From the Kentish Gazette, 28 February 1843.

ST. PETER’S, THANET, Feb. 23.

The annual dinner of the members of the St. Peter’s Amicable Association, for the prosecution of offences, took place at Mr. Hamlett’s (the "Crown and Thistle Inn"), on Thursday, the 16th instant. The meeting was ably presided over by Mr. Manser, of Dumpton. The dinner, wines, &c. gave great satisfaction, and the whole arrangements reflected much credit on the worthy host and hostess. The object of this society is to give rewards for the apprehension of persons committing offences against the person or property of its members; but, much to the credit and honesty of the parish, the members are very seldom called upon either to prosecute or give rewards. Several excellent speeches were delivered and some good songs sung during the evening; the National Anthem was given in beautiful style by Messrs. Busbridge, Moss, and Hill. The company broke up at an early hour, evidently determined that the evening’s amusement should bear the morning’s reflection.

Kentish Gazette, 28 May 1844.

ST. PETER'S, THANET.

Shocking Accident.

A coroner’s inquest was held on Saturday last, at the "Crown and Thistle Inn," before L. Tomson, Esq., coroner for Dover, on the body of an elderly woman of the name of Pain, one of the inmates of Nuckell's Almshouses. It appeared by evidence adduced that on Thursday night, about 10 o'clock, the deceased was preparing for bed, when her night clothes accidentally caught fire, and before any assistance could be rendered to her she was so much burnt that after lingering to the next day death put an end to her sufferings. A verdict of "Accidental Death" was returned. The unfortunate woman was 77 years of age.

From the Kentish Gazette, 1 August 1848.

KENT SUMMER ASSIZES.

William Palmer, letter carrier, was charged with stealing a post letter, containing one sovereign and two half-crowns, the property of her Majesty’s Postmaster General, at the parish of St. Peter, in the liberties of the Cinque Ports.

Mr. Clarkson and Mr. Bodkin prosecuted.

Elizabeth Leachford, resided at St. Peter’s, Margate. Prisoner was the letter carrier. On the 28th of April witness wrote a letter to Mrs. G. Roe, No. 52. High-street, Margate, enclosing a sovereign and 5s. There was a receiving house at St. Peter’s. When she gave prisoner the letter she gave him a penny, and told him to deliver it to Mrs. Roe, and he said he would. He shook it and said, "Is it money?" She replied that it was. He then asked. "Do you belong to a club?" and she replied that she did not. Two or three days afterwards prisoner came to bring a letter for her mistress, Mrs. Sayer, when he said he did not deliver the letter till that morning; he dare say it was not of much consequence. She replied it was not of any consequence if he had delivered it. The letter produced is what she gave him.

Mrs. Roe, Margate, said she never received the letter now produced, nor the money said to have been sent.

Frederick Gower, deputy postmaster at Margate, deposed that the prisoner had been a letter carrier for about twelve years. If a letter was given to him he ought to have brought it to the Post-office to receive the post stamp; he had done so on previous occasions, and he ought not to deliver a letter without it, as it was contrary to the regulations. The letter produced had not been presented to the Post-office.

Thomas F. Cramp, receiver of letters at St. Peter's, said the letter now produced had never passed through his hands, nor been presented to him at St. Peter's.

S. C. Murchant, superintendent of police, took prisoner into custody on the 16th of May. On telling him what he was charged with, he said it was in his coat pocket at the "Crown and Thistle," at St. Peter’s, and wished to go and get it. Witness said be could not permit that, but he would send some one to find it. He afterwards, when at the station-house, said he had lost it. Witness, however, went to St. Peter's, but could not find the coat or the letter.

Daniel Shelby, police constable, searched the prisoner, and found the letter now produced squeezed up in his hand in a pocket handkerchief. It was addressed to Mrs. Roe; it was broken open, and the money had been extracted.

Sentence deferred.

Kentish Gazette, 12 June 1849.

Fatal Occurrence.

On Wednesday morning St. Peter's was thrown into a state of excitement, by the discovery of a man and woman apparently lifeless, in a chalk pit, about 45 feet deep. As soon as assistance could he procured, it was ascertained that the woman was really dead, having broken her neck and thigh; the man proved to be merely in a state of insensibility. The man's name is Robinson, who keeps a cigar shop at Margate, and during the day he had been at Mr. Woodruffe's, at the "Kent Hotel," to assist that gentleman in his business; and on Tuesday evening he was seen somewhat intoxicated at the Ranelagh gardens, St. Peter's; he there fell in company with a young woman of the name of Sarah Ann Brothers; they left the gardens at the closing, and were found in the chalk pit above described, by a man who saw a woman's bonnet in a tree about 3 o'clock in the morning. The inquest was held on Thursday before G. T. Thompson, Esq., the coroner for the borough of Dover, when after a minute investigation the following verdict was returned:—

That the deceased met with her death by accidentally falling into a chalk-pit, called the Cove. The jury recommend that a boarded fence, at least six feet high, be put up on the highway next the Cove, either by the Surveyor or owner of the property, and regret that the "Crown and Thistle" was open all night."