WHITEHALL Pubs of Shephedswell

DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Page Updated:- Sunday, 28 August, 2022.

PUB LIST

PUBLIC HOUSES

Paul Skelton

Earliest 1845-

Whitehall

Latest 1989

Eythorne Road

Shepherdswell

Above photo circa 1905, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. Showing licensee Ernest E Pitcher.

Above photo circa 1905, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. Showing licensee Ernest E Pitcher. Showing the west side of the pub.

Above photo, circa 1913, including licensee Ernest E Pitcher, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Above postcard circa 1919, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Above photo circa 1951, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Above matchbox, circa 1974, kindly sent by John Gladish.

Above photo kindly submitted by L Flynn. Dated 1987.

Above photograph of the former Whitehall by Paul Skelton 4 August 2007.

Above photo, 2020, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

From the Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports General Advertiser, Saturday, 8 February, 1845. Price 5d.

TO LET

A Genteel Residence, called “White Hall,” with a Coach-house, Stable, and Garden attached.

For further particulars, enquire of Mr. G. Potter, Sibertswold.

The railway wasn't opened through Shepherdswell till between 1858 and 1859.

In 1874 the pub was called the "Whitehall Inn & Station Hotel", its location being a few hundred yards from the train station.

At one time home of the Whitehall Spartans Football team, taking their name from the pub. Unfortunately the pub was closed in 1989, but the team moved on up the road and is now playing at the "Bricklayers Arms".

This pub is said to have been quite famous at one time for its range of death masks, according to Jenny Bushell of the "Bell" in Shepherdswell.

Kentish Chronicle 12 September 1863.

WINGHAM PETTY SESSIONS.

Thursday. Mr. Greenhow, solicitor, of Dover, applied to the Bench to grant a spirit licence to Mr. John Knott, of the "Whitehall Inn," Shepherdswell. He presented a petition in favour of the application, signed by the vicar, churchwardens, and overseers of the parish, and stated that the inn was in close proximity to the railway station and was much used by travellers. No one appeared substantially to oppose the application, but the landlord of the "Bricklayers' Arms" was questioned by the magistrates, and stated that no other licensed house was required, for he could do more business if he had it. The application, however, was granted.

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 15 October, 1869.

FOSTER v. CARD

Mr. W. Foster, late of the "Whitehall Inn," Shepherdswell, sued Mr. C. Card, the present keeper of the "Whithall Inn," to recover certain theatrical scenery.

Mr. Minter was for plaintiff and Mr. Fox for defendant.

By consent of both parties the cause was adjourned till the next Court, it being arranged that defendant in the meantime should restore the goods, and pay the costs of the Court.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 12 June, 1874. Price 1d.

WINGHAM PETTY SESSIONS

Galape Kard was summoned for having kept his house, the “Whitehall Inn,” Shepherdswell, open during prohibited hours of the 9th may last.

Fined £1 and costs; the conviction not to be endorsed on his license.

Mary Elizabeth Garlinge and Mary Ann Greenway, charged with being on the above premised during prohibited hours, were each fined 1s., costs 8s.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday 15 February, 1878

CHARGE AGAINST A PUBLICAN

Henry Ells, landlord of the “Whitehall Inn,” Shepherdswell, was summoned for keeping his house open during prohibited hours, on the 16th January.

Mr. Mowll of Dover, appeared for the defendant.

Police-constable Bailey said about a quarter past 10 o'clock on the evening of the day named he saw two men, named George Davey and Henry Beecham enter the defendant's house. He listened at the bar-parlour window and heard Davey call out “three of brandy” and Beecham for a pint of ale. He heard some money rattle on the counter and heard the till move. He afterwards heard Beecham call for another pint of ale, and some money “chinked.” The landlady said, “here is your change, Mr. Beecham.” At a quarter to 11 o'clock witness went out into the house and Davey was sitting down with a glass in his hand, and Beecham standing at the bar. A pint pot, containing ale, was standing on the counter, and as soon as Beecham saw witness he drank up the ale and left the house. Defendant was not at home at the time. He afterwards saw the defendant and acquired him of the affair, and he said, “Give me a chance this time.”

Mr. Mowll then addressed the Bench for the defendant, and called the following evidence:-

Henry Ells, the defendant, stated that at about ten o'clock his house was shit up. About ten minutes previous to this the last train came in, and a gentleman ordered a fly to go to Waldershare. Davey brought his luggage to witness's house, and he told him he would give him an “allowance.” On returning home the Constable told him he had found two porters in his house after closing time, and witness informed him that he had sent them there for an allowance.

George Davey, signalman, said he took a gentleman's portmanteau to the defendant's house, and the defendant told him he would give him an allowance. After locking up the station, witness went to defendant's house with Beecham, and had some ale, for which they did not pay.

The Bench dismissed the case, but the Chairman told the Constable that he had done quite right in reporting the case.

A charge against Davey and Beecham for being in the house was withdrawn, but the Chairman cautioned them to be more careful in future.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday 22 October, 1926. Price 1½d.

EXTENSIONS

The "Whitehall," Shepherdswell, was granted an extension for a dinner on November 11th.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 18 September, 1936.

Occasional Licenses

An occasional licence was granted for the "White Hall" Inn, Shepherdswell, on September 29th, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., for a sale at Westcourt Farm, Shepherdswell.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 11 November, 1938.

QUAD DARTS' WINNERS

The team of the "White Hall," Shepherdswell, which won the Dover Quads Knock-out Darts Competition. From left to right - Messrs. S. Armstrong, P. Buttifint, J. Hewett (captain) and E. Buttifint.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday 18 July, 1941

DARTS WIN

The final of the darts competition at Aylesham for any four players, was played on Monday evening between Aylesham and the "White Hall" Inn, Shepherdswell. The "White Hall" Inn were the winners, and took home the cup and medals. The Shepherdswell team was:- E. Butterfint, C. Hewitt, G. Webb, J. Hewitt. E. Butterfint played a good game throughout the competition.

Dover Express 19th October 1945.

Ploughing Match.

An occasional licence was granted to the “Whitehall” Inn, Shepherdswell, for a ploughing match to be held at West Court Farm next Thursday.

An extension of hours from 2.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. was granted to the “Bell” Inn, Lydden, for a farm sale on 3lst October.

Dover Express 30th April 1948.

THIRTEEN IN A CAR.

Alleged to have had thirteen people in a hackney carriage licensed for seven, Walter George Prentice of "Whitehall Inn," Shepherdswell, was fined £1 at Folkestone Magistrates Court on Friday.

PC Mackenzie, Folkestone, said, in the vehicle, a Humber utility, six passengers were seated on the rear seat, four on the middle seat, two in front and one had no seat at all. A hackney carriage was not permitted to carry more than seven people: over that number it became a public service vehicle.

Prentice said it was a “Good Samaritan” act, helping some people home when the car which brought them to a football match in Folkestone broke down. He was not paid.

The Chairman said it was dangerous to take so many passengers.

From an email received 1 February 2019.

Above photo showing one of the regulars having a face mask made. At present I do not know when this took place or the reasons why, or who is in the pictures.

Above photo kindly sent by John ????

From an email received 9 February 2019.

The person is Jack Hussey who was employed by the Licensee as a general handyman and barman at the Whitehall Inn. He was “not known” as having a regular job etc. but helped out with the making of the “death masks” as seen hanging on the wall on the other photo. Jack Hussey served in The Buffs Regiment all through WW2 fighting in North Africa and Italy. He was in poor health as a result and couldn’t resume normal employment in the coal mining industry after the war. He lived in Eythorne Road just along the road from the Whitehall Inn but his house was demolished to make way for “The Glen Housing Development”. He died at an early age.

Left to Right. Jack Hussey next to Jack is Frank Levick.

Wearing spectacles is the pub landlord Frank Levick. He was the Licensee before Bryan Miller and after Mr. Salmon. Frank was a total mystery man and non of the patrons knew anything about him except he came from the London area. He was a fine landlord and managed to operate the pub “out of hours” even though the village policeman only lived 50 yards away. After he died in the pub Mr. B. Miller took over as the Licensee.

In the background holding a pewter pint pot is Ted Hogben who wore that large cap indoors as he was totally bald and very sensitive about it etc. He served in the village fire service during the war manning a “Green Goddess Fire Engine” but was employed at Tilmanstone Colliery. The Green Goddess was put to good use in the late 1950’s for watering down the cricketing square at one end of the wicket only. It was rock hard at one end for fast bowlers and nice and moist at the opposite end to help our spin bowlers. Ted came from a family of keen cricketers who went to the lengths of putting cucumber in the sandwiches of the opposing side to induce indigestion when resuming play after tea.

Dennis Garnet is holding a cigarette in his hand and was the best cricket captain I ever played with. In the early 1960’s he once “declared” a game of cricket when we could have easily caught up the opposing teams score and won the game. It was a popular move as we were batting and the pub was open opposite where we were playing. The players of “Folkestone Century” were totally bemused by him making it a drawn game just because of the pubs being open on a Sunday evening.

Dennis Garnett worked on track maintenance on British Rail locally at Shepherdswell. I well remember him and his “gang” of men being in the Whitehall Pub after 2-00pm drinking beer and playing dominoes when they should have been working on the East Kent Railway that was situated to the rear of the Pub. They said they were completing the paperwork for their days work and must have spent 3 hours every day “in the office”. The man in the jacket and tie is not known to me and is not a patron of the pub. I think he may well have been a manager for either Fremlins or Whitbread but is only a guess. The man on the extreme right in a cap is Matt Garnett the father of Dennis.

Bill Atkins.

Unfortunately I am informed that all the masks were destroyed when the pub closed as the people whose masks were made where no longer with us.

LICENSEE LIST

FOSTER Mr W to 1869