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Search the London & Southern England Pub History site and Street directory by historical Pub name, surname or street address, i.e. use the search box below. The Pub history site is a major historical street directory which lists mainly Pubs, beer retailers, taverns and hotels; and street name changes between about 1840 and 1940. All transcriptions and imagery is copyright, and excepting personal usage (which is fine); is NOT available for commercial usage without explicit permission. Many of the Pubs are still open, as I do not differentiate between dead and open Pubs. The site is updated every day, mainly during pub opening hours. Please contact: Kevan with any updates and additional details to the site/s. Thanks.
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Britannia, 42 Fort Road, Margate

The Britannia, high up on the Fort has a wonderful view over the harbour and one time Jetty, and may add to the claim that this was a hunting lodge belonging to the Cobb's Brewing and Banking family. This hexagonal shaped building is now sited next door to Margate Police Station but in the 19th Century was next door to Cobb's Brewery. Cobb's held the freehold here from at least 1820-1968 when they sold up.
In the early 1900's minstrels would entertain on the forecourt in front of the pub, which is now its car park. There are a huge amount of tunnels under the area and in the cellar of the Britannia is a tunnel entrance reputed to be a smugglers tunnel which led to the nearby Margate Caves. It was used as an entrance tunnel to the Fort air raid shelters during the two World Wars.
The Britannia was one of the pubs used by the rescued heroes landing in Margate after being brought home from Dunkirk 1940.
The pub had emerged unscathed after the war and it was peace time when it was under attack. A projectile smashed through the bedroom window and embedded itself 4 inches in the wall after an unsuccessful attempt to blow up the rotting iron remains of the storm damaged jetty.
A skeleton was found under the floorboards in the 1980's and can be seen, covered by a glass plate, in the main bar. Today the Britannia is famous for being East Kent's Premier Live Music Venue.
at Fort Crescent to 1862, at Fort Hill, Margate in 1874 & 1882 **

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

Britannia, Margate

Britannia, Margate

Kindly provided by Suzanne Foad

The following entries are in this format:

Year/Publican or other Resident/Relationship to Head and or Occupation/Age/Where Born/Source.

1826/7/John Hubbard/../../../Pigots Directory **

1832/John Hubbard/../../../Pigots Directory **

1839/William James Wormall/../../../Pigots Directory **

1841/William Wormall/../../../Census **

1847/Robert Dunk Peal/../../../Bagshaws Directory **

1851/Robert Peal/../../../Census **

1858/Robert Dunk Peal/../../../Melvilles Directory ****

1861/Robert Dunk Peal/../../../Census **

1862/R D Peal/../../../Post Office Directory ****

1867/Robert Dunk Peal/../../../Kellys Directory **

1871/Alfred H Grant/../../../Census **

1874/Alfred Henry Grant/../../../Post Office Directory ****

1881/Alfred H Grant/Licensed Victualler/48/Margate, Kent/Census **
1881/Sarah B Grant/Wife/49/Margate, Kent/Census
1881/Minnie C Grant/Daughter/19/Margate, Kent/Census
1881/Clara M Grant/Daughter/12/Margate, Kent/Census
1881/Emily S Grant/Daughter/9/Margate, Kent/Census
1881/Elizabeth M Hughes/General Servant/16/Margate, Kent/Census

1882/Alfred Henry Grant/../../../Post Office Directory ****

1890/Alfred H Grant/../../../Post Office Directory **

1891/Alfred H Grant/../../../Census **

1901/Seymour W Brown/../../../Census **

1903/Seymour W Brown/../../..Kellys Directory **

1913/Geo W Mount/../../../Post Office Directory ****

1922/Joseph Strange/../../../Kellys Directory **

1930/Joseph W Strange/../../../Kellys Directory **

1938/Geo Carter/../../../Kellys Directory **

** Provided By Susannah Foad

**** Provided By Kevan

Search the London & Southern England Pub History site and Street directory by historical Pub name, surname or street address. The Pub history site is a major historical street directory which lists mainly Pubs and street name changes between about 1840 and 1940. The site is updated every day. Contact: Kevan with any updates and additions.
site search by freefind

All transcriptions and imagery is copyright, and excepting personal usage (which is fine); it is NOT available for commercial usage without explicit permission.
The historical trade directory and census listing of all of London, Essex, Kent, Suffolk, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Sussex, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire Oxfordshire, and Dorset. If you are searching for a historical address, try the census and street directory database. This is a Victorian view on the streets of london and the south of England.

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And Last updated on: Tuesday, 04-Oct-2011 22:26:31 BST