From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 3 May, 1878. Price 1d.

THE FOX NOT CAUGHT

Thomas Friend was charged with opening his licensed premises, the "Fox," at Ewell, during prohibited hours.

Mr. Worsfold Mowll appeared for the defendant.

Police-constable Bailey deposed: On Sunday morning, the 14th inst., I was on duty at Ewell in plain clothes at about a quarter to seven. I placed myself in a position to see the front of the "Fox," and the path leading to the back of the house from the road. The front door faces the road, and there are two back doors with a path leading round to them. There are four or five houses adjoining, and the path also leads to the back door of those houses. I remained watching the house from a quarter to seven to about a quarter past ten, and during that time I saw 28 men go along the path leading to the back of the houses. They stood there from three to five minutes and then returned. They went two and three together, and sometimes singly. At about a quarter past ten, when I saw two men go together, I immediately followed then and saw one of them standing and talking to a young man in an outhouse belonging to the house next door. I went to one of the back doors of the "Fox" and tried the door, but found it bolted. The landlady came to the window, and I asked her to let me have a pint of beer. She said, "I don't know; there is a sharp look out here this morning." I said, "Is there? let us have a pint." She said, "No, I don't know you; there is a sharp look out this morning." I said, "Well, open the door." She said she would open the door, but she would not draw any beer. As she was opening the door, I saw a man named Ansell pass out of the house by another door, which was wide open. I asked the landlady what he did there, and she said, "Oh, that is Mr. Ansell come for his washing." I looked through the house, and saw nobody else, and I followed Ansell down the garden. I asked him what he did in the house, and he said, "I did not have anything to drink." I again asked him what he was there for, and he said he was not supposed to tell me. I said, "I am a police-constable, and I should like to know what you were there for." he said, "I was after an article." I asked him what article, and he refused to tell me. I took his name and address, and waited in the road until he left the premises, but he carried nothing with him. I did not see any drink about the house, nor any appearance of any.

Mr. Mowll submitted that there was no case.

The Bench dismissed the case.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 20 November, 1908.

TWO OF ALE AGAIN

EWELL LICENSEE FINED

At the Dover County Police Court on Thursday, before Major Monins, Major Banks and Messrs. L. J. Bradley, Edwin Bradley, E. Dawes, and T. A, Terson, Ann Friend, licensee of the Fox Inn, Temple Ewell, was charged with selling intoxicating liquor, by her agent, Edward Bragg, by retail, in an unstamped vessel.

Egbert Byley, Inspector of Weights and Measures for the County, said that on 31st October he gave his assistant instructions, in consequence of which he went to the Fox Inn. Witness followed, and found that he had been served with two pennyworth of ale in the unstamped glass produced. On seeing it he found that it contained 1oz, 7dms in excess of the half pint.

Jethro May, Assistant Inspector, said he asked for a "two of ale", Edward Bragg served him with it in the glass produced.

The Clerk: What measure is a two of ale?

Witness: Two of ale is an illegal quantity.

The Clerk said that he knew that. What was the amount of it?

The inspector said this glass held 1oz 7drms in excess of half a pint.

The Chairman: Is it a fact that three go to the quart?

The Inspector said they varied. Some did and some did not. He had previously cautioned the defendant's assistant.

The Clerk: Is this the same as a "blue" of beer?

The Inspector said it was the same as the "blue" and the long pull. They had tried their hardest to stop it. Twelve cases had been taken altogether.

The Chairman (to the defendant). You know the trade as well as anybody else? - Yes, I have been there 20 years, and my husband was born there.

The Chairman: In inflicting a fine of 10s., including costs, said the defendant must bear in mind that the measure was not a legal one. The defendant could have the glasses stamped.

The Inspector said there was no authority to say that such a glass marked as half a pint was a legal measure. The trade had enquired about it and could get no satisfaction.

By the way, there are 16 Drams to an Ounce and 16 Ounces to a Pint. Paul Skelton.

From the Dover Express, 5 March, 1971

CHARLES HAWTREY

Carry On star Charles Hawtrey emptied a carboy of over £50 worth of coins for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association at the "Fox," Temple Ewell, on Saturday. Pictured with him are Mrs. Daphne Palmer (left), of Park Road, Temple Ewell, and Mrs. Margaret Johnson Vince, of The Gateway, a member of the local community.

From the Dover Express, 10 August 2000.

Canadian restaurateurs make a foxy move.

RETIRED couple Kitty O'Toole and Dennis Metson are the new owners of The Fox Inn at Temple Ewell - after sailing from their home in Canada!

The couple took early retirement, leaving their Canadian home about two years ago and setting off on a round-the-world trip. Dennis and Kitty, who owned a restaurant in Canada, first sailed through New York, stopping at Florida.

The adventure reached its climax when Dennis and Kitty arrived at Dover and discovered the inn. After extensive refurbishment, the pub has a newly built bridge going over the stream, linking the garden to the building.

Kitty said: "We're delighted to have refurbished the inn and look forward to meeting the regulars."

Dennis and Kitty will keep up the famous music and quiz nights, and offer a wide range of food on the menu.

Dishes include wild boar sausages, homemade steak mushroom and vegetarian dishes.

For more information ring Dennis or Kitty on 01304 823598.

From the Dover Express, 15 October, 2009

Christmas card took two years.

Dawn's art raises funds for charity.

Report by Rhys Griffiths

A PARTIALLY SIGHTED artist from Dover has had one of her paintings transformed into a Christmas card.

Dawn Parkinson's creation 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, which shows a roaring open fire beneath seasonal decorations, is being sold to raise much-needed funds for the Kent Association for the Blind.

The painting, which is based on a chimney at The Fox pub in Temple Ewell, took two years to complete.

Dawn, who lives in Hardwicke Road, was born with no vision in her right eye and poor sight in her left, which has since deteriorated.

Using a monocular and a magnifying glass she is able to see a 10p-sized image, so to paint she has to build up a picture one piece at a time - meaning even small works can take months.

A spokesman for the charity said: "We would like to thank Dawn for her generosity in donating the use of this picture.

"She works tirelessly for charity, donating much of her work which isn't already in private collections."

For more information about how you can buy cards featuring Dawn's work call 01622 691357.

From the Dover Express, 18 March, 2010

IT'S A BALLS UP FOR DUCK RACE.

A SPECIAL plastic "duck race" will take place on the River Dour at Temple Ewell this Sunday.

Organiser of the charity event, at Temple Ewell, is Dover jeweller John AngeII of Dover Rotary Club who at one stage feared obstructions in the river would hold up his ducks.

He says: "Of course they are not real ducks and because there's not enough ducks to go round, we are using table tennis balls to supplement the fleet of plastic ducks. We are calling it the Great Rotary Balls Up and hoping for plenty of spectators."

The race, through the grounds of The Fox Inn at Temple Ewell, is scheduled to start at 4pm, Sunday.

From the Dover Express, Thursday, 5 May, 2011. 60p

BOOZING BOOST

THREE charities will benefit financially from a successful beer drinking festival during the holiday weekend.

Between 400-500 people at Dover Rotary Club's two-day beer festival in the grounds of the "Fox" public house on Saturday and Sunday when nearly 1,500 pints of beer from around 20 different brewers were consumed.

David Pike, the Rotarian who organised the event, says income by the time most of the barrels ran dry late on Sunday evening was around £4,000. After expenses profits will be shared between the three participating organisations: Dover rotary Club, South Foreland Rotary Club and Dover RNLI.