Canterbury Journal, Kentish Times and Farmers' Gazette, Saturday 8 September 1866.

St Augustine's Petty Sessions. Saturday. Annual Licensing Day.

The county Magistrates renewed the publicans' spirit licence today.

Applications were also heard for new licences, and, as well be seen by the following list, the majority of these were granted.

Applications refused, Frederick George, "Welsh Harp," Sturry.

Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, Saturday 16 August 1879.

STURRY. A PUBLICAN CAUGHT A SECOND TIME.

Thomas Hooker, late landlord of the "Welsh Harp Inn," Sturry, was summoned for keeping his house open during prohibited hours on the 27th July. The defendant did not appear, but sent his wife. Mr. George Collard appeared for the defence.

P.C. Burnett deposed that from instructions he received he went to the "Welsh Harp" on the 25th July in plain clothes and obtained lodgings there. On Sunday morning the 27th about a quarter to 11 a woman named Hammond was standing at the back door tossing up a penny in her hand, and said "I want half a pint of beer for my old man." Mrs. Hooker went to the back of the bar and poured out half a pint of beer and handed it to the woman Hammond, who gave Mrs. Hooker a penny for it.

Cross-examined by Mr. Collard:- He did not give any name when he took lodgings at the house. He would swear he saw money pass. The woman Hammond had been to the house to work on the Saturday and also on Sunday morning.

Mrs. Hooker stated that on Saturday, the 26th July, she and her husband were at this Court nearly all day, her husband being charged with an offence similar to the present one, and he was convicted. When they got home there was no beer in the house and they had to send out for some. At supper time there was scarcely any beer, and on Sunday morning there was not half a pint for witness to take after having her medicine. The woman Hammond came to the house to do witness's domestic work. Witness did not serve the woman with any beer on Sunday morning.

By Superintendent Walker:- She did not remember sending for a gallon of beer at a quarter to ten on the Saturday night. The beer was all gone by ten o'clock. They had now left the "Welsh Harp." She would swear she did not supply Mrs. Hammond with any beer on Sunday morning. She gave her a bottle of ginger beer.

The woman referred to as Mrs. Hammond was called, but said her name was Parks. She denied that she had any beer on the Sunday morning.

In reply to the magistrates' clerk witness said she did not ask for any beer for her husband, as he was not at home. She had nothing to drink at all that morning. She saw the policeman in the house and talked to him.

By Superintendent Walker:- She had no ginger beer there that morning, that she would swear. She would swear also that she did not take anything out of the house in a ginger beer bottle.

The Bench after deliberating in private came to the conclusion that the charge had been proved and fined the defendant £1 12s. 6d. including costs.

From the Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, Saturday 13 September 1879.

THE "WELSH HARP," STURRY.

Mr. F. J. Till applied on behalf of Mr. Holden, the owner of the premises, for the renewal of the license of the "Welsh Harp," Sturry. Mr. Holden had got rid of the tenant who had been fined for misconducting the house, and he now asked to have the license granted to Thomas Thorner.

The Clerk said it would be necessary to give the usual notices as a fresh tenant had been obtained, and consequently the case must be postponed until the adjourned day.

The Chairman intimated that the bench would have great objection to renewing the license if the internal communication which at present existed between the "Welsh Harp" and the adjoining cottages were not done away with.

Mr. Holden said he would take great care that whatever internal communication there might be should be stopped. He added that no complaint had ever reached him as to the conduct of the house, and was astonished when notice of the objection came to him.

The bench gave permission to Thorner to carry on the business until the adjourned session.

From the Whitstable Times, 8 June, 1901.

STURRY. ANNOYING A PUBLICAN.

Herbert Hall, & youth, was summoned for refusing to quit the "Welsh Harp," Sturry, when requested to do so on the 19th May.

William Linden Uden, the landlord, stated that between 8 and 9 p.m. defendant came in and asked for a glass of beer and then begin to call Mrs. Uden names. She and witness requested him to leave and as he refused they sent for a policeman.

P.C. Hopkins stated at a quarter past nine he was called to the "Welsh Harp" to eject defendant. Prosecutor asked him to leave and he replied that he should stop as long as he liked as it was a public house. After allowing defendant a quarter of an hour to drink up his beer witness ejected him. He then tried to get in again. Defendant denied that he was drunk or swore and said he only called prosecutor "Old Buck," a name he had gone by for years.

Supt. Jacobs said that defendant lived between Canterbury and Sturry. Prosecutor’s house was one of the best conducted ones in the Division, but defendant and other young fellows went over there on purpose to annoy him.

The Chairman said he could quite believe it.

The Bench imposed a fine of £1 including costs.

From the Whitstable Times, 10 May, 1902.

ALARMING ACCIDENT.

An accident that caused considerable excitement occurred here on Monday, when a runaway Cavalry horse from Canterbury Barracks dashed into a grocer’s cart standing outside the two new houses near the “Welsh Harp.” It appears that the horse bolted just as it had come out of the barracks with a number of others, all remounts from the Cavalry Depot, going out for exercise. The young soldier riding it completely lost control of the animal. He tried to pull it up, but it would not answer the rein, and came along at a wild pace. One of Messrs. Clarke and Theobalds’ carts was standing near the “Welsh Harp” in charge of a boy, while the carter had gone into a house to deliver goods. The runaway collided with the cart on the right bend side and turned it over, the boy falling underneath, while the soldier was thrown to the ground. Mr. H. Pierce, who was standing outside the public-house at the time, seized the reins of the cart horse and assisted the boy in extricating himself. Fortunately neither the boy nor the soldier was seriously injured, though both were in great peril for the moment. The cart was smashed, and of coarse its contents, consisting of eggs and groceries, were scattered all over the road. The Cavalry horse, which was badly cut about the forelegs, was taken back to the barracks, and the driver of Messrs. Clarke and the Theobalds’ cart, with the lad returned to Canterbury.

From the Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, 2 March 1907.

THE WELSH HARP, STURRY.

This house was also objected to by the Magistrates.

Mr. Mercer appeared on behalf of the brewery, Messrs. Bigden and Co., of Faversham.

Superintendent Jacobs elated the tenant of this house was Henry Wilson. It was a beer-house. The rent was £12 a year. There was stabling for four horses if necessary, but it was used for a coal shed now. The rates amounted to £4 and the assessment was £24. A general roadside trade was done. Witness admitted that during the last few years a considerable sum of money was spent on improving the premises.

Mr. Mercer pointed out that in four years upwards of £400 had been spent on improving the house. The trade done averaged 188 barrels a year.

From the Whitstable Times, 9 September, 1944.

Shock For Licensee.

WELSH HARP ENTERED.

While sleeping downstairs during the early hours of Sunday morning. Mr. Ernest Joseph Jackson, licensee of the "Welsh Harp," Sturry, was awakened by the sound of someone trying to enter the premises by way of a window.

Mr. Jackson got up and went to meet the intruder. Striking out at the unknown, he fell and broke a leg. Nothing was taken and the marauder escaped.

Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, Saturday 18 March 1950.

Wine licences were granted to the "Hog and Donkey," Chislet, and the "Welsh Harp," Sturry.

Plans for structural alterations at the "Bear and Key," Whitstable, were approved.