Notes on the hostelry of Dover were originally compiled by Barry Smith in the 1970's. This later version dated 1991, incorporates known changes which have taken place meanwhile and much additional information since unearthed.

It was originally produced in loose leaf form for the benefit of those who possess photographs or like material which they may wish to include.

These pages have now been converted to html text files and are being published (permission from Barry Smith pending, hopefully). At the same time I am hoping to update the pages myself, with my own archive material and photographs and also with the help of people reading these pages. (Paul Skelton).

INTRODUCTION

The pages here are not intended to have a beginning or an end. It is simply a correlation of facts and figures concerning our local licensed premises, past and present. I delved back as far as I was able and now present my findings. I appreciate that many of you will know facts which I have not yet discovered. If this operation now brings those facts to light it will have proved useful. Please feel free to email me (Paul Skelton) and I will update the information as it comes in.

Only commercial hotels with public bars appear in this edition. I considered the private hotels held sufficient interest to merit a book of their own and have left that to others. Many that I discuss will have changed their status from one to the other over the years. Indeed, even as I write today, many of the private hotels are in the process of opening their bars to the general public. Successive brewers also take over with the progress of time and my statements may not always allow for that overlap. I do get out of my depth sometimes and when I do I will say so.

I have no wish to deal at length with the ever changing licensing laws but in order to make the following pages more digestible I must briefly explain the Compensation Act of 1904.

It was designed to reduce the excessive number of licensed outlets in the Country and you will find as you read on that the effect locally was quite dramatic. The bill provided that money should be obtained by the imposition of a compulsory levy on each licence holder. The resulting collection then went to a central fund from which compensation was paid to the unfortunates who lost their living as a result of it.

For the same reason, I think it would be beneficial if we glance quickly through the Kent and Dover brewers. Their names will feature on all of the following pages.

Although no brewing has taken place in Dover since 1926, it made no small contribution in the past. The Cock Brewery, in Strond Street, was managed by William and Alice Wellard in the seventeenth century. The Buckland Brewery, established by Flavius Ignatius Kingsford in 1829, stood partly where Coombe Valley Road now joins the London Road. Some of the buildings were used by other enterprises after the brewing ceased, but many of them were in danger of collapse by 1983 and all that remained were demolished in the summer of that year. We know that Alfred Kingsford still brewed there in 1871 and he also had plant at Bulwerk Hill after 1822.

The Wellington Brewery was a converted paper mill on the other side of the London Road, managed by William Harding to his death in 1905 and then continued by Mrs. Harding.

Page operated from Limekiln Street but his brewery and thirteen outlets were disposed of in 1874. Cliffe and Company brewed there in 1846 and when Page parted with the plant, it was described as being at the foot of the hill leading to the barracks and military canteen above. The vaults were in the cliff itself, at the rear of the brewery, with ten thousand square feet of storage space. In the same lot were a sixteen quarter malting premises, barley and malt store, four stall stable, hay 10ft, cask and dray yard, engine room, coal store, (capacity 150 tons), counting house etc.

Satchell's brewery was also in Limekiln Street, his assets being sold in 1881. The brewery itself was taken down about 1900.

In 1887, John Rolls, who also brewed at Sandwich, had an interest in the town. The names Archcliffe Fort Brewery and Bulwark Hill Brewery frequently crop up. I was never able to determine whether they were one and the same. Bulwark Hill Brewery is known to have been productive about 1847. Rolls was in financial difficulty there by 1890. He had previously taken over Cliffe and Company in 1887.

Coleman, Potter and Grant produced morella brandy from their distillery behind the "Paris Hotel" from 1774. Their equipment was largely destroyed or buried by a cliff fall in 1853, bringing that business to an end locally, but fortunately it continued from Maidstone and Lenham. Grant, whose name lives on, died in August 1896.

Courts wine store was in the cliff, just along the road, in 1846. They were also the agents for Guiness, Bass and Allsopp's East India Ales, Scotch and Burton strong ales, cider etc.

Behind the chemist shop of Odden Hanbrook, in Limekiln Street, Edward Pett Thompson traded in wine and spirits, his vaults being in the cliff. The railway tunnel connecting the Priory and Harbour stations brought that business to an end when it passed straight through those vaults. It was about that time also, that Jeken, (Iken), Rutley and Colman and Company, brewers and wine merchants, traded from the street.

At Maxton, Wright the brewer was busy in 1873 and he was followed by John Allen, who in turn was taken over by Stanley Single in 1889. That business continued to trade as Allen and Company, Diamond Brewery, up to 1892 when Dawes came on the scene.

In June 1912, the Abbey Brewery, West Malling, with thirty five tied houses and the Diamond Brewery Stores with twelve tied houses, were on offer. Those two, together with the Park Brewery, Camberwell, had belonged previously to Thomas Phillips in 1898. That year, Evenden and Phillips seem to be in the hands of the receiver.

Buckland Brewery, with seventy outlets in Kent, was on offer in 1887. Perhaps by private arrangement afterwards but Leney controlled that plant by 1890.

It possessed a one hundred quarter malting, three wells and cellars with storage for five thousand barrels. (of a celebrated Dover ale).

Chapman and Oliver, trading as George Beer and Company, were owners of the Star Brewery, Canterbury in the latter half of the nineteenth century. They gained control of Dover Brewery Company in 1888 when all business was transferred to Canterbury.

Elvey worked from Snargate Street around 1900, and certainly produced mineral waters and I suspect ale also but my notes do not confirm.

The brewery in Spring Gardens, owned by Gardner, ceased trading in 1846 but Rigden later still seemed to have interests in that area.

James Poulter, deceased 1872, founded a brewery in Biggin Street in 1824, later transferring the business to Russell Street. It eventually, passed to his son, Daniel Perry Poulter, who retired in 1884 and died in February 1909. Poulter also had a Charlton address in 1826 when he seems to be partnered with Greenwood.

The brewery in Dolphin Lane, which most of us know as Phoenix, was commenced by Clements in 1740 but Rouse and Bean were once brewing partners in that area when it was known as Bean's Corner. James Walker was using that plant by 1808 and he was followed by Leney, who joined forces with Fremlin in 1926. Following that merger, all brewing continued from Faversham and Maidstone. The Phoenix continued as a bottling plant but the buildings were removed in 1965 in order to provide car parking facilities. Three years later, Fremlin began their association with the Whitbread group.

In 1919-20, George Beer and Company acquired the Star Brewery at Canterbury from Chapman and Oliver. The East Kent Brewery became Ash's East Kent Brewery Company with a registered office at the Dane John Brewery, Canterbury. Two years later, George Beer joined forces with Rigden and Company, brewers of Faversham.

Flint brewed at St. Dunstan's, Canterbury and Stourmouth but Fremlin gained control there in 1923. Ash's East Kent Brewery, with their one hundred outlets was taken over by Jude Hanbury in 1923. George Beer and Rigden fell to Fremlin about 1949. Mackeson, already belonged to the Whitbread group and Fremlin began their association in the 1960's.

Shepherd Neame first brewed in 1698 and some of their outlets are still prominent locally, being supplied from their Faversham brewery.

What more can be said. I have tried to be brief. Let us take a look at the local licensing figures before starting on the outlets themselves. If those outlets do not all tell a story, I do not suggest they have not got one. It has simply not been my good fortune to discover it.