From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 11 August, 1905. Price 1d.

PUBLICAN'S SUDDEN DEATH

An inquest was held at the Town Hall on Tuesday afternoon to enquire into the death of Mr. Alfred Minter, whose wife on walking on Monday morning found him dead in bed beside her. The deceased was landlord of the “King Alfred” public house. Mr. G. Pearce was chosen foreman of the Jury, and the evidence was as follows:-

Mrs. Harriett Minter, living at the “King Alfred Inn,” said: The deceased is my husband, Alfred Minter, aged 59 years. He was alive on Sunday night when I went to bed about 11 o'clock. The deceased had gone to bed about 7 o'clock, and seemed more cheerful than he had been for a long time. When I went to bed at 11 he said he was all right, but in reply to my son he said that he would like a little brandy and water. At 4 o'clock in the morning I woke and found that my husband had fallen out of bed on to the floor, I called my son, and he helped to pick him up. The deceased, when back in bed, said, “I am all right now.” He had been poorly for a long time, and when we found him on the floor he was in a great perspiration. He afterwards lay on the bed as quiet as a lamb. I got back to bed and went to sleep again. When I woke again my husband was dead in bed beside me. I called my son and sent for the doctor.

The Coroner: Were you not alarmed at finding him on the floor?

Witness: Yes.

Coroner: Did you have to lift him in bed?

Witness: Yes.

Coroner: Is that usual?

Witness: No, he usually gets into bed himself.

Coroner: Did you no think it strange that you had to put him in?

Witness: Yes, but he told me he was all right, and after about half an hour I dropped off.

Coroner: Your husband was rather a heavy drinker?

Witness: Not lately.

Coroner: And a very little upset him?

Witness: Yes.

Witness further said: My husband was a mariner for 32 years. About four months ago he had a fit and bit his tongue whilst in the kitchen washing. We had Dr. Elliott and another doctor. His tongue had to be sewn up. He was not long bad, but Dr. Elliott said he had a heart disease and was dropsical. Deceased had had the house nine years.

The Coroner: Was he addicted to drink all that time?

Witness: No, only a few years back.

Charles Minter said: I was called up at 4 a.m. yesterday, by mother to pick up my father, who was lying on the floor beside their bed. I picked him up and laid him in bed. He could help himself about a bit, but not much. He said he was all right when we got him in bed. I thought he was all right then because we had been used to his falling about, and I did not think he was seriously ill. He was not suffering from the effects of liquor. He had only had two of brandy in a glass filled up with water at eleven o'clock, and this occurred at four o'clock. Dr. Elliott had attended him. He told me his heart was affected, his liver was gone, and he was dropsical. He has been a hard drinker all his life, but latterly he only drank three or four glasses of beer a day. He only used to stop up a short time every day. He was only up about 6 hours out of the 24. he used to eat heartily though, and the afternoon he died he had a good big pork chop and vegetables.

The Coroner: Did he seem any worse for that?

Witness: Oh no, he went a lay down after it, as he always did.

Witness said further: On Monday morning my sister was sent to call me by my mother at 7 o'clock. I went in their room and found father lying in bed, still. Mother asked me what I thought was the matter? I said, “He is dead; we had better get a doctor.” I then got some water and threw on his forehead, while we had sent for the doctor, who came in less than an hour, but he was quite dead.

The Coroner: Where has he fallen before?

Witness: From the bed. He had a fall while Dr. Elliott was attending him. He then hit his forehead and blacked it. He was a very heavy man.

Dr. A. A. Shillitoe, locam tenens for Dr. Elliott, said: I was sent for about 7 yesterday morning to go to this case. I found Minter had been dead a short time, the body being warm. There were no marks of violence except that his right eye was a little bruised. The features seemed placid, but his lips had gone blue. I saw that he had been suffering from dropsy. I think kidney disease affected his heart, and he had a clot formed on the brain causing apoplexy, which a hard drinking life would be likely to bring on. There are no signs of poison.
The Jury returned a verdict of death from natural causes in accordance with the medical evidence.

From the Dover Express. 1910.

Beaten with Fried Potatoes.

At Dover Police Court on Friday before the Mayor (Mr. Walter Emden) in the chair, Mr. J. L. Bradley and Mr. F. W. Prescott. John David Beatty labourer, of Adrian Street was summoned for assault by George Winifrith of the “King Alfred” Portland Place. Defendant pleaded not guilty. Complainant said defendant came into his house on Saturday February 12th and called for “two of ale.” As he was of the opinion that defendant had sufficient drink he refused to serve him. Defendant thereupon threw a paper with some fried potatoes at witness and they struck him in the face. Defendant complained that he was summoned for “assaulting and beating” prosecutor. How could he beat him if he did not touch him?

The Clerk; yes you can you could beat him with a stick, in this case you beat him with fried potatoes. (Laughter.)

Complainant called his son who corroborated his evidence. Defendant read a statement in defence to the magistrates. He said he went into complainant's house on the 7th inst. called for a drink and laid three pence on the counter. Complainant's son was in the bar and complainant himself was in a room at the side of the bar. Complainant came out and put three pence in his right hand pocket but refused to serve witness with any drink. On the 12th February witness again went back into the King Alfred and as soon as he got inside the door complainant said “You will get no -------- beer here tonight” As a matter of fact witness wanted some ginger ale but complainant refused to serve him.

He said if complainant did not serve him he should expose him by telling people how he induced soldiers to break out of barracks and served them beer. When complainant refused to allow him to have any drink defendant lost his temper and slammed his fried potatoes on the counter and some of them might have hit complainant.

The chief constable proved two charges against defendant. On May 14th he was brought up on a charge of drunkenness but dismissed. On December 24th he was taken in custody on a charge of stealing a bushel basket and some onions but the Bench took a lenient view of the case and bound defendant over in the sum of £5 to be of good behaviour and come up for judgement if called upon.

The magistrates retired for a few minutes and on their return the Mayor said that they had come to the conclusion that the assault was committed. They were exceedingly sorry to find that defendant although he had been treated by the Bench quite recently in an extremely lenient manner did not seem to regard the fact that he was bound on his honour to be on good behaviour. He seemed to think that as soon as he had been dealt with he was free to go on making further trouble. As they did not intend to encourage that sort of thing the magistrates who bound defendant over would have the facts of the present case put before them and as far as the Bench that day were concerned he would go to prison for 14 days.

Information kindly supplied by Joyce Banks.

From the Dover Express, Friday 9 January, 1914

SCENE AT A PUBLIC HOUSE

At the Dover Police Court on Monday before Capt. R. B. Cay, R.N. (in the chair), and Mr. Edward Chitty.

James Mills of Bowling Green Hill, labourer, was charged with wilfully breaking a plate glass window in the bar of "The King Alfred," Portland Place, by throwing a jug through it, doing damage to the amount of £3 7s. 6d., the property of Mr. George Winnifrith.

Mr. G. Winnifrith, landlord of the "King Alfred," Portland Place, said: About 7 p.m. on Saturday the prisoner came to my bar. He was sober and I served him. He had an argument with a young woman, who was present, and I refused to serve him again. As he was leaving the house he threw a water jug through the front bar window, saying that he would get locked up now.

Capt Cay: Was it intended for the window or the girl? - For the window.

Mr. F. Hadlow, glazier, estimated the cost of replacing the plate glass window, which was 68¼ inches by 58¾ inches at £3 7s. 6d.

P.C. Harvey said: On Saturday, about 7.10 p.m. whilst on duty in Worthington Street Mr. Winnifrith's son made a complaint to me in consequence of which I went to 6, Bowling Green Hill, where I saw the prisoner. I said "You know what I want you for," and he replied "Yes." At the Police Station he was charged, and said that he would own up to breaking the window. He was not sober.

Prisoner said that it was not done intentionally. He took up the jug to throw at his sister, and, as he took it up, it flew out of his hand.

The Chief Constable said that prisoner had been fined for common assault and for poaching. He did but little work. A woman of loose character had gone to live with him. When Mr. Winnifrith's son came to the Police Station to charge the prisoner he was very much under the influence of drink. He did not know whether Mr. Winnifrith had been served on his own premises, and, thinking that serious trouble might arise, he had the house visited, and it was found that the son was in charge and that Mr. Winnifrith, sen. had gone to bed. He had no evidence to put before the Bench or he should have had to report the matter for a summons against the landlord. He had taken steps to acquaint the owner of the premises of the man's conduct, and had told Mr. Winnifrith that morning of his intentions. He knew that it was a difficult house as it was in a difficult neighbourhood, and he thought that it was a domestic worry that was the cause of the trouble.

Prisoner, in reply to the Clerk, said that he could not pay a fine.

The Chairman said that he hoped prisoner would take the pledge. England's greatest enemy was drink, and nothing but drink. Prisoner would go to Canterbury for a month with hard labour.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 6 February, 1914. Price 1d.

DOVER LICENSING SESSIONS KING ALFRED

The Chief Constable said that in the case of the “King Alfred,” Portland Place, the owners were Messrs. George beer and Co., of Canterbury, and the present tenant was Mr. P. Winnifrith. It was transferred to him on June 4th, 1909, and the previous changes were in 1905, 1906, and 1907. the rateable value was £19 gross and £15 5s. net. The nearest houses were the “Marquis of Waterford,” Union Row, 118 yards; the “Greyhound,” Union Row, 126 yards; The “Cause is Altered,” Queen Street, 140 yards; and the “Five Alls,” Market Street, 150 yards.

Inspector Lockwood said that he visited the house on the 22nd January, at 10 a.m. and there were no customers; again, at 3.15 p.m. on the 24th, with the same result; on the 27th, at 6.35 p.m., there were two customers; and at 8.50 p.m. on the 30th, eight customers.

The licence was referred to the County Compensation Committee at Canterbury for the purpose of consideration for compensation.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, 5 December, 1952.

DURHAM HILL FLATS.

The first block of flats at Durham Hill, are nearing completion. They are nearest to Bowling Green Terrace, and at right-angles, facing Military Road, another block is under way. Tenders for a third block have just been accepted.