18 Market Square

13 Market Square

Duchess of Kent next door to The Walmer Castle circa 1960

A VIEW of the Market Square, looking into King Street, taken during a procession through streets lined with spectators, many standing on farm carts suggesting it was market day. Young sailors marched alongside an old Dover lifeboat, drawn by a team of six horses, followed by members of Dover Friendly Society. Tramway standards date the picture as post-1896. Pictured on the corner of King Street is Burton's Fountain Hotel and, next door, the Duchess of Kent Inn. One sign on the Fountain advertises "MacDonald's Teeth Guaranteed. Information taken from John Bavington Jones' book "A Perambulation of the Town, Port and Fortress of Dover", 1906. (Reprint in The South Kent Gazette, June 27th, 1979.)

MEMENTOES of Dover Tramway: One of the first Dover trams, car No 3, with open top deck heads for Buckland from the Pier terminus near the Crosswall quay and is about to overtake a cart hauled by two horses standing outside the Metropole Restaurant which was opposite St Mary's Church. In the background can be seen the Duchess of Kent and Walmer Castle public houses standing side by side near the King Street corner of the Market Square. Behind the tram is believed to Waterloo House, the very distinctive shop of Hart & Co Incorporating a very useful public clock.

Butchers Lane once stood nearby and in 1690 this sign was the "Butcher's Arms". It still traded as such in 1822 but had deteriorated so much that it was subsequently re-fronted. It was named "Duchess of Kent" in 1835 in honour of Queen Victoria's mother. The sign depicted her wearing a turban so obviously a story there. She honoured the town with a visit that year certainly, but her needs were attended to by the "Ship Hotel".

You could down a pub pint at three in the morning, a privilege renewed in 1874 and 1900. Legislation of 1914 banned the sale of alcohol after 9 pm, only the Duchess, the Walmer Castle and buffets at the town and harbour stations were exempt.

A "Duchess of Kent" eating house existed also in the town in 1838 but I do not know if the two were related.

Mr. J. R. Williams, who kept the "Duchess of Kent", was the founder of the Dover Philanthropic Society. The idea occurred to him on a snowy December day in 1838, on seeing a number of unemployed men standing in the Market Place with their hands, and nothing else, in their pockets, and starvation stamped on their wan faces. He thought with how little money their pressing wants could be met, and, on stating the case to Mr. Steriker Finnis, Mr. S. M. Latham and others, a sufficient fund was soon raised, and a soup kitchen was established.

It was the custom here to open at three thirty a.m. and that privilege was renewed in 1874 and 1900.

At the end of the nineteenth century coaches were leaving the inn for St. Margaret's Bay at four thirty p.m. every day except Sunday.

It was offered to the highest bidder by Mrs. Harding in 1890 but was withdrawn at £1,100.

An unusual distinction was held by the business in 1914. That year, all licensed premises and clubs were prohibited from selling alcoholic drinks after nine p.m. The exceptions were the "Duchess of Kent" and the "Walmer Castle" and the buffets at the town and harbour stations.

The old Duchess of Kent and Walmer Castle public houses in 1955 before they were merged to become the Elephant and Hind. Information taken from John Bavington Jones' book "A Perambulation of the Town, Port and Fortress of Dover", 1906. (Reprint in The South Kent Gazette, July 4th, 1979.

From the Dover Express, 12 October, 1951. The funeral took place on Thursday last week, at Charlton Cemetery, of Mr Edward Charles Le Gross, whose death, at the age of 71 occurred on July 29th, at the "Duchess of Kent" Inn, Market Square, where he had been licensee for 30 years. The Rev a. s. Cooper officiated, and mourners present were:- Mrs. A. E. Le Gross (widow), Mr. M. Le Gross (son), Mr. and Mrs. Croucher (son-in-law and daughter), Mrs. O Dunn (grand-daughter), Mr. H Le Gross (brother), Mr. G Bonner and Mr. H. Sergtson (brother-in-law). Mrs. Booker, Mr. and Mrs. Fuller, Mr. and Mrs. Moody, Mr. and Mrs. Copley, ("Walmer Castle" Inn), Mr. W. Goodban, Mr. C. Nice, Mr. G. Watson, Mr. A. Hearn, Mr. G. Askham, Mr. R. Bilton, Mr. W. Bryne, Miss. G. Yates, Mrs. P. Curling, Mr. Thunder (representing Mackeson and Co., Hythe),Mr. and Mrs. McLeod, Mr. and Mrs. A. Maslin, Mrs. F. Hammond and family, Mr. Hunt, Mrs. Angell, Mrs. W. Sands and Mrs. Hogg (friends). There were numerous floral tributes. The funeral arrangements were by Mr. B. J. Andrews, 33, New Street.

In 1962, planning permission was given for this house which belonged to Mackeson, to merge with its neighbour the "Walmer Castle" which belonged to Fremlin. The licence of the "Duchess" was surrendered to make that possible and by agreement, the two brewers held equal shares in the new pub. That was named the "Elephant and Hind" to commemorate the trademarks of the two breweries in 1964.

It is now (2007) trading like a French Café under the name of "Beer Ellie".

LICENSEE LIST

WILLIAMS J. R. 1835

TRIM Mrs Ann 1867

TRIM 1867 dec'd

BAKER George 1871

HAMMOND Stephen A 1874

MARSH Henry 1882-92

HAMMOND Mrs Caroline 1891-95

HUBBARD Mrs Annie Kate 1896

SUTTON Thomas 1898-99+

RACKLIFF Charles 1901-02 dec'd

RACKLIFF Mrs Julia Georgina 1902-03 end

WOOD Mark Witherden 1905 dec'd

WOOD Mrs Ellen Louisa 1905-10 end

FRENCH Owen F. 1910-17end

BEANE Francis James 1917-23 end

LE EDWIN Charles junior 1923-51 end

CRONE Robert 1951-61 end

HARPER Eric 1962-64 end

From the Post Office Directory 1874

From the Post Office Directory 1882

From the Post Office Directory 1891

From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1895

From the Kelley's Directory 1899

From the Post Office Directory 1903

From the Post Office Directory 1913

From the Post Office Directory 1922

From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1924

From the Post Office Directory 1930

From the Post Office Directory 1938

From the Kelley's Directory 1950

From the Kelley's Directory 1953

From the Kelley's Directory 1956

From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1932-33