From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 12 November, 1864.

TRANSFER

Mrs Brown applied for the transfer of the license of the "Lion Inn," Elizabeth Street; but it appeared that on the previous morning Police-sergeant Barton had found a number of soldiers in her house drinking during the prohibited hours, the Magistrates declined to grant the application.

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 29 January, 1869. Price 1d.

SUDDEN DEATH AT DOVER

On Tuesday afternoon last the borough coroner, W. H. Payn, Esq., held an inquest on the body of a young woman named Ruth Cuddy, at the "Lion Inn," Elizabeth Street. Mr. William Brewster was chosen foreman of the jury; and after the jury had viewed the body the following evidence was taken:-

Charlotte Oliver said: I am a single woman, living at 3, Finnis Hill, Dover. The deceased was the occupier of the house, and I am a lodger in it. I have lived there about three months. I cannot say how long the deceased has lived there, but I believe five or six years. The deceased was the wife of William Cuddy, a soldier of the 1st Battalion 13th Foot, now abroad. During the time I have known the deceased she has been in a delicate state of health. She never kept her bed, but frequently complained of her health. She had a chest complaint. The deceased had no medical assistance. She died about half-past three this morning. On her going to bed on the previous night, about twelve o'clock, she bade me good night and said that should she wake first on the following morning she would call me. About half-past three this morning she came down to the door of my room and made a great noise in trying to open it. On her coming in she sat down on a chair and shortly afterwards fell from the chair on to the floor. She did not say anything when she fell. I did not get out of bed, thinking she had fainted, but told her to go up to bed. About seven o'clock, as she had not moved, I became frightened, and called another young woman, a lodger in the same house. She came, but on her seeing the deceased she ran down stairs. About eight o'clock I sent for a policeman. On the police arriving with a medical gentleman, they picked her up and placed her on the bed. She was then quite dead and cold. I was so frightened that I could not pick her up. I am not aware that she had any children. her age was twenty-four.

By the Jury: I saw her fall. She fell forward. I also saw her upion the ground after she had fallen. It was about seven o'clock when I got up. She was subject to fits.

James Johnstone, a police-sergeant of the borough, said: This morning about twenty minutes past eight, information was brought to the police-station that a woman had suddenly died at 3, Finnis Hill. Superintendent Coram directed me to obtain medical assistance and proceed to the house in question, in order to examine the body. Dr. Marshall attended. On going upstairs I saw the deceased lying on the floor in a bed-room. She was lying with her face sideways on her hands and knees. With the assistance of Dr. Marshall I placed her on the bed, and the doctor then pronounced her dead. I have known the deceased for the last six years. I knew she was in a bad state of health. The doctor at that time did not tell me the reason of her death.

Dr. John Marshall said: I am a surgeon residing and practising in Dover. By the request of the police I went this morning, about half-past eight, to No. 3, Finnis Hill, to see a woman who had died suddenly. I found her in a bed-room, lying between the chair and the bedstead, upon her hands and knees, the body inclined rather to the left. With the assistance of the police I placed her upon the bed. The body was quite cold and the limbs stiffened, showing that she had been dead for some hours. I found some old scars upon her right arm and a sore upon the left elbow. The body was in a very emaciated condition, as if she had suffered from some wasting disease, or from starvation. I cannot speak positively as to the cause of death, but think it probably that she had a disease of the lungs. There were no marks of violence upon her. I am inclined to think that she fainted and fell from the chair. I should say the deceased died shortly after she came into the room. It would be impossible for me to say that, if she had had assistance rendered her immediately on her falling, her life would have been saved.

The Jury returned a verdict of "Death from natural Causes."

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

INFRINGEMENT OF LICENSE

Thomas Roche, landlord of the "Lion Inn," Elizabeth Square, summoned for infringing the license, was fined 10s. and 9s. 6d. costs.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday 2 May, 1873.

ALLEGED DISORDERLY HOUSE

John Mileham, the landlord of the “Lion Inn,” Elizabeth Street, appeared in answer to a summons charging him with permitting his house to become the resort of prostitutes.

Defendant asked that the case might be adjourned, as his solicitor was not present.

The Bench adjourned the hearing of the case till to-day.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday 2 May, 1873.

ADJOURNED PUBLIC HOUSE SUMMONS

John Mileham, the landlord of the “Lion” public-house, Elizabeth Street, appeared in answer to a summons adjourned from the previous Monday, charging him with permitting his house to become the resort of prostitutes, contrary to the provision of the Licensing Act.

Mr. Till represented Mr. Minter on the defendant’s behalf.

Defendant pleaded “not guilty.”

Police-sergeant Thomas Stokes Barton deposed: On Tuesday, the 22nd of last month, at 8.25 p.m., accompanied by police-constable Baker, I visited the “Lion” public-house, in Elizabeth Street, kept by the defendant; and I there saw, in a public room, two prostitutes, named Brewer and Smith, with two soldiers of the 38th Regiment. I called the landlord’s attention to the fact; and asked him if he knew the character of the girls. He answered “No,” and said he thought the soldiers and the girls I had seen together were related. I told him the girls were prostitutes; and he made no reply. I then inspected other parts of the house; and I found two other females with some other soldiers. There was another female at the back of the bar, in company with another soldier. I did not know her. I left the house; and re-visited it at 9.5. I then saw the same two girls in the front room, with the same soldiers. I told the landlord I should report the matter. I also found the same soldiers and same woman as I had previously seen in the rooms at the back of the bar.

Cross-examined by Mr. Till: I know two of the girls I saw at defendant’s house were prostitutes from their general conduct in the streets.

Police-constable Baker corroborated; and further evidence as to the character of the women was given.

Mr. Till submitted in defence that the girls found in defendant’s house were not known by the defendant to be prostitutes. He contended that something more than the bare words of a constable that a girl was a prostitute was required to warrant the landlord of a public-house in turning her out of the premises. The girls were not in the house a longer time than might be reasonably occupied in taking refreshment. He thought sufficient evidence had not been called to warrant the Bench in giving a decision that would blast defendant’s character.

He called Fanny Hills, who said she was a barmaid in the employ of the defendant. She remembered being in the private room near the bar on the evening in question with Mr. Mileham. Mrs. Mileham remained there with her the entire evening. Witness saw two girls and two soldiers drinking together in the bar. A soldier who was a friend of witness’s came into the room in which Mrs. Mileham and she were sitting together.

Edward Pegley, a lance-corporal in the band of the 38th Regiment, deposed that he was at the defendant’s house on the evening of the 22nd ult., with a girl named Smith, whom he had known for some time. He had kept company with her for two months, and knew nothing against her character. Two constables came into the house on the evening in question and asked the landlord why he had such female characters in his house. Witness afterwards heard defendant ask the girl Smith if she was a prostitute, and she said she was not.

Philip Gees, a bandsman in the 38th Regiment, having two good-good conduct stripes, deposed to being at the “Lion” on the evening in question with a girl named Brewer, whom he believed to be a respectable girl.

James Mileham, the defendant, deposed that he had been the landlord of the “Lion” since the 20th of the previous November, and had tried all in his power to make the house a respectable one, so that he might obtain the custom of the inhabitants of the neighbourhood. He was not aware that there had been any previous complaints against the house during his tenancy. He remembered Sergeant Barton asking him on the evening in question if he knew what characters he was harbouring in his house; and he then went and told the girls that were in the bar-room with soldiers that if they could not give a good account for themselves they had better leave his house. The girls denied being prostitutes, and expressed their readiness to give up their names and addresses. Witness had never knowingly permitted prostitutes to be inn his house. Two servants from the restaurant of the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway Company were drinking in another room of the house.

The Magistrates determined to convict, and inflicted the penalty of 37s. 6d., including costs, the conviction not to be endorsed on the license.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 3 September, 1875.

MISPLACED AFFECTION

Edward Bell, an assistant at the "Lion Inn," was charged with assaulting Binaca Greenland. The prosecutrix said she went to the "Lion Inn" with her husband, when the defendant put his arm round her neck and kissed her. She told him not to do it again.

Defendant expressed his regret, saying he had been drinking.

He was fined half-a-crown, and costs.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday 9 May, 1890.

BANKRUPTCY PETITIONS

Petitions have been filed in the Canterbury Bankruptcy Court by William Davis, the “Lion Inn,” Elizabeth Street, Dover licensed victualler; solicitor Mr. Ernest E. Pain, Dover. A receiving order has been made against John Augustus Rolls, of Sandwich, lately carrying on business as a brewer at Dover.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday 17 March, 1893.

APPLICATION

Mr. Wraith, landlord of the "Lion Hotel," Elizabeth Street, was granted permission to serve at the Town Hall on the 16th inst., on the occasion of a sergeant's ball.

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

DEATH OF A LICENSED VICTUALLER

The death occurred on Thursday afternoon of last week of Mr. H. A. Branchett, for nearly seven years proprietor of the "Lion Hotel," opposite the Harbour Station. The deceased who was one time at Boughton, near Faversham, had been ill for the last two years with complications. He was taken worse about a week previous to his death, which happened rather suddenly, and was caused by heart failure. Mr. Branchett was a member o the Dover and District Licensed Victuallers' Protection Society, and for a considerable number of years was a member of the Royal Ancient Order of Buffaloes. A letter of sympathy from the former society was forwarded to the widow by Mr. J. Hyde (secretary).

The funeral took place on Tuesday afternoon at St. Mary's Cemetery, the Rev. H. J. Daniell, of Holy Trinity, officiating. The mourners present were Mrs. E. Branchett (widow), Mr. H. Richardson (nephew and adopted son), Mr. Fred Branchett (brother), Mrs. E. Barham (sister), Messrs. J. Culver, George Howland, Fred Howland, W. Howland, and Clarke Howland (brothers-in-law), Mrs. F. Branchett (sister-in-law), Mr. James Barber (cousin), and Mrs. F. Howland and Mrs. W. Howland.

The inscription on the coffin was as follows: "Henry Albert Branchett, died November 3rd, 1910, aged 57 years." The following beautiful floral tributes were sent:- In ever loving memory and deepest sympathy, from his bereaved wife and loving nephew, Harry; in deepest sympathy, from his loving mother and brother George; in ever loving memory and deepest sympathy, from mother and sister, Fred and Emily; in ever loving memory of our dear brother, from Bill and Rose; with deepest sympathy, from his loving brother and sister, Fred and Lucy; with deepest sympathy, from sister Lucy and brother and family; with deepest sympathy, from a loving sister and brother, Jenny and Fred; with deepest sympathy, from his loving brother and sister, Clarke and Rose; in loving memory and deepest sympathy from his brothers, Walter, Percy, and Harry; with deepest respect, from his cousin, William, Alfred and Arthur Howland (Boughton, Faversham); with deepest sympathy, from Mr. and Mrs. Hayman; with deepest sympathy, from the Dover and District Licensed Victuallers' Protection Society; with deep regrets, from the young ladies of the staff of Lyons and Co. (Harbour Station); With deepest sympathy, from his bereaved nephew and niece, Hubert and Cassandra; with deep sympathy, from his brother-in-law, John Culver; in affectionate remembrance from Alice, Jim and Jack.