DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Page Updated:- Sunday, 07 March, 2021.

LIST BREWERIES Paul Skelton

 

Hills

 

28 Lower Street

Great Mongeham

Hills Brewery

Above photo showing Hill's Brewery in Deal High Street, date unknown.

Hills Brewery 1901

Above photo, 1901, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Brewery House, Mongeham

Above photo of the Brewery House, Mongeham, date 1910, kindly supplied by Sue Solley.

Hills Brewery 2014

Above photo 2014, kindly sent by http://www.kentphotoarchive.com

From the Deal, Walmer & Sandwich Telegram, 10 March 1858.

TO LET

A PUBLIC HOUSE

With Bowling Green and garden attached, with immediate possession.

Apply to HILLS & SON, Brewers, Deal

 

I am not sure what public house this advert was referring to as yet. Could it have been the "Bowling Green" Deal?

 

Hills and Son was reported as being situated at 28 Lower Street & Great Mongham, I assume the Lower Street was offices in Deal. They were classed as Pale Ale and Porter Brewsters & Bottlets & Maltsers.

Earliest date found to be in Bagshaws directory of 1847 listing them as Charles Thomas Hills, Wine and Spirit Merchant at 160 Lower Street, Deal.

I have found was in and advert listed in the Deal Walmer & Sandwich Telegram on 1st January 1863, saying:- Pale Bitter Ale - One shilling per gallon. In any size cask.

Known to be supplying beer to the "Leather Bottle," Mongeham in 1874, when a fire destroyed the original building.

 

From the Deal, Walmer and Sandwich Telegraph, 13th October, 1877

FIRE AT GREAT MONGEHAM

A fire of intense violence raged at Mongeham on Monday afternoon last by which a considerable portion of the brewery premises of Messrs. Hills and Son, the malt house belonging to Miss Bray, a cart store and barn adjoining, and a number of valuable corn and fodder stacks, were partially and in some cases completely destroyed.

Contiguous to the brewery of Messrs. Hills is, or was, a line of barns and granaries wherein was stored a large quantity of grain, and it is supposed that a spark from the chimneys near, lodged in the dry roof thatch of these old buildings and so caused the fire, for it was from one these old buildings that about 2.30 pm flames were first seen, and although an alarm was at once raised and measures promptly taken, the fire increased with surprising rapidity, and very soon had enveloped the pile in one mass of flame.

Unfortunately a strong northerly wind was blowing, and sparks were carried through the air among the numerous thatch roofed buildings with which the locality abounded …. Before long smoke was seen to issue from the other portion of the brewery, where thatch roofing existed, and almost immediately a similar omen was seen ascending from the thatch of a malt house on the opposite side of the road….

Close to the malt house stood an old cart – store, and near that again, in the field adjoining were eight valuable stacks belonging to Mr. Waters, all of which rapidly took fire, and that portion of Mongeham by this time presented one entire mass of flames.

About four O'clock the Deal Fire Brigade and engine, together with the engines from the Barracks with a large staff of Marines, poured into the village, and lost no time in grappling with the fierce element, but the parts already on fire were found to be past saving, and efforts were directed to confining the fire, and to prevent it spreading to habitable portions of Messrs. Hills establishment, and the main portion of the brewery which contained the machinery. In this they were successful, although, as it is, a considerable part of the premises has been destroyed, the store houses are gutted, and nearly the whole of the barrelled ales in stock entirely lost. Indeed, at this point of the fire the ground literally flowed with beer, and great was the apparent thirst of men working among it, and many the dips which a certain tin measure made to alleviate it. We have been assured that tin measure got neither burnt not singed during the whole course of the fiery proceedings.

Much concern was naturally evinced by the occupants and owners of the houses in the vicinity. Thatched roofs four or five hundred yards off were lined with indefatigable volunteers with buckets, sousing the inflammable material with water ….. People cleared out their goods and chattels into the road, determined at least to save their furniture if they lost their houses.

The chief sufferers we believe, are Messrs. Hills, Miss Bray, and Mr. Waters. The corn and fodder stacks were insured in the Sun Fire Office, and the malt house and barn in the Norwich Union Office. It was not till some time after 8 pm that the fire was sufficiently exhausted to remove all fear of any further damage.

 

THE RECENT FIRE AT GREAT MONGEHAM

We, the undersigned take this opportunity of thanking our neighbours and friends who assisted us to extinguish the fire, and to save other property which was in great danger on 8th October at Great Mongeham, and to Captain Mason, and his staff of men belonging to the Deal Fire Brigade, also the Commanding Officer and men of the Royal Marines for their valuable services.

Signed: Margaret Bray

John Bass

G.H.Waters

Hills and Son

Thomas T. Harrison

Joseph Paramor

William Baker

 

(Information kindly supplied by Sue Solley)

 

 

They are again listed in Kellys directory of 1878.

 

From the Deal, Walmer and Sandwich Telegraph, 8 May, 1880

BIRTHS

Great Mongeham, at the Brewery, the wife of Mr. W. J. Edwards, a son.

 

(Information kindly supplied by Sue Solley)

 

From the Deal, Walmer and Sandwich Telegraph, 24 January, 1882

BIRTH

Great Mongeham at the Brewery, the wife of W. J. Edwards, a son.

 

(Information kindly supplied by Sue Solley)

 

From the Deal, Walmer, and Sandwich Mercury, 20 October, 1900.

DOMESTIC SERVANT CHARGED WITH LARCENY

???? ????, 17, domestic servant, of Little Mongeham who was charged with feloniously stealing a silver watch, a gold Albert chain, a gold locket, and a gold pencil-case, of the total value £3, the property of Irene Spencer, of Great Mongeham. on the 4th October.

Miss Spencer deposed that she was staying at "Mongeham Brewery" with Mrs. Edwards. On Thursday morning last, after breakfast, she missed her watch, which she had on when she came down stairs. The watch, chain, locket, and pencil-case were together, the two latter articles being attached to the chain, as well as the watch. She did not see them again until they were shown to her that morning by Inspector Ellender. She identified them as her property. She did not leave the house from the time that she came downstairs until she missed them.

Mrs. Edwards deposed that about a quarter past nine on Thursday morning she received information from her daughter that Miss Spencer had lost the things named in the charge, but she did not attach any importance to it at the time, thinking they were on the premises. Her daughter tried to find them, but could not do so. The matter was spoken about quite openly, and about 10 o'clock she asked the prisoner if she had seen the articles, in sweeping the passage, and she replied that she had not. That was her only answer. They searched for the things at different times during the day, and spoke about the affair in the prisoner's presence, but they could not find them, and the next morning witness gave information to the police.

By Inspector Ellender: On Friday morning prisoner asked if the things had been found, and said "I should think there must be a thief in the house."

Miss Evelyn Edwards, daughter of the last witness, stated that on Thursday morning, between nine o'clock and a quarter past, her cousin informed her that she had lost her watch and chain. She looked for them for nearly an hour, but could not find them. About ten minutes after the things had been missed she asked the prisoner to give the watch and chain to Miss Spencer, if she found them, as she had been sweeping in the rooms Miss Spencer had been in. Prisoner said that she would do so, giving a sort of general assent to what witness had said. The next morning a policeman was sent for.

P.C. Handford deposed that about 10 a.m. the previous day he received information from Mrs. Edwards respecting a watch and chain missing from her house. From enquiries he made he asked to see the prisoner, whom he saw in the presence of Mrs. Edwards. he cautioned the prisoner, and asked her if she was aware that a watch and chain were missing from the house, and she replied that she was. He asked her if she knew where they were, and she said "No, I have never seen them." He told her he should like to look through her room, and she said "You can if you like." Asked if she would accompany him, she refused to do so saying, "I shan't come" She then said that the watch was at Mrs. Wright's - meaning where she slept - in a little black bag on the dressing-table. he proceeded to the house and in the prisoner's room he found the black bag on the table as stated.

By Inspector Ellender: The watch was tied up in a piece of flannel in such a way as not to be visible at first sight.

In reply to Mr. Burch Rosher witness stated that Mrs. Wright was not present, but she showed him the room and he walked in and took the bag. It was the upstairs back room.

Witness, continuing his evidence, said that he took the bag back to Mrs. Edwards's, and asked whose it was. Prisoner replied that it was hers, and on being asked how she accounted for the watch being in a bag, she said that she put it there. Witness showed the watch to Mr. Edwards, who identified it as the property of Miss Spencer, and he then charged prisoner with stealing the articles. She made no reply at that time, but about 10 minutes afterwards she said she was sorry she had done it. he took her into custody, and brought her to Deal Police-station. She also said "I found the watch and chain at the foot of the stairs" - meaning at Mrs. Edwards's house. "I only took it in fun, and meant to return it."

Mrs. Edwards, recalled, said, in reply to Mr. Burch Rosher, that prisoner had only been in her service a fortnight, and was standing in during the illness of her own maid. She knew nothing of her before, but she knew her parents to be respectable people. Her servants always slept out at Mrs. Wright's, she paying the rent of the room.

Prisoner was remanded to the Wingham Petty Sessions at Dover on the 18th October, bail being allowed, herself in the sum of £10, and her father - who seemed much distressed at his daughter's position - in a like amount.

 

From the Deal, Walmer, and Sandwich Mercury, 27 October, 1900.

DEATH OF Mr. D. M. HILLS

It is with deep regret that we record to-day the death of Mr. Daniel McIntosh Hills, the senior partner in the well-known firm of Messrs. Hills & Sons, brewers, of Deal and Mongeham, which occurred at his residence in High Street, on Tuesday night. Mr. Hills has not been in good health for some years past. he has been subject to somewhat violent attacks of asthma, which have caused him to be laid by from time to time, but he seemed to have thoroughly recovered from them. Latterly, however, symptoms of dropsy have shown themselves in the legs, and the heart has been affected, but the deceased gentleman was apparently about in his usual health until last Saturday week, when he was taken during the night with an acute attack of asthma. Dr. Roberts was called in, and he and his partner, Dr. Hughes, remained with Mr. Hills for three hours before he recovered sufficiently for them to be able to leave him. The attack lasted for about three days, and the patient then seemed better, although he was unable to lie down and has only been able to sleep seated in a chair since that time. he seemed to be rallying, although he has not been well enough to get out to take any part in the business, and yesterday his solicitor, Mr. Mowll, came over from Dover to transcript some business with him. he seemed quite himself, and his brother, Mr. Edwin Hills, was with him during the evening, leaving him about half-past seven, apparently quite bright. half an hour later he was called again, and on proceeding at once to the residence, he found that his brother had died suddenly. It seems that after playing a game of halma in the drawing-room, the deceased, in rising from the table, suddenly fell forward, striking his head on the table, and expiring instantly, the cause of death being failure of the heart's action. Deceased was in his 72nd year.

Mr. Hills had been a familiar figure in the town for many years, and the news of his death has been received with regret by the inhabitants generally. While he did not take an active part in public affairs, he was always ready to support any good object that would tend to the benefit of the town, and he was a generous contributor to many institutions in connection with the place in which he resided for so long. He was a very liberal-minded gentleman, and to mention any deserving cause to him was to secure for it a ready helper and one who would take an interest in it as well as become a subscriber to its funds. Mr. Hills's sudden death is particularly sad, as he had lost two brothers and a sister whose deaths occurred in a similar way to his own, and very much sympathy is felt throughout the town with the Misses Hills, Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Hills, and the other members of the family, in their bereavement.

The firm of which the deceased gentleman was a member was founded by his father, the late Mr. Charles Thomas Hills, who came to Deal in 1850. His death occurred in 1854, and the business has remained in the hands of Mr. D. M. Hills and Mr. Edwin Hills ever since that time. The Mongeham Brewery was added to that at Deal about the year 1860.

The funeral will take place this (Saturday) afternoon, at Deal Cemetery, the first part of the service being conducted in St. George's Church, at 2 o'clock.

 

 

They was taken over by Thomson and Sons of Walmer in 1901.

 

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 8 August, 1901. Price 1d.

BREWERY SALE

The biggest sale recently in this part of the county took place at Deal yesterday, when the Deal Brewer, brought into the market by the trustees of Messrs. Hills and Sons, was submitted to public auction in the Park Street Rooms by Messrs. Worsfold and Hayward, Dover, Messrs. Mowll and Mowll, of Dover, being the vendors' solicitors. There was a company numbering about 300 present amongst whom were the principal brewers of London and Kent.

When Mr. Hayward had expatiated on the character of the property, the company proceeded to develop their ideas of its value, beginning with a bidding of £40,000, and with great spirit the bidding was continued by bids of £5,000 each, till it reached £80,000. The remaining part of the journey up was more deliberate. With bids of £1,000 each the price was carried up to £92,000, and then another bid of £1,000 from Messrs. Thompson and Son, of Walmer, secured it, and it was knocked down to them at £93,000.

 

Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, Saturday 10 August 1901.

Sale of a Brewery.

The Deal and Mongeham Brewers, (Messrs. Hill and Sons), with 64 houses, were offered by auction, at the Mart, Deal, on Thursday, and were purchased by Messrs. Thompson and Sons, of the Walmer Brewery for £93,000.

The property was put up at £40,000. The "Black Mill" public house of Barham was purchased by Messrs. Flint and Sons, Canterbury, for £500, and the "Bricklayer's Arms," Walmer by Mr. Rision for £500.

 

A note made on a page from Deal library highlighting the brewery states:- Quay or Wharf & beachy ground opposite old North Deal brewery acquired by Deal Corporation in 1927. (Site abuts to public lavatory of Deal corporation formerly to Coastguard Watchhouse to the South.) Map of this dated 1927 shown at the Maritime Museum.

 

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

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