Kentish Gazette, 20 April, 1774.

Cock Fighting.

At the "George" at Hawkhurst, the 26th and 27th instant.

The gentleman of Hawkhurst against the gentleman of Cranbrook.

To show 21 Cocks on each side.

To fight for 4 guineas a battle and 10 the odd.

A good ordinary each day at 1 o'clock.

Kentish Gazette, 4 February 1820.

On Tuesday last an inquest was held at the "George Inn," Hawkhurst, before James Ottaway, esq. Coroner, on view of the body of William Couchman, aged 16, a servant to Mr. Hunter, a farmer in that parish. It appeared from the evidence of the witnesses examined, that on the preceding Tuesday morning the deceased loaded a gun which he had been in the habit of using, and fired it at a bird at the back part of his master's house; in the discharge the gun burst, and by the explosion drove a piece of iron, called the breech-pin, 3 inches into his skull. In this slate the lad staggered in the house, and told a fellow-servant who was near him, that the gun had kicked, and made his nose bleed, and had also hurt his forehead, he added that he had killed the bird, which was the fact, but appeared unconscious of the fowling piece having burst. A surgeon was immediately sent for, who extracted the piece of iron and dressed the wound, and what is most extraordinary, the boy lived and was apparently sensible until the Sunday following.

Verdict:— Accidental Death.