DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Sort file:- Dover, March, 2021.

Page Updated:- Wednesday, 31 March, 2021.

PUB LIST PUBLIC HOUSES Barry Smith and Paul Skelton

Earliest 1850

Elephant and Castle

Latest 1867+

High Street

Dover

High Street

The above photo by Paul Skelton 19 August 2009, shows the area of buildings one of which could at one time have been the "Elephant and Castle."

 

Already active when Garrick handed over to Moses Browning in 1850. It stood between Bridge Street and Peter Street, on that side of the thoroughfare. 1867 is the last year I have knowledge it.

 

From the Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports General Advertiser, Saturday 16 March, 1850. Price 5d.

CORONER'S INQUEST

On Monday afternoon at four o'clock, an inquest was held at the "Elephant and Castle," Charlton Road, before G. T. Thompson, Esq., Coroner for the Borough, on the body of Edward Elgar, aged 20 years, who died on Saturday from injuries sustained in falling from a scaffold in Norman Street. On the assembly of the jury, Mr. John Garnett was chosen as foreman, and they, having been sworn in they proceeded to view the body, and on their return the following witnesses were examined.

William Bourne, plasterer, residing in Dover - I knew the deceased, who was also a plasterer, and a fellow apprentice of mine. He was of the age of 20 years and a few months. On Friday last, about 20 minutes or half-past 1, as I was walking across Norman Street, I saw deceased upon a permanent scaffold, walking towards some steps which were placed on the scaffold. He mounted the steps, and when he had got about three stales up they canted sideways, and he fell to the rough earth below. I instantly ran and, supported him on my knee till a medical man, Mr. Williams, came, by whose direction deceased was put upon a board, and carried home. A boy was on the scaffold with deceased, but stood about 20 feet from the steps. I judged the deceased fell about 22 feet, he was not carrying any load at the time. The steps were nearly new and about 2 feet wide in the spread at the bottom. I have often worked on them myself. I examined the scaffold of the accident, and found it substantial. I can only account for the steps canting on the support on that they were too perpendicular, and spread out as deceased ascended.

James Kennett, plasterer's boy - I was at work with deceased on scaffold in question on Friday last. The steps that fell with deceased had been set by himself in the morning, and had not been touched till he used them, the cord was quite tight at the bottom. I cannot account for the steps falling; they went over head foremost. I was about 14 feet from deceased when he fell. The scaffold was five boards wide, and the steps might be passed without moving them. Deceased was fluting - finishing his work.

George Edward Williams, surgeon, practising in Dover. On Friday last, between 1 and 2 o'clock in the afternoon, I was called to see the deceased, and found him in Norman Street, supported by the witness Bourn. Seeing that one of his feet was inverted, shewing that he had a fractured thigh, I had him removed home, where I attended him, and removed his clothes to ascertain the nature of the injuries he had sustained. Upon examination I discovered a compound fracture of the thigh; a slight concussion of the brain at first presented, but he soon recovered from it after his removal home. After giving the necessary direction, I went home for the required preparations, and, returning, set the fracture, during which the deceased made no complaint, although the operation must have been very painful. He did complain of great pains in his neck, and after setting the fractured thigh I examined the neck, but found no inequality of the vertebrae. I then left him very comfortable, telling his father that the thigh was but a secondary consideration, as there was some pressure on the spinal cord, but that in the expiration of 36 hours, a more decided opinion would be given. On visiting him in the morning of Saturday I noticed that he was partially paralyzed, and from the symptoms presented I anticipated very unfavourable results. In the course of Saturday afternoon I was sent for in haste, and on getting there, which I did in a few minutes, I found deceased had expired. I attributed his death to the fracture of one of the cervical vertebrae, and which my muscular exertion, such as vomiting, had been displaced, and, pressing upon the spinal cord, instantly destroyed life. I attach the broken vertebrae to the deceased fall.

Verdict - That deceased met with his death accidentally from falling from a scaffold on which he was at work.

 

Kentish Gazette, Tuesday 14 January 1851.

Charlton, Dover.

On Wednesday last, a silver watch, £13 in gold, and £2 in silver, was stolen by two men from the "Elephant and Castle" public house. One of the fellows kept the landlady in conversation whilst his confederate affected the robbery. They have not since been heard of.

 

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

REMANDED CHARGE OF AFFILIATION

James Dowel, a costermonger, (green-grocer) was summoned to answer a complaint brought against him by Sarah Gillow, a young girl, who described herself as servant at the "Elephant and Castle" public-house, Charlton, charging him with being the father of her illegitimate child.

From the evidence it appeared that defendant had contributed towards the maintenance of the child since its birth, until within the last few weeks, and he had not disputed his liability to do so.

The Magistrates made an order for defendant to contribute 2s. 6d. a week.

 

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 26 April, 1867.

SHARP PRACTICE

James Fawcett was charged with deserting from his regiment, quartered in this garrison.

The defendant who was in plain clothes, was brought up by police-constable Vaul and a superiority constable, who appeared to have exercised some degree of sharp practice in taking the man into custody.

Fawcett denied that he had intended to desert, and accounted for being in plain clothes from the fact that he had been "upon the spree," and was indeed to change his clothes in a lark at a public-house where he had been drinking. After changing his dress he sallied out with some companions, and ultimately found himself at the "Elephant and Castle" Charlton, in company with some volunteers. The policeman was in the same room and were not on duty. He did not conceal that he was a 41st man, and the volunteers "stood" brandy and water round, the police joining in and making themselves particularly agreeable, one of them, who was musical, favoured the company with "Champagne Charlie!"

To his great surprise, he found upon endeavouring to tear himself away from his entertaining company, that he was in custody on a charge of desertion, the policeman having taken advantage of his statement.

The constable did not contradict the story of the soldier in any material particular, and it having been corroborated by the evidence of the landlord of the "Elephant and Castle," the Magistrates declined to go into the charge of desertion, but handed over the defendant to a file of the guard belonging to his own regiment, by who he was conveyed to quarters.

 

From the Dover Express, Friday 1 September 1939.

INN SIGN LORE.

Inn sign lore for the public is being provided by the brewing industry. Many thousands of copies of an illustrated beeolet, "Inn Signs: Their History and Meaning," by Sir Gurney Benham, F.S.A., are to be issued during the next few days, by the Brewers' Society, to inns all over the country. They will be dispensed over the bar to any customer buying a glass of beer.

......

Sir Gurney Benham's explanation of some other Inn signs removed various misconceptions.

The "Elephant and Castle," for instance does not derive its name from "Infanta of Castille," but is the crest of the Cutlers Company, the elephant being included "possibly because cutlers use bone for knife handles and like to pass it off as ivory."

The "Elephant and Castle" is also the Crest for the Corbet family, but the old and famous inn of this name at Newington Butts, is said to commemorate the discovery of an elephant's skeleton there, in 1714.

......

 

 

LICENSEE LIST

CARRICK or GARRICK 1850

BROWNING Moses 1850 Next pub licensee had

BENNETT John H 1851+ (age 43 in 1851Census)

Last pub licensee had COWTAN William H 1858-62 Melville's 1858Post Office Directory 1862

DOWLE Edward 1862-64+

 

Melville's 1858From Melville's Directory 1858

Post Office Directory 1862From the Post Office Directory 1862

CensusCensus

 

If anyone should have any further information, or indeed any pictures or photographs of the above licensed premises, please email:-

TOP Valid CSS Valid XTHML