From the Dover Express, 28 January, 1865.

THE STAR INN

Permission to sell at the "Star Inn" was granted to Mr. George Clark, vice Ellender, who retires.

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 11 September, 1868.

THE ANNUAL LICENSING DAY

THE STAR

The landlord of this house, Mr. Keeler, who it appeared, had been fined for infringing his license by drawing within the proscribed hours, was admonished, the Mayor, informing him that, although his license would now be renewed, the Magistrates were determined that all infringements of this sort should be considered when the Bench were asked to renew a license.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 15 May, 1868.

INFRINGEMENT OF LICENSE.

Thomas Keeler, the keeper of the "Star," Church Street, was charged with having his house open at ten o'clock on Sunday morning.

Police-sergeant Stevens proved the charge.

Fined 15s. and 9s. 6d. costs.

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 21 January, 1872. Price 1d.

REMANDED CHARGE OF FELONY

Alfred William Ditton and Henry Luland, the two lads who had been remanded from the previous day, on a charge of stealing a suit of clothes, value £2, from a carrier's van in Church Street, were again brought up in custody.

Ralph Hancock deposed: I am a carrier, and I drive a van from Sandwich to Dover. I was at Dover on Tuesday last, with my van. I left my van in Church Street, opposite the "Star" public-house, for about three hours.

By Mr. Back: The horse was in stables, and the van was standing in the street.

Examination continued: I put up at the "Star" about two o'clock. Shortly after two o'clock I received a parcel from Mr. Stedman, a tailor, residing in Snargate Street. I placed the parcel in the vanand went into the public-house. I remained there for about three quarters of an hour, when I returned to the van, and missed the parcel Mr. Stedman had left with me. I asked the landlord of the public-house if he had seen any one take the parcel. The landlord said he had not. I then went to see if Mr. Stedman had taken it back again, but he had not. He gave me a pattern of the clothes in the parcel. He advised me to go to the police-station. I then went and gave information to the police. The clothes produced are those I saw Mr. Stedman put into the parcel for me.

The fathers of the prisoners were present, and the Magistrates asked them if they had any questions to put to the witness on behalf of their sons. Neither, however, having any questions to put, Superintendent Coram called

Thomas Stedman, who said: I am a tailor and outfitter, and reside in Snargate Street. At about half past two last Tuesday afternoon, the prosecutor called at my shop for the clothes produced, for a person of the name Smith. I made them up in a parcel in the presence of the carrier, and gave it to him. It contained a jacket, a pair of trousers, and a waistcoat. The value of the suit is £2.

Police-sergeant John Bayley deposed: From information I received last Tuesday afternoon, I went in search of some clothes that had been taken from Mr. Hancock's van, in Church Street. I saw the prisoner Ditton with a bundle in Last Lane, at about twenty minutes past four. He was carrying the bundle in his hand. As soon as he saw me, he ran up Queen Street, and I caught him at Durham Hill. He was still carrying the bundle. I told him I should take him in charge for stealing the clothes in the bundle. He told me that a person of the name Gitton had sent him to pledge them. He afterwards told me that he took them out of the van, and that Luland was with him at the time. About half an hour before this I had seen them together, near St. Mary's Church. They had no bundle with them then.

Police-constable Alfred Nash deposed: At about a quarter to six on Tuesday evening, I was in Biggin Street, when I saw the prisoner Ditton. He was alone and in consequence of something I had heard, I told him that he would have to go to the police-station with me. He told me that he had met the prisoner Luland and another boy of the name Gitton, going to pledge the things, and he went with them. I then charged him with stealing a suit of clothes from the van in Church Street. He denied having taken them, and ran up Church Alley. I caught him, and on searching him at the station-house, I found the pipe produced on him.

Mr. Luland desired, on behalf of his son, that the case might be dealt with by the Magistrates, and both boys pleaded guilty to the charge.

Superintendent Coram said that complaints had been made to him from a number of parties about the prisoners.

The Magistrates thought that the disgrace of the boys' position rested entirely on their fathers. It was a painful thing to punish boys so young; but the Bench were compelled to do it. They would be sent to prison for one month.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday 7 March, 1873.

SUDDAN DEATH

On Tuesday afternoon last the Borough Coroner, W. H. Payn, Esq., held an inquest at the “Star Inn,” Church Street, on the body of a middle-aged woman named Mary Ann Chapman, who had died very suddenly at her residence in Castle Street, on the previous morning. Mr. Cook was chosen foreman of the Jury; and the body having been viewed, the following evidence was adduced:-

Edward George Chapman said: I am a leather-seller, and reside at Dover. The deceased was my mother. She was 49 years of age. Her health, generally speaking, was not very good. She complained of her head and chest, and was prevented from enjoying a fair amount of out-door exercise by a weak ankle. I last saw her alive on Sunday evening last, at Salem Chapel. I did not speak to her. She then appeared to me to be in her usual health. I next saw her, as near as I can remember, between five and ten minutes past nine on the following morning. She was then dead. Some neighbours had laid her on a couch in the living room. I did not observe any marks of violence on her. I should think she had been dead two or three minutes. The last time she was sufficiently ill to render medical advice necessary happened a long time ago. Dr. Duke then attended her, and I believe he had to lance her neck.

Allen Duke deposed: I am a surgeon, residing and practising in Dover. I was called yesterday morning, at a little after nine, to see the deceased, who, I was informed, was in a fit. I attended immediately. I found deceased lying on a sofa, and she was quite dead. I had last attended deceased professionally three years ago, when her glands were diseased. I had not attended her since. Deceased had recently become very stout, and her friends believed her to be dropsical. The cause of death I think was disease of the heart. I have seen no marks of violence on deceased’s body, nor are there any suspicious appearances.

The Coroner then summed up, and the Jury returned a verdict to the effect that deceased had died from disease of the heart.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 5 September 1958.

Few have not heard of Dover's heaviest man, Thomas Longley, who was at one time landlord of the Star Inn, in Church Street. This photograph has been lent to us by his son, Ernest, through his old school chum, Mr. E. J. Parton, both who live in London.

Mr. Longley died in 1904, aged 56, Recorded under the photograph are these particulars:- Weight 597lbs., height 6ft ¾in., chest 70ins., waist 85ins., calf of leg 26ins., and "The heaviest British subject in the World."

From the Dover Express, 24 August 1951.

INN WITH FAMOUS LANDLORD

Demolition of the Star Inn, in Church Street, now in progress, recalls the fact that for many years its landlord was Thomas Longley, one of the heaviest men who ever lived in England. Born in Snargate Street, Dover, the son of a butcher, he died in February, 1904, at the age of 56. He weighed 46 stone, and head a chest measurement of 86 inches. Being unable to get into a railway carriage he travelled in the guards van.