From the East Kent Mercury, 13th August, 1987.

A picture from the not too distant past.... 1953. It shows the old "Queen's Head" public house, in Sandown Road, Deal. It was taken by Jim Arendell, then the landlord. The property still stands (1987) but it is now a dwelling.

The picture was shown to the East Kent Mercury by Arthur Langridge, of Church Lane, Deal, who has a wonderful collection of old Deal pictures.

From the Deal, Walmer, and Sandwich Mercury, 23 October, 1869. 1d.

DRUNK AND RIOTOUS

John Young, a stranger, was brought up by P.C. Ralph, on a charge of being drunk and disorderly at Walmer, on the previous evening.

The constable deposed: Last night about half-past 10 o'clock I was indoors and the prisoner came to my house and kicked at the door violently, and threatened to smash the windows if I did not let him in. He said it was the "Queen's Head" and he meant to come in. I told him I had had to order him out of the parish once before that evening, and if he did not at once leave I would take him into custody. He then went away, but on my going out a moment or two afterwards I found him in front of Mrs. Claringbould's window making use of the most vile and abusive language. I then apprehended him for being drunk and disorderly, and when i went to him he told me he was a fighting man, and at the same time struck me a violent blow, and afterwards kicked me on the instep. I then handcuffed him and brought him to the station-house.

Prisoner was remanded till the following day.

From the Deal, Walmer, and Sandwich Mercury, 3 November, 1900. 1d.

JUVENILE OFFENDERS

Robert Brown, 14, Ernest May Bingham, 13, and Thomas Adams, 13, were charged with feloniously stealing a quantity of old iron, value 1s. 6d., the property of Edward Drew, at Deal, on the 25th October.

Prosecutor deposed that he lived in Sandown Road, Deal. He had lost some iron, and other things recently, and the previous day, he was upstairs, and on looking out of the window saw the prisoner Adams coming across the garden with the piece of iron produced. He called P.C. Chapman and on accusing Adams and the other boys of the theft, they admitted it. He valued the iron at 1s. 6d.

P.C. Chapman deposed that on the previous day, about 2 p.m., the last witness called him out of bed, and from what he told him he dressed, and went to Sandown Road. Finding that several boys were playing marbles in Alfred Row, he went through the "Queen's Head" public-house and out by the back way, for the purpose of concealing himself. In accordance with the arrangements made with prosecutor, he opened the door and caught Adams, while witness caught another boy. He accused Adams of stealing the iron, and he said, "Yes, there it lies," pointing to the ruins of the old "Queen's Head," in which there was a hole large enough for a boy to crawl through. A boy pointed out prisoners as being those concerned, and witness caught Brown and called Bingham to him. Bingham then said, "It's us three, Mr. Chapman, we are all in shares. I didn't take it, I watched." He looked in the ruins, and found a quantity of iron produced, forming part of an iron fender stolen from Mr. Drew's. He asked what it was, and Bingham said, "That's come of it; we were going to take it to Mr. Baker's to sell." He then told the boys to say nothing more, and brought them to the Police-station where he formally charged and cautioned them. They said they were all alike, and were going to take shares in the proceeds. He afterwards went to the spot again, and looking over the fence into Mr. Drew's garden, about ten yards from the road, he saw two different footprints, not sufficiently clear to compare with the shoes the boys were wearing, but about the same size. The position of the marks bore out the statement that one boy watched while the others took the iron.

P.C. Chapman went on to explain that the boys in this neighbourhood were in the habit of taking iron and such things, hiding them in the ruins of the old "Queen's Head," and selling them, spending the proceeds on hot drinks, cigarettes, and so forth. He had received a lot of complaints with regard to petty thefts, and in reference to the annoyance to which residents in this part of the neighbourhood were subjected by a gang of boys who congregated there.

Prosecutor also complained of rowdyism of unruly lads in that part of the town.

The boys pleaded guilty, and Brown, being over 14, was fined 5s. or 3 days' imprisonment, the others each receiving eight strokes with a birch rod. The Mayor, in announcing his decision of the Bench, gave the boys a severe admonishing, expressing the hope that they would let the punishment be a lesson to them, and behave wellin future.