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| The Gun Brewery can be seen behind the bus. Photo courtesy of Mike Woodland |
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| Folkestone Herald, July, 1898 |
Folkestone Herald
2-7-1898
Local News
Messrs. Leney and Co., the well known brewers of Folkestone
and Dover, whose name is honoured as a household word throughout Kent, have
lately acquired the Gun Brewery and the adjoining Shakespeare Inn in this town.
This enterprise will be followed by great improvements in the future. The Gun
Brewery will be used as stores, and this central position will be of estimable
benefit to their customers. Leney`s Kentish Ales and Stouts are famed the world
over for their undoubted purity and are recommended on this account by the
faculty and the medical newspapers. “Leney” spells genuineness all over Kent,
and having this in mind we cordially wish the firm every success in their new
venture.
Folkestone Herald
9-7-1898
Leney and Co.
In the last issue of the Herald, a brief reference was made
to the fact that Messrs. Leney and Co. had acquired the Gun Brewery Stores and
the adjoining Shakespeare Inn, As the announcement has caused quite a flutter
in the town and neighbourhood, I hace discovered a few facts in connection with
the history and conduct of the firm, which cannot but prove interesting at this
juncture. It appears that the Phoenix Brewery dates back to 1740, when one
“Clements, a maltster” was owner, and it was not until 1859 that Mr. Alfred
Leney came into possession, with thirty tied houses. This estimable gentleman
for some eight or nine years carried on the business in conjunction with his
uncle, Mr. James Evenden, who passed away in 1868, and from thenceforward Mr.
Leney took over the sole management of the business, in which he has had the
sure and certain support of his sons, each of whom is thoroughly practical.
The water supply at the Phoenix Brewery has been the envy of
those in the trade for many years, and that because of its surpassing quality,
and suitable for brewing the magnificent ales and stout which are now becoming
famed all over this England of ours. Years ago the water for the purposes of
brewing was taken from a stream in close proximity to the brewery, but owing to
the ever-increasing business other sources of supply were sought. With that
energy and great enterprise for which the firm has justly earned a notable
name, experiments were made, with the result that three artesian wells were
bored into the chalk within the premises, and these yield a practically
inexhaustible supply of the finest and purest water that could be desired for
brewing. Next to the water at Burton on Trent, it has been stated on the
highest practical authority that no water can be compared with this at Dover.
Without going into all the minute details in regard to
brewing, I might state that the most scrupulous care is taken to ensure
cleanliness, and this applies to every department. The premises at the corner
of Castle Street cover between five and six acres of ground. The brew house is
fitted with a fifty quarter plant, and there are the usual fermenting rooms,
beer cellars, and three extensive malting. After making a tour of the principal
department, and having everything clearly and precisely explained, I explored
the settling-back room – a fine apartment 60ft. square. This is furnished with
no less than ten squares, constructed of slate and wood, where the liquors are
left to settle previous to their being racked into casks. Perhaps the most
interesting of these cellars was No. 3. This has a concreted roof, and is
120ft. long. Altogether these underground floors will hold 5,000 barrels.
Then further on is the vat room, and it is here the stouts
and porters are stored. All through the cellars lines of rails are laid. The
vat house, near at hand, contains six vats, and each of these is capable of
holding 130 barrels. These are used for maturing and storing stock ales. After
glancing at the loading room and loading out stage and the beer bottling
department, I glanced with interest at the cask yard in front of the brew
house. The barrel washing yard covers three quarters of an acre, the cleaning
process taking place under a corrugated iron roof. The most scrupulous care is
taken by the examiner to ensure that all the casks shall leave this yard beyond
reproach.
Close at hand are the stables. These are on the ground
floor, and contain twelve stalls. Without doubt Messrs. Leney possess the
finest teams of dray horses in the district. The manifest pride in which
Messrs. Leney and Co. hold their horses appears to be only equalled by the
draymen, who treat their handsome charges with a kindness and consideration
that might be emulated in many quarters.
After many viscissitudes the old Gun Brewery in the Cheriton
Road has come into possession of the firm, and we are sure it will not be long
before great improvements are effected here.
Leney`s Ales and Stouts, after having been submitted from
time to time to analysts, have been declared to be as pure as ales can be. It
is no wonder, then, to read of their popularity, which appears to grow by leaps
and bounds. Whenever I notice “foreign” ales and stouts brought into the town,
I always think of Leney. Support local industries – that should be the motto as
far as is possible, Here is a firm that spends thousands of pounds yearly in
labour, and one that is ever ready to support local enterprise in every
possible manner. Of course, many of the readers of the Herald are abstainers,
but there are many – the majority – who enjoy in moderation a glass of stout,
ale, or beer. To these, the, I would say if you have never sampled Leney, do so
at once, and I feel certain you will thank me for the suggestion.
With the slight alteration of a name I should say the
following lines, composed nearly 60 years ago, would probably represent the
feelings of many in regard to the qualities of these famous and almost
universally used malt liquors:-
Though grey are my locks, and wrinkled my brow,
Though my strength and my eyesight both fail,
I`m as blithe as the lark, and cheerful e`en now,
O`er a bottle of good Leney`s ale.
I covet not riches to render me blest,
And honours I count no avail,
Of all my enjoyments the one I like best,
Is a bottle of good Leney`s ale.
To those who despise the comforts I find,
The liquors of all kinds assail,
I`ll venture to say they would alter their minds.
If they tasted this good Leney`s ale.
Such blessings as those we should never despise,
But make it a rule without fail,
Not to drink to excess, but be merry and wise,
O`er a bottle of good Leney`s ale.
Folkestone Chronicle
6-8-1898
Wednesday, August 3rd: Before Messrs. J. Pledge,
W.G. Herbert, W. Wightwick, and C.J. Pursey.
Mr. Alfred Leney was, on Mr. Hall`s application, granted a bottled beer licence for the Gun Brewery.
Folkestone Up To Date
6-8-1898
Wednesday, August 3rd: Before J. Pledge, W.C.
Herbert, W. Wightwick, and C.J. Pursey esqs.
Folkestone Herald
6-8-1898
Police Court Report
Hythe Reporter
13-8-1898
Folkestone Police Court
At the sitting of the Bench of Magistrates last Wednesday,
the following licence was transferred:
Mr. F. Hall applied for a transfer to Mr. Alfred Leney for a
transfer of the licence of the Cheriton Road (Gun) Brewery; granted.
Folkestone Express
12-1-1901
The Will of Mr. A. Leney
Mr. Alfred Leney, of Buckland House, Dover, and of A. Leney
and Co. (Limited), Phoenix Brewery, Dover, a governor of the Dover Hospital,
and a Director of the Dover Promenade Pier Company, who died on Nov. 4th
last, aged sixty three years, leaving personal estate of the value of £177,112,
the gross value of the whole being £188,138, gave to his wife a life annuity of
£2,000, to secure which he left in trust 520 debentures of £50 each of A. Leney
and Company (Limited), and 1,200 shares of £10 each. Subject to Mrs. Leney`s
life interest, the 1,200 shares are to be in trust for his sons, Alferd
Charles, and Hugh and Frank, and the 520 debentures of £50 each are to be in
trust for his sons Walter and Harry, and his daughters Florence Maud Leney and
Kate Naomi, wife of John Pickering Thompson. Mr. Leney`s residuary estate is
left in trust in equal shares for his said seven children, and he desired that
his son Walter should be chosen as a director of A. Leney and Co. (Limited).
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