From the Deal, Walmer, and Sandwich Mercury, 19 October, 1872. 1d.

A BATCH OF DRUNKARDS

Thomas Tandy, labourer, was summoned by the Superintendent for being drunk and riotous in the street a little after midnight on Saturday last. Defendant pleaded guilty. Supt. Parker stated he was round visiting the men after midnight on Saturday last, and P.C. Pettet reported to him that there had been a disturbance at the top of Queen Street, but that he had dispersed the men. Whilst talking to the constable he heard a noise along West Street, and on proceeding there he found the defendant outside Mr. Hogben's, with only his trousers on. There was another man by the name of Wratten with him. He (the Supt.) asked defendant what was the matter, and he said he wanted to fight - he had been imposed upon, and he would fight with someone. The man Wratten wanted to get defendant home, but he started him off, and presently defendant's mother came and wanted to get her son home, but as the latter appeared disposed to go quietly with her he allowed him to do so.

Defendant said he was so drunk he did not know what he had done.

After a consultation, the Mayor said the Magistrates would not convict the defendant as he had pleaded guilty, and went home quietly with his mother when the police requested him to. He would therefore be let off this time upon payment of the costs, 6s. 6d.

The money was paid.

Thomas Wratten was then charged with being drunk and riotous in the public streets on Sunday afternoon. Defendant pleaded guilty.

P.C. Dixon said he was on duty last Sunday afternoon seeing that the public-houses were closed, and went to the "Hare and Hounds" about 20 minutes to three, and found several men inside standing at the bar. He saw no beer in front of them, however, and they all went out of the house as soon as he spoke to them, with the exception of the defendant, who was drunk, and wanted to fight with a man named Williams.

The Clerk said the Superintendent had wanted to summons the landlord of the "Hare and Hounds" also, but he (the Clerk) had thought the time at which the constable visited the house was as near to the time of closing that the difference might very easily be occasioned by the variation in the clocks - Mr. Grant, the landlord, said the men all turned out of the tap-room at half-past two, and he did not draw them anything after, although some of them almost offered him a shilling for a glass of beer. After they got out of the tap-room they stood at the bar and presently someone said, "Here comes a constable," to which he replied, "good job too, for you will go for him, perhaps." He never served Wratten with a spoonful of beer, as he was drunk, and he also ordered the other men not to let him have any.

Defendant who said he had a wife and family, promised that it should not occur again.

The mayor said he though the defendant might find a better way of spending his money than at a public house - in all these cases it was the wife and children who suffered.

The Magistrates having conferred together, the Mayor said they were of opinion that a distinction ought to be made in this and the previous case, and as the defendant Wratten had committed a greater offence than the other defendant he would be fined 10s., including costs, or in default would have to go to prison for seven days' hard labour.

A friend being found, the money was soon paid.

Edward Drury, another labourer, was summoned  for being drunk on the same afternoon, and was in fact found in the above public-house by P.C. Dixon. This defendant, it appeared, had been working during the morning at the tank for the new gasometer (Sunday work being necessitated on account of the water getting into the works.) He had a pint or two of beer during the morning on the works, and after he left he went to the "Hare and Hounds" where he had one more pint. The constable stated he was vary quiet, but as he went through the street rolling just as people were going to church, he thought it his duty to report him.

Defendant said he was not very drunk, and attributed the reeling principally to a weakness in one of his legs.

In answer to the Magistrates, Mr. Grant said the man appeared to be perfectly sober when he came into the house with his workmates, and he only had one pint of beer in his house.

The Magistrates took a lenient view of the case, and let the defendant off upon payment of the costs, 4s. 6d.

The bench further said it appeared the landlord had done all he could to conduct his house properly, but it could not be too generally known that the police had strict orders to see that all houses were properly closed, and that any landlord found guilty of serving an intoxicated person with drink would be punished.

The former "Hare and Hounds" in Western Road which has now been converted into housing, has a pedigree reaching back to at least the 1800s.

Its landlord in 1882 was listed as Richard Grant and by 1901 John Batt Annal was in residence.

He was followed by George Skinner in 1911, who was still there in 1938 and Victor Skinner, his son recalls that it was always a lively public house, with music and singing being a popular entertainment for its patrons.

He can remember playing the piano for sing-songs for locally-based soldiers who patronised the public house during the Second World War.

This public house was built in the style of an old fashioned coaching inn, with a balcony over the entrance and a stable yard at the rear; this establishment being owned by Messrs Fremlin's Faversham brewery.

There was another public house nearby. The "Jolly Gardener," on the corner of Cannon Row, as the upper portion of Cannon Street was then named. This was one of Messrs. Thompson & Sons Walmer brewery tied houses, although there was once certainly sufficient trade to keep both public houses in business.

The "Jolly Gardener" is obviously the younger building and does not appear in Kelly's directories. James Henry Fisher is listed as landlord in 1938.

Whereas the "Hare and Hounds" name may well refer to hare coursing which might have been undertaken on the sandhills many years ago, the name of the "Jolly Gardener" is obviously a reference to the extensive market gardening establishment which once flourished in this part of the town.

Many of them are now sadly swallowed up in the inexorable spread of housing estates along this portion of the Ancient Highway.

This building (Jolly Gardener) has been closed for a long time now and proposals for its use by the Deal and Walmer Churches Youth Project and as the North Deal Social Centre appear to have come to nothing.

Today there aren't so many Jolly Gardeners in the area to justify a brewery re-opening either of these establishments. (They were wrong there, open 2007+, Paul Skelton)

When Vic Skinner lived at the "Hare and Hounds," the old Deal Gas Works stood on the opposite side of Western Road, and during the evening a basket on the end of a rope would be thrown over the wall, containing a note and money.

Vic's father would collect this, load the basked with the requested items and give the rope a tug, after which again it would be hauled back again.

The workers on the night shift in the retort house would then be able to enjoy refreshments without leaving the site.