From the Dover Express and East Kent News, 1 January, 1909.

FIRE AT BEACONSFIELD ARMS

A fire broke out at one o'clock on Tuesday at the Beaconsfield Arms public house, Adrian Street, but it was fortunately extinguished before very great damage was done. Some clothes, which were left to dry in front of a fire became ignited, and set fire to the woodwork of the mantel, and the hearthrug. Mr. Moore, the landlord, with the help of some customers attacked the flames, and the alarm was given at the Queen Street Police Station. P.C.'s Smithen, Southey, and Brown turned out with the fire hose, but on their arrival the flames had been extinguished. The only damage done was to the clothes, woodwork of the fireplace, and rug.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, 11 February, 1910.

DOVER LICENSING SESSIONS

THE BEACONSFIELD ARMS.

The licence of the "Beaconsfield Arms," Adrian Street, was also opposed on the instructions of the Magistrates on the grounds of redundancy.

No one appeared to legally represent the tenant or owner, but the Secretary of the East Kent Brewers Company and the leaseholder  were in Court.

Chief Constable Fox said that the "Beaconsfield Arms" was a fully licensed house situated in Adrian Street. The owners were the East Kent Brewery Company, Sandwich, and the tenant was Horton Walter Moore, and it was transferred to him on October 2nd, 1908. There had been five changes in nine years. The rateable value was £40 gross, net £32. The licensed houses in the immediate neighbourhood were the "Liberty," 11 yards, the "Trocadero," 29 yards, the "Prince Louis," 40 yards, the "New Mogul," 51 yards, and the "Criterion," 74 yards. The frontage was 27ft. The accommodation was the front bar, side bar, small kitchen on the ground floor, and upstairs a club room used also as a dining room (private), and there were four bedrooms. It was visited at 11.50 a.m. on Thursday, January 20th, and there were two customers; at 3.50 p.m. on Monday, January 24th, one customer; at 10.05 a.m. on Saturday, January 29th, no customers; at 7.47 p.m. on Thursday, February 3rd, three customers.

The Secretary of the Brewery Company said that they were not asking any questions.

THE DECISION.

The Mayor at once said: The Bench have come to the conclusion that the four licenses ought to go forward. Of course we quite appreciate the eloquence of our friend, Mr. Mowll, and if it were a question of dealing with a matter from one of sentiment, it might have been decided otherwise. We have a very difficult question to deal with, and the decision we have come to must have regard to the question of redundancy in the neighbourhood. before even this case went to Court great care was taken that those houses which we really believed are redundant, are those that come before the Court, and I think the Bench in this case are of the opinion that all these houses are in that category, and that it is important to do otherwise than to send the four cases to be dealt with by the Quarter Sessions.

The licenses were provisionally renewed pending the decision of Quarter Sessions.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, 22 April, 1910.

DOVER POLICE COURT.

SCENE AT A PUBLIC HOUSE. James McCullish a private in the 2nd Battn. 5th Fusiliers was charged with wilfully breaking a plate glass panel in the bar door of the "Beaconsfield Arms" public house, Adrian Street.

The witnesses in the case were entered out of Court.

Frederick Dawkins said: I keep the "Beaconsfield Arms," Adrian Street. Last night about 9.45 the prisoner came into my house and called for a drink. There being other soldiers in the bar at the time. I refused to serve the prisoner as I considered he had had enough. He then began to quarrel with another soldier in the bar, and I told him to quit the premises. He went outside, and some of the others also went out, and they began fighting. I cannot say who fought, as I did not go outside. When the fighting was over prisoner was about to re-enter the bar when I stopped him at the door. He tried to force me out of the way to get in, and then said, "Take that," and broke the glass panel of the door with his fist and ran away. There were other soldiers outside, and others at the bar. I have no doubt prisoner is the culprit. I subsequently informed a police-sergeant, and went with him to the guard room at the Citadel Barracks. The prisoner was there, and I recognised him. Prisoner was only in my house about five or ten minutes, and had not been in previously that evening. The damage done has been estimated by Mr. Rickon glazier, at 30s.

The prisoner said that he was in the house for about half an hour, and had four drinks while he was there.

The landlord denied this.

P.S. Fox said: About 10.10 last night I was on duty in the Market Square, when, from what I was told, I went to the "Beaconsfield Arms," in Adrian Street. The landlord showed me a plate glass panel broken in the bar door. From what he said I went with him in search of the prisoner, and found him detained in the guard room of the Citadel Barracks. The last witness pointed to the prisoner and said "That's the man." There were some others in the guard room. prisoner was then charged, and in reply said that a civilian with whom he was quarrelling did the damage. The knuckles of the prisoner's right hand were cut and bleeding, and when I asked him how he did it he said it was in warding off a blow from a civilian after the window was broken. prisoner, when charged at the police station with breaking the window, said, "I refuse the charge," and wished witness to be called. At prisoner's request a doctor as fetched to dress his hand.

Prisoner, in his defence, called the following witnesses:-

Private E. Tierney, of "H" Co. 2nd Battn. Northumberland Fusiliers, said: I was in the "Beaconsfield Arms" last night about 9.45. There were several soldiers, some woman, and a civilian in the bar. Prisoner was there when I arrived, and I was talking to him when the civilian came up and agued the point about being in the Navy, and wanted to fight. I got the prisoner outside, and the civilian struck him. The prisoner turned round to return the blow, when the landlord or someone closed the door and the prisoner's fist went through the window. The piquet came along and ordered us to get to the barracks. I was in the house for about twenty minutes, and the prisoner was there before me. The prisoner had a glass of stout, and also stood me a drink.

The landlord: You say the prisoner had something to drink in my house? - He had some stout.

The landlord: - I say he had nothing.

Private C. Thompson, 2nd Batt. 5th Fusiliers said, I was in the "Beaconsfield Arms" last night when the prisoner was there. He was under the influence of drink. He had an argument with a civilian, and they went outside to settle it. The prisoner tried to strike the civilian, when the landlord closed the door, and prisoner's fist went through the window. It was quite an accident, and not wilfully done.

Private Frederick Bolton also corroborated, and prisoner said he had still several more witnesses.

The Chairman said they would give the prisoner the benefit of the doubt, and the case would be dismissed. He hoped it would be a caution to him in the future to behave himself like a soldier.

The prisoner was ordered to pay the doctor's fee of 3/6.