From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday 14 February, 1890.

FAILURE OF A BETTING MAN

At the Canterbury Bankruptcy Court on Friday last, before Mr. Registra Furley, Frank E. Newstead, licensed victualler, Dover, came up for examination.

The debts were £946, deficiency £640. The debtor in answer to Mr. Mowll, Official Receiver, said he commenced business with a capital of £600, none of which he had paid back. Mr. Marley, from whom he borrowed, had transacted betting commissions for him. He attributed his failure to false representation made of the trade of the “Criterion” before he took it. He went to Doncaster and bet there, losing about £200 or £300. He never acted as agent for Mr. Marley. He backed horses, but made no books, only “punted.” Mr. Mowll said betting was a complicated business, which to their innocent minds was a difficulty to understand. Debtor answered several questions about Mr. Marley in a curious way, the Registrar saying he did not believe a word of this part of the story, Mr. Mowll fully endorsing this. Debtor further said that since 1882 he had been carrying on this betting business. He should say £2,000 or £3,000 or under £5,000 passed through his hands in 1888. he went to the bad in 1889. He was in the army as a private in the 6th Dragoon Guards, and left in 1885 or 1886 after eight years' service. He was transferred to the Reserve and bought his discharge. His right name was Frank Euston Crick, but he enlisted as E. Newstead, as that was the name the Recruiting Sergeant thought he gave him. There was nothing he wished to hide about it. The piano which was at the “Criterion” was moved away in December to Mr. Saville, a tobacconist, as part discharge of his debt. This was at his (debtor's) suggestion. After a most exhaustive enquiry as to betting transactions, the case was adjourned for three weeks.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday 7 March, 1890.

A DOVER BANKRUPT

Frank Newstead, until recently the landlord of the “Criterion,” Last Lane, came up for examination before the Registrar at Canterbury on Friday. He was unable to produce any accounts. He said that when he received money, he put it in his pockets, and went out and spent it. He is to file as good an account as he can.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 24 January, 1890. Price 1d.

FIRE AT THE CRITERION

On Monday morning about 3 o'clock, a fire occurred at the “Criterion,” public-house, Last Lane. The outbreak originated in the cellar amongst some firewood, into which it is supposed a match was dropped by accident. The fire was drawn by the air up the passage and stairs, and when the alarm was given, two men who were in the upper rooms were unable to get down. P.C. Davis Cook who was in charge of the fire escape, immediately brought it round, and the two men got on the roof and descended. The hose reel was brought into play within a few minutes, and in about an hour the fire was completely extinguished. Considerable damage was done to the premises, especially the passages and staircase.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 6 March, 1890. Price 1d.

STABBING CASE

Leonard Johnson, a seaman on board the “Vingolf,” was charged with stabbing William Hammond, with a knife in Union Street.

In reply to the charge, the prisoner said he never had a knife.

Matthew Hammond said he was a seaman on board H.M.S. Imperieuse, now on the China Station. He was at home on furlough, staying at 14, Paradise Place. He said: Yesterday afternoon, I was out with a comrade named Abbott at the “Phoenix Music Hall.” I left there at ten, stopped at the “Criterion” till eleven, and then was going home. I saw a crowd at York Passage, I passed down the passage into Union Street, some sailors came down the passage just after us and passed me in Union Street, appearing to be going on board their ship, with the crown following them. They turned on the crowd, and there was a cry “they have got their knives out.” I took no notice, as I was walking along the pavement and did not suppose they would interfere with us, my companion cried “look out” and dodged, and I felt the knife going up my shoulder. I looked round and saw Johnson with the knife in his hand. I called my companion away and said I was stabbed. The Police hearing that I was stabbed asked me if I could pick out the man whom I was with the knife. They brought three men, and I picked out Johnson. I came to the Police Station with the Constable, and then went to the hospital to have my wound dressed. They would not dress it, and I went to the Police Surgeon's, but as he was not home I had my wound dressed by Dr. Wood, at the Police Station.

In reply to the prisoner: I am sure this was the man who stabbed me. He was the only man near to me with a knife in his hand.

Charles Abbot, a coal porter for the London, Chatham and Dover Company, said that in passing the sailors in Union Street, he saw a crowd and two Policeman there. The sailors who were Norwegians passed us, and were going towards their ship. The sailors were not making much noise; it was the crowd behind them. The sailors turned round on the crowd and followed the crowd right up to the “Barley Mow.” Somebody shouted “look out they have got their knives.” I said to my companion “look up,” and slewed round, and I saw the prisoner strike the last witness with a knife. It was a sheath knife which they wear in their belts. I saw the gleam of the knife in the gas light. I tried to throw the prisoner, but he was too quick for me. He ran aboard the ship. Hammond said he would not inform on the man who stabbed him, but a gentleman in the crowd said “If you do not tell, I shall have the man arrested.” The prisoner was then picked out, and he was brought forward, having a marlinspike in his hand, with a strap attached to it curled around his wrist. He would not come forward when called, so we closed on him. We all three fell over an anchor, and I managed to get the marlinspike off his wrist while we were on the ground. I am quite sure he is the man.

Police-sergeant Nash said: At a quarter-past eleven on Wednesday evening, I heard a great noise in Union Street. I went there and saw two artillerymen walking backwards with their belts in their hands, and several sailors confronting them, some with knives and some with marlinspikes in their hands. The prisoner was one of them, and I saw a knife in his hand. I went between the soldiers and sailors, and said, “Now, now; what is all this about?” I put my hand on the prisoner's shoulder, and said, “Put your knife away,” and I said to the others, “Put your knives all away.” They lowered their knives, but still kept them in their hands. I asked if anyone had interfered with them, and one of them replied, “You make these soldiers go away.” I had blown my whistle, and Police-constables Hughes and Scutt came up. We then got the sailors close to the side of their ship and left them there. Abbott then told me that a man had been stabbed. We then turned towards the ship, when we met the prisoner and two others coming towards Union Street. The prisoner had the marlinspike in his hand. Abbott identified the prisoner as the man who stabbed Hammond, and we arrested him, falling over some anchors doing it.

Police-constable Scott said: I saw the prisoner apprehended. Just before he was taken into custody I saw another foreign sailor take the sheath knife out of the prisoner's hand, and I took it from the sailor's hand.

Dr. Charles Wood said he was called to the Police Station, at 12.30, to see the sailor Hammond. He had a clean cut wound in his back about an inch and a quarter long, on the right side of his back, below the shoulder, and about a third of an inch deep. Only the skin and muscles had been pierced. His clothes had corresponding cuts opposite the wound. There is n o element of danger.

The prisoner having been cautioned, said: I went on board intending to go to sleep, and after turning in I heard a noise on the quay. We went up to see, what the noise was for and I took the marlinspike with me. One of the other sailors had the knife and went on shore first. We went up towards the soldiers. The soldiers went away, and in going towards the ship, I fell over an anchor, and the Police took hold of me because I had the marlinspike in my hand.

The prisoner was committed for trial at the Quarter Sessions in April.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 11 July, 1890. Price 1d.

PUBLIC HOUSE CHANGES

Mr. Thomas Golding was granted permission to draw at the “Criterion.”

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday 25 January, 1895. Price 1d.

PUBLIC HOUSE PROSECUTION

Thomas Goulding, landlord of the “Criterion” public-house, Last Lane, was summonsed for keeping his house open during prohibited hours – to wit, 35 minutes pas 11 of 5th January last, and Charles Johnson and William Spratt, were summoned for being on the premises after prohibited hours.

Johnson did not appear.

Mr. E. W. Knocker appeared for the prosecution on behalf of the police; and Mr. M. Mowll appeared for the defendant who pleaded “Not Guilty.”

Police-constable Riley said: I was on duty in Last Lane on Saturday the 5th inst., about 11.30, and I met P.C. Groombridge close to the door of the “Criterion.” I found the door wide open and we both went in. While we were standing outside we heard someone talking inside, and we found the landlord, Spratt, and a man named Johnson in front of the bar, and the landlady behind. I asked Spratt and Johnson what there were doing there, and they said they were there as the landlord's friends. There were three glasses containing liquor on the counter in front of the three defendant's, and several empty glasses. The landlady said without my asking that there had been no liquor drawn since eleven o'clock. I asked Spratt and Johnson for their names, and they gave them.

Mr. Mowll addressed the Bench for the defence, and said the Magistrates, after hearing the evidence put before them by him, would come to the conclusion that the licensing laws had not been infringed.

He called, Thomas Goulding, who said: I keep the “Criterion” public-house, Last Lane. I have kept the house six years, and there has been no complaints against the house. On Saturday 5th January I turned everyone out at ten minutes past eleven. I had been playing billiards up till closing time with Mr. Todd, the Excise Officer. My wife called in a neighbour, Mrs. Johnson, to see the baby who was ill, and they went upstairs together. After she had gone upstairs I stood by the door waiting for Mr. Johnson, and I stopped him and told him his wife was inside. He stood in the doorway taking, and while we were there Mr. Spratt cam up and joined in the conversation. As it was a cold night we went inside until Johnson's wife was ready, the door being left wide open. Neither Spratt not Johnson had anything to drink in my house.

The Bench after some deliberation, decided to dismiss the case.

Dover Express 03 September 1926.

FIRE AT PUBLIC-HOUSE.

On Monday morning, about 11, a fire broke out at the "Criterion" public-house, Last Lane. The hose reel from Queen Street, in charge of several firemen, was taken there, but not used. The fire was found to be in the rafters of the roof of the back room, a single storey. The burning portion was cut away and the fire extinguished with buckets of water, the premises being left safe at noon. The fire was due to a quantity of paper being burnt against the wall of the house next door, the flames going up the wall and catching the roof.

Dover Express, Friday 10 February 1933.

Dover Brewster sessions.

Inspector Leeming, in regard to the "Criterion," said that 10 visits showed a total of 20 customers. The present licensee was manager, and there had been five changes since 1928.

Mr. Jennings said that it was really five changes since 1908. Two of the changes have been due to ill health. It was a good house, and one they desired to retain. For the last 10 years they had spent £80 a year on it. The figures of trade done showed that from 269 barrels and 110 gallons of whisky in 1926 it dropped to 144 barrels and 50 gallons in 1931, and 89 barrels and 173 gallons of spirits last year. The increase in the consumption of spirits was in accordance with the experience of all their other houses - that as the tax on beer increase the sales dropped, and that of spirits increased. The trade of the house had been affected by the changes, and they had placed the manager there to get it right again before letting it again.

Mr. Mowll said that if the Magistrates could not see from the figures that there was a living from the two houses he would be surprised. It was unfortunate that they should both belong to the same firm, and it would be surprising if there were not other houses in Dover doing less trade than these. In regards to the "Star," what was the position of the licensee? There was the announcement that the conviction against the last tenant was not to count against the house, and upon that the new licensee put down his money and went in. They had hardly got in when he received a notice that the house was not required. This famous house should not be closed because it was not doing quite the trade it used to.

In regard to the "Criterion," it has suffered somewhat in the last few years from changes, but it was very much desired that it should be continued. Of course, they had nothing to do with the beer tax, but if Mr. Jennings' diagnosis was correct, it was regrettable, for it was very much better that the public should drink beer rather than spirits. But the beer tax was only part of the emergency measures that the government felt obliged to impose to meet the national crisis, and he suggested that it would be very wrong to seize upon the moment when the trade of a house was bad because of the emergency legislation to say that was the time to sweep away the licence and to pay compensation on a lower basis because of reduced trade.

The Magistrates, after some discussion, voted by means of a sheet of paper, and the announcement was made that both houses ("Star") would be referred.

Dover Express 5th July 1946.

TOWN, PORT & GARRISON.

There will be a reunion for the P.W.V. 1st Bn South Lancs Regt. at the “Criterion” on 18th July.