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At 35 high Street in 1891; The pub claiming to be the Crown & Thistle is now closed and in restaurant use. This was originally the Dolphin Prison House. *
Directory of Pubs in the UK, historical public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels in Rochester, Kent . The Rochester, Kent listing uses information from census, Trade Directories and History to add licensees, bar staff, Lodgers and Visitors.
The Crown & Thistle stood to the left of the old Guildhall building as proven by a photograph taken in 1910 (Medway Archives). There is a plaque on the front of the restaurant claiming it's ancestry as an inn but this is incorrect. All old leases I have researched (mentioning both the Dolphin prison house and the pub); place the Crown & Thistle to the left and not to the right of the Old guildhall. *
The Dolphin Prison House, 51 High Street, Rochester - in April 2010
Kindly provided by Stephen Harris
Residents at this address
1824/Michl. Richardson/../../../Pigot’s Directory **
1855/R Wadhams/../../../Essex, Herts & Kent Directory
1858/Richard Wadhams/../../../Melvilles Directory
1862/Richard Wadhams/../../../Post Office Directory
1870/Mrs Elizabeth Ann Prentis/../../../Post Office Directory **
1874/Henry Elliott/../../../Post Office Directory
1878/Frederick Letchford/../../../Post Office Directory **
1881/William Winterbottom/Licensed Victualler/53/York/Census
1881/Mary Winterbottom/Wife/60/Derby/Census
1881/Florence Winterbottom/Daughter, Pupil Teacher/20/London,
Middlesex/Census
1882/Mrs Mary Winterbottom/../../../Post Office Directory
1891/William Chas Jolly/../../../Post Office Directory
1903/William Parish/../../../Post Office Directory
1911/William Parish/../../../Kelly’s Directory **
1913/Wm Parish/../../../Post Office Directory
1918/William Parish/../../../Post Office Directory
1922/William Parish/../../../Post Office Directory
* Provided By Judy Miller
** Provided By Stephen Harris