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| Photo from Folkestone Herald |
Folkestone Herald
3-10-1953
Local News
The True Briton was an East Indiaman, a fine sailing ship of the old
tradition, sleek of line, fast, and with a spread of canvas that rejoiced the
hearts of mariners. She was built in 1790 at Deptford, an aristocrat of the sea
and a worthy addition to the gallant ships who plied their trade and maintained
Britain’s immense commerce between this country and the rich and productive
land of India. Her life was not long. She completed seven voyages; on her
eighth journey, outward bound, she disappeared with all hands.
Nothing, absolutely nothing, was ever heard of her again. We know what
she looked like, for she followed the design of vessels specially built for the
India trade; you will see a picture of her if you look at the sign, the new
sign, over the entrance to a small hotel in Harbour Street, Folkestone. The
True Briton hotel was named after the True Briton ship more than 150 years ago,
and it has always been associated with seafaring men and the sea. Why what was
then a small inn among Folkestone’s fishing folk should be named after an East Indiaman is
not known and probably nobody now will ever know, but it happened fairly
frequently that newly built inns were named after fine ships that for one
reason or another had attracted popular admiration.
The inn was new
in 1802, when Samuel Golder traded under the sign of the True Briton; it is
almost certainly among the oldest licensed premises in the area, for when it
was built Folkestone had no harbour, there were no buildings in the immediate
vicinity at all, and the town itself was little more than a fishing village.
The valuation of the first True Briton inn was only 4/10! There is little doubt
that its customers were mainly fisher-folk and seafarers of one kind or
another. The inn was rebuilt at some time in the 19th century, the thoroughfare then being known as Victoria
Terrace. The new building was considerably larger than the old, but there is
reason to believe that towards the end of the century it was enlarged still
further, no doubt to meet increased custom as Folkestone expanded as a holiday
resort.
About this time it became a hotel, or at least part became a hotel and the
remainder an inn. At one period two separate rates were levied in respect of
each of the sections. The tiled front of the hotel, which gives it a certain
distinctiveness, was constructed in 1904. So it continued, in peace and war,
until 1940. Came Dunkirk, the evacuation of the British Army, the exodus of
Folkestone’s civilian population, the closure of many of the town’s
businesses. The True Briton, like many licensed premises in the town, suffered
severely from loss of business, and finally the licensee was forced to close. He moved to another part of the
town. On March 2nd, 1943, a German shell hit the hotel - the nosecap
of the missile was found in the bar parlour later. The whole of the back of the
building was wrecked, only the public bar remained. If anyone had been living
in the True Briton on that day they would almost certainly been killed. The
years of war passed, Peace came again, and with it the return of Folkestone’s
residents. In May, 1946, the True Briton, grievously damaged, re-opened its
doors. The great gaping holes were sealed and what was left of the premises
made usable. So the place remained until about six months ago, when complete reconstruction
of the hotel from roof to cellar was undertaken. It is now a modern,
well-designed hotel of modest proportions, with excellent layout of the bar
serveries and spacious lounge. The True Briton has taken on a new lease of
life.
Among licensees of the True Briton at least one is remembered by the
older people in the Fishmarket area - Miss Pearson. She had the hotel at the
turn of the century and was something of a character. She was part owner of
schooners which sailed to and from Folkestone, the masters and crews of which used her house. The
custom was for the crews to have their beer “put on the slate” for deduction
from their wages, which were paid to them at the True Briton. There was a small
room just off the public bar always called “The Captain’s Room”, where Miss
Pearson and the masters of ships carried out their business.
The present
licensee, Mr. D. A. (“Dave”) Martin, took over the hotel 27 years ago. He has
been “in the trade” all his life. At the age of 25 he became licensee of the
Red Lion, Covent Garden, and held the house for four years. He was a stage
dancer at one time, appearing in vaudeville acts. He made friends with many
variety artistes whose names have since become famous, including Max Miller,
who never fails to visit the True Briton when he is performing in Folkestone. During the last war Mr. Martin was a
Government Inspector at Tilling Stevens, Maidstone.
Not only has the True Briton always been a seafarers' house, it has had
a strong association with sport. Channel swimmers meet there, and many
well-known boxers have been among its customers. Larry Gains and Tancy Lee,
both of whom were wartime P.T. instructors at Shorncliffe, were frequent
visitors to the hotel, as also at other times were Dick Smith, Johnny Summers
and others. An amateur boxer, the sixth Duke of Wellington (then the Earl of Mornington)
often met his trainer, Shoeing Smith Davis, at the True Briton. Two members of
the True Briton team were winner and runner-up of the News of the World
individual darts champions for Folkestone and Dover in 1937.
Yesterday evening there was a housewarming at the hotel, when many
friends and invited guests wished it a renewed lease of life and prosperity,
and its licensee many years of success.
Folkestone Herald
14-11-1959
Local News
The licence of the
True Briton, Harbour Street, was transferred from Mr. D.A. Martin to Mr. N.E.
Thomsett, formerly of The Locomotive Inn, Ashford, at Folkestone Transfer
Sessions on Wednesday.
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