DOVER KENT ARCHIVES
PUB LIST   PUBLIC HOUSES Barry Smith and Paul Skelton

Earliest 1867

 Sussex Arms

Latest Aug 1940

32 Townwall Street

Sussex Arms

Photo kindly sent by Patricia Bailey 1 February 2009. Showing her grandmother and mother circa 1910-20.

 

This shared the corner with Wall Passage, (once Lamb's Lane), and did so prior to 1867. It had previously been the "Effingham Arms" and it follows the change was sometime after 1862.

 

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 2 April, 1869

Thomas Connor, a soldier of the 94th Regiment, charged with disorderly conduct and using threatening language at the "Sussex Arms" on the proceeding night, was dismissed with a caution.

 

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 20 August, 1869

PUBLIC HOUSE SESSIONS

Mr. George Marley, in the employ of Messrs. Leney & Co., brewers of Dover, made an application to sell at the "Sussex Arms," Townwall Street; it appeared that the late landlord Mr. Sims, had made his departure, and his whereabouts could not be ascertained. The application was asserted to.

 

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, 29 September 1939.

Henry Valentine was fined 10s. in respect of a light showing from the Masonic Hall on 3rd September, at 11 p.m. - P.C. Butler proved the case.

Francis Richardson, of the "Sussex Arms," 32, Townwall Street, was fined 10s. for a similar offence at 9.20 p.m. on 3rd September.

P.C. Robinson said that a strong light showed in the passage way at the rear of the premises when people went to the convenience. When told about this defendant said that the light should not have been on and turned it off.

 

 

A Fremlin outlet, it was an early casualty of world war two. Heavily damaged on 11 September 1940, when twenty six bombs and shells landed in the vicinity, its complete destruction was attributed to another bomb on 28 February 1941.

 

From a book titled "Dover Front" by Riginald Foster, printed 1941:- 9th Sept. 1940:- "... Driving into Dover we found that considerable damage had been done in the town; a seamen's hostel, a garage, a cafe, public houses and other buildings were destroyed or damaged. It was in one of these small public houses that Mr. Richardson and his wife Grace, daughter Joan and mother, aged 69 were trapped and killed....."

 

The dates don't quite line up here for the damage, but two days difference is close enough for me.

 

A compulsory purchase order for the former site of the pub was made in 1954 and confirmed in May 1955. A converted value payment of £4,750 was paid by Dover Corporation for the ground in 1957.

 

LICENSEE LIST

BINGHAM Henry G 1860's-74+ Post Office Directory 1874

HARRIS Frederick Wilmott  to Jan/1867 Next pub licensee had Dover Express

LARKIN George Jan/1867+ Dover Express

SIMS Robert 1868-Aug/69 Dover Express

MARLEY George Aug/1869+ Dover Express

BINGHAM George to Jan/1880 Dover Express

HOLMWOOD J T Jan/1880+ Dover Express (Folkestone licensed victualler)

SAMPSON Henry 1882 Post Office Directory 1882

Last pub licensee had BALL Benjamin 1884-85 end

STURGESS Robert 1885-88 ?

KOHLHAMMER John 1891 Post Office Directory 1891

STURGESS Robert 1899 Kelly's Directory 1899

Last pub licensee had ADAMS Frederick 1901-09 end Post Office Directory 1903Post Office Directory 1903

MARSH William Henry 1909-Sept/1916 dec'd Post Office Directory 1913 (Extra history)

WEBB 1916-19 end

MARSH Mrs E 1919-22 Post Office Directory 1922

RICHARDSON Francis 1922-40 end Pikes 1924Pikes 1932-33Pikes 1938-39

 

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

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

Post Office Directory 1913From the Post Office Directory 1913

Post Office Directory 1922From the Post Office Directory 1922

Pikes 1924From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1924

Pikes 1932-33From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1932-33

Pikes 1938-39From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1938-39

Dover ExpressFrom the Dover Express

 

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