From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 11 October, 1882. Price 1d.

SUICIDE AT RINGWOULD

An inquest was held on Monday at the “Five Bells,” Ringwould, before W. H. Payn, Esq., touching the death of James Gardner, an agricultural labourer, who committed suicide by cutting his throat. The deceased was a man of very intemperate habits, and of late seemed to be at time quite insane. On several occasions he had threatened to destroy himself, and one day last week whilst in his home alone he cut his throat in a shocking manner. A medical man was called in, but in a short time after his having committed the rash deed he expired. The following evidence was taken:-

John Gardner said: I am a cab driver living at 11, Loudown mews, St. John’s Wood, London, N.W. The deceased James Gardner, was my father. He was an agricultural labourer living at Ringwould. His age was fifty three years, and his health was generally good. I saw my father about four hours before his death. He was then in bed. He was not conscious, and he seemed to be wandering. I saw that he had a wound in his throat. He told me on the following day after the wound that he cut his throat, and that when he found that he had cut his throat he drank some cold water and found it running out of his throat. He was very intemperate in his habits. He could not give any reason for it only that it might be delirium tremens.

Rhoda Rogers said: I am a widow living at Ringwould. I have known the deceased for some years. His health was good. He was very intemperate in his habits. On Wednesday morning I looked in his window. He stood in the room with his shirt all bloody. There was a paper put under his sitting room door all over blood. It was a notice to quit his house on that day. I had to give him the notice to quit from my mother. I think he took the notice coolly. I had seen him in the evening before, but saw nothing particular in his manner. I heard him walking about the room talking to himself. On the next day I saw him sitting in his chair. He was then all over blood. Dr. Davey was sent for; deceased lingered about three days.

Richard Stains Davey, said: I am a surgeon practising at Walmer. I was sent for on Wednesday last to attend the deceased. I saw Gardner about eleven o’clock. I found him lying on his bed with a deep cut in his throat, dividing completely the windpipe and oesophagus and several large vessels. He was insensible but scarcely able to speak. He lost a great quantity of blood. He lingered about three days and six hours. He was unable to swallow naturally anything. He said he had cut his own throat. He assigned no reason. He was very intemperate in his habits. He died from the injuries received.

The Jury returned a verdict that the deceased committed suicide in a state of temporary insanity.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News. 29 January, 1971.

MR. AND MrS. EDDIE EMPTAGE

After ten years working among the holidaymakers at the now called St. Margaret's Chalet hotel 31-year-old Mr. Eddie Emptage and his wife Margaret have gone into business themselves.

They have taken over the "Five Bells" public house on the Dover-Deal Road at Ringwould.

When they moved in on Thursday last week one of their customers was retiring licensee Mr. Peter Bardell, 67, who had held the license for 13 years.

It's nice to be on this side of the counter for a change he joked as Mrs. Emptage pulled him a pint.

Mr. Emptage lived in Dover and worked for a Folkestone Road butcher until he married. Then he moved to Kingsdown Road, St. Margaret's. As Maddison's were about to open their holiday camp he decided to switch to that business. For six years he worked as a bar steward and for the past four years has been bar manager.

Although the move to Ringwould was not far, it was quite an occasion for Mrs. Emptage. It was the first time she had lived outside St. Margaret's.

Mr. Emptage said; "We hope to make some changes here but we are going to wait until we have settled first."

Former licensee Mr. Bardell is retiring to Queen's rise at Ringwould but says he hopes to find employment as a relief manager for the brewery after he and his wife have had a long holiday.