© www.dover-kent.co.uk 2024
Dover: Lock and Key of the Kingdom
The Phoenix Brewery
The Phoenix Brewery, in Dolphin Lane, off Castle Street, is first
recorded in 1740, when it was owned by a Mr Clements. In
1859 it was purchased by Mr Alfred Leney from the executors of
Thomas Walker. Originally he ran it in conjunction with his
uncle, James Evenden, trading as Leney and Evenden until his
uncle’s death in 1868. Alfred married into another Kentish
brewing family when he married Catherine Fremlin, the eldest
daughter of James Fremlin, of Wateringbury, near Maidstone.
In time Alfred was joined in the business by his three sons,
Alfred Charles, Hugh and Frank. When Alfred (senior) died in
1900, 400 people filled St Andrew’s Church, Buckland and an
estimated 1,000 thronged the churchyard for the burial. Among
the 150 wreaths was one from the tenants of the brewery pubs
in the form of a phoenix, which was used by the firm as a trade
mark.
The business continued to flourish and in 1904 took over the
rival firm of Flint & Co. of St Dunstan’s Brewery, Canterbury. It
is thought that Leney & Co., after their absorption of Flint & Co.,
owned about 160 tied premises, mainly in East Kent and the
Rye and Hastings area of East Sussex. In 1926 the firm of
Alfred Leney & Co. amalgamated with Fremlin Brothers of
Maidstone to form the public company known as Fremlins Ltd.
At the time of the merger the remaining Fremlin brothers
retired and Alfred Charles Leney became the first Chairman of
the new company.
Brewing at Dover ceased in 1927 but bottling of beer continued
until 1950 at the Phoenix Brewery, the beer being transported
from the Fremlins brewery at Maidstone. The only break in
production came towards the end of World War Two, when a
shell hit the water storage tank at the top of the building.
Fortunately there were no casualties as the incident took place
at night. It was claimed that the bottling plant was the nearest
factory to enemy occupied Europe.
After bottling ceased the old brewery was used as a distribution
depot by Fremlins until its demolition in 1963. The distribution
depot moved to buildings that had once been part of the old
Diamond Brewery on the Folkestone Road, which had been
purchased by Leney & Co. in 1908. In the late 1960s Fremlins
was itself taken over by the brewing giant Whitbread.
recorded in 1740, when it was owned by a Mr Clements. In
1859 it was purchased by Mr Alfred Leney from the executors of
Thomas Walker. Originally he ran it in conjunction with his
uncle, James Evenden, trading as Leney and Evenden until his
uncle’s death in 1868. Alfred married into another Kentish
brewing family when he married Catherine Fremlin, the eldest
daughter of James Fremlin, of Wateringbury, near Maidstone.
In time Alfred was joined in the business by his three sons,
Alfred Charles, Hugh and Frank. When Alfred (senior) died in
1900, 400 people filled St Andrew’s Church, Buckland and an
estimated 1,000 thronged the churchyard for the burial. Among
the 150 wreaths was one from the tenants of the brewery pubs
in the form of a phoenix, which was used by the firm as a trade
mark.
The business continued to flourish and in 1904 took over the
rival firm of Flint & Co. of St Dunstan’s Brewery, Canterbury. It
is thought that Leney & Co., after their absorption of Flint & Co.,
owned about 160 tied premises, mainly in East Kent and the
Rye and Hastings area of East Sussex. In 1926 the firm of
Alfred Leney & Co. amalgamated with Fremlin Brothers of
Maidstone to form the public company known as Fremlins Ltd.
At the time of the merger the remaining Fremlin brothers
retired and Alfred Charles Leney became the first Chairman of
the new company.
Brewing at Dover ceased in 1927 but bottling of beer continued
until 1950 at the Phoenix Brewery, the beer being transported
from the Fremlins brewery at Maidstone. The only break in
production came towards the end of World War Two, when a
shell hit the water storage tank at the top of the building.
Fortunately there were no casualties as the incident took place
at night. It was claimed that the bottling plant was the nearest
factory to enemy occupied Europe.
After bottling ceased the old brewery was used as a distribution
depot by Fremlins until its demolition in 1963. The distribution
depot moved to buildings that had once been part of the old
Diamond Brewery on the Folkestone Road, which had been
purchased by Leney & Co. in 1908. In the late 1960s Fremlins
was itself taken over by the brewing giant Whitbread.
