated in St. Clements Lane.
The last listing in the directory was in 1865.
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From PCC Will PROB11/546. 1712
Will.
John Fowler, of Rochester, Gent. By his will of
27th February 1712 (13) left Lands, property all goods and chattels to
wife Mary. To grandson John Burges, his house. To granddaughter Mary
Burges after his wife's death the "Flushing Inn" in Rochester, occupied
by Abel Bourne. Also to Mary Burges house in occupation of James Reed.
To kinsman John Fidge £10 to buy mourning. To friend Richard Cleave 21
shillings and six pence to buy a ring. To daughter Susan Burges wife of
John Burges of Rochester, Gent. £100, after his wife's death. Residue to
son (in law) John Burges and Susan, after his wife's death. If his wife
remarry, she gets £200 after her marriage. In such a case, all property
left to her goes to John and Susan Burges. John Burges, Executor.
Witnesses: Nathaniel Howell, Rabra Ladd and John Ladd
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From the Kentish Gazette, 3 April 1838.
Servant Girl Burnt to Death.
On Thursday an inquest was held at the "White Hart," Rochester,
before R. Hinde, Esq. touching the death of Mary Paine, servant
at the Inn. She was a fine-looking girl; her age was about 14 years.
From the evidence adduced it appeared she was standing
before the kitchen fire, when her clothes were caught by the flames,
and before they could be extinguished the lower parts of her
body were so dreadfully burnt, that she survived only two days. Dr.
Martin was promptly called in to attend the deceased, and
pronounced no hopes of her recovery. The coroner charged the jury,
and they without hesitation returned a verdict of:—
Accidentally burnt to death.
The same jury and coroner held another inquest on the body of a boy
who fell overboard from a lugboat about 24 tons burden, which was
lying below Rochester bridge. The boy, eleven years old, named
Robert Harding, was playing with a hand stick on the windlass, and
fell overboard. His brother, who was on board at the time, threw the
creepers after him for the purpose of catching him by the clothes,
and upon the second throw succeeded in hooking hold of the body,
after he had been in the water about fifteen minutes. He was
immediately conveyed ashore to the "Flushing Public" house, and
medical assistance procured. The usual applications for restoration
were applied, but without success. The jury returned a verdict of —
Accidentally Drowned. The parents of the boy live at Maidstone,
where the body has since been conveyed.
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From the Kentish Gazette, 1 February 1848.
Fatal and Shocking Accident.
On Tuesday morning a lad named Samuel Oram, aged 16, apprentice on board
the Donne Castle, of Rochester, came by his death in the following
shocking manner. It appears that soon after seven o’clock on that
morning, the mate of the brig bailed the deceased to bring the boat
ashore, which he was about to do; but before he had time to clear the
ship, the barge Malster, of Maidstone, Joseph Sharp master, which was
going alongside to take a freight of coals, came suddenly upon him and
crushed his head so severely against the side of the ship that he only
survived an hour and a half.
A coroner's inquest was held on the body on Thursday evening, at the
"Flushing Tavern," before James Lewis, Esq., when a verdict of
"Accidental Death" was returned.
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South Eastern Gazette, 9 October, 1860.
Robert Cowell, blacksmith, and George Philpoit, sailor, were charged
with having violently assaulted Police-sergeant Parrett and
Police-constable Woodman.
Woodman, 3, said he heard a great noise at the "Flushing"
public-house door about one o’clock, and on going there found the
sailor making a great disturbance. Witness advised him to go away,
and he did so, followed shortly after by the other prisoner. Both
walked for some distance, when they turned round and made a
simultaneous attack on the constable and sergeant, who were so
severely beaten by them that they had to draw their truncheons and
use them.
Sergeant Parrett described the conduct of the prisoners as the most
violent he had ever witnessed.
Each fined 20s. and costs, and in default one month’s imprisonment.
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LICENSEE LIST
BOURNE Abel 1712+
SKILLER Eliza 1823+ (address High Street)
FINCH William 1828+
PARKINS William 1832+
BALDWIND Thomas 1838-47+ (address 3 High Street)
BALDOCK James 1858+ (address Bridge-foot)
TERRY John 1868 (address Horsewash Lane)
From
the Pigot's Directory 1828-29
From the Pigot's Directory 1832-33-34
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