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205-207 Dover Road (1893)
Folkestone
 Above
photo showing the Alexandra Hotel, date unknown. |
Above shows the former "Commercial Hotel" situated on the corner of
Dover Road and Alexandra Street. Photo by Paul Skelton, 5 July, 2009.
Note the name still on the side of the building. |
Above photo kindly sent by Phil Nicholson, 29 November, 2012. |
Before 1892 the building was a private residence, but by the time of the
1892/93 directory it was listed as Powell's Railway Temperance Hotel,
205-207, Dover Road.
In 1899-00 it was listed as Junction Commercial and Family Temperance
Hotel, which is obviously what the wording, still seen on the side of the
building shows.
In 1903-04 it had expanded to include 203, Dover Road.
By the time the 1915 directory was published the hotel was only listed as
205, Dover Road - 207 being a grocer's shop.
By the time of the 1921/22 directory the grocers shop was listed as
205-207 Dover Road and there was no trace of any reference to the Hotel.
We can be fairly certain that it was never licensed to sell alcoholic
beverage at all.
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Kentish Gazette 17 April 1855.
Quarter Sessions, Wednesday, before J.J. Lonsdale Esq. There was but one prisoner for trial, John Philpott, 21, for obtaining
10s. under false pretence from Mary Ann Freezer. It appeared the
prosecutor, John Gillitin, unable to write, got the landlord of the
Commercial Inn to write a note to Mrs. Freezer, desiring her to send him
the 10s; and sent the note by the prisoner, who withheld the note, and
obtained the money, Mrs. Freezer believing she knew the prisoner; but
that turned out to be a mistake. Mr. John Minter, who appeared fur the prisoner, endeavoured to show that
the note, deposed to was only a direction enabling the prisoner to find
Mr. Freezer's residence; and that having obtained the money, he went to
his father’s house at Cheriton, thence to Hythe, where he got tipsy,
and, but for the incapacity thus caused, he would have handed the money
to the prosecutor. This ingenious defence seemed to influence some of the jury, as they
were a considerable time absent. Eventually they brought in a verdict of
Guilty. The Recorder said he entirely agreed with the jury. In consideration of
the prisoner having been already in gaol two months, he should sentence
him to four months’ imprisonment with hard labour. He perceived by the
list the prisoner could neither read nor write, which he considered a
disgrace to him and his parents; there being a national school in the
parish. As to the excuse set up that he was tipsy and incapable, it was
another instance of the connection, almost universal, of drunkenness and
crime. |
LICENSEE LIST
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