DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Page Updated:- Monday, 28 March, 2022.

PUB LIST PUBLIC HOUSES Paul Skelton

Earliest 1791-

Red Lion Inn

Latest 1972+

(Name to)

 

Paddlesworth

Red Lion Inn 1909

Above photo, circa 1909, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Red Lion Inn at Paddlesworth 1800's

Believed photograph is in the late 1800's outside the RED LION INN, PADDLESWORTH.

L to R Back Row:- Argur, F Godden, Tom Laws, H Finch, William Gammon

L to R Front Row:- R Mount, William Hogben, William Cross, G Baker.

Red Lion 1920

Above photo, circa 1920, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Red Lion postcard 1956

Above postcard circa 1956, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. Showing licensee Horace Chadwick in bottom left segment.

Red Lion 1961

Above photo, 1961, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

key

The following passage has been taken from their web site:-

Is there any other place where, in order to enter a church, one may first have to enter the adjoining public house? If the church at Paddlesworth is locked, the key may be obtained from the "Red Lion" a few yards away where it hangs on a board beneath an appropriate jingle. In fact the public house is generally known as "The Cat".

On the left of this passage is shown the famous key.

This pub,  changed names to the "Cat and Custard Pot" officially around 1972, but was referred to as the "Old Red Lion" in Bagshaw Directory of 1847. I wonder whether this was built on the foundations of another "Red Lion?" Either that or it indicates that the pub is very old indeed.

Further research shows it was being sold in 1791.

 

 

 

 

 

Kentish Gazette, Tuesday 12 April 1791.

To be sold probably to the highest bidder, on Thursday the 28th day of this instant April, at three o'clock, at the "Ship Inn" in Dover, subject to such conditions as shall be then and they have produced.

A messuage or tenament now used as a public house in full trade, at Paddlesworth aforesaid, called the "Red Lion," with the stables, garden, and one piece of pasture land to the same adjoining, containing by estimation 1 acre, more or less, and now in the occupation of John Sims, tenant at will, at the annual rent of £7.

 

From an email received 22 January 2022.

Hello,

My husband's grandfather was Victor William Hopper who is shown on his baby daughter's (Victoria Kathleen) birth/death certificates as: 'Occupation: of the "Red Lion Inn," Paddlesworth Elham, R.B. Daughter of Victor William Hopper Licensed Victualler'.

The certificates are dated 8th October 1929 and 10th October 1929 respectively.

The family clearly had a turbulent time and Victor died on 8th October 1930 (from Diabetes and bronchitis) in Augusta Gardens, Folkestone. His wife (Elizabeth Louisa) was pregnant when he died and Gordon (my husband's father) was born in Oswald Road, Dover in February 1931. We believe that their 10 year old daughter, Dorothy Louisa, was also living with them at the "Red Lion."

Evidently the family were no longer living in Paddlesworth by October 1930. We are really interested to find out when the family moved to Paddlesworth and when they moved away - presumably sometime late 1929 or early 1930.

Best wishes,

Carolyn and Clare Hopper.

 

LICENSEE LIST

SIMS John 1791+

FOX Robert 1847-58 (also Thatcher)

MUMMERY Thomas 1859-71 (age 48 in 1861Census)

DIXON Robert 1871-99 (also Blacksmith age 43 in 1871Census)

DIXON Anne 1899-1907 (also Blacksmith age 70 in 1901Census) Kelly's 1903

HOGBEN Aubrey & DIXON Stephen 1907-09 (also Blacksmith)

AKEHURST George 1909-13 (age 69 in 1911Census)

RUMSEY Arthur 1913-27

THOMPSON Harry 1927-29+

HOPPER Victor William Oct/1929-8/Oct/30 dec'd

HOPPER Elizabeth Louisa Oct/1930+?

LEWIS Percy Ley 1934-38 Kelly's 1934

PRICE William F 1938-42

COLLINS Charles James 1942-2/July/47 dec'd

COLLINS Mrs (widow) 2/July/47+

CHADWICK Horace 1948-57

HATCH Ernest 1957-69

MAYNE Donald 1969-75

 

The telephone directory of 1972 still listed the pub as the "Red Lion," so I assume it change name shortly after.

 

Kelly's 1903From the Kelly's Directory 1903

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