|
5 Biggin Street
   
New building 9 Biggin Street WATTS J F 1962
 |
|
The original Salutation during a Mayors procession, 1923,
showing a meeting of the Brotherhood and Guestling, attended by the Lord
Warden Earl Beauchamp. Photo
by kind permission of Dover Library. |
 |
|
Salutation above shown on right in the early 1930s. On left can be see the
"British Queen" and in the middle (same side) the "Prince Albert". |
 |
|
Above shows the old Salutation, date unknown.
|
|
From the Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports General
Advertiser, Saturday 7 January, 1843. Price 5d.
MELANCHOLY CATASTROPHE
An inquest was held, at the "Salutation," before G. T. Thompson,
Esq., Coroner for the borough, on the body of George Hardwin, aged 49,
wagoner, in the employ of Mr. C. B. Goreley.
Joseph Belsey, wagoner
deposed, that on Sunday morning last, about four o'clock, he, with
deceased, was returning with two wagons from Margate, where we had been
sent with a load on the previous day, and when opposite Victoria
Crescent, deceased called out "Joe." I ran back and found him lying in
the road. He said the wagon had gone over him. I then got assistance and
took him to his house. When I last saw the deceased, near the Chapel at
Buckland, he was walking at the side of his horses. I can not tell how
the deceased came under the wagon, not do I know if he was riding on the
shafts. The wagon and the horses are the property of Mr. Gorely, and the
horses are very quiet. We left Margate to return to Dover about two
o'clock on Saturday afternoon.
E. G. Rutley, surgeon, deposed, that he was called to attend the arm
of deceased broken, and great injury in the abdomen, from which there
was a considerable haemorrhage. The deceased expired in about two hours.
Verdict - "Accidental death, from the wheel of a wagon, with a
deodand of one shilling on the same."
|
|
From the Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports Advertiser,
2 June, 1849.
John Skimetzki, a Pole, was brought up in the custody of
police-constable Scutt, charged with secreting, with intent to steal,
sundry articles of wearing apparel, the property of Mr. Phillips, of the
"Salutation," Biggin Street, and his son - The prisoner being a
foreigner, an unable to speak English, Mr. S. M. Latham officiated as
interpreter during the investigation, at which the following evidence
was given:-
John Phillips jun. - The prisoner slept at the "Salutation" on Friday
and Saturday nights last. On Sunday morning, at about eight o'clock, on
going up stairs, thought I heard some one in my bed-room; and, on
proceeding thither, saw prisoner in the act of opening the door to come
out. Missing two shirts from a box on which I had previously seen them
lying, I collared prisoner, asking him what business he had in my room,
and challenged him with the theft. He partially stripped, to show that
he had nothing about him, and was then allowed to leave the house.
Almost immediately afterwards a pair of stockings were found concealed
between the mattress and sacking-bottom of prisoner's bed, when a
policeman was sent for, and the prisoner taken into custody. Seeing that
my keys were disturbed on the previous night, I suspected all was not
right, and had kept a look-out on the prisoner's movements. On the
arrival of the policeman we went up stairs together, and he discovered
two shirts of mine and a neckerchief, concealed in a corner beside the
bed in the prisoner's room, which was adjoining mine. It was not the bed
in which the prisoner had slept, but another bed in the same room. A
jacket belonging to my father, and a shawl, were also found concealed
among the bedding. No other lodger had slept in the house while prisoner
was there. - This evidence, in respect to the concealment of the
clothes, were corroborated by Matilda Martin, a servant at the
"Salutation," and police-constable Scutt.
Prisoner pleaded his innocence of the charge, and stated that he had
left the house, and was near the Market Place when apprehended -
Committed for trial at the ensuing quarter sessions.
|
|
From the Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports General
Advertiser, Saturday, 12 December, 1846. Price 5d.
DEATH
Dec. 8, suddenly, at Dover, Mrs. Phillips, wife of Mr. Phillips,
landlord of the "Salutation Inn," aged 38
|
|
From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer,
9 September, 1865. Price 1d.
A SOLDIER IN SEARCH FOR HIS GLOVES
Robert Houghton, a young fellow in the uniform of the Royal
Artillery, was next placed at the bar, having been found on the premises
of Mrs. Exes, "Salutation Inn," Biggin Street, and being suspected of an
unlawful purpose.
It appeared that the defendant had been found at two o'clock in the
morning in one of the upstairs apartments, after the whole of the
family had gone to bed; and as he had been unable to give a satisfactory
account of himself he had been given into custody.
Supt. Coram said, in answer to the Bench, that there was no reason to
suppose the defendant intended to commit a felony, and the only reason
he had been given into custody was because he was unable to give
anything like a satisfactory account of himself. From what he had since
ascertained, he believed the defendant was paying a visit to the servant
girl.
Police-constable Company, who had taken defendant into custody, said
he must have scaled the front of the house and got in at one of the
upstairs windows, which had been left open.
A sergeant of the defendant's battery, who was in attendance, said
the defendant was a good, steady man, and had never been in custody
before.
The defendant said he had been at the "Salutation" all the previous
evening, and he believed he must have returned at the time he was found
as described in search of his gloves, which he had missed after leaving
the house. He had taken a great deal to drink, and was hardly aware of
what he was about.
Sir Luke Smithett asked the defendant if he knew anything of the
servant girl?
Defendant admitted, with some show of reluctance, that he had spoken
to her in the course of the previous evening.
The Sergeant, in reply to the Magistrates, said the defendant would
be punished by the military authorities for being absent from his
quarters. He had had a pass which extended to 12 o'clock only, and he
would therefore be punished for being absent without leave.
Under these circumstances the Magistrates cautioned the defendant and
handed him over to the military authorities.
|
|
From the Dover Express and East Kent
News, Friday 21 June, 1867.
THE FORGE
A letter was read from Mr. Archer, of the "Salutation," stating that
damage was done to his property in pulling down the forge in Biggin
Street. he stated that he had mentioned the matter to the Surveyor and
expected that compensation would have been allowed.
The Town Clerk said this was the first he had heard of a claim for
compensation, and had requested the claimant to put it in writing.
The matter was referred to the town Clerk.
|
|
From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 8
February, 1918.
DOVER LICENSING SESSIONS
On September 14th, 1917, Henry Thomas Weeks and his wife Florence Weeks,
of the "Salutation Inn," Biggin Street, were summonsed. Mr. Weeks for
permitting and Mrs. Weeks for supplying intoxicating liquor to a person
during restricted hours under the Board's orders, the case against Mr. Weeks
was dismissed, and Mrs. Weeks was fined 40s; the house has since changed
hands.
|
|
From the Dover Express and East Kent News. 22 April, 1910.
LICENSED VICTUALLER'S DEATH.
The death occurred early on Wednesday morning of Mr. W. L. Dalton,
proprietor of the "Salutation Inn," Biggin Street, who was, until his
retirement from the Army some years ago, Instructing-Sergeant-Major to
the old Cinque Ports R.G.A. (Volunteers). Mr. Dalton had been in bad
health for some fifteen months, and he died at the Westminster Hospital,
London, where Mr. Dalton had been a patient for nearly three weeks
previous to his end. Mr. Dalton was a Mason, and also a member of the
Prince Arthur Lodge of Oddfellows.
|
|
From the Dover Express and East Kent News. 3 February 1939.
R.A.O.B. (Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes). Dover Patrol
Lodge.- Members, wives, and friends are cordially invited to attend
an Open Night of the above Lodge, to be held at the Salutation Inn,
Biggin Street, Dover, Monday February 13th.
|
|
From the Dover Express and East Kent News. 14 June, 1963.
CLOSING THE SALUTATION.
When the new-look Biggin Street is completed, a two-storey lock-up
shop will stand on the site which has been occupied by the Salutation
Inn for more than 300 years. The new pub replacing the Salutation, will
be 20 years further along the street.
Dover Magistrates were told this on Friday when it was announced that
terms had been agreed between the licensee, Mr. Charles Victor Townsend
and the brewers.
Mr. Girling, for the brewers applied successfully for a provisional
order for the removal of the Justices' licence for the inn.
Opposition to the application by Mr. Townsend had now been withdrawn,
he said. The licensee would be recompensed as the tenancy would be
terminated earlier than had been anticipated.
A further application for an order for the final removal of the
licence - will have to be approved by the magistrates before it's a case
of "Time, Gentleman, Please!" for the last time.
|
|
From the Dover Express and East Kent News. 9 August, 1963.
CLOSING NIGHT AT THE OLD SALUTATION.
Time, gentlemen please!" ... for the last time at the Salutation Inn
on Monday night. Twelve hours later the demolition men moved in.
Time ran out for Dover's ancient Salutation Inn on August Bank
Holiday Monday, when licensee Mr. Charles Townsend called for last
orders. For over three hundred years the Salutation in Biggin Street has
provided rest and refreshment for travellers between Dover and
Canterbury. The premises and the line of shops in which they stand are
being demolished to make way for a £100,000 redevelopment scheme.
There was a touch of sadness in the three bars as they sang "Auld
Lang Syne" at closing time.
"I've made this my local for twenty years," said the old man in the
corner. "Now I'll have to scout around to find another place with the
same atmosphere as the Salutation."
A big crowd gave "The Sally" - as it is called - a good send off.
One there for the final hour was Mr. John Ullmann, of Dover
Demolition and Erection Company, whose firm i to knock down this sector
of Biggin Street.
Work began early next morning gutting Fletcher's butcher shop, which
is next door to Scrase's electrical store, still being vacated.
Almost immediately after the area has been cleared, two-storey shops
are due to be erected. A new Salutation will be built in the block.
It is hoped that the reconstruction of the area will be completed by
next June. Later, it is planned to build a telephone exchange at the
rear of the shops.
|
|
From the Dover Express and East Kent News. 30 August, 1963.
The demolition squad at work in Biggin Street
bottle-neck.
|
|
From the Dover mercury, 10 August 2001, by Joe Harman.
Street landmark uprooted.
THIS picture was taken during the last days of the Catalpa or Bean tree
which had flourished outside Maison Dieu House for many years. In 1963
it was decided to redevelop a part of Biggin Street. This included Hoare
Gothard and Bonds, Pearks Stores and the Salutation.
The Salutation would have been out of the picture on the left.
The old Inn was
rebuilt further down the street, but it never regained its former glory
and is now a building society office.
You can see some of the
properties on the other side which were later improved, and included the
British Queen (slightly right of centre of picture), Giddens the watchmaker, Crush the tobacconist and Parks
the fruiterer.
|
 |
|
Photos of the new Salutation above and below, kindly supplied by Barry Smith,
circa 1980 |
 |
 |
|
Salutation in 1991. Photo by Ivan Green 25 February 1991. By kind
permission of Dover Library ILL/3710 |
Photo by Stuart Kinnon, 1983. |
The former Salutation as it looks today. (2000ish) Although precise date unknown,
the building work on the right may be able to date this. |
The original was said to exist with the nearby monastery
in the twelfth century. One writer has suggested that the two were connected
with a tunnel or passageway. The monastery would have been much closer then
than the few remaining portions of today so I find that suggestion easy to
go along with. Its name before the Reformation was probably "Annunciation"
or possibly "Angelus" if it was present then. The sign would have changed
when the Priory met its demise with perhaps just the lily remaining. It has
been reported that when the pub was called the "Annunciation" that the sign
depicted the greeting of the Blessed Virgin Mary by the Angel Gabriel.
When it closed on 5 August 1963 others estimated it to be
some three hundred years old. I can only say here that J. Bowes kept it in
1791 and a Mr. Bowen is known to have died there in 1794. I do recall that
it was necessary to step down into the public bar so it was easy to fall
into as it were.
It was removed in 1963 when it became necessary to widen
the pavement. Another of the same name was then built on a corner some sixty
feet from the first site.
It opened on 4 September 1964. The new black and white
sign, depicting two figures was uninspiring and suggested little to the
average person. The structure itself could hardly have looked less like a
pub from the outside.
Needless to say, it fought a losing battle for nineteen
years and closed finally on 6 December 1983. It was a Whitbread outlet.
Following alterations. Pizza Hut (UK) utilised it as a
licensed restaurant but their stay was briefer still, lasting only seven
months before giving way to the Bradford and Bingley building society.
LICENSEE LIST
BOWES J 1791-94 dec'd
KITHAM Matthias R 1823-39+
 
(KITHAM Nathias R
  )
PHILLIPS John 1838-50+
  
SHAVE W Nov/1850+
SHAVE Mrs 1857
EWES Thomas 1858
EVES Mrs A 1862
ARCHER John 1870-May/79
CAISTOR Henry May/1879-82+
YOUNG George Charles 1895-1901 end
 
HALL Edward 1898-1904 dec'd
 
HALL Mrs Adeline 1904-06 end
STEPHENSON Mrs Adeline 1906-07 end
DALTON W L 1907-10 dec'd
DALTON Mrs E A 1910
WRIGHT J M 1911 end
GILLESPIE Frederick John 1911-Aug/12
CASSELDEN John C Aug/1912-13+
WEEKS Thomas Henry 1917 end
BRYANT J 1919-20 dec'd
BRYANT Mrs 1920-30 end
KIDD Albert 1922-23 end
TUCKER Charles 1922-30 end
BUSHELL Frederick W 1923-24
BARTLETT John Charles 1924-27 end ( BARTLETT J E)
WYATT James 1927-30
HUNT Mrs Mary Ann 1930-32 end
AMES T 1933
BOWLER Frederick John 1936
NODDER Stanley Charles Sept/1938 end
 
BOTLEY John Sept/1938-June/40
HARTE Thomas James June/1940-55
PHILLIPS John W 1946-50
TOWNSEND Charles Victor 1955-63
(New pub)
SUMMERS Frederick D 1964-77 retired
Whitbread Fremlins
MILES Derek J 1977-83 end
According to the Dover Express, John Botley was from 39, Cheriton Road,
Folkestone, formerly licensee of the "Ship," Minster.
Thomas James Harte was previously from Southampton, Hotel Surbitan,
cellarman.
Frederick John Gillespie may well have been landlord of the "Fountain" in
Hastings in 1918.
Dover and Deal Directory and Guide 1792
From the Pigot's Directory 1823
From the Pigot's Directory 1828-9
From
the Pigot's Directory 1832-33-34
From the Pigot's Directory 1839
From the Pigot's Directory 1840
From Bagshaw Directory 1847
From Melville's Directory 1858
From the Post Office Directory 1862
From the Post Office Directory 1874
From the Post Office Directory 1882
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 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 Pikes Dover Blue Book 1948-49
From the Kelly's Directory 1950
From the Kelly's Directory 1953
From the Kelly's Directory 1956
Library archives 1974
From the Dover Express
From the Dover Telegraph
|
