8 Peter Street

(St. Peter's Street)

Above early photo of Friend in Need, date unknown.

'The Friend in Need', one of Dover's many public houses. The photograph is of the publican James Medhurst and his family, 1910. They later moved to the 'Grand Sultan' in Snargate Street, then the town's main thoroughfare.

Above two photos supplied by Barry Smith Circa 1980.

Its origin is thought to be 1838, eight years after the street began to take shape. There is evidence though of another, with like name, in the pier district as late as 1841. (Louis Pique, or commonly, French Louis).

In 1912 improvements were made in Peter Street, or maybe the pub itself moved.

Alterations to two old cottages that year converted them into a pub, after which there was no need to approach the house by steps.

This was closed by Whitbread in January 1988 and taken down in August the same year. The wording displayed on the frontage showed that it had not always been a part of the tied trade. Daniel Gill traded as a free house in 1864.

The last licensee, John Manley.

LICENSEE LIST

PIQUE Louis 1841 (pier district)

DUFF Mrs Sarah 1844-45 end

HORN James 1845

COWTAN William H. 1854

GILL Daniel 1856-74

NASH Thomas George 1865-68 ?

OVENDEN William 1874 end

SNELLER Frank W. 1881-91+

LATHAM George 1895-99+

SAYERS William 1903

ASHMAN Mrs 1905

LAWRENCE Edward John 1906 Feb-1907 June

ASHMAN E. A. 1907-09 end

BLACKLOCKS Harry 1908-09 end

MARKWICK Stephen 1909-10 end

BLACKLOCKS Harry 1910-12 end

MEDHURST James 1910

GILL William D. 1912-14

PRYER W. T. 1914 end

HARRIS A. H. 1914-17

GURR Herbert junior 1920-27 end

PHILIPS W. W. 1927-32

SELL Richard 1931-43 dec'd

SELL Mrs Esther 1943-44 end

BILTON Joseph Thomas R. 1944-58 end

MATTHEWS William John or J.W. 1958-71 end

MAXTED Mrs Irene M. 1971-81 end

PLAYFORD Dennis (Plyford?) 1981-84 end

MANLEY John 1984-87

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 Pikes Dover Blue Book 1895

From the Kelley's Directory 1899

From the Post Office Directory 1903

From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1909

From the Post Office Directory 1913

From the Post Office Directory 1922

From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1923

From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1924

From the Post Office Directory 1930

From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1932-33

From the Post Office Directory 1938

From the Kelley's Directory 1950

From the Kelley's Directory 1953

From the Kelley's Directory 1956