From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 23 July, 1869.

MILLS v. BINGHAM

In this case, an action of ejectment to recover possession of the "Lord Nelson" public-house, in the parish of Ringwould, Mr. Lanyon, a barrister of the House Circuit, appeared fro the plaintiff, and Mr. T. Fox, solicitor, of Dover, for the defendant.

Mr. Lanyon said it would be in his Honour's recollection, that a similar action to the present was brought before him by the same parties at the sitting of the Court held two months ago. The action was then brought under the 19th and 20th Vie. and his Honour non-suited the plaintiff on the ground that he had not shown that the usual relationship of landlord and tenant existed by the payment of rent, and that the case did not therefore come within his jurisdiction. In order to cure this defect, the present action had been brought, under the 11th section of the new Ac, which gave his Honour power to try all questions of title which could arise between landlord and tenant. The facts were no doubt fresh in his Honour's recollection; but he would venture to remind him that the plaintiff, Mr. Hills, was a brewer residing at Deal, and that the defendant, Bingham, was at present the occupier of the public-house in question, at Ringwould, of which Mr. Hills was the lessee. Mr. Hills wished to recover possession, but when, in the ordinary course of events, in April, 1868, he gave Bingham notice to quit, and also notice to give up possession of the premises when his yearly tenancy should expire, he was met by vexatious opposition on the part of Bingham, which opposition still continued. There was never any real doubt that the tenancy was from April to April, or that the notice to quit was a good one, and he was now in a position to prove this to his Honour beyond dispute. he could not understand what defence could be offered to the action; and he believed the fact was that the defendant was simply retaining a vexatious possession of the premises. He might state that Bingham had been desirous of obtaining a lease of the premises, and the plaintiff had been willing to grant a lease, but the negotiations had gone off through the fault of Bingham, and the plaintiff now appeared before his Honour to ask that Bingham might be got rid of as a tenant, after he should have proved that this was a tenancy going from April to April. It appeared that a Mrs. Burkett came into possession of the property on the death of Mr. Gilbee, her partner, in 1861. She let the possession under an agreement, which was simply a piece of waste paper, except that it clearly proved a yearly tenancy from April, 1861, to April, 1868, a Mr. Weeks, and Mrs. Burkett, or Mr. Elwin, the trustee under the will of the late Mr. Gilbee, received the rent from Mr. Weeks up to his death. Mrs. Weeks remained the tenant, and ultimately married Bingham, the defendant in the present action, who had since paid rent either to Mrs. Burkett or to Mr. Elwin, the trustee under the  will of Mr. Gilbee, up to April, 1868.  At that time the lease to Mr. Hills was executed, and Mrs. Burkett would tell the Court that she informed the defendant that she had parted with the property, and that he must for the future regard Mr. Hills as his landlord. He might mention that there was also an action for rent, the defendant having paid nothing for his occupation of the premises since April, 1868; but this would form the subject of another enquiry, and he would now confine himself to the question of the lease.

Mr. Lanyon then called Mrs. Burkett, who said she remembered Mr. and Mrs. Weeks going into possession of the "Lord Nelson," about six months before the death of Mr. Gilbee, in January, 1861. In July, 1861, the Weekes's paid her £4, one quarter's rent, commencing on the 6th April. From time to time she received the rent, always quarterly. Mr. Weekes died in 1863, and after his death witness received rent, as before, from Mrs. Weekes, now Mrs. Bingham. Mr. Bingham ultimately, on marrying Mrs. Weekes, went into possession of her public-house. Witness believed this was in 1865. She received first from Mr. Bingham on October, 1865. She remembered signing her interest in the house to Mr. Hills. She afterwards saw the Binghams, and told them what she had done. She was empowered to receive the rent till April, 1868, and she then gave the Binghams to understand that they were thenceforward to pay their rent to Mr. Hills.

Mr. E. Elwin, solicitor, of Dover, was called to prove that he was trustee under Mr. Gilbee's will.

Mr. Fox submitted that the probate should be produced.

Mr. Lanyon, however, contended that this was unnecessary. he had proved the yearly payment of the rent, and the transfer of the property to Mr. Hills, and this was sufficient.

Mr. Fox thought the probate ought to be produced, in order to satisfy the Court that the trustee under the will had power to lease.

Mr. Lanyon submitted that this was unnecessary; and an argument of some length ensued.

Ultimately, the Judge thought the evidence of Mr. Hills's right to possession had been sufficiently established, and gave judgement for the plaintiff.

Mr. Fox said his client would appeal against the decision.

Mr. Lanyon applied that his Honour would give an order for immediate possession, notwithstanding  the notice of appeal; and this was ultimately done.

The action for the recovery of a year's rent, from April, 1868, to April 1869, was then proceeded with. The facts had already transpired in the previous case, and his Honour, after the judgment he had  already delivered, had no hesitation in finding for the plaintiff in this case also.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 18 February, 1870

CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS AGAINST A BANKRUPT

Henry George Bingham, whose bankruptcy has been before the County Court on several occasions, appeared on a criminal information, charging him with removing and concealing his goods, and Mr. Alfred Leney, the trade assignee under the bankruptcy, was charged with aiding and abetting him.

Mr. Minter appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Lewis for Bingham, Mr. Sergeant Sleigh, instructed by Mr. Fox, appearing for Mr. Leney.

The allegation was that goods to the amount of £30 had been removed from the premises of Bingham, who kept a public house at Ringwould, by Mr. Leney, just prior to the petition of the bankrupt being filed, and for the purpose of defrauding the other creditors.

The speeches of counsel and the evidence of witnesses were exceedingly protracted; and the Magistrates ultimately committed Bingham for trial at the Assizes, but dismissed the information against Mr. Leney, expressing at the same time their opinion that it never aught to have been laid.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday 6 June, 1873.

APPLICATION UNDER THE LICENSING ACT

Application was made by the landlord of the “Lord Nelson,” at Ringwould, for an extension of the hours of closing on the following night, on the occasion of a ball which was to take place at his house.

In reply to the questions of the Magistrates, the applicant said that the ball would not commence until ten o’clock, and he desired permission to keep the house open until three. The ball would be patronised principally by the servants and labouring classes of the neighbourhood.

The Magistrates observed that ten o’clock was rather a late hour to begin the evening.

The applicant explained that the ball was a sort of wind-up of the Whitsuntide holiday, and that many of those who would be present would have spent the day at Dover, Canterbury, or some other town in the neighbourhood.

The Magistrates considered that, under the circumstances, one o’clock would be sufficiently late for the house to remain open, and granted an extension till that hour.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday 6 September, 1878

DOVER ANNUAL LICENSING SESSIONS

The annual sitting of the Dover Magistrates Licensing Committee took place on Monday at Dover, for the purpose of renewing public-house licenses, and hearing applications for new ones. The Licensing Committee consists of E. F. Astley, S. Finnis, R. Dickeson, T. E. Black, R. Rees, W. R. Mowll, and C. Stein, Esqrs. They were all present except Mr. Dickeson, who is in Cumberland.

LORD NELSON – THE RINGWOULD CLOCK AT FAULT

Charles Gibbs, the landlord, was called forward.

The Superintendent said his house was kept open during prohibited hours on Sunday morning, July 6th, and the defendant was fined.

The applicant said his clock was wrong, and he opened the doors ten minutes before time. The congregation were out of church, except those who had stopped to the sacrament. His neighbour Cash, of the “Five Bells” whose clock happened to be right, very good naturedly walked across to a Policeman and reported the circumstance.

The Bench told the applicant to take care in future, and granted the license.

Mr. Cash came forward and desired to explain.

Dr. Astley said that they did not want any explanation.

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 8 September, 1882. Price 1d.

THE LORD NELSON, RINGWOULD

Mr. Gibbs, the owner of this house was called, there being a complaint against him, but he did not appear.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 8 March, 1918.

ADJOURNED LICENSING SESSIONS

The adjourned licensing sessions were held at the Town Hall on Friday last before Sir William Crundall ( in the Chair), Messrs. W. J. Barnes, H. F. Edwin, C. J. Sellena, F. W. Prescott, H. Hobday, F. G. Wright, Edward Chitty, C. E. Beaufoy, A. Clark, W. N. Atkins, W. J. Palmer and Dr. C. Wood.

Mr. Monings who objected to the renewal of the licence of the "Lord Nelson." He stated that he served the notice on Mr. Taylor, who was in charge of the home, and was the responsibility of Messrs. Thompson's, the brewers. He objected on the grounds of redundancy.

Inspector Paramour said that the "Lord Nelson" was of the same rateable value as the other house (King William). The rateable value was £15 gross. The landlord was a saddler. There was a small public bar, a tap room, a small sitting room, three small bedrooms and a kitchen. There was nothing against the house.

Mr. Matthews said that, no doubt the circumstances at Ringwould had changed. Some years ago there was probably ample room for the three houses, and just before the war it was thought that there was the prospect of a colliery coming to the neighbourhood. They did not, however, tie their hands.

As there was no opposition, the licenses were referred to the Compensation Authority.

The licence of the "Lord Nelson" was then transferred to Mr. Taylor, the Secretary of the brewery.