DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Sort file:- Hythe, September, 2023.

Page Updated:- Monday, 04 September, 2023.

PUB LIST PUBLIC HOUSES Paul Skelton

Earliest 1847-

Ordnance Arms

Open 2014+

1 Military Road

Hythe

Ordnance Arms

Above photo, date unknown, showing the "Ordnance Arms" behind the trees and charabancs.

Ordnance Arms location 2009

Above Google image showing the same shot, May 2009.

Ordnance Arms signOrdnance Arms sign 2002

Above sign left shows the best image I have for the pub sign so far, date unknown. However, sign right, is a photo of the actual sign which Robert Greenham took at the former Whitbread Hop Farm at Beltring in about 2002. He says "it was hanging high up (with a few other signs) in one of the buildings there. Sadly, a few years later I discovered that all these old inn signs had been sold to someone in America.

Ordnance Arms card

The above sign, wasn't actually designed and released by Whitbread, but has been designed by Robert Greenham in the same style as the card sets they distributed as a representation of what the sign looked like. Robert says:- This was based on the image which appeared on Whitbread's metal map for East Kent which was painted by D. W. Burley in 1950, on commission from Whitbread.

Whitbread metal map 1950

The above metal map, kindly sent by Robert Greenham was released, in 1950 and painted by D. W. Burley, and was titled Inn-Signia of Whitbread Houses in East Kent, Whitbread & Co Ltd. The Inn Signs designed by:- M. C. Balston, Vena Chalker, Kathleen M Claxton, K. M. Doyle, Ralph Ellis, Marjorie Hutton, Harvey James, Prudence Rae-Martin, Violet Rutter, L. Toynbee and Kit Watson.

 

I have only just started to research into this area of Kent and I am hoping to be able to update this page with further information later.

Further local knowledge and any pictures, old or current would be appreciated until I can get into the area myself.

 

Southeastern Gazette, 6 September 1853.

A Female Found Drowned.

On Thursday last, as the men employed on the Royal Military Canal were proceeding to their work in a boat between nine and ten o’clock, one of them, named Edward Cooke, observed a bonnet in the water; and on endeavouring to take it out discovered the body of a female attached to it. Further assistance was procured, the body taken out, and placed in an outhouse adjoining Mr. Jesse Wanstall's.

At two o’clock the coroner of the borough, W. Smith., Esq., and a respectable jury, assembled to hold an inquest. After being sworn, they proceeded to view the body, which had not been identified. On search being made several letters were found in the bosom of deceased, dated from Hythe barracks, signed Henry Fletcher, 2nd battalion of Rifles; and addressed to Alice White, King-street, Ramsgate. Parties were immediately sent to the barracks, and shortly returned with Henry Fletcher, who identified the body as that of Alice White, of King-street, Canterbury. The jury then returned to the Town-hall to prosecute the enquiry. Colonel Hay and Captain Fox were present to watch the proceedings.

It appeared from the evidence, that the deceased, who had been residing at Ramsgate for a fortnight with an aunt, returned to Canterbury a day or two previous to Friday, August 29th, on which day she clandestinely left her parent's house at one o’clock, and started for Folkestone by the van, having previously pledged two dresses to pay her fare. She walked from Folkestone to Hythe, and proceeded to the barracks to visit Fletcher, with whom she had been on terms of intimacy for more than a twelve month, although only sixteen years of age. They spent the night together at the "Ordnance Arms," and he stated that he left her there at a quarter before six o’clock in the morning; but no one saw him leave her, nor was she seen there at all afterwards. The jury were very anxious to ascertain if the deceased had been seen by any one after he said he left her, and kept up an enquiry for several hours, without, however, procuring any further evidence. They, therefore, returned a verdict "That Alice White was found drowned in the Royal Military Canal, but there was no evidence to show how she came there."

We have subsequently ascertained that the deceased was seen, by a party of soldiers on their way to rifle practice, at eight o’clock the same morning, sitting on the banks of the canal, near where the body was found, in a dejected state.

Information was forwarded to Canterbury to her parents, who arrived here on Saturday morning, to perform the last sad duty to their unfortunate child.

 

From the England Wales National Probate Calendar Index of Wills 1907

NORRIS George of the "Ordnance Arms" Military Road, Hythe, Kent licenses-victualler died 28 November 1906 at the Victoria hospital, Folkestone. Administration, Canterbury, 29 January to Elizabeth Norris, widow. Effects £194 2s. 6d.

Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald 14 January 1933.

The safe stolen from the "Ordnance Arms Inn," Military Road, Hythe, in the early hours of Friday morning of last week, a burglary reported in the "Herald" the next morning, was later found by a gardener in the garden of a house in Cannongate Avenue, which is near the railway station. It was sent to the Police Station in a station delivery van.

The safe had been ripped open, and all the money, documents, etc., it had contained had been removed.

 

 

LICENSEE LIST

SMALE James 1847-62+ Bagshaw's Directory 1847(CensusPlumber & Publican, Chelsea Pensioner)Melville's 1858Post Office Directory 1862

SMALE Frederick 1874+ Post Office Directory 1874

SORRELL John Sorrell 1881-82+ (age 55 in 1881Census) Post Office Directory 1882

STAPLETON Sarah E 1891+ (widow age 49 in 1891Census)

COLLETT Charles 1899-1903+ Kelly's 1899Kelly's 1903

NORRIS George to 1906 Dec'd

RIDLEY Albert F 1913+ Post Office Directory 1913

SMITH Thomas Henry 1922+ Post Office Directory 1922

BEATON William H 1930-38+ Post Office Directory 1930Kelly's 1934Post Office Directory 1938

MILTON Frank 1967+

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

 

Bagshaw's Directory 1847From Bagshaw Directory 1847

Melville's 1858From Melville's Directory 1858

Post Office Directory 1862From the Post Office Directory 1862

Post Office Directory 1874From the Post Office Directory 1874

Post Office Directory 1882From the Post Office Directory 1882

Kelly's 1899From the Kelly's Directory 1899

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

Post Office Directory 1930From the Post Office Directory 1930

Kelly's 1934From the Kelly's Directory 1934

Post Office Directory 1938From the Post Office Directory 1938

CensusCensus

 

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

TOP Valid CSS Valid XTHML