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47 High Street
Maidstone
It was mentioned in the song, "The Maidstone Landlords" in 1798, but
referred to as simply as the "Rodney."
I have also found reference in the Maidstone
Telegraph of 1870 saying the pub changed name between 1830 and 1870 to the "Admiral
Rodney" but the dates as yet don't appear to tie up.
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Kentish Gazette 6 August 1819.
On Saturday last, and inquest was held at the "Rodney's Head" public
house, in Maidstone, before William Henry Stacey, Esq., Mayor and
Coroner, on view of the body of John Jacobs, who was found drowned
on the preceding morning in the river Medway, near the bridge.
From the evidence of several persons, it appeared, that the deceased
was the principal witness in the case of the three Jews, who were
committed for being accessories in the burglary committed at
Sheerness, and that he was also brother to David Jacobs, who was
convicted with two others at the last March assizes for the said
burglary.
It appeared that the deceased had lately been much dejected,
particularly on Thursday last, when he would neither eat or drink
anything; and he said to have laboured under considerable fear, he
having been threatened to be murdered if he disclosed anything
against the prisoners.
He arose at early hour on Friday morning, and giving his son, with
whom he had slept on the preceding night, all the money he had,
kissed him, took leave of him, and told him he should never see him
any more, after which he left the house, and drowned himself by
jumping into the Medway.
Verdict:- Found Drowned.
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From the Kentish Gazette, 1 August 1843.
SUICIDE BY A YOUNG WOMAN.
The town of Maidstone was thrown into some little commotion, on Thursday
morning, by a report that a young woman, named Anne Young, a resident in
the town, had been murdered the previous night. It appears that she was
about seventeen years old, and had been for some time in the service of
Mr Chittenden, a cabinet-maker and upholsterer, at Maidstone, and left
her master's house about half-past seven o'clock on Wednesday evening,
and nothing more appears to have been heard of her until her body was
taken dead out of the Medway, about twelve o'clock at night.
It should
seem that soon after ten o'clock a boatman, named Smith, was waiting for
his skiff, which had been hired by a gentleman to go up the river, and
while so engaged heard violent shrieks from a female voice at a short
distance, and in the direction of the Old Palace, under the cliff. He
listened for a moment, and almost immediately two men and a woman came
towards him in a direction from the place where he had heard the
screaming, and on the woman appearing to lag behind, as though she was
listening, one of the men with an oath said. "Come along, she is all
right now." This exclamation excited his suspicion, and he went towards
the parties and asked them what was the matter? To which they replied,
that they had just seen a woman throw herself into the river. They were
then about to walk away, but Smith said they had better wait a little,
and he gave an alarm, and Sunnock, one of the Maidstone borough police,
came up, and the parties were taken into custody.
Drags were procured,
and in about an hour and a half the body of the deceased was found and
conveyed to the "Rodney Head," in the High street.
Mr. Leney, a surgeon,
residing in the town, was sent for, and he promptly attended, and did
all that was possible to restore the deceased, but from the length of
time she had been in the water all his exertions were unavailing. Upon
the body of the deceased being examined there did not appear to be any
external marks of violence, but in her mouth there was a little grass
and dirt, such as are found at the bottom of rivers. Near the place
whence Smith, the waterman, imagined the screams to have proceeded,
there were marks as if a struggle had recently taken place upon the
spot, also a small quantity of blood, and upon the edge of the bank
there was a deep indentation of a human foot. It appears that several
other persons besides Smith heard the screaming of a female at the time
in question.
On Friday, an inquest was held at the "Queen’s Head," on the body,
before F. F. Dally, esq., coroner, and a respectable jury Additional
evidence to the foregoing was given, as follows:—
George Chittenden deposed, that he was a cabinet maker and upholsterer,
and knew the deceased, whose name is Ann Young; she was about seventeen
years of age, and was in his employ as a workwoman for two or three
months. He saw her last alive about half past six o'clock on Wednesday
evening. On one occasion, when deceased was out of temper, she uttered
such sobs as described by Dr. Sibbald. Deceased had said in his hearing
that when her mother offended her she had told her she would drown
herself.
From the evidence of Edward Hodges, it appeared that the blood in the
path, alluded to by a previous witness, emanated from his nose on the
night in question.
Susanna Chittenden, wife of G. Chittenden stated, that deceased left the
house shortly after seven on Wednesday evening. Witness charged the
deceased with having stolen some things. Deceased was called up stairs
from her work, and on coming into the room, the mother of witness
accused her of having stolen four pairs of stockings and a pair of
gloves. Deceased said that she had not seen anything of them. Witness
then charged her with stealing a silver spoon, and a chemise. Deceased
replied that she had not seen it. Witness told her unless she produced
the things she certainly must prosecute her. Deceased replied, let me do
what I would, she could not help it. When deceased was in the room,
witness produced to her two odd stockings and a chemise, which she got
from Mrs. Gascoine with whom she lodged. She then asked deceased whose
stockings she had got on? When she
replied, "they are not yours, are they?" and on examining the top,
witness discovered that she had on two pairs of stockings, one of which
belonged to the mother of witness. Deceased afterwards produced the
gloves from under some carpet where she had hid them. Witness had heard
her say within a week, that she had threatened her mother to drown
herself.
Daniel Merrick (one of the parties in custody), in defence stated that
he fell into the company of Tree and Collins not five minutes before
they heard the shrieking of the deceased; and that on proceeding to give
the alarm. Tree assisted the woman along the path, as she was fainting,
but that he did not have his arm round her. He denied that either of
them had said, "Come along—she's all right."
Charles Tree (another of the prisoners) gave a similar account.
The Coroner, in addressing the jury, remarked that, he had no doubt they
would think, with him, that there was nothing in the evidence which had
been adduced to implicate any parties in a participation in the death of
the unfortunate deceased.
The jury immediately returned a verdict of "Found drowned.''
The prisoners were then taken before the magistrates and discharged.
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South Eastern Gazette, Tuesday 8 June 1841.
INSOLVENT DEBTORS.
To be heard at Maidstone, in the county of Kent, on
the 30th day of June, 1841, at the hour of ten in the forenoon
precisely.
SAMUEL SANDERS.
Late of the "Rodney's Head," High Street, Maidstone, in
the county of Kent, licensed victualler and dealer in hay, corn and
straw.
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From the Maidstone Telegraph, Rochester and Chatham Gazette, Saturday 17 March, 1860. Price 1d.
MAIDSTONE PETTY SESSIONS
Peter Collins, a vendor of fish was summoned at the instance of Louisa
Roberts. The defendant did not appear and complainant stated that on the
3rd inst. she went with a friend named Jemima Russell, to a stall in the
Fish Market, kept by the defendant's mother. While there she had a few
words about the defendant, when Russell struck her. Complainant then
proceeded to the “Rodney's Head,” where, shortly afterwards her friend
came again and struck her. The defendant soon afterwards came into that
house and without any provocation struck her a violent blow on the eye.
A warrant was issued for the apprehension of the defendant. |
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From the Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, 19 May 1860. Price 1d.
CORONER'S INQUEST.
On Tuesday an inquest was held at the "Rodney's Head," on the body of a
female found in the river Medway, on the previous day. The evidence
elicited upon the enquiry was that about two o'clock on the day in
question, a body was seen floating down the river opposite Messrs.
Smythe's wharf, by T. Smith, when it was conveyed to the above-named
house. It having been ascertained that a female named Margaret Tapsfield,
aged 35, a daughter of Mrs. Tapsfield, residing at Coxheath, had left
her home since the beginning of January last; information was forwarded
to the party, and the clothing upon the body was examined and found to
be of the same material and of the same description as that worn by
Margaret Tapsfield, when she left her home. The initials “M. T.” were
also marked on the linen.
Francis Tapsfield, the sister of the deceased, and also her brother said
that they had not the slightest doubt but that the body was that of
their sister. It however, was very much decomposed, and had the
appearance of having been in the water for two or three months. The body
has been measured by police-sergeant Hills, and this witness was of
opinion that deceased when alive, stood about 5ft. 7in., which was about
the same height as Margaret Tapsfield. The body could not be identified
in any other way than by the description of clothing, a portion of which
was dried and found to be of the same colour material as that worn by
deceased, when she was last seen alive. The Coroner (T. Kipping, Esq.)
observed that from the evidence elicited he should have had no
hesitation in coming to the same conclusion as the two former witnesses,
but for the observations of one of the gentlemen of the jury; if
however, they were not satisfied, he would adjourn the inquest, and a
post mortem examination should be made on the body, to endeavour to
ascertain whether she had met with her death from any other cause than
by drowning. However, the great majority of the jurymen were unanimous
in their opinion, there being only one dissenting voice, who, after
taking a second look at the body, apologised to the coroner, and a
verdict, after a lengthened enquiry, was returned of "Found dead in the
river.”
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Maidstone Telegraph, Rochester and Chatham Gazette, Saturday 20th October 1860.
Maidstone Petty sessions.
William Brown was charged with assaulting William Acott.
Complainant said he lived at Yalding, and on Wednesday last, between 4
and 5 o'clock, whilst waiting for the train, he went to the "Rodney's
Head" Public House, High Street. After sitting down for a few minutes he
fell asleep. Upon awaking he saw the defendant, who asked him to "stand
a pot of beer." Another man named Smith was also present. He treated the
man with the beer. The defendant then charged him with telling a
gamekeeper that he had taken two hares, and an altercation ensued.
Subsequently the complainant ordered a pint of beer for himself, when
Smith took up the measure and drank a portion of its contents and handed
it to other person's in the room, at the same time saying that if (he)
the complainant did not like that he could have a punch of the head, and
immediately struck him a violent blow. Complainant got up to defend
himself, when the defendant and Smith both attacked him and severely
knocked him about. He (complainant) took up an empty pint measure and in
defence struck one of them with it. After this he was knocked down and
beaten until rendered insensible. He was severely bruised about the
head, and a portion of his hair torn out, the besides receiving two
black eyes. Twenty shillings in silver and some coppers were taken from
his pocket. On his complaining to the landlord (Mr. Aldridge) that have
been robbed Smith again attacked him, knocking him down. Shortly after a
man whom complainant new, living at Wateringbury, came to the house, and
upon him telling him that he had been robbed and beaten, he accompanied
him to the "Jolly Waterman," Earl Street, where he was put to bed, being
too ill to go home.
A witness name Strood was called on the part of the complainant, who
corroborated a portion of his evidence, but said he did not see what was
going on in the passage of the house, where, it appeared, the
complainant had received the most violent.
The case was adjourned until this day (Saturday), and a warrant granted
for the apprehension of Smith.
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LICENSEE LIST
SANDERS Samuel 1841+ (also dealer in hay, corn and straw, age 50 in 1841 )
ALDRIDGE Joshua 1858-61+m (age 66 in 1861)
Census
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