37 Folkestone Road

19 Folkestone Road

Alma circa 1987 (Photo by Paul Skelton)

Alma circa 1980, photo supplied by Barry Smith

Alma, date unknown. Notice the man on the roof of the now demolished house up the steps to Military Hill.

Days before the trams arrived. MISS Mary Horseley set up her easel in the churchyard of Christ Church in 1897, just before the trams arrived. The covered wagon was coming up the hill, probably delivering flour to one of the local bakers. On the left, you can see a squad of soldiers marching up to board a train at Dover Priory. On the right, you can see the Alma pub. Some years ago, I decided to get a similar angle, before the flats were built, but I had to abandon the attempt. I was nearly in position when I spotted two sleeping bags with an attractive young lady in one. But the other contained a very bearded man just waking up. I decided not to press the shutter and beat a retreat! Joe Harman

Above photo appeared in the Dover Mercury 15 July 1999 SOME parts of this stretch of Folkestone Road have not changed much since this picture was taken around 1950. But others are very different. The steps leading up to Military Hill are still there, as is the Alma pub, although it is now called The Renassance. The buildings beyond it have long gone making way for the improvements to the road and the York Street roundabout. Those buildings included an office block, which used to be used by a travel company, the Red Cow public house and Lewis's garage.

A one time outlet of Thompson and Son, the number once read 19. It changed when various terraces were incorporated into the numbering of the road and was number 37 by 1913.

The battle of Alma was fought in 1854 which may suggest the origin. I have no evidence, and later, in 1875, when new houses were built on this side of the road, I was again disappointed to find no mention of the name or evidence of rebuilding. A year later, Mrs. Paramour was rising early to open the doors at five a.m.

Two other pubs with this title were reported in 1856. The first in Laureston Place and the other in Snargate Street. Unfortunately no numbers were shown.

There is also mention of a LOWE Joseph the Alma, Snargate St 1857, but I am unaware of another public house of that name in Snargate Street.

One time Charrington outlet.

This is now a free house and trading under the name of "The Renaissance" (2007)

LICENSEE LIST

COOMBES Elizabeth 1857

PARAMOUR William 1858+

PARAMOR Mrs Maria 1872-89 end

PALMER William 1889-95

WHITE James 1899

GEORGE William James 1901-03+

THATCHER Ernest George 1907-09 (HATCHER )

CLEARY or CAREY John William 1907?

TERRY William 1909 0nly

HATCHER 1909 end

BOORMAN George 1909-10 dec'd

LAVERTY Percy 1910-13 end

WURZ Henry William 1913-14 end

WURZ Mrs 1914

LIDBURY 1914 or 15

WATTS H 1915

WILSHER William 1915-31 end

WOODARD George William 1931 end

WOODWARD G. W. 1931-33

TOWN Thomas John 1933-34 end

DREDGE B C 1938

MILLEN Thomas J 1938-49 dec'd

MILLEN Mrs Anne Sarah 1949-50+

BOUSFIELD W Frederick 1951-56+

MORLEY C. 1957 end

CREAMER or Cramer A.H. 1957-62

WHEELER Harold L. 1972-8

VIRTUE Glen 1987

RIPLEY Ian 1993

SPARSHOT Ian 1993

From Melville's Directory 1858

From the Post Office Directory 1874

From the Post Office Directory 1882

From the Post Office Directory 1891

From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1895

From the Kelley's Directory 1899

From the Post Office Directory 1903

From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1909

From the Post Office Directory 1913

From the Post Office Directory 1918

From the Post Office Directory 1922

From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1923

From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1924

From the Post Office Directory 1930

From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1932-33

From the Post Office Directory 1938

From the Kelley's Directory 1950

From the Kelley's Directory 1953

From the Kelley's Directory 1956