From the Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald. 14 September 1867. Price 1d.

ANNUAL LICENSING DAY.

New licenses were granted to the following houses:— "Railway Tavern," Station-road.

From the Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald. 21 December 1867. Price 1d.

COMPLAINT AGAINST A LANDLORD OF A PUBLIC HOUSE.

Robert Coles, landlord of the “Railway Inn,” Station Road, was summoned for keeping open his house for the sale of beer during prohibited hours, on Sunday.

P.S. Hayward deposed that a man named Herring, a fly driver, put down a person at defendant's house, at about half-past ten on the morning of Sunday last.

He afterwards went in the house, and found them drinking together. The person who got out of the fly was an inhabitant of Canterbury.

In defence, Coles said that the person alluded to was a traveller; but admitted giving Herring a glass of rum.

Herring having corroborated this the Magistrates dismissed the case.

From the Whitstable Times, 6 August, 1870.

A PREMATURE BIRTH.

On Sunday morning last on the arrival of the excursion train, a lady was observed to get into the buss in a very faint and helpless condition. The buss had not proceeded far before it was discovered by the ladies inside that she was suffering from the pains of labour. The driver of the buss was therefore instructed to drive to the nearest Inn, and she was accordingly conveyed to the “Railway Inn,” Mr. Hilder, surgeon, being immediately sent for and promptly in attendance. The lady was shortly afterwards delivered of a fine boy. Both mother and child are doing well.

From the Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, Saturday 13 September 1879.

Deliberate and Shocking Suicide on the South Eastern Railway.

On Friday last, shortly before noon, Henry Rickwood, aged twenty-four, who had been in the employ of the South Eastern Railway Company for about twelve months as temporary porter, committed suicide in the most deliberate manner by throwing himself in front of an approaching train.

It appears that on Friday morning the station master (Mr. Fright) had occasion to complain to the deceased in reference to the state of the carriages on the Whitstable branch line, and Rickwood did not appear to like being spoken to on the matter. The same morning as the 11.54 as the fast train from Canterbury was nearing the distant signal, about opposite the Swimming Bath in the Whitehall-road, the engine driver saw a man take a few hasty steps across the line, then come to a dead stand, and deliberately threw himself across the rails. The driver instantly shut off steam, reversed the engine, and stopped the train a few yards from the spot. The whole train, consisting of fifteen carriages besides the engine and tender, had passed over the deceased’s body, which was almost cut in two. One foot was severed at the ankle, the right hand was smashed, and there was a severe wound on the left temple. The inquest on the body was held in the evening by the coroner, T. T. Delasaux, Esq., at the "Railway Tavern," Station Road.

The following evidence was taken:—

Thomas Davey, dairy-man, deposed:— I knew the deceased and had done so for about twenty years. I saw him and spoke to him about a week ago when he was well and hearty. To-day at about 12 o’clock I was in my garden near the South Eastern Railway. A whistle from an engine attracted my attention. I ran to the line and saw the deceased lying across the rails of the up the guard said he could not leave, but sent for the head porter at the Canterbury station. The deceased had suffered severe injuries, the right hand being smashed. His left foot was cut off and he had a very bad injury just below the stomach. The injuries were inflicted by the near wheels of the engine and carriages of a train passing over him.

Mr. G. Fright, station master, deposed:— The deceased was and had been for about twelve months a temporary porter on the South Eastern Railway. I saw him this morning about ten o’clock at the station, and had reason to complain to him of his neglect in allowing the carriages of the Whitstable line to be dirty. I said I must have the carriages better attended to, and added “if you cannot do it somebody else must.” He replied “I have done all I can to them.” I did not observe that my remarks and affected him in the least. For the last three weeks he has been rather dilatory, but not more than other men.

Samuel Standing, engine driver, deposed:- This morning I was driving an engine on the South Eastern Railway. I left the Canterbury station at five minutes to twelve o’clock having in charge an engine, tender, and fifteen carriages. I proceeded towards Chartham, and when I arrived about opposite the down distance signal I saw a man come out of the hedge with a hasty step. He stopped before he got on the line, and I saw him throw himself down on the metals. I shut off steam, reversed the engine, and stopped the train as soon as I could. I went to the body and I have no doubt it was that of the man I saw throw himself on the rails. I believe that the deceased intentionally placed himself on the line. There is no crossing where the deceased got on the metals.

The Jury returned a verdict to the effect that the deceased committed suicide while in a state of temporary insanity.

The funeral took place at St. Gregory’s Church on Sunday afternoon, the body being borne to the grave by some of the porters from the South Eastern station.

Rickwood, who leaves a wife to whom he had only been married about ten months, was a corporal in the Army Reserve, having previously served in the 23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

From the Whitstable Times, 25 May, 1901.

OLD MAN’S DEATH ACCELERATED BY A FALL.

The City Coroner (Dr. T. S. Johnson) held an inquest at the "Railway Hotel," South Eastern Road, Canterbury, last Wednesday evening, touching the death of Samuel Bunyard, aged 78, living at 6, Kirby’s Lane.

It appeared that the deceased was a pensioner in the Royal Navy. About eighteen months ago he was knocked down by a carriage while crossing the road and he had been failing ever since. On May 4th he fell over a chair. Mr. Greasley was called in, but the deceased died on Monday morning. The doctor, who had known the deceased for ten or twelve years, saw him two days after the accident. He found no bruises on the deceased, but he got weaker and weaker. Death was due to senile debility accelerated by the accident.

The jury returned a verdict of Accidental Death.