From the Deal Mercury, 9 December, 1865.

DEAL POLICE COURT

A DRUNKEN MENDICANT.

George Brown, a cosmopolite, was charged with soliciting alms in Queen Street. P.C. Horton said that on the previous night, about ten o'clock, he saw the defendant go into the "White Horse" public-house, and ask for relief. He was drunk at the time, and when he came out witness kept his eye upon him, and noticed that he entered the "Swan Inn," also for the purpose of begging. He was taken into custody, and when searched at the police-office 1s. 4d. in coppers was found upon him.

Defendant, who said he had no money when he came into Deal, was ordered to be imprisoned for 7 days, with hard labour.

From the Deal, Walmer, and Sandwich Mercury, 4 February, 1871. 1d.

ASSAULTING A WIFE

James Thomas Strivens was charged with having, on the previous day, assaulted his wife, Hannah Strivens.

James Strivens deposed: I live at the "White Horse Inn," and my son and his wife live there also. Yesterday afternoon my son struck his wife. I did not see the blow, but I heard it, and went to her immediately, and then he abused me. I afterwards had him apprehended, as I find it is getting too bad. He was neither drunk nor sober at the time. (The witness was about to tell the Magistrates the particulars of an assault committed by the prisoner upon himself, but was informed that they could only hear evidence as to the case before them.)

Hannah Strivens deposed that she was the wife of the prisoner, and that on the previous afternoon, whilst they were sitting in the bar parlour, he struck her in the head. They had previously had some words together about his drinking.

Fanny Prescott, servant, corroborated the last witness, who, she said, gave her husband no provocation.

In cross-examination by the prisoner, the witness said the blow was given in anger, and that she had not seen the elder Mr. Strivens in the bedroom with the prisoner's wife that day.

Prisoner said he had observed certain unpleasant things between his father and his wife, and because he spoke about it they both bore animosity against him. his wife and been "nagging" at him all day, but he only struck her in a skylarking manner. He did not strike her at all hard, and when the superintendent came to apprehend him they were sitting at tea chatting together quite comfortably. His father had got all his money, but he had a home to go to at Ramsgate, but his wife would not leave the "White Horse." He believed there was a conspiracy between his father and his wife to get him away.

In answer to the Magistrates, the wife said she was willing to go home if her husband would treat her well. Her father-in-law first suggested that her husband should be taken up, and she consented to it.

Supt. Parker having confirmed the prisoner's statement as to his being seated comfortably at tea when he went to apprehend him.

The magistrates dismissed the case, thinking there were faults on both sides, and informed the father that he had done wrong in having a warrant issued when a summons would have done quite as well.

From the Deal, Walmer and Sandwich Mercury, 17 May 1873.

DEATHS

REDMAN. -- May 12, at the "White Horse Inn," Deal, Mr. Robert E. Redman, aged 64 years.

(Not sure at this stage whether he was licensee or not. P Skelton)

From the Deal, Walmer and Sandwich Mercury, 5 May 1900. 1d.

LICENSING

Mr. W. J. Solomon applied for a temporary permission to carry on the business of the "White Horse," on behalf of Mrs. G. R. Mitchell, executrix under the Will of her late husband, and the magistrates granted a new license.

From the Deal, Walmer, and Sandwich Mercury, 7 July, 1900. 1d.

 A DRUNKEN DRIVER

Samuel Barton was charged with being drunk while in charge of a horse and cart on the 29th June.

Defendant pleaded not guilty.

P.C. Chapman deposed that at about half-past two the previous afternoon he was on duty in Bowling Green Road, coming towards London Road, when he heard the sound of a cart coming from the direction of Upper Deal towards Deal, and heard someone shouting and swearing at the pony. He hurried along to see who it was, and defendant passed him in London Road, just before he got to the end of Bowling Green Road. Defendant was shouting and shaking the reins of the pony, and swaying to and fro in the cart. When witness got into London Road a gentleman on a bicycle met him, and seeing him looking at the defendant, witness asked him what was the matter with him. He replied, "He is drunk, policeman." Another gentleman came along in a pony and cart, and witness got up with him and drove behind defendant, who was driving all over the road; in fact, the pony seemed to know the better way of going than defendant did. The pony had to walk up a railway bridge, and he caught defendant up by the "White Horse." He had a little child about three years of age in the cart, screaming. he asked defendant to get down, and he saw he was drunk, and told him he should charge him. defendant then told him that it was he (witness) who was drunk, and not himself. He brought him to the Police-station and locked him up.

Asked if he had any questions to put to the witness, defendant attempted to deny the truth of the constable's evidence, and asserted among other things that he was not drunk, and that P.C. Chapman came out of the "White Horse" to stop him, and that that was the first he saw of him.

Police-Sergt. Barnes said that he was at the Police-station when defendant was brought in by P.C. Chapman. He was very drunk and was most abusive. Defendant had given a great deal of trouble to the police. He was wanted a short time ago to be served with a summons from the Ashford Division. He did not answer to it, and a warrant was issued. He paid the fine on that occasion. he had also a summons in the Elham Division, and he owed20s. to that Division on that account. In both cases he was charged with highway offences.

The Mayor said that defendant would have to undergo 21 days' hard labour. He had disputed what the constable had said, but it was perfectly correct, for he was an eye-witness of his behaviour himself.

From the Deal, Walmer, and Sandwich Mercury, 11 August, 1900. 1d

A £5 NOTE FOR A BROKEN COLLAR BONE

Dixon v. Curling & Bing

Samuel Dixon sued Walter Curling and Alfred Bing for £5 for "breaking his collar-bone."

Plaintiff deposed that at 11 p.m. on the 23rd June he came out of the "White Horse," Queen Street, and was going home, when Curling and Bing stopped him and said "If you don't want to fight we will make you," following up this remark by immediately knocking him down and breaking his collar-bone, and not content with this they struck him three or four times after his bone was broken, and he was on the ground. Both defendants were a little in liquor, but neither of them was drunk.

The Judge: And you?

Plaintiff: I was in it a little, too, of course, but not much.

No one came up to interfere, and there were no police about.

The Judge: What. No police?

After he had lain on the ground a little time, Dr. Hulke's coachman came up, and took and tied the bone up and took him to the doctor. The coachman was outside the "White Horse" at the time, but was not with the doctor's carriage. The doctor set the bone and told him to come again the next morning, which he did, and altogether he was laid up six weeks "come tomorrow night," and was not able to work yet. He had seen both defendants since this occurrence. On the 1st July he called upon them and asked what they proposed to do in the matter, saying "My landlady wants something to keep me, and the doctor wants paying," and they agreed to pay him 10s. a week while he was laid up, and the doctor's bill, but they had not paid anything, so he had put it into Court. he did not call upon them to inform them of his intention to take legal proceedings; in fact, he had had no communication with them since July 1st, and had not seen them since, until that morning.

Mr. Nightingale, brother-in-law of plaintiff, deposed to calling upon defendants the morning after the assault, with a view to coming to an agreement with them, as they did not want to take the case to the police-court. They offered to pay plaintiff 10s. a week between them (5s. each), and to bring the money to him (witness). But they had not done so, hence these proceedings. (Laughter).

Alfred Bing, one of the defendants, said plaintiff was entirely to blame. He was the cause of the row, "and me and Mr. Curling only acted in self-defence." (Laughter). The row started over a song plaintiff had sung in the "White Horse," and when they got outside plaintiff knocked Mr. Curling down first. Mr. Curling got up to defend himself, and broke Mr. Dixon's collar-bone. (Laughter). He (witness) did nothing. He did not hit plaintiff. He went away and left Curling and Dixon there. Mr. Nightingale came round to them the following morning (Sunday), and wanted them to pay 5s. each. They said they would see how it went on in a week. They did not go round to see plaintiff; the expected plaintiff to come round to see them. (Laughter).

The Judge said there would be judgement for plaintiff for £5, to be paid 10s. a week.

Bing: We can't pay 10s. a week.

The Judge: You shouldn't get drunk and break a man's collar-bone then.

From the Dover Mercury Now and Then 16 September 2010.

The long-gone White Horse Inn, pictures in the mid 1950s, which was demolished to make way for road improvements.

MRS D AND HER GENEROUS MEASURES

AS DRIVERS negotiate the busy five-junction traffic lights in Queen Street they may not realise a pub once stood on the corner next to the garden centre.

The White Horse Inn closed in 1967 and was demolished in August 1968 to make way for road improvements.

It stood on the right hand corner of West Street and Queen Street, on the approach to Deal Railway Station.

Mrs Davis, known to customers as Mrs D, ran the pub in 1944 (sic) and was at The White Horse until it finally closed.

One teenager who was a customer in the 1960s remembered it as a homely place, stained by too many cigarettes.

Mrs D was apparently known for her generosity, especially when measuring drinks from spirit bottles. She used to turn to the customer and ask: "Is that enough?" She was apparently quite happy to put more in and charge the usual price.

Many pubs then were owned by breweries, which probably did not keep track of occasional generous measures.

Mrs D used to have a regular called Nobby, who collected empty glasses for her. As a reward she gave him a port and after too many he often burst into song.

John Castle was registered as innkeeper of an unnamed beer house on the site in 1847, followed by a Richard Orrick in 1849 who gained a full licence that year.

The railway had only arrived in Deal a few years before so Mr Castle offered carriages for hire and saddled horses to probably offer to the new travellers.

In the 1930s the pub was threatened with demolition 'to enable improvements to a dangerous area for traffic'. It was given a reprieve, until 1967.

The busy five-junction traffic lights in Queen Street, Deal, today (2010) where The White Horse Inn once stood.