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26 Strond Street
20 Strond Street
Custom House Quay
Above shows the Swan Hotel. Circa 1930 |
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From the Dover Express 1 June 1951.
The area near the Crosswall will soon have an altered appearance with
the demolition of the properties in Strond Street and Customs House
Quay, to make way for dock-side improvements. The well-known "Hotel
de Paris" (right) is the last to go. Close by were the "Swan" (in
the photo still standing) and "Pavilion Hotels" and
the "Green Dragon" public house, better
known to older generations of Dovorians. |
The number will vary over time in keeping with the changes. Before 1932
it was number twenty. Up to 1915 it also had a rear entrance from Commercial
Quay.
In 1890 the owners would have liked to annexe their neighbour but were
not allowed to do so. Leney and later Fremlin both utilised this one.
Alterations and renovations meant a temporary closure in 1908.
A little past history might seem appropriate at this point. Strond Street
was formed early in the seventeenth century but Custom House Quay not before
1670. I mention that because a severe storm struck the town at seven a.m.
one morning in November 1662. It coincided with a high tide and the account
mentions Master Elliott at the "Swan Inn", a building three storeys high,
having all the floors flooded. The stable walls fell in and the horses
tethered to the manger were lost. The wind was said to be North Westerly.
Other reports spoke of the whole valley being flooded, with dead sheep
floating in the water.
At the hotel we are now discussing, Martin served in 1791. With the
exception of number 14, which was reckoned to be one of the oldest
properties in the town, this street vanished in 1951. The road itself was
closed to the public thereafter from July that year. Number 14 went shortly
afterwards.
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Kentish Gazette, April 12 – 21, 1789. Kindly sent from Alec Hasenson.
Ship auction at the Swan, near the Cross Wall in Dover, April 22, 1789.
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From the Kentish Gazette, April 5 to 8, 1791.
Advert for a Sale of Deals [wood planks of a certain
kind] at Edward Martin's, at the Swan in Dover, Monday, April 11 1791.
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From the Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports General
Advertiser, Saturday 7 May, 1842. Price 5d.
DOVER POLICE REPORT
Thursday - Gustave Courcey, charged with smuggling. William Marks, an
officer of H. M. Customs, stated that the defendant came into the
"Swan," and on seeing him ran away. I followed him into Mr. Ismay's
shop, and saw him try to break a bottle, which I seized and found it to
contain about a quart of foreign brandy. Fined 20s. including costs, or
seven days imprisonment.
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From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday 29 August, 1890.
APPLICATIONS
An application made by Mr. Worsfold Mowll, for the license of the “Swan
Hotel” to include a house adjoining, which is used as dining rooms and
bedrooms, was adjourned to the Broadstairs meeting, in order to have a
proper plan prepared, showing the surrounding property.
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From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday 12 September, 1890.
THE SWAN EXTENSION ABANDONED
At the Dover sitting, plans were put in asking the Licensing Committee
to sanction an extension of the “Swan Inn,” by taking in the adjoining
house. Mr. Worsfold Mowll now appeared to support the application, and
Mr. Minter, on behalf of a large body of petitioners from the Pier
district, opposed the extension. The applicant was not present, having,
it is supposed, missed a train, and in his absence, the Magistrates were
not prepared to grant the application, and Mr. Mowll, therefore,
withdrew it.
The other business was formal.
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From the Dover Express and East Kent News, 11 February, 1910.
DOVER LICENSING SESSIONS
SWAN HOTEL.
Mr. Mowll stated that the Swan Hotel had been held under two titles,
and the lease of one of them had fallen in. This necessitated some
alterations to the ground floor.
In reply to the Magistrate's Clerk, Mr. Mowll said that with the
cottage there were a certain number of extra bedrooms. There would be no
extra entrances.
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LICENSEE LIST
ELLIOTT Master 1662
MARTIN Edwin 1791-93
ELLIS John 1805-26
 
BROMLEY Richard 1832-62+
     
BROMLEY John 1872-74+
SIMMONDS Joseph 1876
ROBERTS Alfred Millington 1882
BUTTERWORTH Mr R Apr/1887+
COTTLE Miss 1889
WATSON R 1889
GARDINER Charles 1895-98
MULLER Valentine William 1901
GARDNER-PEETERS 1904-08 end
WOOD William George Aug/1908
WEBB Mrs Annie Widdecombe Aug/1908-10 end
WOOD William George 1910-12
COPPIN Henry 1912+
HAMMOND F 1921-23
HARRISON Walter Charles Robert 1924-37 dec'd
 
HARRISON Mrs Frances Elizabeth 1937
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From the Dover Express and East Kent News, 15 January, 1909.
LICENSING BUSINESS
The licence of the Rose Inn, Broadstairs, was temporarily transferred
to Mr. Holness, who some years ago kept the Swan Hotel, Dover.
To date I haven't found when he kept the
Swan. Paul Skelton.
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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 1889
From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1895
From the Post Office Directory 1901
From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1923
From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1924
From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1932-33
From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1938-39
From the Dover Express
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