Above photo kindly sent by Jan Pedersen circa 1890

Above shows part of Phoenix Brewery with its chimney circa 1950. On the bombed site, now the site of a block of shops and flats above called Dolphin House, was once a 14th century forge.

From Dover Illustrated by J Rochard circa 1895.

INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISES.

Messrs. A. LENEY & Co., Limited, Pale Ale and Stout Brewers, Phoenix Brewery.

Above shows a view of the original brewery circa 1840.

FOR centuries past Kent has been one of the chief homes of the hop, and, as a somewhat natural sequence, seeing that the water of the county is eminently suited for brewing purposes, it has also become the seat of production for vast quantities of malt liquors of very high class quality. Dover, with its large and ever-increasing population, civil and military, has, of course, its Brewery, a widely-known and extremely popular establishment, doing not only an extensive local trade amongst families and hotels, but having London Stores, and agencies in many parts of the country as well.

The Phoenix Brewery, of which Messrs. A. Leney & Co., Limited, are the proprietors, was originally founded about the year 1740, the then owner appearing to be a Mr. Clements.

Above shows a view of the New brewery.

In 1859 it was purchased by Mr. Alfred Leney, together with the thirty "tied houses" then attached to the concern, from the executors of Mr. Thomas Walker, and the business was then for some time carried on under the style of Leney and Evenden, subsequently assuming its present title when Mr. Leney was joined by his three sons, Mr. Alfred Charles Leney, Mr. Hugh Leney, and Mr. Frank Leney, all of whom are practical and experienced brewers, who have gained an intimate and thorough knowledge of the chemistry and art of brewing in some of the largest and most important breweries in the country.

The Brewery itself has, of course, undergone many changes and improvements (as will be seen from our illustrations) during the century and a half of its existence. The premises now cover over five acres of ground in the very heart of the town, the main buildings being intersected by Phoenix, St. James', and Dolphin Lanes; but as it is the intention of the firm to meet the constant growth of business by a corresponding extension of both plant and other facilities for an enlarged output, important alterations are already in progress as the first step towards a practical reformation of the Brewery to one of very much greater scope in every way. This first contract has been placed in the hands of Mr. Adcock, the well-known local builder, and embraces two large iron and concrete floors, which will necessitate taking in a considerable portion of one of the maltings; and will, when completed, afford accommodation for additional settling backs.

In this connection we should mention that Messrs. Leney & Co. have recently purchased the 100-quarter malting at Buckland, formerly belonging to the Dover Brewery Company; and should the business still go on extending at its present rate of progression, there can be but little question that further malting floors must be erected.

In fact, the general excellence of the firm's productions, and the forward policy which is characteristic of the present management, have made things go ahead lately by leaps and bounds, and the Brewery bids fair to soon become one of the largest in this part of Kent.

We need hardly say that the best modern systems of brewing are resorted to, whilst the most approved plant and appliances are in use throughout each and every department. There are three Artesian wells, about 100 feet deep, on the premises, from which the "liquor" is pumped to the spacious tank on the top floor of the Brewery. That this water supply is of admirable quality is abundantly testified by the productions of the firm, the ales being bright, sparkling, and extremely palatable; and Messrs. Leney & Co., by a special form of treatment and brewing, are also enabled to utilize the same water in the manufacture of their now well-known Nourishing Stout, which has received the highest commendations from no less an authority than Dr. Granville Sharpe, the eminent analyst, and upon which the Lancet paid them a very high compliment. The Brewery is what is known as a 50-quarter plant, the firm, of course, manufacturing their own malt in the three large maltings attached to the premises, two of which we noticed were fitted with patent double floor kilns. In the Brewery there are two mash tuns, each with a capacity of twenty-five quarters, and two fine coppers, one of which holds a hundred-and-fifty barrels; whilst the coolers are fitted with Lawrence's patent refrigerators, and are capitally arranged to secure a constant through current of air. Two fine Galloway boilers and two engines supply the necessary motor power, one of the latter being a very old (and interesting) beam engine, whilst the other is a handsome 14 h.p, horizontal. The three powerful steam pumps are of Tangye's and Worthington's makes, and to these the fire-hose can be attached when required, the power attained being sufficient to project a stream of water right over the brewery. Messrs. Leney & Co. have certainly spared no expense in the equipment of the various departments to produce an article of the very highest quality. In the cellars there is ample storage accommodation for fully 5,000 barrels; in point of fact there were 4,000 in stock at the time of our visit, and this, it must be remembered, is without taking into consideration the large quantities of both ales and stouts deposited in the stores at the Rotunda, in London, and at Hastings, Folkestone, and elsewhere. The firm have also agencies in Ashford, Canterbury, Ramsgate, Deal, and a number of other important towns in Kent, Sussex, and Surrey; and in order to enable them to cope with the increasing demand for their ales and stouts in Folkestone and the neighbourhood, Messrs. Leney and Co. have recently purchased the "Gun Brewery," in Folkestone, together with the houses attached.

A large and always increasing branch of Messrs. Leney's business is the department for bottled ales and stout, the pale ale and nourishing stout having an especially extensive sale both by licensed houses and by grocers and others. The bottling cellars can hold about 10,000 dozens, several thousand dozens being generally stocked ready for immediate delivery.

The Brewery is divided into several departments, the whole being supervised by Mr. A. Leney. The Stores and Offices are under the able management of Mr. A. C. Leney, whilst the Brewery comes under the direction of Mr. Hugh Leney, and the Maltings and advertising are jointly undertaken by Mr. Frank Leney. The above we may mention are the Directors and Managing Directors of the concern.

The Brewery is under the experienced care of Mr. B. Squires, who brews the "Good Ale," and the Secretaryship of the Company is entrusted to Mr. William Wood, whose courtesy and attention contributes much to the smooth working of the business. The Dover Stores, we may mention, are under Mr. Marsh's charge; and the branch establishments in London, are managed by Mr. Marden, and those at Hastings by Mr. Wood.

At the corner of Castle Street are the offices, a handsome three-floored building of Kentish rag-stone, faced with polished granite, and here, after a tour round the brewery, Mr. Frank Leney was kind enough to give us some idea of the extent and scope of the business. It must have grown enormously under the present management, for whereas in 1859 there were but thirty "tied houses," the firm has now quite a hundred, many of which are good class hotels and busy, well-frequented country inns; and in addition to this extensive source of trade the numerous agencies are constantly sending in their quota of orders, so that the clerical and working staff have generally a pretty busy time of it in these directions alone. Then there is the "family" trade, the firm making deliveries periodically around most of the adjacent towns and villages, where "Leney's Ales" have become almost a household word; whilst in Dover itself the amount of the daily deliveries to hotels, private houses, and military canteens forms alone an important part of the day's work. Whilst brewing all the usual qualities and descriptions of ale, beer, and stout, Messrs. Leney & Co. make a speciality of the celebrated Dover Pale Ale (in cask or bottle), and we ourselves can fully endorse all the many disinterested encomiums that have been passed upon this most refreshing and wholesome beverage. The firm guarantee the whole of their productions to be bittered entirely with English Hops. Their stout, too, is of excellent quality and most palatable in flavour. It possesses, also, very valuable dietetic properties and is highly recommended for the use of invalids.

The last two beer labels were for beer bottled at the Wateringbury plant by Frederick Leney, relation of Alfred.

The former Alfred Leney & Co Phoenix Brewery which once dominated the local scene in Castle Street, Dover before Fremlins took over brewing, at Maidstone. THE Phoenix Brewery that once occupied a large area from Castle Street almost back to Townwall - Street was a major employer in Dover.

VICTORY PARADE: Field Marshal! Haig and staff parade on the seafront after return to the UK after the 1st World War Armistice signing on the Continent. Behind Is the old Promenade Pier.

Above, Leney's Phoenix Brewery vaults in Castle Street in use as an air raid shelter.

SOLDIERS stand in front of the crowd lining Castle Street waiting to greet the new Lord Warden, the Marquis of Salisbury, on his way to the Installation ceremony at Dover College in 1895. Decorations, as at the Phoenix Brewery yard above, between Castle Street and Dolphin Lane, were lavish. Brewery men built massive pyramids of barrels and doubtless used other barrels to build viewing platforms on which to stand behind the walls.

Information taken from John Bavington-Jones' book "A Perambulation of the Town, Port and Fortress of Dover", 1906. (Reprint in The South Kent Gazette, August 15th, 1979.)

Prominent feature of Castle Street and a major employer of labour for many years was Alfred Leney & Company's Phoenix Brewery. The brewery yard - later the site of the ABC Cinema - and one of the entrances is pictured above with members of the staff and draymen lined up and waiting the arrival of a distinguished visitor. On the left at the corner of Dolphin Passage, is the imposing office block of the brewers, whose offices were later taken over by H. T. Hawkesfield & Co, the coal merchants and later by Corralls. On the extreme right of the picture, is an Army recruiting poster. On the left of Leney's offices was for many years a butcher's shop. The name over the shop is Holmes.

Information taken from John Bavington-Jones' book "A Perambulation of the Town, Port and Fortress of Dover", 1906. (Reprint in The Dover Express, Friday 26th September, 1980.)

Part of Old Brewery off Castle Street circa 1995.

Photo above shows the Fremlins main offices in Castle Street and below the same building today. Photo by Paul Skelton, 12 August 2009.

Above photographs shows enamelled adverts housed at "Cullin's Yard."