3 Beach Street

The east end of Beach Street, opposite the terminus of the South Eastern Railway, with the "Terminus Hotel" in the centre, offering Pale and Strong's ales, and, next door, the "Brussels Inn" (licensee C. G. Deverson), selling George Beer & Co's pale ales. Just off the picture to the left is "Sceptre Inn". Further on were the "Miners' Arms", "Deal Cutter Inn", and "Railway Bell" and, at the opposite end of the street the "Pier Inn" and "Lord Warden Hotel".

About 1848 it was known as "Hotel de Brussels" and by 1854 as the "Bruxelles Inn". It already opened at three thirty a.m. by 1874 but after 1900 that became five a.m. Henry Pay received a new licence here in 1845 under the name of "Hotel de Brussels".

£5,690 was spent on the acquisition of licensed property in 1914. Unfortunately the electorate, and indeed many of the councillors themselves, were not well informed, so we can only guess that the "Brussels Inn" was included in that figure. The same reasoning would apply to the "Sceptre" and the "Lion" being involved.

Obviously not the whole sum but compensation of £187.10s. was proposed for this inn but a later reappraisal raised that to £200.

It was fully licensed and the last tenant was Gilbert Deverson, originally from Wingham, who had served since 1907 and moved after the closure to the "Shakespeare Inn"; The licence was allowed to lapse.

Above is shown a Pewter Mug engraved with the words, "Brussels Inn, Dover". The photo was kindly sent to me from Alan Hardcastle from Birchington who informs me he recently bought it on Ebay.

LICENSEE LIST

PAY Mary Ann 1847

LEACHMORE Fanny 1863

HUSSEY John 1870

HUSSEY Mrs 1872

PHIPPS James 1874-78 end

SNELLER Robert Thomas 1882

MILLER Alfred William 1991-1899+

MILLER Emily & Elizabeth Emily 1902 end

GATES George Austin 1902-05 dec'd

GATES Mrs Helen 1905-06 end

MARSH William John 1906-07 end

DEVERSON Gilbert Charles 1907-14 end

From Bagshaw Directory 1847

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