Terry Nunn
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,316
I was up at Fort Burgoyne this morning with a Major from the Sappers. He was looking at the bridge into the Fort.
This one -
He asked how old it was, unfortunately I haven't a clue. I did find this on the side of one of the supporting legs. It appears to say " Smythe & Co Phoenix Iron Works Dover" Sorry about the picture quality I only had my pocket camera.
Any ideas as to age chaps? All I know is that it's not the original.
Terry
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Terry Nunn
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,316
Thanks Tom, it's the age of the bridge that I'm after.
Loads of stuff here too-
http://www.kenthistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=371.0
Terry
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
Yes Terry. We and the bridge are getting no younger.

Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Terry Nunn
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,316
Thanks again Tom, that is possibly the most definitive description I've seen. It shows the bridge in 1878. I assumed it was later than that.
Terry
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Guest 718- Registered: 28 Jun 2011
- Posts: 195
There is a building on Dover seafront that has a strongroom bearing this plate. (I don't mean to be obscure, but I'm not really at liberty to say which building). I did a bit of research and found that the Phoenix Iron Works partnership of Thomas Ismay and Samuel Richards Smyth was dissolved on 23rd May. 1866. Apparently the business was situated in Snargate Street.
It seems Smyth carried on as a sole proprietor using the existing company name.
Looking at the picture of the bridge at Fort Burgoyne and knowing the fort was built between 1861 and 1868 ...... well, it's anyone's guess, but the bridge appears to be an original fitting.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
Thanks John i was going to mention that picture when I got home
I was going to say that it is likely that the piers are original but the bridge itself a replacement as it would have been a moving bridge of some sort (based on the remains of the mechanisms that are still there)
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 700- Registered: 11 Jun 2010
- Posts: 2,868
Some refs to Thomas ISMAY:
T. ISMAY, Ironmonger, King Street, Dover. Advert for Thomas Walker's Patent self-feeding Phoenix stoves
(Dover Telegraph 3.1.1846 p.1 col.3)
T. ISMAY (junr) Notice of formation of Dover Steam Packet Co. (Dover Telegraph 31.Jan 1846 p.1 col.1)
Thos ISMAY Jnr., Treasurer of Investment Society. Notice (Dover Telegraph 21.3.1846 p.1 col.1)
Thomas ISMAY,
Thomas ISMAY Junr., son of Thomas,
(listed on Dover Electors 1802 hand written book listing voters (ie Freemen of Dover) in election for 2 Dover MPs). At this date freemen of Dover did not have to reside in Dover. More information would be available from the Dover Freemen's Index and Roll (Kent Co.Archives, on film at Dover Ref.Library, indexed only from 1660 onwards up to c.1950s, roll dates from early 1600s)
Thos ISMAY, Crosswall, Ironmonger. (Kent Directory 1837 Dover)
ISMAY No.444 (Cowgate? Cemetery, St.Marys Parish Dover, Memorials list - at Dover Library)
From St.Marys Dover CHURCHYARD Memorials, KFHS fiche, published 1991
ISMAY (2 parallel wall plaques):
1) In the vault / beneath lie the remains / of Mr. Thomas Ismay / who / died February 16th 1827 / aged 80 years / Also of Susanna his wife who died December 18th 1837 / aged 89 years / Requiescant in pace
2) Sacred / to the memory of / Sarah wife of Mr. Thomas Ismay / who died March 7th 1845 aged 63 years / Also of the above named Thomas Ismay / who departed this life / November (?) 1853 aged ? years. (ref.No. S26-a: South side of St.Marys passage section)
[Parish records state:
23 Feb 1827 Thomas ISMAY of Hawkesbury Street aged 80;
27 Dec 1837 Susanna ISMAY of Hawkesbury Street Dover aged 90;
14 Mar 1845 Sarah ISMAY, Guilford Lawn, St.James Parish, age 63
8 Nov 1853 Thomas ISMAY, Guilford Lawn, aged 75]
also
ISMAY (stone stood against wall below ISMAY plaques on wall - broken into two large and five very small pieces): Sacred to the memory of / the undermentioned children of / Thomas and Sarah ISMAY / Frances departed this life the ..... 1812 aged 3 years / Hannah departed this life the ..... 18.... aged 13 years / Susannah departed this life the (29th?) June 18..2 aged 17 years / Elizabeth departed this life the 19th Feb 184...? aged 33 years and of five children who died in their infancy / leaving two sons and two daughters viz. Thomas, William, Sarah and Mary / (S26-b) = (South side of St.Marys Passage)
[Parish records state: 10 Jan 1812 Frances ISMAY.
Other refs have not been confirmed.]
Sarah ISMAY (2nd dau of T. ISMAY Esq.) married 22 Aug at St James Dover to Mr John COOKE of Camberwell (Dover Telegraph 26 Aug 1837 p.8 col.4)
Mr Thomas ISMAY Junr, married 2 May at Dover to Jane RICHARDS (dau of Mr Wm RICHARDS)
(Dover Telegraph 13 May 1837 p.8 col.4)
Thomas ISMAY on list of Unpolled Dover Freemen 1826 (list in Dover ref library)
Thomas ISMAY Junr -ditto
Misses ISMAY, 6 Effingham Crescent Dover
And Thomas ISMAY of same address
(Private Residents list, Dover, in PO Directory 1878)
Mrs ISMAY in 90th year, died 18 Dec at Dover (Dover Telegraph 23 Dec 1837 p.8 col.4)
ISMAY & CHAPMAN, Ironmongers, 3 King Street, Dover (PO Directory 1878)
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