Beach Street / Kingsbridge Street

Folkestone

Previously thought to have been the "Victoria" (located on South Street) it can now be stated with a fair degree of confidence that at some stage in the 1830s this was actually a change of name for the previously existing "Royal George" until that house was demolished in 1844.

Checking the index cards compiled by the late C. P. Davies (Reference librarian at Folkestone Library) shows George Hogben listed (in Pigot's Directory) at the "Victoria," Kingsbridge Street (former name of the area in which the later Beach Street was included). Tellingly, the "Royal George" is NOT listed in Pigot's Directory.

The next entry on the reference card shows Jeffrey at the same address according to the Rate Book for the town in 1842. Entry No. 3 on the card has Jeffrey, but the address is now South Street in 1845. This is after Jeffrey had left the first "Victoria" at the time of its demolition. Any lingering doubt that this particular "Victoria" was a renaming of the old "Royal George" should be removed by the description of the location of the house as given in the evidence at the Kent Assizes in a damages case Jeffrey took out against the South Eastern Railway Company – as reported by the Maidstone Journal.

LICENSEE LIST

HOGBEN George 1839-40

HOGBEN Victoria 1840+

LEE William pre 1841-44