From the Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser, 26 November, 1920.

SUICIDE AT KILNDOWN.

A well-known resident shoots himself.

A shocking suicide took place at the "Globe and Rainbow Inn," Kilndown, on the 21st inst. when the proprietor, Mr James Richer, who has occupied the house for a long period, committed suicide by shooting himself. Major Eric Clark, the coroner, conducted an inquest on Tuesday inst., when the following evidence was taken.

Mrs Janet Emily Richer, wife of deceased, stated her husband was 73 years of age, and had not been in good health, being medically attended for the last 6 weeks. On the 12th instant he had a bad fall down the stairs of the loft, and witness thought he hurt his spine. He had been much depressed ever since, and said he felt his business was too much for him. He had nothing to worry about, and had never threatened to take his life. On Saturday he had been downstairs all the afternoon and evening. He went upstairs at 9 p.m., and in reply to witness, who asked if he would have anything, said he would have a glass of milk when he came to bed. About 10 p.m. just before she went up, she thought she heard the tyre bursts in the road and then heard a thud upstairs. Deceased usually kept his gun in the kitchen, and she did not know how we got it upstairs.

John Arthur Jones Richer, son of deceased, said he had been at home on his father's requests since just before hop picking. His father had been quite a different man since the accident. Witness corroborated his mother as to his father going upstairs. Witness heard a noise, and ran upstairs, and found his father on the floor with a gun in his breast.

Dr. Berkeley Foote Faulkner, medical practitioner at Lamberhurst, proved attending deceased since October 15th for the fall mentioned when he fractured his ankle. Deceased fell on his back, and must have hurt the end of his spine. That his age it was a great nervous shock. About the first week after the accident he got on fairly well but after that became difficult to deal with. Deceased became gloomy and very depressed. Witness could get no explanation out of him why he was in such as state, but he complained that everything was going wrong and that he could not get back to his work. Witness saw him last on Friday, when he talked to witness, but seemed very gloomy. Deceased was in a condition of melancholy but witness could not certify him. Witness was sent for at 10.00 on Saturday night, and came at once. Witness found deceased lying on the floor fully dressed. The gun, which was a 12-bore single-barrel breech- loader, was lying partially across the body. The whole of the skull and the brain matter was blown away. Witness believed he put the muzzle of the gun in his mouth and fired it standing up with his back towards the dressing table.

The coroner found that the deceased died from the effect of a gunshot wound in the head self-inflicted and deposed at the time not being of sound mind.

Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser 13 December 1935.

KILNDOWN.

We regret to record the death of Mrs. Emily Richer, of the "Globe and Rainbow Hotel." Mrs. Richer was the widow of Mr. James Richer, who pre-deceased her 14 years ago. Before her marriage she held an important post in the household of Bedgebury under the late Lord Beresford Hope. Throughout her 42 years' residence at the "Globe and Rainbow" Mrs. Richer had taken a practical though quiet interest in the social and charitable institutions of the village. The funeral took place at the Parish Church on Monday. The school children lined each side of the road outside the school, where the flag was hung at half mast, while the drawn blinds en route bore silent testimony to the esteem in which the deceased lady was held. The cortege was met at the entrance to the church by the Rev. F. J. Cartman, who conducted the service and the surpliced choir, and suitable voluntaries were played by Mr. Ager, organist.

(Mourners are named.)

The bell-ringers rang a muffled peal in the evening.