Thanet Times, Tuesday 19 January, 1965.

He was at death's door last week.

Mr. William King, landlord of the "Oxford Hotel," St. Peters Road, Margate, is following in the footsteps of his grandfather who was so many years licensee of the "Five Bells," Rochester.

Bill was born in Rochester, but most of his young life was spent at Tunbridge Wells. Now 45 years old, he has been in the licensed trade for just over 3 years, having previously kept the "Ordnance Arms," Sheppey, before coming to Margate last September.

During the last war Mr. King served with the Royal West Kent Regiment and after coming safely through the Dunkirk evacuation saw service in the Cyrenaice and Italy.

Catering has been his forte before turning to the pub trade, and before the war he served his apprenticeship at the "Grand Hotel," Folkestone.

After being immobilized, he joined the staff of London transport as catering controller and was based at headquarters, The Broadway, Westminster, London. He was to stay there for the next 16 years and then Bill - who had always wanted to have his own public house - seized the opportunity of taking the "Ordnance Arms" on the Isle of Sheppey.

"I've never regretted making the change," said bill, "just as I have never regretted coming to Margate.

"Both wife and I like it here very much indeed, and we have around us a crowd of really good, genuine people. This is a homely pub and we intend to keep it so," he said.

Mrs. King was born at Edmonton:- "There's only one football team for her - Tottenham Hotspur and she is still a keen supporter," said Bill.

The day I met Bill King and his wife was that following the afternoon when he so nearly lost his life in an electrocution accident. He will still feeling the effects of his unfortunate experience, but while I was there I saw sufficient to prove that already they have made many friends. Scarcely a minute went by but one, then another popped in to see how he was.