12 The Friars
Canterbury
Above photo circa 1950, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Mitre Tavern 1961, kindly sent by Tim Timpson. |
Mitre Tavern 1961, kindly sent by Tim Timpson. |
Above photo taken by Edward Wilmot in 1965. |
Mitre sign August 1975.
Above with thanks from Brian Curtis
www.innsignsociety.com |
Whitbread sign.
Above card issued March 1953. Sign series 4 number 25. |
A "Mitre Inn" was mentioned
in the Quarter Sessions List of 1692, and its location I have found was in
the High Street. This "Mitre" is addressed as the Friars, which is
close to the High Street, so it could be one and the same. This one was mentioned in the
Licensing Lists of 1845 and 1846 and is one of the few inns to carry any
sign with Cathedral connections.
The Inns of Canterbury by Edward Wilmot's,1988, mentions a document, date
circa 1945 that gives the description of clientele at the pub as being "Artisans,
shoppers and commercial."
I am informed that by the late 1970s, trade in this pub was so limited
that it only sold bottled beer!
This house changed name to the "Canterbury
Tales" in November 1981.
From the Kentish Weekly Post, 17 May 1741.
Wednesday May 20.
To the worthy FREEMEN of the City of Canterbury who are Interest if
Sir THOMAS HALES.
Gentlemen,
You are desired to meet the Friends of Sir Thomas, tomorrow Morning,
being the Day of Election, at either of the following Houses, viz.
The "King's Head," in High Street,
The "Fountain," St. Margarets,
The "Dolphin," Burgate,
The "Rose," St. Georges,
The "Black Boy," Burgate,
The "Flying Horse," Dover Lane,
The "Three Compasses," St. Peter's,
The "Golden Lyon," St. Peter's,
The "Mitre," High Street,
The "Rising Sun," St. Dunstan's,
The "Black Swan," North Gate,
The "White Swan," North Gate,
The "Tolerated Soldier," North Gate,
The "Fox and Seven Stars," St. Alphage,
The "Saracen's Head," St. Pauls,
The "Maiden Head," Wincheap,
The "Two Brewers," St. Mildred's,
The "Seven Stars," St. Alphage,
The "Three Tuns," St. Margaret's.
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From the Kentish Chronicle 22, October 1859.
Thomas Fox, a labourer, was charged with stealing a pair of boots, value 4s.
It appeared that the prisoner went to the "Mitre Tavern," St. Peter's, on
Sunday, and this morning (Monday) Richard Baker, who lodges there, saw the
prisoner walking along High-street in his (Baker's) boots. The prisoner's
defence was that he bought them from a recruit. The Bench convicted him and
sentenced him to 21 days’ hard labour in the city goal.
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South Eastern Gazette, 18 December, 1860.
PUBLIC-HOUSE TO LET, WITH IMMEDIATE POSSESSION.
THE "MITRE" TAVERN, St. Peter's, Friars, Canterbury. Coming-in about
£50. Rent 4s. per week.
Apply to Messrs. Baggs and Dray, Loonport Brewery, Canterbury.
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From the Whitstable Times, 3 December, 1870.
REFUSING TO LEAVE A PUBLIC HOUSE AND ASSAULT.
Thomas Brookwell was summoned for refusing to quit the premises of the
“Mitre” public-house, St. Peter's, when requested to do so by the landlord,
Stephen Solly. Mr. Minter appeared for the defendant. The complainant said
that on Monday afternoon last the defendant came into his house, and called
for a pint of beer, which he served him with. After the defendant had been
there a short time he (witness) found him sitting in the middle of the room
asleep. He aroused him, and found he was drunk. He asked him if he wanted to
catch a train, and he replied that he wished to go to bed. He refused him a
bed in his house, and requested him to leave the house. He would not do so.
By Mr. Minter:— When he sent for the police the defendant resisted. He went
to a Mrs. Lewis and said that unless he got compensation he should take out
several summonses. Before this case was decided upon, the defendant was
charged with assaulting the complainant. The assault followed the other
affair. The complainant alleged that the defendant seized him by the collar,
and endeavoured to put him out of the house.
By Mr. Minter:— When he saw a policeman he did not mention to him that the
defendant laid his hands on him as he now described. He said to the
superintendent that the defendant had assaulted him. Mr. Minter, in his
defence, contended that the charge was a paltry, trumpery, and frivolous
one, and that it was not sufficiently made out. The police, although engaged
in the case, were not called, because the complainant knew they could not
corroborate his statement. The complainant instead of standing there to
prosecute, ought to be there as defendant in a charge of endeavouring to
extort money from Mrs. Lewis. The defendant was almost an idiot, caused by
drink and he was as harmless as a lamb. The Bench convicted the defendant of
both charges, and fined him 10s. in each case, and costs, which amounted to
30s.
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Kentish Gazette, 15 February 1876.
CANTERBURY COURT, YESTERDAY.
SINGULAR CLAIM IN THE BEER TRADE - STEPHEN SOLLY v. FREDERICK FLINT
AND SONS.
Before G. Russell, Esq., Judge.
The plaintiff in this case was formerly a gardener and later a
publican in the city of Canterbury, but now resides in Dover; and
the defendants are brewers at Canterbury.
The action was brought to recover £19 18s. 1d., which the plaintiff
alleged to be due to him as a royalty on beer sold to a third party.
Mr. Mowll (Dover) appeared for the plaintiff; Mr. R. W. Flint for
the defendants.
Mr. Mowll, in stating the case, sais it was one of those unfortunate
actions in which he thought his friend had no defence, and his
friend retorted upon him and said he had no cause for action.
Some time in 1870 or 1871 the plaintiff came to Canterbury and
purchased the "Mitre" public-house. He had not sufficient capital
and Messrs. Flint advanced him money on mortgage, for which he paid
5%, having his beer from them at free house price. He continued in
the house for three years and then let it to a man named Benjamin
Robus. The plaintiff placed two conditions before Robus, either that
he might have the house at £16 a year and go to Messrs. Flint for
his beer, or have it at £32 and go where he liked for his beer.
Robus agreed to take the house at £16 and plaintiff went to Messrs.
Flint and arranged for them to supply Robins with beer at the
tithe-house price of 34s. per barrel, the plaintiff to have the
half-crown which formed the difference between that price and 31s.
6d. per barrel, the free-house price. Messrs. Flint agreed to pay and
did pay this half-crown per barrel, as what the plaintiff called
"royalty," for more than three years, when they stopped, although
they continued to supply beer to Robus, and it was for the royalty
on beer supplied to Robus that the present action was brought.
The defence was that the money that had been paid to the plaintiff
was not a royalty, but a payment by Robus to Messrs. Flint, on
account of Solly, to whom they repaid it; that they received it
because the plaintiff thought it would be a safer way than trusting
to Robus for his increased rent. There was no agreement with the
plaintiff by the defendants to pay him this royalty, and when Mr.
Robus claimed to have his beer at 31s 6d. per barrel, saying that if
it was refused he would go elsewhere, the payment was discontinued.
previous to that the defendants had made no arrangement with Robus
that he should have his beer from them, and he stood to them in the
light of a free customer.
His honour gave judgment for the plaintiff for the amount claimed
with costs.
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From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 4
September, 1931. Price 1½d.
LICENCE TRANSFERRED
Mr. J. Richardson, of the "Mitre," Canterbury, was granted an occasional
licence for a marquee at Aylesham, from 12.30 ton 7. p.m., on September
26th, on the occasion of a hospital gymkhana.
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LICENSEE LIST
MASON Thomas 1847+
ENSTON John H 1851 (listed as shoemaker only age 30 in 1851)
NORTON John 1858+
ANDREWS Thomas 1861-67+ (age 40 in 1861)
SOLLEY Stephen 1870-71+ (age 45 in 1871)
ROBINS/ROBUS Benjamin 1874+
ROBINS/ROBUS Mary Ann 1878-82+
BELCHAMBER John 1891+ (age 57 in 1891)
HARLAND William Richard 1903+
RICHARDSON J E 1913-22+
RICHARDSON Jack 1930+
https://pubwiki.co.uk/MitreTavern.shtml
From Bagshaw Directory 1847
From Melville's Directory 1858
From the Post Office Directory 1862
From the Post Office Directory 1874
Census
From the Post Office Directory 1882
From the Post Office Directory 1891
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
Inns of Canterbury
by Edward Wilmot, 1988
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