SHIP INN Pubs of Sandgate

DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Sort file:- Sandgate, December, 2022.

Page Updated:- Sunday, 04 December, 2022.

PUB LIST

PUBLIC HOUSES

Paul Skelton

Earliest 1798

Ship Inn

Open 2020+

65 High Street

Sandgate

01303 248525

https://whatpub.com/ship-inn

Above photo 1930 showing Joseph C Sherrod outside, kindly sent by Lynne Rogers.

Above photo 1968, kindly send by Rory Kehoe.

Above photo date unknown.

Above sign 1990.

Above with thanks from Brian Curtis www.innsignsociety.com

Built around 1798.

Reputed to house a ghost called "The Fish Lady," who is said to pester customers she doesn't care for. It is believed she is a former landlady, and as the pub used to also house a fishmongers, this tale is certainly plausible. Another ghost having been seen is a soldier in Victorian uniform.

It was along this street that supplies came in for the 1st Light infantry in the eighteenth century. In 1798, the troops were based at Shornecliffe Camp when John Hogben was landlord and a popular inn it was then. The camp had been built in 1794 in preparation for the Napoleonic Wars. The Ship was also as popular during the Crimean War when the British German Legion was raised and camped nearby. In the 1920s, under the landlord Henry Beer, it was described as The World Famous Ship Inn, Sandgate.

According to a former barman, the following tale has been taken from http://www.sandgate-kent.org.uk/ghosts.htm:-

"I used to work at the Ship Inn whenever Stewart would have a night off. On the particular night in question me and my fellow barperson – a girl called Nikki – had closed up and were cashing up the till. Above the till is a CCTV monitor that looks down the corridor towards the toilets. As Nikki and I were at the till I noticed someone on the CCTV standing just outside of the kitchen door. To be honest the image was not clear but Nikki confirmed that there was someone standing there. I asked Nikki to watch the CCTV as I went to investigate. Firstly I looked out of the bar door and noticed the corridor was empty – damn who ever it is has disappeared into the kitchen and to be honest with the amount of knives etc. in there I wasn't really looking forward to going in after them.

"Anyway, puffing out my chest and standing my full 5 foot 6 inches I proceeded down the corridor. As I approached the kitchen I prepared myself for the worst when I heard a scream coming from the bar. Worried that this intruder had somehow managed to nip into the back bar and was busy stealing Stewarts money or ravishing the barmaid I rushed to the bar where Nikki was standing as white as a – dare I say it… ghost – and I asked what was the trouble?

"With a huge tremor in her voice she said that she watched me on the CCTV monitor and apparently I walked straight through the person stood in the corridor!!! With that we left the pub… pretty quickly… Oh and I even left my house keys behind and had to wake Wendy the following morning at 6am so that I could get into my car and go to work!!!"

Kentish Gazette, Tuesday 15 December 1807.

SHIP INN, SANDGATE.

John Prebble respectfully announces to his friends and the public that he has taken the above inn; and trusts by attention and civility, joined with good accommodation and reasonable charges, that he shall merit and receive their future favours.

Neat wines and spirituous liquors.

Dinners dressed on the shortest notice.

Good stabling, with neat post chaises, able horses, and careful, drivers.

From the Kentish Gazette, 14 October 1845.

SANDGATE, Oct. 4. Sudden Death.

We regret to have to record the very sudden decease of Mr. Joseph Baldwin, many years principal Groom to T. T. Hodges, Esq.; he spent the evening on Friday last with a few friends at Richardson's "Ship Hotel," and retired at half-past nine, bidding the party good night, alas! for ever, for very melancholy to relate he was a corpse by seven o'clock in the following morning. He was a man of quiet and unobtrusive habits, and very generally respected. Mr. B. we are sorry to add, has left a long afflicted poor wife, wholly unprovided for, but we feel assured her ease will receive at the hands of Mr. Hodges all the consideration that humanity and liberality can suggest.

Kentish Gazette, 14 December 1847.

SANDGATE.

Monday 6th Inst., being the 10th anniversary of the Sandgate Benefit Society, the members dined together, at the "Ship Hotel," and after spending an harmonious and happy evening retired to their respective homes. This Society has effected much good and progresses prosperously. Long may it continue to do so.

From the Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports General Advertiser, Saturday 25 November, 1848. Price 5d.

SUDDEN DEATH

An inquest was held last week at the "Ship Hotel," Sandgate, upon the body of Mrs. T. B. Richardson, wife of the landlord of the above hotel, who expired after a few hours of illness on Saturday morning. The deceased was apparently well till nine o'clock on Friday evening, when she was suddenly seized in a fit, and Mr. Roscoe was immediately called in, but she never rallied, her death being attributed to apoplexy.

Verdict - "Died by the visitation of God."

From the Kentish Gazette, 28 November 1848.

Richardson.

Nov. 17. at Sandgate, of apoplexy, Martha, wife of Mr. William Richardson, landlord of the "Ship Hotel," at that place, aged 37 years, leaving an affectionate husband and a numerous young family to deplore their awfully sudden and irreparable loss.

From the Kentish Gazette, 28 November 1848.

SANDGATE, Sudden Death.

An inquest was held last week at the "Ship Hotel," upon the body of Mrs. T. B. Richardson, wife of the landlord of the above hotel, who expired after a few hours illness on Saturday morning. The deceased was apparently well till nine o’clock, on Friday evening, when she was suddenly seized with a fit, and Mr. Roscoe was immediately called in, but she never rallied, her death being attributed to apoplexy.

Verdict, "Died by the Visitation of God."

Kentish Gazette, 5 June 1849.

DEATH.

Richardson:— May 24, at Sandgate, Mary Mason, widow of Mr. William Richardson, of the "Ship Inn," whom she survived only four months, aged 32 years.

From the https://www.kentlive.news By Vicky Castle, 21 May 2019.

Man pictured on roof near Folkestone pub moments before being 'led to safety'.

Officers said they were called to reports of a 'disturbance' in the area.

A distressed man was seen on the roof of The Ship Inn in Sandgate, Folkestone.

A photo has emerged showing the moment a man took to the roof near a pub in Folkestone.

Sandgate High Street was shut last night (May 21) as the incident took place.

Police, firefighters and other emergency crews raced to the scene outside The Ship Inn just before 8pm.

Witnesses said police were turning cars around while the man was on the roof.

Officers said they were called to reports of a "disturbance" in the area.

A woman, 56, was arrested on suspicion of assault and is still in custody.

The man on the roof was led away to safety by healthcare professionals.

A spokesman for Kent Police said: "We were called at just before 8pm last night to a disturbance in Sandgate High Street.

"A 56 year old woman from Sandgate was arrested on suspicion of assault and remains in custody.

"A distressed man who at the time was on top of a nearby building was led away to safety by healthcare professionals."

From an email received 13 April 2022.

Joseph C and his wife Ethel Diana nee Senior (my great aunt) took on the license of the pub in 1930. Sadly he died between Oct & Dec 1932.

Ethel had a girl called Dorothy Horney living with her and although I'm not certain I have a recollection that I was told she was an unofficial adopted daughter.

Dorothy married George A Warden in 1942 in Biggleswade, Beds which is where my great grandmother and the other members of the family lived. George & Dorothy took on the pub in 1953 till 1985 but my great aunt continued to live with them.

I remember visiting her with my parents sometime between 1962 and 1965 and although I'm not certain of the year I know I was under 13 as I wasn't allowed in the bar when it was open because you had to be over 13 in those days.

Hope this adds to the information you have about the pub.

Lynne Rogers.

They are now (2016) brewing their own beers under the brewery title of "Amazing Brewery Company."

I believe there may be a little confusion over some of the licensee names for this one up to 1864, as there was also another premises called the "Ship Hotel" in the same area at the same time.

LICENSEE LIST

HOGBEN John 1798+

PREBBLE John 1807+

ROBERTS Richard 1823+