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3 Seagate Street
Folkestone
Any further information or indeed photographs would be appreciated.
Please email me at the address below.
Supplied by Alfred Leney Co Ltd, who bought out Thomas Walker's Phoenix
Brewery in 1859 and registered as such in 1896, until bought out by Fremlin
Brothers brewery of Maidstone in 1926, brewing at the Dover brewery ceased
in 1927, which later passed to Whitbread.
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From the Kentish Gazette, October 4 – 7, 1758. Kindly
sent from Alec Hasenson.
Sale of a Lugger at the Sign of the Chequer, Folkestone, 16th
October.
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Folkestone Sessions Books 1765 – 1779 & 1792 - 1811.
General Sessions 29 April 1765.
Before John Hague (Mayor), Mr. John Jordan, Mr. William Pope, Mr. Thomas
Baker, Mr. Thomas Rolfe, and Mr. John Baker.
Neat Ladd, James Francklyn, Chas. Hill, Thos. Wilton, Ambrose Dadd, Ric
Boxer, Widow Jeffery, Widow Gittens, Ric Beear, Mary Gittens, and Joseph
Trevillon were fined at this Session 3/4 each for having false measures
in their houses, which fines were paid into the hands of the Overseers
of the Poor.
Neat Ladd, George; James Francklyn, Rose; Charles Hill, White Hart;
Thomas Wilton, no record; Ambrose Dadd, Chequers; Richard Boxer, Fishing
Boat; Widow Jeffery, Royal George; Widow Gittens, North Foreland;
Richard Beear, Three Compasses; Mary Gittens, Privateer; Joseph
Trevillon, Crown.
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From the Kentish Gazette, February 10-13, 1770. Kindly
sent from Alec Hasenson.
Auction of Meadow land at the sign of the Chequer, in
Folkestone, February 20, 1770.
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From Kentish Gazette 29 July 1775.
Wednesday morning last, between the hours of six and seven o'clock, Mr.
Ambrose Dadd, master of the "Chequer," at Folkestone, was found hanging in
a passage in his house above stairs; it is supposed he had hung upwards
of an hour. The cause of this rash action is unknown. |
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Kentish Gazette 23 February 1782.
Advertisement: Folkestone, Feb. 21, 1782: Cocking. On Tuesday next
will be fought, at Mr. Joseph Taylor's, at the sign of the "Chequers,"
Folkestone, a Main of Cocks, between the gentlemen of Folkestone and
the gentlemen of Dover. To show eleven cocks on each side, to fight
for five guineas a battle and ten the odd. There will be a close
pit, and a good ordinary on the table at one o'clock; and a pair of
large cocks to be fought before dinner.
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Kentish Gazette 10 February 1770.
Auction Notice.
To be sold by auction, at the sign of the Chequer, in Folkestone, on
Tuesday, the 20th of this instant, February, about three o'clock in the
afternoon:
Thw pieces of Meadow Land, known by the name of Joy's Land, containing
by estimation four acres and a quarter, more or less, situate, lying and
being in Folkestone aforesaid, at or near a certain place called Green
Lane, and now or late in the occupation of Thomas Nickalls.
For further particulars enquire of Richard Elgar.
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Kentish Gazette 26 July 1775.
Wednesday evening last, between the hours of six and seven o'clock, Mr.
Ambrose Dadd, master of the Chequer, at Folkestone, was found hanging in
a passage in his house above stairs; it is supposed that he had hung
upwards of an hour. The cause of this rash action is unknown.
Note: Date is at variance with More Bastions.
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Folkestone Sessions Books 1765 – 1779 & 1792 - 1811.
General Sessions 26 June 1777.
Wm. Cressey, Benham Beecrot, Rob Martin and Mary Gittens, victuallers,
were fined 6/8 apiece for having short measures in their custody.
Notes: William Cressey, Red Cow. Robert Martin, Chequers. Mary Gittens,
Privateer.
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Folkestone Sessions Books 1765 – 1779 & 1792 - 1811.
General Sessions 4 March 1794.
Before Thomas Baker (Mayor), John Minter, Edward Andrews and John
Castle.
The licence of the Chequers was transferred to Henry Prescott.
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Kentish Gazette 13 October 1807.
Advertisement.
To be sold by Auction;
At the Chequer, Folkestone, the 28th day of October, at three o'clock in
the afternoon (if not previously disposed of by private contract, of
which notice will be given) – Arpinge Farm, with 130 acres of land,
little more or less, in the parish of Newington, near Hythe, with
immediate possession. The buildings are in complete repair, and the
whole of the estate is exonerated from the land-tax.
N. B. Part of the purchase money may remain on mortgage, if required.
For further particulars apply to Mr. Joseph Sladen, of Folkestone.
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Folkestone Sessions Books 1765 – 1779 & 1792 - 1811.
General Sessions 25 April 1808.
Before Thomas Baker (Mayor), Joseph William Knight, John Castle, John
Gill, John Bateman and James Major.
The following person was fined for having short measures in their
possession, viz.:
Ric Prescott 1 pint 2/6.
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Maidstone Gazette 6 April 1847
On Friday evening at midnight the Princess Helena steamer landed 56
Savoyard peasants at Folkestone in the most wretched state of filth
and raggedness imaginable, we suppose to be employed as itinerant
musicians and white-mice boys in London.
The poor wretches were shivering with cold (it being a frosty night
with a keen wind from the north), and in that state were kept for an
hour in the harbour, the man in charge of them not being able to
come to terms for a lodging for them, having only offered 4s 6d for
that purpose. However, the landlady of the Chequers kindly gave them
a resting place in her stables on the straw, where the poor
creatures were huddled together like swine. Many persons assembled
the next morning to see them depart, who commiserated their unhappy
condition. Surely something might be done to prevent these poor
fellows leaving their sunny clime to endure a life of slavery,
privation and misery in England; the object being not to employ them
as labourers, but to excite charity from the benevolent for the
benefit of their inhuman masters.
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West Kent Guardian 10 April 1847
On Friday, at midnight, the Princess Helena steamer landed 56
Savoyard peasants at Folkestone in the most wretched state of filth
and raggedness imaginable, we suppose to be employed as itinerant
musicians and white-mice boys in London.
The poor wretches were shivering with cold (it being a frosty night
with a keen wind from the north), and in that state were kept for an
hour in the harbour, the man in charge of them not being able to
come to terms for a lodging for them, having only offered 4s 6d for
that purpose. However, the landlady of the Chequers kindly gave them
a resting place in her stables on the straw, where the poor
creatures were huddled together like swine. Many persons assembled
the next morning to see them depart, who commiserated their unhappy
condition. Surely something might be done to prevent these poor
fellows leaving their sunny clime to endure a life of slavery,
privation and misery in England; the object being not to employ them
as labourers, but to excite charity from the benevolent for the
benefit of their inhuman masters.
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From the Kentish Gazette, 13 April, 1847.
SAVOYARDS LAND AT FOLKESTONE:
On Friday evening at midnight the Princess Helena steamer landed 56
savoyard peasants at Folkestone in the most wretched state of filth and
raggedness imaginable, we suppose to be employed as itinerant musicians
and white-mice boys in London.
(Savoyards, were people from Savoy, an area
shared between France, Italy and Switzerland, and White Mice Boys
were Italian boys being trafficked into London in an elaborate white
slave trade, they performed tricks with trained monkeys and mice while
their masters played the organ. Paul Skelton.)
The poor wretches were shivering with cold (it being a frosty night
with a keen wind from the north), and in that state were kept for an
hour in the harbour, the man in charge of them not being able to come to
terms for a lodging for them, having only offered 4 shillings and 6d for
that purpose.
However, the landlady of the "Checkers" kindly gave them a resting
place in her stables on the straw, where the poor creatures were huddled
together like swine. Many persons assembled the next morning to see them
depart, who commiserated their unhappy condition. Surely something might
be done to prevent these poor fellows leaving their sunny clime to
endure a life of slavery, privation and misery in England; the object
being not to employ them as labourers, but to excite charity from the
benevolent for the benefit of their inhuman masters.”
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Kentish Gazette, 13 April 1847.
Slavery in England.
On Friday evening at midnight, the Princess Helena steamer landed 56
Savoyard peasants at Folkestone, in the most wretched state of filth and
raggedness imaginable, we suppose to be employed as itinerant musicians
and white-mice boys in London. The poor wretches were shivering with
cold (it being a frosty night, with a keen wind from the north), and in
that state were kept for an hour in the harbour, the man in charge of
them not being able to come to terms for a lodging for them, having only
offered 4s. 6d. for that purpose. However, the landlady of the
"Checkers" kindly gave them a resting-place in her stables on the straw,
where the poor creatures were huddled together like swine. Many persons
assembled the next morning to see them depart, who commiserated their
unhappy condition. Surely something might be done to prevent these poor
fellows leaving their sunny clime to endure a life of slavery,
privation, and misery in England; the object being not to employ them as
labourers, but to excite charity from the benevolent for the benefit of
their inhuman masters.
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Kentish Mercury 13 April 1847
On Friday, at midnight, the Princess Helena steamer landed 56
Savoyard peasants at Folkestone, in the most wretched state of filth
and raggedness imaginable, we suppose to be employed as itinerant
musicians and white-mice boys in London.
The poor wretches were shivering with cold (it being a frosty night
with a keen wind from the north), and in that state were kept for an
hour in the harbour, the man in charge of them not being able to
come to terms for a lodging for them, having only offered 4s 6d for
that purpose. However, the landlady of the Chequers kindly gave them
a resting place in her stables on the straw, where the poor
creatures were huddled together like swine. Many persons assembled
the next morning to see them depart, who commiserated their unhappy
condition.
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Maidstone Gazette 21 December 1847
At the Petty Sessions on Friday last, John Hart, of this town,
fisherman, was charged before Charles Golder Esq., Mayor, John
Bateman and Samuel Mackie Esqs., with having assaulted Mr. Henry
Mercer, the landlord of the Chequers public house. It appeared that
defendant took a female into the house of complainant about eleven
o'clock on the night of Thursday last, and called for some beer, but
complainant refused to serve him, ordered him out, and proceeded to
put him out, when defendant, in the scuffle, slammed the door back,
which struck complainant, and cut him on the forehead, which was the
assault complained of. Defendant denied this, and called two
witnesses to prove his innocence, but they only proved the
complainant's case. Fined 5s., and 11s. costs, which was paid.
Note: Mercer was likely running the house for Sarah Pay, his
mother-in-law. Transfer to him did not happen until 1855.
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Maidstone Gazette 20 March 1849
On Wednesday evening last, a man of respectable appearance
entered the Chequers Tavern, and applied to the landlady, Mrs.
Mercer, for a bed, which was provided for him. On the next morning,
at about five o'clock, the landlord, on coming downstairs, observed
the tap-room door move, and on going there he found a man, who asked
the way to the yard; he shortly afterwards came indoors, and went
upstairs, as was supposed, to bed. The landlord then went out, and
about two hours afterwards someone touched the bedroom door where
the landlady slept, when she called out, but received no answer.
Being in the habit of going to bed very late, she did not get up
early, and slept very soundly. However, at about half-past nine
o'clock she heard someone walking tip-toe across her room, and on
peeping to see who it was, she observed a man, who was found
afterwards to be the lodger, in the act of taking her cash-box
(which contained a large sum of money). She jumped out of bed,
seized him, and struck him a blow on the face, and continued to do
so'
til he entered his
bedroom. On his return, with his clothes on his arm, she armed
herself with a bootjack, and belaboured him all the way downstairs
into the street. There was no one else in the house but her aged
mother. After his departure there was found in his room a very
formidable housebreaking implement. |
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West Kent Guardian 24 March 1849
On Wednesday evening last, a man of respectable appearance entered
the Chequers Tavern, and applied to the landlady, Mrs. Mercer, for a
bed, which was provided for him. On the next morning, at about five
o'clock, the landlord, on coming downstairs, observed the tap-room
door move, and on going there he found a man, who asked the way to
the yard; he shortly afterwards came indoors, and went upstairs, as
was supposed, to bed. The landlord then went out, and about two
hours afterwards someone touched the bedroom door where the landlady
slept, when she called out, but received no answer. Being in the
habit of going to bed very late, she did not get up early, and slept
very soundly. However, at about half-past nine o'clock she heard
someone walking tip-toe across her room, and on peeping to see who
it was, she observed a man, who was found afterwards to be the
lodger, in the act of taking her cash-box (which contained a large
sum of money). She jumped out of bed, seized him, and struck him a
blow on the face, and continued to do so'til he entered his
bedroom. On his return, with his clothes on his arm, she armed
herself with a bootjack, and belaboured him all the way downstairs
into the street. There was no one else in the house but her aged
mother. After his departure there was found in his room a very
formidable housebreaking implement.
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Dover Chronicle 24 March 1849
On Wednesday evening last a man of respectable appearance entered
the "Chequers Tavern," and applied to the landlady, Mrs. Mercer, for a
bed, which was provided for him. On the next morning, at about five
o'clock, the landlord, on coming downstairs, observed the tap-room
door move, and on going there he found a man, who asked the way to
the yard; he shortly afterwards came indoors, and went upstairs, as
was supposed, to bed. The landlord then went out, and about two
hours afterwards someone touched the bedroom door where the landlady
slept, when she called out, but received no answer. Being in the
habit of going to bed very late, she did not get up early, and slept
very soundly. However, at about half-past nine o'clock she heard
someone walking tip-toe across her room, and on peeping to see who
it was, she observed a man, who was found afterwards to be the
lodger, in the act of taking her cash-box (which contained a large
sum of money). She jumped out of bed, seized him, and struck him a
blow on the face, and continued to do so'til he entered his
bedroom. On his return, with his clothes on his arm, she armed
herself with a bootjack, and belaboured him all the way downstairs
into the street. There was no one else in the house but her aged
mother. After his departure there was found in his room a very
formidable housebreaking implement.
Note: The Mrs. Mercer mentioned is actually the daughter of the
landlady, Sarah Pay.
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Dover Telegraph 24 March 1849
On Wednesday evening last, a man of respectable appearance entered
the Chequers Tavern, and applied to the landlady, Mrs. Mercer, for a
bed, which was provided for him. On the next morning, at about five
o'clock, the landlord, on coming downstairs, observed the tap-room
door move, and on going there he found a man, who asked the way to
the yard; he shortly afterwards came indoors, and went upstairs, as
was supposed, to bed. The landlord then went out, and about two
hours afterwards someone touched the bedroom door where the landlady
slept, when she called out, but received no answer. Being in the
habit of going to bed very late, she did not get up early, and slept
very soundly. However, at about half-past nine o'clock she heard
someone walking tip-toe across her room, and on peeping to see who
it was, she observed a man, who was found afterwards to be the
lodger, in the act of taking her cash-box (which contained a large
sum of money). She jumped out of bed, seized him, and struck him a
blow on the face, and continued to do so'til he entered his
bedroom. On his return, with his clothes on his arm, she armed
herself with a bootjack, and belaboured him all the way downstairs
into the street. There was no one else in the house but her aged
mother. After his departure there was found in his room a very
formidable housebreaking implement.
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Kentish Gazette 27 March 1849.
On the evening of the 14th instant, a man of respectable appearance
entered the Chequers Tavern, and applied to the landlady, Mrs. Mercer,
for a bed, which was provided for him. On the next morning, at about
five o’clock, the landlord, on coming downstairs, observed the tap-room
door move, and on going there he found a man, who asked the way to the
yard; he shortly afterwards came indoors, and went upstairs, as was
supposed, to bed. The landlord then went out, and about two hours
afterwards someone touched the bedroom door where the landlady slept,
when she called out, but received no answer. Being in the habit of going
to bed very late, she did not get up early, and slept very soundly.
However, at about half-past nine o’clock she heard someone walking
tip-toe across her room, and on peeping to see who it was, she observed
a man, who was found afterwards to be the lodger, in the act of taking
her cash-hox (which contained a large sum of money). She jumped out of
bed, seized him, and struck him a blow on the face, and continued to do
so 'til he entered his bedroom. On his return, with his clothes on his
arm, she armed herself with a bootjack, and belaboured him all the way
downstairs into the street. There was no one else in the house but her
aged mother. After his departure there was found in his room a very
formidable housebreaking implement.
Note: The Mrs. Mercer mentioned is actually the daughter of the
landlady, Sarah Pay.
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Maidstone Journal 27 March 1849
On the evening of the 14th inst., a man of respectable appearance
entered the Chequers Tavern, and applied to the landlady, Mrs.
Mercer, for a bed, which was provided for him. On the next morning,
at about five o'clock, the landlord, on coming downstairs, observed
the tap-room door move, and on going there he found a man, who asked
the way to the yard; he shortly afterwards came indoors, and went
upstairs, as was supposed, to bed. The landlord then went out, and
about two hours afterwards someone touched the bedroom door where
the landlady slept, when she called out, but received no answer.
Being in the habit of going to bed very late, she did not get up
early, and slept very soundly. However, at about half-past nine
o'clock she heard someone walking tip-toe across her room, and on
peeping to see who it was, she observed a man, who was found
afterwards to be the lodger, in the act of taking her cash-box
(which contained a large sum of money). She jumped out of bed,
seized him, and struck him a blow on the face, and continued to do
so'til he entered his bedroom. On his return, with his clothes on
his arm, she armed herself with a bootjack, and belaboured him all
the way downstairs into the street. There was no one else in the
house but her aged mother. After his departure there was found in
his room a very formidable housebreaking implement.
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Dover Telegraph 10 February 1855.
Petty Sessions, Wednesday: Before S. Godden and James Kelcey Esqs.
The license of the Chequers Inn was transferred from the executors
of Sarah Pay to Henry Mercer, a son-in-law of deceased.
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Kentish Gazette 13 February 1855.
At the Petty Sessions on Wednesday, before S. Godden and James Kelcey
Esqrs., the licence of the Chequers Inn was transferred from the
executors of Sarah Pay to Henry Mercer, a son-in-law of deceased. |
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Kentish Gazette 12 April 1859.
Advertisement extract: Mr. Thomas Robinson is honoured with
instructions from the Trustees of the late Thomas Walker Esq., to
submit for sale by public auction at the "Ship Hotel," in Dover, on
Tuesday, the 24th day of May, 1859, at twelve for one o'clock in the
afternoon precisely the following valuable freehold and leasehold
inns, public houses:
Lot 5: The old-established freehold inn, in the town of Folkestone,
known as the "Chequers," with large yard, stabling, lofts &c. These
premises stand on an an extensive area of ground, are contiguous to
the harbour, possess two extensive frontages in the principal
thoroughfares, and are now in the occupation of Mr. Henry Mercer.
For further particulars and to treat for the purchase, apply to the
auctioneer, 18, Bench Street, or to Edward Knocker Esq., Solicitor,
Castle Hill, Dover.
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Kentish Gazette 5 July 1859
Advertisement extract: The following public house, situate in
Folkestone, viz:-
The Chequers, at Folkestone
The above house is to be let as a free house in consequence of the
proprietors of the Dolphin Lane Brewery discontinuing that business.
The holding of the present tenant expires under notice to quit on
the 6th July, 1860.
Tenders to be sent in to the offices of Mr. Edward Knocker, Castle
Hill, Dover, on or before the 20th day of July next, marked on the
cover “Tender”.
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Maidstone Journal and Kentish Advertiser, Saturday 16 July 1859.
To let by tender.
The following public houses situate in and near Dover, Eastry, and
Folkestone, viz:-
1. The "Bull Inn," Eastry.
2. The "Halfway House" and land, on the Dover and Canterbury Road.
3. The "Chequers," at Folkestone.
4. The "Chequers" and land, at West Hougham.
5. The "Red Lion," at Charlton.
6. The "Fox," in St James's Street.
7. The "Ordnance Arms," in Queen Street.
8. The "Cause is Altered," in Queen Street.
9. The "True Briton," on Commercial Quay.
10. The "Three Kings," in Union Street.
11. The "Fleur-de-Lis," in Council House Street.
12. The "Cinque Port Arms," in Clarence Place.
13. The "Red Lion" in St James's Street.
14. The "Dolphin," in Dolphin Lane.
The above houses are to be let as free houses, in consequence of the
proprietors of the Dolphin Lane Brewery discontinuing that business.
The holdings of the present Tenants expire under notice to quit, as follows,
viz:- No. 2, on the 6th January next, No. 3, on the 6th July, 1860, No. 10,
at Lady Day next, No. 13, on the 23rd October next, No. 14, on the 6th April
next, and reminder on the 11th October next.
Tenders must be sent into the offices of Mr. Edward Knocker, Castle Hill,
Dover, on or before the 20th day of July next, marked on the cover "Tender."
Particular and Terms of hiring, with the forms of Tender, to be obtained on
application to Mr. knocker, or Mr. Thomas Robinson, Estate Agent, Bench
Street, Dover.
Tenders may be given for the whole together or separately. The Tenders will
be accepted subject to the houses being sold on or before the 20th day of
September next, and the proprietors do not bind themselves to accept the
lowest or any tender.
N.B. The proprietors are open to treat for letting the Brewery, Malthouse,
and Premises, in Dolphin Lane.
Edward Knocker. Castle Hill, Dover, June, 1859.
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Folkestone Chronicle 17 December 1859.
Wednesday December 14th:- Before R.W. Boarer and James Tolputt esqs.
An application was made to transfer the licence of the Chequers Inn,
Seagate Street, from Henry Mercer to Mary Goor. The necessary five days'
notice not having been given, the transfer could not be completed until
January next, but the magistrates' clerk intimated that applicant could
obtain a magistrate's order for carrying on the business till the next
sessions.
Note: This date differs from information in More Bastions.
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Folkestone Observer 29 August 1863.
Without A Home.
Thursday August 27th:- Before Captain Kennicott R.N., and James Tolputt
Esq.
George Peacock was brought up on a charge of sleeping in an outhouse and
having no visible means of subsistence.
P.C. Ovenden about a quarter past one in the morning found him asleep in
the water-closet of the Chequers Inn. He belonged to the town, but had
no place of residence. Ovenden had not known him to work for a long
time, but he loitered about and got odd jobs. In the winter he went into
the Union House. No money was found on him, but he had an order for the
Union. The Bench now admonished him and dismissed him.
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Folkestone Chronicle 18 June 1864.
Tuesday June 14th:- Before the Mayor and R.W. Boarer Esq.
John Wettingstall and John Knight were brought up in custody charged
with stealing one gallon of beer, value 1s., from a cask, the property
of Richard Checksfield.
Remanded till next day.
Note: Beer (bought from Gun Brewery), was on Checksfield's van, parked
in the yard of the Chequers.
Wednesday June 15th:- Before the Mayor. R.W. Boarer and J. Kelcey Esqs.
John Wettingstall and John Knight were brought up under remand charged
with stealing a gallon of beer from a cask on the 13th inst.
The prisoners pleaded Guilty under the Criminal Justice Act, and John
Knight was committed for 7 days with hard labour, and John Wettingstall
to 6 weeks' imprisonment with hard labour.
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From the Folkestone Observer 18 June, 1864.
STEALING BEER
Tuesday June 14th:- Before the Mayor, James Kelcey and R.W, Boarer,
Esqs.
John Whittingstall, 19, seaman, living at Charlotte Terrace, and John
Knight, 21, shoemaker, living in Tontine Street, were charged with
stealing a gallon of beer, the property of Richard Checksfield, Ashford.
Richard Checksfield said he was a carrier from Ashford to Folkestone.
He had two casks of 4½ gallons each of porter consigned to him in
Folkestone to go to Ashford. He left them in his van last night about
ten o'clock, in the "Chequers'" yard, when they were all right. Between
two and three o'clock this morning the constable called him up, saying
there were some persons in the van drinking the beer. He went and found
nearly a gallon drawn. Saw the casks filled up with porter at "Mr.
Tite's Brewery." The porter was about a shilling a gallon. The yard
door was not locked at night; there was no gate to it.
P.C. Hills was on duty at the bottom of High Street about half past
two. Seeing the van there he went, as usual, to see if any persons were
there, and found the prisoners, drinking beer.
The bench sentenced Whittingstall to six weeks' hard labour, and
Knight to seven days' imprisonment.
Note: The Brewery referred to is the "Gun
Brewery." Jan Pedersen.
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Folkestone Express 2 December 1876.
Tuesday, November 28th: Before Col. De Crespigny, J. Clark Esq., and
Alderman Caister.
Eliza O'Leary was charged with assaulting Sarah Jordan on the 24th
inst., whereby she went in bodily fear.
Sarah Jordan, whose face was dreadfully disfigured, deposed: I went into
the Chequers to call my husband, and saw him there dancing with the
prisoner. I told her not to dance with my husband as he had been
drinking all day. Prisoner then struck me and I told her that she was
the cause of my bonnet being torn. She used dreadful language, and said
she would murder me.
The prisoner made a statement to the effect that Mrs. Jordan poked her
in the chest with a knife, and if it had been a pen knife must have run
into her. She said she could not give two black eyes like Mrs. Jordan's
with one blow.
She was ordered to find a surety for £10 to keep the peace for three
months.
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Folkestone Express 28 April 1877.
Local News.
About half past seven o'clock on Friday morning, Captain Burtenshaw, a
seaman who had been lodging at the Chequers Inn, Seagate Street, was
found hanging by the neck in his bedroom by a person who was sent to
arouse him. He was suspended to a clothes hook by a neckerchief and was
quite dead. The inquest will be held on Friday evening.
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Southeastern Gazette 30 April 1877.
Inquest.
An inquest was held at the Town Hall on Friday evening, before J.
Minter, Esq., coroner, on the body of John Burtenshaw, mariner, 58 years
of age.
Deceased was master of the collier brig Clarence, and lodged with Mr.
Richardson, at the Chequers Inn. According to the evidence of
Richardson, the deceased retired to bed on Thursday night at about
eleven o’clock, and appeared in his usual spirits; he was generally
called to breakfast at eight and when witness went to his room on Friday
morning, he saw him hanging to a peg; he called his brother and they
immediately out him down. He had known deceased for a number of years,
and saw no difference in his manner on the previous evening. He
believed, however, that deceased had pecuniary embarrassments.
Dr. Mercer having given evidence as to the cause of death, the Coroner,
in summing up, said there was no evidence to show that deceased was in
an unsound state of mind, and a verdict according to the facts before
them must be returned.
A verdict of felo de se was accordingly returned.
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Folkestone Express 5 May 1877.
Inquest.
An inquest was held at the Town Hall on Friday evening last before J.
Minter Esq., Coroner, on the body of John Burtonshaw, who had committed
suicide by hanging.
The jury having viewed the body, Thomas Burtonshaw was called, and said:
I am son of the deceased, and identify the body as that of my father,
John Burtonshaw, aged 59 years. He was a master mariner, and a widower.
Deceased lodged at the Chequers Inn. I saw deceased in the street last
night, but did not speak to him. I have no idea what was the cause of
his committing this act. The last time I saw him to speak to was about
two months ago. He was in a very irritable temper. As a rule, he is a
mild tempered man.
William James Fitch said that he was a master mariner, lodging at the
Chequers Inn with his brother, Henry John Richardson, the landlord. He
had known the deceased for the last thirteen years, and had been daily
in his company for the last three weeks, he having resided at the
Chequers since he entered the harbour with the ship Clarence. Deceased
was sitting in the bar parlour with him the previous evening. He went
out several times, and at ten minutes to eleven he went to look at his
ship, and returned in about five minutes afterwards, when he asked him
for a candle, saying he should go to bed. Witness gave him one, and he
wished him and three other lodgers who were in the bar goodnight. He was
sober, and witness only saw him drink one glass of rum and water. He had
generally called deceased down to breakfast, and that morning at ten
minutes to eight he had opened the bedroom door for the purpose of
calling him, and finding the deceased was not in bed he turned his head,
and looking round the door, saw deceased hanging to a peg. He called his
brother, saying “Here's Burtonshaw hung himself”, and his brother went
upstairs and cut the body down. Deceased had hung himself by fastening a
scarf round his neck and to a pef in the wall. His feet touched the
ground, and he was dead. Witness and his brother placed the body on the
bed where the jury viewed it. He had never complained of being in any
difficulty. He had sailed with the deceased for three years, and had not
noticed any difference in his conduct during the past three weeks.
Henry John Richardson, the landlord of the Chequers Inn, said: The
deceased has made his home at the Chequers for the last nine months when
he had been at Folkestone. I have seen him daily. I have known him since
he was a little boy and have observed no difference in his manner since
I have known him. I saw my brother give deceased a candle to go to bed.
He bade us all goodnight, and seemed as cheerful as ever I have known
him. He was sober. This morning my brother called to me and said “Harry,
come up here. Jack's hung himself”. I went up and saw deceased hanging
by his neck, around which a scarf was tied, and attached to a peg on the
wall. Deceased's feet were touching the ground and his body was in a
stooping position. He was dead. I cut the body down, and with my
brother's assistance placed it on the bed. I have heard this morning
that deceased was in money difficulties.
Dr. Richard Mercer, M.R.C.S., said: I was sent for this morning to the
Chequers and found the deceased lying on the bed. There was a scarf
round his neck which had been cut, and corresponding to the portion on
the peg. There was a slight indentation on the neck, corresponding with
the tightening of the scarf. I have examined the deceased, and there are
no marks other than that on the neck. In my opinion his death was caused
by strangulation. The deceased must have had the greatest difficulty to
keep his feet from the floor when he hung himself.
The Coroner, in his charge to the jury, said there could be no doubt
from the evidence adduced that the deceased hung himself, and assuming
they were satisfied on that point the question for them to consider was
as to the state of mind of deceased at the time he committed the act. If
the jury were of opinion that the deceased was in an unsound state of
mind they would return their verdict, but if on the other hand they were
of opinion that the deceased was of a sane state of mind then deceased
was responsible for the act he had committed. It was purely a question
for the jury. Every man was presumed to be sane, and to possess a
sufficient degree of reason to be responsible for his crimes until the
contrary is proved. In many cases the evidence showed acts and conduct
from which the jury might charitably infer temporary insanity, but he
must confess that he was unable to point out to them anything in the
evidence which would justify them in coming to that conclusion, except
the hearsay evidence of Mr. Richardson as to the pecuniary
embarrassments of the deceased, unless they were of opinion that the act
itself was evidence of insanity. There can be no question that it was a
case of determined suicide. They had viewed the position of the hook to
which the scarf was attached, the height from the floor, the close
proximity of the foot of the bed, and the ledge of the partition, and it
was therefore impossible to avoid coming to the conclusion that the
deceased could only have accomplished his end after the scarf had been
placed round the hook by the most persistent determination. Again the
evidence of the last two witnesses, Richardson and Fitch, who had known
deceased for many years, showed that the deceased was sane and cheerful
up to the time of his going to bed, and the last thing done by him
opevious to going upstairs was to proceed to the Harbour to see that his
ship was in safety. He was therefore unable to point out to the jury any
portion of the evidence which should satisfy them that the deceased was
insane at the time he hung himself. They must, however, determine the
question, and if they were satisfied upon the evidence that the deceased
was insane then their verdict would be to that effect, but if on the
contrary then their verdict must be one of felo de se.
The jury, after a short consultation, returned a verdict of felo de se.
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Folkestone Express 28 September 1878.
Wednesday, September 25th: Before J. Clark and W.J. Jeffreason Esqs.,
Alderman Caister and Captain Crowe.
Thomas Burns was charged by P.C. Knowles with being drunk and disorderly
in Queen's Square on Tuesday.
The constable stated that he received information at the police station
about half past ten in the morning that there was a disturbance in
Queen's Square, and on going there he found nearly a thousand people
assembled, and a lot of them fighting. The prisoner ran into the
Chequers public house and hid himself in a back room, where he was taken
into custody. He was drunk and had been fighting.
Prisoner denied that he was drunk and said that he was set upon by a lot
of fishermen, and called a witness to prove it, but he did not help his
cause, and Superintendent Wilshere having proved that he was so drunk
that he could not be brought before the Magistrates on Tuesday, the
prisoner was fined 5s. and 5s. 6d. costs, or seven days.
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Folkestone Express 11 January 1879.
Monday, January 6th: Before R.W. Boarer Esq., and Captain Fletcher.
Walter Corfield and William Kemp, sailors, were charged with stealing 11
pairs of stockings, valued at 21s., the property of Mr. William Grimwood
Brett, draper, of Tontine treet, on Saturday the 4th inst.
Prosecutor said he had eleven pairs of stockings hanging by his doorway
on Saturday night. At a quarter past eight he missed them, and gave
information to P.C. Hogben, who, about half past nine brought to him
three pairs of stockings, produced, which he identified by the private
mark in ink as his property. The value of the eleven pairs was 21s.
P.C. Hogben said he went to the Chequers Inn, Seagate Street, about half
past nine on Saturday night. He saw prisoner Corfield there, with
others, and told him he should charge him with stealing eleven or twelve
pairs of stockings from Mr. Brett's shop. He replied “I did not steal
them. I bought them of a man in this room”. He took the prisoner into
custody, and when they were in the street he felt in his pockets. In the
pocket of his coat he found two pairs of stockings and an odd one. When
searched at the police station he was wearing one stocking, which
corresponded with the odd one found in prisoner's pocket. He afterwards
found the other prisoner at the Chequers. He told him he should charge
him with being concerned in stealing some stockings, and that he must go
to the police station. He said he did not know anything about any
stockings. He afterwards found four persons who had bought stockings of
the prisoners. The prisoner had nothing on him when searched.
P.C. Swain said on Saturday evening he was on duty in South Street. He
saw the prisoner Kemp come from the direction of the passage leading
from Harbour Street. Corfield called out to him “Jack, don't run”. His
suspicions were aroused, but he lost sight of the prisoners at the Paris
Hotel. They had then apparently nothing on them.
George Poole, a mariner, said he went into the Chequers on Saturday
night about half past eight. The two prisoners were there, and Corfield
said he had some stockings to sell at 6d. per pair. He said his sister
knitted them, and witness bought two pairs for a shilling. Prisoner said
they were worth 18d. a pair. He afterwards bought one pair from Kemp for
4d., and resold them to Corfield for 8d. He gave up the two pairs he
bought of Corfield to P.C. Hogben on Sunday night.
Richard Penny, also a mariner, said he was at the Chequers Inn on
Saturday, and heard Corfield offer to sell some stockings at 6d. per
pair. He bought two pairs for a shilling, and had given them up to P.C.
Hogben on Sunday night.
Harry Spearpoint and George Spicer also proved buying stockings of the
prisoners, and all of these Mr. Brett identified as his property.
Prisoners both pleaded Guilty. Corfield said he took the stockings
because he wanted bread, and Kemp because he had had too much beer.
They were each sentenced to four months hard labour.
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Folkestone Express 26 March 1881.
Advertisement.
Chequers Inn, Folkestone.
To let, free for spirits. Barclay and Perkins Stout and Porter. Rent £30
per annum. Beds bring in £70 per annum. Cause of leaving – wife's
illness. Immediate disposal. Incoming £160.
Apply J. Banks, Tontine Street, Folkestone.
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Folkestone Express 29 April 1882.
Monday, April 24th: Before R.W. Boarer and M. Bell Esqs., and Captain
Crowe.
George May was charged with being disorderly and refusing to quit
license premises, and also with assaulting James Ivas Friend, the
landlord of the Chequers Inn.
J.I. Friend, landlord of the Chequers, said that about three o'clock in
the afternoon the prisoner went into his house with some men and women,
and after he had served them with some beer they made a great noise and
abused him. Witness ordered the prisoner to leave the house, but he
refused to go. He took the beer away because they refused to leave, and
the prisoner struck at him over the counter several times, but did not
succeed. He next tried to get over the counter, and after several
attempts he succeeded, and he then made a rush at witness, and they
struggled in the bar for about ten minutes. After that the prisoner
butted him with his head in the mouth, and loosened some of his teeth
and cut his lips.
P.C. Bailey said he was sent for to the Chequers on Saturday, and he saw
the prisoner standing there arguing with the complainant about a pot of
beer, and the landlord then gave him in charge for assault and for
refusing to quit.
The Bench fined the prisoner 5s. and 4s. 6d. costs for the first
offence, and for the second offence 10s. and 4s. 6d. costs, or in
default seven days' hard labour in each case.
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Folkestone Chronicle 24 September 1887.
Thursday, September 22nd: Before Dr. Bateman, Alderman Caister, Major
Penfold, J. Clark, J. Hoad and J. Fitness Esqs.
James Ive Friend, landlord of the Chequers Inn, Tram Road, was summoned
for dealing with smuggled tobacco.
A Custom House Officer, of London, named Tifferton, said he searched the
defendant's house, and asked him if he had any smuggled cigars or
tobacco on his premises. He replied that he had not, but subsequently
witness discovered that he had 2 lbs. 6 ozs., the single value and duty
of which would be 15s. 6d. When questioned, defendant said he had bought
it from a seaman, whose name he did not know. On behalf of the Customs
Authorities witness asked that the Bench would inflict a penalty of
treble the value and duty.
Prisoner asked the Magistrates to deal leniently with him, as it was his
first offence.
Fined the single value and duty, with 2s. costs – 17s. 6d. in all.
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Folkestone Express 9 June 1894.
Saturday, June 2nd: Before The Mayor, Alderman Banks, and W. Wightwick
Esq.
Mr. Friend, of the Chequers Inn, made application for a duplicate
licence, he having lost the original. Granted.
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Folkestone Express 4 August 1894.
Transfer of Licence.
Wednesday, August 1st: Before J. Holden, J. Fitness and J. Pledge Esqs.
The licence of the Chequers was transferred to Mr. Kirby.
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Folkestone Chronicle 23 May 1896.
Saturday, May 16th: Before Messrs. J. Holden, J. Pledge, T.J. Vaughan,
and J. Fitness.
Mr. Haines applied that early opening licences be granted to three
public houses. He said there was not a single one in the borough, and he
thought when the Bench had heard the evidence they would be prepared to
grant some, especially considering that they could at any time revoke
them.
In the first case he applied on behalf of John Grigg, of the Ship Inn,
The Stade, that he might open his house at 3 o'clock to accommodate the
fishermen. There were some 68 or 70 boats that, by reason of the harbour
being a tidal one, sometimes had to come in at hours when the public
houses were not open, and were unable to obtain any kind of refreshment,
although they had been for hours battling with the wind and the weather.
They were not bona fide travellers, although they had been out to sea.
In the mackerel and herring seasons there were boats from Newhaven,
Shoreham, etc., put in and the applicant was knocked up, but for fear of
offending the law he had great difficulty in finding out if the men were
really travellers. He did not intend to keep open for the purpose of
drinking, but simply to accommodate these men. Grigg had been two years
in the house and had conducted it properly.
In the case of the other two applicants, they only wanted to open at 5
a.m. instead of 6.
Mr. Haines called Grigg, who bore out the statement.
Superintendent Taylor said he was not aware that anything had arisen
recently that showed any need of an alteration. He presumed it was
because of the remarks that were made the previous Saturday as to Dover,
but at Dover there was a great vegetable market, and men came long
distances from their houses to attend it. Mr. Haines' arguments were
illogical, for he might as well argue that because there were no early
opening licences in Folkestone, Dover did not require them. If this
application was granted, the applicant would be able to keep open
continuously from 3 a.m. to 11 p.m. If boats from Shoreham came in they
could be served, and if the police prosecuted there would be a good
defence, as they would be bona fide travellers.
The next application was by George Kirby, of the Chequers Inn, who
desired to open at 5 a.m. to supply the workmen going to work at the
Harbour, especially to the fruit boats.
The Chairman said they must decline all the applications, for if they
granted one they would be obliged in justice to grant all. Mr. Haines
had fought well, but had failed to show that the licences were needed.
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Folkestone Express 23 May 1896.
Saturday, May 16th: Before J. Holden, J. Pledge, T.J. Vaughan, and J.
Fitness Esqs.
Mr. Haines appeared before the Bench and made an application in respect
of three exceptional licences for certain houses in the town. It will be
remembered that a few days ago a publican was fined for opening his
house a few minutes before six o'clock in the morning in order to supply
the men who were going to work, and Mr. Mowll, who appeared for the
defendant, expressed surprise that there were no early opening licences
in Folkestone, there being no less than 33 in Dover. Mr. Haines said the
Section under which he applied was 26 of the Licensing Act of 1872,
which he read. The exception which he was about to ask the Bench to
grant was in respect to three houses, and he pointed out that it was
entirely in the discretion of the Bench. It was a matter entirely of
evidence, and he thought the Magistrates would see that it was desirable
to grant them. The matter was so much in their hands, that should they
think proper at any time to revoke a licence so granted, they could make
a revocation order.
The first case was that of Mr. J.G. Gregg, of the Ship Inn, and it was
in respect of the fishing industry that the application was made. There
were now 65 or 70 boats, and they could not come into the harbour at all
times, as it was tidal. The boats went out at all hours of the day, and
came in often at three or four in the morning, and the houses being
closed, there was no means of the men getting refreshments if they
required. As they resided in the town, they were not entitled to come
under the definition of bona fide travellers. In the mackerel season 20
or 30 boats came in from other ports, and the crews often required
refreshments from these houses. If the permission was granted, it was
not intended to keep the house open, but merely to open when it was
required. Mr. Gregg did not ask for the house to be allowed for the
house to be open from one until three, but only from three till six. Mr.
Haines then put in a memorial signed by the fishermen themselves to the
number of 85, and said he had given notice of the application to
Superintendent Taylor. There was nothing against Gregg, who had been two
years in the house, and had conducted it in a proper manner.
Mr. Holden: You say there are two others.
Mr. Haines replied that there was only one application for an early
opening licence, the others were different – applications to be allowed
to open at five.
Mr. Bradley remarked that the memorial was in favour of what the Bench
had no power to grant – a tidal licence. The signatures also were many
of them in the same writing, and there were crosses to them.
Mr. Haines replied that many of the men could not write, and Mr. Gregg
had permission to put their names, and they appended crosses.
John Galley Gregg was then called, and gave evidence as to his having
been frequently asked to serve men at all hours of the night, and, under
present circumstances, he had to go out and ascertain if their
statements were correct. He said there were between 60 and 70 boats, and
250 fishermen. There were also a good many boats from other ports, and
some of the crews stayed at his house.
Superintendent Taylor said there were no circumstances within his
knowledge which rendered the licence necessary. It was a fact that there
were no early opening licences in Folkestone, but there were in Dover,
but the circumstances were very different. At Dover, market carts came
in from the surrounding districts very early in the morning, and the
drivers wanted refreshments. There were also at Dover large ships coming
in, in addition to the fishermen. It might just as well be argued that
no licences were wanted at Dover because there were none at Folkestone,
as to argue that they were wanted at Folkestone because they had them at
Dover. He urged that there was no necessity for the houses to be open,
and it was very undesirable to make any change in the hours of opening.
Mr. Fitness: You have had no complaints from these fishermen that they
cannot get what they want?
Mr. Haines said he believed in Dover there were something like 33.
Mr. Holden said he had sat on the Bench for many years, and he had never
heard of a single case of hardship.
Mr. Haines said there was a memorial from the fishermen themselves.
Mr. Fitness said they would take that for what it was worth.
Mr. Haines said the men were often out all night, and there were
occasions when they were out all day. It showed what a law abiding
community they were, as they had not used the houses at forbidden hours.
Superintendent Taylor said he could not go so far as that, as there had
been prosecutions.
Mr. Fitness said after the statement of the Superintendent they could
not in all conscience go against it.
Mr. Haines then called Henry George Kirby, of the Chequers, who was an
applicant for permission to open at five.
Mr. Holden asked Mr. Haines if it did not occur to him that if the Bench
granted those applications, they must grant the same to other
applicants. If they took from one end of Radnor Street to the other,
there were about 20 houses.
Mr. Haines answered that the others had not applied. The Bench would try
every one on it's own basis.
Mr. Holden said in all justice they were bound to give it to one as well
as another.
Mr. Haines agreed that it would be so, if they applied for it.
Mr. Bradley said the application did not come from the public, but from
the publicans.
Supt. Taylor said it came from the brewers.
Mr. Haines said there was a large body of men who were employed by the
South Eastern company at the Harbour.
Mr. Bradley: I am sure the South Eastern Company would not support the
application.
Mr. Haines: The men support it.
Mr. Holden: You have made a very eloquent application, but the police
are against you.
Mr. Haines: Of course I must bow to the decision of the Bench.
Mr. Holden: You see where we are. If we give it to one we should have to
give to another.
Mr. Bradley: Mr. Haines has not satisfied you that the thing is either
necessary or desirable.
Mr. Haines said he had a memorial signed by 130 workmen, many of them
South Eastern Railway men, who had to go to work early in the morning to
unload the fruit boats and so on. They could not get refreshments before
they left their own homes.
The Bench decided not to grant the applications, although they
complimented Mr. Haines on the manner in which he had made them.
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Folkestone Herald 23 May 1896.
Police Court Record.
On Saturday Mr. Haines made an application in respect of an exemption
order, required by the Licensing Act, for certain houses in the town. It
was made under Section 36 of the Act. He said he believed that on
licensed houses in the town had this early opening, and the Bench would
see by the evidence put before them as to the desirability of it. If the
Bench should grant this order they would be able to revoke it at any
time.
The first application was from the landlord of the Ship Inn, on The
Stade. This was made in respect of the fishermen and the fishing
industry. They had 70 or 65 boats. These men, after being out fishing,
could not always get into the harbour, and after being out all day they
came in at about 3 o'clock in the morning, and there was no means of
getting the refreshment they desired, as they did not come under the
definition of bona fide travellers. Then again in the mackerel season
boats came in from Newhaven and other ports, and the landlord had
numerous applications in the early morning, and it was with great
difficulty that he could exercise his discretion as to who those men
were. It was not the landlord's intention to keep the place open for
drinking every night, but only when a boat came in. He asked that from 3
to 6 in the morning he should be exempt from closing. He put in a
memorial bearing 85 signatures, signed, he believed, by the men
themselves, for what it was worth. If the Bench thought the hours too
long, he asked them to limit the hours to a shorter period. He did not
think the police had anything against the landlord of the house, Grigg,
who had been there for two years. He asked the Bench to give the matter
consideration, as it had regard to one of the only industries of this
town.
Mr. Grigg stated that he was the licence holder of the Ship Inn. The
fishing industry was something considerable in Folkestone. There were
about 65 boats belonging to that part of the town, and about 250
fishermen. A good many boats came in from neighbouring ports during the
mackerel season. During the year he had many of these boats' crews
knocking him up for refreshment. If the Bench granted this application
it was not his intention to keep the house open always, but only when
knocked up.
Superintendent Taylor said that he was not aware of any circumstances
that made this early opening desirable. Reference was made in a case the
previous week that Dover had early opening houses, but in addition to
the ordinary fishing interest, they had a number of large ships coming
in there. With regard to ships coming in early in the morning from
ports, he had no doubt that if a case of this description was brought
before the Bench, it would be argued that those crews were bona fide
travellers. He did not think early opening necessary. He had received no
complaints from these men about not being able to obtain refreshment.
The section Mr. Haines quoted said that early opening could be granted
where it was necessary and desirable. It had not been desirable
hitherto, and it did not seem to be now.
Mr. Haines said he had another application to make with respect to the
Chequers Inn at the bottom of Dover Street. This was for an opening
order from 5 to 6 in the morning. He put in a memorial supporting the
early opening of this inn, containing 250 signatures. Several of them
were S.E.R. men.
The Chairman of the Bench said he believed there were about 20 public
houses in this part. If they gave the early opening order to one, the
would have in justice to give it to all.
Mr. Haines said the others had not applied for it.
The Chairman said they would be sure to do so. The application was not
granted.
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Folkestone Up To Date 15 January 1898.
Saturday, January 8th: Before J. Fitness, W. Wightwick, W.G. Herbert and
H. Stock Esqs.
An hour's extension for an annual dinner was granted on the application
of Mr. Kirby, of the Chequers Inn.
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Folkestone Chronicle 21 January 1899.
Licence Transfer.
Wednesday, January 18th: Before Messrs. Willoughby Carter, Pledge,
Vaughan and Holden.
The Chequers, Seagate Street, from Mr. Geo. Kirby to Captain John Wm.
Dorrell.
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Folkestone Express 21 January 1899.
Wednesday, January 18th: Before Capt. Carter, James Pledge, John Holden,
and T.J. Vaughan Esqs.
Mr. John Dorrell applied for temporary authority to sell at the Chequers
Inn, formerly held by Mr. Kirby. Granted.
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Folkestone Herald 21 January 1899.
Folkestone Police Court.
On Wednesday last a temporary authority was granted to Mr. John Dorrell,
The Chequers.
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Folkestone Up To Date 21 January 1899.
Wednesday, January 18th: Before Captain Willoughby Carter, J. Pledge, J.
Holden, and T.J. Vaughan Esqs.
The Chequers, Mr. Kirby's old house, was transferred to Mr. Wm. Dorrell.
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Folkestone Express 11 March 1899.
Wednesday, March 8th: Before J. Fitness and C.J. Pursey Esqs.
The licence of the Chequers, Seagate Street, was transferred to Mr. John
Dorrell.
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Folkestone Herald 11 March 1899.
Folkestone Police Court.
On Monday, transfer was granted Mr. Dorrell (Chequers).
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Folkestone Up To Date 11 March 1899.
Friday, March 10th: Before J. Fitness Esq., Col. Hamilton, and W.G.
Herbert, W. Wightwick, and C.J. Pursey Esqs.
The following licence was transferred:
The Chequers, Seagate Street, to Mr. John Dorrell.
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Folkestone Daily News 20 June 1906.
Wednesday, June 20th: Before Messrs. Herbert, Leggett, and Pursey.
The licence of the Chequers Inn was transferred from J. Dorrell to
Ernest Reeves.
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Folkestone Herald 23 June 1906.
Wednesday, June 20th: Before Alderman W.G. Herbert, Mr. G.W. Pursey, and
Major Leggett.
The licence of the Chequers Inn was temporarily transferred from John
Dorrell to Ernest Reeves (sic).
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Folkestone Daily News 11 July 1906.
Licence Transfer.
Before Messrs. Hamilton, Fynmore, and Linton.
The Chequers from J.C. Dorrell to E. Reeve.
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Folkestone Express 14 July 1906.
Wednesday, July 11th: Before Lieut. Col. Fynmore, Alderman Vaughan, and
R.J. Linton Esq.
This being the day fixed for the special licensing sessions, the
following licence was transferred: The Chequers Inn, from Mr. J.G.
Dorrell to Mr. E. Reeves.
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Folkestone Herald 14 July 1906.
Wednesday, July 11th: Before Councillor R.J. Fynmore, Lieut. Colonel
Hamilton, and Mr. Linton.
Licence was transferred as follows: The Chequers Inn, from Mr. J.G.
Dorrell to Mr. E. Reeve.
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Folkestone Daily News 5 February 1907.
Annual Licensing Sessions.
Tuesday, February 5th: Before Messrs. Ward, Hamilton, Linton, Fynmore,
Herbert, Pursey, and Carpenter. Mr. Stainer, Mr. Wells, and Mr. Boyd,
the two latter being the new Magistrates, occupied seats on the Bench,
but did not adjudicate.
The Chief Constable read his report as to the number of houses and
convictions, which showed a decrease last year. He recommended that the
Bench should still continue to take advantage of the Act and refer some
of the licences to the Compensation Committee at the Canterbury Quarter
Sessions. He then went on to say that although he did not oppose the
renewal of any licences on the ground of misconduct, there had been five
convictions during the last year, and he had had to warn one licence
holder against allowing betting and taking in slips. He also wished to
caution all licence holders that these practices would not be allowed on
any occasion, and after giving this public warning he should take steps
to detect and prosecute for any such offences.
The Chairman, before commencing, stated that the Licensing Bench had
visited a large number of houses, and they had seen in various places
automatic machines, into which people put pennies, and in some instances
got their penny back or a cigar, &c. The having of these machines was
practically permitting gambling, and it had been decided that they were
illegal. Every licence holder must understand that they were to be
immediately removed, otherwise they would be prosecuted for having them.
As regards oxes, gramophones, &c., if licensed
victuallers had them on their premises, they were to be used in such a
way as not to be a nuisance to the neighbourhood, and if complaints were
made they would have to be removed.
The renewal licences for the Black Bull Hotel, the Railway Inn, the
Chequers, Queen's Head, Channel Inn, Alexandra Tavern, Perseverance, and
Railway Hotel at Shorncliffe, were adjourned till the 4th March, some on
account of convictions, and some for the consideration of closing them
under the Licensing Act. The other applications were granted, a full
report of which will appear in our next issue.
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Folkestone Express 9 February 1907.
Annual Licensing Sessions.
Wednesday, February 6th: Before E.T. Ward Esq., W.G. Herbert, R.J.
Linton, C.J. Pursey and W.C. Carpenter Esqs., Lieut. Col. Fynmore, and
Lieut. Col. Hamilton.
The Chief Constable read his report as follows:
Chief Constable's Office, Folkestone, 6th February, 1907.
Gentlemen, I have the honour to report that there are at present within
your jurisdiction 128 places licensed for the sale by retail of
intoxicating liquors, viz.:- Full licences, 80; beer “on”, 9; beer
“off”, 6; beer and spirit dealers, 14; grocers, 12; chemists, 4;
confectioners, 3; total 128. This gives an average, according to the
census of 1901, of one licence to every 239 persons, or one “on” licence
to every 344 persons. This is a reduction of 8 licences as compared with
the return presented to you last year, as the renewal of 3 “off”
licences was not applied for at the last annual licensing meeting, and
at the adjourned licensing meeting the renewal of one full licence was
refused on the ground that the premises had been ill-conducted, and four
other full licences were referred to the Compensation Committee for East
Kent on the ground of redundancy. These four licences were subsequently
refused by the Compensation Committee, and after payment of
compensation, the premises were closed on 31st December last. Since the
last annual licensing meeting 22 of the licences have been transferred,
viz:- Full licences, 15; beer “on”, 5; off licences, 2; total 22. During
the year three occasional licences have been granted by the justices for
the sale of intoxicating liquors on premises not ordinarily licensed for
such sale, and thirty extensions of the ordinary time of closing have
been granted to licence holders when balls, dinners, etc., were being
held on their premises. During the year ended 31st December last, 131
persons (106 males and 25 females) were proceeded against for
drunkenness. 114 were convicted and 17 discharged. This, it is most
satisfactory to find, is a decrease of no less than 52 persons proceeded
against as compared with the preceding year, when 164 were convicted and
19 discharged. Six of the licence holders have been proceeded against,
and five of them convicted, for the following offences: Selling
adulterated whiskey, 1; permitting drunkenness, 1; delivering beer to a
child in unsealed vessels, 2; supplying drink to a constable when on
duty, 1; total, 5. In the latter case notice of appeal against the
conviction has been given by the licensee. Eleven clubs where
intoxicating liquor is sold are registered in accordance with the Act of
1902. There are 16 places licensed for music and dancing, and two for
public billiard playing. I offer no objection to the renewal of any of
the present licences on the ground of misconduct, the houses generally
having been conducted during the past year in a satisfactory manner, but
on one occasion one of the licence holders was cautioned (as the
evidence was insufficient to justify a prosecution) for receiving slips
and money relating to betting, which practice he immediately
discontinued, bit I desire to intimate to all the licence holders that
if in future any such practice is allowed, or any illegal gaming
whatever is permitted on their premises, I shall take such steps as may
be necessary to detect and prosecute the offenders. I beg to submit a
plan showing the situation of all “on” licensed premises within the
congested area, which I have marked on the plan, and would respectfully
suggest that the Committee again avail themselves of the powers given by
the Licensing Act, 1904, and refer the renewal of some of the licences
within this area to the Compensation Committee to deal with under the
Act. Within this area there are 920 houses, with a population
approximately of 4,600, with 37 “on” licensed houses and 8 other
licences, giving a proportion of one licence to every 20 houses or every
102 persons, and one “on” licence to every 24 houses or every 124
persons. This number of licences I consider excessive for the
requirements of the neighbourhood. I have received notices from eight
persons of their intention to apply at these sessions for the following
new licences, viz.,:- Full licence 1; beer off 1; cider and sweets off
1; wine off 3; music, etc., 2; total 8.
I am, Gentlemen, your obedient servant, H. Reeve, Chief Constable.
The Chairman said the report seemed to be highly satisfactory. The
Magistrates were very pleased to see the diminution in the number of
cases of drunkenness brought before the Bench. One point about the
report he wanted to make a remark upon, and that was the prevalence of
gaming in public houses. In several houses the Committee visited they
saw automatic machines, in which customers placed pennies and pulled a
trigger. Occasionally they got something out for their pennies. That was
gaming. It had been decided to be illegal, and they warned all licence
holders that they would be watched, and that the machines would not be
allowed, and proceedings would be taken against the offending publicans,
whose licences would be jeopardised next year. There was one other point
of a similar nature with regard to musical instruments, which were
reported to be a great nuisance. They warned all licence holders to be
careful not to create a nuisance with those pianos and other
instruments, which were now very common indeed in public houses.
The following houses were ordered to be opposed as not required: The
Channel Inn, High Street; the Queen's Head, Beach Street; the Railway
Tavern (sic), Beach Street; the Chequers, Seagate Street; and the
Perseverance, Dover Street.
Adjourned: The Black Bull Hotel, the Alexandra Tavern, the Imperial
Hotel, Black Bull Road, and the Railway Hotel, Coollinge.
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Folkestone Herald 9 February 1907.
Annual Licensing Sessions.
Wednesday, February 6th: Before Mr. E.T. Ward, Alderman W.G. Herbert,
Lieut. Colonel Hamilton, Major Leggett, Councillor W.C. Carpenter, and
Messrs. R.J. Fynmore, R.J. Linton, and C.J. Pursey.
The Chief Constable presented his annual report (for details see
Folkestone Express report).
The Chairman: The report seems to be very satisfactory, and we are very
glad to see the diminution in the number of cases of drunkenness brought
before the Bench. One point about the report I should like to make a
remark upon, and that is about gambling in public houses. In every house
we have visited we saw automatic machines in which you put a penny,
pulled a trigger, and occasionally you get something out, either your
penny back, or a card for a cigar. That is gaming, and it has been
decided as illegal, and we warn all licence holders who have these
machines that they must be removed or otherwise proceedings will be
taken against them for gaming, and their licences may be in jeopardy
next year. There is another thing. In the same way, with regard to these
musical instruments, which have been reported to the Bench as a great
nuisance, we warn all the licence holders to be careful, and not create
nuisances with these machines.
The licences of the Channel, High Street, the Queen's Head, Beach
Street, the Railway Inn, Beach Street, the Chequers, Seagate Street, and
the Perseverance, Dover Street, were not renewed, notice of opposition
being given on the ground of redundancy.
The renewals of the licences of the Black Bull Hotel, Alexandra Tavern,
Imperial, and Railway Hotel were all adjourned till the adjourned
sessions for reasons not given.
The Justices fixed the 4th March as the date of the adjourned licensing
meeting.
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Folkestone Daily News 4 March 1907.
Adjourned Licensing Sessions.
Monday, March 4th: Before Messrs. Ward, Fynmore, Linton, Boyd, Herbert,
Pursey, Carpenter, Leggett, and Hamilton.
There were seven licences to be considered: The Black Bull, Railway
Tavern (sic), Railway Hotel, Perseverance, Chequers, Channel Inn, and
Queen's Head.
The Chequers Inn.
Mr. Rutley Mowll appeared for the brewers, Messrs. Leney and Co., and
also for the tenant.
The Chief Constable recited the facts, which were similar to the
previous cases. Mr. Mowll admitted the notices, &c. There were 24 houses
within a radius of 150 yards, and 30 houses within 300 yards.
Cross-examined by Mr. Mowll: There was no complaint against the house,
and there had been four tenants in 26 years.
Mr. Mowll asked to be allowed to put the trade figures in to the Bench
without the same being made public. Other Benches of Magistrates had
acceded to that request, and it had been adopted a few days since at the
Augustine's Licensing Sessions.
Mr. De Wet supported the application.
The Bench would not accede.
Alfred Charles Leney, Chairman of Leney and Co. Ltd., deposed that the
figures of the trade were as follows:- 1897, 283 barrels; 1898, 301
barrels; 1899, 324 barrels; 1900, 322 barrels; 1901, 323 barrels; 1902,
315 barrels; 1903, 326 barrels; 1904, 291 barrels; 1905, 281 barrels,
and 1906, 272 barrels. They were the owners of the Cinque Ports Arms
that was recently taken away from them.
Cross-examined by the Chief Constable: There was a falling off of 46
barrels per year. They owned five other houses. He thought there was a
redundancy.
Re-examined by Mr. Mowll: The house had been licensed 114 years.
Ernest Reeve deposed that he paid £187 to go in. He was making a good
living. The spirit book showed 120 gallons per year, besides the beer
sold since July, also 2,500 packets of cigarettes, 50 lbs. of tobacco,
1,800 cigars, 220 gallons of ginger beer, and 80 doz. minerals. He had a
slate club attraction to the house, with ninety members, sixty actual
members. He employed a barman, and had a difficulty to compete with the
trade.
The house was open at six o'clock in the morning for the convenience of
the public. The licence was 114 years old, and old licences should not
be interfered with.
The Bench referred it to Canterbury.
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Folkestone Express 9 March 1907.
Adjourned Licensing Sessions.
The adjourned licensing sessions were held on Monday at the Police
Court, when the principal business to be considered was whether or not
the five licences should be referred to the East Kent Licensing
Committee for compensation. The Licensing Justices on the Bench were E.T.
Ward Esq., Lieut. Col. Fynmore, Lieut. Col. Hamilton, W.G. Herbert, C.J.
Pursey, R.J. Linton and W.C. Carpenter Esqs., while other justices
present were Major Leggett, Mr. G. Boyd, and Mr. J. Stainer.
The Chief Constable said the next business was to consider the
opposition to five licences.
After the adjournment, the opposition to the Chequers Inn, Seagate
Street, was taken.
Mr. Mowll appeared on behalf of the tenant and landlord.
The Chief Constable put in the plan and figures of the congested area,
and also the notice of objection to the licence on the ground that it
was not needed for the requirements of the neighbourhood. Continuing, he
said the present licensee was Ernest Reeves, who obtained the transfer
on July 11th last. The registered owners were Messrs. Leney and Company,
of Dover, and the rateable value was £28. It was next door to the South
Foreland, the rateable value of which was £72. There were only four
houses altogether in Seagate Street, one side of which was a blank wall,
and two of those houses were fully licensed houses. The premises were
old and low-pitched. Within a radius of 150 yards there were 24 other on
licensed houses. Within 200 yards there were 30 licensed houses. The
trade appeared to be chiefly with men employed on or about the Harbour.
In his opinion the licence was unnecessary, and he considered there
would be ample accommodation in the remaining houses.
Cross-examined, he said he had never had any complaints about the house
at all. The present tenant was the fourth in twenty six years.
Det. Sergt. Burniston also gave it as his opinion that the licence was
unnecessary for the requirements of the neighbourhood, and he did not
think it would be any inconvenience to the present customers if that
licence was taken away.
Mr. Mowll, who was supported by Mr. De Wet in his efforts, attempted to
get the Magistrates to accept a written statement with respect to the
trade done at the house, but the Magistrates held that it should be
given in the same way as other evidence.
Alfred Charles Leney, the chairman of Messrs. Leney and Co., said the
amount of beer, including bottled beer, supplied by his firm in 1897 was
283 barrels; in 1898, 304; in1899, 324; in 1900, 322; in 1901, 323; in
1902, 315; in 1903, 326; in 1904, 291; in 1905, 281; in 1906, 272, which
gave an average of 304 barrels. He gave as his reason for the falling
off in the trade during the past three years the general depression in
the town.
Ernest Reeves, the licensee of the house, said he paid something like
£187 to go into the house. He was making a very good living there.
During the last year, according to the spirit book, 120 gallons of
spirit were sold in the house. He had a considerable trade in
cigarettes, having sold 2,500 packets. He had also sold 1,800 cigars, 50
lbs. of tobacco, 222 gallons of ginger beer, and 80 dozen of other
minerals. He ran a slate club in connection with the house, and there
were about sixty members.
Mr. Mowll made a strong appeal to the Justices to allow the licence, and
gave as his reasons that the house had been in existence 114 years, and
also the heavy call it would make on the compensation fund if it was
refused.
The Justices, however, decided to refer the Chequers Inn to the
Licensing Committee.
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Folkestone Herald 9 March 1907.
Adjourned Licensing Sessions.
Monday, March 4th: Before Mr. E.T. Ward, Alderman W.G. Herbert, Lieut.
Colonel Hamilton, Councillors W.C. Carpenter and G. Boyd, and Messrs.
R.J. Fynmore, C.J. Pursey, R.J. Linton, and J. Stainer.
The Chequers.
The next case to be taken was that of the Chequers Inn, Seagate Street.
Mr. Rutley Mowll appeared for the owners and tenant.
The Chief Constable put in the notice, which said that the opposition
was tendered on the ground that the house was not needed. The present
licensee was Ernest Reeves, who obtained a transfer on the 11th July,
1906. The owners were Messrs. Leney and Co., Dover, and the rateable
value was £28 a year. Seagate Street ran from the bottom of Dover Street
to Beach Street. There were only four houses in Seagate Street, and they
were on one side. Two of the four houses were fully licensed public
houses, viz., the Chequers and the South Foreland. There were two
entrances to the house in Seagate Street, one to a front bar and the
other into a passage, which led into the tap room. There was also a
right of way through the yard into Beach Street. The premises were old
and low pitched. The rateable value of the house adjoining was £72.
Witnin a radius of 150 yards there were 24 other on licensed houses,
within 200 yards radius there were altogether 30 houses licensed. The
trade appeared to be chiefly with men employed in and about the harbour.
In his opinion the licence was unnecessary, as there would be ample
accommodation in the remaining houses.
Cross-examined by Mr. Mowll: He had not had a word of complaint as to
the conduct of the house. There had been four tenants in the last 26
years. The South Foreland had a similar class of customer to the
Chequers, though it could accommodate both classes. He thought one house
could do the trade of both houses. He did not know that there was a
slate club at the house.
Detective Sergeant Burniston gave it as his opinion that the licence was
unnecessary.
Mr. Mowll asked to be allowed to give the amount of trade for ten years
to the Bench on paper. He did so because it was objectionable that a
tenant should have to disclose the trade that he was doing. He had
prepared a statement of barrelage, which Mr. Alfred Leney would be
prepared to swear as correct.
Mr. De Wet, representing an opposition firm of brewers, supported the
application of Mr. Mowll, declaring that he intended to make it in the
next case.
The Bench, however, declined to accede to the request.
Mr. Alfred Charles Leney, Chairman of Messrs. Leney and Co., said the
house was their property, and he supplied everything in the way of
beers. In 1897 there were 283 barrels sold at this house; 1898, 304
barrels; 1899, 324 barrels; 1900, 322 barrels; 1901, 323 barrels; 1902,
315 barrels; 1903, 326 barrels; 1904, 291 barrels; 1905, 281 barrels;
1906, 272 barrels. That gave an average of 304 barrels, or nearly 6
barrels a week for ten years. Witness's firm were the owners of the
house, the Cinque Ports Arms, next door, which was taken away because it
was next door to the Chequers. (Laughter)
Cross-examined: According to the statement, there was a falling-off of
46 barrels in ten years. In the same time ten houses had been closed in
that area. He thought there was a redundancy of houses in that district.
Re-examined: He considered the house one of the best in the
neighbourhood. It was licensed 114 years back. If the licence was taken
away the trade would not go to one of his other houses, as there were
none very near.
Mr. Ernest Reeves, the licensee, said he paid £187 to go into the house.
He depended entirely on the house for his living, which was a very good
one. The trade in spirits for the house, as shown by the spirit book,
was 120 gallons. He had sold 2,500 packets of cigarettes from July to
February, and 1,800 cigars, as well as 50 lbs. of tobacco in the same
period. He had also sold 220 gallons of ginger beer, and 80 dozen
minerals. Mail boatmen and better class working men patronised his
house. He made a rule of opening at 6 a.m. in order to supply men coming
off duty. He had a slate club associated with the house, and there were
90 names.
Mr. Mowll: Don't 90 pay?
Witness: About 60 pay.
Mr. Mowll: I suppose the others are honorary members, then? (Laughter)
Witness, continuing, added that he had to employ a barman.
Mr. Mowll, addressing the Bench, said the house was doing the best trade
of any house, the licence of which had been questioned, and with which
he had anything to do.
The Bench decided to refer the case to the East Kent Committee.
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Folkestone Express 26 September 1908.
Wednesday, September 23rd: Before Alderman Vaughan, Lieut. Colonel
Fynmore, and Mr. H.J. Wells.
The licence of the Chequers Inn, Seagate Street, was temporarily
transferred from Mr. Reeves to Mr. Howlett.
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Folkestone Herald 26 September 1908.
Wednesday, September 23rd: Before Alderman Spurgen, Lieut. Col. R.J.
Fynmore, and Mr. H.G. Wells.
The licence of the Chequers Inn was transferred temporarily from Mr.
Reeve to Mr. Howlett.
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Folkestone Herald 5 December 1908.
Wednesday, December 2nd: Before Mr. E.T. Ward, Lieut. Colonel Fynmore,
Messrs. G.I. Swoffer, R.J. Linton, J. Stainer and G. Boyd.
The transfer of the licence of the Chequers Inn was granted.
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Folkestone Daily News 9 February 1910.
Annual Licensing Sessions.
Wednesday, February 9th: Before The Mayor, Messrs. Ward, Fynmore,
Linton, Hamilton, Stainer, and Leggett.
The Chief Constable read his annual report (for details see Folkestone
Express).
All the licences were renewed, except the Wellington, Chequers, and Rose
Hotel. These were adjourned till the adjourned licensing sessions.
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Folkestone Express 12 February 1910.
Annual Licensing Sessions.
Wednesday, February 9th: Before The Mayor, Lieut. Col. Hamilton, Major
Leggett, Lieut. Col. Fynmore, Messrs. E.T. Ward, J. Stainer, and R.J.
Linton.
The Chief Constable (Mr. H. Reeve) submitted his annual report as
follows:- Gentlemen, I have the honour to report that there are at
present within your jurisdiction 125 premises for the sale by retail of
intoxicating liquors, viz: Full licences, 76; beer “on”, 7; beer “off”,
6; beer and spirit dealers, 15; grocers, etc., 11; chemists, 7;
confectioners, 3; total, 125.
This gives an average, according to the Census of 1901, of one licence
to every 245 persons, or one “on” licence to every 369 persons.
There are two other houses licensed by the Inland Revenue for the sale
of beer, wine and spirits off the premises, under the provisions of the
Excise Acts, for which no Magistrates' certificate is required.
Since the last annual licensing meeting ten of the licences have been
transferred.
Five occasional licences have been granted for the sale of drink on
premises not ordinarily licensed for such sale, and 45 extensions of the
usual time of closing have been granted to licence holders when balls,
dinners, etc., were being held on their premises.
During the year ended 31st December last 93 persons (73 males and 20
females) were proceeded against for drunkenness. Ninety were convicted
and three discharged.
This, I am pleased to report, is a decrease of 14 persons proceeded
against as compared with the preceding year, and a decrease of 32
persons proceeded against when compared with 1907.
Of those proceeded against 38 were residents of the borough, 10
residents of other districts, 36 of no fixed abode, and 9 soldiers.
Since the last annual meeting two licence holders have been convicted,
namely: One permitting gambling – fined £5 and costs; one permitting
drunkenness – fined 40/- and costs. In the latter case notice of appeal
against the conviction has been given, and will be dealt with by the
Recorder at the next Quarter Sessions.
Fourteen clubs where intoxicating liquor is sold are registered in
accordance with the Act of 1902. These clubs have a total membership of
3,063, an increase of three clubs and an increase of 1,261 members, as
compared with 1903, the year in which clubs were first registered.
There are 17 places licensed for music and dancing, and three for public
billiard playing.
I am pleased to report that with very few exceptions the licensed houses
during the past year have been conducted in a satisfactory manner.
I have received notice of two applications to be made at these sessions
to sell beer off the premises.
I am, gentlemen, your obedient servant.
The licences were then renewed, with the exception of the Chequers Inn,
Seagate Street (Walter Howlett), Rose Hotel, Rendezvous Street (Percy
William John Hunt), and the Wellington (Charles William Copping
Skinner), which were deferred to the adjourned licensing sessions on
March 7th.
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Folkestone Herald 12 February 1910.
Annual Licensing Sessions.
Wednesday, February 9th: Before The Mayor, Lieut. Col. Hamilton, Lieut.
Col. Fynmore, Major Leggett, Messrs. R.J. Linton, E.T. Ward, and J.
Stainer.
The Chief Constable (Mr. Harry Reeve) presented his report. (For details
see Folkestone Express)
The licences were then renewed, with the following exceptions, the
consideration of which was referred to the Adjourned Licensing Sessions
on March 7th next; The Chequers Inn, 3, Seagate Street; full licence;
licensee Mr. Howlett; opposed by the Chief Constable on the ground of
redundancy. The Wellington Tavern, 1, Beach Street; beer licence;
licensee Mr. Skinner; opposed by the Chief Constable on the ground of
redundancy.
The Rose Hotel, 24, Rendezvous Street, full licence, (licensee Mr.
Hunt), was referred by the Bench to the adjourned sessions on account of
the conviction recorded against the licensee during the year for
permitting gaming on the premises.
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Folkestone Daily News 7 March 1910.
Adjourned Licensing Sessions.
Monday, March 7th: Before The Mayor, Messrs. Ward, Hamilton, Linton,
Herbert, Stainer, Leggett, and Boyd.
The Chequers.
The Chief Constable asked that this house should be closed on the
grounds of redundancy. The house was not needed for the public
requirements. He produced the usual boundaries, figures and statistics.
Mr. Rutley Mowll appeared for the owners, Messrs. Leney and Co., of
Dover. The tenant was a Mr. Howlett.
The Chief Constable instanced that out of 93 charges of drunkenness, 37
were in that neighbourhood. There were two clubs in the area, with a
membership of 1,252. The licence had been refused by the Folkestone
Licensing Bench in 1907, but was granted at the Quarter Sessions at
Canterbury in April, 1907. There were no complaints as to the conduct of
the house, which is well conducted.
Mr. Mowll addressed the Bench as to the value of the house, and said of
the many similar cases in which he had been engaged he had never had one
so well conducted or one so unnecessary to close. The trade had
increased since 1907.
Walter Howlett, the tenant, deposed that he had been in the Chequers
since December, 1908. The valuation was £123, which he paid himself. He
was a retired sea captain, and did not want to go to sea any longer. He
took the house to make a living. He had a family to keep, and it was his
only means of livelihood. He did a good trade. Last year he did six
barrels a week, 4½ gallons of spirits per week, 156 lbs. of tobacco, 160
boxes of cigarettes (50 in a box), 30 boxes of cigars, 260 lbs. of
cheese, besides biscuits and minerals. His customers were sailors and
the labouring classes.
Cross-examined: He opened at 6 a.m. and closed at 11 p.m.
Mr. Alfred Leney deposed to being the chairman of the firm of Leney and
Co. Ltd., the owners of the house. The trade of the house for 1903 was
327 barrels; 1904, 300; 1905, 280; 1906, 288; 1907, 188; 1908, 192;
1909, 299. This worked out at an average of five barrels per week, while
it averaged six barrel per week for last year. It was a good house, and
had not fluctuated since 1859, when his firm bought the house. There was
a sick club of 80 members held there, which paid 6s. per week.
The licence was granted, with a recommendation to close the back
entrance.
Comment.
Every fair minded citizen will commend the Folkestone Bench for their
action in refusing to close the Chequers Inn, in Seagate Street. It is
preposterous that property and people's livings should be jeopardised by
these periodical attempts brought about by the fanatical temperance
legislation of 1904.
Six houses have been closed in the neighbourhood, and compensation
awarded, to which Messrs. Leney and Co., and their tenants have had to
contribute. Probably in consequence of this closing the business of the
Chequers Inn has increased, and yet there seems to be no security.
According to the proceedings this morning it seems that the good and
respectable conduct of a house counts for nothing, and that the
convenience of customers counts for nothing, for the harassing and
persecution still goes on, while the unfortunate tenant may be living on
tenterhooks, fearing ruin at any moment.
The Chequers Inn is practically an old landmark amongst houses in
Folkestone, and has always been the resort of the better class sailors
and fishermen in Folkestone. They have lodged there when in harbour, and
the capacious rooms have been used for meetings, conferences, etc., for
the last half century; in fact, there is no house in the whole area of
its class that possesses such accommodation. Then why should these
continuous attacks be made? Three years ago the proprietors had to incur
all the cost and trouble of defending their property. Today the Bench,
at which the Mayor presided, seemed to be actuated by fair minded common
sense, and refused to close the house.
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Folkestone Express 12 March 1910.
Adjourned Licensing Sessions.
Monday, March 7th: Before The Mayor, Lieut. Col. Hamilton, Major
Leggett, Messrs. E.T. Ward, W.G. Herbert, and R.J. Linton.
Three licences had been referred to the justices for consideration – the
Rose Hotel, the Wellington public house, and the Chequers.
The Chequers Inn.
The next to be considered was the licence of the Chequers Inn, which is
occupied by Mr. W. Howlett. Mr. Rutley Mowll appeared for the owners
(Messrs. Leney and Co.) and Mr. Howlett.
Det. Sergt. Burniston gave evidence as to serving Mr. Howlett on
February 18th with a notice of opposition to the licence on the ground
that it was not needed for the requirements of the neighbourhood.
Mr. Reeve, the Chief Constable, put in an ordnance plan on which he had
marked out a congested area, shown by a blue line, which commenced at
the Harbour, went up Bayle Steps, the Bayle Parade, across the top of
High Street, along Dover Road to the Raglan Hotel, down Dover Street,
and along Radnor Bridge Road to the sea. Within that area there were 813
houses, with a population approximately of 4,465 persons. Within the
said area there were 31 “on” licensed houses, 27 of them being full
licences and four beer houses. There were seven other licences, making a
total of 38 premises licensed for the sale of drink within the area,
which gave a proportion of one licence to every 23 houses, or every 117
persons, or one “on” licence to every 28 houses, or every 144 persons.
For the borough at large there were 83 “on” licences, and 40 other
licences, making a total of 123 premises licensed for the sale of liquor
by retail, giving a proportion of one to every 249 persons, or one “on”
licence to every 269 persons. That was according to the Census of 1901,
when the population of the borough was given at 30,650. Within the
congested area there were two registered clubs, with a total membership
of 1,252. During the past year he found that out of 93 charges of
drunkenness preferred before the Borough Justices, 37 of them arose
within that small congested area. The ground of opposition to the
Chequers was that the licence was not needed for the requirements of the
neighbourhood. The house was situate in Seagate Street. The present
licensee was Walter Howlett, who obtained a transfer of the licence on
December 2nd, 1908. The registered owners were Messrs. Leney and Co.,
Dover. The rateable value of the house was £28. The licence was referred
to the Compensation Committee on March 4th, 1907, but was renewed at the
preliminary meeting of the Committee held on May 15th, 1907. The house
was next door to the South Foreland. Seagate Street was a short street.
The Chequers Inn had a right of way from the back of the house, by the
side of a house into Harbour Street. There were only four houses in
Seagate Street, all on one side of the road. Two of them were fully
licensed houses, one being the Chequers, and the other the South
Foreland. The Chequers was an old house and had two entrances from
Seagate Street, one opening into a bar and the other into a passage
which led right through the house to the back yard. Opening upon that
passage on the left hand side were two rooms, one front and one back.
The front was called the parlour and the other the club room. The two
rooms were low-pitched and the back one, particularly, was dark. The
South Foreland was rated at £72, and the Wellington beerhouse, at the
back of the Chequers, was rated at £32. Within a radius of 100 yards
there were nine other “on” licensed houses, and within 150 yards there
were 18 other “on” licensed houses, and within 200 yards there were 24.
The customers of the house were men employed chiefly in and about the
Harbour. He had nothing to complain of with regard to the conduct of the
house as he was satisfied the house was well conducted. He considered
the licence unnecessary for the requirements of the neighbourhood,
having regard to the number of houses, and he considered the house to be
structurally inferior to the houses of that particular cluster.
Cross-examined by Mr. Mowll, the Chief Constable said that since 1907
there had been a reduction of six houses in the area. The changes of
licensee since 1881 he did not regard as being out of the way at all. He
regarded it as a good sign that there were not many changes. When the
case was before the justices the trade was a decreasing one, but he
thought it was a fair trade then. The landlord told him a sick and
dividend club was held on the premises, which were kept very clean.
Mr. Mowll said he did not think he had ever had a case where licensed
premises conducting such a trade as that had been seriously questioned.
That house was brought before the Compensation Authority three years
ago, and without a single word on the part of the advocates the licence
was renewed. If the Magistrates were to schedule that house and send it
up to the Quarter Sessions, he could not help thinking the Quarter
Sessions would renew the licence. He thought they would be doing an
injustice to the tenant if they were, for the time being, to earmark the
house, because in such cases there was a sort of feeling that they did
not like remaining on a sinking ship, so the customers went elsewhere.
He asked the justices to renew the licence and to grant that man, who
had conducted his house so well and met with so much commendation from
the Superintendent, that he should be allowed to continue his trade
there.
Mr. Howlett said he held the licence since September 25th, 1908. When he
took the house the valuation came to £123, which he provided himself. He
was formerly a master mariner. His living was wholly and solely
dependent upon the house. He was doing a good trade. During the year
1909 the trade was just on six barrels a week. The spirit trade was
nearly 4½ gallons a week. He also did a little over 3lbs. of tobacco a
week, and during the year sold 160 boxes (50 packets in a box) of
cigarettes, 30 boxes of cigars, and just on 260 lbs. of cheese. He had
kept a record of customers daily since February 14th, and the numbers
were as follows:- 105, 207, 182, 206, 303, 345, 125 (a Sunday), 233,
211, 201, 245, 272, 343, 183, 225, 225, 217, 203, 247, 373, and 158 (a
Sunday). They had also had about 70 in that morning. That was a bona
fide list. He had not asked anyone to go into the house. As a rule
working class people used his house, and the harbour people, ship owners
and captains of ships went in.
Cross-examined, he did not think there would be sufficient houses in
that neighbourhood on Friday and Saturday nights if his house was
closed.
Mr. A.C. Leney said he was chairman of Messrs, Leney and Co., who were
the owners of the house. He had got out a statement showing the trade of
the house for the past seven years. In 1903 it was 327½ barrels; 1904,
300; 1905, 280; 1906, 288; 1907, 188; 1908, 192; 1909, 294. That worked
out for the seven years an average of over five barrels a week. Last
year it was just under six barrels a week. From his experience he should
say that was what the brewers would call a really good house. The house
had not fluctuated much since it was originally purchased in 1859,
except in 1907 and 1908, when the tenant was not applicable to the
trade. They had a sick club, with a membership of about 80, in
connection with the house. In the barrelage given they had included the
bottle trade.
Cross-examined, Mr. Leney said they had four other houses in the
congested area.
The Magistrates retired, and on their return the Mayor said they had
decided to grant the application for the licence that year, but they had
a strong feeling about the back entrance to the premises. If the
proprietors could see their way to the Bench in that respect it would be
a step in the right direction.
Mr. Mowll said the entrance was always closed at sunset, and he and Mr.
Leney then conferred with the Magistrates on the subject.
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Folkestone Herald 12 March 1910.
Adjourned Licensing Sessions.
Monday, March 7th: Before The Mayor, Lieut. Col. C.J. Hamilton, Major
Leggett, Messrs. J. Stainer, W.G. Herbert, T. Ames, R.J. Linton, and G.
Boyd.
The Chequers Inn.
The granting of the Chequers Inn, 3, Seagate Street, had been referred
to these adjourned sessions.
In giving the reasons for the opposition, the Chief Constable put in a
scale map, showing what he described as the congested area. This was
defined by a blue line commencing at the Harbour, proceeding up the
Bayle Steps, along the Bayle Parade, the top of High Street, then to
Dover Road to the Raglan Hotel corner, down Dover Street, and along
Radnor Bridge Roat to the sea. He said that within that area there were
893 houses, with a population approximately of 4,465 persons. Within
that area there were 31 on licensed houses; 27 full licences, and four
for beer. There were seven other licences, making a total of 38 premises
licensed for the sale of drink in the area. That gave a proportion of
one licence to every 23 houses, or every 117 persons, or one on licence
to every 28 houses, or every 144 persons. In the borough at large there
were 83 on licences, and 40 other licences, a total of 123 premises
licensed for the sale of liquor by retail, giving a proportion of one
licence to every 249 persons, or one on licence to every 369 persons.
That was according to the Census of 1901, when the population of the
borough was given as 30,650. Within the congested area there were two
registered clubs, with a total membership of 1,252. During the past
year, 1909, he found that out of 93 charges of drunkenness preferred
before the borough justices, 37 arose within the small congested area.
The house in question was known as the Chequers Inn, situated in Seagate
Street, and the ground of opposition was that it was not wanted for the
requirements of the neighbourhood. The present licensee was Mr. Walter
Howlett, who obtained a transfer on December 2nd, 1908. The registered
owners were Messrs. Leney and Co., of Dover. The rateable value of the
house was £28. This licence was referred to the Compensation Committee
on March 5th, 1907, but was renewed at the preliminary meeting of the
Committee on May 15th, 1907. The Chequers Inn had a right of way from
the back of the house to Harbour Street. Seagate Street was a short
street, running from Dover Street to Beach Street. There were only four
houses in the street, all on one side, two of them being fully licensed
public houses, one the Chequers, and the other the South Foreland, which
was next door. The Chequers was an old house, and had two entrances from
Seagate Street; one opened into the bar, and the other into a passage,
which led right through the house into the back yard. Opening from that
passage on the left hand side were two rooms, one front and one back;
the front one was called the parlour, and the back the club room. Both
these rooms were low-pitched, and the back room particularly was dark.
The back yard extended down the side of the Wellington beerhouse, where
there was a gate from the yard to the street. The adjoining house, the
South Foreland, was rated at £72 a year; the Wellington beerhouse at the
back was rated at £32. Within a radius of 100 yards of the Chequers
there were nine other on-licensed houses; within a radius of 15o yards
there were 18 other on licensed houses, and within a radius of 200 yards
there were 24. The customers of the house were men employed chiefly in
and about the Harbour. He had nothing to complain of in regard to the
conduct of the house; indeed, he was satisfied that it was well
conducted. He considered the licence to be unnecessary for the
requirements of the neighbourhood, bearing in mind the number of houses
remaining, and that The Chequers was structurally inferior to the other
houses of this particular cluster.
In answer to Mr. Mowll, the Chief Constable said that the evidence he
had just given was almost exactly similar to that which he gave when he
opposed the grant of the licence in 1907, except that the number of
licensed houses had altered. There had been a reduction in the number of
these since he gave evidence on the matter in 1907.
Mr. Mowll: Yet this licence was renewed then?
The Chief Constable: It was renewed at the preliminary meeting of the
Compensation Committee, and not on a consideration of its merits.
In answer to further questions from Mr. Mowll, Mr. Reeve admitted that
the house had not often changed hands. It had as tenant from 1881 to
1894 a Mr. Friend, then for five years Mr. Kirby, then for seven years
Mr. Dorrell, then for two years Mr. Reeves, and then for fifteen months
to the present time Mr. Howlett. It was considered a good sign in a
house if there were not many changes. He could not say what trade the
house did, but in giving evidence in 1907 Mr. Leney said that the trade
was a decreasing one. It was a very fair trade at that time. The
landlord had told him that there was a sick and dividend club run at the
house. The house was always kept very clean.
This concluded the case for the opposition.
In applying for the renewal of the licence, Mr. Mowll said after the
terrible blow that fell upon him in the last case he felt he was
entitled to ask for very special consideration in the case now before
the Bench. In all his experience he had never before come across a case
where licensed premises doing such a trade as this house had been
seriously questioned. When the house was referred three years ago the
Compensation Committee, without hearing a word from the advocates,
renewed the licence. He should say that the reason they did that was
because the house was doing such a large trade that if it were refused a
licence it would swallow up a large sum of money at the disposal of the
Committee. Presuming that the Compensation Committee had to deal with
the case again, their valuer, Mr. Cobb, would be obliged to advise them
that a very considerable sum would be wanted to take away the licence.
Then, supposing that the licence was taken away, and the trade went to
other houses in the neighbourhood, were the Magistrates going to say
that they did not want any more houses in the neighbourhood refused
licences? Possibly so, but supposing they were going to schedule another
house in the neighbourhood next year they would have to pay for the
trade over again. That was not what the Act of 1904 was intended to do;
the Act of 1904 was intended to enable them to thin out the licensed
houses, always taking the weakest. Again it was a poor test to say that
because there were so many inhabited houses, and so many licensed houses
in the district, therefore there were too many licensed houses for the
locality. If they were dealing with a working class district they ought
to remember that near the Harbour was where the great majority of the
beer-drinking population desired to take their liquor. Therefore that
district was not merely supplied with public houses for those who lived
there, but for nearly the whole of the working class population of
Folkestone. He thought that the way in which the house was conducted
spoke for itself, and owing to the trade that was done, and the way the
house was conducted, the licence ought to be renewed. He then proceeded
to call evidence in support of his case.
Mr. Howlett said that he had been tenant of the premises since September
25th, 1908. When he took them over the valuation came to £123 odd, which
he provided himself. He had been formerly a master mariner, and was now
wholly and solely dependent on the house for his living. He had a wife,
and a boy at school, and he helped to support a father-in-law. He was
doing a good trade now. During 1909 the trade in beer was just on six
barrels a week; the house was free for spirits, and the trade done in
that amounted to nearly 4½ gallons a week. He did a good trade in
cheese, and odds and ends – in a year he sold 156 lbs. of tobacco, 160
boxes of 50 packets each of cigarettes, 30 boxes of cigars and 260 lbs.
of cheese. He had kept a record of how his customers had been coming in.
The number on a weekday varied from 250 to 350. As a rule the were
working class people who used the house, harbour people, seamen,
captains of vessels, and so on.
In answer to the Chief Constable, Mr. Howlett said that he opened his
house at six o'clock in the morning, and kept it open till 11 p.m. He
did not think that there would be sufficient houses in the neighbourhood
to supply his customers if his house was closed.
Mr. Alfred Leney said that he was Chairman of Messrs. Leney and Co.,
owners of the Chequers. He produced a statement showing the trade for
seven years past, as follows:- 1903, 327½ barrels of beer; 1904, 300;
1905, 280; 1906, 288; 1907, 188 (the year the house was scheduled
before); 1908, 192; 1909, 294. On the seven years average, the amount
sold worked out at 5.82 barrels per week. Witness had been in the trade
for 34 years, and considered that the house was doing a very good trade.
His firm had purchased the house in 1859 with the brewery, and since
then the trade had not been a fluctuating one, with the exception of
1907, when the tenant was unpopular. The back part of the premises used
to be the brewery store. There was a sick club at the house, with a
membership of about 80.
In answer to the Chief Constable, Mr. Leney said that in 1907 he told
the Bench that he thought there were too many licensed houses in the
neighbourhood, but he did not think that there were too many now. Six
houses in the neighbourhood had been refused licences since then, but
not one of those that were refused belonged to Messrs. Leney. His firm
owned five other houses in what the Chief Constable described as the
congested area.
The Bench then retired to consider the case. They were only absent for a
few minutes, and on their return the Mayor said: The Bench have decided
to grant the application for the licence this year, but they have a
strong feeling about the existence of a back entrance to these premises,
and if the proprietors could see their way to meet the Bench by closing
it, it would be a step in the right direction.
Mr. Mowll said that the gate leading into Beach Street was closed at
sunset, and only Mr. Leney's storeman, who lived on the adjoining
premises, had a right of way there. He promised that the remarks of the
Bench should be duly noted.
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Folkestone Daily News 14 May 1910.
Saturday, May 14th: Before The Mayor, Colonel Fynmore, Ald, Penfold, and
Ald, Vaughan.
Frederick Stephen Allen, known as “Badger”, was charged with stealing a
till containing 10s. from the Chequers Inn on the 13th inst.
Walter Howlett, the landlord deposed to seeing accused at the Chequers
at 6.15 a.m. He had two pints of beer and stayed two hours, when he
left, and returned at 9.20. He entered the bar where witness was
serving, and stayed twenty minutes, when he again left. From what
witness heard, he examined the till produced, from which he missed about
18s. and a 2 franc piece.
Mrs. Howlett, wife of the previous witness, deposed to being in the bar
when Allen came in, and served him with a pint of beer, for which he
paid with a shilling. She gave him change from the till, and then went
into the kitchen, leaving prisoner there alone. He left in about five
minutes. No-one else had entered in the meantime. Soon afterwards
another customer came in, whom she served, and she then missed the money
and spoke to her husband, who came and examined the till.
Florence George, an assistant at Gosnold Bros., 56, Tontine Street,
deposed to prisoner coming to the shop and buying three red
handkerchiefs, for which he paid with a two shilling piece. He
afterwards came back and bought three more, paying with a two shilling
piece again.
Lilian Porter, manageress of the 6½d. shop in Tontine Street, deposed to
serving prisoner with a saucepan, for which he paid with a two shilling
piece.
R.J. Gurr, butcher, in the employ of Barber and Co., deposed to Allen
buying two breasts of mutton and two pounds of sausages for 2s. 9d., for
which he paid with a two shilling piece and a shilling.
P.C. Waters deposed to arresting Allen, who, on being charged, replied
that he knew nothing about it. On being searched 2s. 11d. was found on
him and the 2 franc piece produced, which Mr. Howlett recognised.
Prisoner said he had carried the 2 franc piece for two months.
He was committed to the Quarter Sessions.
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Folkestone Express 21 May 1910.
Saturday, May 14th: Before The Mayor, Alderman Vaughan, and Lieut. Col.
Fynmore.
Frederick Stephen Allen, a labourer, was charged with stealing 18/- and
one two franc piece from the till of the Chequers public house.
Walter Howlett, landlord of the Chequers Inn, Seagate Street, said he
knew the prisoner as a customer. He came to his house the previous
evening at a quarter past six and he had some beer. Prisoner remained in
the house about two hours, and he had two pints and a half of beer. He
left about twenty minutes past eight, and returned an hour afterwards.
He entered the bar at the front of the house, and there was only one
other person in the bar at the time. Witness was in the kitchen, from
which the bar door and a part of the bar were visible, and he saw the
prisoner enter. His wife was in the bar. Prisoner remained in the bar
about twenty minutes. He saw him go out, he leaving by the front door.
About four or five minutes later his barman came to him and made a
statement, and in consequence of what he said witness went behind the
counter and examined two bowls in which he kept the money. The bowls
were placed on a shelf behind the bar. They were in full view of anyone
on the public side of the counter. The bowls contained seven shillings
in silver and two shillings in bronze. At six o'clock that morning one
of the bowls contained five shilling pieces and a two shilling piece. On
the top of the bowl was a two franc piece, a French Republican coin. The
other bowl contained ten sixpenny pieces and three shillings worth of
bronze. Witness put in twelve shillings in silver and bronze prior to
prisoner coming into the bar the second time, so that there was, as near
as he could tell, 27/- altogether. Among the 12/- added were three two
shilling pieces. Eighteen shillings in silver and bronze and the two
franc piece were missing. The coin produced resembled the coin which he
had missed, and which he had had for four or five months.
Eliza Ann Howlett, wife of the last witness, said about a quarter past
nine the previous morning she saw the prisoner enter the bar. She served
him with a pint of beer. Another man named Russell was in the bar at the
time. Russell left about two or three minutes after prisoner came in.
Prisoner paid for the beer and she gave him change. Russell had not left
then. The two bowls were on the shelf behind the bar. At the time
witness gave prisoner his change she noticed the two franc piece lying
on the top of one of the bowls. After Russell had left she entered the
kitchen, leaving the prisoner alone in the bar. About five minutes after
she heard the door of the bar open, and getting up, she saw prisoner go
out. During that five minutes no-one else had entered the bar or the
house. About eight minutes after another man came into the bar and
witness went into the bar and served him. On going to the till for the
purpose of getting change she missed the two franc piece. She then went
and spoke to her husband, who came and examined the contents of the
bowl.
Jessie Florence George, an assistant in the employ of Messrs. Gosnold
Bros., drapers, 56, Tontine Street, said she recognised the prisoner,
who came to the shop the previous morning about ten o'clock. He
purchased the three red handkerchiefs (produced) and he tendered a two
shilling piece and received change. About five minutes after he returned
to the shop and purchased three more of the handkerchiefs. He again
tendered a two shilling piece and received change. The price of the
handkerchiefs was 3¾d. each.
Lilian Porter, manageress of the domestic bazaar, 42, Tontine Street,
said she recognised the prisoner, who came to the bazaar the previous
morning about ten o'clock. He purchased the enamel stew pan (produced).
He tendered a two shilling piece, and witness gave him change. The price
of the article was 6½d.
Richard Sidney Gurr, assistant in the employ of Messrs. Barter and Co.,
butchers, 33, Tontine Street, said he recognised the prisoner, who came
to the shop the previous day about a quarter past ten. He purchased two
breasts of mutton and two pounds of sausages, which came to 2/9. He paid
for them with a two shilling piece and a shilling.
Inspector Lawrence said from information he received shortly after 11.30
the previous day he went to the Chequers Inn and examined the floor on
the private side of the bar counter. On the mat were three footprints,
apparently made by someone stepping over from the public side of the
counter, which was covered with sawdust. There were also sawdust marks
on the corner of the seat of the chair standing near the counter on the
private side of the bar. The bowls were placed on a shelf six feet away
from the inner edge of the bar counter. Later he went to 39, Peter
Street, where prisoner was lodging, where he was handed a parcel
containing two breasts of mutton, some sausages, and a stew pan. A
quantity of potatoes were tied up in a new red handkerchief, which had
been identified by Miss George.
P.C. Waters said the previous morning, about a quarter past eleven, he
saw the prisoner in Dover Street. He stopped him and said “Where have
you been, Allen?” Prisoner replied “Round about the town”. Witness then
asked him if he had been in the Chequers that morning. Allen said “Yes.
Two or three times”. While he was speaking to prisoner the witness
Howlett came up, and said “That is the man who has stolen my money”.
Witness asked Howlett what the amount was and he replied “About 14/-“.
He then told Allen that he should take him to the police station and
charge him with stealing the money. He replied “I know nothing about
it”. Witness took prisoner to the police station and on searching him he
found two two shilling pieces and eleven-pence in coppers, the silver two
franc piece (produced), and three new pocket handkerchiefs. When he took
the two franc piece from his pocket Howlett said “That is my two franc
piece”. Prisoner did not make any reply. Witness then formally charged
him, and in reply he said he had had that two franc piece for six
months.
The Chief Constable said that completed the case for the prosecution,
and if the Magistrates were satisfied that a prima facie case had been
made out against the prisoner, he asked them to commit him to the next
Quarter Sessions.
Prisoner, who had nothing to say, was then committed for trial at the
next Quarter Sessions.
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Folkestone Herald 21 May 1910.
Saturday, May 14th: Before The Mayor, Aldermen Vaughan and Penfold, and
Lieut. Colonel Fynmore.
Frederick Stephen Allen was charged with stealing money from the
Chequers Inn, Seagate Street.
Walter Howlett, landlord of the Chequers Inn, said prisoner was a
customer. He came into the house on the previous morning at about 6.15,
and was served with some beer, remaining in the house about two hours.
He left about 8.20, as near as witness could say, coming back in about
an hour, and entering by the front door. There was one other man in the
bar at the time. Witness himself was in the kitchen, but was able to see
prisoner enter. Witness' wife was in charge of the bar at the time.
Prisoner was in the bar about twenty minutes, after which witness saw
him leave. He left by the same door as he had entered. About four or
five minutes after he had left, witness's wife came to him, and from
what she said witness went behind the counter of the bar, and looked
into two bowls in which the money taken in the bar was kept. These bowls
were in full view of everyone on the public side of the bar. There was
only 9s. in both of them. He had put in 15s. overnight. The sum was made
up of five shillings, a two shilling piece, ten sixpences, and three
shillings worth of coppers. There was also a two franc piece, which was
placed on top of the bowls. Witness estimated that he had taken 12s.
that morning in the bar, most of which had, to his knowledge, been in
two shilling pieces. He knew positively that there had been three taken.
About 18s. in English money had therefore been stolen, and a twp franc
piece of the French Republic.
Eliza Anne Howlett, wife of the previous witness, said that she was in
the kitchen about 9.15 on the previous day, when she saw prisoner come
into the bar. She served him with a pint of beer. A man named Russell
was in the bar at the time, and she was talking to him. Prisoner paid
her for the beer he had. Russell then left the bar. Witness noticed at
the time she was serving prisoner that the two franc piece was on the
bowl, and that there was a 3d. piece placed on it. She then left the bar
and went into the kitchen. After she had been in the kitchen about five
minutes, she heard prisoner go. There had not been anyone in the bar
during the five minutes she had left it, excepting the prisoner. Seven
or eight minutes after accused had left, witness went into the bar to
serve another customer. She went to the bowls to give him some change,
and missed the two franc piece and the 3d. piece with it. She went to
the kitchen and told her husband.
Jessie Florence George, an assistant at Messrs. Gosnold Bros, 56,
Tontine Street, said prisoner came to the shop about 10 o'clock on the
previous morning. He bought three red pocket handkerchiefs (produced)
paying for them with a two shilling piece. He came about five minutes
afterwards and bought three more (produced), tendering another two
shilling piece in payment. The three handkerchiefs were priced at 11¾d.
Lilian Porter, manageress at the Domestic Bazaar, 42, Tontine Street,
said prisoner came to the shop about ten o'clock on the previous day and
bought an enamel saucepan (produced), priced at 6½d., handing her a two
shilling piece in payment.
Richard Sidney Gurr, employed by Messrs. Bartter and Co., butchers, 33,
Tontine Street, deposed that prisoner, who came to the shop about 10.15
on the previous morning, bought two breasts of mutton and two pounds of
sausage meat (produced). The articles came to 2s. 9d. Prisoner tendered
a two shilling piece and a shilling in payment.
Inspector Lawrence stated that he went to the Chequers Inn at about
11.30 on the previous morning. On a fibre mat behind the counter was the
imprint of two feet in sawdust. Sawdust was used to cover the public
portion of the bar. There was also the print of a foot on the edge of a
chair, as if someone had stood on it to reach the two bowls. The space
between the public and private portion of the bar was about six feet.
P.C. Waters said that he saw the prisoner in Dover Street at about 11.15
a.m. on the previous day. He asked him where he had been to that day.
Prisoner replied “About the town”. While they were speaking Mr. Howlett
came up and said “That is the man who stole my money”. Witness then told
accused he would take him to the police station and charge him with
stealing money from the Chequers Inn. Prisoner said “I don't know
anything about it”. Witness took him to the station and searched him,
finding three new red handkerchiefs, two separate shillings, 11d. in
bronze, and a two franc piece. When asked to account for the possession
of the foreign money he said he had had it for six months.
Prisoner was committed for trial at the next Quarter Sessions.
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Folkestone Daily News 2 July 1910.
Quarter Sessions.
Saturday, July 2nd: Before J.C. Lewis Coward Esq.
Frederick Allen, known as “Badger”, was charged with stealing money from
a till at the Chequers Inn early in the morning.
It will be remembered by our readers that the evidence given before the
Magistrates showed that Allen went into the public house, purchased some
beer, and in the absence of the landlady got over the counter and
emptied the till. He was seen afterwards by the police spending money
very freely.
There were several previous convictions against him, and the Recorder
now asked Mr. Easton if he would take him under probation.
Mr. Easton promised to have a talk with the prisoner to see if he would
consent to go into a home, and Allen was taken to the cells for that
purpose.
On Mr. Easton's return he told the Recorder that he would be able to
find Allen work on condition that he signed the pledge, and asked the
Recorder to make that a condition when binding him over.
The Recorder then bound Allen over for twelve months.
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Folkestone Express 9 July 1910.
Quarter Sessions.
Saturday, July 2nd: Before J.C. Lewis Coward Esq.
Frederick Stephen Allen, 47, a labourer, was charged with stealing, on
May 13th, 18/- in money and a French two franc piece, the property of
Walter Howlett, of the Chequers Inn. Prisoner pleaded Guilty to stealing
11/-, and also to a previous conviction in April at the police court.
Mr. Weigall, who prosecuted, said they would accept the prisoner's plea.
Allen went into the public house, and taking advantage of the momentary
absence of the landlady from the bar, helped himself to the money, which
was put inside a bowl in the bar.
The Chief Constable said he put in a certificate of conviction against
the prisoner on April 8th of that year, to which he had pleaded Guilty.
He was a Folkestonian, and there were several convictions against him.
The first was in 1881, when he received twelve strokes as a boy for
stealing. Then in 1882 he received one month for stealing; in 1889 for
being drunk in charge of a horse; on January 5th, 1891, at the Quarter
Sessions, six months' hard labour for stealing rabbits; July 14th, 1894,
at the Quarter Sessions, another six months for stealing; June, 1895, at
Maidstone Assizes, 12 months for an attempted unnatural offence; 6th
July, 1896, at Margate, two consecutive terms of three months for
stealing. He kept out of trouble until that year, when on the 8th April
he was convicted summarily for stealing a bag of coalite. For fourteen
years he kept out of prison and ran very straight. He got married,
settled down, and went on with no complaints about him at all. His wife
died about eighteen months ago and he then seemed to have taken to the
drink. He had one situation for upwards of three years and his master
gave him a very good character.
Allen had nothing to say.
Mr. Easton, the Police Court Missionary, said he would try to do
something for the prisoner, and the Recorder then asked Mr. Easton to
see Allen in the cells.
On their return into Court, Mr. Easton said he thought it was possible
to get the man work in the town, and Allen had promised to sign the
pledge and not touch any more drink.
The Recorder then bound the prisoner over to be of good behaviour for
twelve months under Mr. Easton's supervision, expressing the hope that
he would not see Allen there again, and that he was not doing wrong in
that instance.
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Folkestone Herald 9 July 1910.
Quarter Sessions.
Saturday, July 2nd: Before J.C. Lewis Coward Esq.
Frederick Stephen Allen, aged 47 years, a labourer, was indicted for, on
the 13th May, 1910, at Folkestone, feloniously stealing the sum of 18s.
in money, and one two franc piece of the French Republic, the monies of
Walter Howlett.
Prisoner pleaded Guilty to stealing 11s., and also admitted being
convicted for felony at Folkestone Petty Sessions in April last.
Mr. Weigall, who prosecuted, said that the prisoner went into a public
house kept by Mr. Walter Howlett, and known as the Chequers Inn, on the
morning of May 13th. He had a pint of beer, and sat there about two
hours. He then went away for a short time, and returned again in about
twenty minutes. Taking advantage of the momentary absence of the
landlady, he took the money that was put out in a bowl for the purpose
of giving change. To do that he had to climb over the bar, but the money
was in his view vefore. He then proceeded with the money to make several
purchases of necessaries. He was arrested with the balance in his
possession, and said that he knew nothing about the theft.
The Chief Constable, in the witness box, said that the prisoner was a
Folkestone man, and there were several previous convictions against him.
The first was on November 1st, 1881, when he received twelve strokes
with the birch as a boy for stealing. In 1882 he was sentenced for
stealing; in 1889 for being drunk in charge of a horse; in 1891 he was
sentenced at the Folkestone Quarter Sessions to six months' imprisonment
for stealing; in 1894, at the Folkestone Quarter Sessions, six months'
imprisonment for stealing glaziers' diamonds; in 1895 at Maidstone
Assizes for an attempted unnatural offence; and in 1896 at Margate for
stealing. Then he kept out of trouble till April of this year, when he
was convicted summarily at the Folkestone Police Court for stealing a
bag of coalite. He ran very straight, therefore, for fourteen years. He
was away from the town for some time. He came back again, and married
and settled down, and went on without any complaints. He lost his wife
about 18 months ago and seemed to take to drink after that. He had one
situation at Folkestone for upwards of three years, and his employer
gave him a very good character till he took to drink after the loss of
his wife.
The prisoner said that he had nothing to say.
The Recorder: I remember giving you a tremendous lecture when you were
here some sixteen years ago. Time flies so quickly.
He then called the Police Court Missionary (Mr. W.L. Easton) forward,
and asked him if he could do anything for the prisoner.
Mr. Easton said that he would try if the man was willing, and the
prisoner was accordingly taken below for Mr. Easton to have a talk with
him. Later on he was brought up again, and Mr. Easton said that he
thought that it would be possible to get the prisoner into a home for a
short time. He said that he had had a good character for five years and
would sign a paper to give up the drink. He (Mr. Easton) suggested that
if the prisoner was bound over, a condition should be made that he gave
up the drink.
The Recorder agreed with this course, and desired the landlord of the
Chequers Inn (Mr. Howlett) to stand forward.
In answer to the questions of the Recorder, Mr. Howlett said that he had
known the prisoner as a customer. Witness himself had only been in the
house about two years. He had known the prisoner as a customer for about
twelve months. He kept the bowl of money containing the change in full
view of his customers.
The Recorder: The sooner you put it in some other place the better. No
prudent people leave their money lying about.
Addressing the prisoner, he said: I am going to take a lenient view of
this case. I hope I shall not be wrong. It appears that you did try and
pull yourself together some years ago. You are only 47 years of age, and
there is still time for you to retrieve.. I am going to let you out on
probation, and bind you over to be of good behaviour under Mr. Easton's
charge for a year. The condition is that you give up the drink. Are you
willing to do that?
Prisoner: Yes, sir.
The Recorder: That being so, you can step out of the dock, and I hope I
shall not see your face here again.
There was slight applause in Court at this announcement, but it was, of
course, at once suppressed.
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Folkestone Express 8 October 1910.
Wednesday, October 5th: Before W.G. Herbert, G.I. Swoffer, J. Stainer,
R.J. Linton and G. Boyd Esqs., and Lieut. Col. Fynmore.
Mr. Mowll said he had an application to make in regard to the Chequers
public house. They might remember that the application for the renewal
of the licence was before the licensing Bench this year, and the licence
was then renewed, as the house was doing a very considerable trade. But
the Chairman (Mr. Ward) made some reference to the back entrance. He
(Mr. Mowll) rather thought the feeling was that possibly persons might
go into that office, which was no part of the premises at all. The
matter was then thought to be one which should be carefully considered
by the owners of the premises, and they were now in the position to
submit for the Magistrates' approval plans with the proposal that there
should be an iron gateway from the urinal to the corner of the stable,
which it was proposed to close every evening at six o'clock, and Messrs.
Leney, the owners, proposed to keep the key of that themselves, and to
send a man to close the gate every night and open it in the morning. It
was necessary to have that back way.
Mr. Leney said on Sunday the gate would only be open during opening
hours.
The Magistrates approved the plans.
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Folkestone Herald 8 October 1910.
Wednesday, October 5th: Before Mr. W.G. Herbert, Alderman T.J. Vaughan,
Lieut. Col. Fynmore, Messrs. G.I. Swoffer, R.J. Linton, and G. Boyd.
Mr. Rutley Mowll said he wished to make an application in respect of the
Chequers Inn. The renewal of the licence was before the Magistrates this
year, and the licence was granted, it being shown that the house did a
considerable trade, but the Chairman (Mr. Ward) made some reference to
the back entrance. He rather thought that there was a feeling that
possibly persons might go into the office at the back – which was not
part of the licensed premises at all – after hours, and come out by the
back way after licensing hours. At any rate, the matter was then
considered, and the owners of the premises were now in a position to
submit for their approval plans for this proposal, viz., that there
should be an iron gateway from the urinal to the corner of the stable,
which it was proposed to close every evening at six o'clock. Messrs.
Leney, the owners, intended to keep the key of this, and to send a man
to close the gave every night at 6 o'clock, and open it again in the
morning. Mr. Mowll pointed out that it was necessary to have a backway
owing to the construction of the building. He thought that this proposal
met the situation.
The Magistrates agreed to the proposal on condition that the gate was
shut during closing hours on Sunday.
This suggestion was agreed to by Messrs. Leney.
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Folkestone Express 21 November 1914.
Monday, November 16th: Before Lieut. Col. Fynmore, Alderman Jenner, and
Colonel Owen.
Charles William Bonney, a lance corporal in the Herts. Regiment, was
charged with stealing a pigeon.
P.C. Holland said on Sunday evening, about 8.30, he was in Seagate
Street, when he was called to a shop in Beach Street, kept by Mr. Fagg.
He there saw the prisoner with the live pigeon buttoned under his coat.
He asked him where he had got it from, and he said he saw it sitting in
the street, and he picked it up. Mr. Howlett, the landlord of the
Chequers Inn, was with him (witness) at the time, and identified the
pigeon as his property, and gave the prisoner into his custody and
charged him with stealing it. Prisoner, when told he would have to go to
the police station on a charge of stealing the pigeon, said “I am quite
willing. I saw it in the street, and picked it up”.
Walter Howlett, the landlord of the Chequers Inn, said the pigeon
(produced) was his property, and he valued it at 2/-. He kept the pigeon
in a big wooden box in the yard, which was closed after six o'clock in
the evening. The box contained seven pigeons, and it was properly
secured when he fed the pigeons about half past three or four o'clock in
the afternoon. The pigeons could not have got out of the box. He was
told at a quarter past eight that the pigeon run was open, and in
consequence he went to Mr. Fagg's shop, where he saw the pigeon taken
from the prisoner by the constable. Bonney had been in his house during
the evening,, and had been in the front room and the passage leading to
the yard.
William Howlett, aged 14, the son of the last witness, said he saw the
prisoner in the house about 8.15 the previous evening. Bonney had been
in the house about an hour and a quarter with others, and about a
quarter past eight he noticed that the man had something in his breast
under his tunic. Prisoner left the house. He (witness) spoke to his
father, and they followed the man to Mr. Fagg's shop, where the pigeon
was taken from him. Some pigeons had been stolen on Friday night, and
the prisoner came into the house with the men who were then accused.
Bonney had not anything under his tunic when he came into the house. The
prisoner went out of the room three times in a quarter of an hour, and
once went into the back yard about a quarter of an hour before he left
the house. The other soldiers went in and out of the room. He could not
see what was under the prisoner's tunic, which bulged out.
The Chairman said there was a strong suspicion in the case, but they
would give prisoner the benefit of the doubt, and he would be
discharged.
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Folkestone Herald 21 November 1914.
Monday, November 16th: Before Lieut. Col. Fynmore, Alderman C. Jenner,
and Col. G.P. Owen.
Charles William Bonney, a private in the Royal Herts. Regt., was charged
with stealing a pigeon, the property of Mr. Howlett, the landlord of the
Chequers Inn, Seagate Street.
P.C. Holland said on Saturday night he was called to the fish shop in
Beach Street kept by Mr. Fagg, where he saw the prisoner, who had a live
pigeon in the front of his tunic. Witness asked him where he got it
from, and he said he saw it in the street and picked it up. Mr. Howlett,
who was present at the time, identified the bird as his property and
witness took prisoner into custody. When charged he said “I found the
bird in the street, and picked it up”. He was sober at the time.
Walter Howlett, the landlord of the Chequers Inn, said he identified the
pigeon as his property, and valued it at 2s. He kept it with six others
in a cage in the back yard, which was locked every evening from 6 p.m.
The door of the cage was secured by nails and a piece of string. The
birds were always kept there, and not let out. He secured them when he
fed them in the afternoon. The pigeon could not have got out of the
cage. From something his son told him, he missed the pigeon about 8.30
and proceeded to Mr. Fagg's fish shop, where he saw the prisoner with
the pigeon, which the last witness took from him. Prisoner said he
picked it up in the street. Witness looked at the pigeon's head and saw
it was his. Accused had been in the Chequers Inn earlier in the evening.
Prisoner had been in the front parlour, in the passage, and in the yard.
William Howlett, the son of the last witness, aged 14¾ years, said he
saw the prisoner in the parlour of the house about 8.15 p.m. He had been
there for about 1½ hours with other soldiers. Prisoner had something
under his tunic, but witness did not see what it was. Risoner left the
house, and witness told his father, who followed him to Mr. Fagg's fish
shop in Beach Street, where the bird was taken from prisoner. Witness
saw him come into the house with other men, and he had nothing under his
tunic then. Prisoner was in the parlour during the time he was in the
house, and there were other soldiers there. He went out three or four
times, and witness saw him go into the back yard. It was about 8.20 when
witness saw him with something under his coat.
The Chairman said they were going to give prisoner the benefit of the
doubt, and he would be discharged.
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Folkestone Express 21 August 1915.
Obituary.
We regret to say that Mrs. Howlett, wife of Mr. W. Howlett, of the
Chequers Inn, Seagate Street, Folkestone, passed away on August 11th at
28, Bloomsbury Rod, Ramsgate. The deceased, who was 50 years of age, had
only been ill a few days, and the end came very suddenly. She had only
been at Ramsgate two days prior to her death.
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Folkestone Express 13 January 1917.
Local News.
Yesterday (Thursday) Mr. Walter Howlett, the landlord of the Chequers
Inn, Seagate Street, was found lying dead on the floor of his bedroom.
The deceased had been ill for some time.
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Folkestone Express 10 February 1917.
Annual Licensing Sessions.
Wednesday, February 7th: Before E.T. Ward, G.I. Swoffer, R.J. Linton, G.
Boyd, H. Kirke, and J.J. Giles Esqs., and the Rev. Epworth Thompson.
Mr. H. Reeve read his annual report as follows: Gentlemen, I have the
honour to report that there are within your jurisdiction 115 places
licensed for the sale of intoxicating liquor by retail, viz; Full
licences 71, Beer on 7. Beer off 5, Beer and spirit dealers 15, Grocers
etc., off 7, Confectioners, wine, on 3. Chemists, wine, off 6, Total
115. This gives an average, according to the census of 1911, of one
licence to every 291 persons, or one on licence to every 429 persons.
This is the same number of licensed premises as were in existence last
year.
At the adjourned licensing meeting, held on 6th March last, the licence
of the Clarence Inn, Dover Road, was referred to the Compensation
Committee on the ground of redundancy, and at the principal meeting of
that Committee held at Canterbury on 21st June, the renewal of the
licence was refused. The question as to the amount of compensation to be
paid was referred to the Inland Revenue Authorities, and has not at
present been determined, consequently a provisional renewal of the
licence will be applied for. During the past year five of the licences
have been transferred.
For the year ended 31st December last 55 persons (28 males and 27
females) were proceeded against for drunkenness, of whom 32 were
convicted and 23 discharged without conviction. Of the persons proceeded
against 17 were residents of the Borough, 9 members of the Naval and
Military Forces, 13 persons of no fixed abode and 16 residents of other
districts. In the preceding year 174 persons (109 males and 65 females)
were proceeded against, of whom 129 were convicted and 45 discharged.
Proceedings have been taken during the year against 14 of the licence
holders for various offences, 7 of whom were convicted and 7 dismissed.
The following are the cases in which convictions have been recorded, viz;
9th March, the licensee of the Guildhall Hotel was fined £1 for a breach
of the “No Treating” Order; 24th March, the licensee of the Mechanics
Arms Inn was fined £1 for allowing a child under 14 years to be in the
bar of his licensed premises; 23rd June, the licensee of the Chequers
Inn was fined £1 for dispatching intoxicating liquor from his licensed
premises without a licence; 30th June, the licensee of the Morehall Wine
Stores was fined £1 for dispatching intoxicating liquor from his
licensed premises without the same having been previously paid for; 30th
June, the licensee of 27 Rendezvous Street (off licence) was fined £1
for a similar offence; 1st December, the licensee of the London and
Paris Hotel was fined £5 for a breach of the No Treating Order; 1st
December, the licensee of the Pavilion Shades was fined £5 for a similar
offence.
Nine clubs where intoxicating liquor is supplied are registered under
the Act. There are 16 places licensed for music and dancing, 7 for music
only, and 1 for public billiard playing.
The Order of the Liquor Control Board which came into operation on 10th
January last year, restricting the hours of sale and supply of
intoxicating liquor to 4½ hours each weekday and 4 hours on Sunday
remains in force, and in my opinion is mainly the cause of the decrease
in the cases of drunkenness recorded.
Under Regulation 10 of the Defence of the Realm Regulations, Orders have
been made by the Competent Military Authority, and are still in force,
closing 3 of the licensed houses to all members of H.M. Forces. The
houses are the Jubilee Inn, Radnor Street, the Wonder Tavern, Beach
Street, and the True Briton, Harbour Street.
The Chairman said with regard to the report the number of convictions
was very satisfactory. Mr. Reeve said in his opinion that was due to the
restricted hours. He (Mr. Ward) was sorry to see so many convictions of
publicans – seven – which was a greater number than he remembered in any
year. There was no doubt that publicans were faced with very great
difficulties with so many restrictions placed upon them. He urged upon
them the necessity of being very careful not to serve any wounded
soldiers, or any soldiers waiting embarkation. There were very heavy
penalties laid down for offences of such a nature – imprisonment for six
weeks or £100 fine. He hoped all of them would be very careful. All the
licences would be renewed with the exception of the seven against which
convictions had been recorded, but those seven licences would be granted
until the adjourned sessions in a month's time.
The Clerk (Mr. J. Andrew) said with regard to the premises licensed for
music and dancing the Magistrates had made new regulations. In future no
structural alterations should be made in the licensed premises, and no
alterations should be made in the stage, gangways, passageway or exits
without the previous approval of the justices, and such gangways should
be kept free from chairs or other obstruction during the hours of public
entertainment, and all performances should be of an unobjectionable
character, and good order and decent behaviour should be kept and
maintained on the premises during the hours of licence.
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Folkestone Herald 10 February 1917.
Annual Licensing Sessions.
Wednesday, February 6th: Before Mr. E.T. Ward, Mr. G.I. Swoffer, Mr.
R.J. Linton, Mr. G. Boyd, Mr. J.J. Giles, Mr. H. Kirke, and the Rev. H.
Epworth Thompson.
The Chief Constable read his report (for details see Folkestone
Express).
The Chairman said he was sorry to see so many convictions of publicans,
the greatest number he had seen for years. No doubt the difficulties of
publicans were great owing to abnormal times. He would advise them to be
very careful not to serve wounded soldiers or those who were soldiers
about to embark. In regard to the licences, they would all be renewed,
with the exception of seven, which would be considered at the adjourned
sessions on March 7th.
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Folkestone Express 17 February 1917.
Local News.
The licence of the Chequers Inn was, on Tuesday, at the Folkestone
Police Court, temporarily transferred from the late Mr. Howlett to Mr.
Nash, who for some years was at the Pavilion Shades.
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Folkestone Herald 17 February 1917.
Local News.
At the Folkestone Petty Sessions on Tuesday, Mr. G.I. Swoffer presiding,
a temporary transfer of the licence of the Chequers, Seagate Street, was
granted to Mr. W.H. Nash.
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Folkestone Express 3 March 1917.
Local News.
On Wednesday the Chequers was transferred from the late Mr. Howlett to
Mr. W. Nash.
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Folkestone Express 10 March 1917.
Adjourned Licensing Sessions.
The Folkestone adjourned licensing sessions were held on Wednesday, Mr.
E.T. Ward presiding on the Bench, when the licences of the Guildhall,
the Mechanics Arms, the London and Paris Hotel, the Chequers, the
Pavilion Shades, the Morehall Wine Stores, and Finn's Store, Rendezvous
Street, were renewed.
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Folkestone Herald 10 March 1917.
Adjourned Licensing Sessions.
Wednesday, March 6th: Before Mr. E.T. Ward, Lieut. Col. R.J. Fynmore,
Mr. G.I. Swoffer, and Mr. H. Kirke.
The licences of the Chequers Inn, Seagate Street, the Red Cow, Foord,
and Royal Oak, North Street, were respectively transferred Mr. Bert
Nash, Mr. W. Collard, and Mr. H.W. Baldock.
The Chairman, addressing the licensees, impressed upon them the great
necessity of taking the greatest care in the conduct of their
businesses, whilst at the same time acknowledging their difficulties.
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Folkestone Herald 8 December 1917.
Obituary.
We regret to record the death, at the age of 48, of Mr. W.E. Nash, of
the Chequers Inn, Seagate Street. He had been in indifferent health for
some time. For many years he was in the employ of the late Mr. James
Peden, and was formerly landlord of the Pavilion Shades. Whilst living
at Wootton he met with a severe accident, from the effects of which he
never properly recovered. Possessed of a genial manner, he had a host of
friends. The funeral took place at the Cemetery on Wednesday.
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Folkestone Express 5 January 1918.
Local News.
On Wednesday at the Police Court, Mr. H. Dunn, a deep sea pilot, applied
for the transfer of the licence of the Chequers from the late Mr. Nash
to himself. Mr. Reeve, the Chief Constable, said Mr. Dunn had been on
torpedoed vessels two or three times. Mr. Andrew said the applicant told
him that the Germans could not sink him. The application was granted.
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Folkestone Herald 5 January 1918.
Local News.
The Folkestone Magistrates on Wednesday authorised the transfer of the
licence of the Chequers Inn, Seagate Street, from the widow of the late
Berte Nash to Mr. Harry Dunn, a former Channel pilot.
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Folkestone Herald 2 March 1918.
Local News.
A Herald representative, having occasion to interview Mr. Harry Dunn,
the new proprietor of the Chequers Inn, in Seagate Street, noticed a
remarkable painted fireplace of great width and depth in the bar of the
old-fashioned hostelry. It had been painted over repeatedly, and from a
cursory glance, one would think the structure to be of wood. So
impressed was our representative with the appearance of the fireplace
that he communicated at once with Mr. W.H. Elgar, a well-known
antiquarian, whose sketches of old churches and buildings appear from
time to time in the Herald. Mr. Elgar, accompanied by our
representative, visited the Chequers, and at once pronounced the
mantelpiece to be a fine Tudor specimen. It is of stone, and in
moderately good preservation.
This mantelpiece has stood there unnoticed for some hundreds of years.
Mr. Elgar in due course will make a further investigation. With its
extraordinary oak beams (many encased) in low ceiled rooms, the Chequers
is looked upon by its owner as one of the oldest buildings in “Old
Folkestone”. It is an interesting fact that it was here in “pre-railway”
days that the coaches started for and arrived from London. Skipper Dunn
has come to anchor here after many years piloting in the Channel and
other places. He has weathered many a storm, and is still bluff, hale
and hearty. The discovery that the mantelpiece belongs to the Tudor
period has delighted him immensely. The property belongs to Messrs.
Leney and Co., of Dover.
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Folkestone Express 26 November 1921.
Local News.
The licence of the Chequers Inn was on Wednesday, at the Police Court,
transferred from Mr. Dunn to Mr. Scrivens.
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Folkestone Express 18 March 1922.
Obituary.
The death took place somewhat suddenly on Wednesday of Mr. H. Dunn, who
was until a short time ago the licensee of the Chequers Inn. He was for
many years associated with sea life, and was captain of some of the
coaling vessels which used Folkestone Harbour in years gone by. His
demise will be greatly regretted by a large number of families.
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Folkestone Herald 25 March 1922.
Felix.
A Folkestone notability passed away recently in the person of Mr. Harry
Dunn. The deceased was a mariner, and his experiences on the briny,
especially in the Channel, were many, varied, and in some cases,
exciting. Our bluff and hale old friend at one time piloted vessels in
and out of the harbour, and if any ships going up or down channel needed
any assistance in this respect he was there with his knowledge of the
tides and shoals associated with this narrow stretch of water. I don't
know why, but he rejoiced in the nickname of “Shoemaker”, and he was
generally known by that soubriquet. Subsequently deceased became skipper
of a collier trading to and from this port. He “came to anchor” in his
later days at the ancient Chequers Inn, near the harbour, which he
recently relinquished through ill-health. Everyone who knew him had a
good word for genial “Shoemaker”, a fearless sailor, whose life was full
of incident.
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Folkestone Herald 17 July 1926.
Saturday, July 10th: Before Alderman G. Spurgen, Colonel G.P. Owen, and
Colonel P. Broome-Giles.
Lance Corporal Morris John Whelan, of the 11th Hussars, was charged with
being drunk and disorderly in Dover Road. He was further charged with
assaulting P.C. Simpson while in the execution of his duty. He pleaded
Not Guilty to both charges. Trooper George Allen and Trooper Cyril Mace,
of the 11th Hussars, were also charged with assaulting the police. They
pleaded Not Guilty.
P.C. Simpson said he was on duty in uniform in Dover Street on Friday
night, when he saw Whelan. Who was very drunk, enter the Chequers public
house. He followed, and drew the landlord's attention to Whelan's
condition. He prevented him from being served, and saw him ejected.
Later in the evening, at 11.05, he saw Whelan in company with the other
two prisoners, and four or five other soldiers in Dover Road. He was
very drunk, and was shouting and using the most filthy language. The
other soldiers were also very noisy. He went up to them and advised them
to be quiet, and go to the camp. Whelan made some obscene remarks to
him, challenged him to fight, and refused to go away. Witness took him
into custody, and, with the assistance of P.C. Dickinson, commenced to
bring him to the police station. He had gone about ten yards when Allen
came up to him and caught hold of the back of his collar, and the other
soldiers surrounded them. Allen hit him twice in the face with his fist.
As a result he released his hold of Whelan, who broke away. After he was
free Whelan raised his whip and struck him a blow on the face with the
butt end, causing a considerable swelling. Whelan then ran down the
street. Witness caught hold of Allen, closed with him, and with the
assistance of Mr. Haslam and Mr. Lawrence, took him to the police
station. He went to Guildhall Street, where he saw Whelan, whom he took
back to the station, where he charged him. The accused made no reply. He
then charged Allen, who said “You can't touch soldiers”.
Whelan denined hitting P.C. Simpson with a whip, stating that he had not
got one.
P.C. Simpson said Whelan had a whip when arrested.
P.C. Dickinson said at 11.05 p.m. on Friday evening he was in Dover Road
with P.C. Simpson, when he saw some soldiers, who were shouting and
singing. Whelan was rolling about, shouting, and using filthy language.
He was drunk. P.C. Simpson arrested Whelan, and Simpson walked on one
side and witness on the other. Mace came up and struck him a violent
blow behind the right ear with his whip.
Mace: It is a lie.
P.C. Dickinson, continuing, said he was quite sure it was Mace. The blow
caused him to release his hold of Whelan. He immediately closed with
Mace, and with the assistance of a civilian brought him to the police
station. He charged Mace, who replied “I do not think so”. Later in the
evening he saw Whelan in Guildhall Street, and he helped P.C. Simpson
bring him to the police station.
Mr. Albert Haslam, Manager of the Cambrian Coaching Company, said he was
in his office in Rendezvous Street on Friday evening, when he heard
noises, and he went outside. He saw P.C.s Dickinson and Simpson with a
soldier under arrest. There was a struggling and hostile crowd round
them. Seeing the constables were in difficulty, he went back and called
some of his staff to come to their assistance. Just previously to his
getting up to them Allen went behind Simpson and struck him a most
cowardly blow with his clenched fist. Allen then turned round towards
his office. Two men attempted to stop him, but he knocked them both
down. Allen got as far as the Rendezvous Restaurant, when two other
civilians and witness caught him. He held him until P.C. Simpson came up
and took Allen to the police station. Allen made plenty of threats when
he was holding him as to what he would do when let go, but he made no
suggestion that he was the wrong man.
Whelan said he did not strike P.C. Simpson with a whip, as he had not
got one. When Simpson bustled him out of the Chequers public house he
left the whip lying on the table. When arrested he was talking with his
friends and two soldiers. Simpson came up and got hold of him, and a
civilian with the policeman struck him in the face two or three times.
That was why he struggled.
The Chairman: Do you mean Mr. Haslam struck you?
Whelan: No, it was not Mr. Haslam. Continuing, Whelan said if he had not
been struck he would have gone to the station without struggling. He
admitted he had had a good deal of beer, but he was not drunk.
Allen said he did not want to say anything.
An officer said all three prisoners had got good military characters.
Whelan had just been promoted lance corporal, and the other two were
officers' servants. There was no civil conviction against any of the
prisoners.
Colonel Owen: I see Allen is in plain clothes. If a soldier is allowed
out wearing plain clothes, that shows that his military character is
good, doesn't it?
The Officer: Yes, sir.
The Chairman said Whelan would be fined 10s. for being drunk and
disorderly, and £1 for assaulting the police. The other two prisoners
would be fined 1 each. With regard to the remark passed by one of the
prisoners that the police could not touch soldiers, he might say that
the police had the same duty to perform with regard to soldiers as to
the rest of the community. If it had not been for the prisoners' good
characters, the Magistrates would have sent them to prison.
The Bench thanked Mr. Haslam for assisting the police.
The Chief Constable (Mr. A.S. Beesley) said he would like to associate
himself with the Magistrates' remarks, and say how much help such as Mr.
Haslam's was appreciated.
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Folkestone Herald 12 November 1927.
Local News.
For committing damage to the extent of 5s. in the Chequers Hotel on
October 30th, four Folkestone men, whose names were given as Harry Wise,
Vernon Bridgood, Stephen Cook and Leslie Roach, were each fined 5s. and
costs at the Folkestone Police Court on Tuesday.
It was stated by the licensee, Mrs. Charlotte Scriven, that the men
entered the house on the night of October 30th and went into the tap
room. They asked for permission to play the piano, and she told them
they did not allow it on Sunday. They did not reply, but when she
entered the room ten minutes later she found that a gas bracket, a
picture frame, and some darts and rings had been broken, the damage
amounting to about 5s.
In fining the men 5s. each and costs of the damage, the Chairman, Mr. G.I. Swoffer, said as the offence was committed on licensed premises it
was a very grave charge. The licensees had to keep law and order, and
they might think themselves lucky they had got off with a fine as they
had.
Note: No record of Charlotte Scriven in More Bastions.
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Folkestone Herald 16 August 1930.
Obituary.
The death occurred, on Thursday of last week, of Mr. Walter Scrivens, of
the Chequers Inn, Seagate Street. Mr. Scrivens was for 30 years employed
on the cross-Channel steamers.
The funeral took place at the Folkestone Cemetery on Tuesday.
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Folkestone Express 30 August 1930.
Wednesday, August 27th: Before Alderman R.G. Wood, Messrs. G.I. Swoffer
and J.H. Blamey, and Col. G.P. Owen.
Mr. Bonniface applied on behalf of Mrs. Kent for a protection order in
respect of the Chequers Inn. He said Mr. Scrivens, the holder of the
licence, died on August 7th, and Mrs. Kent had applied for letters of
administration. The protection order was granted to the applicant, who
was the daughter of Mr. Scrivens.
Note: This does not appear in More Bastions.
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Folkestone Herald 30 August 1930.
Local News.
Mrs. Kent, of the Chequers Inn, Seagate Street, made an application at
the Folkestone Transfer Sessions for a protection order pending an
application for the transfer of the licence.
Mr. B.H. Bonniface, representing Mrs. Kent, said Mrs. Kent was the
administratrix of her father's estate. When everything was settled the
matter would be dealt with in the usual way and an application made for
the transfer of the licence.
The application was granted.
Note: This does not appear in More Bastions.
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Folkestone Express 11 October 1930.
Wednesday 8th October: Before Alderman R.G. Wood, Miss A.M. Hunt, Mr. F.
Seager, Mr. G.I. Swoffer, and Mr. W. Smith.
The Magistrates' Clerk (Mr. C. Rootes) said Mrs. Kent applied for the
transfer of the licence of the Chequers Inn, Seagate Street. There had
been before the Bench already an application, which was granted, for a
protection order to Mrs. Kent, who was administratrix of the late Mr.
Walter Scrivens. In order to transfer the licence to Mr. Richard
Williams, she had to have the transfer to herself as administratrix.
Them Mr. Williams would make the application for the transfer to
himself. It was a formal matter.
Chief Inspector Pittock said he had known the applicant ever since he
had been in the Force. He knew of no reason why the licence should not
be transferred.
The Magistrates granted the transfers.
Note: No record of Mrs. Kent in More Bastions.
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Folkestone Herald 11 October 1930.
Wednesday, October 8th: Before Alderman R.G. Wood, Mr. G.I. Swoffer,
Miss A.M. Hunt, Mr. F. Seager, and Mr. W. Smith.
Mrs. Florence Jane Kent applied for the transfer of the licence of the
Chequers Inn, Seagate Street, Folkestone, from Walter Scrivens,
deceased, to herself. She had been granted a protection order some time
before.
At the same time, Richard Williams applied for the transfer of the
licence from Mrs. Kent to himself.
The applications were granted.
Note: Mrs. Kent does not appear in More Bastions.
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Folkestone Express 19 March 1932.
Local News.
On Saturday the Brigade was called by telephone to a bottle store on the
premises of Mr. R. Williams, a licensed victualler, of Seagate Street,
at 4.45 p.m., to deal with an outbreak of fire in a loft. Six men with
the aid of water from a hydrant and one chemical charge extinguished the
flames, the only damage being to the floorboards and a number of
bottles.
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Folkestone Herald 19 March 1932.
Local News.
A bottle store attached to the Chequer Inn, Seagate Street. The licensed
premises of Mr. R. Williams, was the scene of an outbreak of fire on
Sunday afternoon, when damage to the extent of £5 was caused. Floor
boards and the loft were burnt, and bottled beer was damaged. The Fire
Brigade tender and six men turned out, and the outbreak was extinguished
with water and one charge of chemicals. The cause is not known.
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Folkestone Herald 27 August 1932.
Obituary.
We regret to record the death on August 29th, at 29, Mount Pleasant
Road, of Mrs. Kirby, the wife of Mr. George Kirby.
Mrs. Kirby, who was 69 years of age, although not much in the public eye
of later years, was well known in other days when her husband was the
proprietor of the old coaching inn, The Chequers, Seagate Street, and
the Royal George Hotel, Beach Street. Mrs. Kirby possessed a kindly
heart and this was often well illustrated when in the cold and wintry
days she thought of many an empty cupboard in the poorer quarters of the
town. Indeed, she did much good by stealth. Much sympathy is accorded to
the husband, who during the time of the Mayoralty of the late Alderman
Daniel Baker, was a member of the Folkestone Town Council. Some years
ago Mr. and Mrs. Kirby left Folkestone for London, but after residing
there for a few years came back to Folkestone.
The funeral took place on August 12th at the Cheriton Road Cemetery.
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Folkestone Herald 1 April 1933.
Bankruptcy.
The increased beer tax and unemployment at Folkestone Harbour were the
chief causes to which, at the East Kent Bankruptcy Court, at Canterbury,
on Tuesday, Richard Williams, formerly licensee of the Chequers Inn,
Seagate Street, Folkestone, attributed his failure. His liabilities were
scheduled at £346 2s., with assets estimated to produce £151 14s.,
leaving a deficiency of £194 8s.
In the course of his public examination by the Assistant Official
Receiver (Mr. C.S. Foulsham), debtor said that for 25 years he was
employed as a barman at various public houses in Folkestone. He began
business on his own account in October, 1930, when he became tenant of
the Chequers Inn. He paid a gross ingoing valuation of £184. His wife
advanced him £200 to invest in the business, and he obtained other loans
- £25 from his father, £30 from his sister, £20 from his son, and later
£20 from his brother. All that money was put into the business, a
deposit of £75 being paid to the brewers on going into the business. The
loans formed the bulk of the unsecured creditors.
At first, continued debtor, he sold four barrels of beer a week, the
average profit being £1 a barrel, so that, he agreed, he made a fair
living. Later the trade fell off when the beer tax was increased, and
there was unemployment at the harbour.
The Assistant Official Receiver said that from debtor's statement of
affairs, there was in February, 1932, a deficiency of £134. Debtor
explained that it had been gradually “creeping on”, and was solely due
to trade depression.
The Assistant Official Receiver, quoting from the statement, showed that
for the past twelve months the accounts revealed that the turnover was
£1,221, on which there was a gross profit of 20 percent, or £244. His
expenses were £124, leaving a net trading profit of £120. Against that
his household expenses and personal expenses were £156, so that his
deficiency was gradually increasing.
In reply to further questions, debtor said that in November, 1932, he
suffered a loss through burglary, £15 being taken. He went to the
police, but nothing accrued. On January 27th, 1933, he gave notice to
the brewers of his intention to quit the premises. His wife then put in
a writ for the £200 she had put into the business.
The Assistant Official Receiver commented that that seemed rather a
drastic proceeding and enquired the reason. Debtor said they had a few
words over the boys, and she said she was going to have her money before
it was lost in the business. He then filed his petition. Debtor said he
kept a cash book in which he recorded his takings and expenses, although
not all of the latter.
The Registrar (Mr. F.M. Furley) pointed out that debtor had never had
any capital of his own, so he was always insolvent to that extent.
Mr. Foulsham agreed, but said that apart from that debtor was doing
fairly well in the business when he started.
Debtor attributed his failure to bad trade, due to unemployment and the
increased tax on beer. Men could not afford to buy so much beer, and had
not been earning enough to buy it. “Men who used to buy four or five
pints a day are not now earning 3s. a week on the habour”, he added. He
had not spent money on himself, and he had looked after the business.
Debtor said part of the furniture had been bought out of money his wife
saved from the housekeeping money. Some had been given her.
The Registrar: I don't suppose the furniture is worth much, is it?
The Assistant Official Receiver agreed, and said he did not want to
carry the matter any further.
In reply to Mr. A.K. Mowll, his solicitor, debtor said his wife helped
in the business. The £200 for which she issued the writ was money she
had had invested in the Co-Operative Savings Bank, and drew out to put
in the business. He agreed he was fortunate in his wife to the extent
that she had saved money before he went into the business. There were 10
other houses within 150 yards of the Chequers Inn. He really depended on
the labourers and fishermen at the harbour for his trade, and now there
were very few employed, and others could not afford to buy beer.
In reply to the Registrar, debtor said when he took the house the times
were brighter.
Mr. Mowll said his client did pretty well until the price of beer went
up and trade went down. Then he was beaten.
The public examination was closed.
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Folkestone Herald 16 March 1957.
Local News.
A plage hotel, with unique facilities for sea and sunbathing, will be
provided at Sandgate, it was stated at the Folkestone adjourned annual
Licensing Meeting on Wednesday.
The justices granted an application by the Holborn Trust, Ltd., for the
removal of the licence of the demolished Chequers Inn, which stood in
Seagate Street, to Beacholme Hotel, The Riviera, Sandgate.
Mr. Worthington Edridge, appearing for- the Holborn Trust, Ltd., owners
of the freehold of the hotel, said application was made to the Licensing
Planning Committee on May 3td, 1955, and their order was confirmed by
the Ministry of Housing and Local Government on August 19th, 1955. In
the original application to the Committee the plans showed that a garage
would be converted into a bar. The owners of the property had since
decided that it would be better if the bar was situated in the lounge,
which was nearer to the sea and easier of access. Mr. Worthington
Edridge said it was intended that there should be two bars, one a
private bar and the other a lounge bar. “The object”, he continued, “is
that it should become a plage hotel. The idea is to provide amenities
for bathing and and sun bathing for visitors. The premises are ideally
situated for that type of project. If this planning removal is granted,
these premises will become something quite unique on this coast. As far
as I know there is no hotel which provides a bar which leads straight on
to a lawn, with immediate access from the lawn to the sea. That will be
a great amenity to visitors to Folkestone”. Leading to the lawn was a
terrace where it was proposed to serve drinks. There would also be ample
parking and garaging facilities for cars. Mr Worthington Edridge said it
was intended that the licence should be transferred to Mr. Richard James
Butcher. It was purchased from Messrs. Alfred Leney and Co., who had no
objection to the removal.
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LICENSEE LIST
KELLY Devereaux Listed 1717+
PENNEY Mary Listed 1741+
DADD/LADD Ambrose c1765-74
BIRCH Mr 1774-75
MARTIN Robert 1775-80
TAYLOR Joseph 1780-90
TAYLOR Josephine 1790-94
PRESCOTT Henry 1794-97
PRESCOTT Richard 1797-c1816+
PAY William 1823-25
PAY Sarah 1825-59 (widow age 75 in 1851 )
     
MERCER Henry 1859-60
GOORD/GOOR Mrs Mary 1860-68
RICHARDSON Henry John 1868-77
JACKSON Harry
 1877-78
GOLDFINCH Henry 1878-80
STANDARD William 1880-81
FRIEND James Ive 1881-94
 
WEATHERHEAD Fanny 1891 Census
KIRBY George 1894-99
DORRELL John Gravland 1899-1906
 
REEVES James 1906-08
HOWLETT Walter 1908-17
NASH William 1917-18
DUNN Henry 1918-Mar/21 dec'd
SCRIVENS Walter Nov/1921-30
KENT
Florence Jane 1930
WILLIAMS Richard 1930-33
PRINCE Wm 1933-40
 
From the Pigot's Directory 1823
From the Pigot's Directory 1828-29
From the Pigot's Directory 1832-33-34
From the Pigot's Directory 1839
From the Pigot's Directory 1840
From Bagshaw Directory 1847
From Melville's Directory 1858
From the Post Office Directory 1862
From the Post Office Directory 1874
From the Post Office Directory 1882
From the Post Office Directory 1891
From the Post Office Directory 1903
From the Kelly's Directory 1903
From the Post Office Directory 1913
From the Post Office Directory 1922
From the Kelly's Directory 1934
From the Post Office Directory 1938
From More Bastions of the Bar by Easdown and Rooney
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