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Thanet Advertiser, 18 September 1875.
This being the annual general licensing day for the Ramsgate district
(comprising the parishes of St. Lawrence, Minster, Monkton, St.
Nicholas, and Stoner) there was a large attendance of licensed
victuallers.
Mr. Dorman applied on behalf of Mr. William Ford, the landlord of the
"North Pole," for a spirits licence. He said the house was formerly
occupied by the late Mr. Symonds, but Mr. Ford was a much younger man
than the former tenant, and by his energy and attention to business he
had succeeded in attracting a much larger and altogether different class
of business to the house, and with the view of making the accommodation
still more acceptable he now asked at the hands of their worships the
additional privilege of being allowed to sell spirits on the premises.
It was very recently his (Mr. Dorman's) duty to argue with those walls
against the indiscriminate granting of licences as an evil which had
been checked by the legislature and also in all proper cases by
licensing magistrates generally throughout the country, but he thought
the present case was one which did not come within that category. The
position of this house was on the right hand side of the Hereson Hill
and it was nearly the last house in Ramsgate. There was another house
licensed for the sale of spirits situated on the same side of the road,
but it was up a by-way leading to the Jews synagogue, and the class of
person who used that house was entirely different to those for whose
benefit his client was now applying. Besides that house, there was no
regularly licensed house on the Ramsgate side of the "North Pole" within
200 yards from the one for which he was now applying, and on the other
side there was none nearer than Dumpton. He submitted that these facts
and the isolated situation of the hours rendered the application one
which ought to be favourable received by the Bench. There was a large
amount of traffic on this road, and refreshments of a more generous
nature than beer were required. Then there was a class of people who,
although they came to the seaside still prefer to live away from the sea
and Mr. Ford would tell them that he had a constant demand for bedroom
accommodation which, if he were fully licensed to be able to supply, for
he (Mr. Dorman) might tell their worships that if this application is
granted the premises would be enlarged. If the house had been in King
Street, where there were already so many licensed houses, he should not
have consented to make the application, because he believed that so
large a number of houses of that kind in one place was an unfavourable
thing for Ramsgate; but when they found that the neighbours, who were of
a highly respectable character (such as the overseers of the parish,
Mrs. Hill and Holden, Mr. Tricks, and the Rev. Dr. Myers,) supported the
application he thought that in the absence of any strong opposition
there worships would be induced to attend to the suggestions which came
from persons of that class. He understood that it was the intention of
the landlord of the house which was situated up the by-way, Mr. Danton,
to oppose the application but of course the Bench would understand the
nature of such opposition. Mr. Danton would naturally object to another
man setting up in the same business close to himself. Mr. Dorman then
referred to the character of the applicant and read a testimonial from
Mr. Tomkins, of the "Albion Hotel," where Mr. Ford had been waiter for
six or seven years, and also one from Mr. Henry Russell, to whom he had
also been an indoor servant. Of course a person like Mr. Ford would be
anxious to retain his good character, and would do all in his power to
conduct his house in a proper manner. He did not know that it was
necessary for him to further enlarge upon the application, but would
prove that the proper notices had been properly served, and having done
that he submitted that this was a case where the powers entrusted to
Magistrates of granting extra accommodation to houses of this character
and kind, kept by respectable people, ought to be exercised.
Mr. Ford having given some formal evidence, Mr. Danton, landlord of the
"Honeysuckle," said he had employed Mr. Walford to attend that day to
oppose the application, but that gentleman was away in town.
The Clerk said if Mr. Danton wished to oppose the application he could
do so himself.
Mr. Danton said he would rather leave it to Mr. Walford.
Mr. E. J. Hobbs said he had to present a memorial against the
application, signed by the Rev. J. Gilmore.
The Clerk asked Mr. Hobbs if he was a ratepayer of St. Lawrence, or if
he was clerk to Mr. Walford - if not, he could not appear.
Mr. Hobbs at first gave no reply, but upon the question being repeated 2
or 3 times he said he was not a ratepayer but he was a freeholder of St.
Lawrence.
The Clerk said as he was not a rate player he could not be heard.
Mr. Hobbs, after a moment's consideration, said he was a ratepayer of
St. Lawrence, and has he was executor to his brother and paid civil
rights.
The Clerk:- Well, what is your objection to the application?
Mr. Hobbs said he objected to an increase of licences in the parish of
St. Lawrence on the ground of the grant amount of drunkenness which
already existed, and the high rates which it entailed. The memorial
which he had to present was quite independent of Mr. Danton, and
although it had only been got up within the last few hours, it was
signed by the Rev. J. Gilmore, also by the churchwardens, and many other
highly respectable gentleman who were the ratepayers residing in the
vicinity of the house in question. Already a very large amount of
drunkenness prevailed, and it was only the other Sabbath that he himself
saw a man lying in the road drunk, not far from this very house; and a
lady had positively declared that her son-in-law had been drunk for 3
weeks, so that it was a very serious thing indeed to increase the number
of the houses. He had also been informed by Mr. May, the relieving
officer, that there were a great many poor people living in the
immediate neighbourhood of this house we were in receipt of relief.
The Magistrates then retired, and on their returning to court Mr. Dorman
made an observation to the effect that he could bring forward a
respectable witness, a resident in the neighbourhood, who would prove
that the cases of drunkenness which had been referred to by Mr. Hobbs
and not occurred at the house of the applicant.
The Chairman said the Bench had considered the matter very carefully,
and I saw no reason to alter the character of the house.
The beer licence was then renewed.
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