From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 13 April, 1877. Price 1d.

DELIBERATE AND WILFUL DAMAGE

Edward Collins, artilleryman, was charged with wilfully breaking a pane of glass at a house in Dolphin Lane, value 1s., the property of John Taylor.

John Taylor said: I live at No. 5, Dolphin Lane. Last Saturday evening, about a quarter to eleven, I was sitting in the kitchen. There is a pane of glass over the door. Someone was hammering at the door and the glass was smashed. I came out and saw two soldiers running away. I went after a piquet but did not lose sight of the men. The prisoner is one of the men. I gave them in charge of the piquet and they were taken to the Police-station. I charged them with breaking a pane of glass. The value of the glass is 1s.

By the Bench: The prisoner was the worse for liquor. I did not see anyone outside the house but the two soldiers when the glass was broken.

By Mr. Vidlers: At the station the prisoner said he broke the window and afterwards contradicted himself.

Police-constable Figg said he was on duty in Castle Street about 11 o'clock on Saturday night and from what he heard he took the prisoners into custody. He charged them with breaking a pane of glass at Mr. Taylor's, one at the “Dolphin” public-house, and one at Leney's brewery. When at the station the prisoner owned up to breaking the lot, and the other man was dismissed.

The prisoner received an indifferent character from the officer of the regiment.

The Bench inflicted a fine of 12s., including costs, or seven days' imprisonment.

Prisoner went below.

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 31 August, 1877. Price 1d.

APPLICATIONS FOR NEW LICENSES

Mr. Wollaston Knocker supported the application  for the removal of a provisional license  of the "Dolphin" public-house to more suitable premises  in the course of construction within a few yards of the old house. The plans of the structure had been before the Town Council and had been approved.

The decision of the Bench was reserved till the termination of the proceedings.

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 8 March, 1878. Price 1d.

THE DOLPHIN INN

The transfer of this license to larger premises now completed, was ordered on the application of Mr. Knocker. Mr. Henry Hayward, of the firm of Messrs. Worsford and Hayward, having found that the new house had been completed in accordance with the plans submitted at the Brewster Sessions.

From the Dover Express. 1860.

Ill Treating a Wife.

Thomas Moat, an Ostler employed by Mr. G. T. Tyler, appeared in answer to a summons issued at the instance of his wife and charging him with ill-using her.

Mary Ann Moat the wife of the defendant, said that on Saturday night she went to the Dolphin Public House to ask her husband for some money. On her going into the room he told her he had got none for her and struck her a blow on the head and kicked her in the side. He did not come home again till that morning (Monday). He had often threatened to strike her but had never done so before. Jemima Collins a little girl 12 years of age living in the house where the defendant and his wife lodged said she went with Mrs. Moat to the Dolphin on Saturday night. Witness went in and asked defendant to give her some money for Mrs. Moat and he gave her 1s. 6d. Mrs. Moat afterwards went in and asked him for some money and she (witness) saw him strike and kick her. Prisoner denied the charge but admitted that he pushed his wife out of the room. He said she was a very aggravating woman and that he had made this discovery no later than a month after their marriage. The magistrates said it was evident defendant had ill-treated his wife and that if he came before them again he would be bound over to keep the peace. At present he would be fined 1s and 12s. costs or in default be sent to prison for fourteen days.

Information kindly supplied by Joyce Banks.

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 12 September, 1863.

ANNUAL LICENSES

G. T. Tyler of the "Dolphin," failed to answer his name at the Dover Police Court Annual Licensing day and therefore had to go to Broadstairs to get the license renewed.

It is unknown as present whether he did indeed renew the license as the next licensee on my list I haven't seen mentioned till 1877, although he may have remained at the house till then.

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 13 January, 1882. Price 1d.

DRUNK

Mary Jane Bailey was charged with being drunk and disorderly in Dolphin Lane on Saturday.

Police-constable Brace said: Shortly after six o'clock on Saturday morning last, my attention was called to the prisoner who was drunk and disorderly outside the “Dolphin Inn” in Dolphin Lane. She had been creating a disturbance there, and had broken one of the windows. I tried to get her to leave the place, but she refused and I took her in charge.

In answer to the Bench the Superintendent said: The prisoner was too ill to be brought into Court on Saturday morning as she was suffering from delirium tremens. Her husband was employed on the cargo boats, and was expected back that day. It was her first offence.

The prisoner said it should not occur again.

The Bench said that as she had been locked up since Saturday morning they had decided to give her another chance, and would discharge her, but if she appeared before them again they would severely punish her.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 4 March, 1887. Price 1d.

APPLICATION

On the application of Mr. Thomas Lewis, permission was given to Mrs. Shelvey, widow, to draw at the “Dolphin Inn,” until the next transfer day.

The application was granted.

From the Dover Express, 7 January, 1888

Terrible Fire in Castle Street.

Early on Tuesday morning Castle Street, Dover was the scene of one of the most disastrous fires that have occurred in Dover for several years. At the time of writing there is no distinct evidence as to how it broke out but the centre of conflagration was the carriage manufactory of Messrs Hills and Son. There the work of destruction has been complete and the fire has also done much damage to the stables of Mr. Leney and the back building of Mr. R. H. Forster, Chemist.

The alarm seems to have been given a few minutes before four and with terrible rapidly the fire spread so that a few minutes after that time the Carriage Factory which runs to Dolphin Lane was in a blaze. Mr. J. Hill the occupier of Dolphin House that immediately joins the Carriage Factory says he awoke at twenty minutes to four and then all was quiet. Twenty-five minutes later a noise and a glare on the window aroused him. He was at once aware that there was a great fire, he aroused the house and very quickly got into the back of the premises and he found that the whole structure of the factory that adjoins Dolphin Lane was like a burning cage. Miss. Pepper one of the daughters of Mr. R. V. Pepper was sleeping in a bedroom at the back on the third floor of their house in Castle Street when about the same time she awoke and found a great fire raging in the back but a short distance from her window.

By this time the whole neighbourhood was aroused and there being a great many houses near it was a terrible awakening. In some cases the inmates were so terrified that they could not dress and in the others the shock to the system was so great that they were scarcely able to do anything to help themselves. Police Constable Bass who discovered the outbreak gave the alarm to the police promptly and Superintendent Sanders and his Fire Brigade were soon on the scene. The police were on the spot at a quarter to four o'clock and had hydrants fixed in about five minutes. The water supply at first was not very effective-in fact it had no effect on Castle Street until the hose was carried up the fire escape ladder. It seems the hydrant's were defective and the water instead of going into the hose came out of the bottom of the stand pipe, and in one case opposite 29 Castle Street the pavement was washed up by the water. A good supply was obtained at the back and an hour later when the fire was in full career threatening the entire neighbourhood the military arrived on the scene with three fire engines.

One was fixed in Castle Street taking water from the river by Brace's Mill and the other two in Dolphin Lane pumping from the river by the office of Messrs Leney's Brewery. It was generally admitted that the force of water from the engines was more effective than that from the water mains and there is no question but that great credit is due to the soldiers both officers and men, for the plucky way in which they worked. As soon as the Fire Brigade officer Mr. Graham the foreman started of to inform Mr. Hills who resides in Park Avenue and in the meantime Mrs. Graham seeing her furniture, which was not insured in danger at once began carrying it downstairs. She made three journeys to Pay's on the other side of the street and the last time she was nearly suffocated with the smoke. Spectators speak of the scene of the fire at this time as being most terrifying. Mr. Pay who lives nearly opposite was one of the first to see the fire and he assisted the police in getting the fourteen horses out of Mr. Leney's stables.

The fire seemed to have broken out in the corner of the Carriage Manufactory near the stables and it very soon got hold of the latter. It terrified the horses so that their noise was distressing. It was a very difficult task to get them out. Another eyewitness tells us that he was on the scene as soon as the alarm was given and that the fire appeared to have started in the place described. It spread so rapidly that the whole place was alight and the flames issuing from Castle Street windows in less than half an hour. The police directed their first attack on the opening near Mr. Leney's stables, as that was the seat of the fire. They got ladders and tried to work down on it from above but the heat was too fierce to allow it. After spreading to Castle Street the fire worked round Dolphin Lane opposite the gasworks yard and in a very short time the Carriage Factory was down, the large workshops being reduced to blazing heaps of debris and the blackened outside walls threatening to fall.

The excellent way that the block on the Castle Street frontage is built was the only reason why it was saved. Mr. Pepper on the one side and Mr. Forster on the other formed the two boundary walls of a fiercely heated oven, and if the walls had not been thick and strong they could not have escaped. As it was both the houses escaped with but slight damage from fire. The water did a good deal of harm and a portion of the upper part of Mr. Forster's house was caught by the flames and a good deal of damage was done to his out buildings and a stable in the rear. The occupants of the house at Dolphin Lane at the back of the carriage works were in great danger and very hurriedly cleared out their furniture. Between the factory and Dolphin House, occupied by Mr. Hill there was a small carriage house with rooms over, which have not been recently used. The fire got into this place and was threatening Dolphin House because it was not possible to get into the closed rooms. At length Mr. Hill knocked a hole in the roof and the fire was stopped at this spot the hose being carried through the entrance lobby. Nothing at all seems to have been saved out of the carriage factory where there were about forty carriages in different stages of construction but three or four carriages, which were in the showroom were taken out safely.

As far as we can learn there was no accident's at all during the morning and there was plenty of time for all to escape. In fact the only dwelling house actually burnt out was that of the foreman of the factory, which was on the first floor overlooking Castle Street. We believe all the property was insured except the household furniture and the tools of the coachbuilders. The whole of the hands of the carriage factory must of necessity be thrown out of employment. The destruction of the Dover Proprietary Library is a calamity that will cause general regret because it contained works of great value. After the fire had transverse the workshops they made their first attack on the library owing to its being situated on the second floor just in the sweep of the flames. Very soon it was evident to onlookers that the interior was fast becoming a wreck and the smoke and fire shortly debauched from the windows over Castle Street. There was no check to the destruction until the whole of the interior had been gutted. There may be some of the works left in a damaged state but the greater portion is totally destroyed.

We are indebted to Mr. J. Bolton for the loan of a copy of the catalogue that is corrected down to March 1886. The collection consisted of valuable works on - Antiquity and Topography - Biography - Memoirs and Correspondence - Lexicography- History and Geography - Voyages and travels - Poetry and Drama - Novels and Romance - Law and Parliamentary Papers - Divinity and Ecclesiastical History - Natural History and Science - Atlas's and Maps - Periodicals - Miscellaneous - and Foreign Literature.

Many of the works on Antiquity were we believe very rare. Amongst these was a valuable copy of the Antiquities Rutupinse date 1745, which was given to the Library, also a complete set of the publications of the Camden Society from the commencement of 1838 - Antiquities of Canterbury - Doomsday Book of Kent - Darells Dover Castle - Puckles Castle and Fortress - Worthington's Plan of Dover Harbour - Lyons History of Dover - Histories of Deal - Faversham - Folkestone - Gravesend - Maidstone - Rochester - Sandwich - Thanet - Tunbridge Wells - Weald of Kent - Surrey - Ports and Forts of Kent - Kentish Genealogies - Lambard's Perambulation of Kent - Hasteds Histories of Kent - Knockers Grand Court of Shepway - Ruskins Seven Lamps of Architecture and many other works which it would be difficult and in some cases impossible to replace.

The list of biographical works was a very full one including some rare works and some of the best modern ones. The collection of Lexicography included the dictionaries of Lowndes - Rose - Lempriere - Ure - Hadyn - Murray - Bailey - Crabb- Collier - Johnson -Todd - Lower and Lewis. The Catalogue of History runs over many pages forming a rare collection, while many of them are the best modern writers. The histories of own county include those of Rapin - Tindall - Froude - Macauley - Hume - Smollett and others. The travels too are a very choice selection. A very fine collection of British Poets is gone. The novels and romances are of the old and curious sort, modern fiction not being very largely represented but there were complete sets of Dicken's - Scott - and Disraeli's novels.

Under the Head of Law reports are one on Harbours of Refuge and a Charter relating to Cinque Ports dated 1668, and another dated 1662 - also a parliamentary report on Dover Harbour dated 1819. In the natural history section was Mantell's Geology of Sussex. Amongst the miscellaneous collection is a poll book for Dover of 1841. This library was established in 1844 and was the rallying point of the best informed leading men of Dover of the generation that is now passing away. The news that this valuable collection of books has come to this sad end will be a source of regret to many old Doverites who are now located in various parts of the world. The regret at the loss of this valuable collection is keener on account of the fact that enterprise could have saved the books had some one had the presence of mind to throw them into the street as the fire was raging quite half an hour before they were burnt. It is not possible to estimate the value of the books, but they are insured for £1,000. They were the property of the proprietors of the library who number about 50 gentlemen.

The President of the Library is the Rev. J. B. Bampton - the Vice President Dr. Parsons - the Rev. F. A. Hammond is the Librarian - Mr. Alexander Bottle the Treasurer - and Mr. J. Bolton, King Street, is the Secretary. A special meeting of the committee of the library met on Thursday afternoon at Mr. Lewis's office, Castle Street, to consider the circumstances in which they are placed. The fire was practically extinguished at ten o'clock but the police found it necessary to keep the hose going all day to prevent outbreaks and during last night the library again ignited but was soon got under, the police being on watch all night. The damage done by the fire is roughly estimated at £25,000.

The fire. A concert is being arranged to take place on Friday 13th inst. in aid of the employees of Mr. Hills, Coach Builders, Castle Street who has lost their valuable tools by the fire which occurred on Thursday morning last. The proceeds will be handed over to the Mayor for distribution. It is also proposed to give another concert in recognition of the valuable services of the military at the fire on the following Friday January the 20th. (1888)

Information kindly supplied by Joyce Banks.

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 6 June, 1902. Price 1d.

DRUNK IN DOLPHIN LANE

John ???? was charged with being drunk and disorderly.

Police Constable Southey said that on Saturday, about 10.35 p.m., when in Castle Street, he was attracted to an altercation outside the "Dolphin Inn." Defendant was there bleeding from  the eye, and apparently drunk. He complained of being tripped up by an Artilleryman. Three Artillery men came out, and witness asked him to point out which one it was, and he could not do so. the soldiers, who heard what he had said, denied all defendant said. Defendant refused to go away, and witness eventually took him into custody.

Defendant being a first offender, was discharged with a caution.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 21 November, 1902. Price 1d.

INADEQUATE ACCOMMODATION FOR INQUESTS

The inquest on Mr. J. Kingsland, who met his death early last Thursday morning on returning home from the Mayor's Banquet, was held on Friday afternoon at the “Dolphin Inn,” by the Borough Coroner, Sydenham Payn, Esq. Amongst those present was the Mayor (Councillor G. F. Wright), in whose employ the deceased had been. The foreman on the Jury was Mr. J. Meenagh.

The Coroner, in opening the enquiry, apologised for the smallness of the room. After the end of this year a new Act would come into force by which inquests would not be allowed to be held on licensed premises, and arrangements would have to be made whereby they would probably have a Court of their own. He himself very much disliked holding inquests at public houses, as it was not consistent with the dignity of the Court.

William Kingsland, 32, Widred Road, Tower Hamlets, said: I am a carpenter, and the body lying dead at 12, Dolphin Lane is that of my brother, James Kingsland. He was 51 years of age last March, and was a whitesmith. He had been in the employ of Messrs. Wright for 35½ years.

The Mayor said that was so. He had been apprenticed to his father, and was a man of most exemplary character, and a most trustworthy servant.

Alfred Bartholomew, 39, Military Road, said: On Thursday morning early, at five minutes to one, I met the deceased in Cannon Street. He was on his way home and I spoke to him. I said, “I am going home; I will go down the street with you, Jim.” He was alone. I went with him as far as the top of Dolphin Lane, and he said, “Do not come any further.” I said, “I will come a little way down with you,” and I went down with him as far as the bridge, and we then said Good-night. He then went on towards his house. He fell down, and I went back and asked him if he had hurt himself. He said, “Not much.” I tried to lift him up, but he seemed a bit dazed. As I could not get him up, I went to the top of the lane and saw a Policeman, and asked him to help a friend u-p who had fallen down. He came, and we got him up. He seemed a little dazed, and could only walk feebly. He very soon came too, however, and seemed quite himself. I and the Policeman saw him home. He opened the door himself and we left him in the passage.

In reply to a Juryman, witness said he did not notice whether the second door on the right was open. There was no light and all the place was in darkness.

Henry John Brenchley, landlord of the “Dolphin” public house, said: I have known the deceased for a great number of years. About five minutes past seven yesterday morning the deceased's father came in, and from what he said I went to his house. At the bottom of the cellar stairs we found the deceased in a crouched position. I pulled him over and laid him on his back. I could see he was dead; his face and hands were cold, but he was not stiff. We undid his collar and found his body warm. A doctor and a constable were sent for. The deceased's feet were at the bottom, and he lay on the steps three or four up. The only other person in the house was the deceased's father who was infirm and deaf.

Dr. J. Duncan best said: I was called in at 7.15 to the deceased. I found him lying on his back in the cellar. He was quiet dead and cold, and rigor mortis was well marked. He had therefore been dead some few hours. The face was much congested, and there was a scalp wound from which a good deal of blood had come. I examined the deceased's neck, but could not find without a post mortem any fracture of the neck. There was no evidence of any fracture of the base of the skull. There was a small contused wound above the right eye, and there were some bruises on the right arm. I found three or four stairs up, at the corner of the stairs, a good deal of blood, as if the head had rested there. I should consider that he had concussion of the brain from the fall, and that he lay with the head bent forward, and with no one to assist him he died from syncope. He was a very heavy man, with a thick-set neck, which was very tucked up, and the face showed that the breathing had been interfered with. I knew the deceased very well. He was a trustee of the Cinque Ports Warden Lodge of Oddfellows, and I always found him a very steady man. There were two doors by each other, one leading down into the cellar, and the other into the sitting room, whilst a third opening led upstairs, and he might have easily mistaken one for the other.

The Coroner said it was not very difficult to imagine what happened in the darkness, with the three openings so close to each other.

The Jury returned a verdict of “Accidental Death.”

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 21 January, 1927. Price 1½d.

LYDDEN LICENSEE REFUSED DOVER HOUSE

At the Dover Police Court on Friday, before Messrs. W. J. Barnes, J. W. Bussey and W. Hollis.

An application was made for the transfer of the "Dolphin Inn," Dolphin Lane, from Frederick Thomas Brown to John Fox, of the "Bell Inn," Lydden.

The Magistrates' Clerk said the County Police stated that there were four convictions for licensing offences, otherwise he had conducted the house well.

The Chairman asked how long the applicant had been in the house?

Mr. Fox: Nineteen and a half years.

The Chief Constable said, in view of the convictions, he was obliged to oppose the granting of the licence.

The Magistrates Clerk mentioned that two of the convictions were in respect of one case, in which there were, however, two charges.

The Chairman (to mr. Wood, the agent for Messrs. Leney and Co.): You are willing to accept him?

Mr. Wood: Yes.

The Chief Constable: Why is he going out of the "Bell Inn?"

Mr. Wood: He wants a change of house. There is no doubt the County Authorities had a little animus against him.

Mr. Wood added: I might mention that baron Fitzwalter wrote and said he hoped the convictions would not go against this man at any time. I have not the letter with me, but it is so.

The Court was cleared while the magistrates considered their decision, the Court being in the Council Chambers, the Police Court being occupied by the Dover County Court.

When the Court was opened again the Chairman said the Bench had considered this carefully, and while they would like to see their way to grant the licence, under the circumstances they did not think they could. It would be creating a precedent.

Mr. Fox: Can't be done, sir?

The Chairman: No.

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 28 January, 1927. Price 1½d.

THE DOLPHIN TRANSFER

At the Dover Police Court on Friday, before Messrs. J. W. Bussey and T. A. Terson.

The licence of the "Dolphin Inn," Dolphin Lane - the transfer of which the Magistrates refused to grant on the previous week to Mr. J. W. Fox - was transferred from Mr. F. T. Bent to Mr. George Ernest Parkes, of Folkestone.

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 1 March, 1929. Price 1½d.

DOVER LADY'S SUDDEN DEATH

The sudden death on Monday evening of Mrs. Ann Coles, of 14, New Street, has a sad coincidence, for a fortnight before her husband, who is a steward on the pilot cutter “Pathfinder,” was injured during a gale and at the time of her death was in hospital at Dovercourt. He has since been brought to Dover Hospital. Mrs. Coles was in Dolphin lane about 8.35 p.m. on Monday when she was taken ill. Dr. Stevens was sent for after she had been carried into the “Dolphin Inn” but Mrs. Coles had died before his arrival. The Coroner was informed and a post mortem subsequently held but this dispensed with an inquiry.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News. 17 February 1939.

"DOLPHIN" Inn, Dolphin Lane, Dover - Having taken over the above mentioned premises, Mr. and Mrs. H. Barrett wish to state that they will be pleased to see any of their old or new friends at any time during licensed hours. All goods of the finest quality, Fremlin's ales and stout; wines and spirit.