DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Sort file:- Deal, November, 2021.

Page Updated:- Wednesday, 24 November, 2021.

PUB LIST PUBLIC HOUSES Paul Skelton

Earliest 1878

Yew Tree

26 July 2011

142 Mill Road

136 Mill Hill

Deal

01304 373189

Yew Tree 1911

Above postcard, showing the original "Yew Tree" when Thomas Rogers was licensee in 1911.

Yew Tree 2011

Boarded up "Yew Tree" 2011.

Yew Tree

Yew Tree shown left.

Yew Tree, Deal 2009 Yew Tree, Deal 2009 Yew Tree sign, Deal 2009

All above photos by Paul Skelton 26 July 2009.

From the East Kent Mercury 8 December 2011

Last orders by Steve Glover and Michael Rogers.

The original "Yew Tree" pub was housed in the bungalow at 142 Mill Hill (now a private home). The premises were considered too small once the housing estate in the Mill Hill area was built (its main residents being miners and their families) so, in the early 1930s, a new, much bigger building was erected next door.

A ‘Ladies Thrift Club - Supper and Dance', smoking concerts, Yew Freshwater Angling Club meetings and Whippet Handicaps were all regular events in those early days. The Yew Tree shut on July 26, 2011 the site bought by Tesco.

 

 

This was not the original public house with that name in the area. This building dates back to 1932 when it was built by Mackeson to replace the original licensed house of the same name that used to be on land adjacent to the one we see today. The change of license from the original building to the new taking place around 1931.

The new building was opened in about 1932. The old building is still situated next door and is now a private bungalow, after operating as a confectionary shop and general store for some years.

 

From the Deal, Walmer, Sandwich and East Kent Mercury, 14 February, 1931.

DEAL TOWN COUNCIL LICENSING SESSIONS

The Town Clerk, (Mr. D. A. Daniels) gave formal notice of an application for provisional order for the removal of the "Yew Tree" license, Mill Hill, to a site adjoining, on behalf of Messrs. Mackeson.

 

 

Kelly's directory mentions the pub in 1899, but doesn't seem to be listed in any further Kelly's directories till 1922.

 

From the Deal, Walmer, Sandwich and East Kent Mercury, 11 March, 1933.

WINE LICENCE

An application was made for a wine licence at the "Yew Tree." Mr. Beal, the licensee, said there was a certain demand for wine at his pub.

From the Deal, Walmer, Sandwich and East Kent Mercury, 8 April, 1933.

The Licensing Justices confirmed the grant of a wine licence in respect of the "Yew Tree."

Messrs. Mackeson & Co were the pub owners and suppliers.

 

 

The grounds of the "Yew Tree" used to hold whippet racing during the 1930s but I'm not sure whether the grounds are the same size today as they were then.

 

From the Deal, Walmer, Sandwich and East Kent Mercury, 7 July, 1934.

DOG RACING

A whippet handicap was run on the grounds of the Yew Tree Inn, Mill Road, on Saturday, June 30th. The winning dog was Mr. Price's "Coming Home"; 2, Mr. Gilmore's "Nanny Goat"; 3, Mr. Davies' "Miss Greaves."

The next handicap takes place on Saturday, July 14th, distance 180 yards. Entry fee 2s., to Hy. Walton, proprietor. Yew Tree Inn, Mill Road, Deal.

 

From the book "Inns of Kent", Whitbread & Co. Ltd., published 1948.

The Yew Tree at Deal is a modern inn, built to take care of the new residential district growing into the hinterland. In time no doubt it will grow old in the best tradition of the Kentish inn; in the meantime it gives good service to the community growing up with it.

 

From the Dover Mercury, 25 August, 2011. 70p

HONKY TONK PIANO IN THE YEW TREE'S HEYDAY

FOR 25 years Bernard and Marge creases ran the "Yew Tree" in Mill Hill, Deal, and their pub business was a huge success.

Bernard & Marge Creasey 1959-1984

Marge and Bernard Creasey who were at the "Yew Tree" from 1959 to 1984.

 

It was a popular place and many couples in the town booked their wedding receptions in the upstairs room, with its own separate bar.

Yew Tree bar 1965

Brothers Bernard and Jack Creasey behind the bar at the "Yew Tree" in 1965.


Sadly Bernard died after a heart attack in 1964 and his widow, who now lives in Broadstairs, decided not to carry on the business.

Now the "Yew Tree" is no longer open and is due to be converted into a supermarket.

Its demise has reminded Bernice Bull about her life growing up at the pub with her sister Gillian when their parents were behind the bar.

She said: "I have really happy memories of the "Yew Tree". I remember trying to do my homework when the Betteshanger Welfare Band bad its practice nights, three times a week! There was a folk club, wedding receptions every Saturday and Stan Haines used to play the honky tonk piano in the bar.

"Mum and dad used to have the "Windsor Castle" which was in the High Street and he used to be a miner.

"My sister and I went to St Ethelburga's School, so I was at the convent during the day and then at the pub!"

Bernice said her father thrived on the company of miners, although the pub did have a mix of customers, including ferry workers and also occasional celebrities arriving, including the Bond star Roger Moore.

"We also had a ghost called Mrs Walton who used to turn my bedroom light on and off."

She remember her father's brother Jack helping behind the bar, as well as her father's niece Angela Higgins and Margaret Towe. Mrs Towe, now 85, said: "They were good days and it was such a busy place. I enjoyed my time there. The customers were a nice mixture of people. There was a good darts team and I remember beer, in old money, cost 9d, which is about 4p now.

"A kitchen was put in upstairs, where some of the local clubs had annual dinners. I worked at the "Yew Tree" on Saturday and Sunday evenings from 1961 until Bernard died."

Yes Tree 1931

"Yew Tree", dated 1931 in the days when Mackeson Hythe ales were popular. The old "Yew Tree" is seen on the left.

 

From the Dover Mercury 25 January 2007.

Karl Massey chef at Yew Tree in Deal

Chef Karl Massey at the Yew Tree, preparing his new menus for pensioners Picture: Phil Houghton pd1112273.

Pensioners can eat out for less than £5.

THE Yew Tree Inn in Deal is giving top priority to pensioners in a new six-day-a-week special lunch offer. For just £4.99 there is an excellent choice of two courses and the promotion starts next week on Thursday, February 1.

Chef Karl Massey believes it is cheaper and less time consuming to have lunch at the Yew Tree, compared to shopping for ingredients, preparing and cooking food and facing piles of washing up at home. He is very proud of the freshness of his dishes which are all homemade and delicious, served in the spacious and light Asparagus Tip conservatory.

The OAP specials are available daily, except Sunday, between noon and 3pm and Kari said it is advisable to book by calling 01304 373189, or by popping into the pub at the top of Mill Hill.

His first courses range from gammon steak to steak and kidney pie, plus the ever-popular fish and chips. Sweets include traditional treacle pudding and cheesecake.

The Yew Tree has a large car park and it is also on a bus route, very useful for the pensioners enjoying free bus travel.

Special menus are not available on Sundays, when the carvery is very popular, with booking advisable.

 

The Yew Tree in Mill Hill, Deal, has made a name for itself for serving good food and is now proving to be a popular place for live music and quizzes.

Bands playing a variety of sounds, from pop to rock and from jazz to blues, are regularly booked and include Tilt on Saturday, Bloke on February 3, Sultan on February 10, Down and Dirty on February 17 and Hot Rox on February 24.

The next quiz night is at 8.30pm, on February 15. It is £1 to enter, which includes hot nibbles.

Yew Tree advert

 

1879 the house held a beer off licence.

1886 a beer on or off licence.

1903 beer on or off and owned by H. E. D. Trafford, Brewers, Littlebourne.

An outlet for Fremlins in 1974. Library archives 1974

The CAMRA branch meeting of September 2008 reported that the "Yew Tree" was up for sale.

Local knowledge says the pub closed on 26th July 2011 and the windows have been boarded up.

Further information is that Tesco's have bought the building and will be opening a store on the site in the same building.

 

From the East Kent Mercury, 11 August, 2011

TESCO TO OPEN STORE IN YEW TREE

Tesco has completed a deal to open a store in the former "Yew Tree" pub at the top of Mill Hill, Deal.

Builders will be converting the building and there will be a car park for customers. The business is expected to open in late November, early December.

A "Yew Tree" pub has been on the site since the 1870 and the existing building was completed in the early 1930s to serve miners in the Kent Coalfield.

 

Yew Tree Jan 2012 Yew Tree Jan 2012

Above photos kindly taken by Patricia Streeter, 22 January 2012.

 

LICENSEE LIST

TERRY Samuel 1878-86+ (also market gardener age 38 in 1881Census)

CARLTON William 1888+

COOPER James 1891-98 (widower age 55 in 1891Census)

GILHAM William Henry 1899+ Kelly's 1899Pain's Deal Street Directory

HARDING John 1903-04+ Kelly's 1903Pain's Deal Street Directory

MARSH William 1905-06 Pain's Deal Street Directory(Kelly's 1905 beer house)

GOODSILL E J 1907 Pain's Deal Street Directory

RUBLEY W 1908+ Pain's Deal Street Directory

NORRIS George Goldsmith 1909 (Kelly's beer retailer)

ROWLAND Alfred E 1910 Pain's Deal Street Directory

ROGERS Thomas 1910-11 (age 52 in 1911Census) Pain's Deal Street Directory

FLINT William 1912-13 Pain's Deal Street Directory

ARCHER W J 1914+ Deal library 1914

WEBB James Benjamin 1915-16+ Pain's Deal Street Directory

TUCKER Erskine B 1921-22+ (Kelly)

BEAL James J 1922-24+ (22 & 24 Kelly's)

BEAL Frederick Thomas 1927-32+ (Kelly's)

New building.

BEAL Mr 1933+

WALTON Henry 1934-37 Kelly's 1934

WALTON Mrs Jane 1948+

Last pub licensee had GREEN Fred 1952-58

CREASEY Bernard 1959-84 dec'd Library archives 1974 Fremlins

EVANS Derek 1984+ The Old Pubs of Deal and Walmer by Glover and Rogers

MORRISH Richard 1990+ The Old Pubs of Deal and Walmer by Glover and Rogers

STEVENS Ray & WALKER Cheryl 1992+ The Old Pubs of Deal and Walmer by Glover and Rogers

BARNES Nicholas & MARSH Glyn 1993 The Old Pubs of Deal and Walmer by Glover and Rogers

BARNES Nicholas & PAGE Julie Nov/1993+ The Old Pubs of Deal and Walmer by Glover and Rogers

GRANGER Ben & Julie Aug/1994 The Old Pubs of Deal and Walmer by Glover and Rogers

GOODWRIGHT Robert & Judith Nov/1994+ The Old Pubs of Deal and Walmer by Glover and Rogers

???? Bill & Chris 2010+ The Old Pubs of Deal and Walmer by Glover and Rogers

https://pubwiki.co.uk/YewTree.shtml

http://www.closedpubs.co.uk/yewtree.html

 

Kelly's 1899From the Kelly's Directory 1899

Kelly's 1903From the Kelly's Directory 1903

Deal library 1914Deal Library List 1914

Kelly's 1934From the Kelly's Directory 1934

Library archives 1974Library archives 1974

Pain's Deal Street DirectoryPain's Deal & District Street Directory

The Old Pubs of Deal and Walmer by Glover and RogersThe Old Pubs of Deal and Walmer by Glover and Rogers

CensusCensus

 

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

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