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Belle and Lion Street
Sheerness
Above photo, date unknown, kindly sent by Peter Moynihan. |
I am informed by Debi Birkin that the original "Belle and Lion" was
situated on Belle and Lion Street, and is not the same building as the
current Wetherspoons "Belle and Lion," in the High Street.
She says that the Wetherspoon's pub is relatively new and just adopted
the name, she doesn't think the two are in the same area, but says she could
be wrong. However Wetherspoons says the following:- The "Belle and Lion" was
the first public house to be built in Mile Town. Other inns and ale houses
were built soon after. The "Belle and Lion" is listed in a local directory
of 1824 and a more recent one published in 1938. Boots store now stands on
the site of the inn, at 59 High Street.
So indeed, there have been two different pubs with this name.
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Public Ledger and Daily Advertiser, Friday 11th January 1805.
At the "Belle and Lion Inn," Sheerness, on Monday, the 21st inst. at
three.
The Hull of the Brig Malvina, register measurements 194 20 94 tons,
carries fourteen and a half keels of coals, together with her lower
masts, bowsprit, and lower standing rigging, iron necked windlas and
capstern, as she now lies on the beach near to Sheerness garrison. For particulars apply to Messr's Betham and Son, at Sheerness, or to
Robert Maxwell, Ship Agent, No. 2, Great George Street, Minories. |
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Kentish Gazette, Tuesday 18th September 1810.
Eligible leasehold building ground, to be sold by auction, by J. B.
Rose.
At the "Belle and Lion," Mile Town, between six and eight o'clock in the
evening of Tuesday, September 18th, 1810, in four lots each, 22 feet 6
inches in front of and adjoining the high road at Mile Town, leading to
Sheerness Dockyard, Garrison, &c. by 35 feet in depth - each lot subject
only to 10s. per year ground rent.
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Kentish Gazette 26 March 1819.
On Friday last an inquest was held at the "Bell and Lion," Sheerness
on the body with child about 3 years old, whose clothes had caught
fire during the temporary absence, of about 7 minutes, of its mother
on the previous Monday.
It died on Tuesday.
Verdict. Accidental death.
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Kentish Gazette, 18 May 1852.
Sheerness. Suicide.
On Wednesday a distressing case of self-destruction occurred in this
town; on the afternoon of that day about 10 minutes before six o'clock,
a Mrs. Beeson, whose husband is employed in the dock-yard, said to a
little girl whom she had in the house in the capacity of a servant, that
she was going upstairs to put the things on the bed, and that when Mr.
Beeson came home, to call her down; Mr. Beeson left the dock yard at six
o'clock, and was soon home, when the girl went upstairs to call her
mistress, and was horrified at seeing her suspended by the neck from the
ceiling; she immediately ran down and told her master, who hastened
upstairs and cut his wife down; life not being quite extinct at the
time, a surgeon was immediately sent for, but though the medical
gentleman arrived in a few minutes the vital spark had fled before his
arrival.
An inquest was held the following day at the "Bull
(sic) and Lion
Inn," before T. Hills, Esq., county coroner, when, after the facts of
the case had been deposed to, Mr. W. P. Cullen, surgeon, stated that he
had been attending the deceased for some weeks for diseased heart, and
his opinion was that the disease had reached the brain and produced
insanity, when the jury returned a verdict accordingly. Deceased was 66
years of age, was a remarkably quiet inoffensive woman, and had been a
member of the Wesleyan Society for many years.
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Maidstone journal and Kentish Advertiser, Tuesday 28th March 1854.
Plate robbery at Sheerness.
Silas Skinner, 44, Shoemaker, stealing a silver fork, to silver spoons,
and a dessert spoon, value £2, the property of George Clarkson, at
Sheerness, on 22nd February.
Mr. Addison prosecuted.
Prosecutor keeps the "Belle and Lion," at Sheerness, and had employed
the prisoner in the house. The son of Mr. Clarkson, who had charge of
the silver, missed the articles mentioned from a drawer in the bar of
the house on the 24th ult. He had seen them safe on the 18th. Prisoner
had no business in the bar, and could not get access to it. He was at
the house on parts of each day between the 20th and 24th. The prisoner
went to the shop of Mr. Henry Wolf, a jeweller, at Sheerness, and asked
him to buy the silver. It was then broken up, and prisoner said he had
found it under a wall broken as it was. On the next day prisoner again
came, and brought another piece, which he said he had also picked up.
Wolf brought all the silver, and then put the pieces in his window,
uncovered. The Constable, when he went to enquire about the silver, saw
three of the pieces in the window, unconcealed.
Guilty. A former conviction at Canterbury, in 1852, was proved.
12 months' hard labour.
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Maidstone journal and Kentish Advertiser, Saturday 4th July 1857.
Annual Shearing Meeting.
On Thursday evening the dinner was as usual at the National school room,
near Trinity Church, and was provided by Mr. Clarkson, of the "Belle and
Lion Inn," in the most liberal and satisfactory style. The wines and
dessert were excellent.
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Kentish Gazette, Tuesday 5 February 1867.
Sheerness. Sudden Deaths.
An inquest was held at the "Belle and Lion Inn," on Saturday, upon the
body of Henry Johnson, aged 34. The deceased, who was a baker, was at
work on Saturday morning at 1 o'clock, and, after giving his men
instructions as to the required work, went to bed again. This was
ascertained upon the evidence of Mrs. Wildish, a widow, acting as
housekeeper to a Mr. Johnson sen., uncle of deceased, who lives in the
same house, and is bed ridden. Deceased was in the habit of sleeping in
the same room with his uncle, and had lifted him into bed at about
12:30. At 4:35, Wildish went to call deceased, but hearing no answer she
went in, and thinking he was asleep she endeavoured to wake him; but she
could not do so, she concluded he was dead. She had previously heard
violence snoring, but thought it was from the uncle. Medical opinion was
subsequently obtained, and a post-mortem examination made by Dr. Jasp,
his medical attendant assisted by Mr. P. Swales, surgeon, who stated
that the heart was perfectly healthy, but a fibrinous cast had been
formed in one of the arteries, and had been dislodged therefore by
violent exertion (possibly by the lifting of the uncle or the exertion
of business), and had been forced through the various arteries to the
heart, causing death by what is medically termed "Embolism." Verdict
accordingly. It was remarked for the medical gentleman that the cause of
death in this incident was most palpable but very rare.
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Canterbury Journal, Kentish Times and Farmers' Gazette, Saturday 11th April 1891.
Fraudulent Pretences.
Ada Baker, married woman, was indicted for obtaining, by false pretences
from David John Penny, a leg of Mutton, value 6s., the property of
Frederick Penny, on the 14th February at Sheerness.
Mr. Tassell prosecuted and Mr. R. F. Gibson defended.
Prisoner pleaded not guilty.
David John Penney, son of Frederick Penny, butcher of Sheerness, said on
14th February the prisoner came to his shop and asked for a leg of
mutton for Mr. Miles, of the "Belle and Lion," she asked for a bill in
Mr. Miles name and ordered a piece of beef to be sent in that afternoon.
Mr. Miles came later to the shop and said he had ordered no meat. About
7:30 they went to the prisoners house at West Minster, 2 miles from
Sheerness. She denied having been to Sheerness. The leg was subsequently
found at her house.
Edwin Pittock, butcher, Sheerness, remembered the prisoner coming to
his shop and asking for a half leg of mutton, he said he would send it
to Mr. Miles. He identified her next morning.
P.S. Huggett deposed to finding the leg of Mutton.
James John Miles, of the "Belle and Lion Inn," Sheerness deposed to
never giving prisoner authority to order mutton at Penny's for him.
For the defence was called Joseph William Shrubsole, High Street,
Sheerness, auctioneer, who deposed that on 14th February last prisoner
came to his shop between 1 and 2 and behaved in a strange manner, she
had a leg of mutton in her arms.
Ann Smith deposed that she lived next door to the prisoner. She had at
various times complained of her head.
Lucy Mall deposed to having known the prisoner for some time and to her
having frequently complained of her head.
For the defence it was urged that she was at certain times not
responsible for her actions.
The jury returned a verdict of guilty, but recommended her to mercy.
She was sentenced to one month's hard labour.
This terminated the business of the Sessions.
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LICENSEE LIST
SELBY Caleb 1828-40+
 
BRISLEY Abraham 1847+
CLARKSON George 1851-58+ (age 49 in 1851 )
CLARKSON Prudence 1861-62+ (widow age 60 in 1861)
CLARKSON Prudence & Son 1867+
CLARKSON Henry George 1871-74+ (age 34 in 1871)
BUTLER Walter 1881-82+ (age 47 in 1881)
MILES James John 1891-1902 (also mineral water manufacturer in 1902)
LEIGH Frederick Orlando 1913-18+
BERGERSON John Charles 1934-38+
https://pubwiki.co.uk/BelleLion.shtml
From the Pigot's Directory 1828-29
From the Pigot's Directory 1832-33-34
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