1-2 Rosemary Lane / Stour Street
Canterbury
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Above photo taken in 1941, ten years after the pub closed.
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In the early 1930s, Canterbury City Council hatched a rather
hare-brained plan to bulldoze whole streets (full of ancient buildings)
in order to create a double High Street, intersected at several points
along the way. One of the roads crossing the High Streets would have
been Stour Street. To this end, the "Britush Oak" was one of several
buildings compulsorily purchased by the Council, in order to allow for
Stour Street to be widened. The pub remained derelict throughout the
1930s and (perhaps fortunately?) WW2 knocked the Council's plans on the
head. An immediately post-war attempt by them to implement a similarly
destructive scheme (known as the Holden-Enderby Plan) was strongly
resisted by local people. In November 1945, the Canterbury Citizens'
Defence Association won an emphatic victory at City Council elections
and most of the worst parts of the Holden-Enderby Plan were permanently
shelved. The area around the pub had suffered badly in the war and in
the late 1940s, the decision was made to clear it and Rosemary Lane car
park was the result. As of 2025, it's still there but sits unused and
unloved. The photograph, taken by the Canterbury County Council, was
printed the wrong way round, hence the reversed writing!
Kindly supplied by Rory Kehoe. This 17th Century
building was only dismantled down to the brick ground floor; the walls
then becoming part of a car park perimeter. |
Above photo, date unknown, showing Rosemary Lane, the "British Oak" was
situated on the right hand corner of this Lane. |
Above 1874 map identification by Rory Kehoe. |
Above photo, August 2017, kindly taken and sent by Rory Kehoe. This
building was erected in the 1990s. |
The "British Oak" was situated at numbers 1 and 2 Rosemary Lane
and the corner of Stour Street.
The
pub unfortunately closed in 1931 but remained empty and boarded up for a
good many years afterwards, eventually being demolished in 1950, but
even then it took until 1962 for the ground floor and perimeter wall to
be removed completely.
There was another "British
Oak" in Military Road.
From the Kentish Gazette, 22 September 1846.
On Thursday last the publicans whose licenses had been suspended for a
fortnight again appeared before the Canterbury magistrates, when all but
three had them restored. These three were:— William Knott, "Plough;"
William Dodd, "British Oak;" Stephen Champ, "Citizen of the World."
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From the Whitstable Times, 12 July 1879.
William Parker wanted to enlarge his gateway next to the "British
Oak" Inn in Rosemary Lane.
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From the Canterbury Journal, Kentish Times and Farmers' Gazette, 12 July 1884.
CANTERBURY POLICE COURT. THURSDAY. TRANSFERS.
Before the Mayor (H. B. Wilson, Esq.), and J. G. Drury, Esq.
The licences of the following house was transferred:— The "British Oak," Rosemary lane, from H. Colleson
to F. Blanche.
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From the Canterbury Journal, 10 January 1885.
Licence transfer "British Oak," Rosemary lane, from Frederick
Blanche to John Vile.
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From the Whitstable Times, 28 July, 1900.
THEFT OF BEER.
Edward Baker and David Quinn were charged with stealing a gallon and a
half of beer, value 2s., the property of Stephen George Bean.
Superintendent Farmery, in applying for a remand until the following
day, said that at 5.30 on the previous day prosecutor, who worked at the
Gas House, went to the "British Oak" and ordered some beer to take to
the Works. He met the prisoner and had a few words with Baker, who made
use of threatening language and deliberately walked off with the beer.
Prosecutor said something and Baker assaulted him. Information was given
to the police and P.C. Robinson went near the Martyrs' Memorial, where
he found prisoners with the beer. With some difficulty he got them to
the police station.
P.C. Robinson deposed that at 4.45 on the previous afternoon he was on
duty in the High Street, when he received information of the theft and
went in search of prisoners with P.C. Stone. He found them by the
gasometer near the Martyrs' Field. He told Baker that he was going to
take them into custody on the charge of stealing the beer.
Baker replied
"You can take the beer, you won't take me."
Witness got hold of Baker
and P.C. Stone held the other man. Prisoners then became very violent
and after some difficulty they handcuffed them and took them to the
police station. When witness first found them Baker had the two gallon
bottle and Quinn the half gallon.
The prisoners were remanded until the following day.
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LICENSEE LIST
DODD William 1846+
PARKER William James 1878-79+
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WATSON William 1882+
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COLLESON H to July/1884
BLANCHE Frederick July/1884-Jan/1885
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VILE John Jan/1885+
GEORGE Mrs 1888+
HYMERS Henry William 1891+ (age 33 in 1891 )
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SWAIN William 1913+
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SWAIN Edward William 1922+
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https://pubwiki.co.uk/BritishOak.shtml
From Melville's Directory 1858
Greens
Canterbury Directory 1878
From the Post Office Directory 1882
From the Post Office Directory 1891
From the Post Office Directory 1913
From the Post Office Directory 1922
Canterbury
Journal, Kentish Times and Farmers' Gazette
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