63 High Street

Chatham

https://whatpub.com/von-alten

Above photo, date unknown.

Above photo 2004.

Above photo, date unknown.

Above photo, date unknown. Kindly sent by Philip MacDougall author of 'Lost Chatham' published in 2024. https://philipmacdougall.tilda.ws/

Above photo, 2017, kindly sent by Debi Birkin.

Above sign left, October 1991. Sign right, November 1996. Thanks from Brian Curtis www.innsignsociety.com.

Above card issued March 1953. Sign series 4 number 45.

I have been informed by Medway CAMRA that the pub above isn't the same premises as the original "Alton Ale House" as it was once called. That house is several buildings further east than where the pub was. They tell me:- "Your initial photo shows the Von Alten at 75 High Street, and further down the High Street is no 63, Alston Ashby Solicitors, the pale green building on the corner."

There also seems to have been another change that I hadn't seen before regarding the name Alton and Alten. The building shows Alton whilst the sign shows Alten.

Further information taken from the Closed Pubs website says the pub was previously known as the "Gaslamp" but as yet I have seen nothing on this at all. Further information infers that it became the "Gas Lamp" after it closed. Perhaps this was a transition page between the "Alton" and "Alten." Local knowledge certainly needed here.

However, the premises is certainly closed as a public house and now functions as a 2 bedroom maisonette.

So looks like a difference of opinion as to whether there have been two buildings with this same name. It probably has something to do with changes in road numbering. Local knowledge required.

LICENSEE LIST

HOBART Henry 1891+

BROWN Stephen William 1903+

SHRUBB William Robert 1913+

GOULD Cyril John 1955+

JOHNSON Tony & Kathy 1973-75

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

http://www.closedpubs.co.uk/vonalton.html

Census