From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 9 January, 1874. Price 1d.

TRANSFERS

The license of the "Plough" was transferred from Edward Fry to Thomas Back.- The Bench cautioned Back to be careful. There had been complaints against the house, and a conviction.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 6 March, 1874. Price 1d.

IN LIQUIDATION, DOVER, KENT

Important sale of an old-established and well-arranged BREWERY, together with 13 Freehold and Leasehold Public and Beer-houses, a Private Residence, Malt-house, Stabling, &c.

WORSFOLD, HAYWARD, & Co. Have received instructions from the Trusteee of the Estate of Mr. G. S. Page (in liquidation by arrangement, in connection with the Mortgagees, to Sell by Auction, at the “Royal Oak Hotel,” Dover, on Tuesday, 24th March, 1874, at three o'clock precisely, in one or right lots, the following important and Valuable Property.

LOT 8.

Five fully licensed Public-houses, all situate in the Borough of Dover, comprising the “Lion,” Elizabeth Street, the “Sportsman,” Charlton Green, the “Northampton Arms,” Northampton Street, the “Three Compasses,” Finnis' Hill, and the “Spotted Cow,” Durham Place. Also two good beer-houses, the “Plough,” Laurestone Place, and the “Hope and Anchor,” Blucher Row. These houses are held upon leases having from 12 to 20 years to run, and present at first-rate opportunity to any brewer wishing to open or extend a connection in Dover.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 23 March, 1877. Price 1d.

BURGLARY AT LAURESTONE PLACE

Thomas Wilson and Robert Taylor, privates in the 6th Regiment, were charged wilfully and unlawfully breaking into a house, known as the “Plough Inn,” at Laurestone Place, and stealing there-from several articles of wearing apparel and a money till, with contents.

Thomas Back said: I keep the “Plough,” at Laurestone Place. I am a town porter. Last night I closed the house at eleven o'clock. I locked the door and saw that all was fast. The till was locked, and I took the key with me. There were two shillings in silver and four or five shillings worth of copper in the till. I went to bed at a quarter-past eleven. I did not hear any noise during the night. I had a lodger in the house – a Mr. George Castle. He got up in the morning, about a quarter to six. After he had been down stairs a few minutes, he came up to me, and in consequence of what he told me I dressed and went down stairs. I first went to the back door which is partly glass. I had bolted the door top and bottom. It was still fastened as I had left it the night before. The two panes of glass were broken out and part of the frame gone. The piece of frame now produced I found lying outside. There were six or eight squares of glass in the door. A man could put his arm through where the glass was broken and get at the bolts. The door was not locked as the lock is damaged. When I saw that damage, I looked about he place to see what was gone. I missed a jacket that was hanging on a peg in the kitchen, one pair of shoes which were in the kitchen, and one cap from a peg in the kitchen. I went through into the bar and found the till was pulled out and taken away. That produced is the same. There were marks of a gimlet and a knife. There was a knife and a gimlet, which belonged to me, lying on the counter. A pair of scissors were lying on a beer barrel which were left in a workbox the previous evening. I have since searched amongst my things and missed seven collars, six handkerchiefs, three aprons, and a small hymn book. The things were rolled up in a blue handkerchief, and laid upon a shelf. I don't know any of the prisoners. The things are worth about 35s. The three coats that the prisoners are wearing, and the shirt that Wilson has on are mine. The coats were hanging in the kitchen and the shirt rolled up in the bundle.

George Castle said: I am a gardener in the employment of Mr. Wheeler. I lodge at the “Plough Inn” with Mr. Back. I went to bed on Thursday night about a quarter-past eleven, the same time as Mr. Back. I saw him fasten up the house and bolt the back door. I did not hear anything during the night. I went down stairs first the next morning, about a quarter-past six. When I got down I noticed a great draught and saw two panes of glass broken in the back door. I saw it was bolted. I went to look for my hat, which had been left in the kitchen the night before, and could not find it. I went upstairs to see if I had taken it up there and I called Mr. Back. We then went down into the kitchen and I missed two pairs of boots belonging to me, and I noticed the coats belonging to Mr. Back were gone. I afterwards looked into the bar and the till had been taken away, and I called Mr. Back the second time. I am quite sure the back door was bolted last night before and there were no panes of glass broken. The shoes and hat produced are mine and a pair of boots that are on prisoner Wilson are mine. The value of those things is 10s.

Police-sergeant Johnstone said: In consequence of information I received, I went to the “Plough Inn” on Friday morning about half-past seven with the prosecutor who had been to the Police-station. I went to the back door and found two broken panes of glass and part of the frame broken. I went into the bar and saw the till was gone. There was a round hole as thought he wood had been pierced and part of the wood cut off where the till had been fastened. The landlord handed to me the gimlet, knife, and a pair of scissors now produced. I compared the gimlet with the hole and found it corresponded. I then went up to the top of Laurestone Place as far as Mr. Chignell's garden. I looked over the fence and found the till, three handkerchiefs, three cotton aprons, and seven linen collars. I also found at the same place one soldier's belt, belonging to the 6th Regiment, the number on the inside of the fastening is 2.6-386; two red tunics, “H. Taylor” and number 736 on the collar of one, and only the numbers on the other; one pair of regimental trousers, 2309; two Glengarry caps, 736 on one and 2369 on the other; and one pair of regimental gloves. Yesterday Mr. back identified the articles which are now produced and castle identified his things.

Sergeant Denby, of the 6th Regiment, stationed at Dover, said: The two prisoners belonged to my company. They were absent on Thursday night without leave and did not return until brought back by the Police on Saturday, dressed as they are now, and not in uniform. The articles of regimental clothing produced I identify as belonging to the two prisoners.

Police-constable Cadman said: On Friday, by the direction of the Superintendent of Police, I went to Deal, and there communicated with the Police. In company with a Deal Policeman, I went in search of the prisoners and found them in the “Queen's Arms” public-house at Deal. They were dressed as they are now. The prisoner Taylor was wearing the cap and Wilson the hat produced. The Deal Policeman charged them with being deserters from the 6th Regiment and they answered him “We are.” I saw them searched and the things produced were found on Wilson. They were charged before the magistrates at Deal for being deserters, and I and the Deal Police-officer brought them over to Dover. I then charged them with the offence for which they are now being tried. They made no reply to that charge. The tunics which had been found were shown to them and they each selected their own. They were wearing the coats and shoes they now have on and had the white handkerchief produced tied round their necks.

The Superintendent said there had been another charge against the prisoners for stealing a pair of trousers next door but the parties would not prosecute.

The Bench committed the prisoners for trial at the forthcoming Assizes.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday 18 October, 1878

PUBLIC HOUSE OFFENCE

Thomas Back and Patrick Ganagan were summoned on the information of Superintendent Sanders, the former for keeping his house, the “Plough Inn,” open during prohibited hours, and the latter for being on the premises.

Police-constable Corry said: On Sunday morning, in company with Police-constable Baker, I saw two men go up to Laurestone Place and I followed them. In the bend of the road I lost sight of them, and when I got up as far as the “Plough,” I went up a side passage and found a man there. I pushed past him and went into the yard, and on my right I saw Ganagan standing with something under his arm. I pulled his coat aside and found a pint pot containing beer which he drank. When I tried the front door it was slammed in my face. I went into the bar and saw the landlord and landlady clearing things off the counter or bar. I called the landlord's attention to it, and he said he had not sold it. I then saw the defendant off the premises.

Police-constable baker gave corroborative evidence.

Thomas Back, the defendant said: I am a town porter. I have kept this house five years. I went to my duty on Sunday morning about twenty minutes to nine, and I came back about half-past ten. I went out the back door. On returning I bolted the back door, and some time after I heard a noise in the back yard and a tap at the door. I let Corry in, when he asked me what the men were doing drinking on my premises, and I said I was not aware of it. He then entered the house and looked round, and turned back and went to the yard where the man was. I asked the man where he got the beer from, and he said an old man gave it him.

Defendant Ganagan said he only went into the back yard.

The Bench discharged Ganagan.

Superintendent Sanders gave the house a bad character, and the Bench endorsed the license and fined Back 32 and 11s. 6d. costs.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 5 October, 1888. Price 1d.

APPLICATION

Mr. Hatton Brown, applied on behalf of John Gray, for the license of the “Plough Inn,” Lauristone Place, to be transferred from Margaret Keogh, to Mr. Gray.

The Bench granted the application.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 5 June, 1891. Price 1d.

OWNERSHIP OF PUBLIC HOUSES

To the Editor of the “Dover Express”

SIR,- As you may have thought that Mr. Dillon, in his speech at the Town Hall, when speaking of a clergyman owning a public-house, alluded to me, which he tells me is not the case, will you kindly insert the following explanation of my position as the owner of public-house property? I had long come to the conclusion that the “Plough,” which is near my house, was unnecessary as a public-house, and that it would be better if it were closed. It came into the market two or three years ago, and I bought it with a view of closing it; but I was hampered by the fact that I had bought it subject to a brewer's lease, which does not expire until next year. I should never have bought the house but for my desire to close it as a public-house as soon as I could. I bought it as a public house, therefore I knew that I should lose my purchase whether I let it as a dwelling house or sold it as such.

I am, &c.,

F. A. Hammond.

Lauriston House, Dover,

June 4th, 1891.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 5 June, 1891. Price 1d.

APPLICATION

On the application of Mr. Spain, permission to draw at the “Plough,” Laureston Place, was given to Mr. George Alfred Ford.