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26 Harbour Street
South Street
Kings Bridge Street
Folkestone
"True Briton" and below the sign. Both dates unknown. |
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Above photograph kindly supplied by Jan Pedersen, 1978. |
Formerly the "Cock" but by 1799 it had
obtained the name of "True Briton."
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From the Folkestone Chronicle 13 April, 1861. Transcribed by Jan Pedersen.
DEFECTIVE COAL HOLE
Wednesday April 10th:- Before Captain Kennicott, James Tolputt, and
A.M. Leith, Esqs.
Adam Keeler, of the "True Briton," was summoned for having a
defective covering to his coal hole, whereby an officer of the 17th
Regiment who was passing, slipped on the cover, and his leg passing
through the aperture threw him across the pavement, hurting his leg very
badly.
The case was clearly proved, and the magistrates fined defendant 1s.
and 9s. costs, with an order from the magistrates to have the covering
of the coal hole substantially repaired, which has since been done.
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From the Folkestone Observer 13 April, 1861. Transcribed by Jan Pedersen.
UNSAFE COAL TRAP
Wednesday March 10th: - Before Captain Kennicott, A.M. Leith and
James Tolputt. Esqs.
William Keeler, "True Briton inn," appeared on summons to answer a
charge of leaving the trap of his coal cellar unopened, and thereby
causing injury to the person of Paymaster Smith, 17th Regiment.
Norborn Smith, Paymaster, 17th Regiment, Shorncliffe, said that on
Saturday last about three o'clock, he was passing along Harbour Street.
At the corner opposite the "True Briton" he came to an iron trap that
covered a coal cellar, and putting his foot on it the trap slipped away,
and turning up let his left leg through the hole. On examining the
cover, he found that though there was a short chain attached it was not
fastened to anything. Both his legs were very badly cut. He spoke to a
person who came out of the "True Briton," but whom he could not identify
as the defendant, and he seemed to take it very colly, admitting that
the cover was not fastened down; and he thereupon lodged a complaint.
Defendant said he did not previously know that the cover was not
fastened; but he found that the stone in which it was laid was broken.
He had not noticed that before, nor had he had a complaint about it. He
did not know whose place it was to repair it, his or the Surveyor's.
The Bench cautioned him that so long as the place was in bad repair
he was himself responsible for the repairs, and fined him 1s. with
costs.
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From the Folkestone Observer 25 July, 1863. Transcribed by Jan Pedersen.
DRUNK AND INCAPABLE
Monday July 20th:- Before the Mayor, R.W. Boarer and W.F. Browell,
Esqs.
John McCarthy was charged with being drunk in Harbour Street.
P.C. Hills said he yesterday afternoon, about half past two o'clock,
found the prisoner lying in front of the "True Briton," drunk and
incapable of taking care of himself; he therefore took him into custody
and brought him to the station. When searched at the station 8s. 1 1/2d.
was found on him.
Fined 5s.
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Eventually changed name to the "Harbour
Inn," and I think this was from the "Harbour
Crab and Oyster."
Any further information or indeed photographs would be appreciated.
Please email me at the address below.
The pub sign shown has been taken from a set of Whitbread Inn Sign
cards released circa 1952. |
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From "Inns of Sport"; Whitbread & Co. Ltd.; 1949. This book is No.7 in
The Whitbread Library series.
Even more of a boxers' inn is The True
Briton at Folkestone, for there they have a long list of pugilistic
patrons from the 6th Duke of Wellington, who was a well-known amateur
boxer when he was Earl of Mornington, to Larry Gains, Tancy Lee, Dick
Smith, Johnny Summers, Fred Davis, Fred Dyer and half a dozen others.
Channel swimmers seem to like The True Briton; Derham was a regular
customer while he was training for that great swim for which the "News
of the World" awarded him £1,000, and the Egyptian swimmer, Fahmy
Attalla, planned his second attempt on the Channel in the public bar in
1947. To crown it all, The True Briton produced both the winner and
runner-up of the "News of the World" Individual Darts Championship for
the Folkestone and Dover area in 1937.
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LICENSEE LIST
HODGES John 1823-39+
 
ANDREWS John 1840+
ANDREWS John & Alice 1847-58
 
DRYDEN Ann Oct/1857
KEELER William 1861-74
 
PEARSON Miss Mary 1882-91
 
CARTER Geo M 1903
JAMES Edward Wm 1913
LUCAS Mrs Gertrude Florence 1922
MARTIN Gladstone David 1934-38
 
From the Pigot's Directory 1823
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 the Post Office Directory 1891
From the Post Office Directory 1903
From the Post Office Directory 1913
From the Post Office Directory 1922
From the Kelly's Directory 1934
From the Post Office Directory 1938
From the Folkestone Chronicle
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