Kentish Gazette 2 December 1769.

TO BE SOLD.

A Pair of well-matched, handsome, brown docks Geldings, full of hard Meat, steady in their Paces, and make a genteel Appearance in their Harness.

Also a neat, substantial, well-built Carriage, serving either for Chariot or Post-chaise.

Together with a sound, strong, sightly, bay Gelding, fit for the Road, or for an Officer.

Enquire further of Mr. Kent, at the "Bell Inn," Maidstone.

Kentish Gazette, 10 May, 1780.

George Hopkins, "Bell Inn, Maidstone, Returns his most sincere thanks to his friends in general for their favours; and takes this method to acquaint the public, that he has Neat Genteel Post chaise at 9 pence per mile, with good horses and careful drivers.

A new Hearse and Morning Coaches to let.

From the Kentish Gazette, Friday 12 October 1798.

Bell Inn and Tavern, Maidstone.

John Friday, (late of the "Bell Inn," Sandwich), most respectively informs the Nobility, Gentry, &c, frequenting Maidstone, that he has taken the above house, and is determined to spare neither pains or expense to render it agreeable. Those who shall please to honour the house with their favours may be assured of a larder well stored with everything in season, and beds perfectly clean and well aired. Friday solicits a continuous of the favours of gentlemen travellers, and returns his sincere thanks to his friends while at sandwich.

N. B. Post Chaises, Coach, and Hearse.

Kentish Gazette 4 December 1801.

Lately on Thursday night, or early on Friday morning, the house of Mr. Friday at the "Bell Inn," in Maidstone, was feloniously entered, and considerable property stolen therefrom.

Kentish Gazette, 18 April, 1806.

JAMES HACKER returns grateful acknowledgments to his friends and the public for the liberal favours with which he has been honoured during his residence at the "King’s Head Inn," Canterbury, and begs to recommend a continuance of those favours to his successor, Mr. John Friday, who, from his long experience in the business of an innkeeper, he doubts not will give every satisfaction.

King's Head Inn and Tavern, Canterbury.

JOHN FRIDAY. Late of the "Bell Inn," Maidstone, having taken the above house, begs leave to inform the Nobility and Public frequenting Canterbury, that no pains shall be spared to render the late improvements which have been made in the house and premises as comfortable and convenient at possibly, and that every attention shall be paid in having good horses and chaises.

April 14, 1806.

Kentish Gazette, Friday 22 September 1815.

BELL INN, MAIDSTONE.

Dilnot Wildish begs leave to return his most grateful thanks to the Nobility, Gentry, and the Public in general, for the liberal support he has received at the above Inn, and embraces this opportunity to returning them that he has taken and will in a few days enter upon the "Kings Head Inn," Canterbury, and earnestly solicits a continuance of their recommended support, and assures them that no exertion on him shall be wanting to merit their favours. He further begs to inform them that he will be succeeded in the "Bell Inn," Maidstone, by his brother Valentine Wildish, of the "Red Lion Inn," Ospringe, whom he takes the liberty of recommending to their support, being assured that in his study to deserve their patronage and encouragement.

Maidstone, Sept, 1815.

Kentish Gazette, Friday 22 September 1815.

BELL TAVERN AND POPST HOUSE, MAIDSTONE.

Valentine Wildish, successor to D. Wildish, respectfully informs the Nobility, gentry and Public, that he has removed from the "Red Lion," and taken and entered the "Bell Tavern," Maidstone, where he earnestly solicits their patronage and in which it will be his most anxious endeavour to deliver an unremitting and uniform attention to the continuous accommodation, and economy of those who honour with their favours.

Old wines of the best vintage.

The Posting will, as usual, be carried on with respectable care and the most able and active horses. A handsome chaise for the convenience of private families.

From the Kentish Gazette, 28 June 1842.

BELL INN AND POST HOUSE, MAIDSTONE. VALENTINE WILDISH.

HAZING made arrangements to CONTINUE the occupation of the above INN, begs to inform his Friends and the Public in general, that his Apartments have been Fitted up in a superior style of accommodation; and, in returning his grateful thanks for the favours he has hitherto received, he begs respectfully to solicit future support.

Refreshments of every description of a superior quality.

Maidstone, June, 1843.

From the Kentish Gazette, 15 February 1848.

TO HOTEL-KEEPERS. MR. TOOTELL

IS authorised by Mr. V. Wildish, the respected Proprietor of the "BELL INN," MAIDSTONE, who has for the last 44 years ably conducted this well known and well supported Establishment,

TO LET THE SAME, WITH EARLY POSSESSION.

The Hotel has long and almost exclusively enjoyed the patronage of the County Noblemen. Sheriffs, and Magistrates attendant at the Sessions and Assizes, also of many clubs, public companies, and private societies; and a most extensive Tavern and Posting Business, as well as a good town trade, are attached to the Inn. The house is well arranged; it has seven sitting rooms and 19 bed rooms, all requisite offices, stabling and coach houses, yards and garden, all in good repair. A valuable Tap appertains.

The trade is entirely free. The age of the present Proprietor, and the recent decease of Mrs. Wildish, induce him to retire from the business.

The fullest particulars will be given on application to Mr. Tootell, land surveyor, Maidstone, of whom only cards to view the premises can be obtained.

From the South Eastern Gazette, Tuesday 29 August, 1848.

BELL HOTEL, MAIDSTONE.

VALENTINE WILDISH.

Begs to return his sincere thanks to the Nobility, Clergy, and Gentry of Maidstone, and the county generally, for the favours conferred on him for the many years he has carried on the business of the above hotel, and to inform them he has relinquished the Hotel and Tavern department in favour of Mr. S. B. Swiffen, who he can with confidence recommend to their future patronage.

V.W. also begs to state that he still continues the Posting and Fly department, and solicits a continuance of those favours so liberally bestowed upon him, assuring them it will at all times be his study to supply them with good horses and neat carriages at reasonable charges.

Hearse and Mourning Coaches on terms of economy.

N.B. - Orders will be received at the Bar, or Mr. Wildish's residence, Mr. Hulburd's, Week Street. August 28th, 1848.

SPENCER B. SWINFEN.

In succeeding Mr. Wildish in the Hotel business of the "Bell Inn," begs to assure those who may favour him with their support, that it shall be his constant endeavour to unite the best accommodation with the most assiduous attention to his guests; and he trusts to secure, by these means, a continuance of the patronage which this old-established house has so long retained.

S. B. Swinfen's Ale and Porter business is continued as usual, at his store, in Week Street.

Kentish Gazette, 17 February 1852.

Inquest.

On Saturday afternoon week a protracted and somewhat serious investigation took place before F. F. Dally, Esq., borough coroner, at the "Bell Hotel," Week street, on the body of a new-born male child, found in a cess-pool connected with the house of a respectable tradesman in this town, situate in a yard at the back of High-street. Great interest was excited in the case; circumstances which we shall presently state forming a strong ground of suspicion against a young woman 21 years of age, named Mary Reader, servant at the house referred to, and the supposed mother of the unfortunate infant. A most respectable jury, of whom Mr. H. Jury was foreman, having been sworn, witnesses were examined, from whose evidence the following facts were elicited:-

The girl, who went to her place on the 26th ult., had formerly been a year in the service of Mrs. Holder, at Yalding, from whom she obtained a most excellent character. On the preceding Tuesday morning, at about eight o'clock, she went into her mistress's room, who, seeing that she looked pale, asked her if she was not well, to which she replied in the affirmative. Afterwards her mistress went into the young woman's room, and noticed something in the state of the bed clothes, but, not having any suspicion aroused, did not sufficiently examine them to form any opinion of its cause. After breakfast, Reader went up stairs to do her usual work, when her mistress went up into her bed-room, and gave her half a tumbler of gin and water to drink. She afterwards continued doing her work during the day. Between eight and nine o'clock she went to bed, having previously put her feet into hot water and taken some more gin and water which her mistress gave her, telling her that should she be ill during the night to call her. Next morning she got up, and during the day went on with her regular work, seeming only slightly poorly. She retired to bed that night about her usual time. On Thursday morning some further appearances induced her mistress to direct a charwoman, who had the day previously been at work for her, to make a search, and shortly afterwards, from information received from that person, she went to the cesspool with a candle, and there perceived, as she thought, the back part of a child. Information was given to Mr. Fancett, the superintendent, by whose orders about two hours afterwards inspector Fancett, with constable Richard Sunnucks, went and searched, and discovered the body of a child, together with an under garment and another piece of cloth now produced, all of which came up together. The body appeared to have slipped from the linen coverings in going or being thrown down the hole. On the article above-mentioned were the initial letters "M.R." The linen found in Reader's box had on it the same mark. The body, together with all that was found with it, was immediately taken to the station-house, where in the evening it was seen by Mr. Ottley, surgeon, who previously in the afternoon had examined Mary Header, and from what he then saw had come to the conclusion that she had recently been delivered of a child. On Friday he made a post mortem examination of the body at the station-house. He could not form any correct opinion of the length of time it had been born, but according to his belief it had been four or five days previously. From the appearance of the lungs, he expressed his opinion, deduced from the tests he had applied, and which he stated to the jury, that the child had breathed, but could not state whether during or after birth. He also stated that if the child had been born alive, it might have died soon after birth if proper attention had not been paid to it. He could not state positively whether the child was born dead or alive; the appearances which presented themselves in the body being such as would have been visible in either instance. It was possible the child might have been born in the closet accidentally, but not probable. The body was that of a full grown mature child. The coroner briefly summed up the case, leaving it for the jury to determine whether, in their opinion, the child had been born alive or was "still born." The room was then cleared for upwards of a quarter of an hour, during which time the jury were considering their verdict, which ultimately was stated by the foreman to be that the child was "still born."

Kentish Gazette, 16 March 1852.

WEDNESDAY.

Mary Render, 21, pleaded guilty to a charge of concealing the birth of her male child at Maidstone. We recently gave the particulars of this case.

Four months' hard labour.

Kentish Gazette, 23 March 1852.

Sheriff's Courts.

On Saturday, a court of inquiry was held at the "Bell Inn," before Thos. France, Esq., Deputy Sheriff, to ascertain if Messrs. Thomas and John Hollingworth, paper manufacturers, were indebted to the Crown for duties to the amount of £1850, and if there were sufficient property to meet it.

Evidence having been adduced, a verdict in accordance was returned for the Crown.

Southeastern Gazette, 6 September 1853.

Friday. (Before C. Ellis, Esq., in the chair, H. W. Joy, Esq., (Mayor), J. Whichcord, J. Mercer, W. Hills, A. Randall, H. Argles, and T. Hyde, Esqrs.)

This being the annual licensing day, the Bench were occupied some considerable time in renewing the licenses of the various public houses in the town, and hearing applications for fresh licenses.

In renewing the license of the "Bell Hotel," kept by Mr. S. B. Swinfen, the Chairman said complaints had been made to the magistrates of the manner in which the "Bell Tap" was conducted, that it was kept open to a very late and improper hour in the morning, to the annoyance of the inhabitants. They of course held him responsible for the proper management of the tap, and hoped if anything improper had occurred he would take measures to prevent a repetition of it.

Mr. Swinfen promised to inquire into the matter.