Folkestone Herald 24 June 1893.

Police Court Notes.

On Wednesday morning the sitting Justices, Col. De Crespigny and Mr. Wightwick, were engaged in the Borough Court in adjudicating upon a number of charges instituted by Inspector T.C. Major under the Weights and Measures Act.

The first charge was preferred against Richard Knott, licensed victualler, of the Brewery Tap, Tontine Street, for serving a pint of beer in a glass which was unstamped, and not in accordance with the requirements of the 29th Sec. of the Weights and Measures Act, at Folkestone on 16th June.

Mr. Major said on the day in question he sent his assistant (Alfred De Vere) into the defendant's licensed premises, and shortly afterwards he himself went in. His assistant had a glass containing beer; it was supposed to be a pint glass. He asked the defendant if he was aware he was breaking the law by serving a pint of beer in an undenominated and unstamped measure. Defendant replied that he understood notices had been sent out to all publicans in the town, but he had not had one. He produced the glass in which the beer was served, and it had no mark upon it indicating it's capacity.

Defendant said he had not had notice from the Inspector.

Mr. Major said he not only delivered notices by hand, but to make sure everyone had a notice he made out a list of every publican in the town and sent oto each one a notice by post.

Mr. Wightwick said the Inspector was not bound to have sent a notice. The defendant was supposed to know the law.

Alfred De Vere deposed to calling for a pint of beer, and defendant served it in the glass produced.

Defendant said he had used this sort of glass for twenty years, and it was used all over the kingdom.

The Deputy Clerk said the Act was quite clear. It said they should sell all intoxicating liquors not in cask or bottle, when sold in any quantity above half a pint in a measure marked according to the Imperial Standards.

Defendant repeated these glasses were used all over the world, in every country.

Mr. Wightwick said the sooner the defendant stopped using them the better. Mr. Major was not liable to give him notice.

Col. De Crespigny: You ought to know the law.

Defendant: We are not lawyers. We have enough to do to attend to our own business.

The Chairman said the defendant had offended against the law, and would have to suffer for it, but they would let him off easy this time. He would have to pay the costs and a fine of 6d.

The Clerk said the costs were 10s.

Mr. Wightwick said the Bench had no desire to punish the publicans, but unless they obeyed the law they must be punished.

The defendant said this was the first case in 21 years. He paid the fine.

Folkestone Herald 31 July 1897.

Police Court Reports.

On Monday – the Mayor presiding – John Connor was charged with being drunk and disorderly in Tontine Street on the 24th July.

P.C. Lawrence gave evidence to the effect that at a quarter past ten on the previous Saturday night he saw the prisoner very drunk, with his coat in his hand, flourishing it round his head, surrounded by a crowd. Witness requested him to go away, but he went into the Brewery Tavern (sic), and was pitched out by the landlord. Witness again spoke to him, and he used bad language. When taken into custody he was very violent, and tried to throw witness. With the assistance of P.C. Prebble he was taken to the police station. A penny was found upon him.

Defendant said that he had a glass or two of beer, and completely lost his senses. He was to have worked at the Tunnel, and been there at six o'clock that morning.

Superintendent Taylor informed the Bench that the defendant was cursing and swearing about, and said he would tell the Magistrates about the police assaulting him. His clothes did not look as if he had been working.

Defendant said he had been fruitering.

The Bench sentenced him to 7 days' hard labour.

Folkestone Herald 27 January 1900.

Folkestone Police Court.

On Wednesday Mr. William Thomas Thomason was granted a temporary authority to sell at the Brewery Tap, Tontine Street.

Folkestone Herald 10 March 1900.

Folkestone Police Court.

On Wednesday, the following transfer was granted: Imperial Brewery, Tontine Street, to Mr. W.T. Thomason.

Folkestone Herald 28 June 1902.

Monday, June 23rd: Before Mr. W. Wightwick, Councillor Lieut. Col. Hamilton, Alderman Herbert, and Mr. G.I. Swoffer.

Thomas Isherwood, a private in the North Lancashire Militia, was charged with stealing an ale glass, the property of Mr. Thomason, of the Brewery Tap, Tontine Street.

Detective Burniston stated that at 11 p.m. on Saturday night he saw prisoner with some other soldiers by the Queen's Hotel. He noticed that he had something concealed under his coat. Witness stopped him, lifted up his coat, and found the glass (produced). He took prisoner to the station.

Mr. Thomason, landlord of the Brewery Tap, Tontine Street, said the prisoner was in his house on Saturday night. He identified the glass (produced) as belonging to him. He valued it at 4d.

A barman in the employ of Mr. Thomason also gave evidence.

Prisoner was fined 1s.

Folkestone Herald 5 July 1902.

Tuesday, July 1st: Before Mr. Wightwick, and Aldermen Herbert and Salter.

George Ealy was summoned or being drunk on the premises of the Brewery Tap.

Inspector Lilley said that he saw defendant and another man come out of the Clarendon Hotel. They then went into the Brewery Tap. Witness, accompanied by P.C. Nash, went into the house with the intention of cautioning the landlord. He said the defendant had a glass of ginger wine and was so drunk that he spilt it over the counter.

P.C. Nash corroborated.

Defendant said he did not know he was drunk. He had been with the Royal Engineers at the front, and had not had anything to drink for two years.

Fined 2s. 6d. and 10s. costs.

Folkestone Herald 7 March 1903.

Adjourned Licensing Sessions.

The Adjourned Licensing Sessions for the Borough of Folkestone were held in the Town hall on Wednesday. In view of the opposition by the police to a number of the existing licences extraordinary interest was evinced in the meeting, and when the proceedings commenced at eleven o'clock in the morning there was a very large attendance, the “trade” being numerously represented. Representatives of the Folkestone Temperance Council and religious bodies in the town were also present, prominent amongst them being Mr. J. Lynn, Mrs. Stuart, and the Rev. J.C. Carlile. Prior to the commencement of business the Licensing Justices held a private meeting amongst themselves. When the doors were thrown open to the public there was a tremendous rush for seats. The Justices present were the following:- Mr. W. Wightwick, Mr. E.T. Ward, Mr. W.G. Herbert, Lieut. Col. Hamilton, Mr. J. Pledge, Lieut. Col. Westropp, and Mr. C.J. Pursey.

Before proceeding with the business, the Chairman announced that at the Annual Licensing Meeting the Justices adjourned the renewal of 23 full licences and five on beer licences, and directed the Chief Constable to give notice of objection to the owners of the licences of the following nine houses:- Providence (Arthur F. East); Marquis Of Lorne (William R. Heritage); Granville (Charles Partridge); Victoria (Alfred Skinner); Tramway (Frederick Skinner); Hope (Stephen J. Smith); Star (Ernest Tearall); Bricklayers Arms (Joseph A. Whiting); and Blue Anchor (Walter Whiting). Since the former sessions the Justices had inspected all the houses objected to, and considered the course which they ought to pursue with respect to the same, with the result that they had directed the Chief Constable to withdraw the notices of objection served by him with respect of the Victoria, Hope, and Blue Anchor, and to persist in the opposition to the following:- Providence, Marquis Of Lorne, Granville, Tramway, Star, and Bricklayers Arms. As regarded the remaining 15 full licences and five beer licences they would renew the same this year, and deal with them next year according to the circumstances.

With respect to the Packet Boat, the Brewery Tap, and the Castle they ordered the back entrances of the licensed premises to be closed within 14 days from this date.

Folkestone Herald 13 February 1904.

Wednesday, February 10th: Before Mr. W. Wightwick, Alderman W.G. Herbert, Lieut. Colonels Hamilton, Fynmore, and Westropp, Messrs. J. Ward and C.J. Pursey.

Annual Licensing Sessions.

The Chief Constable first presented his annual report (for which, see Folkestone Express 13 February 4).

The Chairman then addressed his colleagues (for which, see Folkestone Express 13 February 4).

As regards the Imperial Brewery Tap, and the closing of its back entrance, he could bring evidence then to show that that might be converted into a proper state by bringing the house back into the Mill Bay, so that the back part would become a complete part of the house itself.

The Bench decided to keep to the order they had made.

Folkestone Herald 26 March 1904.

Saturday, March 19th: Before Mr. E.T. Ward, Mr. J. Stainer, Alderman T.J. Vaughan, Lieut. Colonel Fynmore, and Lieut. Colonel Westropp.

Robert Hugh Ellender was summoned by William Thomas Thomason, landlord of the Brewery Tap, Tontine Street, for assault.

Complainant said that at 9.30 on the evening of the 13th inst. he saw defendant at the rear of his premises. When he spoke to him Ellender used obscene language. As defendant refused to give him his name and address, witness went into the street and waited until a constable came along. Defendant then attempted to strike witness, but the constable caught hold o his arm. Since the affair happened, Ellender had called on him and expressed sorrow for what he had done, so he (witness) did not wish to press the case.

Defendant was let off on paying 9s. costs.

The Chief Constable said there was a second summons brought against defendant by the police, for using obscene language.

For this Ellender was fined 5s., with 9s. costs.

Folkestone Herald 19 November 1904.

Saturday, November 12th: Before The Mayor, Alderman Spurgen, Alderman W.G. Herbert, Lieut. Col. Hamilton, and Mr. J. Stainer.

Dangerfield Pitcher was summoned for being drunk on licensed premises.

P.C. Sales stated that on the 7th inst. he was called to the Tramway public house by the landlord to eject the prisoner, who was drunk. Subsequently witness saw him go into another public house in Tontine Street. Witness requested the landlord not to serve him, as he was drunk. The prisoner was ejected, and when he got outside he became very abusive, and refused to go away, whereupon witness took him into custody.

Defendant, who had nothing to say, was fined 5s., and 9s. costs; in default 14 days'.

Folkestone Herald 1 September 1906.

Wednesday, August 29th: Before Alderman W.G. Herbert, Alderman T.J. Vaughan, Lieut. Colonel Hamilton, Councillor W.C. Carpenter, Councillor R.J. Fynmore, Mr. R.J. Linton, and Mr. T. Ames.

The licence of the Imperial Brewery Tap f was temporarily transferred from William James Thomason to Albert Taylor.

Folkestone Herald 6 October 1906.

Tuesday, October 2nd: Before Alderman G. Spurgen, Alderman T.J. Vaughan, and Councillor R.J. Fynmore.

Thomas Comboy was charged with being drunk and disorderly.

P.C. Wellard stated that at 3.30 the previous afternoon he was on duty in Tontine Street, when he was called by the landlord of the Brewery Tap to take prisoner off his premises, as he was drunk. He did so, and then returned to the bar to fetch the woman out. He could not find her, and when he went outside prisoner was waiting there, threatening to fight him. He took him into custody.

Sergt. Dawson stated that when brought to the station prisoner was drunk.

Prisoner stated that he was only in the bar about five minutes, and hoped the Bench would overlook his case. He also said he was not drunk, as he had no money to get drunk with. He was waiting outside for his wife.

Mr. Taylor, landlord of the Brewery Tap, who was sent for by the Bench, said he was in the bar when prisoner came in with a woman, and called for a drink. He asked for half a pint of beer each. They remained at the house about ten minutes. He could not say if prisoner had any more to drink, as there were some pensioners there. He went for the police to stop two women who were fighting. He had no objection to the man. It was prisoner's wife he wanted shifted, not the prisoner. He was in the bar when the constable arrived, and he saw the accused handle the policeman very roughly, which he thought was not the right thing to do. The constable put prisoner outside the house. The wife of prisoner went through the kitchen and out of the front door, and he did not hear any more noise after they went out of the house. The constable came back to look for the woman, and left defendant outside. Although he knew where the woman had gone he did not give the information to the police constable. She had gone through the kitchen, then through the passage, and out the front door.

Cross-examined by the Chief Constable, witness said that he did not help the constable eject prisoner. He did not know it was his duty to clear the bar, and thought he could call for the assistance of the police.

The Chief Constable: You left the policeman to do your own dirty work.

Prisoner was fined 2s. 6d. and 6s. 6d. costs, or in default seven days'. As he could not pay he was taken below.

Folkestone Herald 26 January 1907.

Wednesday, January 23rd: Before Mr. E.T. Ward, Alderman W.G. Herbert, Councillor W.C. Carpenter, Colonel Hamilton, and Messrs. T. Ames, R.J. Linton, and R.J. Fynmore.

The landlord of the Brewery Tap applied for permission to make certain alterations to his premises, by which two bars would be thrown into one.

The Bench decided to adjourn the matter till the annual licensing session, and in the meantime to visit the premises.

Folkestone Herald 21 August 1909.

Monday, August 16th: Before W.G. Herbert Esq., Col. Fynmore, and Mr. R.J. Linton.

James Patrick Eugene Reilly was charged with being drunk and disorderly. He pleaded Guilty.

Sergt. Lawrence said that he saw the prisoner being ejected from the Brewery Tap public house on Saturday night by the barman. He at once commenced shouting, and witness told him to go away. Prisoner eventually struck the barman in the face. Witness took him into custody.

Prisoner, who had been three times previously convicted, was fined 10s. and 4s. 6d. costs, or 14 days' imprisonment.

Folkestone Herald 8 January 1910.

Local News.

At the Folkestone Police Court on Wednesday, before Mr. W.G. Herbert, Messrs. J. Stainer, E.T. Leggett, G.I. Swoffer, and R.J. Linton, two cases of special interest were heard.

Alice Marsh was summoned for assault. Mr. G.W. Haines appeared for the defence.

George Edmunds stated that he was a corporal of the Military Foot Police, stationed at Shorncliffe. He was on duty in Tontine Street on the 24th December, 1909, at about 9.40 p.m. He was called into the Brewery Tap to eject an artilleryman, and whilst in the execution of his duty, the defendant (who was with the soldier) ran at him several times and struck him about the left eye. She clung round witness, and was trying to release the soldier from him. Witness called on Inspector Lawrence and P.C. Taylor, and they assisted him.

Cross-examined by Mr. Haines: When he called for help it was to keep the defendant off, and also to keep the crowd back. They left the door of the bar clinging to him, and they all fell on the pavement together. He did not know whether he left defendant senseless on the pavement.

Pte. F. Jones, of the 1st Leicestershire Regiment, stated that he was on duty with lance corporal Edmunds on Christmas Eve, in Tontine Street. They went to the Brewery Tap, and witness saw Edmunds eject an artilleryman. The defendant hung on to Edmunds, but witness only saw one blow struck, and he was not sure whether that was struck by the defendant or another woman behind.

Cross-examined by Mr. Haines: Corpl. Edmunds wanted the soldier to leave the bar, and he did not refuse. The defendant fell right out on to the pavement. Witness was there to help Lance Corpl. Edmunds, and if he had seen him attacked by the defendant he would have interfered.

A statement signed by the witness was here produced. Witness acknowledged that the signature was his, but denied that it had been read to him before he signed it. It was written by Lance Corpl. Edmunds.

Lance Corpl. Edmunds stated that the statement was read over to the witness before it was signed.

George Pollard, of the Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, deposed that there was an argument between the soldier in question and another man, and when they were putting the soldier out the young lady stood in front of the door and hit Corpl. Edmunds several times over the left eye.

Cross-examination elicited the information that the disturbance was caused by the soldier nudging his knee against a man named Kirk. Kirk told him to stop, and on that the artilleryman wished to fight him. Kirk then went out.

Thos. Rose, of the Oxfords, deposed to seeing the defendant strike Corpl. Edmunds several times over the left eye.

Inspector Lawrence deposed to seeing the defendant, the artilleryman and Lance Corpl. Edmunds all come “flying on to the pavement together”. The defendant was clinging on to Edmunds. Edmunds called witness and P.C. Taylor to his assistance, and they helped to bring the artilleryman up to the police station.

Defendant gave evidence on oath. She said she was with the artilleryman, and was helping him on with his coat when Lance Corpl. Edmunds came in. He did not give him time to put his coat on, but pushed him outside. He pushed witness outside, and she fell on the pavement, and was unconscious for a quarter of an hour. Witness did not say anything at all. She never struck Edmunds or hung on to him.

John Thomas Knight, of the Royal Navy, also gave evidence denying that the defendant struck Edmunds.

Wm. John Franks deposed to seeing the defendant come “flying from the door of the Brewery Tap”, and a few seconds later the artilleryman and Edmunds came out together. The defendant was lying on her back to the right side of the door, and remained so until they got the artilleryman away.

Ed. Brook, barman at the Brewery Tap, and the landlord, Albert Taylor, corroborated defendant's story.

The Chairman said that the evidence was very conflicting, and they did not want to decide which of the two parties was right. One or the other was telling an abominable and deliberate lie. The case would be dismissed.

Albert Taylor was then summoned for permitting Gunner West, R.F.A., to be drunk on licensed premises.

Lance Corpl. Edmunds deposed to being called on the 24th December to eject a soldier from the Brewery Tap. West was very drunk and quarrelsome, and had his coat off. Eventually witness ejected him from the house. When he was taken into custody, West became very violent; he required the assistance of three others, and they were also compelled to use handcuffs.

Cross-examined by Mr. Haines: His violence and the manner in which he was staggering about were evidence of West's drunkenness. He did not ask to walk on the way to the station. They had to carry him, as he would not walk.

George Henry Pollard, of the Oxfords, said West was either drunk or acting drunk.

A statement was produced signed by the witness, in which he deposed conclusively that West was drunk. Witness eventually said that West was drunk.

Ptes. Rose and Kirk also gave evidence.

Pte. Jones denied that West was drunk, and said that he was only excited. He asked to walk up to the station, but was not allowed.

Witness admitted that he signed a statement produced, but said it had not been read to him.

Inspector Lawrence swore that it was read to him before he signed it.

P.C. Taylor stated that West was drunk.

Mr. Taylor, on oath, denied that West was drunk.

Cross-examined by the Chief Constable, defendant said he wanted him to leave the house because there had been a disturbance with another man, and he did not want there to be a repetition of it. When witness helped West on with his coat he was cool, but he became very excited when he was ejected from the house.

Gunner Arthur Nash, of the R.F.A., and Arthur Parker, also testified to West being sober. They had both been in company with him earlier in the evening.

Cross-examined by the Chief Constable: They did not know that West had pleaded Guilty to the charge of being drunk at the Camp when he was tried before his Colonel.

J.S. Knight again gave evidence corroborating the statement of the landlord as to West's condition.

Thomas West, a gunner in the R.F.A., denied the charge of drunkenness.

Cross-examined by the Chief Constable, he denied pleading Guilty to being drunk at the Camp, stating that he only admitted at that time that he had had a couple of drinks.

Ed. Brooks also gave evidence for the defence.

Mr. Haines maintained that the evidence was not conclusive enough to convict. The man was very excitable, and his violence was caused by seeing his young lady pushed from the door as she had been.

The Magistrates retired to consider their decision, and on their return the Chairman announced that they were unanimously of opinion that the case was proved, and a fine of 40s., with 21s. costs, would be imposed.

Folkestone Herald 5 February 1910.

Monday, January 31st: Before Mr. W.G. Herbert, Major Leggett, Messrs. G.I. Swoffer, J. Stainer, and R.J. Linton.

Sidney Arthur Smith was charged with indecently assaulting Emily Ellen Staple, a married woman. The Chairman ordered the Court to be cleared.

Mrs. Staple stated that she was the wife of Edward Staple, and she lived at 17, Garden Road. Last Saturday, at about 11.30, in Bradstone Road, as she was returning home alone, prisoner, who was a stranger to her, spoke to her, caught hold of her by the shoulder, and dragged her across the road towards the passage in Kent Road. She resisted him, and finding he was getting the better of her, she commenced to scream. She said “If you don't let me go, I'll give you in charge”. He then held his hand over her mouth and tried to stop her from screaming. She bit his hand, which caused him to remove it. He said “If you scream, I'll choke you”. He then placed some soft substance in her mouth, either his bag or cap. She screamed “Murder” and “Police”. He tightened the substance which was in her mouth so that she could not scream. Prosecutrix deposed to the nature of the assault alleged, and, proceeding, said someone shouted out of a window at the back “What's the matter over there?”, which caused accused to run away. She only had time to get to the passage before P.C. Waters saw her. She then told him what had occurred, and accompanied him to the corner of Kent Road and Foord Road, where they met P.C. Butler. She said to him “Have you seen a tall man about?” Prisoner then came from the direction of Foord Road, and said “I am the tall man you are looking for”. She then gave him into custody. She had been out shopping. She met two young women that worked with her in the laundry. She left her husband at 8.30 p.m. in the High Street, and she was with her companions until 10.50. She left them in South Street, and then she looked for her husband, but missed him.

In answer to the accused, Mrs. Staples said she had never seen him before. She did not ask accused to “treat” her, and she did not see him at the Brewery Tap. She did not ask accused for a shilling.

P.C. Waters stated that at about 11.30 p.m. on Saturday evening he was in bed at his lodgings, at 5, Bradstone Avenue, when he heard someone screaming “Murder”, “Help”, and “Police”. The sound came from the passage at the rear of Bradstone Avenue, at the beginning of the Kent Road. He opened his window and shouted “What is the matter out there?” He heard a woman shouting “Oh, won't someone come to help me?”, and he heard someone running away. He then partly dressed and ran down into the passage. He tripped over something which was lying there. He then saw complainant at the Kent Road end of the passage. She appeared to be very excited and was bleeding from the lips. She told him that a man had assaulted her. He asked her if she knew the man, and she replied “No”. He then asked in which direction he had gone. She replied “Out into Foord Road”. She then accompanied him to the corner of Kent Road and Foord Road, and he there met P.C. Butler. The prosecutrix asked “Have you seen a tall man run along this way?”. Almost immediately the prisoner crossed the Foord Road. He came right up to them, and said “I am the tall man you are looking for”. He was then told by P.C. Butler that he would be brought to the police station and charged with indecently assaulting Mrs. Staples. Prosecutrix, when she saw the prisoner, said “That's the man”. Prisoner made no reply at the time.

Prisoner: I said I was innocent.

Witness, continuing, said that P.C. Butler took accused away, and he (witness) accompanied him. Prisoner said on the way that he gave prosecutrix a shilling. He also said that he had been in the Guildhall Vaults with complainant during the evening, and also in the Honest Lawyer public house.

Prisoner: If I was Guilty, why did I come back again? She asked me for 1s.

P.C. Butler also gave evidence. He said he went to the passage and saw evidence of a struggle. He found the bag owned by accused. In reply to the charge, accused said “I went out with my old bag to get some coal”. He noticed a slight cut on the right knuckle of prisoner's hand. His hand was covered in blood.

Prisoner, who protested his innocence, was committed for trial at the next Quarter Sessions for the borough, and was allowed bail, himself in £20, and one surety of £20, or two of £10.

The Chairman said the Bench complimented the constables on their very smart conduct.

Folkestone Herald 12 February 1910.

Local News.

In reference to the charge of assault heard before the Folkestone Magistrates last week, we are requested to state that Mrs. Staple, the prosecutrix, does not live at 17, Garden Road, but at another house in the road.

Folkestone Herald 9 April 1910.

Quarter Sessions.

Saturday, April 2nd: Before J.C. Lewis Coward Esq.

An interesting appeal was heard against the decision of the borough justices in convicting Albert Edward Talyor, the lessee of the Brewery Tap, Tontine Street, for permitting drunkenness on licensed premises.

Mr. Albert Taylor, licensee of the Imperial Brewery Tap, Tontine Street, appealed against a decision of the borough justices in convicting him for permitting drunkenness on licensed premises. Mr. Pitman (instructed by Mr. G.W. Haines) appeared for the appellant, and Mr. Matthew (instructed by the Town Clerk, Mr. A.F. Kidson) resisted the appeal.

Mr. Matthew, in outlining the case, said that the appellant was accused of permitting Gunner West, of the R.F.A., to be drunk at the Brewery Tap on Christmas Eve last. West was, in point of fact, drunk, and very drunk at 9.40 on the evening of December 24th. He was exceedingly violent; he was abusive and quarrelsome, and when he was removed to the cells he was helpless and incapable. He thought it was clear, also, that West was in the bar of the Brewery Tap from 8.15 to 9.40 p.m., when he was ejected, and there was distinct evidence that he was served with drink between those hours. At 8.15 p.m., when he was first noticed in the bar, he was quarrelsome, and was showing signs that he had had enough drink.

Evidence in support of the conviction was then called.

Corporal G. Edmunds, Military Foot Police, said that on December 24th he was on duty in Folkestone, and about 9.40 p.m. was sent for to the Brewery Tap, Tontine Street. He went there with Private Jones and found Gunner West there. He was drunk; he was quarrelsome, and had his overcoat off. He was inside the bar. He was not exactly standing there – he was “trying to stand” there. Mr. Taylor said “I want this man removed from my house; he has broken a picture”. Taylor said he did not want him charged. Witness asked him to leave, and he would not. He was fumbling about with his coat for two or three minutes, so witness had to eject him by force. After that he became very violent, and witness had to call for the assistance of Sergt. Lawrence and P.C. Taylor to take him to the police station. There was no doubt he was drunk.

Cross-examined: The barman called him in. Taylor asked him to remove prisoner from the house. West did not intend to get his greatcoat on. He was in the position of putting it on. Witness did not become impatient, but he had to throw him out. His girl was there, and was clinging on to him. West was angry, and hit out.

You have heard of a man getting angry when he thinks his girl is being insulted? – Yes.

That is a human instinct, even in the Military Foot Police? – Yes.

Continuing, witness said that the soldier did not receive an unnecessarily rough handling. Pte. Jones did not think he was roughly handled at first, but he changed his opinion afterwards. Pte. Jones was a private soldier, lent to do duty as a military policeman for the night. He was very sorry to have such men as police.

Corporal Lewis Edward Kirk, of the 2nd Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, said that on December 24th last, at about 8.15 p.m., he was in the Brewery Tap. He went there with Pte. Collard and Pte. Rose, of witness's regiment. The bar was full, and West was seated there with a young lady. He was served with drink. There was a disturbance in the bar. West began to push witness's legs, and witness turned round and told him to stop it. West then got up and wanted to fight. West was then perfectly sober; that was about 8.45 p.m. To save any trouble, witness walked out. Witness had not spoken a word to West or his girl. Witness returned later on. Pollard and Rose were still in the bar. West was up against the partition with several people round him. When he saw witness he tried to make a rush for the door, and witness went out again. Witness then told the military police of the disturbance.

Cross-examined: West might have thought that he had insulted his girl, but that was not so. He went out because as he and West were of different rank, a quarrel would have meant trouble for two.

This witness was complimented by the Recorder on the way he had given his evidence.

Pte. Rose deposed that on December 24th he went to the Brewery Tap with the last witness. West was there, but he did not see him drinking. He was sitting beside his young lady. He corroborated the evidence of the last witness, but said that when Kirk came back West was in a drunken condition. While West was getting his coat off to fight Kirk he broke some pictures in the bar. Witness saw West being taken out by the Military Police. When he was taken out the young woman who was with him was hurt.

Cross-examined: Witness could not be certain whether West left the bar for a minute or two or not during the evening.

In answer to the Recorder, witness said he could not tell how long West had been drinking before Kirk returned. He did not agree that West was sober when Kirk first left.

As to the struggle at ejection, witness said that West resisted.

Mr. Matthew: I suppose if they had been gentle, if they had beckoned to him to come out, he would have been there still. (Laughter)

Pte. Pollard, who went into the bar on the occasion in question with Kirk and Rose, gave his account of the affair. He said that West was drunk when Kirk first went out. He saw West served with drink, and saw him have two half pints. After Kirk left, West wanted to fight three or four people in the bar; he did not say why. Kirk was away about twenty minutes.

Cross-examined: There was nothing else, apart from the quarrelsomeness and excitement, to make him think that West was drunk. He observed that sometimes when a soldier had a pint of beer he rolled home “acting drunk” for “swank”.

The Recorder: Why should a soldier “act drunk?” – I do not know, but I have seen it many times. I thought that West was “acting drunk” in this case. It was very good acting.

Inspector Frank Lawrence, of the Folkestone Police, said that on the evening in question he saw West being ejected from the Brewery ap. West was drunk, and there was a struggle. Witness helped to take West to the police station. On the 27th the landlord made a statement to witness about the affair. He said “I am very sorry to have had any bother; the soldier did not appear to be any the worse for anything he had to drink whilst here. I was in the bar all the evening, but when the disturbance occurred I was down in the cellar when my wife called me up. He was then struggling with the girl he was with. He was not drunk, and if it was not for his temper I would not have called the military police in to put him out. The trouble arose over a dispute with a corporal of the Oxfords, as far as I can find out”.

Cross-examined: He had no reason to doubt that it was Mr. Taylor who sent for the military police.

Mr. William Rye said that about 9.45 on Christmas Eve he was in Tontine Street, when he saw a soldier and a woman being taken out of the Brewery Tap by the police. He should say that the soldier was “mad drunk”. The soldier was picked up; he used filthy language, became very violent, struck Inspector Lawrence, and was then handcuffed.

Cross-examined: He did not think that the woman was ejected; she came out backwards. The language used by the soldier was “very filthy for Christmas time”, when there are many females and children about.

Mr. Arthur Goddard, 29, Dudley Road, said he was a fish buyer, and on the occasion in question was in Tontine Street, and saw the soldier and woman being ejected: the soldier was drunk and spoke very hoarsely.

Cross-examined: The soldier was handcuffed because he would not walk.

Mr. Walter Banks, 20, Grove Road, said that he was a caterer, and saw the soldier and the woman being ejected. The soldier was drunk. When the soldier was on the ground he was “rather more than talking; he was swearing”. He could not walk.

Cross-examined: Witness was first asked by the police to give evidence at an election meeting held by Mr. Clarke Hall. (Laughter) That was some time after the incident.

Sergt. Dunster, of the Borough Police said that when West was brought in to the police station by the military police at 10 p.m. on the evening of December 24th he was drunk and riotous. He had no doubt as to his condition. He was put into a cell with difficulty. Witness afterwards saw West in the cell lying on the floor face downwards and vomiting. At 10.50 p.m. witness saw West again still in the same position. Corporal Edmunds then tried to rouse him, but he could not do so as he was too drunk. At 12.40 a.m. the escort came for him. He could not walk then, and had to be supported.

This concluded Mr. Matthews' case.

Mr. Pitman said that his contention would be that the prisoner had had a slight amount of drink, and the fighting and excitement made him into a drunken condition.

The Recorder said that it was clear that West was drunk at some time during the evening.

An adjournment for lunch was then taken.

On the resumption Mr. Pitman said that his defence would consist of two parts, first that the landlord took every reasonable precaution, and secondly if that was not sufficient grounds for the appeal to be upheld, he would deal with the question as to whether West was or was not drunk. To save time if possible, he would only deal with the first line of defence indicated to begin with, and would not proceed to the other unless it became necessary.

Mr. Albert Taylor said that he was the appellant in the case. He was the lessee of and resided at the Imperial Brewery Tap. There were two bars in the house, a private bar and a public bar. At Christmas time he had an extra assistant to help him. The plan now produced showed the accommodation at the bar. On the evening of December 24th witness was in the bar from six, and remained there all the time, except for a couple of minutes when he went down to the cellar. His wife was assisting him all the evening, and the barman, Brooks, was in the bars among the customers to pick up the glasses, and note the condition of those who came in. There was also an extra assistant. Witness had told Brooks to notify him if he saw anyone come in the worse for drink. The house was a tied one, and the brewers were Messrs. Mackeson, of Hythe. Witness had been in the house for about four years; he had never been in the trade before. Witness was 33 years of age, and lived with his wife and two boys at the house. The rent of the house was £50 a year, and the trade was between eight and ten barrels of beer a week. On the evening of December 24th, witness had just gone down to the cellar to draw some beer, when his wife sent for him to come up. There were at the time between 30 and 40 people in the private bar, and more in the public bar. Up to then there had been no disturbance; in fact, he had never seen his bar so quiet at a busy time. Witness went into the bar, and a sailor said that someone had upset the Artilleryman's girl, but that whoever it was had gone. West was then pointed out to him. Witness asked West what was wrong, and West replied “I did not like what he said to my young lady”. Witness said “Because you did not like that you are going to make a row in my bar”, and added that he would have to leave the premises. There was nothing in West's manner at that time (about 9.30 p.m.) to lead witness to think he was drunk. West said that he had done nothing wrong, and that he did not see why he should go out. Other people in the bar also said that he had done nothing wrong. Witness insisted that West should go because he did not want a “second edition” of the row; he thought that the other man might come back. West's speech was not then unusually thick, and he stood up properly, with his coat over his arm. Witness told West that if he did not leave he would have to put him out. West said that he could not do that, and witness then said that there was another course open, and he could fetch the police. West said “Fetch them. I have done nothing wrong, only as any other man would do”. Witness then told his barman to fetch the military police. The barman did so, and Corpl. Edmunds and Pte. Jones came. When the military police came West's young woman was assisting him to put on his coat. The lining was torn, and his arm would not come through the sleeve. As a result of that he took some time to put his coat on. While witness was trying to help him Edmunds said “You are not trying to put that coat on”. The girl stepped up and said “The lining is torn. What if he is not trying to put his coat on? He has done nothing wrong”. As soon as she stepped between Edmunds and West to do this Edmunds put his elbow against her and pushed her right backwards; she fell out over the step into the road. West then rushed forward at Edmunds, and they both fell out of the door together, the military police on top. The door was held wide open by the barman. The girl fainted outside. Apart from this there was no disturbance whatever in the house during the evening. In sending for the police witness was not influenced by any idea that the man was drunk. The picture in the bar was broken by witness himself before Christmas. The glass fell out at the struggle, but that might not have been West's fault. Witness had never had any convictions against him before.

Cross-examined: Witness noticed nothing whatever wrong with West till the incidents he had described. If he had heard the incident between West and Kirk before he would have insisted on both of them going out. He did not see West offering to fight several people, as Pollard had suggested. If it had gone on, witness would have seen it. He suggested that Pollard was lying about that. If it had been going on witness must have seen it.

Mr. Matthew: I quite agree; you must have seen it. Do you suggest also that Kirk and Rose have made this tale up?

Witness said they might have done; they were thee chums. He saw no reason why he should have sent for the military police before he did. West was thrown out with unnecessary violence. Outside West was trying to get up, but Edmunds was kneeling on him.

Mr. Edward Brooks said that he had been employed as barman at the Brewery Tap for about eighteen months. On December 24th he was in the bar, and was instructed to pick up the glasses, to see the condition of the people who came in, to see that anyone who came in drunk was put out, and to inform Mr. Taylor if there was any disturbance. Witness was in the bar all the evening, as were Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, and an extra assistant. West paid two visits to the bar during the evening. The first was somewhere near 8 o'clock, and he then had one glass of ale. About 9.20 p.m. he came in again, and had one more glass of ale. Witness saw Kirk come in, but did not see anything take place the first time between West and Kirk, because then he was in the other bar. Mrs. Taylor told him to go into the other bar when the disturbance began, and he did so. Kirk had then gone, and West told witness that someone had insulted his girl. Witness said that he must not make a disturbance in the bar; if he wanted to do so he must go outside. Mr. Taylor then came up, and witness held the door open. He did not see anything to lead him to think that West was drunk. He corroborated the evidence of Mr. Taylor as to the circumstances of the ejectment and the treatment of the girl.

Cross-examined: West was put out because he was trying to create a disturbance with Kirk. West was violent and excited when he was piu out of the house; he was angry with Kirk. He was sure that West was only served with two glasses of ale in the bar during the evening. Witness did not see any row between West and Kirk earlier in the evening, nor did he see West offering to fight people in the bar. West, at 9.30 p.m., was perfectly sober.

Mr. Pitman intimated that this concluded the first part of his case. He desired to know whether the Recorder wished him to address the Court on those points now, or proceed with evidence as to the second part of the defence to the charge.

The Recorder said that he did not desire that Mr. Pitman should address him at all. He had carefully considered the evidence in the case, and he was of opinion that the appeal must be maintained. The grounds upon which it was sought to set aside the conviction were five in number, but the fourth appeared to be ample, and on that he gave his judgement, namely that the landlord and the persons employed by him took all reasonable steps for preventing drunkenness on the premises. He had not come to that decision upon any suggestion that had been made that this might be thought a hard case, and that it was Christmas Eve, and so forth, because it was just as great an obligation upon a licensed person to look after his house at those times as on ordinary occasions. He had come to his decision upon the evidence that had been put before him in that Court, and that evidence satisfied him that within the meaning of Section 4 of the Licensing Act, 1902, Mr. Taylor and his agents had taken all reasonable precautions to prevent drunkenness on the premises. He did not propose to go at any length into the evidence given before him, but he was much struck by Kirk's evidence. Kirk arrived at that licensed house about 8.15 p.m. He said that when he got there West was there; West was served with drink, and he saw West bringing the drink from the bar to his seat, so that, at that time at any rate, West was in a condition that he could walk to and from the bar. It was about 8.45 p.m. that West began to push Kirk. The place where West was sitting had been pointed out to him (the Recorder). It was some way from the counter, and there were some thirty or forty men in the private bar at the time. Was it to be said that when that man stood up at 8.45 p.m. – when Kirk said that West was perfectly sober – was it to be expected that the landlord was to be convicted for not turning him out? At nine o'clock Kirk said that he went out, and that West was then quite sober. Apparently it was not till 9.40 p.m., or thereabouts, that Kirk returned, and that was unquestionably the signal for West to immediately lose his temper, and to go for Kirk. The landlord said – and he (the Recorder) believed him – that there was nothing to attract his attention to West up to that time. The remarks of the people around to the landlord that West had done nothing wrong were an important point. However, the landlord decided that West must go, and took steps to have him ejected. He did not think it was necessary for him (the Recorder) to find whether the man was drunk or not. He thought that he was certainly drunk at some time during that evening, but that he was not drunk at 8.30 or 9 p.m. was quite probable. Men did get overtaken by fumes, and a state of excitement and struggling such as had been described might have brought about the nausea in the cells. The landlord had discharged himself of the onus laid upon him, and the appeal must be upheld, with costs.

Sidney Alfred Smith, aged 23, a labourer, was indicted first for an indecent assault, and secondly for a common assault, on Ellen Staple, on January 29th, at Folkestone. He was committed for trial on the first count only on January 31st, and was not bailed out till March 7th. Mr. Dicken prosecuted on behalf of the Crown, and Mr. Pitman defended.

Acting on the advice of his counsel, prisoner pleaded Guilty to a common assault, but Not Guilty to an indecent assault.

Mr. Dickens intimated that he would accept the plea of Guilty to a common assault, and not proceed with the other charge. He said that the prisoner and the woman were seen talking quietly together before the assault, by a witness who did not appear at the Police Court, and he thought it would be inadvisable for him to press the charge of indecency against the man; indeed, he might also say that it would be impossible to obtain a conviction for indecent assault. That there was a common assault there was no doubt. The prisoner put something into the woman's mouth, and as a result she bit his hand till the blood came.

The Recorder said that having regard to what Mr. Dickens had said, and to certain circumstances which had impressed themselves very much on his mind in connection with the deposition as to the time and the hours that the woman appeared to have been about the town, he thought that Mr. Dickens had taken a very proper course.

Mr. Pitman, for the defendant, said that his story was that the prisoner and the woman met, that they walked and conversed together, and that the suggestion came not from the man, but from the woman. They all knew the story of Potiphar's wife. Prisoner had been recently married, and his wife lived near. Being indignant with the woman, prisoner did push her back, and she, according to a threat she had made before, cried out for the police, and so on. Prisoner absolutely denied the suggestion that he put anything into her mouth. He was carrying a sack at the time, having been picking up coal, and that might have accidentally struck her. Prisoner had already been in prison for four or five weeks, since he was committed on January 31st, and not bailed out till March 7th. In conclusion, counsel referred to the “undoubted unreliability of the woman's story”, and said that it was a little difficult to know what a man was to do under the circumstances.

The Recorder said that in such cases he always desired to see what answer the prisoner made at the time when he was first charged. He saw that at the Police Court this man said “I reserve my defence”. Why was that?

Mr. Pitman said that the prisoner's remark was one that was often made. At the Police Court he had put a good many questions to the woman, and as those questions disclosed his defence, the Magistrates' Clerk afterwards advised him to reserve the defence.

The Recorder said that that cleared up his doubt on the point, but he always did feel himself that it was very desirable to know what the answer of the man was at the time. He thought that the less said about that case the better. He would advise prisoner to be careful in the future. He would now bind him over to be of good behaviour for six months.

Folkestone Herald 31 December 1910.

Saturday, December 24th: Before Alderman Penfold, Lieut. Col. R.J. Fynmore, Messrs. E.T. Ward and R.G. Wood.

Charles Bryant was charged with wilfully breaking a pane of glass at the Brewery Tap Inn, Tontine Street, the previous evening, and pleaded Not Guilty.

Albert Taylor, the landlord of the Brewery Tap, said that about 10.30 p.m. the previous evening he was serving in the public bar. One of the 11th Hussars came in, but witness refused to serve him, as he was drunk. The soldier then said something to prisoner, who came forward and asked for drinks for himself and the soldier. Witness refused to serve him on the grounds that he was going to get a drink for a man who was drunk. Prisoner then became very abusive, and witness had eventually to eject him. He put him outside the glass door and bolted it. Prisoner then smashed one of the glass panels. Witness then sent for the police, and gave the prisoner in custody. The extent of the damage was from £3 10s. to £4.

Corpl. Hawkes, of the Military Police, deposed to seeing prisoner ejected, and afterwards seeing him strike the glass panel of the door with his hand and break it.

P.C. Bourne said that when he took the prisoner into custody his hand was bleeding. He was very violent on the way to the police station, but was not drunk.

Prisoner was fined 5s. and 6s. 6d. costs, and the damages, £3, or, in default was committed to prison for one month. The Magistrates commended Mr. Taylor for his action in the matter.

Folkestone Herald 1 July 1911.

Wednesday, June 28th: Before Alderman T.J. Vaughan and Lieut. Col. Fynmore.

Adam Todd and Sidney Barton were summoned for an assault on Ernest Edward Williams. Both pleaded Not Guilty. Mr. G.W. Haines appeared for the complainant.

Ernest Edward Williams, a painter, said that on Coronation Day he was in the Brewery Tap, Tontine Street, at about 7.30, when he was called out to speak to someone. When he went out he saw defendant Todd, who asked witness if he was going to treat him. Witness said “Yes”, but defendant said he didn't want the drink, and asked complainant to come round the corner and fight. Witness walked back and finished his drink, and afterwards went up Tontine Street and proceeded to Belle Vue Street, where he and some friends went to avoid the two defendants, who followed them. Defendants overtook them at the corner of Belle Vue Street, and Barton came up and threw his hat into the air, shouting that he and his father were the two best men in Folkestone. Witness's sister-in-law tried to push Barton back, but he struck over her shoulder at complainant. Todd then came up behind complainant, and also struck him. Witness turned round and went for Todd. Barton joined the fight, and complainant was thrown to the ground, both defendants on the top of him. They both kicked him. A policeman then came up, and defendants went away. Witness had not seen either of them before that day, nor during the week to his knowledge. He could not account at all for the assault upon him. He had had no words with either defendant.

Stephen Clark, a labourer, of 23, Peter Street, said he knew complainant and defendants by sight. On Coronation Day he witnessed the scene at the end of the road. It appeared that Barton threw complainant down, and then Todd ran across the road and kicked him. “It was a cowardly action”, confirmed witness, “and if I had been a younger man I would have stopped it”. He further stated there was no actual fighting going on at all. There was simply a tussle. “Neither man could fight for nuts”.

Lily Williams, complainant's wife, gave corroborative evidence.

P.C. Allen deposed that he was called to the street. All the men appeared to be sober.

Elizabeth Brien also gave evidence to prove the assault.

Defendants both said that complainant had started the row, and that they hit him in self-defence. They called John Harris, who apparently did not witness much of the quarrel, and not enough to give a definite opinion as to who started it.

The Chairman said that on the evidence the Magistrates had nothing to do but dismiss the case.

Henry Todd was summoned by Robert Williams. He pleaded Not Guilty.

Complainant deposed that defendant came to his house on the previous Thursday evening (Coronation Day) and knocked at the door. When he went to the door defendant struck him in the face. Complainant fell, but crawled out into the street, and defendant again struck him, saying “That's one of them laid out”.

Questioned by defendant, complainant said he and his son did not attack him. They did not have a hammer and a chopper.

Defendant said he would like to produced a hammer and chopper, which, he alleged, complainant and his son had in their hands.

The hammer and chopper were produced, but complainant denied most emphatically any previous knowledge of them.

Courtenay Williams, complainant's son, and Mary Williams, his wife, corroborated.

Lilian Todd, defendant's sister, said that when her brother went to the door and spoke to complainant, Williams struck at him with a quart bottle. She did not see her brother do anything. Later she saw the Williams's in the road on the top of her brother. She also deposed that the father and son had the hammer and chopper produced.

The Bench bound defendant over in his own recognisance to be of good behaviour for six months, and also ordered him to find a surety in the sum of £10. In default, two months' hard labour.

Courtenay Lewis Williams, summoned for assaulting Elizabeth Todd on June 22nd, also pleaded Not Guilty.

Elizabeth Todd said that she was the mother of the last defendant. At 10.30 on the 22nd June she was sitting in her room when, from what her daughter told her, she went down to the bottom of the steps, and saw two men beating her son. One was the defendant, and the other was his father. Witness pulled one of them off, and then a little boy ran and gave a hammer to the defendant's father and a chopper to the defendant. Witness went to take the chopper away from defendant, and he struck at her, hitting her on the wrist, and piercing her clothes to her back. She managed, as he was striking a third time, to take the weapon from him. She then fell to the ground. When she recovered she was outside her daughter's house.

Lilian Todd, daughter of complainant, corroborated as to the defendant striking at her mother. She said, however, that her brother was not on the ground at the time, but had returned indoors. Asked how they came by the hammer and the chopper (produced), she said that her mother took the chopper from the defendant, and she found the hammer when she returned to get her mother's coat.

Defendant was bound over in his own recognisances for six months, and the Chairman remarked that the sooner the people in the neighbourhood conducted themselves in a respectable manner, the better it would be for all concerned.

Elizabeth Brien was summoned for assaulting Mrs. Eva Barton on the 22nd June. She pleaded Not Guilty.

Mrs. Barton said that on the previous night, between 8 and 9, she went to meet her husband. She was with her sister. When near the salvation Army Barracks she heard a row, and ran up St. John Street. On turning a corner she met the defendant, who struck at her and used bad language towards her. After prisoner had struck her three times she returned the blow.

Lilian Todd, sister of the defendant, gave corroborative evidence.

Defendant said that this was a made up affair between the complainant and her mother. She did not wish to call any evidence; it would be no use if she did.

Defendant was bound over in her own recognisance to be of good behaviour for six months, and had to pay the costs (12s. 6d.).

Folkestone Herald 30 September 1911.

Tuesday, September 26th: Before Mr. E.T. Ward, Alderman T.J. Vaughan, and Lieut. Col. Fynmore.

Walter John Woods was charged with stealing a basket containing a quantity of mushrooms, the property of William Gower.

William Gower, a carrier, residing at Swingfield, stated that he was in Tontine Street the previous afternoon, at about 2.30, with a cart, upon which there was a quantity of mushrooms. Prisoner came up to him and asked the price of the mushrooms. Witness told him they were 4d. a pound. Prisoner then said he thought it too much, and asked witness to weigh a quantity of mushrooms that were in a bath on the cart. Witness took the bath for the purpose of weighing the mushrooms, leaving the cart in the street with no-one in charge. He left a basket full of mushrooms there. Witness returned in about two minutes, but prisoner was gone, and the basket of mushrooms also. There were 12lbs. of mushrooms in the basket, which, together with the basket, he valued at about 4s. 6d. Witness saw the prisoner about five minutes afterwards near the Brewery Tap. Witness then gave information to the police. He saw prisoner about 2.50 p.m. near the Co-Operative Stores. Witness's cart was opposite Mr. Davison's stores. Prisoner came up and put the basket containing the mushrooms back. He said he had been to Mr. Mills, in High Street. Witness said he would go and see Mr. Mills. Prisoner then went away, leaving the mushrooms. Witness, in company with Sergt. Sales, saw prisoner in Tontine Street. He pointed accused out to Sergt. Sales, who took him into custody. Witness gave prisoner no authority to take the mushrooms, nor had anything been said about prisoner selling them.

Albert George Croucher, barman at the Brewery Tap, said that prisoner came into the bar in company with another man on the afternoon in question at about 2.30. They remained for about a quarter of an hour, when prisoner left. Accused returned in about five or ten minutes with a basket of mushrooms similar to the one produced. Prisoner told the other man to take them home, and he asked “Now?” Prisoner said “Not now. Stokes may want to buy them”. Witness then left the bar, leaving prisoner and his friend there. A short time after they were still there, but the basket and mushrooms were gone. Sergt. Sales then came into the bar and made some inquiries. Prisoner and his companion saw Sergt. Sales from where they sat, and left hurriedly.

P.S. Sales said that he received information the previous afternoon of the loss of the mushrooms, and the prosecutor subsequently pointed out the prisoner to him. Witness went up to him and said “I shall take you to the police station and charge you with stealing some mushrooms”. Accused asked “When was this? I took them back. I took them to try and sell them for him. You don't call that stealing, do you?” Witness then took the prisoner to the police station and formally charged him. Prisoner replied that he took the mushrooms to try and sell them for the prosecutor.

The Chairman remarked that it was a very suspicious case. They would give prisoner the benefit of the doubt, and he would be discharged accordingly.

George Robert Clark was charged with being drunk and disorderly in Tontine Street the previous day. Prisoner pleaded Not Guilty.

Inspector Lawrence stated that at about 9.50 the previous evening he was in Tontine Street, where he saw prisoner ejected from the Clarendon Hotel by the manager. Prisoner was drunk, and remained in the road. He would not go away. His wife tried to get him to go, but he would not. Witness eventually took him into custody.

Stanley Rishton, manager of the Clarendon Hotel, said the prisoner came into the house at about 10 p.m. the previous day and asked for a shandy. He was drunk, and witness said he would not be served. He told him to get outside. This he would not do, and witness ejected him. There was no doubt that he was drunk.

Fined 5s. and 5s. 6d. costs.

Folkestone Herald 30 November 1912.

Monday, November 25th: Before Mr. W.G. Herbert, Mr. J. Stainer, Mr. G.I. Swoffer, Mr. R.J. Linton, and Mr. G. Boyd.

Edward Leary, charged with being drunk and disorderly in Tontine Street on Saturday night, pleaded Guilty.

P.C. Whitehead said he saw accused being ejected from the Queen's Cinema in a drunken condition. Witness advised him to go away, but he went across to the Brewery Tap, where he was refused drink. As he would not go away, witness took him into custody. At the bottom of High Street prisoner became violent and fell down and bruised his eye (which was very much swollen and inflamed).

Accused expressed regret, and said if the Bench would give him a chance he would leave the town.

Fined 5s. and 4s. 6d. costs, or 7 days' hard labour.

Prisoner went below.

Folkestone Herald 18 January 1913.

Local News.

At a special transfer sessions of the Folkestone Borough Bench, before Mr. E.T. Ward, Mr. W.G. Herbert, Lieut. Colonel Fynmore, Mr. G.I. Swoffer, Major G.E. Leggett, Mr. R.J. Linton, and Mr. G. Boyd, application was made by Mr. Taylor, landlord of the Brewery Tap, for an occasional licence at the Buffs' Drill Hall, from 8 p.m. on January 22nd to 3 a.m. on January 23rd for the Buffs' Annual Ball. The application was granted.

Folkestone Herald 26 September 1914.

Saturday, September 19th: Before Mr. E.T. Ward, Lieut. Col. R.J. Fynmore, Mr. G. Boyd, and Col. G.P. Owen.

James Molloy was charged with stealing a pair of boots, the property of Mr. J. Bainbridge, and Alfred Cole was charged with receiving the same. They pleaded Not Guilty. Both men are soldiers in the new Army.

Mr. Bainbridge, who carries on a boot and shoe business at 39, Tontine Street, deposed that on the previous day, about 9 a.m., he placed outside the shop, in the ordinary way, a pair of men's boots. He saw them there safe several times during the day. In the evening, about 8.15, Mr. Whittingstall communicated with him. He examined the stock, and found one pair of Territorials' boots missing. He identified the boots produced.

Mr. Wiliiam Whittingstall said about 8 p.m. he was in the doorway of his shop, when he saw Molloy standing by his baskets. He watched him for about 15 minutes, and then saw him take the boots from the doorway of Mr. Bainbridge's shop next door. Prisoner walked up the street and went into the Brewery Tap. Witness spoke to Mr. Bainbridge, and together they went to the Brewery Tap. He entered the bar and recognised Molloy. He went out and called P.C. Simmonds. When he returned Molloy had gone. P.C. Simmonds, seeing that Cole, who was in the house, looked bulky, asked him what he had under his tunic. He made no reply, and was taken into custody. Later witness accompanied P.C. Simmonds to the True Briton Inn and pointed Molloy out among a number of soldiers who were at the bar.

Mr. George Fagg, a fisherman, of 7, Dover Street, said he was in the Harbour with his boat about 6.15 a.m. that morning, and found one of the boots produced in the sand. He washed it out and took it to the police station.

P.C. Simmonds corroborated the evidence given by Mr. Whittingstall, and said he found one of the boots under Cole's tunic. Molloy, when charged, said “Fourteen days will do me good. It will be better than going to the front”.

Molloy and Cole were sentenced to one month's imprisonment with hard labour. The Chairman said they had disgraced the uniform they were wearing.

The Chairman told Mr. Bainbridge that he ought not to leave his boots in a position where it was easy to steal them. It was a great temptation.

Folkestone Herald 27 February 1915.

Monday, February 22nd: Before Mr. J. Stainer, Mr. G.I. Swoffer, Mr. R.J. Linton, and Councillor W.J. Harrison.

Arthur Shingleton and William Allen, privates in the Middlesex Regiment, were charged with stealing twelve shirts and six pairs of pants, the property of Mr. R.G. Wood.

Mr. Albert Curry, assistant to Mr. R.G. Wood, outfitter, said that about 6.50 on Saturday evening he missed a bundle containing six pairs of pants and a bundle of twelve shirts from the doorway. They were at the end of the shelf nearest the pavement, and were not secured. Shortly afterwards Corporal Inwood, of the Military Police, spoke to him, and he accompanied him and P.C. Lawrence to the arbour end of Tontine Street. He afterwards saw Shingleton at the Brewery Tap with a bundle wrapped in paper under his arm. He called a constable and returned to the shop. Shortly afterwards P.C. Lawrence brought to him two pairs of pants and three shirts, which he identified as part of the missing bundles. He valued the whole of the bundles at £1 12s. 6d. A quantity of the pants and shirts had not been recovered.

Corporal William Inwood, Middlesex Regiment, billeted in Folkestone, said that on Saturday evening, at 7.15, he was in charge of a picquet in Tontine Street, when he saw the prisoners together outside Mr. Wood's shop. They were walking towards the Harbour, and Allen had a soft bundle wrapped in paper under his arm. A few minutes afterwards he saw the last witness come to the door of the shop. Witness spoke to him, and from what he said he went with P.C. Lawrence into the Brewery Tap, where he saw the prisoners. Each had a small bundle. Allen had a bundle of soft goods under his arm, and Shingleton had a bundle wrapped up in paper. They were taken into custody.

P.C. Lawrence said he accompanied the last witness to the Brewery Tap, where he saw the two prisoners. Allen had the three shirts produced under his arm, and when he saw witness he threw them down in a corner. He did not see whether Shingleton was carrying anything. He took them to the police station, where Shingleton unfastened his tunic and brought out the two pairs of pants produced. He said “There you are. That is all I've got”. Witness charged them with stealing six pants and twelve shirts from Mr. Wood's shop. They made no reply.

Prisoners pleaded Not Guilty.

Shingleton said they were having a drink in the Brewery Tap, when a soldier came in with the bundles and asked them to buy the goods. He (Shingleton) gave him 1s. 6d. for two pairs of pants. They did not steal them.

Allen said the soldier sold him three shirts for 2s., and while he was examining them the constable and corporal came up. He did not steal them. He had a six years' character for honesty before he joined the Army, and had never been in a police court before.

P.C. Lawrence, re-called, said Allen was the worse for drink, and Shingleton had been drinking, but was not drunk.

An officer said there were only military offences against the men; they had been absent at one time and another. Both joined on August 7th, and were leaving on Tuesday with the regiment.

The Chairman said the Bench were satisfied of prisoners' guilt, but would give them a chance to redeem their characters. They would each be bound over to be of good behaviour for the next six months.

The Magistrates' Clerk (Mr. J. Andrew) pointed out to the men that a person found in possession of stolen articles who could not give a satisfactory explanation was deemed to have participated in the theft.

Folkestone Herald 25 September 1915.

Friday, September 24th: Before Mr. E.T. Ward, Lieut. Col. R.J. Fynmore, Colonel G.P. Owen, Mr. H.C. Kirke, and Alderman A.E. Pepper.

Henry Francis Hasson was charged with stealing a bottle containing brandy from the Brewery Tap, Tontine Street, the property of Mr. A. Taylor.

Frederick Sydney Taylor, son of Mr. A. Taylor, landlord of the Brewery Tap, Tontine Street, said he was in the bar when prisoner entered that morning, about 9.20 a.m. Defendant had a glass of ale. There was another customer in the opposite bar. After prisoner had drunk a portion of the ale, witness left the bar, leaving the prisoner there alone. He returned in about three minutes’ time, and prisoner was still there. Three minutes later he found prisoner had left the house. A customer in the adjoining bar made a communication to him. He looked round, and found that a bottle containing brandy (produced) was missing. He missed it from a corner on the shelf opposite the counter. He did not miss anything else at the time. He then went to the door, and down Tontine Street, and saw P.C. Stevens. He proceeded later to the Marine Gardens with P.C. Stevens, and he saw the prisoner there in charge of two military policemen and his barman. He took the bottle of brandy from the barman. He had seen the bottle safe when prisoner came into the bar. He valued the brandy at 3s., and the measure attached to the bottle at 6s. 4d. They were his father's property.

P.C. Stevens said he went to the Marine Gardens with the last witness. He there saw the prisoner, who was being detained by two military police corporals and the prosecutor's barman. The barman had in his possession the bottle of brandy with the measure attached. When charged at the police station, prisoner replied "All right”.

Accused was remanded till Saturday (today).

Folkestone Herald 2 October 1915.

Saturday, October 25th: Before Mr. E.T. Ward, Colonel G.P. Owen, Mr. H.C. Kirke, and Alderman A.E. Pepper.

Henry Frances Hasson was charged on remand with stealing bottle of whisky from the Brewery Tap, Tontine Street.

Edmund William Hall, of 32, Greenfield Road, a bottler at the Brewery Tap, Tontine Street, stated that on the previous Friday morning he was on the premises about 8.30, when the prisoner came in. He saw him have some beer and leave the premises. About half an hour later he saw defendant in the saloon bar, drinking a glass of ale. There was no one else there. Shortly afterwards witness left the shop, and about 9.10 he was standing outside, when Mr. Taylor (junr.) made a communication to him. Witness spoke to a military policeman, and then went towards the Marine Gardens, when he saw the prisoner. He went up to him and said to him “Where is that bottle of stuff you have got?” He replied: "I haven’t got any”. Witness noticed that prisoner's right-hand trouser pocket seemed to be bulky, and he took from it the bottle produced. He said to the accused “You will have to come along with me”. Defendant was then taken into custody. Mr. Taylor, junr., had come up in the meantime, and he asked where the stopper was. Prisoner replied: “It is in my jacket pocket”, and took it out, handing it to Mr. Taylor, junr.

Prisoner pleaded guilty, and said he was drunk at the time, and did not remember stealing the whisky. He was not in his right mind.

P.C. Steven said prisoner was sober, but appeared to have been drinking.

The Chief Constable (Mr. H. Reeve) said the man was a perfect stranger to them. He was discharged after 84 days' service in King Edward's Horse for being medically unfit.

The Chairman: What is that badge you are wearing?

The prisoner replied that it was the badge of the National reserve. He was in Canada at the beginning of the War, on a steamer at New Brunswick. He joined the King Edward's Horse, as it was a Colonial regiment. He came to Folkestone with a Canadian to join the Canadian army. He was a steward on a boat.

The Chairman said defendant would be put on probation for three months upon agreeing to go to the Officer of the Records at Canterbury, who would give him a free passage to the United States.

Folkestone Herald 29 April 1916.

Friday, April 28th: Before Mr. R.G. Wood and other Magistrates.

Albert Taylor, the landlord of the Brewery Tap, was summoned for allowing drunkenness.

The Chief Constable (Mr. H. Reeve) said he had issued the summons on information received from the military authorities, but after making several inquiries, and after an interview with the Town Commandant (Col. Burns Begg), he had decided not to offer any evidence, but to ask that the summons might be withdrawn.

Mr. G.W. Haines, who appeared for the defendant, said he was not at all surprised at the course the Chief Constable had taken. Of course, he was justified in issuing the summons on the information he had had before him. He (Mr. Haines) might say that the landlord took every precaution, and he had notices in the rooms asking any persons requested to leave the premises to do so at once. They did their best, and there was no stain on the occupier of the house.

The Chairman said the case would be withdrawn. At the same time, they were glad to see that the landlord had taken precautions.

Folkestone Herald 18 December 1920.

Friday, November 17th: Before Dr. W.J. Tyson, Mr. G.I. Swoffer, Mr. G. Boyd, Mr. W.J. Harrison and Miss E.I. Weston.

Albert Taylor, landlord of the Brewery Tap, was summoned for a breach of the Shops Order. Mr. A.F. Kidson prosecuted, and Mr. V.D. De Wet appeared for the defendant, who pleaded Not Guilty.

Mr. Arthur John Wort said at 6.10 p.m. on Wednesday, November 21st, he visited the defendant's house. He asked for a packet of cigarettes, and he was served by the defendant's son with a 6d. packet.

Cross-examined, witness said defendant's son and he had played football together. He did not know him personally as he did not speak to him in the street. (Laughter)

Mr. De Wet submitted that the Order did not apply to licensed victuallers. They were exempted under the schedule which exempted other trades. The licensed victuallers were never asked if they wished to be exempted from being allowed to open on Wednesday afternoons. Were 110 licensed victuallers, not consulted, to be bound by a three-fourths majority of the tobacconists?

Defendant was fined 10s.

Mr. De Wet said this was a trade affair, and he asked the Magistrates to state a case, which request was granted.

Gertrude Florence Lucas (True Briton Hotel) and Ernest Mainwood (Harbour Hotel) were each fined 10s. for similar offences.

Folkestone Herald 25 December 1920.

Editorial.

Bumble oracularly declared that “the law is a hass”. It is not unlikely that many people, after reading the reports of the cases in which three licensed victuallers were fined for the heinous crime of selling cigarettes on Wednesday afternoon, expressed themselves in a similar fashion. We make no reflection upon the Folkestone Magistrates who heard the prosecutions. The law being as it is, they probably felt they had no alternative but to fine the defendants. At the same time they would have shown a greater appreciation of the fitness of things by imposing a mere nominal penalty of one shilling. But the amount of the fine is not a very serious matter one way or the other. The material point is the state of things in which it is an offence for a publican to sell a cigar, cigarette or tobacco after one o'clock on Wednesday. One satisfactory result of the proceedings is that the Magistrates consented to state a case, and, as we understand, the licensed victuallers intend to take steps with a view to securing the removal of this gross anomaly. We are firm believers in law and order, but when the application of the law leads to such a pass as this we venture to suggest that it is time to enquire whether there is not some error either in the application or in the law itself.

The cases were the outcome of the operation of the Shop Hours Act, containing provision for the closing of shops one half day in every week. That measure allows a certain amount of latitude to tobacconists. They are set apart in a class distinct from shopkeepers generally; they are under no obligation to shut on the customary closing day unless a two-thirds majority petition the Town Council to make an order that they shall do so. That is what happened some years ago. The tobacconists wished to come within the scope of the general order, and the necessary majority memorialised the Corporation accordingly. But – and this is a big “but” – the licensed victuallers, who are also tobacconists, were not consulted in the matter at all. Yet they are expected to conform to an order in the making of which they had no voice! Could anything be more unfair? Simple justice and common sense alike dictate that either they should be regarded as “tobacconists”, and therefore consulted before the order is applied to them or they should not be affected by the order. Licensed victuallers are, indeed, provided for by legislation as a separate class, and they are hedged about and harassed by many restrictions from which other traders are immune. They have therefore the stronger claim to consideration in this matter.

Possibly the result of the case to be stated by the Justices will be a decision that they cannot be regarded as coming within the scope of the order. If not, then it must be hoped that the powers that be will rule that the publicans must be classed as “tobacconists” in so far as the matter of petitioning the local authority for an order is concerned. In justice to the tobacconists it must be said – so we are informed on good authority – that the majority of them are not opposed to licensed victuallers and cinemas selling cigars, cigarettes, or tobacco on Wednesday afternoon. But it is not merely the tobacconists or the licensed victuallers who have a claim to be heard on this subject. The public generally has a voice in the matter, and many people consider it is a serious grievance that they are debarred from purchasing their smoking materials at hotels and public houses on Wednesday afternoons when the ordinary tobacconists are closed. True, smokers living at Morehall, at Cheriton, at Sandgate, and at Hythe can get what they want that afternoon from the ordinary cigar stores, these being open for business as usual. Viewed in the light of this fact, the state of things at Folkestone is a still greater anomaly.

There is another aspect of the case. We are convinced that it is detrimental to the interests of Folkestone as a health and pleasure resort that the tobacconists as a body close on Wednesday afternoon, especially in the summer. If, however, they elect to close, they are free to do so. But let those who wish to meet the convenience of the public by supplying them with cigarettes and the like and also the public itself be likewise free to do as they wish. Let us have freedom all round.

Comment.

The recent prosecution of certain licensed victuallers and the Managing Director of a cinema, for selling cigarettes on Wednesday afternoon has been the subject of much comment since the cases were reported in last week's Herald. The state of affairs is anomalous in the extreme. Whilst an innocent cigarette is forbidden to freedom loving Britons in Folkestone on Wednesday afternoons, he can cross the border either to Sandgate or Cheriton and purchase all he desires in this respect. Surely it is time that steps should be taken to bring about some alteration.

With the object of securing the views of “The Trade” on this subject a Herald representative waited on the Chairman of the Folkestone and District Licensed Victuallers' Association (Mr. Rivers) at the Victoria Hotel, Risborough Lane. Unfortunately he was confined to his room through indisposition, but he kindly sent a message through his daughter to the effect that it was a most absurd position that a body of about a dozen men (an insignificant minority) should be able to control a majority as was done in this case.

Mr. Albert Hart, the energetic Secretary of the Licensed Victuallers' Association, on being asked his opinion on the subject, emphatically replied “Absolutely rotten. In the first place I should think the Health Committee of the Town Council would be doing a good thing if they directed Inspector Pearson to get on with his duties as Sanitary Inspector, instead of hiding up behind walls and doors whilst a boy is utilised to trap honest traders. Here is the situation. Some time ago about fourteen members of the tobacco trade (if indeed there was such a number) asked the Council to apply the provision of the Shop Hours Act to the tobacco trade in the borough. Now the enforcement of the Act means that 300 licensed tobacco dealers in the town are prevented from selling tobacco in any form after one o'clock on Wednesday”.

In answer to another query, Mr. Hart said “Yes, it applies to hotels and restaurants. All liberty-loving Englishmen revolt at such a situation, and they revolt also at the methods employed in order to secure a paltry conviction. We as a trade – combined with other tobacco licensees – intend to take steps to secure the revocation of this absurd application of a law, which was never intended to apply to the tobacco trade”.

Our representative also interviewed the manageress of a large hotel, and she kindly showed him her written instructions that tobacco could not be sold in any licensed house after one on Wednesdays, nor after eight p.m. on other days, with the exception of Saturday, when the hour was extended till nine. It was possible if a chance bar customer ordered a meal to secure a cigarette or cigar, but as to what constituted a meal there was some doubt. Some men, she remarked, could make a good meal off a hunk of bread and cheese, whilst another would probably require several courses to make up a meal. Hotel guests cannot be served after the hours mentioned above unless they are sleeping in the house.

The Manager of the Leas Tobacco Company, Sandgate Road, said it was necessary in the interests, not only of the trade itself, but the public generally, that the vexatious restrictions should be swept away. It was intolerable that an insignificant minority should rule, as in this case.

Folkestone Herald 1 January 1921.

Local News.

At the Folkestone Police Court on Boxing Day, before Sir Stephen Penfold and other Magistrates, John Allen, of the Machine Gun Corps, was charged with breaking into the shop of Mr. E. Lambrini, 49a, Tontine Street, on the previous night.

Mr. Albert Taylor, licensee of the Brewery Tap, Tontine Street, said on Sunday night, about 11.10, he heard a smashing of glass in the street. He immediately went to the door and saw the prisoner standing in front of Mr. Lambrini's shop, 49a, Tontine Street. Witness walked down to the shop, and he noticed broken glass on the pavement. The window was smashed. It was a very thick, plate glass window. Prisoner was taking a small box of cigars from the shop front, and he placed these in the doorway of the shop next door. Witness asked him what he was doing, and he said “I will let you see if you touch me, I will hit you with this” (a boot he was holding in his hand). Prisoner then took another box of cigars from the window, and ran round witness and away up the street. Witness followed him as far as his wind would allow him to run. He followed as far as the church. Accused threw the box of cigars away into the middle of the road. Witness picked them up. His son, who had been with him, kept up the chase. When he went back to the shop he collected the other box of cigars, which was in the adjoining doorway. He also found on the pavement a pipe case, which was empty. He later handed the articles over to Mr. Lambrini. The prisoner had had too much to drink.

Arthur Taylor, junr., the son of the last witness, gave corroborative evidence. He said prisoner threatened to knock his father's brains out. Witness went for a police officer, but when he had gone a little way he turned round and saw prisoner was making off, so he immediately took up the chase. He followed him and saw him go into Foord Road. He went into Rendezvous Street, where he saw a policeman, and later they saw the prisoner in Cheriton Road standing talking to some civilians. Witness pointed him out to Sergeant Styles, who then arrested him. When they caught the accused he had one of his boots unlaced.

Mr. Ernest Lambrini, tobacconist and hairdresser, carrying on business at 34 and 49a, Tontine Street, said the shop was safely locked up on Christmas Eve. He was called to the shop by the first witness about 11.20 on Sunday night. Later Sergeant Styles showed him a pipe (produced) which belonged to the case picked up by Mr. Albert Taylor. The value of the whole property was about £3.

Sergeant Styles said he arrested the prisoner near the Central Station. Prisoner was under the influence of drink. His right hand was bleeding. On the way to the police station prisoner said “It's no good beating about the bush. I broke the window. I did it to get my ticket as I am suffering from a disease”. When searched at the police station the pipe produced was found on him. Later prisoner said “I am a hospital patient. I broke out of hospital and got into these clothes”.

Accused was committed for trial at the next Quarter Sessions.

Folkestone Herald 15 January 1921.

Quarter Sessions.

Monday, January 10th: Before Sir Lewis Coward.

John Allen, 26, a private in the Machine Gun Corps, was indicted for having, on December 26th, broken into and entered the shop of Ernest Lambrini and stolen therein two boxes of cigars, and a tobacco pipe in case, value £3. He was further charged with reeiving the goods knowing them to have been stolen. Prisoner pleaded Not Guilty. Mr. J.W. Weigall appeared for the Crown.

Mr. Albert Taylor, the licensee of the Brewery Tap, Tontine Street, deposed that at 11.10 p.m. on December 26th he heard a crash. He went outside, and, seeing the prisoner standing in front of Mr. Lambrini's shop, 49a, Tontine Street, he went up to him. He saw him take something from the window. He asked him what he was doing, whereupon accused threatened him, and said he would bash his head in with a boot, which he had in his right hand. He put his hand into the window again, and took another box of cigars (produced). He then dodged round witness, and made off. Witness followed him as far as the Tontine Congregational Church. His son kept up the chase, and witness returned to the shop. Prisoner was under the influence of drink. He was in a stupefied condition, but he could run all right.

Mr. Albert George Taylor, son of the last witness, stated that he went to fetch a policeman, but on looking round he saw the prisoner making off, and so he took up the chase. At the corner of Rendezvous Street he saw a policeman, and later they saw prisoner near the Central Station talking to some civilians. The police officer arrested the prisoner. He heard the prisoner threaten his father with a boot. Accused was under the influence of drink, but he could run very well.

Sergeant Styles, who arrested the accused at the Central Station, said Allen had a cut on the right hand, his right boot was unlaced, and he was under the influence of drink. On the way to the police station prisoner said “It's no good beating about the bush. I broke the window to get my ticket as I am suffering from venereal disease”. A pipe – found on prisoner – fitted an empty pipe case picked up by Mr. Taylor. Prisoner also stated that he had broken out of hospital.

Mr. Ernest Lambrini identified the two boxes of cigars, which were handed to him by Mr. Taylor on the night of December 26th. The valued of the cigars and pipe was about £3. It was a very thick plate glass window, and it would require a heavy blow to break it.

Prisoner, on oath, said on the night of December 26th he was drinking. As to telling P.S. Styles that he broke the window and stole the articles he did not know what he did at the time. He did not think he broke the window. He was with two men and they proposed that the window should be broken. He thought that when it was broken these men must have made off. He (witness) was only half sober at the time. He told the two men he did not want to break the window or steal anything from anyone. He was drunk at the time, and the two men might have influenced him to break the window. When he had too much to drink he became a bit mad. He was demobilised in January, 1919, after serving four years in France and Belgium with the Yorkshire Light Infantry. He had lost his discharge papers, but he left with a good character. Being unable to find employment, he joined the M.G.C. in May, 1919. Since then he had been stationed at Shorncliffe and Grantham.

Cross-examined, defendant said he did not know who the two men were. They were perfect strangers to him.

The Jury found a verdict of Guilty.

The Clerk of the Peace (Mr. H.W. Watts) said prisoner was further charged with having been convicted at Litchfield on August 5th, 1919 for stealing a bicycle.

Prisoner said that was so, but he was not Guilty then. His mate took the bicycle.

Lieutenant Leslie S. Boyd, 1st Depot Battalion, M.G.C., handed to the Recorder Allen's conduct sheet, and the Recorder said prisoner had a very bad record.

Accused said he was wounded on the Somme in 1916, and since then he had been bad, and every time he got drink it played on his head.

The Recorder sentenced prisoner to twelve months' hard labour.

Folkestone Herald 7 January 1922.

Local News.

At the Folkestone Petty Sessions on Tuesday, Colonel G.P. Owen presiding, Mr. A. Taylor, of the Brewery Tap, Tontine Street, was granted an occasional licence to sell at the Drill Hall, from 8 p.m. yesterday till 1 o'clock this (Saturday) morning for the annual Territorial Ball.

Folkestone Herald 11 March 1922.

Adjourned Licensing Sessions.

Wednesday, March 8th: Before Mr. G.I. Swoffer and Colonel Broome-Giles, C.B.

Mr. Taylor, the licensee of the Brewery Tap, Tontine Street, was granted an occasional licence to sell drink at the Drill Hall last night, on the occasion of the boxing tournament, from 7.30 to 10.30.

Folkestone Herald 20 October 1923.

Monday, October 15th: Before Mr. G.I. Swoffer, Mr. G. Boyd, Alderman W. Dunk, Mr. W.R. Boughton, Dr. W.W. Nuttall, and Miss E.I. Weston.

Edward Care was charged with being drunk and disorderly in Tontine Street and doing wilful damage.

P.C. Oliver stated that at 9.15 p.m. on Saturday he was on duty in Tontine Street, near Messrs. Stokes' Stores, when he heard a smash of glass behind him. He ran back and saw the landlord of the Brewery Tap, who said “That man broke the window”, and pointed to defendant, who was being carried away by two men. Defendat shouted “I will smash the ---- house up”. He asked defendant if he had broken the window, but he made no reply, and continued shouting. With the assistance of P.C. Stevens he brought him to the police station.

Albert Taylor, son of the landlord of the Brewery Tap, said about 9.05 p.m. on Saturday he noticed Care come up the street with his wife. He was the worse for drink. He followed witness into the public bar and he then went round to the private bar, where he was refused drink. He went outside and said he would fetch a policeman and a doctor to prove he was not drunk. He made a rush at the window and smashed it.

Mr. Taylor, landlord of the Brewery Tap, said the glass was valued at £6. It was insured.

Defendant said he had been at work until 2 o'clock and was tired, and had a drink or two. He was drunk, but he did not remember breaking the window.

Inspector Bourne said it was a sad case. Defendant had not been in Court for eighteen years. In his younger days he had been there four times, but since that time he had lived a respectable life. On February 28th last he was presented with a gold medal, which had been given him by the late President Harding, by the Mayor of Folkestone for his services in rescuing passengers off an American ship.

The Chairman said defendant would be fined 5s. for being drunk and disorderly, and 5s. for causing wilful damage, and he would have to pay 15s. towards the cost of the window. If it had not been for his good character he would not have been let off so lightly.

The Magistrates' Clerk said the Bench had never previously let off a man without making him pay the full cost of the window.

Folkestone Herald 15 May 1926.

Saturday, May 8th: Before Mr. G.I. Swoffer, Alderman C.E. Mumford, Mr. A. Stace, and Dr. W.W. Nuttall.

Corporal Joseph James Newell, of the 1st Battn. R. Warwickshire Regt. was charged with wilfully damaging a hurricane lamp, the property of the Corporation. He pleaded Not Guilty.

Joseph Barratt, a casual dock porter, employed by the Southern Railway, said the previous night about 9.30 he was in Beach Street, when he saw three soldiers – two privates and one N.C.O. There were two road notice boards, one at each end of Beach Street, and on each board were two lamps. As the soldiers came into line with him (witness) he heard the remark passed “We will go on strike”, and as soon as the remark was passed the lamp was struck. The N.C.O. who now stood in the dock did it.

P.C. Simpson deposed that at 9.40 p.m. the previous evening he was proceeding from the Fish Market into Beach Street, when he heard the last witness shout “That soldier has broken a danger lamp”. The soldier was on the run about 50 yards ahead. Witness immediately blew his whistle and gave chase. Prisoner ran into Harbour Street, where the chase was taken up by Sergt. Hollands. Prisoner was paraded in witness's presence at the police station with seven other men, and was allowed to put a private's tunic on. All the men were dressed alike. Prisoner was picked out by the last witness. When charged he made no reply.

Sergt. Hollands said he chased the prisoner, who ran round the corner of the London and Paris Hotel. From what he was told, witness continued up the Bayle Steps on to the Bayle Parade and by the Globe Inn he saw prisoner, who said he had just left his young lady. He made enquiries where prisoner said his young lady had gone, but could not find her.

Prisoner said he had had two drinks at the Guildhall, and then went to the Brewery Tap, where he had four drinks. He came out at about sixteen minutes past nine and went towards the Harbour. He went into the London and Paris, where he saw a young lady, got into conversation with her, and asked her what she would have to drink. About two minutes to half past nine they went for a walk round and the young lady took him round the back and up some steps to the very top. When they reached the top they talked and made arrangements for the next night, and he left her. When he came through the alleyway the sergt. came up to him and caught hold of him. The sergt. only went to one house, and that satisfied him. Afterwards a civilian came up the road and said a girl had come out of the alley. He (prisoner) was not with the two other soldiers.

An officer said prisoner's military character was good, and had no civil convictions.

Prisoner was fined 5/- and ordered to pay 2/- for the damage to the lamp, and 2/6 witness's expenses, making 9/6 in all.

The Chairman, calling Barratt before the Bench, said the Magistrates thanked him for the trouble he had taken.

Folkestone Herald 15 December 1928.

Local News.

“I had a drop of drink and don't remember much what passed” was the explanation of Bridget O'Leary, a charwoman, who pleaded Guilty at Folkestone Police Court on Monday to a charge of being drunk and disorderly in Tontine Street on Saturday night.

Alderman C.E. Mumford was in the chair, and on the Bench with him were Dr. W.W. Nuttall, Alderman T.S. Franks and Mr. W. Smith.

P.C. Stevens said that at about 9.45 p.m. on Saturday night he was on duty in Tontine Street, where he saw the prisoner go into the Brewery Tap public house entrance. He called her outside and told her to go away. She refused to do so and commenced to shout at the top of her voice. As she continued to do so he brought her to the police station, where she was charged.

Prisoner said she was very sorry.

Chief Constable Beesley said prisoner was not a local woman and had lately been staying at a women's hostel at Paddington. Apparently she had no home.

Prisoner was discharged on giving an undertaking to leave the town.

Folkestone Herald 19 April 1930.

Tuesday, April 15th: Before Colonel G.P. Owen. Mr. W. Griffin, and Miss A.M. Hunt.

Lena Lee was charged with being drunk and begging. She pleaded Guilty.

P.C. Finn said at 9.30 p.m. the previous day he was in Tontine Street, near the Brewery Tap, when he saw the prisoner. Noticing that she was drunk he advised her to go home. She then went away and started going into the Brewery Tap. He again advised her to go home as she had had enough to drink. Prisoner then went off up Tontine Street and accosted two pedestrians. He saw her receive something from two different people and not give anything in return. She was carrying a tin containing packets of lavender. She became very violent and with assistance he brought her to the police station. In her possession she had two sixpences and tenpence in coppers.

Prisoner said she was very sorry. There were other people much worse than she was. She worked hard in the fields during the summer months, and she had held a pedlar's licence for many years, although she had not got one now.

Inspector Cradduck said she was before that Court in June, 1926, charged with begging and using obscene language. On that occasion she was discharged on condition she left the town. Apart from that very little was known about her. She was a street hawker and was employed on the land at times.

The Chairman: Once before when you were in trouble you were allowed to go on undertaking to leave the town. Here you are back again.

Lee: I shan't come back again.

The Chairman: We don't want to send you to prison. We will let you go on promising to leave the town and not to come back.

Lee: I have only been here twice in 24 years.

The Chairman: If you come back you will have to take the consequences.

Lee: I will take your advice straight away.

The Chairman: Very well, you are discharged.

Folkestone Herald 24 December 1932.

Advertisement.

Any advertisement, whether it appears in a newspaper or elsewhere, has little or any value if it is not associated with originality. It has no influence on the mind of the individual; in other words, it has no magnetic or pulling power. Whatever we may say with regard to the above it assuredly cannot apply to the most original and beautiful display now to be seen within the portals of the Brewery Tap, Tontine Street. For 27 years Mr. A. Taylor, the licensee, has had at this joyful season of the year a series of Yuletide displays, naturally of varying merit. Originality and up-to-datedness have always been associated with them.

It is the opinion, however, that this year's really charming decorative feature surpasses all that has gone before it. The entire scheme of decorative advertisement is interwoven with all that appertains to the virtues of Whitbread's ales and stouts which are on sale at that establishment here referred to,

The saloon bar, with its cosy and blazing fire, is in ordinary times always a picture, but Mr. Albert Taylor, the son of the proprietor, has waved a magician's hands over it with a notable result. In this he has been assisted by Mr. Prince, the bar attendant. He had used the colours of amber and brown to emphasise the fact that Whitbread's double brown ale, besides other beverages associated with the firm's name, are dispensed in this cosy and comfortable saloon bar. The cabinet, designed and constructed in beautifully grained British oak, is a picture, and young Mr. Taylor has here again woven in the colours with a deftness and skill which is remarkable. Attractive by day, it is doubly so by night. This long corridor-like bar is the acme of comfort.

In the adjoining public bar, owing to its construction, it lends itself more fully to the decorator. And it is here that Mr. Percy Taylor, the elder son of the proprietor, has proved once again that in decorative art, of which he has given several notable instances, he is worthy of wide recognition. On entering the room the sight is again delighted with the blending of colours, orange, red, brown and amber. The cabinet itself is also rendered very attractive.

A wonderful picture is the model of an aeroplane suspended from the ceiling. The body of the machine represent a giant bottle of Whitbread's stout or ale. The machine is at full speed, whilst the exhaust smoke from the tail end is spouting out and curling in irregular letters the words “Whitbread's stout”. At night time, when illuminated with regulation lights, this aeroplane is wonderfully attractive. A delightful little picture is a scene on the Hythe canal. The artist has depicted a stretch of water in which a graceful swan is gliding by. Folded in the wings of the bird is to be seen a bottle of Whitbread's stout.

In a small compass it is impossible to detail all that can be seen at the Brewery Tap, Tontine Street, but enough has been said to prove that it is something out of the common.

In order to gain a closer acquaintance the public is invited to visit the establishment, where a cordial welcome awaits them. Mr. Taylor and his two sons are to be congratulated upon the very notable display.

Folkestone Herald 1 April 1933.

Local News.

Hilda May Barton, a young woman, who had been remanded on a charge of stealing a wallet from William Nicks, an elderly man, was brought before the Court again on Friday of last week, when she was sent to a home. It was alleged that Barton stole the wallets from Nicks whilst they were at a cinema.

The Clerk (Mr. C. Rootes) said at the previous hearing prisoner had pleaded Not Guilty.

Barton said she did not take the money, although she admitted taking the wallet, which she could not open.

The Chief Constable (Mr. A.S. Beesley) said Barton was born at Ashford in 1910, and later went to Mersham and Smeeth. She stayed at home until she was 17, and then she went to Brighton, where she was a waitress for two years. Since then she had been employed at various places in Folkestone. On September 23rd, 1931, she had been charged at that Court with vagrancy, and bound over for 12 months on condition she went to a home at Maidstone. She remained there until March 9th, 1932. Since January of this year she had been wandering about and sleeping out. She was found on one occasion sleeping in an old shed. She was a bit of a nuisance to the police.

The Probation Officer (Mr. A.D.Z. Holmes) said during the greater part of the time Barton was at the home she did very well, although towards the end of the period her conduct was not so satisfactory. She was in an institution for a time, and begged him to get her out. He did so, a situation being found for her. She remained in the job for some five months. Her employer stated that she was a good worker but inclined to stay out late at nights. He (Mr. Holmes) thought Barton was more unmoral than immoral. She was a girl who could not take care of herself. He thought it would be to her best interests for her to enter a home for a period of two years.

The Chairman (Mr. L.G.A. Collins): Are you prepared to enter a home? – Yes.

The Chairman (continuing): Then you will be bound over for two years on condition you enter a home chosen for you by Mr. Holmes.

The Clerk then asked if the prosecutor was in Court, and when Mr. Nicks, a Dover man, came forward the Chairman said the Magistrates did not think much of the part he took in taking this young girl round to a number of public houses.

Mr. Nicks: I did not know.

The Chairman: You ought to have known better.

Admiral L.J. Stephens (sitting with Mr. Collins): It is perfectly disgraceful for a man of your age.

Folkestone Herald 2 February 1935.

Local News.

Trooper Frederick Robert Paxton, of the 15/19th King’s Royal Hussars, pleaded guilty at the Folkestone Police Court on Saturday to wilfully damaging a glass panel of a door at the Brewery Tap, Tontine Street, the previous night.

The Magistrates were: Dr. W.W. Nuttall (in the chair), Alderman T.S. Franks and Mr. R.J. Stokes.

P.C. Dolbear said at 10.30 p.m. on Friday he was instructed from the police office to go to the Brewery Tap, Tontine Street, where a window had been smashed. When he arrived he saw Paxton being spoken to by Mr. Peter Taylor, the elder son of the licensee. In consequence of what he heard he cautioned defendant. He said to him “Do you know anything about this?” He replied “I know nothing”. Witness then noticed that there was blood on the back of Paxton’s left hand. He asked him to explain it and he said he did not know. Later Paxton was charged with breaking the panel of glass and he replied “I did it all right”.

Mr. Percy S. Taylor, Brewery Tap, Tontine Street, said about 10.30 the previous night he was in the public bar when he heard a repeated knocking at the back door. He hesitated for a moment before going to the door and he was about to go to it when a blow from outside shattered a panel in the door. He heard footsteps running through the passage. He followed and found his brother detaining defendant. The value of the broken panel was 2s. 6d.

Paxton said he had no explanation to make. He admitted doing it.

P.C. Dolbear, re-called, said defendant smelt of drink, but he was not drunk.

The Chairman: Have you no explanation of your conduct?

Defendant: No.

An officer said Paxton had been with them for four years. During the last 18 months he had been in charge of the musketry stores, and he had shown himself a very good worker.

The Magistrates fined Paxton 20s. with 2s. 6d. costs.

Folkestone Herald 9 January 1943.

Local News.

At a licensing transfer sessions at the Town Hall, Folkestone, on Wednesday, the licence of the Brewery Tap, Tontine Street, was transferred from Mr. Albert Taylor to Mr. R.P. Rawlings, a Director of Hythe Brewery.

Note: Not listed in More Bastions.

Folkestone Herald 6 January 1945.

Local News.

The licence of the Brewery Tap, Tontine Street, which has been in suspense since September, 1940, when the premises were closed through damage caused by enemy action, was at Folkestone Transfer Sessions on Wednesday transferred from Mr. R.P. Rawlings, Managing Director of Messrs. Mackeson and Co., Ltd., to Mr. A. Taylor, the former tenant.

Folkestone Herald 24 May 1947.

Obituary.

Mr. Albert Taylor, of the Imperial Brewery Tap, Tontine Street, one of Folkestone’s oldest and best known licensees, died after an illness of a few days on Thursday last week. He was 69.

Born at Littlebourne, Mr.Taylor came to Folkestone in 1906, when He took over the management of the Brewery Tap.

He had a narrow escape from death in the 1914-18 war. During the disastrous air raid on Tontine Street in the spring of 1917 he was in the Brewery Tap; although premises on either side and opposite were seriously damaged, and his own premises suffered considerably by blast, he escaped uninjured. During the last war he moved with his wife to Devonshire, her former home. After a sojourn of two years there, they took up residence in Hertfordshire where they remained for three years before returning to Folkestone.

The funeral took place at Hawkinge on Wednesday.

Folkestone Herald 11 June 1966.

Local News.

Albert Taylor was seven years old when his parents arrived in Folkestone 60 years ago to take over the licence of the Brewery Tap in Tontine Street. Man and boy, Mr. Taylor has been there ever since. If a prize was given for the best-kept public house in Folkestone it would surely go to the Brewery Tap. Mr. Taylor, who took over the licence when his father died in 1947, is a publican with an inordinate pride in his trade. Every glass, every mirror and every piece of glass shines. Not a speck of dust sullies the shelves or counters, No doubt about it, Mr. Taylor and his wife, Ivy, are very public house proud.

“When my father first came here from Tilmanstone in 1906 he was warned that the house had a bad name”, said Mr. Taylor, as he leaned across the spotless counter of the saloon bar. “The place was very dirty and the trade had fallen off very badly”. A big change came over the Brewery Tap after the arrival of the Taylors. Very soon, everything was spick and span. Young Albert, who went to the old Wesleyan School on Hillside, Dover Road, helped his parents in his spare time. “One of my jobs was to fill the containers of matches and clay pipes on the counters”, he told me. “The matches and pipes were free to customers”. And what about the prices 60 years ago? Proprietary whisky at 2d. a nip or 3s. 6d. a bottle. Whisky drawn from bulk at 1½d. a nip or 2s. 6d. a bottle, beer at 2d. a pint and a packet of cigarettes for a penny.

They were the days when Tontine Street was in its heyday – Folkestone's principal shopping centre, thronged with people until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. “Very often, after the pub had closed, we used to go out into the street”, Mr. Taylor recalled. “Many of the shops would still be open and doing brisk business”. He can still recall most of the names of the old traders in the street. Only three remain – Palmer, Moody and Stokes. Opposite the Brewery Tap was Gosnold Bros. Drapery emporium, and on the other side of the street Waite's the confectioners. Then there was Mr. William Hall, the pork butcher, Mr. W.J. Franks, the decorator and plumber, Mr. H.R. Springate, newsagent, Mr. John P. Marsh, draper, Mr. R.G. Wood, the outfitters, and many more in the thriving business thoroughfare.

War brought two breaks in Mr. Taylor's long association with Tontine Street. In 1917 he joined the Suffolk Regiment and went to France, where he was wounded on the Somme. Invalided out of the Army in 1919, he came back to help his father at the Brewery Tap and in 1922 to marry Miss Ivy Freezer. Mr. Taylor's second break with the street came in 1941, when the Brewery Tap closed its doors for the duration. “Folkestone, its population down to about 7,000, was almost a ghost town”, he recalled. “Tontine Street, right in the target area for the German long-range guns on the French coast, was an unhealthy place in which to live. Not only did we have to contend with shells but bombs as well. One, which fell in Harvey Street, blew a tree right across Tontine Street and through the roof of the pub. The tree landed on a bed in the front of the house, a few minutes before my father was due to take his afternoon nap”. Shells which fell in Payer's Park damaged the Brewery Tap. One day Mr. Taylor was walking in Payer's Park when he found an unexploded bomb under a sheet of corrugated iron. “The bomb was still ticking”, he said. When the pub closed, Mr. And Mrs. Taylor and their family went to lice in Downs Road. He worked for Alfred Olby, the builders' merchant, and served in the Home Guard.

But a day in the life of the old street that will always live in Mr. Taylor's memory is May 25, 1917. It was a warm evening in late spring. The sun was shining from a cloudless sky as Mr. Taylor and Miss Freezer walked across the fields and under the viaduct towards Mount Pleasant. “I had stopped to have a second cup of tea at my future wife's parents' home, otherwise I would have reached Tontine Street in time to open the pub at six o'clock”, he recalled. That second cup of tea probably saved Mr. And Mrs. Taylor's lives. As they walked under the viaduct a score of German aircraft had crossed the coast. Soon Folkestone was to suffer its first daylight raid of the Great War. One bomb fell on the pavement outside Stokes Bros. Greengrocery shop next door to the Brewery Tap. The street was thronged with shoppers. Many from country districts had driven into town on horse and carts. The single bomb killed 63 people and injured 125. “I will never forget the scene”, said Mr. Taylor. The street was filled with dead and dying. Among the bodies of men, women and children were the carcases of horses. The gutters were running with blood. The ghastly scene was lit up by a great sheet of flame from a fractured 18-inch gas main”. When Mr. Taylor reached the Brewery Tap he found a child's head on the front step. “To this day I can still see the bloodstain on the step”, said Mr. Taylor. “The tiled front of the public house was pitted with shrapnel. The scars are still there to this day”.

Although many people died in the raid by the German Gothas, a number had remarkable escapes. One was P.C. Whittaker, who was left standing when the bomb dropped, and immediately went to the help of the wounded. Councillor John Jones, who was sitting on a chair outside his printing shop, escaped with a shrapnel wound in the leg, while people further up the street were killed. A plaque on a lamp standard outside Stokes’ shop commemorates the tragedy of that terrible day 49 years ago. “For years afterwards a wreath was always hung on the lamp post on the anniversary of the raid and the Salvation Army held a service on the spot where the bomb dropped”, recalled Mr. Taylor.

Mr. Taylor has known Tontine Street in prosperity and tragedy. And he has seen the business life of the town move slowly but surely westward away from the old street.

Folkestone Herald 8 April 1967.

Local News.

A well-known licensee, Mr. Percy Sidney Taylor, aged 66, died at his home last week.

Mr. Taylor, of 175 Downs Road, lived in Folkestone all his life and until the second world war conducted the Brewery Tap public house in Tontine Street. After the war he bought the Imperial off-licence in Ashley Avenue, Cheriton, where he stayed until he retired. Mr. Taylor leaves a widow, Mrs. Elna Taylor, a son, Mr. Norman Percy Taylor, and a grandson, Barry Taylor.

A funeral service was held at St. John's Church, Folkestone, on Friday, and cremation at Hawkinge followed.

Folkestone Herald 29 August 1970.

Local News.

It was a situation that smacked of the cheerful camaraderie of a Coronation Street instalment.

SCENE: Not the Rover's Return, but the empty bar of the Brewery Tap in Tontine Street, Folkestone. It is the evening of the retirement of landlord and landlady, Albert and Ivy Taylor.

ACTION: Ivy enters behind the bar and tells a reporter “We haven't planned a farewell do. It will just be a quiet Monday night". She moves off to serve in the public bar and the reporter watches in amazement as the saloon bar regulars creep in carrying plates and trays of food, a bouquet of flowers, and presents. Further amazement as two men enter carrying a guitar and electric organ, which they calmly set up in the bar. One regular, Bert Whale, described as the longest-serving saloon bar customer, buys the reporter a drink and whispers “Albert and Ivy have been here more years than we like to admit. We couldn't let them go without showing our appreciation, so we all mucked in and laid on a bit of a spread, music and all. But somehow we forgot to tell Albert and Ivy anything about it”. Beside him at the bar stands Barbara Patrick, nervously steeling herself to make a speech.

Then, ENTER the Taylors, with their Alsatian dog, Brandy. “What a surprise!” gasps 71-year-old Albert, who has spent 64 years at the pub. “I didn't have the faintest idea that this had been planned”. Ivy, who is 73 and a little overwhelmed, adds “It's marvellous. Thank you, everyone”. Barbara hands over a large barometer on behalf of the regulars, and says “We would all like to wish you well in your well-deserved retirement”. Greetings cards and telegrams from well-wishers are read out, and the musical chaps strike up.

And so, as a noisy toast to the couple is drunk by everyone in the crowded bar.... FADE OUT.

Folkestone Herald 15 May 1971.

Local News.

When 1,400 continentals visit Folkestone next Thursday the doors of local pubs will be open to them all afternoon. On Tuesday local Magistrates decided in favour of a second application to allow 17 pubs to remain open especially for the visitors. They had vetoed a previous application. The second made by publicans was amended to allow for a half-hour break at 5.30 p.m. before their premises opened for the evening session.

Mr. J. Medlicott, for the publicans, told the Magistrates that the visitors were delegates attending a conference in Bruges. One of its highlights was to be a visit to England. He referred to a letter received by Folkestone Corporation from the British Tourist Authority supporting the publicans' application. The visit – by Dutch, Swiss, Belgians and Germans – was a special occasion, not just a shopping expedition, said Mr. Medlicott. It had been arranged by a Bruges tourist organisation which had particularly asked that pubs should be open in the afternoon.

Police Inspector R. Sanders made no formal objection to the application – but doubted whether the visit was a special occasion.

The Chairman of Folkestone Chamber of Trade, Mr. Alan Stephenson, said later “The cross-Channel visitors' committee of this Chamber is very pleased that this has been seen as a special occasion by the Justices. When one is reminded that this extension is no more than happens in many market towns every week of the year, it seems a fair request, especially as Folkestone’s image abroad could be much influenced by the original decision not to allow the pubs to open”.

The pubs which will stay open are; Jubilee, Ship, Oddfellows, Royal George, London and Paris, True Briton, Harbour Inn, Princess Royal, Clarendon, Brewery Tap, Earl Grey, Prince Albert, George, Globe, East Kent Arms, Guildhall and Shakespeare.

Folkestone Herald 9 September 1978.

Local News.

A man who was ejected from a Folkestone pub returned with a meat cleaver, threatened customers and then smashed a window causing £145 of damage, Canterbury Crown Court was told on Tuesday. As he ran away, 20-year-old Peter Hutton, of Rendezvous Street, Folkestone, smashed a number of windows in a nearby shop, doing a further £112 of damage, the court heard. Hutton denied causing criminal damage at the Brewery Tap and to Shepway Autos, but was found guilty and jailed for six months.

The court heard that he had a number of previous convictions for assault and that in 1976 he had been sentenced to two years imprisonment for assault with intent to rob and burglary. Then in September last year, Folkestone magistrates had ordered him to do 100 hours community service for using threatening behaviour. This was later revoked and a £25 fine substituted.

Passing sentence, Deputy Circuit Judge Michael Balstan told Hutton “We do not see why the public should be put at risk again by allowing you to have your liberty”.

Hutton, unemployed, admitted being thrown out of the pub after a scuffle, in May this year, but denied he had returned with a cleaver and broken the windows or threatened anyone. He said that after leaving he had gone home and on finding the door locked had decided to sleep under a hedge in the garden. He denied that this had keen an attempt to hide from police.

After the jury’s verdict his counsel, Mr. Brian Pryor said that the offence had been committed on impulse. They were the actions of an angry, half-drunk young man.

Folkestone Herald 24 June 1983.

Local News.

The funeral of publican John Knight was held on Tuesday. Relatives and friends gathered to pay their last respects at St. Michael’s Church, Tenterden. It was at the church that Mr. Knight, 63, of Kingston Court, Shorncliffe Road, Folkestone, was found dead in a pool of blood two and a half weeks ago. Police are investigating his death and there is to be an inquest.

His widow, Joan, is distraught by his death. She said she would like to have a memorial service for him in Folkestone in about July. Mr. Knight spent many years as a publican in Folkestone. He took over the Brewery Tap in Tontine Street in 1971, later moving to the Valiant Sailor at Capel. He left there nearly 18 months ago shortly after a fire wrecked the pub, and for a year took on the lease of the bar at Folkestone’s Courtland Hotel.

Folkestone Herald 22 March 1985.

Local News.

A pub landlord claims his business will die if the council does not demolish the fire-gutted building next door. Edwin Giles, 38, landlord of the Brewery Tap in Folkestone's Tontine Street, claims the Stokes Brothers greengrocer's is an eyesore, a health hazard and a ruin that will dry up the pub trade he's built up over the last two years. “The place stinks, it's making my cellar stink and it's driving my customers away”, he said on Wednesday. “The place should be demolished because it's a health hazard. People will come up Tontine Street and when they see it they won't come any further. We're all fighting to make a living and we've got this eyesore. They should get the bulldozers on it”, he added angrily.

Fire ripped through the timber-framed shop killing one man and injuring two firemen last month. Mr. Giles said he was amazed the council were prepared to leave the building in its current condition.

Greengrocer Bill Lane, who has rented the premises for the last six years, told the Herald he was in the process of clearing out the rubbish and shutting up the shop. He added he was attempting to sell off undamaged goods but didn't know when he would finally pull down the shutters on the business.

A spokesman for Shepway's Environmental Health Department said no complaint had been received from Mr. Giles. “If a complaint is made to us we will respond by visiting the site in the normal way”, he said.

Folkestone Herald 26 July 1985.

Local News.

A publican deserted his pub and locked the doors behind him. At the weekend regulars at the Brewery Tap in Folkestone's Tontine Street found the premises closed at opening time. And brewers, Whitbread, say it could be weeks before another tenant is found to take over. Edwin Giles, 38, has experienced difficulty running the business since the departure of his wife, Caroline, 36, and their four children. Caroline left her husband last month.

A spokesman for Whitbreads, Mr. John Norton, told the Herald “The licensee has left unexpectedly, and we have no-one to run the Brewery Tap. It is certainly an unusual situation which we hope can be resolved as soon as possible”.

Earlier this year Mr. Giles and his family were evacuated from the pub when the adjacent greengrocery store was set alight. Since then he has complained about the burnt-out shop driving custom away. In March he told the Herald “The place stinks, it's making my cellar stink and driving customers away. We are fighting to make a living, and we have got this eyesore”, he said.

Folkestone Herald 2 August 1985.

Local News.

Whitbread, the brewers, said this week that the Brewery Tap in Folkestone's Tontine Street would remain closed until a suitable tenant could be found. Last week the Herald reported the disappearance of landlord Edwin Giles. Since then the pub has remained closed to trade. A spokesman for the brewery said candidates for the tenancy were being interviewed.

Folkestone Herald 11 November 1988.

Local News.

Two brave pool players became as bald as billiard balls for charity. Builder Grant Leizert and cycle-shop work Nick Price, decided to part with their locks after a suggestion over the pool table at their pub, the Brewery Tap in Tontine Street, Folkestone. The 18-year-olds charged £1 a hack at their hair, and raised £300 for Cancer Research.

Landlady Doreen Steinberg said “It was a great evening and everyone had a good laugh. My daughter, Teresa McLoughlin, is a hairdresser, so she tidied up afterwards, but one of the sponsors, fresh from the Doner Kebab shop, bought along his own cutter - a huge knife for the Greek meat. He gave Grant and Nick a real hair-raising time”.

Folkestone Herald 26 June 1992.

Local News.

A publican has failed to get a licence for bands to play for most of the day up to midnight on his premises.

Martin Foulkes, of the Brewery Tap in Tontine Street, Folkestone, asked Shepway Council's entertainment licensing sub-committee for clearance for live music from 11 a.m. until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. He also wanted the licence for 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays and 7 p.m. until 10.30 p.m. on Sundays.

A letter of objection had come from the St. Michael's Street Residents' Association, who feared noise problems.

Mr. Foulkes told the committee “We would need to keep the noise levels down anyway so people could talk to us at the bar. We are not good lipreaders!” He said the hours of the licence would not be used every week but would give customers more time to enjoy the music and drink up.

The sub-committee granted him an indoor licence for just 7 – 11 p.m. from Monday to Thursday, 7 – 11.30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 7 – 10.30 p.m. on Sunday nights.

Folkestone Herald 27 August 1998.

Local News.

Three Folkestone watering holes have new owners after the sale of more than 250 pubs owned by brewing giant Whitbread.

The Royal Standard and the Two Bells, both on Canterbury Road, and the Brewery Tap at Tontine Street have been sold to Avebury Taverns.

Martin Foulkes, landlord of the Brewery tap, believes the new ownership could have positive effects. He said “No changes are going to be made to the pub for three months, but then Avebury Taverns are talking about introducing some new beers”.