DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Sort file:- Dover, July, 2023.

Page Updated:- Monday, 31 July, 2023.

PUB LIST PUBLIC HOUSES Barry Smith and Paul Skelton

Earliest 1826

Old Fountain Inn

Closed 1908

23 Caroline Place

Dover

Caroline Place 1939

Above photo, 11 May 1939. I wonder if this was the "Old Fountain." Looks like beer hatches. Although most of the houses here had similar for coal hatches. Further information says this is showing the front and left return wall of number 29 and Caroline Place front of numbers 2 to 9.

Caroline Place

Although the above picture probably doesn't show the "Old Fountain Inn" it does show the demolition of the houses in Caroline Place in April 1950.

Pencester Gardens can be seen between the houses.

Stembrook flats now occupy the area.

 

Belonging to the Dartford Brewery Company, it was fully licensed and geographically speaking was part of a cul-de-sac in Stembrook. Active in 1839 with its stables housed at number 31, but in 1908 they were let independently to Alfred Leney. The Place was composed of twenty nine houses, two being vacant that year.

 

Redundancy was proved in 1908. It was described then as being an alehouse but it was also said to be fully licensed. Many were so described at the time of their demise but I have not the necessary knowledge to give you a reason. I can say that the pub evolved through the conversion of a cottage and boasted a front and back parlour.

 

Agreed compensation in October 1908 gave the mortgagee £489 and the tenant £76, although Bliss was listed in the Pike's Directory of 1908.

 

Following removal of the properties in 1951 guess what? That's right, another car park.

 

From the Kentish Gazette, 9 January 1838.

Jan 1, at Dover, after a long illness, Mr. Richard Tenner, landlord of the "Old Fountain" public house, leaving a wife and large family unprovided for.

At present the name of this licensee doesn't tally with the information already suggested, but without an address I am only assuming it is this house and not another with the same name.

 

From the Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports General Advertiser, Saturday 11 November, 1848. Price 5d.

PETTY SESSIONS

Partridge, chargesd with creating a disturbance at the "Old Fountain," Caroline Place - Fined 2s.

 

Southeastern Gazette, 1 March 1853.

Death

Feb. 20, at the "Old Fountain," Caroline-place, Dover, Mr. Peter Symonds, aged 80 years, boatman, and for 40 years a licensed victualler. ("Hope Inn.")

 

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 20 April, 1861.

Susannah Thorpe, landlady of the "Old Fountain Inn," Caroline Place, was summoned for an infringement of her license, and was fined 5s. and costs.

 

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 4 January, 1867. Price 1d.

CREDITABLE TO THE POLICE

Henry Charles Solley, landlord of the "Old Fountain Inn," Caroline Place, was charged for that he did open his house before the hour of half-past twelve o'clock on Christmas Day, to-wit, at the hour of ten past one o'clock a.m.

Defendant pleaded guilty, but stated that in either towns where he had kept public houses, the police were not half so strict as they were in Dover.

The Magistrates fined the defendant 2s. 6d. and 8s. 6d. costs.

 

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 1 March, 1867.

INFRINGEMENT OF LICENSE

Henry Charles Solley, landlord of the "Old Fountain," Caroline Place, was charged with having his house illegally open on Sunday, but was dismissed on paying the costs, 6s. 6d.

 

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday 14 February, 1908.

THE ANNUAL LICENSING MEETING

THE OLD FOUNTAIN

Mr. Clinch, Gravesend applied for the renewal of the licence of the "Old Fountain," Caroline Place, on behalf of the Dartford brewery Company, the licence being opposed by the police.

Inspector Fox stated: The "Old Fountain" is a fully licensed house situated in Caroline Place, a cul-de-sac, of cottage property, behind St. Mary's Church. The owners are the Dartford Brewery Company, and the present tenant Charles Frederick Bliss. The licence was transferred to him on October 3rd, 1906. There have been four tenants in the last ten years. The rateable value of the house is £18 gross, £14 10s. nett. The licensed houses in the immediate neighbourhood are the "Star," Church Street, 37 yards away; the "Ancient Druids," Stembrook, 79 yards away; the "Burlington Inn," Church Street, 87 yards away. The frontage of the house is 18ft. 8in., the passage entrance serves as a bar, customers being served through a hatch. The house was originally a cottage. There is a front parlour, and back parlour, which is sometimes used by the tenant and his family. There are 29 houses in Caroline Place, two of which are unoccupied. There are stables to the house, but they are now let independently, being, I believe, in the occupation of Messrs. Leney and Co. The house was visited by me on Monday, January 20th at 9.55 a.m., when there were two customers there; on Thursday, 25th January, I visited at 2.25 with Detective Mount, and found one customer; and on Tuesday, 4th February, at 8.40 p.m., we found one customer there, on Friday, February 7th, at 6.40 p.m., there were two customers.

Detective Mount corroborated to the number of customers.

Mr. Clinch said that his clients had instructed him to make enquiry. They had found that the Justices having charge of the matter had made many enquiries, and they knew the locality and the requirements of the neighbourhood, having regard to that, they would not oppose the decision arrived at, but at the proper time they would bring out the trade.

The whole of the four cases ("Canterbury Bell," "Old Fountain," "Ordnance Arms," and "Devonshire Arms," were referred to  the East Kent Quarter Session for decision whether they would grant compensation for the non-renewal of the licenses.

 

From the Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, 24 October, 1908.

EAST KENT LICENSING COMMITTEE. SUPPLEMENTAL MEETING AT CANTERBURY. COMPENSATION AWARDS.

The supplemental meeting of the East Kent Licensing Committee met at the Sessions House, Longport, Canterbury, on Monday for the purpose of considering claims for compensation under the Licensing Act of 1904. Lord Harris presided, the other members of the Committee present being Lieut.-Colonel S. Newton-Dickenson, Messrs. F. H. Wilbee, H. Fitzwalter Plumptre, J. H. Monins. F. E. Burke, F. Cheesmsn, and A. Flint. The majority of the agreements as to terms of compensation between owners and tenants were signed, only four cases being referred to the Inland Revenue. The following agreements were signed:—

"Old Fountain," Dover, Dartford Brewery Co. Ltd.. and Thos. Martin (and others), Hornsey, Middlesex (mortgagee), £489 to mortgagee, C. F. Bliss £76.

 

 

LICENSEE LIST

REYNOLDS Richard 1826-40+ Pigot's Directory 1840

PITCHER Henry 1847-52+ (age 41 in 1851Census) Bagshaw's Directory 1847

THORPE Susannah 1858-61 Melville's 1858Dover Express

PAY to May/1863 Dover Express

CLEMENTS W May/1863+ Dover Express

SOLLEY Henry Charles 1866-July/68 Dover Express

JASPER Thomas July/1868-95 (age 63 in 1891Census) Dover ExpressPost Office Directory 1874Kelly's 1874Post Office Directory 1882Post Office Directory 1891Pikes 1895 (and Carpenter Kelly's 1874)

CASWELL E 1898

Last pub licensee had CHANDLER William George 1898-Jan/1900+ Next pub licensee had Kelly's Directory 1899Dover Express

ADAMS John Rowe Jan/1900+ Dover ExpressPost Office Directory 1903

BEATTON/BEETON Emily Jane Mrs 1903-Sept/1904 Post Office Directory 1903Kelly's 1903Dover Express

HICKS Emily Jane Mrs Sept/1904+ Dover Express (new married name of above)

Last pub licensee had BLISS Charles Frederick Aug/1906-08 Dover ExpressPikes 1909

 

Pigot's Directory 1840From the Pigot's Directory 1840

Bagshaw's Directory 1847From Bagshaw Directory 1847

Melville's 1858From Melville's Directory 1858

Kelly's 1874From the Kelly's Directory 1874

Post Office Directory 1874From the Post Office Directory 1874

Post Office Directory 1882From the Post Office Directory 1882

Post Office Directory 1891From the Post Office Directory 1891

Pikes 1895From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1895

Kelly's Directory 1899From the Kelly's Directory 1899

Post Office Directory 1903From the Post Office Directory 1901

Post Office Directory 1903From the Post Office Directory 1903

Kelly's 1903From the Kelly's Directory 1903

Pikes 1909From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1909

Dover ExpressFrom the Dover Express

CensusCensus

 

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

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