Kentish Gazette, 15 April 1851.

EAST KENT SESSION.

George White, 30, convicted of having, on the 5th of April stolen a cloth, two pieces of meat, and a piece of liver the property of Robert Bean, at Ashford.

G. Barns deposed of having seen the prisoner go out of the "Fountain" public-house, Ashford, with the articles stolen.

A Constable of Ashford said, he went to the "Saracens Head Tap," and was told by the landlady that prisoner was a "good-for-nothing fellow," and had brought the articles there, but did not say whether for sale or not.

Prisoner, in defence, said he was requested by a man unknown to him, to take the goods to the "Saracens Head Tap," which he did, but found no owner.

Two weeks' hard labour, and once whipped.

Kentish Gazette, 10 February 1857.

ASHFORD.

At the Petty Sessions on the 7th inst., before J. B. Wildman, Esq., chairman, H. W. Carter, Esq., M.D., H. K. Hugesson, Esq., Jas. L. Wildman, Esq., and the Rev. N. Toke, the following cases were heard:

The landlord of the "Fountain," public house, Ashford, was again fined 40s. and costs for permitting drunkenness and disorderly conduct in his house on the 26th of December last.

South Eastern Gazette, 9 September, 1862.

Licences.

This was the annual licensing day. The landlords of the "Marlborough," "New Inn," and "Fountain," all in Ashford, were cautioned by the bench respecting their allowing prostitutes to assemble in their houses.

Kentish Gazette, 05 April 1864.

The remanded case of pot stealing.

Thomas Finn and George Webb, the two young men remanded from Thursday on a charge of steering a pewter pot, value 2s., the property of Mr. Joseph Pomfret, landlord of the "Fountain Inn," Ashford, on the night of the 24th of March last, were again brought up.

The parties pleading drunkenness, and was sentenced to be imprisoned for 21 days with hard labour.

Kentish Gazette 05 December 1865.

ASHFORD PETTY SESSIONS. THE FELONY AT THE FOUNTAIN.

Frederick Sinclair, a travelling hat-cleaner, belonging to Kennington, Surrey, who had been staying at Ashford for some time past, was brought up in custody, charged with stealing a flat iron and a quantity of knives and forks, the property of Mr. Samuel Brown, the new landlord of the "Fountain Inn," Ashford.

It appeared that on November 23rd the "Fountain Inn" changed hands, and that an appraisement took place between the incoming and outgoing tenants. The articles were placed out on the tables, and the house was in considerable confusion. The defendant had been lodging at the rear of the inn for some days, and took advantage of the confusion to place the articles he was charged with stealing in his bundle, and leave the town. They were, however, missed, and information having been given to Superintendent Dewar, he went in pursuit, and apprehended the prisoner at Hamstreet, with the articles in his possession.

The prisoner was further charged with stealing a hat, value 4s. 6d., the property of Mr. Joseph Pomfret, the late landlord of the "Fountain." It appeared that Mr. Joseph Pomfret had hung his hat up in the bar, and the prisoner took it down, telling the waiting woman who saw him with it, that he was going to clean it. The hat was also recovered by Superintendent Dewar, and identified by Mr. Pomfret.

The Bench convicted the prisoner, and sentenced him to six weeks' imprisonment with hard labour for each offence - three months in all.

From the Southeastern Gazette, 23 January 1866 Ashford CC 2.bmp"

County Court.

This court was held on Monday, before C. Harwood, Esq. Moat of the cases were undefended.

Emma Brightwell v. Samuel Brown.

In this case a servant girl sued the landlord of the “Fountain Inn,” Ashford, for a week’s wages, and also to recover possession of a box of clothes, valued at £4. The girl, it appeared, was only engaged by the week, and wishing to leave her place, gave Mrs. Brown notice on a Friday to leave on the following Wednesday. Mrs. Brown said she should not leave before the Friday, and she now said that the girl ought to have stopped till the following Wednesday. The girl had left them on the Friday night, whereupon Mrs. Brown refused to pay her her wages for the last week and two days, and also refused to give up her box.

The Judge ordered the box to be given up, but the poor girl lost her week's wages and the costs, being unable to remember what day of the month the Friday fell upon.

From the Southeastern Gazette, 16 January 1866

Accident by Burning.

On Tuesday last, a little girl, three years and a half old, was seriously burnt. She is the daughter of a widow woman named Pluck, who resides with her father, the landlord of the “George and Dragon” public-house. At about five o’clock in the evening, the child was left upstairs alone, for a few moments, and got hold of a candle which had been left burning there, and the poor little thing must have let it fall upon her pinafore. Her clothes were found in flames, and before these could be extinguished she had been seriously burned about the arms and throat. Mr. Bishop was soon in attendance, and hopes were entertained that the child’s life would be spared.

From the Southeastern Gazette, 6 February 1866.

Magisterial Business, Monday. (Before W. P. Burra,  Esq.)

A respectably-dressed young man, named Jacobs, by trade a blacksmith, was brought up on a charge of robbing a gentleman staying at Ashford of a gold chain and locket, a purse contain­ing about 15s., and other articles. The complainant, Theophilus John Holes, by his own evidence, was very drunk on the even­ing of Friday, and met the prisoner in the street while in that state. He knew he had chain, locket, and purse safe about five o’clock, but he did not appear to know much further what took place until the next morning, when he found himself in bed at the “Queen’s Head Inn,” and all his property gone. It appeared from other evidence that the prisoner brought Mr. Holes to the “Queen's Head,” about eleven o'clock, and engaged a bed for them both, and that he took the complainant upstairs, and came down in twenty minutes and went out, saying he would return in a short time. He did not come back, but it was shown that he went to the “Fountain,” and treated a prostitute, named Harriet Watson, with brandy, flourishing a purse of, money, and displaying a gold chain. He was drinking afterwards with the same woman at the “British Flag,” and appeared to be intoxicated. He wanted the landlord to buy the chain and locket, but this was declined. Afterwards he went to the house of Watson, and she, with another notorious character called “Blackey Top,” it seemed, plundered him of all he had about him, and then threw him out of doors. The locket and chain had not been found.

The prisoner, in defense, said Mr. Holes gave him the articles to take care of.

The magistrate dismissed the ease, observing that no jury would convict upon the evidence, and that the affair was most discreditable to Mr. Holes.

From the Southeastern Gazette, 5 June 1866.

Petty Sessions, Saturday. (Before Sir N. J. Knatchbull:. Bart., G.. E. Sayer, Esq., and Major Groves).

Richard Walter Brown made application to have the license of the “Fountain Inn” transferred to him from Joseph Pomfret. Brown has been in the house six months, selling under Pomfret’s license, and during that time complaints have been made of the way in which the house has been conducted. A complaint was now preferred against Brown of having obstructed P.C. Walter in the execution of his duty. It appeared that on Whit-Monday night Walter was ordered to visit the house by Supt. Dewar, and that as he was going to an upstairs room Brown asked him what he wanted, and told him he should not go in, but that he must stop outside, and ask him if he wanted anything. He further threatened to kick the constable out.

The Bench, after a long investigation, refused the license.