From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 18 April, 1863.

A SINGLE YOUNG MAN LODGER

John Hannan, a wild young Irishman, whose eyes were bloodshot, his dress disordered, and his whole manner betokening recent excess, was placed at the bar handcuffed, by three constables, charged with creating a disturbance at the "Cherry Tree Inn," Buckland, and menacing the landlord, Mr. Taylor.

It appeared from the statement of Mr. Taylor, that the prisoner, who is a workman employed by the Submarine Electric Telegraph Company, had been lodging at his house for a short time past, having been at work in this neighbourhood erecting telegraph posts, and that up to the previous night he had conducted himself very well. On Friday night, however, he went out in company of two artillerymen who were billeted at the "Cherry Tree Inn," and none of them returned till one o'clock in the morning. It was evident they had all been drinking, and the prisoner was very much under the influence of liquor and inclined to be noisy. He had in his company a young woman whom, as it subsequently turned out, he had previously plied with drink; and he insisted that she should also enter the "Cherry Tree" and finish up the night in his company. To this arrangement, Mr. Taylor, the landlord, strenuously objected, and the prisoner then became very violent. He rushed upstairs to his room, and said he should take away his clothes, and as he passed the room occupied by the soldiers he ran into it and seized hold of the sword of one of them, which he flourished about in a very wild and threatening manner. Two or three constables, who had noticed the conduct of the parties in the street, had followed them up, and they were fortunate at hand, or there is no knowing what mischief the prisoner, in his wild and excited state, might have committed. Mr. Taylor called in the aid of the police, and though there were three of them on the spot it was some time before they could overpower the prisoner. This was at length done, and he was handcuffed and marched to the station-house, the female in his company. His wish was thus more nearly fulfilled than at one time seemed probable, for although she did not finish the night exactly in his company she was only in the adjoining cell. Her case was a hard one. It transpired that she was a respectable girl, with whom the prisoner had formed an acquaintance. She had fallen a victim to the blarney of Mr. Hannan (not a bad-looking fellow), under whose persuasion she had taken more refreshment than she could manage. The police, on going to her cell, found her almost broken hearted, and the Magistrates, on learning her circumstances of the case, at once discharged her.

The charge against Hannan, however, was fully entered into, the statement of Mr. Taylor, embraced in the above particulars, being corroborated by police-constable Williams, one of the policeman called into Mr. Taylor's assistance.

Williams said that at about a quarter to one o'clock he was on duty near the "Cherry Tree," when the daughter of Mr. Taylor rushed out of the house, screaming that a man was murdering her father. He and two other constables went into the house, and saw the defendant on the stairs with the landlord. He was flourishing a sword about, and threatened that he would do for any one who touched him. Defendant did not threaten Mr. Taylor in witness's presence; but he flourished the sword, and dared witness and the other constables to come near him.

Magistrate: With the sword in his hand?

Witness: Yes, sir.

Examination continued: As he saw us coming towards him he threw the sword away. On being taken into custody he became violent, and it was with great difficulty he was conveyed to the station-house. Prisoner was under the influence of drink, but he must have known what he was about.

On being asked what he had to say in defence, prisoner said nothing, except that he was drunk, and, if the Magistrates would believe him, did not know what he was about.

The Bench said that the conduct of the prisoner had been very bad. He had no right in the first place to take a woman to the house of Mr. Taylor, which had always been respectably conducted, and then his subsequent behaviour was unpardonable. He seemed to be a powerful fellow, and had there not been plenty of assistance close at hand it was likely he might have done mischief. He would be fined 20s. and costs.

The money was paid.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday 5 March, 1869.

INFRINGEMENT OF LICENSE

Lewis Godden, landlord of the "Cherry Tree Inn," Buckland, summoned fro infringing his license, was ordered to pay the costs.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday 18 June, 1869.

ASSAULT

Frederick Clark, a boy 14 years of age, was summoned for trespassing in a field in the parish of Buckland, and assaulting Lewis Godden, the occupier.

The prosecutor, who is landlord of the "Cherry Tree Inn," at Buckland, said that he was in occupation of a meadow situated at the back of his house. The meadow is fences round, and the gate is kept locked. On the previous night, while a game of cricket was being played in the meadow, the defendant with several other boys, obtained admission and commenced climbing up a booth, which was created in the field. the prosecutor ordered the boys out, and all of them left, with the exception of the defendant, who refused. he told the defendant that he should have to put him out, when the boy picked up a large stone and threw it at him, striking him at the back of his head. As the defendant continued to throw stones, the prosecutor called a policeman who took him into custody. the prosecutor said the boys were frequently annoying him by getting into the meadow, and that the defendant was the worst of them all.

By the defendant: I have seen you there within a fortnight. i did not strike you.

Police-constable Nixon said he was called by the prosecutor to take the boy who had assaulted him into custody. He saw some stones in the boy's hand and the boy was in the meadow. he also saw that the prosecutor was bleeding from the back of his head. He ran after the boy and caught him in a meadow adjoining the prosecutor's. He had cautioned the defendant for similar conduct on other occasions.

The defendant said that the prosecutor struck him first.

The father of the boy was present, and said he could bring several witnesses to prove that the prosecutor was the first to commit an assault, and desired that the case might be adjourned in order that they might be called.

The Magistrates thereupon adjourned the case till Friday (this day).

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 15 July, 1870. Price 1d.

STEALING A WHIP

William Godden, a lad belonging to Charlton, was charged with stealing from a cart in the London Road, a driving-whip, the property of William White, a carter, living in Bridge Street.

The prosecutor identified the whip produced by the police. He had last seen it at half-past eleven on the previous morning. He was then driving his cart along the London Road. He stopped beside the "Cherry Tree Inn," and stuck the whip in the whip-holder at the corner of the cart. He crossed over to the other side of the road, and remained talking to another man, with his back towards the cart, for about five minutes. When he returned the whip was gone; and he gave information to the police.

Police-constable Corrie said he took the prisoner into custody at the "Wheelwrights' Arms" public-house, in Bridge Street, Charlton. He found him standing at the bar, with the whip beside him. On charging him with stealing the whip, he said he was going to take it back. He had been drinking, but knew what he was about.

The prisoner said he had taken the whip, not with the intention of stealing it, but only for a lark.

The Magistrates remarked that larks of this kind were dangerous, and sent the prisoner to gaol for twenty-one days, with hard labour.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 3 December, 1937.

LICENSEE TRAGIC END

The Borough Coroner (Mr. E. T. Lambert) held an inquest at the Town Hall on Friday, on Alfred Thomas Curd (41), the licensee of the "Cherry Tree" Inn, London Road, who was found dead at 61, London Road, on November 24th.

Mrs. Beatrice Alice Curd, who was in great distress, said she was a widow of deceased, who was licensee of the "Cherry Tree" Inn, and carried on a confectionery business at 61, London Road. The last time she saw her husband alive was on November 23rd, at about 2.15 p.m., when he left the public house to go to the shop, as he often did. He seemed as usual, and asked her to send his tea, which she did, at about 4.45 p.m. when her children left school. They said, on returning, that he was in the shop. He generally closed the shop at 8 p.m., but he did not always return immediately. Hen he did not come home by 11 p.m. that night she went to Mrs. Hutchinson, at 94, London Road, because she was worried. She thought perhaps her husband was chatting with the licensee of the "Hand and Sceptre," or the "Red Lion" public houses, but he was not there, so they went to the shop. The key was not in the lock, and the door was locked, so they went home, and she sat up to 3 p.m. Next morning she told Mrs. Hutchinson that her husband had not returned, and they went to the shop at about 9.45 a.m. and Mr. Hutchinson forced a window and entered the premises. Her husband had no serious business troubles, but was anxious to sell the shop, and could not do so; she knew of nothing else to depress him. His health was good, and he was always cheerful and happy. She had no idea why he had acted as he did.

Alfred Hutchinson said he carried on a cooked meat business at 94, London Road. He had known the deceased for about two years and, he always struck him as a normal man. He did not appear to be worried. He last saw him on Sunday night in the bar of the "Cherry Tree" public house. On Tuesday, Mrs Curd came to his house at 11.20 p.m. and asked him if he had seen her husband. At her request he went with her to 61, London Road. They knocked, and rattled the door, and came to the conclusion that deceased was not there. It was a lock-up shop. Mrs. Curd then went home and the following morning he accompanied her to the shop. He entered the premises by the scullery window. Directly he got in he noticed a strong smell of gas, and went and turned it off. Mr. Curd was lying with his head in the gas oven and his legs curled up. He touched him, and found he was dead, so he told Mrs. Curd, and went to inform the Police.

Dr. J. R. W. Richardson, Police Surgeon said that at 10.15 a.m. on the previous Wednesday, as a result of a Police message, he went to 61, London Road, and in a scullery at the back of the premises he saw deceased lying near a gas oven. He had been dead about ten hours. Death was due to asphyxia, caused by coal gas poisoning. He had not previously known the deceased.

Margaret Ivy Kennet, 143, London Road, Dover, said that for some months until the previous Saturday she was in the employ of the deceased, and served in the shop at 61, London Road. She saw Mr. Curd every day, and he always appeared cheerful. He never mentioned any troubles, and she had no idea why he did what he had done.

Norah Goldfinch, Clerk to Messrs. Carder and Carder, solicitors, said her firm acted for a creditor of deceased to whom he owed a considerable sum, running into hundreds .She had reason to believe there were several other debts outstanding. She had seen deceased several times during the past year. He seemed anxious that the debt should be paid off, but not unduly worried. He appeared a cheerful man. Last January he signed an undertaking to pay off the money by instalments. He had kept up fairly well. He was pressed to pay at the beginning of the year, but not recently. His last payment was smaller than it should have been, and he explained that he could not pay more as he had several other things to pay. A letter was sent the deceased on 25th October in acknowledgement of £5 he had paid.

The Coroner said that was all the evidence available. There was nothing, so far as the deceased's state of mind was concerned, to show he was not perfectly normal and cheerful. He thought it very possible that deceased had worried considerably privately. He was indebted to one creditor for hundreds of pounds.

Mrs. Curd: Yes, but when he sold the shop we could have wiped out the debt.

The Coroner: Quite so, but he was anxious because he could not sell the shop, and that, no doubt, temporarily upset the balance of his mind and caused him to act as he did. I therefore find he died from asphyxia, caused by coal gas poisoning, which he administered himself, at a time when the balance of his mind was disturbed. I should like to express my sympathy with the relations.

Mrs. Curd said her husband had been worried about the takings of the shop.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 21 June, 1940.

Plans of proposed alterations to the "Cherry Tree" Inn, London Road, Dover, were approved.