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Dry Hill
Tonbridge
I have reference to another "George
Inn" addressed simply as at Tudeley. However the Dry Hill area is North
of Tunbridge and Tudeley is to the East. A good 5 miles distance apart.
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Maidstone Journal and Kentish Advertiser, Tuesday 22 January 1839.
Tonbridge Wells.
At the magistrates' regular sittings, last week, there was no
business of public importance. Ann King was
committed for trial charged with stealing a cloak and sheet, from
the
"Georg Inn," at Tonbridge.
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Southeastern Gazette, 30 August 1853.
(I believe that this one refers to
Tonbridge and not Tunbridge Wells, as there is references to Cold
Harbour Lane and Hilden, both of which are near Tonbridge. Paul
Skelton.)
TUNBRIDGE. On Thursday William Hayes was brought up on remand before
H. T. Moore, Esq., charged with cutting and wounding George
Gainsford, whose evidence was taken by the magistrate and clerk at
prosecutor’s house, he being too ill to be removed.
George Gainsford deposed that he was a labourer at Hilden near
Tunbridge. On Saturday night, August 13th, he was at the "George
Inn," at Tunbridge, with his brother. He left between eleven and
twelve at night, and met prisoner at the door of the "George." They
walked together towards home, when they began to wrangle. Hayes
looked back towards Tunbridge, and called "Will," as if some person
was following. He then turned back towards Tunbridge and prosecutor
ran towards home. Prisoner overtook prosecutor near Mr. White’s on
the Hilden-road, about a mile from Tunbridge. They both wrangled
again till they came to Cold Harbour gate, and then they agreed to
fight, and prosecutor put his basket down and hit prisoner on the
forehead with the back of his hand. Prisoner then chopped down at
prosecutor's hand with his reaping hook; he hit his shoulder, and
cut his frock; he then struck at prosecutor a second time with the
hook, and cut him on the hand. Prosecutor said "Oh, Will, you have
done for me now; you have nearly cut my arm off; I shall not live
till morning" when he replied, "A good job too, you ----"
Prisoner started off and left him, and he saw him no more.
Prosecutor ran a little way and then dropped down on the footpath,
where he lay for some hours until the mail cart came along. Had had
no quarrel with him before last night. They were not drunk.
Cross-examined by prisoner:— Did you not knock me down in the road?
I did not.
John Henry Walker, surgeon, had attended Gainsford, his hand was
seriously injured from a cut, and he might possibly lose it.
Considered his life not out of danger.
Thoman Stone deposed that he was a labourer at Tunbridge. On Saturday
night, the 13th August, about five minutes to twelve, he left the
prisoner Hayes and Gainsford on the London-road just out of
Tunbridge; they were both in liquor, but knew what they were doing.
Prisoner had been fighting a short time before with a man at the
"George."
George Bennett deposed that he lived at Sevenoaks, and drives the
mail from that place to Tunbridge. On Sunday morning, August 14th,
between four and five o’clock, was driving from Sevenoaks to
Tunbridge; when he got between Mr. Eason’s and Cold Harbour-lane, he
saw a man lying by the side of the road in the footway. On calling
out to him, he said a man had cut the leaders of his arm, and he
could not get up. He told witness where he lived, and witness called
at his house and told a woman what he had seen, and the place where
the man lay.
John Gainsford deposed that he was a labourer, living at Hilden. On
Sunday morning he went on the road towards Tunbridge and found his
son lying in the footpath; there was a quantity of blood about him.
Helped to get him home, when the surgeon examined his wound, and he
saw him take out of the wound the bit of steel produced, which
fitted a hole in the reaping hook also produced.
Thomas Goddard, constable, went to the house of prisoner’s father on
the 14th instant, and saw the prisoner; he charged him with cutting
and wounding Gainsfoid with a reaping hook. Asked for the hook and
it was brought to him Gainsford stated to witness, in the presence
of prisoner, what he had stated in his evidence before the
magistrates. Prisoner at first said he didn’t know he had cut him,
but afterwards admitted that he knew it.
Committed for trial at the assizes.
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South Eastern Gazette,17 January, 1860.
A Nice Brace.
James Watts and William Henner were charged before Major Scoones, at
the magistrates’ clerk’s office, with begging at Tunbridge, on the
9th inst., and were committed for fourteen days each. They were also
charged with having obtained 3 1/2d. from Alfred Miles, ostler at
the "George Inn," under false pretences. It appeared that the
prisoners made several calls on the publicans of the town, and
called for beer, and on being asked for money threatened the
landlord, and at one house they carried their threats into effect.
They obtained the money from the prosecutor by alleging that they
had money to receive that evening from a gentleman in the town.
The case was dismissed.
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South Eastern Gazette, 11 December, 1860.
TUNBRIDGE. A "Cracksman" Well Caught.
On Tuesday last, Charles Mace, a stranger, was charged before Major
Scoones, at the Magistrates’ Clerk’s Office, with unlawfully having
in his possession a quantity of skeleton keys, a jemmy, &c., the
tools of a professional housebreaker, on the 2nd inst. It appeared
from the evidence that the prisoner had taken lodgings at the
"George Inn," Tunbridge, on the previous day, but he had been
staying there some time before. Supt. Dance, with P.C. Thirkell,
visited the house in the morning, and saw the prisoner there; he
made some remark on the officer’s searching capabilities. Some time
after, however, the ostler went to the water closet, and his
attention was drawn to a piece of brass wire concealed, and on his
pulling it from its hiding-place he found six skeleton keys of
different sizes attached to it. Not understanding their purpose he
took them to his master, who at once communicated with the
superintendent. The keys were marked and replaced, but Thirkell was
set on the watch. In the evening Mr. Dance also went up, and between
9 and 10 o’clock, the prisoner came from the house to the closet,
and had succeeded in detaching the keys from the wire when he found
he was trapped. He was searched by the superintendent, and a chisel,
necessary to his nefarious pursuits, was found upon him. On the
house being examined it was found that the keys gave access to four
of the principal rooms, in one of which was the host’s cash-box,
which contained about £70, and which was no doubt the object sought
for, and also a box, which contained money, belonging to a benefit
society. The prisoner was fully committed for trial.
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Kent Times, 21 June 1862.
Charge of Rape.
Albert Burfot, tailor, Tonbridge, was charged with committing rape
upon Mariam Deale, labourer, a girl of 17, also residing in
Tonbridge, on the 15th inst.
Marium Deale, the complainant, deposed that she eas a single woman
and lived at Cage Green, Tonbridge. She had not known the prisoner
before Sunday evening last, when she met him about half-past ten,
opposite Messrs. Carnell and Co's Office, along with another young
man of the name of Springet. She knew Springet, and stopped her to
speak. A conversation arose about a brother of Springet's who was an
old friend of hers, and had gone to be a soldier. After talking a
few minutes she left to go home when Springet went down the street,
but the prisoner walked on along with her as far as the rookery. On
coming to the rookery, prisoner asked her to turn to the right, when
she told him it was not her way home. But before getting to the
rookery she went, at the prisoners request, along with him to the
"George" public house where they staid a few minutes, and she had
the part of a glass of rum and water. She had no more drink than
this, and it took no effect upon her. It was after the prisoner
asked her to turn to the right when she said "No, that is not my
wary," he laid hold of her and pulled her up just above the houses
leading to Mr. Linsell's. While he kept pulling her alone she told
him she would see about it on Monday, and to leave off. Prisoner
would not desist and next pushed her against some rails using
liberties, and then he threw her on the ground, knocking her head
against the rails and bruising her arm. Witness then described how
the prisoner effected his purpose. She swore positively she did all
she could to get away but she was at last weakened by the pushing
about. She told prisoner afterwards that he had broken her arm, and
he said "Oh, no, it's only bruised, and you must not mind a bruise
or two." Prisoner then kept by her as far as the brick-yard at Cage
Green. She did not wish him to accompany her. They passed a girl —
Sarah Ann Copper - near Mr. Mantelow's public house and hearing her
speak she ran up and told her she had been insulted by the prisoner,
and she at the same time told the prisoner again, she would have him
up tomorrow. Prisoner said if he had done anything to her clothes
not to say a word about it, and he would make it right. She said she
did not wish for that and would have him up. Prisoner then left her
and she went home crying. Her mother asked her what was the matter,
and she told her everything.
By the Prisoner:- Had you nothing more than one glass of rum and
water at Mr. Wells's house?
Witness:- I only had another little glass of gin and cloves.
By the Priaoner:- You had more than that. I ordered a quartern of
gin and cloves.
Witness:- I had not.
Mr. Wells, the landlord of the "George" stated that he supplied the
prisoner with a glass of grog, and a quartern of gin and cloves. He
scarcely saw the female and did not know who she was. Could not my
what quantity she drank. Gin and cloves was considered a cordial.
Supt. Dance deposed that the complainant came to him on Mondav
forenoon and made the charge against the prisoner. He then went to
the place where the prisoner worked (Mrs. Waller’s) and saw him. He
told him he was charged with committing rape on a girl named Deale
on Sunday night. Prisoner smiled made no reply. Before bringing him
away he said "I suppose seven years will settle it, or finish it;"
he was not sure which. He told him he did not know how that might
be, it was a very serious charge. The Superintendent then produced
the under linen worn on Sunday by the complainant and her dress, the
latter being torn and covered with dirt. He further stated that on
Monday afternoon he went with the complainant and her mother to the
place where the rape was said to have taken place, but the road
being hard he could not trace a straggle. It was in the lane leading
from Mr. Linsell's, and there were no houses but at either end.
Sarah Starnes, cook at Mr. Linsell's, said that while in her bed
room she heard a scream evidently proceeding from a woman, a few
minutes before the clock struck twelve. She then looked out at the
window and heard similar cries for five or ten minutes. The sound
appeared to come from the lane leading from the rookery. The night
was very dark and she could not recognise anyone. Her impression was
that it might be neighbours quarrelling.
Saran Hancock corroborated the complainant's evidence as to meeting
her near Mr. Mantleow’s of the "Greyhound," along with the prisoner,
after eleven o’clock on Sunday night. Complainant was crying when
she came up to her and was vary much agitated. She could not speak
for ten minutes.
Some immaterial questions were put to this witness by the prisoner.
Henry Bishop, Esq., M.R.C.S.E., stated that he had examined the
complainant but had found no bruises upon her except a cut on the
elbow, which had been done recently and was evidently caused by a
fall. It was possible she might have been violated although from the
lapse of time he could not say positively.
Eliza Deale, the mother of the complainant deposed that on Sunday
her daughter was at Tudely and promised to be home by ten o’clock.
She waited for her some time but was in bed about half-an-hour
before she came home. She could not state the exact time as she had
neither watch nor clock. Her daughter might have passed upstairs to
her own bed-room without speaking to her, but instead of this she
opened the bed-room door and she was crying. She asked her what was
the matter when she told her all that had happened, she examined her
clothes and found them torn aad covered with dirt. Next day she went
with her daughter and gave information.
P.C. Betts, 49, said that as he was bringing the prisoner to the
Magistrate’s Clerks Office from the lockup he endeavoured to make
his escape by running down Barden Lane. He overtook him, and
prisoner said "I could not ran any further."
This closed the evidence.
Major Scoones having read the usual caution to the prisoner, asked
him if he had any statement to make. The prisoner said he would
reserve it until his trial.
He was then fully committed for trial at the next assizes.
The prisoner was afterwards admitted to bail; himself in £20, and
his father in a like sum.
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LICENSEE LIST
CHATFIELD Thomas 1851+ (age 54 in 1851 )
WELLS Henry 1862-71+ (age 47 in 1871)
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