From the Kentish Gazette, 23 July 1839.

ROCHESTER. Awful Instance of Sudden Death.

On Wednesday morning last, about seven o’clock, a pensioner named Parkinson, who lodged at the "Cannon" public house, went out to take a walk, and had not proceeded more than two hundred yards where he fell down, in High Street, Chatham, in a fit, and in a few moments life was extinct. Medical assistance was promptly called in, but it was of no avail. The poor man was about fifty years of age, and had only been pensioned off a fortnight. The body was conveyed on a shutter to the "Royal Oak," to await a coroner's inquest, which, on the following day, was held before R. Hinde esq., coroner, when the jury returned a verdict of "Died by the visitation of God."

South Eastern Gazette, Tuesday 9 November 1858.

To be let, with immediate possession.

The "Royal Oak" public house situated in the High Street, Chatham.

For particulars apply to Messrs. Gaskin and Sons, appraisers, House Agents and Surveyors, 345, High Street, Chatham.

South Eastern Gazette, 12 March, 1860.

Robbing a Comrade.

James Austen, Soldier, for stealing a tobacco-box and £1 16s. 3d. in money, belonging to a comrade named Henry Bassing, at Chatham, on the 12th January. Mr. Addison was for the prosecution.

The prosecutor, prisoner, and some other soldiers, had been drinking together at the "Royal Oak" on the evening in question, and prosecutor, being the worse for liquor, went to bed there. Prisoner followed him up, and helped to take off his clothes. He then asked prosecutor for a piece of tobacco, and the latter told him the box was in the pocket where he kept his money. Some time afterwards prosecutor himself got up for some tobacco, and then found that his money was gone. It was further shown that, although prisoner had borrowed a shilling in the early part of the evening, after returning down stairs he had plenty of money, and went out with a young woman and bought her a dress. On being asked by a comrade whether he had taken care of prosecutor's money, he replied, "Yes, l have that all right."

He was found guilty, and sentenced to six months’ hard labour.

South Eastern Gazette, 26 June, 1860.

Friday. (Before the Revs. G. Davies and J. J. Marsham).

James Hill, a private in the 20th Regt., and Thomas Davis, of the 23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers, were finally examined on a charge of highway robbery, accompanied with violence, on the person of John Wells, lately discharged from the 60th Rifles, at Chatham.

It appeared that the prosecutor was drinking with the prisoners, neither of whom had he seen before, at the "Royal Oak," High-street, at which time he had five sovereigns and some silver in his possession fastened in a belt which he wore round his waist. During the time they were drinking together in the tap-room of the "Royal Oak," one of the prisoners was observed by a girl there to empty a white powder from a paper into a pot or beer which prosecutor was drinking. They afterwards all left the "Royal Oak" and proceeded together to the "Gibraltar" public-house, but returned over the New-road towards the "Royal Oak," when as they were passing along by some railings Davies suddenly asked prosecutor to give him some money. The prosecutor said he would, and was about to take 6d. out of his belt, when the prisoner Hills struck him a violent blow in the face, and at the same moment the other prisoner snatched his belt out of his hand, and both ran away as fast as they could in the direction of Rome-lane. In a very short time after the robbery both prisoners ran into the "Crown and Thistle" public-house, High-street, and made their way upstairs into a bed-room, where they exhibited several sovereigns to a female living there. At that moment the police entered the house, when both prisoners secreted themselves under the bed, but were taken by Police-constable 108, who conveyed them both to the station-house, where no money was found on either of them. The officer, however, returned to the room in which he had apprehended the prisoners, and under the bed where Hills had crawled he found two sovereigns and an Indian coin which the prisoner said was his.

Mr. Davies asked what had become of the other sovereigns, as only two had been found.

Superintendent Everist said he had no doubt the prisoners had swallowed them.

The prisoners were committed for trial.

South Eastern Gazette, 31 July, 1860.

Friday. (Before the Rev. G. Davies and T. H. Day, Esq.)

Alfred Holland, William Corby, and Patrick Carmody, three soldiers belonging to the 43rd Light Infantry, were charged with plundering sailors of their clothes.

William Selby, a sailor lately belonging to the brig Hosina, from which ship he had just been paid off, said he went to lodge at the "Royal Oak," High-street, Chatham, with three of his shipmates, leaving their chests in the skittle alley. On Wednesday night witness remained out all night at one of the low singing-houses in Military-road, and on returning to his lodgings next morning found that his chest had been broken open, and several articles of his clothes, a pound of tobacco, and other things had been taken out of it. Witness heard nothing of the property stolen until be received information from the police, and on going to the station-house found the prisoner Carmody in custody with some of the clothes on. In answer to questions put by the bench, witness said he had been playing skittles with the prisoners at the "Royal Oak" the day before the robbery.

Three other sailors, named Drew, Knight, and Hooper, who had also lodged at the "Royal Oak," leaving their things there, were examined, and proved having had their chests and bags broken into, and various articles stolen.

Two of the prisoners were apprehended in Rochester by city police-constables 3 and 12, and the third was taken into custody in the skittle-alley at the "Royal Oak," by a Chatham officer, all the prisoners having some portions of the stolen property is their possession.

The prisoners were committed for six months’ hard labour.

South Eastern Gazette, 11 December, 1860.

Robbery with Violence at Chatham.

James Nerney, 25, Francis Carter, 43, and Allen Claret 20, soldiers, for having stolen 18in. of a watch guard from the person of Wm, M. Harris, with violence, at Chatham, on the 9th September last. Mr. Barrow was for the prosecution, the prisoners being undefended.

The prosecutor, who lives at Lowestoft, Suffolk, said that on the 9th September he was at the "Royal Oak" public-house, Chatham, and asked Carter to shew him the way to the back premises. While there Carter and another soldier tried to fasten him in the water-closet, but after a struggle he got away from them. He had a watch on, and during the struggle one of them drew it from his pocket, but witness caught the watch, and the prisoners went off with half the chain. There was a third man in the yard during the struggle, but he took no part in it. Witness followed Carter and Nerney into the house, but could not identify Clare.

Thomas Richardson, one of the witnesses bound over, not being present, his recognisances were entreated.

A soldier of the 35th Regiment, who was in the tap-room of the "Royal Oak" on the evening in question, said he saw Carter go out with prosecutor, and Nerney follow them. When they returned they looked very much flurried. Harris then came in, and said two soldiers had attempted to steal his watch. Afterwards Carter said to Nerney, in a low voice, "We must be off," and they then left.

Benjamin Franks, a corporal, said that he received the prisoner Clare into his custody on the night of the 9th, and on searching him he found in his cap the piece of stolen chain. Prisoner had been drinking, but he was not very drunk.

Police-sergeant Fisher, K.C.C., took Clare into custody on the 10th, when he said he did not know how he became possessed of the chain. On the 11th he apprehended the other two prisoners, and on the way to the station-house Carter said he had been to the "Royal Oak" on the 9th, but had not been into the back yard. Nerney asked witness if he had got one of the 77th in custody upon the same charge. The sergeant said he had, when Nerney replied, "I took the chain, and gave it to him, and I am sorry I did not get the watch."

Clare put in a long statement, in which he denied having been connected with the other two prisoners, and said the chain must have been put into his cap while it was lying on the table.

The jury found the prisoners Nerney and Carter guilty, and acquitted Clare.

Nerney had also been committed on a charge of having stolen two medals and two bars from the breast of John Groves, but this charge was not gone into.

His Honour thought it was only justice to Clare to say that he thought the jury had very properly acquitted him, but he cautioned him against mixing with bad companions.

Carter was sentenced to four years’ and Nerney to seven years’ penal servitude.