TWO BREWERS Faversham

DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Sort file:- Faversham, November, 2024.

Page Updated:- Saturday, 30 November, 2024.

PUB LIST

PUBLIC HOUSES

Paul Skelton

Earliest 1745-

Two Brewers Inn

Closed 1965

Quay Lane

Faversham

Above photo, circa 1899, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Above photo, date unknown.

Above photos by Paul Skelton, 1 September 2012.

Abvove photo, date unknown by Andy Johnson.

Above photo, date and names unknown.

Above photo 1950s, Ivy & Bert Vidler front row, 5th & 6th from left.

Although the premises can be traced back to 1774 the present building was rebuilt around the 1900s and continued till about 1965 when it was closed and then operated as a private house.

The earliest record Rory Kehoe can find of the pub is 1745, which puts the ownership of the brewery at the time very much in the hands of the Shepherd family. It appears that the "Two Brewers" was acquired on a short-term lease, rather than as a freehold, which would make sense, as in the 18th century, the brewery did not then extend as far as Quay Lane. Curiously, the name "Two Brewers" occurs in licensing lists prior to 1745, with licensees registered in 1710 (Robert Smith) and 1731 (Susanna Henman) but as no address is available, it's not clear if this is the same "Two Brewers" as the 1745 reference. Jury out on this one at the moment but there is a suggestion that Faversham may have had more than one pub called the "Two Brewers" 300 years ago. (I, Paul Skelton" have reference to a "Two Brewers" located in Tanner Street.")

The short-term lease on the "Two Brewers" appears to have expired c.1760 but as the pub appears in a list of tied houses soon after, it's reasonable to presume that the Shepherds renewed it. Moving then to c.1869, when the pub lease once again expired. At this point, I don't know what happened, as the house next appears as a pub within the tied estate of Flint & Co's St. Dunstan's Brewery, Canterbury. Perhaps Flint's pipped Sheps to the post, or offered the lessor more money? The answer isn't clear at the moment. Also, a bit
rare, are photos of the "Two Brewers" in the latter part of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th. See photo 1899 image.

As is well-documented, Flint's was acquired by Alfred Leney's Dover Brewery in 1923 and only a few years later, Leney's merged with Fremlin's of Maidstone.

Thus, when the "Two Brewers" finally closed its doors in 1965, it was as a Fremlin's house, as was the "Coal Exchange Inn" (now the Quay) just over the road. Sheps purchased the old "Two Brewers" and surrounding properties in the late 60s/early 70s and for many years this part of the brewery formed part of their spirits stores. I'm not entirely sure what's housed in there at the moment.

And to the question of who were the two brewers? Until someone comes up with hard evidence to the contrary, we must surely be looking at either the Shepherd brothers, John and Julius, or perhaps a generation later, Samuel and Henry. Certainly not brothers called Mares, or Neame, as they came on the scene many years after the "Two Brewers" was named.

One small anecdote about the "Two Brewers" is that it was kept by a James Lillee in the very early years of the 20th century. He later emigrated to Perth, Western Australia and some 60 years later, his grandson Dennis used England players as useful moving targets in various Ashes Test Matches.

Reference to Messrs. Tappenden and Abbott as licensees were actually freeholders/lessors of the "Two Brewers" and let the building to others who ran the pub. Previous to Messrs. Tappenden and Abbott the premises was owned/leased out by Michael Jones, carpenter and builder.

I've no hard evidence yet but it's reasonable to presume that the freehold was purchased at the expiry of the lease c.1869. It is, of course, just as possible that Flint's leased the pub and at a later date (between c.1869 and c.1900) acquired the freehold from the lessors. After all, why would Flint's demolish/rebuild a pub they didn't own?

A reference in 1935 suggests that the "Two Brewers" was considered for closure on grounds of redundancy but was fortunately reprieved. It was closed by Fremlin's in 1965, probably due to fact that they owned many other pubs in Faversham. By the mid-60s Fremlin's tied estate included pubs which had previously been owned by Flint's/Leney's, as well as the Faversham-based George Beer & Rigden's.

From the Kentish Gazette, 25 June 1839.

DEATH.

June 15, at Faversham, aged 24, Mr. W. Punyer, landlord of the "Two Brewers," leaving a young widow with a blind infant.

Kentish Gazette, 18 June 1844.

DEATH.

June 7, at Faversham, Rebecca, widow of Mr. John Gibbs, many years landlord of the "Two Brewers, aged 90.

Kentish Gazette, 6 April 1852.

About three o'clock in the morning of Monday last, the inmates of the "Two Brewers" public-house were alarmed by the discovery of fire, which had not fortunately got much hold, and was, therefore, soon subdued. The policeman on duty went to call up one of the lodgers by appointment, and fancying his summons was not duly attended to, lingered near the spot, when his attention was excited to a crackling noise that fortunately led to an early discovery. The number of lodgers sleeping over head had a narrow escape from imminent peril, as they might have been suffocated.

Faversham Gazette, 14 June, 1856.

Suicide.

On Wednesday last, an inquest was held at the Guildhall, before Jas. Tassell, Esq., Coroner, on the body of a man named Joseph Elliott, who had drowned himself in the Creek, on the previous evening.

The first witness who was examined was Stephen Godden, who deposed as follows:— I am a labourer, residing at Faversham. Yesterday evening, between five and six, I was on the bridge over the old Creek, opposite Foreman's Hard. A man came up and asked me how deep the water was? I told him about four feet and a half. It was high water. He made answer that it would do, and walked across the bridge. I saw him walk up and down the bridge two or three times — I looked round, and all at once lost sight of him. I was about ten rods off from him. I don’t recollect how he was dressed, he asked me where the deepest part was, and I told him.

James Searle, of the Beresford Coast Guard Station, said, I was coming up the Creek, on the Faversham side, between five and six last evening, I heard a heavy splash in the water; but as there were persons bathing lower down, I did not pay much attention to it. I walked on for about two or three minutes, when I came abreast of the bridge over the old Creek; I there saw a man in the water, and that he was in a drowning state. I went to the Standard and got a boat, but when I got to the place I found the body had sunk. I could see that the man who was in the water, was bald on the top of the head. I have seen the deceased and believe he was the man. It was about high water. I sounded the bottom, and found that there was not more than about four feet of water, except in the place where I saw deceased, and there was there, I believe, six feet, for about three feet wide, I could see that he had his clothes on.

George Jemmett, of Preston, next Faversham, dredger, said, I found the body of the deceased yesterday evening, in the old Creek, about twelve feet from the bridge. He was then quite dead.

Amy Millstead, of Faversham, widow, deposed:- I knew the deceased; I lived in the same house with him. I was at home with him at one o’clock. I went home about that time. I found him sitting in a chair in the lower room, with a rope round his neck, fastened to a large nail in the ceiling. He had not time, I believe, to hang himself. He said to me, “what have you come home a’ready." I asked him what he was doing of, and took the rope off his neck, and from the ceiling. He said he was not doing anything. I told him I had great trouble, and that if he did not promise me that he would not do so any more I would speak to Orpin, and have him taken away. He appeared, after that, to be comfortable — we remained at home until three o’clock, when we came out together. He went up White Horse-lane, and I went down Delo’s-lane. I did not see him afterwards. He has been in the habit of working at Mr. Hall’s, as a bricklayer’s labourer, or any other work. He was brought home in a fit about three weeks since, and he has not appeared right since. He has drank a good deal since. He has been with me six months, and he asked me to be married to him last Michaelmas. I did not promise him. I told him I was going to move, and he knew I had given notice. I was going to Mr. Owen’s, on the Brents. I have never had words with him; and he told me he had got lodgings at the "Two Brewers." He had been drinking all the week, and was drunk on Sunday and Monday, but appeared a little better yesterday. I am not aware that there was any difference in him, further than that since his last fit he had taken to drinking. I gave the rope to Mr. Orpin. He paid me two shillings and sixpence a week for lodgings, and slept in the lower room. I went down West-street with him yesterday, because I had to go that way. He had never told me that he thought of making away with himself.

James Allison, of Faversham, labourer, said:— I was in company with the deceased on Sunday night last, and he said he was uneasy in his mind, and that he wished he was dead. He was a little 'freshy.' I did not ask him what it was that caused his uneasiness.

This being the whole of the evidence that could be obtained to throw any light upon the cause of this rash act, the Coroner proceeded to direct the attention of the jury to the distinction it was necessary to draw between an act of this kind committed wilfully and deliberately, while in the possession of reason, and that done under the influence of temporary derangement. The jury after a few minutes consideration returned a verdict "That the deceased Joseph Elliott destroyed himself in a fit of temporary insanity."

From the Kentish Chronicle 24, December 1859.

FAVERSHAM FIRE.

On Sunday morning, about three o’clock, a fire occurred at the "Two Brewers" public-house. It was discovered by Mrs. Richard, the landlady, who on opening the door of her bedchamber, observed the house filled with smoke. About the same time police-constable Coe discovered it and roused up the neighbours. It was found to proceed from a bed-room occupied by three lodgers—two of them working at the cement mills—and all three of them in bed at the time. By the exertions of the police and the people of the house, the fire was put out after some damage to the beds and furniture in the rooms.

From a book titled Quaint Signs of Olde Inns, by G. J. Monson-Fitzjohn, B.Sc. 1926.

TWO BREWERS. Canterbury, Whitstable, Bromley, Maidstone, Sandwich, Faversham, Dartford, Rochester, etc.

See "Jolly Brewers," which has been the original title and sign.

JOLLY BREWERS. Many towns.

The name has often been changed to the "Two Brewers," the latter title being more in keeping with the sign, which shows two men carrying a barrel slung from a pole, the end of which rests on their shoulders. It is difficult to see why they should be termed "jolly" unless it was anticipation prior to realisation!