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13 St. James' Street
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Dover Mercury 6/4/2000
Pub outing facts arrive.
THE ink had hardly dried on the Dover Mercury two weeks ago before we
started receiving information about the mystery picture in our Those
Were The Days feature.
The picture showed people about to go on a charabanc outing from a pub
in Dover.
Bob Dunford was the first to get in contact, telling us it was taken at
Golden Cross Passage and the pub was the Golden Cross in at St James's
Street. Adding more information was Barry Smith who said the pub, run by
Charringtons, was at 13 St James's Street.
Quoting from the book By The Way, which is available in Dover Reference
Library, Mr Smith said: "The Golden Cross opened at 5am from 1881.
Another with the sign was reported in Snargate Street in 1826.
"Bomb damage was responsible for the closure on October 7, 1940. Further
damage made the building so dangerous that rebuilding was called for.
"It was ruled that although rebuilding was out of the question, the
brewer should not forfeit his licence.
"Post war, a compulsory purchase order was made for the site and war
damaged building thereon in January 1954.
"The brewer in turn asked for the licence to be transferred to a
newly-built house on the Buckland Estate and it then passed to the
Wheelwright's Arms in 1956."
Local historian Joe Harman confirmed it was the Golden Cross Inn in St
James' Street and the picture was probably taken about 1925.
"The charabanc is probably one of Father Wills' from Folkestone," he
said. "There was a Golden Cross Passage with a grocer's shop on the
other side, hence the Nestle's Milk sign in the picture."
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From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 28 January, 1865.
INFRINGEMENT OF LICENSE
Charlotte Venner, landlady of the "Golden Cross," was charged by
Police-sergeant Bayley which serving during the prohibition hours on
Sunday morning last; but as this was her fist offence, and as Mr.
Knocker, who attended for her, adduced some extenuating circumstances,
the Magistrates dismissed the summons on defendant paying the costs, 6s.
6d.
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From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 25 January, 1895.
WATERS v WILSON
This was a claim for £2 0s. 0d., a month’s wage. The plaintiff, a lad
had acted as groom and stable boy to the defendant, who had lived
successively at the “Pavilion” public house, Castle Street, and the
“Golden Cross,” and was discharged on December 29th at a minute’s
notice. The next day the plaintiff saw the defendant and asked for the
wages due. Defendant stated he had paid him the previous day.
The defendant denied that he owed the defendant any money.
His honour gave judgement for the plaintiff in 14 days.
[I will say I do not know of a "Pavilion"
public house in Castle Street, and believe it to be an error. Paul
Skelton.]
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http://www.dover.freeuk.com/entertainment/pubs/golden_cross.htm
Thanks to the sharp eyes of readers of the Dover Mercury for the
following information:
The public house was called the Golden Cross, 13 St James' Street, on
the corner of Golden Cross Passage. The shop on the opposite corner of
the Passage was a grocer's, which explains the Nestles Milk advert on
the wall.
A poster in Dover Museum proclaims "We were bombed and shelled out of
the Golden Cross and now we have no roof, but Hitler can't stop us! (we
hope)". According to the accompanying label, the pub was damaged by
bombs on 7th October, 1940. The area was badly damaged by shellfire and
the pub was eventually demolished in 1958, having never reopened.
The pub and the adjoining passage got their name from a golden cross
which was found when structural alterations were being carried out in
1860.
In 1881, this was another hostelry that opened its doors at 5 a.m.
Help wanted:
We still don't know what the occasion was, who the men were or where
they were going. Can anybody help us with this one? |
This outlet of Charrington stood on the corner with Golden Cross Passage
and opened at five a.m. from 1881.
When structural alterations were made in 1860, a small gold cross did
come to light. It has been passed down through the family and the proud
possessor today is David Clark of Tenterden.
Bomb damage was responsible for the closure on 7 October 1940. Further
damage by March 1941 made the building so dangerous that rebuilding was
called for. That produced a decision which was to affect all the licensed
premises throughout hostilities. It was ruled that although rebuilding was
out of the question the brewer should not forfeit the licence.
Post war, a compulsory purchase order was made for the site and war
damaged building thereon in January 1954. It was confirmed in May 1955. The
brewer in turn, asked for the licence to be transferred to a newly built
house on the Buckland Estate and it then passed to the "Wheelwright's Arms"
in 1956.
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From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 19
August, 1938.
DOVER PUBLIC HOUSE CHANGES.
The Bench approved plans for alterations to the "Golden Cross," St.
James's Street.
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From the Dover Express, 9 June 1950.
OLD ST. JAMES' TOWER.
To the Editor of the Dover Express.
Dear Sir, - I am sure there were many like myself who appreciated the
appearance of the two photographs of Old St. James' Tower in your recent
issue (shown below).
 
ST. JAMES' OLD CHURCH.
On Monday night the tower of war damaged St. James' Old Church
collapsed. The photograph above (right), by Mr. E. Austen, of 128
Snargate Street, taken only a few days before, gives an interesting
comparison with a similar view today. (1950) |
This was the only church tower to be destroyed in England by
shells from the Cross Channel guns on the French coast, although many
Towers were within range. The Tower has now collapsed and gone, but the
bell, cast by John Warner, of London has been saved and it will be
honoured for years as a treasure in the history of a fighting Dover. It
was dedicated for service in 1872, replacing a peal of six, cast in the
year 1637. Thus it was this last bell to sound out from the tower which
no doubt had bells to use as far back as the 14th century. Many old
books contain reference to the long connection of the church with the
Cinque Ports and the admiration of old Dovorians is revealed by the
nearby hostelry in St. James' Street, "The Golden Cross," being named in
close connection.
The Bell of St. James' is no oil-painting, therefore it cannot adorn
the walls of the Town Hall, but it can sound out in remembrance of the
courage and fortitude of all those who defended Dover during the
shelling and upheld the freedom of the ideal for which it was cast.
CHARLES TURNER.
(Capt.) St. Mary's Ringers.
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Photograph above, kindly
sent by Paul Wells shows the Golden Cross just after being hit by enemy
fire in 1940. |
LICENSEE LIST
HATCH 1858-60
VENNER Barton 1864 dec'd
VENNER Mrs Charlotte 1864-July/68
PEARSON Mr July/1868+
BEYNON Misses A & VENNER 1874
VENNER Jane Julia to May/1880
YOUNG George Charles May/1880-Aug/82
DUNGEY John Aug/1882+
REED T B 1887 end
MACEY William Haynes 1887-91
NOBLE George Charles 1894-95
COLE Frederick Richard 1897-1903 end
  
DANE Edward Alfred 1903-17
 
GILLETT H 1917-22
AMBROSE W 1922
FAGG J 1923-32+
   
HOLNESS William James 1933-Apr/36
OTTLEY Charles William Apr/1936-38 end
 
HAYWARD Enoch 13 Jan 1939-40 end
(Enoch Hayward was a
general stores keeper from Ramsgate)
 From the Pigot's Directory 1828-9
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 Post Office Directory 1913
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 the Dover Express
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