Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald, Saturday 12 September 1908.

HOTEL IMPERIAL, HYTHE.

One of the most luxurious and the only Hotel in England with its own Golf Links in the Hotel grounds.

Terms for Play.

Tickets for which can be had only at the Hotel Bureau, North entrance, which must be produced when required by the Green Keeper, or other official of the Hotel Company.

Hotel visitors 18 Holes 1/3 Non Residents 18 Holes 1/6

Hotel visitors Per Day 1/6 Non Residents Per Day 2/-
Hotel visitors Per Week 6/- Non Residents Per Week 7/6
Hotel visitors Per Month 18/- Non Residents Per Month 22/6
Caddies for 9 holes, 5d, for 8 holes, 9d. Professional playing or Coaching 1/- an hour.

Sunday Play.

Regimental Band on the Lawns on Sunday afternoons during the Season and Tennis and Croquet Tournaments in September. The Hotel is within easy reach of Folkestone by Bus, Motor or Tram.

Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald, Saturday 17 October 1914.

The Belgian wounded. 3000 distributed. Hotels requisitioned. Moor Hall School to be used.

The first contingent of wounded Belgium soldiers arrived on Saturday, and were conveyed in 16 motor cars to the Voluntary Aid Hospital, Ramsgate. On Tuesday 120 arrived in the afternoon on the Invicta and they were taken to Shorncliffe Military Hospital in three of the red motor buses and several R.A.M.C. ambulance cars, being conveyed thence to the Bevan Home, Sandgate.

In the evening 1000 arrived unexpectedly, and the task of distributing them all was no light one. Several hundred were dispatch by train to Ramsgate, Margate, Canterbury, Bromley and Bickley. 170 was sent to the Royal Victoria Hospital, and as the ordinary patients could not be disturbed, beds had to be made up in corridors for some of the wounded.

Captain Brandreth Gibbs, assistant County Director of the Voluntary Aid Detachments, who had been appointed to take charge of the transport of wounded arriving from the harbour, commandeered the Hotel Metropole in the name of Colonel Wilson, R.A.M.C. These two officers have been working in cooperation with Mr. Bennet Goldney, M.P. To convey the wounded to the hotel-hospital all the public motors and other motor vehicles in the town were also commandeered, and the long string and vehicles waiting outside the harbour extended beyond the "Pavilion Hotel." The worst cases were conveyed in the R.A.M.C. ambulance cars.

Another 1000 wounded arrived about 10 o'clock and they slept on board, being taken in the steamer to Dover the next morning, but as that town could not accommodate then they were brought back to Folkestone. Some was sent to the Military Hospital at Shorncliffe, while others were distributed amongst various Kent and Sussex Towns by train. It was also decided to commandeer the "Hotel Imperial," Hythe, and 200 were sent there in motor buses.

The number taken to the "Hotel Metropole" was 600 and the doctor's were engaged far into the night in attending them. The place has been completely equipped for hospital purposes. The lesser wounded men can be seen about the hotel during the day, while many of those unwounded or with minor wounds have been about the town, in many cases in company with a British comrades in khaki. Regimental emblems have been freely exchange. Yesterday 150 of the unwounded Belgians were removed from the "Metropole" to the Napier Barracks, Shorncliffe.

At the Bevan home there are 250 wounded.

The Morehall Schools have been commandeered as a hospital, and 100 beds will be in readiness there today. The Hon. F. M. Daly is the commandant, and Dr. Dodd, Chief Director of the V.A.D., is in charge of the medical arrangements.

At Beachborough, near Lyminge, the resident of Sir Arthur and Lady Markham, there is a large number of wounded Belgians.

Messrs. Bobby and Company, Ltd., have offered a portion of their newly acquired premises in Sandgate Road, which they intend converting into a drapery emporium, for use as a hospital if required.
An appeal for cigarettes for the Belgium wounded in Folkestone has met with a gratifying response. A big case of cigarettes was sent to the Mayor by Mr. C. Willmott, of London, and his Worship has distributed them.

Mr. And Mrs. Blott, manager and manageress of the "Hotel Imperial," Hythe, wish on behalf of the Belgium soldiers at the hotel, to thank the many ladies and gentlemen who have kindly sent gifts for the wounded. The articles received include 100 pairs of socks, 75 shirts, several sleeping suits, a very handsome present of boots, shoes, and slippers, 3025 cigarettes, etc. One Gentleman is lending his motor car for the wounded to take drives in, and a lady has send a gift of 200 pears.

Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald, Saturday 31 July 1915.

A perfect Blaze.

Richard Henry Blott, the manager of the "Hotel Imperial," Hythe, was summoned for similar offences on the 7th inst. and 24th inst. He pleaded not guilty to the first offence, and guilty to the second offence.

Mr. Bracher, of Maidstone, who appeared to prosecute on behalf of the Chief Constable of Kent, said the case was a very serious one, and he asked the Bench's very serious notice of it. The case would show whether the regulations should prevail or whether Mr. Blott should prevail. It was not a case like the one they had just settled. Here was a case where continued warnings had been given to defendant, where his attention had been called to the order several times, and where he had been told on several occasions that he had neglected to shade his lights in his hotel. Very soon after the first summons was served on defendant he committed another offence, and another summons was served upon him. The first summons had very little effect upon defendant. So that Mr. Blott should keep the law in future he would ask the Bench to inflict a very severe punishment. As they knew, the fine could not exceed £100 or 6 months' imprisonment, and he suggested that this was a case which called for some very serious notice. Many complaints have been made against the hotel. The lights of the hotel had been visible from Dymchurch and the hill. The whole object of the order was to prevent any light showing so that they could be an aid to enemy aircraft.

Reginald H. Gordon, of Seabrook Road, Hythe, a special constable, stated that on the 7th of July at 11:15 p.m. he was in the vicinity of the "Imperial Hotel" in company with John Lawrence, another special constable. The lights on the west wing of the hotel were not shaded. That portion of the hotel faced Dungeness, and it was a "perfect blaze." These lights were coming from the first and the second floors. In the entrance hall, too, there was a very bright light indeed. It was within witnesses knowledge that defendant have been previously warned.

John Lawrence, of Victoria Terrace, Seabrook, a special constable, said he was with the last witness on the 7th July, and gave corroborative evidence.

P.C. Wild deposed that on the 26th January, with P.C. Gordon, he saw defendant and told him that a new order had been issued, which stated that no lights were to be visible outside. He told defendant about the basement, and he told him that the blind would want drawing more.

Sergeant. Smith said that on the 5th of April, with P.C. Prosser, he went to the "Imperial Hotel" and told Mr. Blott that there was too much light.

Detective Constable Kenwood said on the 10th June he warned the defendant about the lights. He said to defendant. "You must take this as a warning. If it occurs again, you will probably be summoned." On the 24th inst., about 10 p.m., he was close by the hotel and saw a bright light shining from the dining hall. That window faced the sea, and the lights were showing right out to sea. Sergeant. Beckenham, of the Kent Cyclist, was with witness. He did not see defendant then.

Sergeant Buckingham said on the night of the 24th July he was with the last witness. He saw a bright light shining out in the direction of the sea. It was coming from a window on the ground floor of the hotel.

Defendant said with regard to the light on 7th July he went out with a special constable. It was very rough that night. He went round, and he saw several windows where the light could be slightly seen. There were lights in several windows. The blinds in the windows, however, were down, and there were also thick curtains. The night being warm, although it was rough, several of the windows was slightly down, and consequently the wind blew several of the blinds aside now and again. He could only say that since the order come out he and his wife for done everything possible to comply with it. He did not admit that the light was brilliant. The hotel had been very busy, and 75% of the visitors were military. There had been notices put in every room with regard to the lights, which showed that they did everything possible. It was not possible every time to go into a person's room and put the blinds down. They had about 325 windows in the building, and they were generally about 100 people in the place. The persons in the room might easily go and open the windows and put up the blinds.

The Bench, after a short deliberation in private, returned, and the Chairman said they found defendant guilty in both cases. It was the wish of the Bench to let the public understand that next time in cases like the one they were dealing with the fines will be much more severe. They were going to deal very leniently with defendant. In the first place he would be fined £1, and in the 2nd he would be fined £4. He must understand that if he did not take notice he will be fined much severer next time. The Bench also allowed to 2s. 6d. each for the special constables expensive.

Mr. Blott paid the money, £5 5s. in all.

Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald - Saturday 04 March 1916.

DEATH. BLOTT.

On 26th February, at "Hotel Imperial," Hythe, Richard Henry Blott, aged 42 years.