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17 Reading Road
St. Peter's
01843 863051
http://www.whiteswanbroadstairs.co.uk/
https://whatpub.com/white-swan
Above drawing 1860 by W H Lapthorne. |
Above photo, circa 1900. |
Above colourised postcard, circa 1900. |
 Above photo showing the original building 1902.
An old inn, once owned by the Thompson and Wotton Brewery and frequently
used by smugglers, dating back to the 1700s. Note the effigy of a swan
perched on a pole by the pub’s main door. In 1913 this public house was
extensively rebuilt and today bears no resemblance to the above
photograph taken in 1902. The one-time landlord, William Harlow, also
hired out horses and traps which were in stables situated where the big
tree stands on the left of this photograph. Mr. Harlow’s daughter
recalls her father teaching North Foreland Lodge schoolgirls how to ride
and being called out at all hours of the day to take people by trap to
Broadstairs railway station. |
Above photo taken with permission from
Saunders family web.
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Above photo, October 2009. |
Above beermat, date unknown, kindly sent by Mike L. |
The "White Swan" was rebuilt in 1913 on the site of an ancient inn
dating from 1760. White Swan Cottage, next to the pub, attracted many
visitors to the Reading Street area a century and a half ago, when Waterloo
Cabbages, which reached a height of 20 feet, were grown in the garden.
Locally they were known as Riding Cabbage, and their sturdy stalks were used
by smugglers as coshes, which could inflict a good deal of damage.
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Kentish Gazette, 12 April, 1780.
To be sold by Auction, on Tuesday the 2nd day of May next, about 4
o'clock, at the "Red Lion," in the parish of St. Peter in the Isle
of Thanet, if not sold before by private contract.
Lot 2. A public house known by the sign of the "Swan --------" with
the garden and other appurtenances thereunto belonging, situate at
Reading Street in the same parish, and now in the occupation of John
Parish. The said premises are all freehold, and not subject to any
lease.
Inquire of Mr. Belbey at the "Rose Inn" in Canterbury; or of Mr. Fagg, Attorney at Ramsgate.
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Kentish Gazette 26 March 1802.
On Tuesday last died, Mrs. Parish, landlady, of the "Swan,"
Reading Street, St Peter's in Thanet.
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From the Kentish Chronicle and General Advertiser, 13 July, 1861. Price 1 1/2d.
SUICIDE AT READING STREET, NEAR BROADSTAIRS.
On Tuesday last an inquest was held at the “Swan Inn,” Reading Street,
before W. H. Payn, Esq., Coroner for Dover and the liberties and a
respectable jury, whereof Mr Webster was foreman, on the body or a
labouring man named Sampson James, aged 68 years. A little boy named
Alfred Salver was going to the neighbouring plantation called “Northward
Wood,” to get his father's pony, when he saw James hanging on the branch
of a tree. The deceased had been in the Union for some time, but had
been heard to declare he would not go back. He was inflicted with a
fistula. He had four sons, fishermen, in the village, and had been
assisted at times by them, but his habits were intemperate when he could
get drink. The jury found that he had killed himself while under
temporary insanity.
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From the Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, Saturday 15 July 1905.
NOT SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO JUSTIFY A CONVICTION.
ALLEGED MANSLAUGHTER AT ST. PETER'S, THANET.
John Harold Bing, on bail, was indicted at the Kent Assizes at Maidstone
on Monday for the manslaughter of Charles William Nethersole, at St.
Peter's, Thanet, on February 25th.
The case against the prisoner rested chiefly upon the evidence of a
witness named Baker, who stated that the prisoner and deceased were in
the "White Swan," where they had some words. Witness, who was in the bar
with them, heard the deceased say to prisoner: "We will go outside and
have it out." They left the house and deceased at once pulled off his
coat and wanted to fight the accused. The latter turned to walk away,
whereupon the deceased struck at him. Prisoner then, in self-defence,
struck the deceased in the face, and knocked him down.
In reply to Mr. Grantham, who appeared for the defence, Baker said the
deceased, who was the worse for liquor at the time, was a very
quarrelsome man.
The medical evidence showed that deceased dies from a fracture of the
base of the skull, which might have been caused by a fall.
Inspector Palmer said it was quite true that deceased bore the character
of a very quarrelsome man. Prisoner, on the other hand, was a highly
respectable man.
Mr. Justice Bray did not think the evidence was sufficient to justify a
conviction, and the jury returned a formal verdict of not guilty.
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Dover Express 29 January 1915.
On Saturday, at 6.55 p.m., a taxi-cab, driven by Mr. C. H. Harlow, of
the "White Swan" public-house, Broadstairs, collided with the iron lamp
column near the Buckland Tram Shed (Dover) and fractured it, when taking a wrong
turning on Crabble Hill. The mud-guard of the taxi was damaged, and also
the body of the car.
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Thanet Times, Tuesday 18 May, 1965.
Bill was a "late entry" into the pub trade.
Ten of the 15 years that Mr. Bill Taylor has spent in the
licensed trade have been at the "White Swan," in Reading Street,
Broadstairs.
Mr. Taylor regards himself as a late entry into pub life, having
previously spent 29 years in the Royal Navy.
He joined the Navy as a boy of 15 and by the time he was 16 he
was in China. After 3 years there, he had further spells of overseas
duty in the Mediterranean and on the East Indies Station.
Later in his Service career he became a physical training expert
and when he retired in 1949 he was a commissioned Physical Training
and Welfare Officer.
In his younger days he was a keen hockey player and often played
for the Chatham Division. Later he became a first class umpire as
well as a top soccer referee.
Even at the age of 42 he was still representing the Chatham
Division in field sports.
After leaving the Navy, he was in houses in Gillingham before
moving to Broadstairs. For the past 10 years he has been Broadstairs
representative on the Thanet Licensed Victuallers' Association
committee.
Married, Mr. Taylor has three sons, two of whom are also married
and live in the district.
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LICENSEE LIST
PARISH John 1782+
PARISH Mrs to Mar/1802 dec'd
SMITH George 1840-41+ (age 45 in 1841 )
SILVER Joseph 1851-62+ (age 68 in 1861)
SILVER Edward 1871-74+ (age 57 in 1871)
SILVER Alfred 1881+ (age 57 in 1881)
SILVER Charles 1891-1903+ (age 41 in 1901)
HARLOW William 1911-22+ (age 49 in 1911
HARLOW C H 1934-38+
TAYLOR Bill 1955-65+
https://pubwiki.co.uk/WhiteSwanInn.shtml
From the Kelly's Directory 1903
Census
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