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Deal Road
(West Cliffe near Guston)
01304 204043
http://www.swingate.co.uk/
https://whatpub.com/swingate-inn
Above photo, late 1890s, kindly sent by Sandra Heard. The Gentleman
standing next to the coach third from right with the longish beard is
Thomas Benjamin Reed b. 1836 near Wye, Kent. His family ran a coaching
business out of Birchington/Whistable from late 1800s to early 1900s. |
Above photograph kindly sent to me by Ian Norris and shows the pub circa
1920-30's. |
Above photo 1952.
Creative Commons Licence. |
Above photo, date unknown. |
Thompson & Sons ledger, 1950-1964.
Creative Commons Licence. |
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Above photographs of the Swingate Inn by Paul Skelton 4 August
2007 |
Swingate sign August 1991.
Above with thanks from Brian Curtis
www.innsignsociety.com |
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From the Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports General
Advertiser, Saturday 16 February, 1839. Price 5d.
DOVER POLICE COURT
Thomas Taylor, a vagrant character, who stated that he came from
Bromley, was brought into Dover on Wednesday night, and delivered in
charge of the police, having been detected breaking into a fowl roost,
at the "Gate" public-house, adjoining Beere-pasture, on the Deal road.
Next morning, the prisoner was examined before George Stringer, Esq.,
when as it did not appear that any thing had been stolen, he was
committed as a rogue and vagabond, to two months' imprisonment in the
house of correction, at St. Augustine's.
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From the Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports General
Advertiser, Saturday 12 December, 1840. Price 7d.
A PAIR OF CUT-THROATS.
On Saturday night last or early Sunday morning, while Henry Price, a
policeman, was on duty near the "Dog Kennel," he observed two men
driving a loaded donkey. Suspecting all was not right, he made up to
them with a view of ascertaining what their load contained, and on his
approaching, the men deserted their charge and ran away. He then made
search and discovered a pig weighing 30lbs., with its throat cut, and
two new sacks containing one bushel and a half of potatoes. The names of
the men are Gatehouse and Bean: they are still at large. The pig
belonging to Mr. Marsh, landlord of the "Swing Gate," Guston. The
animal's throat was cut completely across, not at all in the usual way
such brutes are slaughtered. The wives and the families of the accused
parties have left Charlton to join their husbands, which may be the mans
o tracing the delinquents. When the contents were taken from the donkey,
he was set at liberty to find his way home, and went direct, to the
house of the offenders, whose wives were on the watch, with a fire ready
prepared to scald the pig.
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Kentish Gazette, 3 June 1851.
In the afternoon of the same day, as the van of Mr. Stevenson, tea
dealer, of Snargate Street, was returning from Deal, the horse shied at
something about a mile beyond "Swingate Inn," which resulted in the van
being overturned, and a young woman inside being thrown out violently
and much bruised. The driver escaped unhurt.
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South Eastern Gazette02 June 1857.
WESTCLIFF. SUDDEN DEATH.
On Friday last, T. T. Delasaux, Esq., held an inquest at the "Swing
Gate," West Cliff, touching the death of John H. Gibb, of London, who
had been found dead, with a mug lying by the side of him, and in
consequence of which it was reported that he had been poisoned. Evidence
was given allowing that the deceased had been walking near the place
where his dead body was found, about an hour previously, and the medical
testimony was to the effect that death had resulted from disease of the
heart, there being no symptoms at all of any poison having been taken.
The jury therefore returned a verdict of "Natural death."
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From the Borough of Greenwich Free Press, 23 April, 1859.
THE RAMSGATE MURDER. RAMSGATE, Saturday.
By the exertions of the police sufficient light has been thrown upon
this sad occurrence to lead the belief that it is a case not of
murder but of deliberate suicide. It will seem from what follows,
that the object of the deceased was to conceal his identity, and
this would explain almost all the mysterious circumstances connected
with the case.
The deceased landed at Southampton at the end of March from America,
and went to the "Hotel de L'Europe," in that town. He there gave a
name which sounded like "Maitinger." He left Southampton for London
on the 31st of March, and there put up at "Hahn's Hotel,"
America-square. where he remained till the 7th of April. He wore his
left hand in a bondage, and said it had been injured on board ship.
On leaving the house he stated that he was a German, travelling for
pleasure, and that he intended to make the tour of Scotland before
returning to Germany, but must first go to Paris. The people of the
hotel believed him to be a native either of Baden or Wurtemberg.
During his stay he appeared perfectly rational, but on an occasion
when asked to write an address card he said he would do it at once,
as his memory had been very had since he suffered so severely from
brain fever in America. On the 7th of April he left by the South
Eastern Railway for Dover, and as has been already stated, in the
same carriage with Mr. S. Kidd. It has been said that Mr. Kidd
noticed two of the deceased’s finders to be wanting. The fact was,
however, that Mr. Kidd only observed that the fingers were bandaged
— that is to say, concealed, as they were at the hotel in London. On
the 8th, the deceased bought the hatchet at Mr. Green s shop at
Dover, as described, and stated himself to be a Russian. There is
now no doubt that he was a German.
On the same day he went from Dover to Deal by omnibus, and while on
the wav the deceased being the only inside passenger, a German Bible
was thrown or dropped outside the omnibus, and was picked up by a
travelling hawker, who sold it at the "Swingate Inn" adjoining. The
Bible has been examined by the police, and contains no name or
marks. The motive of deceased in getting rid of it was probably
because the possession of the book would have pointed out the
country to which he belonged, and thus have given a clue to his
Identity, for from this time the deceased always declared himself to
be a Russian.
On arriving at Deal the deceased went to the "Walmer Castle Inn,"
stayed there on Friday night, and on Saturday came from Deal to
Ramsgate by train. On arriving at Ramsgate he had his beard and
moustaches shaved off. He then put up at the "Royal Oak." While
there, a gentleman in the coffee-room addressed him in French and in
German but he shook his head saying, "Me Russ, me Russ." On Sunday
he visited Margate, as already described, and after dining at the
"Elephant and Castle" went to the house of Braiser. He then went for
a walk with his carpet-bag under his arm, and returned to the
railway without it. The bag was found near Westbrook empty, and near
it two shirts and a white handkerchief with the marks picked out. He
returned to Ramsgate the same afternoon, and at half-past five
o'clock entered an oyster shop, where he partook of some
refreshment. At a quarter to seven he was at the inn at Broadstairs,
and at a quarter past seven he was seen near Sir Moses Montefiore’s
wall upon the cliff. At a quarter past eight a man whose clothes and
hat (the latter of large size and peculiar shape) exactly resembled
those of the deceased, was seen by a young man named J | |