Kentish Gazette, 10 August, 1774.

As a wagon, loaded with wood, was passing by the sign of the "George" at Ashford, about 11 o'clock on Thursday morning last, one Mr. Beeching an old man of that town, having a child in his arms, about a year old, belong into the master of the "George," in crossing the road accidentally fell between the fore and hind wheels of the wagon, which running over the breast of the man and head of the child killed them both on the spot.

The Coroner's Inquest sat on the bodies yesterday, and brought in their verdict Accidental Death.

They fined the owner of the wheel 10 shillings.

From the Kentish Gazette, 11 January 1781.

PUBLIC HOUSE TO BE LET.

And entered upon immediately.

All that very desirable and good accustomed house, known by the sign of the "George" at Ashford.

It will suffice to say that the terms are reasonable , the trade considerable, and the situation remarkably healthy.

Only persons of Character, and some property, will be attended to.

For further particulars apply to Thomas Fenner at Canterbury, or Thomas Flint at Ashford.

Canterbury, July 7, 1871.

Kentish Gazette 3 January 1800.

ASHFORD.

WM PILCHER returns his sincere thanks to his friends and the public in general, for the very liberal support he has experienced from them during his residence at the "Red Lion;" begs leave to inform them he is removed to the "GEORGE INN," in Ashford where he hopes his strict attention to their accommodation will merit their future support.

Dec 30, 1799.

Kentish Gazette 12 January 1819.

Melancholy Accident.

On Tuesday the 15th December last, as Mr. Samuel Smith, junior, shoemaker, of Smeeth, was passing from the yard of the "George," Ashford, to the tap, he unfortunately opened the door of the seller which is just by and fell to the bottom, when he received so dreadful of blow upon his head that although surgical assistants was immediately procured it was of no avail and the vital spark at left; he was in the 45th year, and has left a widow and eight children to lament the loss of an affectionate husband and attended father.

Kentish Gazette, 13 February 1849.

DEATH.

Rogers:— At Ashford, Feb 2. Mr. John Rogers, aged 83, formerly baker, and brother of Mr. Rogers, of the "George Inn."

Kentish Gazette, 31 August 1852.

DEATH.

Rogers:— Aug 23, much respected, Mr. James Rogers, nearly forty years landlord of the "George Inn," Ashford, in the 73rd year of his age.

Kentish Gazette, 14 December 1852.

Marriage.

Rogers - Child:— Dec. 1, at Trinity church, Islington, Mr. Charles Rogers, of the "George Hotel," Ashford, to Emma, eldest daughter of Mr. Henry Child, of Edgeware, Middlesex.

Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, 9 April 1870.

SAD DEATH OF A COMMERCIAL GENTLEMAN AT ASHFORD.

On Friday afternoon last an inquest was held at the "George Inn," before T. T. Delasaux, Esq, on the body of John Seer Skeai, a gentleman who travelled for a hat and cap making firm, in which he was a partner. The deceased was a stout, handsome man, and was well known by every tradesman in his line of business in this part of the country. He came from Dover on Wednesday, and Mr. Bennett, a hatter there, had written to his partner, Mr. Western, mentioning that he had noticed a strange peculiarity in the deceased's manner when he called upon him. Mr. Stedman was chosen foreman of the jury and the following evidence was taken:—

Edwin Head deposed: I am boots at the "George Hotel." I saw deceased last Wednesday evening at eleven o'clock, when he went to bed. He seemed perfectly sensible, and was quite sober. I had seen him during the day, and did not notice anything particular in his manner. I called him at seven o'clock the next morning by his direction. I knocked at his door; he did not answer, but appeared to be snoring. I let him lay and went down.

I knocked at his door again at eight o'clock, and he did not answer, and I went down again and returned at nine I then went into his room. I found him lying in bed; he was snoring and appeared insensible.

I called him by his name but he did not answer. I then went and told Mr. Rodgers, and he came and called the deceased.

Dr. George Wilks deposed: I was called yesterday morning by Mr. Rodgers to the deceased. He was perfectly insensible, and all but dead, such insensibility I have no doubt having been produced by taking a very large dose of laudanum. The laudanum was undoubtedly the cause of death.

By Mr. Stedman: For an hour and a half I tried every means to preserve life but he was too far gone.

Mr. Charles Western, of the City of London, hat manufacturer, deposed: The deceased was my partner. He was 45 years of age. He left home on a business tour a week last Thursday. He complain very much of pains about the stomach and heart. He was a little anxious in mind about business, and seemed a little more depressed in spirits than was usual with him. He complained very much that he could not procure sleep at nights and had not been able to sleep at night for some time. He said that he had to take large doses of opiates to procure sleep; he had done so for a long while. I have seen him take laudanum in the counting house in the day time. I believe thoroughly that he took the laudanum which produced death to induce sleep, and not to destroy life.

Mr. Joseph Ingall, chemist, Ashford: The deceased came to my shop on Wednesday evening last and asked for morphia, which I declined to supply owing to its being in the schedule of the Poisons Bill. He then asked me if I could supply him with any opiate; and I asked him if he had been in the habit of taking opiates. He said he had, and I then sold him an ounce of laudanum in the bottle now produced.

Mr. A. Williams, juryman, to Mr. Ingall: How much should a man unaccustomed to laudanum take to induce sleep?

Mr. Ingall: Between twenty and thirty drops.

Mr. Williams: And how many drops are there in an ounce?

Mr. Ingall: About 480.

Dr. Wilks: Did he ask you what quantity he should take?

Mr. Ingall: No; I told him about twenty drops would be a dose; he then asked how many doses there were in the bottle, and I told him about twenty. The Coroner pointed out to the jury that it was obvious the poor man had died from the effects of laudanum taken by his own hand, and there were two questions for their consideration: whether the deceased took the laudanum for the purpose of destroying life? and if they decided that he took it for the latter purpose, they would have to say what his state of mind was at the time he took it.

The jury deliberated for a short time in private, and then returned a verdict “That the deceased came by his death through incautiously taking an overdose of laudanum, for the purpose of procuring sleep relief from pain.”