ANTWERP TAP Pubs of Dover

DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

PUB LIST

PUBLIC HOUSES

Barry Smith and Paul Skelton

Earliest 1833

Antwerp Tap

Latest 1893

Cannon Street

I quickly learned to treat these 'Taps' with respect. They were not always connected with the larger house of like name. This one functioned as early as 1833 but disappeared during the street widening of 1893. (I, Paul Skelton, believe that in this case the tap and hotel were connected and the Tap is shown in the picture just behind the photograph. The census of 1871 clearly mark the Tap at number 2 and the Hotel at number 3, and William Tapley and John Stokes as licensed victualler respectively.) The remains of the "Antwerp" Stables stood until they were rebuilt in 1881 at the Castle Street corner. Castle Street was mainly constructed between 1830 and 1835 and you may find it hard to believe that before 1830 there wasn't a thoroughfare to Deal as there is today, not even a lane, the main road to Deal being through St. James' Street.

During the road widening of Cannon Street of 1892 there were scarcely any human remains found on the site of the "Antwerp Hotel," where had formerly stood the west end of St. Peter's Church, but, a little higher up, where the graveyard of St. Peter's had been, a few human skulls and bones were unearthed.

The "Antwerp Hotel" is listed as the "City of Antwerp Hotel" on my site.

From the Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports General Advertiser, Saturday 16 November, 1833. Price 7d.

Mr. B. Worthington and Mr. H. N. Watson gave their inauguration dinner, as members of the Dover corporation, at the "Antwerp Inn," on Thursday evening, the arrangements for which, being in Mr. Huntley's usual good taste, gave general satisfaction; and the conviviality of the evening was enlivened by the melody and humorous efforts of Mr. Slomon.

From the Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports General Advertiser, Saturday 1 February, 1834. Price 7d.

VALUABLE BUILDING LAND, AT BUCKLAND, NEAR DOVER.

TO BE SOLD AT AUCTION, BY

MR. C. LAMB.

At the Antwerp Inn, in Dover, on Tuesday, the 25th day of February, 1834, at Three o'clock in the Afternoon precisely, by order of the Commissioners, under a Fiat of Bankruptsy against Mr William Kingsford.

ALL THAT VALUABLE PLOT of LAND particularly adapted for the purposes of Buildings, situate in the parish of Buckland, on the left-hand side of the Turnpike Road from Dovor to Canterbury, and extending from the present Houses in Bartholomew Close, to the Farm Buildings of the said William Kingsford.

The Land will be sold in convenient Lots, as will be expressed in future advertisements.

Particulars may be had of Mr. Surrage, Solicitor, Sandwich Messrs. Shipden and Ledger, and Mr. Edward Elwin, Solicitors, Dovor; and of the Auctioneer, Snargate Street, Dovor.

Dovor, January 30th, 1834.

From the Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports General Advertiser, Saturday 23 March, 1837.

The observation, that men acting in a body are frequently led to the commission of acts when individually they would be ashamed of, was amply verified by the Committee of Paving Commissioners, on Saturday last. The darling object of the liberal(!) portion of the Board was attained on Friday evening, by the purchase being completed of the land and premises through the livery yard of the "Antwerp Hotel," required for an opening into Castle-street. At an early hour next morning, without the slightest intimation having been given to Mr. Huntly, of the Commissioners' intention to take immediate possession, a number of workmen and labourers took the yard, as it were by storm, and cutting through the roofs, commenced the work of demolition. The horses, carriages, &c. were quickly deprived of shelter, the fodder and provender exposed, and the out-house thrown down with a violence that sent the live stock domesticated in the yard, flying and scrambling in various directions. We are aware that an Act of Parliament allows, in such cases, immediate possession after the purchase is made good. "The law allows it," say the Commissioners, but we know of no law that sanctions the wanton injury on an individual, under any circumstances. Mr. Huntley, our readers need not be told, had become obnoxious to the improvement partly by steadfastly adhering to an Englishman's right, that of not giving up his property on less advantageous terms than had been received by his neighbours. And for this he has been visited by a paltry spirit of revenge. By those acquainted with the meanness practised lately in Dover under the sanction of the Pavement Board, it will scarcely be believed that so wanton an attempt to injure an individual could ever have been contemplated, much less carried into execution by his neighbours. Such, however, was the fact, and to render the injury more complete the market-day was selected for its application, as one when the inconvenience would be most seriously experienced.

We are willing to hope that the body who authorised these disgraceful proceedings were not unanimously so base-minded, so forgetful that the Christian precept, "Do unto others as ye would they should do unto you." Yet it never surely could have originated with such malice? It must, therefore, be viewed as the work of the whole Committee, unless some, who we have no doubt despise so un-English a proceeding, chose to rid themselves of the stigma b denouncing those who have acted thus, in accordance with the tyraunical principle that has so long marked the proceedings of the soi-distant liberal Commissioners!

From the Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports General Advertiser, Saturday 30 March, 1839. Price 5d.

POLICE REPORT

A person of good address, but very disorderly appearance, who gave his name John Young, a native of Shropshire, and said he was at Dover for the benefit of his health, was charged before the Magistrates, on Monday, with violent conduct in the "Antwerp Tap," on Saturday night. It appeared in evidence, that he entered the house at eleven o'clock, in a state of intoxication; and being refused admission to the parlour, used some rude familiarity towards Mrs. Belsey, the landlady, who in consequence slapped his face, on which he struck her hands with a candlestick; and taking up another, he threw it at her husband, which, missing him, broke a square of glass, a slate, and the glass on the bar light. On the police being called, the prisoner ran out, and up Market street, where his progress was arrested by a neighbour, who after a desperate struggle, in which both parties sustained injury, detained him until taken in charge by the police, when he continued the same violent conduct. In defence, he said he could give good reference to his respectability; but did not chose to do so in open court. He admitted being intoxicated; but contended he could not have acted as described in the public house unless exasperated by ill usage. As to kicking and assaulting the gentleman who first seized him, and the officers subsequently, he considered himself to be justified, for he was sure, had gentlemanly language been used towards him, he would not have acted improperly! he as ordered to pay 8s. 9d. for the damage done, and costs, which he said he would do most willingly out of his money, 15s. in charge of the police. This being done he was convicted of the assault out of doors, and also on the officers in the execution of their duty, for which he was fined 20s. or to be imprisoned for 14 days. The latter was adopted; but whether or not for want of means to pay the former, did not appear.

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 14 August, 1858.

DOVER POLICE COURT

THREATENING TO ASSAULT

John Crick was summonsed by Thomas Dawson, the landlord of the "Antwerp Tap," Church Street, for unlawfully threatening to assault him. Complainant prayed that he might be bound over to keep the peace.

The Magistrates, after hearing the evidence, dismissed the case, and the complainant, who was inclined to grumble at the decision, had to pay the costs.

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 24 September, 1864.

ASSAULT

Timothy Sheen, a private in the 2nd Brigade, Royal Artillery, stationed at Dover, was charged with an unprovoked attack on Edward Chaney, a porter at the Antwerp Inn, and was committed for 14 days' hard labour, in default of paying a fine and costs.

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 13 April, 1866.

CHARGE OF FELONY

William Watts, a soldier of the 74th regiment, was charged with stealing a pair of reins, the property of William Styles, landlord of the "Antwerp Tap."

The prosecutor said he did not desire to press the charge.

It turned out that the prisoner and his comrades were customers of the prosecutor; but this circumstance, the Magistrates observed, should not influence him, as he had a duty to perform to the public.

The owner of the reins, however, persisted in his determination, and the prisoner was dismissed on this charge. But it appeared that he had assaulted police-constable Geddes on the way to the station-house, and that his character was bad, - a sergeant of his regiment stating that he had been punished by the commanding officer no less than three times within the past week, - the Magistrates sent him to gaol for fourteen days, in default of his paying a fine and costs.

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 5 October, 1866.

PUBLIC HOUSE ROBBERY

Thomas Knight was charged with stealing from the person of Charles Corke, while in a state of drunkenness at the "Antwerp Tap," a leather purse containing 20s. his property.

Stephen Cook, a labourer, said he lived nowhere at present, being "on the roads." he was at the "Antwerp Tap" the same morning about half-past nine o'clock. He saw the prisoner there, in the tap-room. He also saw in the same room the prosecutor, who was tipsy. (Prosecutor was now hardly restored to a state of sobriety.) The prisoner and the prosecutor were drinking together. After a time the prosecutor went to sleep. Several people were in the tap-room; but they all went out except Corke, Knight, witness and a young woman, a servant of the house. As the prosecutor was lying down he saw the prisoner put his hand into the prisoner's coat pocket, and the prosecutor's purse drop to the ground. That produced by the police was the same. The prisoner took it up, and as the drunken man then woke up the prisoner gave it him. The prisoner did not have it in his hand half a minute. Before that witness saw the prosecutor counting some money. He seemed to have 15s. or 16s., which he put in his purse. The purse was not long enough in the prisoner's hand for him to have opened it.

By the Bench: The prosecutor counted the money about twenty minutes before he went to sleep. He did not go out of the room.

Harriett Hayward: I am servant at the "Antwerp Tap." I saw the prisoner in the tap-room this morning about half-past nine. The prosecutor was with him. I saw the prosecutor counting the money. (The prosecutor, who had been swaying too and fro apparently in a very uncomfortable state for some time past, here requested to be let out, as he felt indisposed - a condition of things he described in the tersest Saxon. Of course way was instantly made for him.) I saw the prosecutor put the money into his purse again, and place the purse in his coat pocket. After the prosecutor went to sleep I saw the prisoner put his hand into prosecutors pocket, and the purse immediately afterwards dropped out of the pocket. This awoke the prosecutor.

Magistrates' Clerk: How long did prisoner keep his hand in prosecutor's pocket?

Witness: Oh, a very little time.

Magistrates' Clerk: Did the purse, when it dropped, sound as if it had much money in it?

Witness: Yes.

Magistrates' Clerk: Did the prisoner do anything with the purse before giving it to prosecutor?

Witness: Not then.

Magistrates' Clerk: What afterwards occurred?

Witness: The prosecutor afterwards went to sleep with the purse in his hand. The prisoner then took the purse out of the prosecutor's hand, opened it, and took some money out, and gave me half-a-crown to say nothing about it. the last witness had gone by that time. I then went to my mistress and told her what had taken place and gave her the half-crown the prisoner had given me to my mistresses son.

Police-constable Richard Chard said he was fetched to the "Antwerp Tap" the same morning. He found the prisoner sitting on one side of the table and the prosecutor on the other. The prosecutor told him he had been robbed. He did not say of how much. After making enquiries witness told the prisoner he should take him into custody. Prisoner thereupon took 4s. 7d. from his waistcoat pocket and threw it down on the table to the prosecutor saying, "Here's your money, Charley; say nothing about it." I then took him to the police-station, and on searching him found 2s. 7d. more. On bringing him to the court he said, "You took 2s. 7d. from me, didn't you?" I replied "Yes," and he then said, "That's all I had belonging to me; I dare say I shall get a month for this."

The prisoner denied that he said anything of the sort.

It was thought desirable to have the evidence of the prosecutor, but it was found that he was not sufficiently recovered to make a re-appearance before the Magistrates; and a further hearing of the case was adjourned till the following day, the prisoner being removed in custody.

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 5 October, 1866.

REMANDED CHARGE

Thomas Knight, the man remanded from the previous day, on a charge of robbing Charles Orton, at the "Antwerp Tap," was again placed at the bar. The prosecutor was now sober, and his evidence having been taken, together with further testimony which strengthened that of the girl examined on Tuesday, the prisoner was sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment, with hard labour.

LICENSEE LIST ANTWERP TAP

BELSEY Mrs 1839+

COLE George previous to 1846