Dove Inn

Overview

The Dove Inn is among the oldest beer-houses in Paulton, at least of those for which there is direct evidence of beer being sold. In the tithe map of 1839, Elijah Winter is living in the what either already was, or would later become, the Dove Inn. Moreover, in the 1841 census, his profession is given as "Publican".

The next definite reference point is with Thomas James, who was selling beer from the premises at the time of the 1861 census. In January 1863 he was fined £1 for selling beer at unlawful hours. He was summoned again, for the same offence, in May and August of 1865 - which cost him another £1 in fines (though the case in August was dismissed).

George Emery, the son-in-law of Thomas James, seems to have taken over officially in 1872 when he was granted a license to sell beer - although his occupation had been given as Beer House Keeper on the baptism records of his children since September 1867. In August 1876 George was fined 15s for having unjust measures in his premises. In 1879 he was summoned again for using unstamped measures, but the case was dismissed because they could not prove they were actually used. The argument presented was that he measured the beer out in a different measure, and then poured it into the unstamped ones. Hmm... (Bristol Mercury - 01 November 1879 )

On George's death in 1882, Samuel Sheppard took over. He had previously run a beer house on Millards HIll in Welton. He was succeeded by Amanda Pow. Amanda died in August 1888, and the license was passed to George Simmons (passing very briefly through Thomas James hands as a bit of a technicality). The police originally objected to the license transfer, but when George assured them he was going to live in the house himself, they withdrew the objection (Bristol Mercury - 26 September 1888). George seems to have been good to his word. Note - this is actually the first time I can find the name "Dove Inn" used.

On the 27th of April, 1889 a bit of trouble which started at the Dove got into the papers (Bristol Mercury - 11 May 1889). Uriah Maggs (father of a later landlord of the Rose & Crown) was in the pub with his son in the afternoon, and was "in liquor". George turned him out for bad behaviour (perhaps after Uriah had used bad language to his wife), but the trouble continued once they reached home at about 8 in the evening - resulting in Uriah's son being hit wih candlestick and breaking a rib which punctured a lung.

On a lighter note, on the 30th of September 1898, the Fete Committee of the Paulton branch of the Loyal Ancient Order of Shepherds had a meal at the Dove Inn.

Photos

None available?

Location

Apparantly "just behind the Blackbird" - certainly they are next to each other in the census records.

Licensees

   ????-1841-???? Elijah Winter
   ????-1861-???? Thomas James
   ????-1867-1883 George Emery
   1883-???? Samuel Sheppard
   ????-1888 Amanda Pow
   1888 Thomas James (temporarily)
   1888-1921 George Simmons

Owners

   ????-1914      Messrs. R. Lewis & Co, Brewers, Clutton
   1914-????      Welton Breweries
   ????-1920-1921 Bristol Brewery, George & Co. Ltd.

Timeline

Date	Detail	Source
1839	Elijah Winter owns and is occupying property 83 on the tithe map	Tithe map records at The Genealogist Tithe Map
06/06/1841	Elijah Winter (age 53), is living with what I think is his daughter Sara (age 30) in Paulton. He is a Publican.	1841 Census
07/04/1861	Thomas James (age 55) is living with his wife Jane (age 62), daughter Maria (age 29) and her husband George Emery (age 35) and two grandchildren. They live in Winterfield, next door to John Smith (landlord of The Blackbird). Thomas is a Beer Seller	1861 Census
13/01/1863	Thomas James, beer seller of Paulton, is fined for selling beer at unlawful hours	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions
16/05/1865	Thomas James, beerhouse keeper of Paulton - house open at prohibited hours on a Sunday	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions
22/10/1872	Beer license granted to George Emery of Paulton	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions
15/08/1876	George Emery, Beerseller of Paulton - unjust measures	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions
21/10/1879	Special report about George Emery, beerhouse keeper of Paulton - important decision made at the last Petty Session (Note - I can't find a report on the actual petty session in any of the usual sources)	Bristol Mercury - 01 November 1879
20/03/1883	Temporary license to sell at The Dove beerhouse until next transfer day given to Samuel Sheppard, formerly a beerhouse keeper at Wilton	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions
08/05/1883	Special session for the transferring of licenses. License of the Dove, Paulton, transferred from George Emery to Samuel Sheppard	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions
04/09/1888	Mr. Webster (executor of Mrs. Pow) applied for a temporary license to seel beer until next transfer day. Temporary authority was granted to Thomas James in succession to Amanda Pow, deceased. The bench cautioned the applicant to the conduct of the house.	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions
25/09/1888	George Simmons applied for transfer of license of the Dove Inn, Paulton, from the executors of Amanda Pow to himself. He told the court he would occupy the house himself, so the police withdrew their objection.	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions
-	Uriah Maggs (father of Uriah Maggs who later was licensee of Rose & Crown) was charged with maliciously wounding his son William James Maggs. William was at the Dove Inn, when his father came in and abused the landlord. There then follows a tale of Uruah hitting him with a candlestick. George Simmons, landlord of the Dove deposed to the occurrences. He was properly beaten up - broken rib which punctured his lung. Uriah was committed for trial at the Midsummer Sessions.	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions
05/04/1891	George Simmons (age 32) is living with his wife Elizabeth (age 39) and 7 children in Winterfield. He is listed as a Coal Miner and Beer Seller at the BlackBird. However, right next door is Mary E Banfield, who is also listed as (and was) the Beer Seller at the BlackBird, so I believe this is a mistake.	1891 Census
30/09/1891	Fete Committee of the Paulton branch of the Loyal Ancient Order of Shepherds had a meal at the Dove Inn	Bristol Mercury - 30 September 1898
31/03/1901	George Simmons (age 42) is living with his wife Elizabeth (age 49) and their 8 children at the Dove Inn. George is listed as a Coal Miner & Hewer.	1901 Census
20/06/1913	George Simmons was charged with not having his name on the door. He admitted it and said "Messrs Lewis, the brewers who owned the house" had made a sign and missed his name off	Shepton Mallet Journal - 20 June 1913
03/01/1914	Dove Inn for sale by Auction - along with several other pubs. The Pub currently belongs to Messrs. R. Lewis & Co, Brewers, Clutton	Western Daily Press - 03 January 1914
31/01/1914	Dove Inn purchased by Welton Breweries for £575	Western Daily Press - 31 January 1914
16/07/1920	License Refused by Somerset Compensation Authority. Owner was Bristol Brewery, George & Co., Ltd. Licensee was George Simmons. Has been referred to the Licensing Justices of the Temple Cloud Division	Wells Journal - 16 July 1920
12/01/1921	Somerset Licensing Session. Valuation was £2791 10s (a lot!). Compensation offered was much less (£1071), so was referred to the Inland Revenue. Still, the pub would be closing.	Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser - 12 January 1921 Western Daily Press - 07 January 1921
10/11/1921	George Simmons takes on the license of the Bloomfield Inn (aka New Inn) from John Gait.	Western Daily Press - 10 November 1921