From the Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser, 29 April, 1927.

Dangerous motor cycling.

Percy William Carmen, School House Farm, Horsmonden, and Thomas Stanley May, Pearsons Green, Brenchley, were summoned for driving motorcycles in a manner dangerous to the public, at Capel, on April 10th.

Both defendant, who pleaded not guilty, were represented by Mr H Cogger.

Sidney Victor Trigg, Vauxhall Inn, Tonbridge, said on April 10th, about 8 p.m., he was motor cycling towards Tonbridge near the Brook at Five Oak Green, with his wife on the pillion, riding about 18 miles per hour, when he saw a motorcycle combination approaching at about 35 miles per hour. The combination cut across the road in front of him and collided, and he and his wife were thrown off. He sustained cuts to the head and bruises legs, and his wife suffered concussion and was still in bed as the result. The machine was badly damaged. Someone took them home in a motor car, and his head was dressed.

By Mr Cogger: He had driven this motorcycle for two years. He was about twenty yards off when he first saw Carmen. Witness was on his nearside 4ft, or 5f. from the nearside kerb. His front wheel was completely buckled. Carman's combinations was squashed, and, Carman's brother's thigh was broken. The front wheel the cycle hit the sidecar broadside because it came across the road in front of him. He did not sound his horn.

Jesse Delves, Tatlingbury Cottages, a farm labourer, said his house was 600 yards beyond the scene of the accident. He saw two motorcycles pass his house about 8 p.m. driving about 35 miles per hour, and the second cycle driven by May was very close to the other one. He heard the cycles stop, and a little girl told him the accident.

By Mr Cogger: There were people about, and the place was dangerous. The road past his house with straight for 150 yards.

Norman Henry Turner, Fairways, Five Oak Green, said he was in his orchard and heard the role of two cycles coming from the direction of Tonbridge, and was surprised at the speed, would he put about 45-50 miles per hour. There were people about returning from Church, and he saw a gentleman and several children walking on to the side of the road. He ran up to the Bridge, as he felt sure they could not negotiate the bend at the bridge, and before he arrived he heard a crash like the bursting of a tire. He did not see the actual accident as a hut obscured the View, but he arrived on the scene within half a minute of the accident, and saw the motorcycle combination upside-down on the side of the road. There was a mark in the road near the telegraph pole 19 yards long. Triggs motorcycle with 6ft from the inside, and the mark of the motorcycle combination ending a few feet from Trigg's near side. He pulled the combination of the occupant of the side car, who had his leg broken, but Carman asked him to leave his brother as he was until doctor had seen him. He then went to the Trigg's, and found Mrs Trigg with blood streaming down her face, and with the aid of a gentleman he took her to his house. Witness said he had been motor cycling and motor driving for 15 years, and had had air experience, and he considered the pace of the defendants criminally reckless driving.

By Mr Cogger: He knew that the tire which burst was Triggs. The pace he estimated was not a guess, but a computation based on his experience.

John Plummer, railway worker, living at Summerhill Villas, Tudeley, said that at 7:45 p.m. he was walking home from Capel near Brook Cottages, when he heard two motorcycles being driven furiously. He hurried some children with him on to the roadside, and he got out of the way.

The Clerk: Were you expecting something to happen at the corner?

Witness: I was only thankful I was not there to meet them, because if anyone had been there they could not have got out of the way.

What was the pace? I put it at 45 miles an hour.

Mr Cogger: How can you tell speed?

Witness: Well, I work on the railway, and I know the speed of the trains.

Harold Trilly, carpenter, 1, Council Cottages, School Green Lane, Five Oak Green, who was walking along the road from a service, and who says he was a motorcyclist, put the speed of the defendant at 45-50 miles an hour. He went back after the crash and assisted Turner.

Frederick Bishop (15), a motor engineer's assistant at Queen's Head Forge, Five Oak Green, said he was riding a motorcycle with Arthur Lawrence seated behind him, but did not actually see the accident, as he was looking behind him at the time.

Arthur Lawrence (15), employed at a Pembury garage, says he thought Carmen and May were travelling too fast when they passed him.

Police sergeant bones said that on April 12th he saw Carmen and Horsmonden. Carmen said "I know I was going fast, I admit it." Witness asked Carmen why he was on the wrong side, and he replied "I cannot understand how that happened." Witness describe the skid mark for a distance of 60 feet, and later saw May, who said he felt sure other man was on his wrong side of the road. Witness cautioned him, and May said "I was doing 25 miles an hour."

P.C. Ingram said he went to the scene of the accident at 8 p.m., and saw Carman, who said Trigg came towards him on his wrong side, and he (Carmen) went to his wrong side to avoid an accident. Carmen added, "We were not going fast; I applied the brakes, but could not avoid an accident." The side car was damaged, being struck on it's near side. The Humber motorcycle was extensively damaged in front.

For the Defence, Carmen, in the witness box, said he assisted his father at School House Farm, Horsmonden. On the day in question he had been to Sevenoaks on his Sunbeam combination, with his brother Eric in the sidecar, and accompanied by May. He was preceded about 30 miles an hour when he came on the brow of the bridge at Five Oak Green, and saw Trigg 30 or 40 yards in front. Trigg was completely on his wrong side, and witness applied his brakes, and in trying to avoid him crossed over to his wrong side and collided, finishing up completely on his wrong side. After the accident he pulled his brother out of the sidecar, and when he regained consciousness he said Trigg was on his wrong side. Witness asked Trigg for his name and address, and he gave Trigg his.

In answer to Supt. Bennet, he said he had driven a motorcycle for some years and in 1922 he took part in motorcycle trials and races.
Mr Cogger: Is your licence clean?

Witness; Yes, sir.

May, giving evidence, said he was a farm labourer, and was riding an A.J.S. motorcycle behind Carmen. He saw him cross from his right side to the wrong side and collides with Trigg in the middle of the road. His licence was clean.

Supt. Bennett: Was the road dry?

May: Yes, absolutely dry.

Mr Cogger, addressing the bench, said the only person who saw the accident was Trig, who was involved in it, the two defendants and Eric Carmen. He submitted that there had been no evidence of dangerous driving by defendants over the straight part of the road, although with regard to the portion of the road between the bridge and the spot where the accident happened there was a conflict of evidence. He submitted that Carman crossed the road in order to avoid Trigg, and the police constable said the skid mark showed for 20 yards. The accident would never have happened if Trigg had been on his proper side, nor if having been on his wrong side, he had not drawn over at the last moment. There was a general prejudice against motorcyclists, and witnesses were invariably inclined to take an exaggerated view.

The Bench find each defendant £5 and £1 5s. costs, and ordered each licence to be endorsed.

(Trigg was the son-in-law of John Jeffrey.)

Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser, Friday 19 September 1930.

Golden Wedding at Tonbridge.

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffery's 55 Descendants.

It is with pleasure that the "Courier" reports yet another golden wedding celebration in the district. On this occasion the happy couple are Mr. and Mrs. John Jeffery, of "Ye Old Vauxhall Inn," Pembury Road, Tonbridge, and they were the recipients of many congratulatory messages yesterday (Thursday) when they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

Mr. Jeffrey is 77 years old and a native of Chiddingly, Sussex, whilst Mrs. Jeffery, formerly Miss Ellen Westgate, of Ripe, Sussex, is 75 years of age. They were joined in holy matrimony on September 10th, 1880, at Ripe Church, the officiating clergyman being the Rev. R. S. Sutton.

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey have a large family, all of whom will join together at a later date to celebrate the occasion. They have 9 children, 29 grandchildren (6 having died) and 17 great-grandchildren.]

They have now lived in Tonbridge for 36 years, all the time being spent at "Ye Old Vauxhall Inn," which was in days gone by a famous coaching inn and which is mentioned in several well-known novels. Although they do not remember those days, there is one thing that stands out in their memory in connection with the inn, and that is the Apted murder case, which created a sensation 29 years ago. The girl concerned was thrown into a pond and her body was subsequently found by Mr. Jeffery.

Both commented on upon how the district has changed and said that they remember the old narrow High Street, and have watched the whole of the left-hand side being rebuilt.

They took the "Vauxhall Inn" from Mr. Bartram, who will be remembered by some of the older inhabitants in the district, and the inn was afterward sold to the Dartford Brewery and then to Mr. d'Avigdor-Goldsmid. Mr. and Mrs. Jefferys have been tenants of Mr. d'Avigdor-Goldsmid for the last 26 years.