17 North Road (Middle Row)

Kingsdown

During the 1970s, Harold Collier of Kingsdown Hill found mention of the pub in the Deal, Walmer and Sandwich Telegram of 1860, 63 and 65. These contained stories of wicked selling of beer on a Sunday, and Mr. Erridge the Publican having family rows to contend with, which took some of them to court. Mr. Collyer was unable to get any further information from Charrington the brewers, the Licensing Justices or Kent County Council Archives, though the latter had records of the Conqueror but with no indication of its location.

Later still Tony Arnold took up the hunt, helped by Ralph and Pam Charles, licensees of the "Rising Sun." They found a Mr. Erridge in their deeds and came to the conclusion that indeed in 1859 there was the "Conqueror," which subsequently became the "Rising Sun." However, the "Rising Sun" was in existence as early as 1846, so this cannot be true.

Further research by Steve Glover and Michael Rogers state that the pub changed name to the "Victory" some time around 1874. The change of name suggests to me that whatever it was that was being Conquered had happened and there was obviously a Victory to be celebrated. It remains to be seen whether this had anything to do with the Erridge's court appearances or the fact that the pub was now under the rule of James Files Bingham.

LICENSEE LIST

ARNOLD Richard 1851-61 (age 55 in 1861)

BINGHAM James Files 1861+ (also fisherman age 47 in 1861)

ERRIDGE Henry J 1861-65+ (age 35 in 1865)

https://pubwiki.co.uk/Conqueror.shtml

Census

From the Deal Mercury