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37 Folkestone Road
  
19 Folkestone Road
  
Alma circa 1987 (Photo by Paul Skelton) |
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Alma circa 1980, photo supplied by Barry Smith |
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Alma, date unknown. Notice the man on the roof of the now demolished
house up the steps to Military Hill. |
Above photo kindly supplied by Jeanette Harper, c/o
Jackie Bowles of the Louise Armstrong.
Date 1937. |
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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
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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. |
The battle of Alma was fought in 1854 which may suggest
the origin. I have no evidence, and later, in 1857, 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.
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From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer,
4 November, 1865. Price 1d.
SUSPENSION OF A CONSTABLE
On the complaint of Woodgate and Pain, the defendants in a previous
case, from when it appeared that police-constable Solly had been
drinking in their company at the "Alma" public-house, Folkestone Road,
while he should have been on duty, Solly was suspended till the
following day, when the Watch Committee, it was intimated, would
consider the complaint and deal with it as they might think proper. A
report of the Watch Committee proceedings will be found elsewhere.
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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.
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From the Dover Express, Friday 4 September 1914
LOCAL LICENSED VICTUALLER IN MILITARY CUSTODY
CURIOUS CASE
At the Dover Police Court on Monday, before Messrs. J. Scott (in the
chair) and W. D. Atkins.
Mr. Ledbury, of Messrs. Thompson and Son (brewers), applied for the
temporary transfer of the licence of the "Alma," Folkestone Road, from
H. Wurz.
The Chief Constable explained that it was case where the licence was
held by a German subject, who was given a permit to remain in the town.
His conduct had not been satisfactory, and, in consequence, the Fortress
Commander felt it desirable that the man should be sent to the Castle.
He was taken there on Friday and was being detained by the Military
Authorities. He had signed the necessary notices as to the transfer.
There was nothing against the character.
Mr. Ledbury said that the licensee's wife was a British subject and
the brewers asked that she should be allowed to remain as it was her
only means of earning a livelihood. The Military Authorities were
prepared to agree.
The Chief Constable said that he had no objection, and the
application was granted.
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One time Charrington outlet, but serving Thomson and Sons in 1974.
This later became a free house and trading under the name of
the "Renaissance." However, after that
closed and a cafe opened, that too had a very short time period and closed
within four weeks of opening.
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From the Dover Express, 27 May 2010
PREMISES ON SALE AS CAFE MANAGERS QUIT.
Health and safety investigation after complaint
received
Report by Yamural Zendera
A DOVER cafe that closed within a month
of opening, following a fallout between the owner and the managers, is
being investigated by the district council, the Express has learned.
The
Alma Cafe Express in Folkestone Road, near Dover Priory railway station,
stopped trading when managers Maxine and Grant Simpson, from London,
quit on May 1.
The Express can confirm that health and safety officers
are currently probing a complaint against the business.
Speaking last
Friday, owner
Leo Pushman told the Express he was unconcerned about the investigation.
He said: "I have the letter but I have no idea what they are going to
investigate."
Businessman Mr Pushman said he was expecting health and
safety officers this week. He has put the premises up for sale with a
15-year lease.
It's all a far cry from the cafe's opening on April 9,
when its advertisements promised it would serve authentic cuisine and
drinks, and its arrival was welcomed by users of the Dover Forum website
for bringing an empty building - formerly the Renaissance pub - back
into use.
Former managers Maxine and Grant, who have four children between them,
were hired via an employment agency.
The couple moved down from London
on March 30 and were staying in a two-bedroom flat in Worthington
Street. They have returned to the capital.
Previously the pair were
living in Alicante, Spain, for two years, running a bar and restaurant.
Maxine said: "We are just putting it down to a bad experience. We have
just got to move on."
A council spokesman said: "Although we can not
comment on individual cases, health and safety officers are currently
investigating a complaint."
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LICENSEE LIST
COOMBES Elizabeth 1857
PARAMOR William 1858-1860
 (Extra
history)
PARAMOR Mrs Maria 1860-89 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-Sept/14
WURZ Mrs Sept/1914
LIDBURY E J 25/Dec/1914 (Representative of Messrs.
Thompson & Co.) Who had obtained another appointment at Liverpool.
TAYLOR Mr J J (Secretary Messrs. Thompson & Co.)
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 Claude June to Sept 1957 end
CREMER Alfred H Sept/1957-62
WHEELER Harold L 1972-78
Thompson & Sons
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 Kelly's Directory 1899
From the Post Office Directory 1901
From the Post Office Directory 1903
From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1909
From the Kelly's Directory 1913
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 Pikes Dover Blue Book 1938-39
From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1948-49
From the Kelly's Directory 1950
From the Kelly's Directory 1953
From the Kelly's Directory 1956
Library archives 1974
From the Dover Express
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