DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Page Updated:- Friday, 22 March, 2024.

LIST BREWERIES Paul Skelton

Breweries of Dover

From the Dover Express 24 June 1966.

Breweries

 

OUR request last week for information about old breweries brought a quick response from the Museum Curator, Mr. Francis McQueeney.

He turned up records to show that there were at least seven breweries, distilleries or wine vaults in the town during the 19th Century.

In 1800 there was James Walkers (later Leneys) in the Stembrook/Dolphin Lane area: In 1834 there was Kingsfords at Erith Place/Union Road; in 1840 Courts (wine vaults), Snargate Street.

Grants distillery, producing cherry brandy, gin and "Standfast" whiskey, was sited in Limekiln Street in 1846, there was Cliffes brewery at Bulwark Hill in 1870, Elveys (later soft drinks) had one in Snargate Street at the turn of the century and Satchells, in Limekiln Street was demolished in 1900.

Leney's Phoenix Brewery, demolished last year, (1965) was founded as early as 1740, the then owner being a Mr. Clemerits. At one stage the premises covered over five acres in the Phoenix, St, James' and Dolphin Lanes area.

In the late 1890s Leney's acquired the "100 quarter" malting at Buckland, formerly the property of the Dover Brewery Company.

In 1859 there were 30 "tied houses" out towards the end of the century this had increased to at least 100.

The cellars of the brewery had ample storage space for up to 5,000 barrels of popular brews, including a celebrated Dover pale ale.

A well known nourishing stout so greatly impressed members of the medical profession that the brew received a compliment in the Lancet.

Much of the success of the local beers was attributed to three artesian wells on the premises each about 100 feet deep and drawing on water of a high quality.

 

From the Kent Messenger 30 August 1968.

Brewery relics on display

 

IT started more than three years ago when two people wondered just how many breweries there were in Kent in 1900. We made up a list from Kent directories and started to look for the old sites.

To our surprise, many of of the old buildings are still standing, some in use for other things, but some derelict.

We, took photographs of old buildings, and calling at the Tompson and Wotton public house at Barnsole, near Wingham, we were given a photograph of the house when it was a brewery.

The brewer was F. V. Tritton, and is thought to be the last home-brewed house in Kent. It ceased brewing in 1912. By this time we had collected several relics from various people and decided we would have our own museum in my back room.

Frank Vincent Tritton 1912

Above photo showing Frank Vincent Tritton (left) and friend Jack. circa 1912.

We visited closed breweries, operational breweries, retired brewery workers during the course of 1966-67. By this time our collection of brewery relics was so large that it would have needed all of my house to keep them in.

I went to see Mr. L. R. A. Grove, Curator of Maidstone Museum, who at this time, had been working on an idea of having a room dedicated to Kent industries. I asked him if he would be interested in having our collection of brewery relics and he was delighted.

Earlier this year, Mr. Grove started to get the room ready and many brewery items are already on display.

As many people know. Kent has a very long and close association with the brewing industry with the growing of hops and barley.

It had more than 70 breweries in 1900. At the beginning of this year (1968) there were seven brewing plants operating - but by October there will be four - and only one of these will be an independent company.

But the big breweries still use Kent hops. Firms such as Whitbreads and Guinness have their own hop farms in Kent.

 I would like to thank the many people who have made it possible for the county to have something to remember the county's old breweries by.

R. BURDEN. 46, Warren Road. Folkestone.

 

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

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