From the Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports General Advertiser, Saturday, 7 March, 1846. Price 5d.

DOVER POLICE REPORT

The following public-house licences were transferred this day:- The “Three Kings,” Leonard Epps, to a new house in Union Street, the old one having been pulled down for the new harbour improvements.

From the Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports General Advertiser, Saturday 8 March, 1845. Price 5d.

CORONERS INQUEST

A Coroner's inquest was held at the "Three Kings," on Tuesday, before G. T. Thomson, Esq., Coroner for the Borough, upon the body of a newly-born male infant, which was picked up, on Sunday, floating out of the Harbour.

The jury being sworn, proceeded to the Royal Humane Society's Receiving-house, to view the body, and on their return, the following evidence was adduced:-

Kennett Hall, watch-maker, deposed - On Sunday afternoon about half-past 4 o'clock, while walking on the North Pier, my attention was called by my children to what they called a dead monkey floating out of the Harbour. On looking at the object, I thought it to be a child, and hailed a boat which was coming towards the Harbour, and the crew picked up the body. When I first saw the body, it was floating out of the Harbour near the end of the North Pier. The body was quite naked.

Richard Dowell, a lad about 12 years of age, son of Mr. Dowell, bricklayer, deposed - On Sunday afternoon, on the North Pier, I saw something in the water, which I thought to be a dead monkey floating in the Harbour. I went down the ladder, near the red lights, and turned it over with my foot, when I found it to be the body of a child, and I told some gentlemen on the Pier.

Edward George Rutley, surgeon, deposed - On Sunday evening, I was called to see the body of a child lying at the Humane Society's Receiving House, but being dark, I did not examine it closely till the following morning, when I made a post mortem examination, and from appearance, it was evidently the body of a newly born infant, which must have bee in the water some weeks. The funis was divided close to the abdomen, which circumstance alone, supposing the child to have breathed, must have very shortly terminated its existence; and from that circumstance, no medical man could have been present at the birth. The child was of full growth; but, from the decomposed state of the body and other causes, I cannot give any satisfactory opinion whether the child was born alive. The lungs, which were of a dark colour, shewing little or no appearance of blood, did float, but that might have been caused from being so long in the water. The blood having escaped through the umbilical cord, I could not decide from the state of that fluid.

A boatman named Kemp was next called; and, in reply to a question from the coroner, he explained that the body might have been washed into the harbour on the rising of the tide.

The Coroner, in addressing the jury, observed, that from the evidence of Mr. Rutley, it was impossible to say whether the clild had been born alive; and if so, from its decomposed state, they could not identify it, even if there was any suspicion attached to any one as being the mother.

The jury, after a short consultation, returned a verdict, "That the body was found floating on the water."

From the Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports General Advertiser, Saturday 6 July, 1850. Price 5d.

CORONER'S INQUEST

On Saturday evening at eight o'clock, an inquest was held at the "Three Kings," Union Street, before G. T. Thompson, Esq., Coroner for the Borough, on the body of Richard Wilden, aged 51 years, porter in the employ of Messrs. Killick and Back, drapers, Market Place, whose body was picked up in the harbour near the Wellington Bridge, about half-past 6 six o'clock that morning. The Jury (having appointed Mr. W. T. C. Atkins as their foreman) were then sworn, and proceeded to view the body, after which the following witnesses were examined:-

Robert Reynolds, a commissioned officer in the customs deposed - Last night, between half-past 11 and ten minutes past 12 o'clock, while on duty in the quays, I saw a man, whom, having seen the body of the subject of this enquiry, I believe to have been the same, three or four times. The first time I saw him, he was sitting under the clock house, and had two women with him, who, I thought, from their appearance, were respectable parties. The next time he was on the new quay, apparently on his way towards Wellington Bridge, in company of the same women. The last time, he was on Wellington Bridge; the shortest woman was ten by his side, and the other a short distance behind. He called out to the one behind, saying, "Come along; make haste." I saw no more of him during the night, the whole of which I continued on duty. I heard no noise of any person falling into the water.

William Hocking, a stoker on board H.M.P. Onyx, deposed - This morning, between half-past 6 and 7 o'clock, as I and Richard Gill, another stoker, were going along the quay leading from the clock-house to the Wellington bridge, I noticed in the other harbour, near the new steps, an object in the water, which I took to be a dog, but on looking more closely I saw it was a man. There was then about 4 or 5 feet of water over the mud. I procured a boat, and with Gill, went to the body, which I floated alongside the boat to the steps. Some men, who were there then gathered on the steps, took it and conveyed it to the shed opposite the bridge. The body was dressed in a sleeve waistcoat, a pair of dark moleskin trousers, half-boots, one blue stocking and one white one. The clothes were not disarranged, further than his waistcoat was unbuttoned, which might have resulted from my taking hold of it to raise the body. There was no hat or cap on the body. It lay about twelve feet from the edge of the quay.

Mrs. Mary Collard, wife of Henry Collard, shoemaker, deposed - I live in the Almshouses. I have seen the body, it is that of Richard Wilden, who was a porter in the employ of Messrs. Killick and Back, linen-drapers. His age was 51. He always had his meals at my house, but occupied lodgings in Adrian Street. I last saw him alive at about half-past 11 o'clock last night; he was then at my house, and appeared very much depressed in mind. I asked him what was the matter, and he replied that he should have his discharge on Saturday night, and he could not bear going to the Union. I remonstrated with him, but it did not seem to raise his spirits. When I left my house to go to his lodgings, I accompanied him, and saw him go in, and bade him good night. His manner has been very different for about five weeks past, and he has several times stated to me that he should be discharged. Deceased was a very steady man.

Elizabeth Forth, residing in Adrian Street, deposed - The deceased lodged at my house. About half-past 8 o'clock last night, he came there and stopped about 2 minutes. I observed that he looked very strange, and on this account went to Mrs. Collard's, and told her that I wished her to speak to him. He did not return to my house till until half-past 11, when Mrs. Collard came home with him. Again observing that he looked very strange, I remarked it to him. He then went out to get some beer, taking a small mug with him. After being absent a few minutes, he returned, and said the house (meaning the "Odd Fellow's Arms") was shut up,  and that he should go to the Wellington. After this he did not return. He has never said to me that he would destroy himself. his trouble seemed to arise from a fear that he would be discharged, and have to go to the Union.

Mr. Back, one of the deceased's employers, who was present, said that deceased had been unwell for some time past, and had been under the advice of the medical gentlemen at the dispensary. Since the deceased indisposition, he (Mr. Back) had employed another porter, in order to lighten the deceased's duties, which were rather heavy. He had no idea of discharging Wilden, but, on the contrary, had promised to keep the other porter as well as him, until he might obtain as easier situation.

Police-constable Bayley, who searched the body of deceased, found £7 11s. 3½d. in the pockets.

The Coroner summed up, in the course of which he minutely detailed the evidence. He thought that after hearing the evidence of Collard and Forth, the Jury would put the evidence of Reynolds out of the question, looking at the unsatisfactory manner in which he gave it, and the time at which he states he saw deceased, compared with the time deceased left his house. He (the Coroner) thought it most probably that Reynolds must have been mistaken in the party.

Verdict - Found drowned.