From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 31 October, 1890. Price 5d.

ROBBING A TILL

William Bonsor, a lad not quite 16 years old, was charged with stealing on the 27th, from a till at the “Five Alls” public house, six shillings and nine sixpences. The landlord, Mr. John Golder, said that he went to his till which is under the counter, about twenty minutes to eight that morning, and put five shillings, and ten sixpences there. Miss Ellen Golder, daughter of the last witness, said that about five minutes past eight that morning, a customer came in, and she served him with a penny-worth of tobacco, he offered her a shilling in payment, and she gave him sixpence and fivepence in coppers. About two minutes afterwards, the prisoner came in, and asked for a penny-worth of tobacco, she served him and he gave her a 1d. he went out, and about three minutes after he came back; she was in the passage then, and could see in the bar, she served him with a short pipe, but he did not pay for it. He then went out again and shut the door after him. She took two books from the bar into the parlour, but did not hear anyone come in whilst she was in there. About two minutes after, she went back into the bar, and saw the till was open and also the door, the bowl and its contents were gone, as well as the keys. Anyone could reach over the counter, and get at the till. She told her father, and he gave information to the Police. The coppers were left in the till. Sergeant Stevens said that at twenty minutes past eight that morning, in consequence of information received, he went in search of the prisoner. He went to Mr. Mowll's coal yard, and found that the prisoner worked there. He had him called into Mr. Mowll's office, and asked him if he had been home to breakfast, he said he had; he then asked him if he had called anywhere on his way back, and he said he called at the “Five Alls” for some tobacco and a pipe, but denied having robbed the till. He admitted having 9s. 6d. but said he had picked up a purse containing it going through Chapel Place. When charged before the Magistrates, the prisoner pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to three months hard labour.

Dover Express 03 February 1933.

OBITUARY. MR. F. G. HICKMAN. FIVE ALLS, MARKET ST.

Mr. F. G. Hickman. The funeral took place on Saturday, at St. Mary's Cemetery, of Mr. Frederick George Hickman, landlord of the "Five Alls" Inn Market Street. who died on January 24th, at the age of 60 years. The Rev. W. A. M. Parker officiated. The late Mr Hickman was educated at the Hastings Grammar School., and was well known in that town. He served with distinction during the South African War, and was for some years in the South African Constabulary. Subsequently he travelled extensively in Russia and Poland. During the European War Mr. Hickman with the Recruiting Officer at Hastings, and afterwards at the offices of the Southern Railway Company at London Bridge, eventually resigning to become licensee of the "Five Alls" Inn at Dover. The mourners present were:—Mrs. P. G. Hickman (widow), Miss Hickman (Hastings) (sister). Mr. R. F. Parkhouse (Luton) and Mr. H. McLellan Smith (Cheam) (Brothers-in-law), Mr. and Mrs. W. Marsh, Mrs. Perry. and Mr. G. Elve, The Dover & District Licensed Victualler' Association was represented by Mr. G. Taske (President), Mr. T. Selth (Chairman), and Mr. Terry (Vice-President).

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday 9 June, 1933.

LICENSING TRANSFER SESSIONS.

The "Five Alls," Market Street, from Gladys Hickman to Ernest Simmons, late of the "Five Bells,” Brabourne.

From the Dover Express, Friday 1 September 1939.

INN SIGN LORE.

Inn sign lore for the public is being provided by the brewing industry. Many thousands of copies of an illustrated beeolet, "Inn Signs: Their History and Meaning," by Sir Gurney Benham, F.S.A., are to be issued during the next few days, by the Brewers' Society, to inns all over the country. They will be dispensed over the bar to any customer buying a glass of beer.

A Dover Inn is one of those referred to, i.e., "The Five Alls." This sign varies pictorially and there is no hanging sign at the Dover Inn. Of that shown in the book, Sir Gurney Benham writes:

"This eccentric sign, of uncertain origin, dates from the 18th century. It shows the four leading estates or professions of the realm; The Ecclesiastic ('I pray for all'); the Lawyer ('I plead for all'); the Farmer ('I feed all') and the Soldier ('I fight for all') and last, but not least, is shown the Devil ('I take all'). The sign has died out in London, but is found in Dover, at Walpole St. Peter in Norfolk, and it occurs elsewhere. Sometimes it shows the King ('I govern all'); a Bishop ('I pray for all'); a Lawyer ('I plead for all') and a Labourer ('I pay for all').

One Dover in sign, that of "The Cause is Altered" is not referred to and it would be interesting to know if it exists elsewhere. The story is that the name dates from 1826. In the late John Bavington Jones' "Dover," the writer says, "An old inhabitant told us that he saw the sign fixed there before he went to sea, in the year 1826. The sign of this house was originally "The Black Horse," and, being situate on a lonely spot on the Town Walls, was a resort of smugglers, but when Mr. Bourne took the house, at the beginning of the nineteenth century, he resolved to make a change for the better and put up a new sign "The Cause is Altered."

Sir Gurney Benham's explanation of some other Inn signs removed various misconceptions.

The "Elephant and Castle," for instance does not derive its name from "Infanta of Castille," but is the crest of the Cutlers Company, the elephant being included "possibly because cutlers use bone for knife handles and like to pass it off as ivory."

The "Elephant and Castle" is also the Crest for the Corbet family, but the old and famous inn of this name at Newington Butts, is said to commemorate the discovery of an elephant's skeleton there, in 1714.

The booklet also refers to the "pretty tale that the "Goat and Compasses" is a corruption of 'God encompasses us'." "There is not a word of truth in it, it is stated. "This was a beckoning sign to thirsty shoemakers and builders." The arms of the Cordwainers (shoemakers) were three goats' heads, and those of the Carpenters contained three compasses.

The "Pie" (or magpie) may have been chosen as an appropriate sign for taverns where men met for social chatter, and the "Swan" may have been a favourite sign because the long neck suggested a good imbiber - which may account for the popularity of the "Swan with Two Necks."

Sir Guy Benham discloses also that Queen Elizabeth had portrait signs at various "Queen's Head" Inns destroyed unless they complied with her official portrait.

From the Dover Express, Friday 11 March, 1949.

A music and singing licence was granted to the "Five Alls," Market St.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 17 June, 1949.

ALTERATIONS

Plans for the removal of partition between the public and private bars were approved by the Magistrates on Friday.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 17 November, 1950.

LICENSEE RETURNS TO GARDENING

Former licensee of the "Five Alls," Market Street, Robert George Burton, appeared at Southampton Bankruptcy Court last week, with liabilities of £593/3/4.

At one time gardener to the late Mr. Walter Hutchinson, at Stanbridge Earls, near Romsey, he left that work in November, 1948, to become a licensed victualler at Dover. He ceased that business in March of this year.

Burton told the Court he borrowed money and used his savings up to fit up the public house in Market Street, Dover. He attributed his failure to competition, the loss of £33 by a robbery, and fluctuations in trade. He had now, he said, returned to his old job as head gardener at Stanbridge Earls.

From the Dover Express 19 June 1968

ANCIENT INN GOES TO MAKE WAY FOR PROGRESS

ANOTHER of Dover's ancient inns closed this week. It's the Five Alls public house in Market Street, which is to come down to make way for the proposed York Street road. The premises have been purchased under a compulsory order.

The hosts, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Pratt, called "Last orders" on Sunday.

Dover will lose little in architectural value with the destruction of the pub. But it is one of the most interesting in the town. Its age is not known but it is believed to be more than 200 years old.

Miss O. M. Rookwood, former teacher at Dover Grammar School, and who now occasionally lectures on ancient Dover, says there is a "secret room" on the premises. This cannot be seen from outside.

Miss Rookwood says that there is an underground passage leading from the "Five Alls" to the nearby "Cause is Altered" public house - although the passage is partially blocked.

Another interesting public house, the demolition of which is now complete, is the "Trocadero," in Snargate Street. This has also come down to make way for the new road.

Under present plans, it is expected that the "Cause is Altered" -probably the town's oldest public house - will also be demolished to make way for the road.

The name "Five Alls" is a bit of a mystery. But a picture in the bar shows five faces - a lawyer, a priest, a farmer, a soldier, and the Devil. The caption reads; I plead for all, I pray for all, I work for all, I fight for all, and I claim all.