19 Tower Street

35 Tower Street

Above photo kindly supplied by John Langley, who says Percy Dawkins was his Great Grandfather. The photo shows a pub outing circa 1922.

White Lion circa 1987 (Photo by Paul Skelton)

It already traded under this sign in 1875 but the number before 1928 was 19. It served Mackeson and Whitbread in the past but is owned today by Shepherd Neame. In 1982 the bars were improved and general renovation was accomplished. Incidentally in 1874 a pub with just an address I know of, of Tower Street, called the "Victoria", was closed down due to serving beer to 2 soldiers at 4 p.m. I am going to suggest the "Victoria" was this pub in a previous reincarnation.

This was fully licensed by 1915 when redundancy threatened. Its sales averaged five barrels a week which was reckoned pretty good by the trade at that time so it can be said to have been saved by its own record.

For many years the name Dawkins was associated with this pub. He had served beer at this bar in 1910 for two old pence a pint, and still served, but not at that price, fifty six years later. He left this world, aged ninety, in 1966. The 1922 photographs show the pub to be tied to Mackeson's Hythe Ales. It is unknown when it changed to Shepherd Neame, but was serving their ales at its close around 1987.

Now closed and unfortunately again a private residence. (2007).

LICENSEE LIST

GOODE Charles Henry 1875

YOUNG Charles W. 1875

YOUNG George Charles 1875 end

MEDHURST Frederick 1882+

ASHBY George 1886-91

CRISP Albert Drayson 1891

KENNETT William John 1895-1904 end

KENNETT N. 1901-03 end

CARTMELL John 1903-09 end

HOOPER Alfred George 1909-10 end

DAWKINS Percy 1910-66 dec'd

GOODWIN James Benjamin 1969 dec'd

GOODWIN Mrs Edith 1969-72 end

BOOKER Reuben 1972-74

NIXON Clive 1975 dec'd

NIXON Mrs Kathleen 1975 end

MACKINS James Frederick 1977-78

SEWELL Arthur 1980

ROSE A. E. 1987

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 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