47 Fenchurch Street

Folkestone

Above picture shows the "George III Inn" in 1951.

The beerhouse was originally called the "Dew Drop" and in 1875. was renamed by Godfrey Lepper and in 1876 he applied for a full licence. The building was originally two houses and up to at least 1886, one had to leave the front door of one and enter the front door of the other to get to the other bars, the same was said of the bedrooms upstairs.

December 24th 1885, brewers Leney & Co from Dover leased the house for 14 years on an annual rent of £30 but in 188 decided to buy the premises and did so for the sum of £500. At the sale the premises was described as follows:- being a brick built building with a tile roof, two yards and a W.C. The basement consisted of two cellars while on the ground floor were the public and private bars, a parlour, tap room, kitchen and scullery. The first floor housed a large clubroom and two bedrooms and a further four bedrooms were situated on the second floor.

There has been reference mentioned to a young man who died in a fishing accident who is said to haunt the place, but I'm still looking for that story.

Longest serving licensee of 29 years, Henry Cork ran a "Sick and Dividend Club" a pre-runner of a Christmas Club, for the regulars who paid a small amount each week to be paid out at the end of the year.

Fremlins took over from Leney's in 1926 but the area was considered a slum and by 1939 most of Little and Great Fenchurch Street had been demolished leaving the pub isolated, but the pub manage to continue but did close for a while during the second world war. After opening again after the war, the establishment saw a decline in business and unfortunately closed its doors finally in January 1961. Auctioned off on Thursday, 24th August 1961, the building was demolished and has now been built on again, this time in a newly named St. Michael's Street.

LICENSEE LIST

LEPPER Godfrey 1875-86

HARRIS Henry 1886-88

LOVE Henry 1888

POLLARD William 1888-90

POLLARD Mrs William 1890-95

SANDERS Mrs Sarah 1895-1901

CORK Henry 1901-30

CORK Mrs E 1913

BEST William 1930-32

PRIOR George 193240

FULLAGAR Arthur 1940-44

CLARK Frank 1944-49

CLARK Annie 1949-53

EDNEY Raymond 1953-55

MORRELL Joseph 1955-Jan/61

From the Post Office Directory 1882

From the Post Office Directory 1891

From the Kelly's Directory 1899

From the Post Office Directory 1903

From the Post Office Directory 1913

From the Post Office Directory 1922

From the Kelly's Directory 1934

From the Post Office Directory 1938

From More Bastions of the Bar by Easdown and Rooney