DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Sort file:- Canterbury, February, 2022.

Page Updated:- Tuesday, 08 February, 2022.

PUB LIST PUBLIC HOUSES Paul Skelton

Earliest 1873-

Grapes

Latest 1938+

109 Northgate Street

Canterbury

Former Grapes

Above showing number 109 Northgate Street taken from Google March 2009.

Grapes Pewter Mug 1874

Above photo showing a pewter mug engraved with "A White, Grapes, Northgate Street, Canterbury" Albert White was licensee in 1874. Kindly sent by Rory Kehoe who says:- the jug itself is older, having been made by Grimes & Sons, probably sometime in the early 1820s. The measure is stamped "VR 42."

 

From Historic Canterbury web site www.machadoink.com

Return of Owners of Land, 1873 (Kent) - William Sneller, 109, Northgate street, Canterbury Acres 73 0 2, rent 536 9.

 

From the Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, Saturday 26 October, 1889.

A PUBLICAN FINED.

Albert Steed, landlord of the "Grape's Inn," Northgate, was summoned for selling liquor at a quarter past seven o’clock on the morning of Sunday the 6th October.

Inspector Farmery deposed that from something he saw on Sunday the 29th September about 8 a.m., he and Sergt. Sinclair watched the "Grape's Inn" on Sunday the 6th October. A little before 7 a.m. he saw a man named Lawford walk up Northgate and turn into New Ruttington Lane. A few minutes afterwards he returned with a wicker basket and stopped directly opposite the "Grapes Inn." About a minute afterwards the door was opened by the landlord. They had a conversation and Lawford offered the landlord the basket which he appeared to refuse. The landlord then closed the door and Lawford walked up Northgate to the end of Ruttington Lane. There were two men at the end of Ruttington Lane and three others at the bottom of Union Street with whom Lawford conversed. Between 7 and 7.15 Lawford passed and re-passed the public house three times and was carrying the basket on his shoulder. At 7.15 he again stopped opposite the public house. The landlord came to the window, removed the green blind and looked up and down the street. He then opened the door and placed a bottle which was in a sack in the wicker basket. Lawford than walked hurriedly away towards Ruttington Lane. Witness stopped him and asked what the basket contained. He replied "beer." Witness took him back to the "Grapes Inn" and knocked at the door, which was opened by the landlord. Witness said "What account do you give of supplying this bottle of beer during prohibited hours?" He said "it was ordered last night." There was a quantity of froth on the bottle as if it had been newly drawn.

Mr. Mercer said that he would admit that the beer was handed out, and, under these circumstances, Sergt. Sinclair was not examined.

Addressing the Bench for the defence, Mr. Mercer said the offence was "sale" during prohibited hours. There was no offence, and it was thoroughly well laid down, if the defendant could prove that the liquor was sold before the prohibited hours commenced. To order the beer simply would not be sufficient, but he could prove that it was not only ordered but paid for, drawn and set apart on the evening of Saturday. There were, it seemed, certain allotment gardens in the neighbourhood in which depredations had been carried on and the persons owning them had united and sat up on several nights watching for the thieves one of whom had been caught and sentenced to three months' imprisonment. On Saturday night the beer was set aside in readiness for the four men, who had paid 8d. apiece. Although, perhaps a suspicious case the Bench would, he thought, consider the explanation satisfactory.

Defendant was then sworn and gave evidence in support of Mr. Mercer's statement. He said he had had a licence for three and a half years and had been never in trouble before. On the Saturday night four allotment holders named Lawford, White, O’Brien, and H. Curtis were in his house. They purchased two gallons of beer and Lawford said he would call for it at eleven o'clock. Witness drew the beer but it was not fetched before dosing time. Witness a short time afterwards thought he would take the bottle to O’Brien's house, but as there were a lot of people in the street he simply went over and said he would pass it out to them at seven o'clock in the morning.

Replying to the Superintendent, defendant said Curtis did not fetch a bottle of beer from his house on the previous Sunday morning. A man did not come in to the 29th Sept. and drink a glass of beer at the bar. As Lawford had not a bag with him when he first came to the house, witness found one in which to place the bottle.

Lawford deposed that he promised to call for the beer, but when he went back the house was locked up and the lights were out. On the way to the allotment gardens O’Brien told him defendant had said that if he (Lawford) called at seven o'clock in the morning he would give him the bottle.

By Supt. Peacock:- He did not see Curtis come away from the "Grapes Inn" with a bottle in a sack on the previous Sunday.

Henry White, a labourer residing in Clyde Street, corroborated .

The Bench having deliberated in private the Chairman announced that in their opinion tha case was proved. It was a very strange thing that when defendant found the beer was not called for, he should go across to O'Brien, whose house was a very short distance from the "Grapes," and make the arrangements alleged, whereas he might have taken it across if it had been paid for as was stated. Defendant would be fined 20s. and 18s, costs, in default 14 days' imprisonment.

 

From the Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, Saturday 26 October, 1889.

BRUTAL ASSAULT.

Benjamin Pitcher was charged with and pleaded guilty to assaulting William Smith with an iron hook, which he had in the place of an arm, at the "Grapes Inn" on the 12th October, and was fined £1 and 10s. 6d. costs or in default one month's hard labour. It seems the quarrel arose over a bet.

 

From the Thanet Advertiser, Saturday 7 February, 1914.

Charge of poaching.

At the St Augustine's Petty sessions, on Saturday, William Medgett, landlord of the "Grapes Inn," Northgate, Canterbury, was summoned for having, on the 19th December, at Westbere, trespassed upon land in search of game, the property of the Prior, Brethren, and Sisters, of St. John's and St. Nicholas' Hospitals.

William Clutton, a labourer in the employ of Mr. Wootton, of Tile Lodge, Westbere, said he saw defendant with another man in a pony trap between 1 and 2 on the 19th inst, between the Westbere Butts and Upstreet. He fired a gun at some small birds from the trap, re-loaded, and then drove on.

Other evidence having been given, defendant said he went to Sarre to see about some geese. He never had a gun in his hands that day, and the evidence given was a tissue of falsehoods.

Walter Manning, another publican, also denied that there was a gun in the cart, and said no bird was shot in his presence that day. He accompanied defendant both going and coming back from Sarre.

Adam Bolt, of the "Princess Alexandra," Northgate, gave evidence as to how Medgett was dressed, with a view to disprove the identity of defendant. Medgett always borrowed the gun when he went shooting, but did not have it that day. Clutton (recalled) said he and Thomas went to Medgett's house on the following night to identify defendant, who then said he was at Herne Bay on the previous day.

Medgett:- I was at Herne Bay on Thursday.

The Chairman said the Bench believed the witness for the defence and committed gross perjury.

Defendant will be fined £1 and 10 s. 6d. costs.

Defendant:- It is a bad conviction. I am not guilty.

The chairman:- You may consider that you have got off very well. Both you and your witnesses are liable to indictment for perjury.

Medgett:- I am not guilty. I did not shoot a gun off that day. I did not dream that I'm going to fourswear me, or I would have had counsel.

Defendant then pay the money, and left the court, observing that Lord Coleridge's opinion about magistrates was perfectly correct.

 

LICENSEE LIST

TOMLIN William 1851+ (listed as wood dealer age 58 in 1851Census)

SNELLER William 1873+

WHITE Albert 1871-74+ (age 35 in 1871Census) Post Office Directory 1874

MEDGETT William 1881-82+ (age 27 in 1881Census) Post Office Directory 1882

STEEL Albert 1889-91+ Post Office Directory 1891

FINCH William T 1901-13+ (age 54 in 1911Census) Post Office Directory 1903Kelly's 1903

FOX Robert William to Dec/1922 Next pub licensee had Dover ExpressPost Office Directory 1922

GORE William 1924+ Kelly's 1924

HICKSON Percy J 1930+ Post Office Directory 1930

STURGESS Walter Victor 1938+ Post Office Directory 1938

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

http://www.closedpubs.co.uk/grapes.html

 

Post Office Directory 1874From the Post Office Directory 1874

CensusCensus

Post Office Directory 1882From the Post Office Directory 1882

Post Office Directory 1891From the Post Office Directory 1891

Post Office Directory 1903From the Post Office Directory 1903

Kelly's 1903From the Kelly's Directory 1903

Post Office Directory 1913From the Post Office Directory 1913

Post Office Directory 1922From the Post Office Directory 1922

Kelly's 1924From the Kelly's Directory 1924

Post Office Directory 1930From the Post Office Directory 1930

Post Office Directory 1938From the Post Office Directory 1938

Historic Canterbury web siteHistoric Canterbury web site www.machadoink.com

 

If anyone should have any further information, or indeed any pictures or photographs of the above licensed premises, please email:-

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