Elizabeth Street

28 Hawkesbury Street

The above picture of the Shakespeare Inn 1921 at Elizabeth Street by kind permission Dover Library.

The first amenity, in Hawkesbury Street, received a new liquor licence in 1845. George Toms held the licence by 1859. He was a local mariner who had been born at a house which was later replaced by the "Queen's Head". He retired from that profession and kept this house up to 1877 when he transferred the licence to newly erected premises in Forty Foot Road, (Elizabeth Street). Despite opposition, mostly from the trade itself, he successfully opened the new outlet which contained two bars and seventeen rooms. It opened at 3.30 a.m. but at 5 a.m. after 1900.

Before leaving Toms, who died in August 1900, aged 76, it may be of interest to say that he was a great friend of Captain Matthew Webb the channel swimmer. He was his pilot on 24 August 1875 when he swam to France.

When the Chief Constable objected to this renewal in 1940, some interesting moves took place. It was on a lease of 21 years which had started on 5 July 1934. It could only be terminated by either side, at seven year intervals. The licence was refused on 7 June and the house was referred to the Compensation Authority. The registered owners took advantage of their option and gave notice to terminate on 6 July 1941. Compensation meanwhile of £1,500 had been awarded and the owners and the lessees held differing views on who it belonged to. The Court ruled that the owners receive £303.10s. and the leaseholders £1,196.10s.

This outlet of George Beer and Rigden was destroyed during a bombing attack on 2 October 1941.

LICENSEE LIST

CHANT R. before 1845

RAPSON Richard Chant 1845-47

TOMS George 1859-82+

SCOTT George senior 1889-1901

STEVENS Robert 1903-14 end

DEVERSON Gilbert Charles 1914-24+

DEVERSON Mrs 1917-19 end

ALLEN J 1925

ELLEN Ernest William 1926-27 end

BALSOM John 1927-28 end

ROWE T. H. 1928-29 end

RIGDEN Frederick 1929-31 end

BRANNON Thomas 1931-35

LUGG Charles Vivian 1936-37

MARVIN Wilfred 1938+

From Bagshaw Directory 1847

From the Post Office Directory 1874

From the Post Office Directory 1882

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 Pikes Dover Blue Book 1932-33

From the Post Office Directory 1938