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4 (7) Old Dover Road
Canterbury
Above photo, circa 1901, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. At the time this
photo was taken, the pub was advertising itself as a Flint & Son's, St.
Dunstan's Brewery, tied house. When they changed to being a Rigden's
house isn't yet known but it must have been only a couple of years after
this photograph was taken. |
Above photo 1906, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above photo 1910, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above photo 1910, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. Picture taken from
Rhodaus Town, towards Upper Bridge Street, which shows just how narrow
the roads were then, at the intersection with the Old Dover Road. |
Above photo, 1912, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above postcard, 1927, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. Showing a Mayoral
procession, possibly as part of the traditional Beating of the Bounds
during Rogation Week. |
Above photo 1930, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above photo taken from
http://www.machadoink.com who says the house on the right was called
the Limes and was destroyed by bombing in 1942. |
Above photo, 1943, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above photo 1944, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe, who says "the pub was
damaged several times in the period 1941/43 and part of its roof was
taken down. In addition, the Riding Gate lost its neighbours (cottages
between the pub and city wall) and the Limes (large house) but after
being repaired, was able to continue to trade. The licensee was still
Alfred Banham in 1949 (Kelly's) but I'm not sure if he was there to pull
the last pint in the early 1950s. Incidentally, I've seen the Riding
Gate listed as 7 rather than 4. It may be that both are correct, since
there would have been post-WW2 street re-numbering. |
Above photo showing the "Riding Gate Inn," circa 1951.
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January 1955. Workmen demolish the "Riding gate Inn", which was damaged
in the war and used after as a lock-up. |
Another one taken at the same time showing the demolition in progress. Kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
August 1962. Rebuilt after bomb damage in the war, this 20-yard section
of the city wall near Riding Gate collapse. |
Above photo shows the same shot from Google March 2009. |
Above photo, August 2017, kindly taken and sent by Rory Kehoe. |
The pub was damaged in the 1942 Baedeker raid and the neighbouring house
completely destroyed and unfortunately the pub was demolished in
1955 to make way for the Ridging Gate Roundabout.
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From the Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald. 14 September 1867. Price 1d.
ANNUAL LICENSING DAY.
New licenses were granted to the following houses:— "Riding Gate Inn," Dover-road. |
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From the Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald. 10 February 1900. Price 1d.
A PUBLICAN FOUND INTOXICATED.
Francis Lewis Sandy, landlord of the “Riding Gate Inn,” was summoned for
being drunk on his licensed premises on January 21st. Defendant pleaded guilty. Superintendent Farmery said that Sergt. Strain and P.C. West visited the
house at 6.30 on the day in question and found the defendant there drunk.
The brewers were going to make a change as soon as possible. The Bench imposed a fine of 10s. and 10s. 6d costs. |
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From the Whitstable Times, 18 January, 1902.
DEATH PROM CONSUMPTION.
The City Coroner (Dr. T. S. Johnson) held an inquest at the “Riding Gate
Inn,” Canterbury, on Monday, touching the death of Benjamin Dossett, aged
25, a compositor.
William Thomas Hopton, landlord of the “Riding Gate Inn,” Old Dover Road,
stated that he had known the deceased for about three years as he had lodged
with witness at Canterbury and before he came to Canterbury at Folkestone.
The deceased had been consumptive and had been in many hospitals to he
treated. He seemed a little worse on Saturday evening when he went to bed.
On Sunday morning, when witness went up to the deceased’s room at 10
o’clock, he found him dead. The deceased had been in the habit of taking
Congreve’s Cough Cure.
Mr. Walter G. Austin stated that deceased had worked for him as a printer.
He had not been in good health.
Dr. Sworn stated that he was called to see the deceased on the previous day
at the request of the Coroner. He had apparently been dead some few hours.
He examined him and found the probable cause of death to be heart failure
from loss of blood, which was most likely haemorrhage from the lungs due to
consumption.
The Jury returned a verdict accordingly.
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From an email received 14 June 2014.
My grandfather Mr. Alfred Banham had this pub in 1938.
I am now eighty year old.
I remember him telling me he had a Parrot in the pub, and it was
raided by the police because they thought there was after hours drinking
going on. But it turned out to be the parrot who could make the sound of
tickling glasses. Thought this was quite amusing as a child....
I would also like to add, My grandfather Banham unfortunately lost a
leg in the bombing of Canterbury, not sure if he was still living in the
pub at the time.
Mrs. P Amelia Devoy. Nee Banham. |
LICENSEE LIST
WHITE William 1868-74+ (age 37 in 1871 )
 
WHIDDETT George 1881-82+ (age 58 in 1881)
SNELL Samuel 1889+
BECKETT Thomas 1891+
SANDY Francis Lewis 1900+
HOPTON William Thomas 1902-03+
 
PALMER Henry 1913-17+
OWENS Rodney J 1922-30+
 
BANHAM Alfred 1938-49+
https://pubwiki.co.uk/RidingGateInn.shtml
Greens
Canterbury Directory 1868
From the Post Office Directory 1874
Census
From the Post Office Directory 1882
From the Post Office Directory 1891
From the Post Office Directory 1903
From the Kelly's Directory 1903
From the Post Office Directory 1913
From the Post Office Directory 1922
From the Post Office Directory 1930
From the Post Office Directory 1938
Historic
Canterbury web site www.machadoink.com
Whitstable
Times and Herne Bay Herald
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