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48 Martyrs Field Road
Canterbury
https://whatpub.com/imperial
Above photo, 1904. kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above photo, 1909. kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. The ladies' cycle club
met here to ride out to the "Rose
and Crown" at Perry Wood. |
Above photo, circa 1909, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. It's very likely
that this photograph was taken on the same day as the other 1909
picture, featuring a workers' day out for Finn's engineering company
employees. In the background are the two Victorian gasometers, which
were erected by the Canterbury Gas Company, at the western end of what
was to become (in the Edwardian era) Martyrs' Field Road. |
Above OS map 1910 OS of the area, showing the "Imperial" and the gasometers. |
Above photo, circa 1919, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. Photo shows
employees and families aboard Finn & Co's Thorneycroft lorry, all ready
for an excursion. Finn's engineering company was located nearby on
Seymour Place. Standing by the cab, sporting a bowtie, is the driver,
William Beale and sitting in the cab is his fiancée, Winifred Best. |
Above outing 1963, showing licensee Bill Higgins front row 5 from left,
with blazer. |
Above photo, including Bill and Helen Higgins, circa 1965. |
Above photo by Edward Wilmot 1965. |
Above photo, date unknown. |
Above photo, date unknown. |
Above picture from Google July 2009. |
Above photo kindly taken and sent by Rory Kehoe, August 2017. |
Imperial Hotel sign July 1991.
Above with thanks from Brian Curtis
www.innsignsociety.com |
In existence in 1899 and the street was renumbered in 1908. Most of the
buildings in this street were built in 1900.
Clientele was stated as being Artisans and business men.
In 2014 the pub was sold off by Punch Taverns and I believe is going to
be converted into student flats.
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From the Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald. 5 January 1901. Price 1d.
ACCIDENT
On Friday evening, during the prevalence of a westerly gale, Mrs. Sophia
Townsend, of 8, Poet's Corner, in endeavouring to walk round the
"Imperial Hotel," was blown down, and one of her shoulders was
dislocated. She was pushing a perambulator containing a child, and it
was blown over, but no damage was done to them.
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Thanet Times, Tuesday 18 July 1967.
Publican was slumped over car wheel.
A 43 year-old publican, found slumped over the wheel of his car
early one morning, appeared at Margate quarter sessions on Thursday
accused of being in charge of a car while unfit through drink or
drugs.
William Charles Higgins, licensee of the "Imperial Hotel,"
Canterbury, pleaded guilty to the offence, committed at Margate on
13th of April and was fined £40 with £21 costs.
The Deputy Recorder (Mr. Michael Hickman) told Higgins that he
had put himself in peril of losing his licence. If you appeared in
court again for such an offence, that was what would happen.
On this occasion, it had been decided that it was possible to
take a merciful course.
P.C. Frank Chandler said Higgins had a previous conviction in
1961 for a similar offence, when he had been fined and banned from
driving for 3 years.
Mr. Anthony Thompson prosecuting said that soon after midnight on
13th April, a police constable, called to St. Mildreds Gardens,
Westgate, saw Higgins sitting in the driving seat, slumped over the
wheel. The ignition key was on the front passenger seat.
When he got out of the vehicle, he was unsteady on his feet and,
when asked who he was and where he came from, made an unintelligible
reply.
"He appeared to be muddled and confused," said Mr. Thompson.
Mr. Bryan Anns, defending said that Higgins, and ex-Royal Navy
Petty Officer, had risen early that day, and was consequently very
tired.
Higgins had a Merseyside accent which could have accounted for
the officers observations on his speech.
He had been on business to Sandwich and later at the "St.
Mildreds Hotel." He now appreciated that he should not have got into
the car.
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LICENSEE LIST
MAY Stephen 1903+
 
FOSTER Mr W 1908+
DUFFILL Edward D 1913-22+
 
FARR Frederick A 1930+
SWAIN Wallace 1938+
ILES R 1952+
HIGGINS William Charles 1963-67+
https://pubwiki.co.uk/ImperialHotel.shtml
From the Post Office Directory 1903
From the Kelly's Directory 1903
From the Post Office Directory 1913
From the Post Office Directory 1922
From the Post Office Directory 1930
From the Post Office Directory 1938
Black Eagle Journal 1952
Inns of Canterbury
by Edward Wilmot, 1988
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