ARMY AND NAVY Pub of Brompton

DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Sort file:- Brompton, November, 2024.

Page Updated:- Saturday, 23 November, 2024.

PUB LIST

PUBLIC HOUSES

Paul Skelton

Earliest Aug 1861

(Name from)

Army and Navy

Closed 1989

River Row / 3 River Street

Brompton

Above photo, date unknown.

Above photo 1957 showing the "Army and Navy" central building, and on its right, the former "King's Arms."

Photos taken 1979 from http://www.flickr.com by Ben Levick.

Photos taken 2011 from http://www.flickr.com by Ben Levick.

Above map, date unknown, showing the following pub locations:-

1:- "King’s Arms"

2:- "Army and Navy"

3:- "Royal Marine"

4:- "King’s Head"

5:- "Grasshopper"

6:- "Dockyard Arms"

7:- "Dolphin"

8:- "Two Sawyers"

9:- "Bricklayer's Arms"

A:- "Golden Lion"

B:- "Navy Arms"

C:- "Prince of Wales"

D:- "Good Intent"

E:- "Duke of York"

F:- "Shipwright's Arms"

The "Army and Navy" was originally known as The "Rose and Crown."

The name "Rose and Crown" is a common pub name that owes its origin to the marriage of Henry VII to Elizabeth of York at the end of the Wars of the Roses. There are records of a John Shafto as licensee of the "Rose and Crown" in 1766-89, but it is unclear if this is the Brompton one or the one in Pier Road, Gillingham.

The River Row house appears for certain in records from 1838 onwards, but is absent from earlier directories. In 1861 it was pulled down and the rubble carried away for hardcore for a pathway at New Road, Chatham, near Clover Street. A labourer walking over the rubble found 14 gold guineas and set off a gold rush. Four more guineas and some half guineas were found, but no-one claimed the money.

The "Army and Navy" opened in August 1861, and took over the "Rose and Crown's" license, as the advert for the opening called it the "Army and Navy Tavern" late "Rose and Crown"'. It seems this name continued in use for many years after the renaming as in 1872 it is still licensed as The "Rose and Crown"'.

Throughout the late 19th Century it appears regularly in the directories as The "Army and Navy" (or "Navy and Army") but continues to appear in the licensing records as the "Rose and Crown". In fact this situation seems to have continued well into the twentieth century as a letter in the licensing records from the Clerk to County Justices (North Aylesford Division) dated 6th December 1922 shows that even at this date the premises was still licensed as The "Rose and Crown" even though it was no longer trading under that sign.

It was also often referred to as the "Navy and Army" (probably by sailors!) In 1864 a Goose Club was organised, members paying 6d. a week for 21 weeks for a goose and a bottle of gin at Christmas. It was also sometimes referred to as The "Dutchman," supposedly after a Dutch sailor who stayed behind after the attack on the Medway in 1667; however, there were no public houses in Brompton at that date.

It finally closed down in the late 1980s and was converted into flats.

Maidstone Journal and Kentish Advertiser, Monday 15 May 1865.

Dreadful end of a private of the Royal Marines.

On Saturday an inquest was held at the "Army and Navy" public house, River Row, Brompton, before T. Hills, Esq., County Coroner, upon the body of a soldier called William James, but whose real name was William Rogers, a private in the 9th Company of the Royal Marines Light Infantry, who destroyed his life in the most determined manner by discharging the contents of a loaded rifle into his mouth. The witnesses examined were Private James Cutter, Sergeant Charles James Rose, Private Butt, and Mr. R. C. Lawrence, assistant surgeon at Melville Hospital.

It appeared, from questions put by the Coroner, that the deceased had for a long time past been eccentric in his habits. He stated, only a short time before he committed the rash act, that he had been a deserter from the 1st Dragoon Guards, and that he was in fear of being sent to gaol.

Not far from the deceased was found an envelope, addressed to Mr. George Rogers, 36, Great Chart Street, East Road, London.

The jury, without any hesitation, returned the following verdict:- That the deceased committed suicide by means of a rifle, while in an unsound state of mind.

From the Maidstone Telegraph, 1 January 1870. Price 1d.

BEER HOUSE OFFENCES.

Obed Everest, keeper of the “Army and Navy” beer-house, Gillingham, was convicted of a similar offence, (with having his house open for the sale of beer after eleven o'clock at night) and fined £2 and costs.

Maidstone and Kentish Journal, 12 September, 1870.

Chatham Police Court. This day Monday.

Before F. E. Guise, Esq., Stipendairy Magistrate

Eliza Platts, landlady of the "Army and Navy Tavern," River Row, Old Brompton, was charged with having her house open for the sale of beer and spirits, on the morning of Sunday, 28th August.

Find £2 and 10s. costs.

Paid.

LICENSEE LIST

PLATT Thomas 1862+

PLATTS Eliza 1870+

BULLARD Charles 1874+

BIGNY Bert Alexander 1903+

CAMPBELL James A 1955+

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

From the Kelly's Directory 1903

From the Post Office Directory 1903

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

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