London 1746 Rocques map

Plough, Shottenden, Chilham, Canterbury

Chilham pub history index

Directory of Pubs in the UK, historical public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels in Chilham, Canterbury, Kent . The Chilham, Canterbury,  Kent listing uses information from census, Trade Directories and History to add licensees, bar staff, Lodgers and Visitors.

Plough, Shottenden, Chilham - circa 1887

Plough, Shottenden, Chilham - circa 1887

The photograph of the Plough probably dates to about 1887. I can’t identify the gentlemen on the left who look to be customers, perhaps you can? The two little boys are Edwin and Cyril Collier. Then Edwin senior is the proprietor. The younger daughter is Ethel and the older one is Amy. Lilly and William are already away at work, Lilly at least is in London working as a domestic servant. Elizabeth is next in the photo, and the lass next to her is her sister, Florence Smith who has not yet married and moved away.

Kindly provided by Julia Smith

Residents at this address

1861/Lucy A Kingsmill/Beer House Keeper/40/Chilham, Kent/Census
1861/Thos Kingsmill/Brother, Grocer/51/Elham, Kent/Census
1861/Sarah Kingsmill/Sister/37/Chilham, Kent/Census
1861/Susannah Southwell/Sister/42/Chilham, Kent/Census
1861/Stephen T Southwell/Nephew/5/Paddington, Middlesex/Census

1871/Lucy Kingsmill/Licensed Victualler/50/Chilham, Kent/Census
1871/Thomas Kingsmill/Brother, Grocer/60/Elham, Kent/Census
1871/Sarah Kingsmill/Sister/49/Chilham, Kent/Census
1871/Angela Kingsmill/Niece, Grocers Assistant/15/Orpinge, Kent/Census
1871/Joseph A Long/Newphew/20/Dunkirk, Kent/Census

1874/Thomas Kingsmill/../../../Post Office Directory

1881/Sarah Kingsmill/Inn Keeper/61/Chilham, Kent/Census
1881/Mary Jane Kingsmill/Niece, Domestic Servant/31/Ospringe, Kent/Census

My great great grandfather, Edwin Collier, was the licensee for the Plough Inn, Shottenden (Kent) and appears as such on the 1891 census. I have a very old photograph of Edwin and some of his family taken outside a little bit after 1881 I would think. The Plough was actually a beer house then, not a pub as such, and there was a drapers shop next to the beer house in the same dwelling that the Colliers also ran.  ***

Edwin Collier was born 2 April 1840 in Hawkhurst, Kent and died in Camberwell in London in 1918 – he was actually a cabinet maker by trade. His father was a tailor which might explain the drapery connection. Edwin married 15 June, 1867 in Chilham to Elizabeth Smith who was born there on 26 June 1843 and died in Lewisham, London in 1914. Elizabeth was the daughter of Henry Smith and Elizabeth Kingsmill of Chilham, and so it appears that Edwin and Elizabeth took over the family business for a bit. Children of Ed and Liz were Lilly (my great grandmother) born in London in 1868; William born in Canterbury in 1870; Harry born in London in 1871 and died there in 1872, probably of cholera; Amy born London 1873; Edwin born London 1874; Ethel born London 1877; and Cyril born in Shottenden in 1884 which probably lines up nicely with the Colliers moving to the Plough. ***

Edwin Collier and Elizabeth Collier - circa 1870   Edwin Collier and Elizabeth Collier - circa 1870

Edwin Collier and Elizabeth Collier - circa 1870

Kindly provided by Julia Smith



Henry Smith had lots of daughters! The other photo I have attached is of Edwin Collier as a younger man, probably taken at about the same time as the accompanying photo of Elizabeth Collier and her daughter Lilly……..in Canterbury in the early 1870s.

1882/Edwin Collier/../../../Post Office Directory

1891/Edwin Collier/../../../Post Office Directory

1891/Edwin Collier/Inn Keeper/51/Hawkhurst, Kent/Census ***
1891/Elizabeth Collier/Wife/47/Chilham, Kent/Census
1891/Ethel Collier/Daughter/14/London, Middlesex/Census
1891/Cyril Collier/Son/7/Chilham, Kent/Census

1901/Geo Moore/Inn Keeper/47/Hoo, Kent/Census
1901/Sarah Moore/Wife/46/Sittingbourne, Kent/Census
1901/Regoinald Moore/Son/15/Upchurch, Kent/Census
1901/Lionel Moore/Son/9/Upchurch, Kent/Census
1901/Lizzie Moore/Niece, Domestic Servant/18/Hoo, Kent/Census

1918/Edward Last/../../../Post Office Directory

1930/Albert Edward Butcher/../../../Kellys Directory


*** Provided By Julie Smith

And Last updated on: Wednesday, 02-Oct-2024 14:02:54 BST