Sheerness Times Guardian, Saturday 3 September 1870.

Cautions to Publicans.

Richard Spendiff, the landlord of the "Anchor and Hope Tavern," High Street, Blue Town, was summoned by Police Sergeant Noakes for permitting drunked and disorderly conduct in his house, on Sunday evening, 7th August, 1870.

Mr. T. Willis, who appeared for the defendant, pleaded extenuating circumstances. He said the "Anchor and Hope" was formerly kept by person named Sugarman. Messe's Shepherd and Neame, the owners of the house in question, hearing of the disorderly manner in which Sugarman carried on the business, paid him a considerable amount to get out of it. Finding they could not obtain an immediate tenant for the house, they put the defendant there in for the time being. Spendiff had been for 14 or 15 years employed in the Faversham Brewery, and his employers, Shepherd and Neame, had placed him in houses on several occasions, under similar circumstances. He had the confidence of his employers, and it was to his interest to conduct the business properly. On Sunday, 7th August, he was in the house single handed, and on hearing some sailors noisy in his rooms he took steps to have them removed. He submitted that there were extenuating circumstances in the case, and that, although a breach of the law had been committed, yet the justice of the summons would be met by the infliction of a minimum penalty.

Sergeant Noakes said that at 9 o'clock on Sunday evening, the 17th inst., a constable in passing the "Anchor and Hope," heard a great noise inside, and persons fighting. About an hour afterwards a constable ejected a man from the house for fighting. At 10:15 a number of prostitutes and sailors were seen leaving the house, while others were in the front room singing songs. The landlord did not request the police to remove anyone. They did it of their own accord.
His Worship said the statement made by Mr. Willis, that the defendant took steps to have the disorderly person's removed was hardly consistent with a statement made by the sergeant.

Sergeant Noakes said he caution the defendant on the 12th of July, and once since the presents summons had been taken out.

P.C. lane said he only visited the house in consequence of hearing a disturbance therein, and whilst there the defendant requested him to remove a man name Charlesworth from the premises. He has not previously been sent for.

His Worship said the disturbances ranged from 9 till 11 o'clock - that was a very large margin of time.

Mr. Maile, the manager to Messrs. Shepherd and Neame, said he could endorse all Mr. Willis had said, for it was no benefit for the defendant to conduct the house improperly. The firm have put him into 26 different houses, and had had no.....
More to follow hopefully.