ROSE IN BLOOM Pubs of Seasalter

DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Page Updated:- Tuesday, 12 December, 2023.

PUB LIST

PUBLIC HOUSES

Paul Skelton

Earliest 1860-

Rose in Bloom

Open 2020+

69 (12 in 1881) Joy Lane

Seasalter

01227 276502

http://www.roseinbloom.co.uk/

https://whatpub.com/rose-in-bloom

Above photo, pre 1898 showing the original "Rose in Bloom", also named as Cliff Cottage" which was probable known as the "Cliff Beerhouse." Kindly sent by Brian Hadler.

Above photo 1913 showing the pub being built by builder Thomas Porter, kindly supplied by Brian Hadler.

Above photo, 1940s.

Above photo, 1966, kindly sent by Bob Le-Roi.

Above pictures taken from www.beerintheevening.com 2014.

Above Google image 2019.

Above sign, April 1986.

With thanks from Brian Curtis www.innsignsociety.com.

Above aluminium card issued June 1951. Sign series 3 number 29.

Information taken from their web site March 2018.

The Rose in Bloom was built in 1861 and was originally a weather board cottage which stood where the car park is today. The Inn was positioned on a pathway which led from the beach between Seasalter and Whitstable to Scab’s Acre and served the needs of many smugglers.

Scab’s Acre was later destroyed by the railway cutting, but the start of the route can clearly be seen on Turner’s famous painting of Whitstable.

In 1898, Mackeson’s, the Hythe brewer, purchased the property and started to build the current “Rose In Bloom” alongside the old alehouse.

The original alehouse was converted into the private dwelling called “Treetops”, but was demolished in the 1930’s. The “Rose In Bloom” took its name from one of the best known Bawley boats which was engaged in fishing in the famous “Pollard” oyster beds, which belonged to the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury.

The freehold of the pub is now (2018) owned by Enterprise Inns. During the last fifteen years it has diversified into a successful pub and restaurant business run with care, commitment and dedication by Landlord Steve Prigg.

Information supplied by Stuart Axford 2023.

The accepted story is that the somewhat unusually named “Rose in Bloom” takes its name from a bawley boat which was engaged in fishing the Pollard oyster beds off the coast of Seasalter. The pub was originally a weatherboard cottage, also known as Cliffe Cottage, built some time prior to 1860 and standing adjacent to where the car park of the present pub is currently located on a site now occupied by a house called “Somerset”.

In its early days, the pub seems to have had a connection with the Seasalter smuggling fraternity, and a reputation for out of hours drinking. Its first known landlord, Stephen Hunt had previously been the landlord of the "Red Lion Inn" in Blean between 1841 and at least 1851. The first report of him in Seasalter seems to be in the role of customer rather than publican – a newspaper report of 29th January 1856 states his address as “the Ship, Seasalter” and reports a story of him being so drunk as to be incapable while driving a horse and cart. He blocked one person from passing and ran over another injuring them. It seems that either the "Ship" was an earlier name for the "Rose in Bloom," or that Hunt was landlord of another, otherwise unrecorded, pub in Seasalter prior to taking the "Rose in Bloom." The earliest reference to him as the landlord of the "Rose in Bloom" is in the census of 1861.

Stephen Hunt was prosecuted for serving alcohol out of hours in 1860, 1861, 1863, 1869, 1871 and 1872 and had his application for renewal of his license refused in 1865, 1871 and 1884 on the basis of it being a poorly run beer-house with a history of total disregard for the licensing laws. Reports of the time describe how spies were routinely put on watch to warn of the approach of police. One wonders how he ever managed to renew his licence, and can only speculate that the fact that his nearest captive population were the coastguard officers and the men of the Royal Naval Reserve stationed at the nearby Battery counted in his favour. Certainly his appeal in 1871 was successful largely on account of the testimony of the coastguard officers as to his good character. By 1884 (at which point, Hunt was described as 80 years old, but according to the census returns some years short of that), the family license was only maintained by virtue of his daughter Elizabeth Ann Hunt applying for a transfer. Elizabeth then ran the pub for at least a further twelve years.

By at least 1899, the landlord was one Thomas Sydenham. On 17th May 1910, the inquest was held at the "Rose in Bloom" (with local artist Dan Sherrin as the foreman of the jury) into the death of Thomas Sydenham. His widow reported that he was worried about the business, and worried about the sheep. The jury returned a verdict of suicide by taking carbolic acid whilst temporarily insane. His widow Elizabeth took over the licence briefly before it was transferred to Ernest William Gray on 3rd September 1910.

At one time owned by Johnsons of Canterbury, the property was purchased by Hythe brewers Mackeson’s in 1898, who built the present pub alongside the old alehouse. The original building was converted into a private house called “Tree Tops”, but was demolished in the 1940s. Mackesons, the then owner, was taken over by Whitbread in 1929, and indeed the pub featured in the third series of Whitbread pub sign cards released in June 1951. The pub continued under Whitbread’s ownership until they pulled out of the brewery business in 2001 and sold most of its pub estate. Since then, it has been owned and operated by Enterprise Inns.

I am not sure whether the article that appeared in the Canterbury Journal of 1860 has an error in the name of the house, or whether the pub web site is in error. Perhaps it is actually a different building. The pubs web says it was built in 1861, yet this was a year earlier. The licensee is the same Stephen Hunt, but the names "Rose and Crown" and "Rose in Bloom" are both used. Perhaps indeed the name changed under his rule. Further research needed to sort this one out.

Further research tells me that this is another error by the local newspaper reporter and that the house was actually the "Rose in Bloom. I am also led to believe that the house has also been referred to as the "Cliff Beerhouse," again, the reporter there got the licensees name wrong as well. However, Stuart Axford points out that the census of 1871 identified the "Rose in Bloom" as "Cliff Cottage," so I will say that they are indeed one and the same.

The census of 1891 indicates that the pub was situated close to the coastguard station.

South Eastern Gazette, 15 May, 1860.

WHITSTABLE. Charge against a Beerhouse Keeper.

On Saturday last, Stephen Hunt, the keeper of a beer-house at Seasalter, was charged before the county justices, at St. Augustine’s petty sessions, with having drawn beer before the hour of half-past 12 on Sunday morning, the 29th April.

P.C. Smith, K.C.C., deposed that he was passing a stable belonging to defendant, in which he saw two men, who had some money in their hands. Thinking they were going to pay for some beer, witness (who was in private clothes) passed on as if he was going away. He then saw the defendant go into the stable, and witness immediately followed him. He asked the defendant if he had drawn any beer that morning, and he replied that he had not. Witness then looked into a manger, behind where the two men were standing, and there found a quart bottle, concealed under some straw, containing beer. In reply to witness, defendant said he knew nothing about the beer, but he thought the men had taken it there. The men told witness that they took the beer there on Saturday night, having got it from the "Rose and Crown." The constable ultimately inquired at the "Rose and Crown," and he was informed that the statement of the men was incorrect, and that they had just been and requested the landlord to say that they took the beer from his house. Superintendent Walker here applied to the bench to adjourn the case for a week, in order that he might get witnesses from the "Rose and Crown."

The case was accordingly adjourned.

Canterbury Journal, Kentish Times and Farmers' Gazette, Saturday 19 May 1860.

Whitstable. Charge Against a Beer House Keeper.

On Saturday last, Stephen Hunt, the keeper of a beer house, at Seasalter, was charged before the county justices, at St. Augustine's petty sessions, with having drawn beer before the hour of 12:30 on Sunday morning, 29th April.

P.C. Smith, K.C.C., deposed that he was passing a stable belonging to defendant, in which he saw two men, who had some money in their hands. Thinking they were going to pay for some beer, witness who was in private clothes passed on as if going away. He then saw the defendant going to the stable, and witness immediately followed him. He asked defendant if he had drawn any beer that morning, and he replied that he had not. Witness then looked into a manger, behind where the two men was standing, and there found a quart bottle, concealed under some straw, containing beer. In reply to witness, defendant said he knew nothing about the beer, but he thought the men had taken it there. The men told witness that they took the beer there on Saturday night, having got it from the "Rose and Crown." The constable ultimately enquired at the "Rose and Crown," and he was informed that this statement of the men was incorrect, and that they had just been and requested the landlord to say that they took the beer from his house.

Superintendent Walker here applied to the bench to adjourn the case for a week, in order that he might get witnesses from the "Rose and Crown."

The case was accordingly adjourned.

South Eastern Gazette, 22 May, 1860.

Charge against a Beer-shop Keeper.

At the St. Augustine’s petty sessions, on Saturday last, the adjourned charge against Stephen Hunt, beer-shop keeper of Seasalter, for having his house open for the sale of beer, before half-past 12 on Sunday, the 29th April, was further heard. The landlord of the "Rose and Crown" was now called, and proved that no one took any beer from his house either on the Saturday night or Sunday morning in question, as stated by defendant.

The defendant called a witness named Thomas Carter, who deposed that he went to the defendant’s house about seven o’clock on the night of the 28th of April and called for a pint of beer, when the landlady said she had not got any beer to draw, and the daughter returned from Daniels’ brewhouse, and told her mother that they could not have any more till Monday. The defendant also handed in a paper he had received from the brewer (Daniels), after perusing which the bench dismissed the case. Defendant asked if he could not be allowed his expenses, but the Bench declined to grant them.

From the Kentish Chronicle, 26 May, 1860.

BEER-HOUSE OFFENCES.

Stephen Hunt, the keeper of a beer-house at Seasalter, was charged, on remand, with selling liquor during the prohibited hours on Sunday, the 28th April. As the evidence was somewhat inconclusive the Bench dismissed the case.

From the Kentish Chronicle and General Advertiser, 2 November, 1861. Price 1 1/2d.

ST. AUGUSTINE’S PETTY SESSIONS.

Stephen Hunt, the keeper of a beer-house at Seasalter, was charged with having company drinking in his house at half-past twelve on Sunday the 20th October instant. The defendant pleaded guilty, and Superintendent Walker informed the bench that the house in question was badly conducted and that the defendant had been previously convicted of a similar offence.

The Magistrates fined the defendant £3, and 8s. expenses, and in default of payment, a distress warrant to issue.

Canterbury Journal, Kentish Times and Farmers' Gazette, Saturday 28 June 1884.

St Augustine's Petty Sessions. Whitstable Infringement of the Licensing Act.

Stephen Hunt, landlord of the "Rose in Bloom" beer house, Seasalter, with summoned for having on Sunday June 15th, kept his house open for the sale of intoxicating liquors. Mr. R. M. Mercer appeared for the defence.

Police-constable Kelway said that in consequence of instructions received from Superintendent Wood, he left Herne Street at 1 a.m. on June 15th, and went to Whitstable. He was joined by Police-constable Mullard. They went to Seasalter and concealed themselves under some sheep pens. They saw some men named Web, Hoplus, Dunn, Putwain, Maddam, Rowden, Sheppard, Hook, Olive, and Gambrill, and some others go into the house. Hoplus came out wiping his mouth. (A laugh.) Mr. Mercer, for the defense, pleaded for a mitigated penalty on account of defendants age and his long occupation of a house.

Superintendent Wood said that there were three previous convictions against defendant, the last being in 1872, when his licence was indorsed.

Fined £5 and 12s. costs, the licence to be endorsed.

From the Canterbury Journal, Kentish Times and Farmers' Gazette, 12 July 1884.

SEASALTER. ROBBERY DOWN.

John Hoplus, an old man, pleaded guilty to being at the "Rose in Bloom" beerhouse, Seasalter, during prohibited hours on Sunday. June 15th. Defendant was one of the batch of sixteen found at the house. When he appeared in court last week he was drunk, and the magistrates told him to come again to-day. He now appeared to be sobered down. He was fined 5s. and 11s. costs.

From the Canterbury Journal, Kentish Times and Farmers' Gazette, 12 July 1884.

WHITSTABLE. — ASSAULT.

Thomas Rigden, of Whitstable, was summoned for assaulting Thomas Edward Hook. Defendant appeared, and said that complainant did not appear, and admitted that he was to blame for the row. Superintendent Wood said complainant was a troublesome old man, and was convicted for drinking on Sunday at the "Rose in Bloom" beerhouse. It appeared that defendant had paid complainant 10s., and he was further ordered to pay 1s. costs.

Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, Saturday 13 September 1884.

ST. AUGUSTINE’S PETTY SESSIONS, Saturday.

Before T. G. Peckham, Esq. (in the chair), B. E. Thomson. O. C, Waterfteld, and A. F. Walah, Esqrs.

BREWSTER SESSION.

The annual licensing session was held to-day. Superintendent Wood handed in the following report:—Gentlemen, — Appended hereto is a list of ale and beerhouses and grocers and others licensed to sell spirits, wine, and beer within the division; and I beg most respectfully to report that, with two exceptions, they have been very well conducted. The exceptions are the "Prince of Wales" public-house, Herne Bay, kept by James Harnett, who was convicted and fined in December last for permitting gaming on his licensed premises. The house has been well conducted since. The other is the "Rose in Bloom" beer-house at Seasalter, kept by Stephen Hunt, who was convicted and fined £5 and his licence endorsed on the 21st June last for Sunday trading during prohibited hours, and, having been previously convicted, I have served him with a notice of my intention to oppose the renewal of his licence. There are 101 ale houses, 35 beerhouses, and 11 grocers and others licensed to sell spirits, &c. During the year there have been 27 convictions for drunkenness and drunk and disorderly conduct, this being a decrease of 23 from last year. I have the honour to be, gentlemen, your most obedient servant, J. Wood. Superintendent.

Superintendent Wood opposed the renewal of the licence of the "Rose in Bloom" (Seasalter) to Stephen Hunt. He said that in June last Hunt was convicted for serving a number of people during prohibited hours, and was then fined £5 and costs and his licence endorsed. He had been two or three times cautioned. He was convicted in 1861, in 1869, and in 1872. His licence was endorsed once before, and in 1871 he was summoned, but dismissed with a caution. In answer to Mr. Mercer (who appeared for the owners of the house), Superintendent Wood said that Hunt was 80 years of age. The house had been well conducted since June.

Mr. Mercer said that Hunt had not been convicted for many years until June last, and then he was sufficiently punished by the heavy fine imposed by the Bench. Hunt had had his daughter home, who was now looking after him, and who would see that the house was properly conducted.

The Chairman said that the case heard in June last was a very bad one.

Mr. Mercer, finding the Beach indisposed to grant a renewal, said the owners would be willing to find a new tenant, and on this understanding the case was ordered to stand over until the adjourned licensing day.

Mr. Mercer applied, for the fifth successive year, for a spirit licence for the "Rose Inn," close to the railway station at Sturry. Mr. M. Mowll opposed on behalf of the owners of another house in the village (the "Swan"), which is fully licensed. Mr. Mercer spoke at some length, and mentioned that the house belonged to Messrs. G. Beer and Co, who had done it up and made it look the smartest house in Sturry. He also produced memorials signed by the Rev. P. B. Collings, the Vicar of Sturry, Mr. W. L. Rammell, Colonel Cox, Mr. W. G. Pidduck, Mr. W. D. Young, Mr. T. Wotton, and others; also by nearly all tbe occupiers of the new houses on the Ramsgate-road. It was also stated that the "Rose" was doing a good trade, selling two barrels of beer a week and one barrel of ale a fortnight.

Mrs. Adley gave evidence, and stated that she received seven or eight applications a day for spirits.

Mr. Martyn Mowll said there were only 1,300 people living in the parish of Sturry, and it seemed hardly probable that 2,000 or 3,000 applications would be received in the course of a year. There were ten licensed houses in the pariah, five being fully licensed houses and five beer-houses. There were in the village four public-houses, three of which were fully licensed. The "Red Lion" was now to let, and that showed what the state of the trade was.

Eventually the application was refused, the Bench being of opinion that no grounds other than those urged on previous occasions had been put forward in support of the application.

Canterbury Journal, Kentish Times and Farmers' Gazette, Saturday 4 October 1884.

St. Augustine's Petty Sessions. Saturday. Licensing Business.

At the annual licensing meeting the renewal of the licence of the "Rose in Bloom" beer house, Seasalter, was adjourned, the tenant and old man named Hunt having been convicted for Sunday trading.

Mr. R. M. Mercer now applied for the transfer of a licence to Hunt's daughter, saying that Mr. Webb, the agent for the case for the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, had arranged to take the daughter as their tenant in place of the old man.

The Bench granted the transfer.

From the Whitstable Times and Tankerton Press, Saturday 12 April 1930.

The “on” wine licence granted by the St. Augustine’s Justices in respect of the "Rose in Bloom," Seasalter, was confirmed. Mr. Rutley Mowll appeared to make the application, and said that evidence was given to the Justices that there was a real need for this licence.

Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, Saturday 30 October 1937.

WHAT A WHITSTABLE LICENSEE SAW.

FAVERSHAM LADY MOTORIST FINED AT CHATHAM.

At the Chatham and County Petty Sessions, on Monday, Mrs. Nora Honor Johnston, of Mountfleld, Hernhill, Faversham, was summoned for having failed to give free passage to a pedestrian at a crossing at High Street, Rainham, on October 5th.

Alec James Grant, licensee of the "Rose in Bloom," Whitstable, told the magistrates, that he was sitting at the window of a house at Rainham when the incident occurred. Defendant’s car caused a woman to fall down on her hands and knees.

Mrs. Johnston pleaded that the woman in question turned back when she had reached the centre of the road.

Defendant was fined £1. the Chairman (Mr. G. C. Swain) remarking: "You will know another time that you must stop at these pedestrian crossings."

From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Sean Axtell, 18 December 2019.

One-man Whitstable crimewave targeted Hotel Continental, Rose in Bloom, Chocolate Box and Whitstable Nursing Home.

A one-man crimewave went on a nine-month rampage of burglaries, robbery and violence as he wreaked havoc across a seaside town.

Christopher Green, 25, targeted homes, hotels, pubs and shops during his prolonged offending spree in Whitstable.

He even attacked a newsagent, hurled a rock at a terrified woman and snatched the glasses off the face of a man in the street.

Judge Mark Weekes today jailed Green for five years, telling him the residents and businesses of Whitstable could "do with a break" from his prolific offending.

Canterbury Crown Court heard the crime spree began when Green crept into a home in Wavecrest and stole keys to a Porsche 911, which he drove off in.

A fortnight later he trespassed into a home intending to steal, in Beacon House, Tankerton Beach. He was also caught committing another burglary and committing criminal damage.

Some eight months would pass during which, according to the court, no crimes were committed.

But Green’s offending turned frenetic in August this year.

Over 48 hours he burgled three homes, fraudulently used bank cards on three occasions, and ripped a till off the counter in the "Hotel Continental" in Beachwalk.

Green then trained his sights on the "Rose In Bloom" pub in Joy Lane, but failing to gain access he burgled the Whitstable Nursing Home in Westcliff.

When he tried using a victim’s bank card in the Chocolate Box newsagents in Old Bridge Road the owner gave chase.

However, Green threw a can of drink at his head and punched him before fleeing.

Cycling, he struck and snatched spectacles from George Holdsworth’s face, leaving the man “dazed” by the seafront two days later.

The court heard one burglary victim heard smashing from downstairs, looked out of the window and shouted at Green to leave.

“He did not leave, instead he threw a rock at her,” Prosecutor Caroline Knight said.

Green, who has 16 convictions for 28 offences, was on bail and serving a suspended prison sentence at the time of his crimewave.

The offences were largely carried out at night, a factor Judge Weekes deemed “aggravating”.

Green insisted in court he heard voices, people were following him, and repeatedly spoke unintelligibly to a judge, but a psychiatrist ruled the 25-year-old mentally fit, albeit lonely.

Mitigating, Paul Hogben explained the report deemed Green’s behaviour a cry for help, carried out by an isolated man with an unhealthy attachment with mental health services.

Green, of no fixed abode, admitted 16 fresh counts including burglary, robbery, fraud, assault and theft offences.

Jailing Green, Judge Weekes said: “Safe to say that the residents and business owners of Whitstable could do with a break from you and your activities, many of these offences are unpleasant, many would have caused great distress."

PC Mike Kingwell, who was part of the team working on the case, said: "I hope Christopher Green realises his offending has consequences.

"Behind his crimes are victims who not only have had the inconvenience of losing their belongings, but also had to come to terms with the unsettling intrusion into their home or personal space through Green’s actions.

"I expect a lot of people in Whitstable will be looking forward to Christmas, knowing Green will be unable to cause any more upset to the community."

LICENSEE LIST

HUNT Stephen 1860-27/Oct/84 (beer retailer age 73 in 1881) (Beer Retailer)