From the Folkestone Chronicle 20 September 1856. transcribed by Jan Pedersen.

Tuesday September 16th. Present – The Mayor, W. Major, W. Bateman, S. Mackie and J. Kelcey esqrs.

William Whiting, landlord of the "Princess Royal" (late the "Engine Inn") appeared to answer an information, charging him with keeping his house open during the hours of divine service on Sunday last.

Police constable Nicholls proved he found several persons drinking in his house about noon on Sunday last. The house was usually well conducted, and there was no noise or disturbances on that morning.

Defendant pleaded that his was a house for travellers, that he had 10 lodgers, and that he could not control the persons who might frequent it.

The Mayor said he was glad to find the police give such a good account of the general conduct of the defendant; he should therefore mitigate the fine to 1s and costs to 8s 6d.

From the Folkestone Chronicle 7 November 1857. transcribed by Jan Pedersen.

Wednesday November 4th: - Before G. Kennicott and J. Kelcey esqs.

William Tumber was fined 5s and costs for having his house, the "Princess Royal", South Street, open before 1 o'clock on Sunday last.

From the Folkestone Chronicle 29 May 1858. Transcribed by Jan Pedersen.

Thursday May 27th:- Before R.W. Boarer esq., and James Kelcey esq.

Ann Mercer, Elizabeth Howitt, Edward Young, and George Gallop were brought up on remand, charged with being concerned in stealing a purse containing 16s., and other monies, also a silver watch, gold seal and key, value £2, the property of Robert Anash, master of the Deal lugger, the Isabella. It appeared that the prosecutor came ashore in the morning, and took lodgings at the "Princess Royal" public house in South Street; that getting very drunk towards evening, he retired to be about 9 o'clock, having his watch with him, and some money, the landlord having previously changed a sovereign for him. No evidence being adduced against the three last named prisoners, who were sleeping in the same room with prosecutor, they were acquitted, and the other prisoner, Ann Mercer, a prostitute, was put on her trial. It seemed that prisoner went to prosecutor's room early in the morning, and rousing him asked him to give her some beer, - or some money to get some. He refused, and on getting up in the morning he missed his watch and money. The police were called in, and the prisoners and room searched, but no trace of the stolen property being discovered, or sufficient evidence to incriminate the prisoner Mercer, she was discharged.

From the Folkestone Chronicle 21 February, 1862. Transcribed by Jan Pedersen.

CORONER'S INQUEST

An inquest was held on Thursday last, February 12th, at the "Harbour Inn," Folkestone, before the new coroner, John Minter Esq., on the body of Norris Stokes, a hawker of poultry and game, who had committed suicide on the previous day by hanging himself to a bed post.

The jury, with Mr. H.T. Hale as their foreman, having been sworn, they proceeded to view the body, which was lying at the "Princess Royal" public house.

On their return the first witness called was Filmer Tyas, who being sworn, stated that he was a labourer, in the employ of Mr. Pilcher, and that he lodged at the "Princess Royal" public house. He knew the deceased, and he believed him to be about 42 years of age. On the Tuesday previous, deceased came to the house about 9.15. He came into the taproom and called for a pint of beer, which he sat and drank, and smoked his pipe. About 9.30 witness got up and went out, and did not return until between 11 and 12. Deceased had then gone to bed, and witness saw no more of him until about 12 the next day, when the landlady enquired if he had seen deceased go out, and asked him to go upstairs and see. Witness went up, and on opening the bedroom door, saw deceased hanging to the bed post. He appeared to be on his knees, with his face towards the door. He had seemed to be in a depressed state of mind for some time past.

Mary Hobden, being sworn, said – I am the wife of John Hobden, landlord of the "Princess Royal" public house. On Tuesday night, about 9 o'clock, deceased came to our house and asked for a bed. He had frequently been to the house, but never slept there before. My husband told him he could have a bed; he asked how much. On being told 6d., he asked if it was a good bed, and if there were any other beds in the room. He then went out, but returned in 10 minutes, and called for a pint of porter. He sat for an hour smoking his pipe. I sat by his side at work. He then paid his 6d., and I went upstairs with him with a candle to show him in his room. I drew the curtains, and on looking round, I saw the deceased was laughing, and he said he did not like anyone else to be in his bedroom. We heard a slight noise in the night, but it appeared like someone at the front door. I asked Tyas in the morning if he had seen deceased go out. On his coming downstairs, and saying the man was dead, my husband sent for a policeman.

P.C. Woodland, sworn, said – On Wednesday about half past twelve, from information received, I went to the "Princess Royal," South Street. I went up to the top room in the house. I saw the deceased hanging by a piece of cord (produced) to the bedstead by a running noose – the knot under his left ear; his feet were touching the skirting board; his knees were doubled under him but did not touch the ground. I cut him down – he was quite dead. I searched his clothes and found a key and a dinner knife recently sharpened. I have known deceased fifteen years. I remember his brother Jesse, fourteen years ago, attempting to hang himself in a barn. Deceased has appeared to be very strange for some time past. An accident happened to deceased and his brother some time ago; his brother, driving a cart from Dover, drove over the cliff, since which time deceased has not appeared right in his mind.

Verdict, “Temporary Insanity”.

From the Folkestone Chronicle 11 October, 1862. Transcribed by Jan Pedersen.

DISORDERLY PERSONS IN HOUSE

Friday October 10th:- Before W.F. Browell and W. Wightwick, Esqs.

John Hobden appeared on a summons, charged that on 1st October he allowed certain improper and disorderly persons to assemble in his ale house and victualling house.

Mr. Minter appeared for defendant.

Police constable Reynolds deposed that defendant was landlord of the "Princess Royal Inn," South Street. On Wednesday night, the 1st October, witness went on duty in South Street a little before 12 o'clock; in the bar parlour he saw two prostitutes sitting down with a sergeant of the 25th Regiment; in the tap room, another prostitute was sitting down, each having drink before them; there was no noise. Witness told the landlady he should report the circumstance; at a quarter past 12, witness visited the house again, and found that two prostitutes were still there. Witness had cautioned the landlady about a month ago about one of the girls, named Ann Mercer. This was the case.

Mr. Browell said he did not think they would have to trouble Mr. Minter.

Mr. Browell, in summing up, said there was not sufficient to warrant a conviction, but enough for a caution. The summons must be dismissed.

From the Folkestone Chronicle 15 November, 1862. Transcribed by Jan Pedersen.

COUNTY COURT

Thursday November 13th.

Hollidge v Henry Gibbs – This was an action of ejectment brought against defendant, a brewer at Stourmouth, to recover possession of the premises known as the "Princess Royal," South Street. Mr. Drummond, of Croydon, appeared for plaintiff; Mr. Minter for defendant.

From the opening of Mr. Drummond, corroborated by evidence, it appeared that notice to quit was served on defendant by Messrs. Brockman and Harrison, the notice expiring at Michaelmas last, but defendant held on; grounded his right of possession on an alleged verbal agreement with a Mrs. Webb, since deceased, the previous owner of the property, the tenancy by this agreement commencing on January 6th,1859; and therefore the notice to quit not being equal, a good deal of conflicting evidence on both sides was given, and His Honour ultimately gave a verdict for the plaintiff, with costs of attorney and three witnesses.

Note: More about Gibbs can be found here.

No record of Hollidge as a licensee. Jan Pedersen.

From the Folkestone Chronicle 20 February, 1864. Transcribed by Jan Pedersen.

CORONER'S INQUEST

February 17th.

An inquest was holden on Wednesday last at 2 p.m., at the "Princess Royal," South Street, before the coroner, John Minter Esq., on the body of Elizabeth Bridgland, a young woman, a domestic servant, in the employ of Mr. Thos. Goodban, professor of music, Upper Sandgate Road, who came to her death as detailed in the evidence given.

The jury, having been sworn, proceeded to view the body, which lay in a most inconvenient shed on the beach, in which there was hardly room for the body to lie, and into which it was therefore impossible for all jurymen to get at once, and at which much surprise and indignation was expressed by the jury.

The following evidence was then adduced:

James Bridgland, a brother of the deceased, being sworn, deposed he resided in Radnor Street, and was a baker; identified the body as that of his sister, Elizabeth Bridgland. She was 22 years of age and was living with Mr. Goodban, Sandgate Road, as domestic servant; saw her last alive at Mr. Goodban's about a week ago; witness was passing and saw her at the door. She had been living there about 2 years and 3 months; had seen her occasionally during that time at his house – she being an orphan had no other home. She had complained to witness lately that she was troubled with the chest and head. She had never said anything to witness that led him to suppose she had any intention of destroying herself.

Thomas Lee, being sworn, deposed he was a labourer, living in Folkestone; went on the beach from the Lower Sandgate Road, the west side of the gas house, about a quarter to seven this morning; looked over the full of the beach and saw something floating in the water. Witness then went closer and saw it was the body of a female floating; the tide was very high and the water very deep; witness made two attempts to recover the body by going into the water; the body was floating about 10 feet out, and the water was about 6 or 7 feet deep. Witness then called for assistance, and a man called Thomas Stone, who was loading shingle into a cart, came, but they both could not get the body out. Witness then called a preventive man named Charles Budden, who was on duty near the coast guard cottages. Witness then procured a clothes prop, and by means of it got the body of deceased out. When witness took the body out, he felt her hand and it was cold, but the body was limp. Witness did not think she had been in the water long, but there was a discussion as to how long the body had been in; someone said “She is hardly cold”. Witness sent for a policeman and thought the policeman would have brought a doctor. Witness turned the body over to see if water would run out of her mouth.

The Coroner remarked “You had better have sent for a doctor”.

Witness resumed: He and Budden carried the body up to the shed on the beach where it is now lying; did not notice any marks of violence on the body. It was about 15 yards to the eastward of the jetty next the gashouse where the body was floating.

Charles Budden, sworn, deposed he was a preventive man, residing at the Coast Guard Cottages, Folkestone; went on duty at a quarter past six this morning and relieved a man named George Gammon, just opposite the jetty before spoken of, in the Sandgate Road. Witness's beat was from the Clock House to the Tollgate. The tide was full and making to the eastward and had been so for some time before six, so that deceased must have got into the water westward of where she was found. Witness went to his beat by way of the back of the gashouse and then on to the Sandgate Road. Witness went through to the beach near Cook's garden and then returned into the road, and came back along the road as far as Mr. Tolputt's yard, and then through the buildings into the Watch House, and got back about half past six. Witness saw no-one on the beach or in the road as he went to and fro; saw the last witness beckon him and went towards him; saw the body and then returned to get a grappling iron. Witness did not think the body had been long in the water from its being limp, and from knowing that anything falling into the water westward would not come on shore so soon in consequence of the action of the tide.

In answer to a question from the coroner, witness said he did not know what to do in the event of a person being found recently drowned. He could not read very well. He thought there were regulations posted in the Watch House, but could not be sure of it; assisted the last witness to carry the body where it now lies; have been stationed here two years next May; there is a grappling iron in the boathouse, kept by the carpenter, but the shop was locked. The grappling irons belonging to the Town are so heavy that they would be useless to recover a person drowning.

Thomas Goodban, sworn, deposed that he resided in the Sandgate Road and was a professor of music. Deceased had lived with him about two years and three months as a domestic servant; saw the deceased the night before last; she came into the parlour to take the plate basket away as is her usual custom. She had gone to bed when witness got home last night between 10 and 11. Just before light this morning, or about 6 o'clock, witness heard deceased come out of the bedroom and go downstairs. Witness heard nothing more till about half past 8 when the knife-boy called witness, who went downstairs and questioned the boy, who said he had found the area door open, none of the fires alight, but found the breakfast tray partly prepared. Sims, the milkman, was in the passage and said a woman had been taken out of the water. Deceased had been ailing for some time past and had been suffering from depression of spirits, and had been placed under the care of Mr. Bowles, who attended her professionally. Latterly her depression had assumed a religious form, she declaring herself a lost soul. Yesterday Mrs. Goodban had made arrangements for deceased to go away for a week or two's holiday. She has never been strong-minded since she had been in witness's service.

The Coroner, in summing up, observed he wished to cast reflections on no-one, but he could not help observing that if the ordinary means had been resorted to in this case there is little doubt but that the poor girl's life would have been saved. He could not help remarking that if the directions, which it appeared were posted up in the Watch House, had been duly read to the men engaged in the preventive service, they would have been able in an emergency like this to resort to the means to be used for restoring life. It was a frequent, he was almost going to say, a daily occurrence, where lives were saved after being immersed for a long time in the water. He wished to cast no imputation on anyone, but felt bound to make these observations: with respect to the witnesses who had been examined, he felt bound to say that if they had sent for a doctor first, and a policeman afterwards, they would have been acting wisely. He trusted, however, that in the future those in authority at the Coast Guard Cottages would take some steps to instruct the men under their charge to take some means to endeavour to restore life to persons apparently dead from drowning, as in this case, as he observed before, no doubt the life of the girl would have been saved. The Coroner then adverted to the evidence which went to prove that deceased could not have fallen into the water out of a boat, as the action of the tide would have carried her away and not to land as in this case. There were two things to be considered by the jury – the manner of her death and the state of her mind. They had heard the evidence of Mr. Goodban which showed that the deceased had religious delusions and a depressed state of mind. It was for the jury to consider all the circumstances and give a verdict in accordance with what they had heard.

The jury then consulted and returned a verdict that the deceased had destroyed herself whilst labouring under temporary insanity.

The foreman of the jury, by their request, wished the Coroner to represent to the Town Council the very inefficient means available on the beach for the recovery of persons drowning, and suggesting that some appliances for the purpose might be supplied by the Council.

From the Folkestone Chronicle 23 July, 1864. Transcribed by Jan Pedersen.

TEMPORARY LICENSE

Monday July 18th:- Before C. Doridant Esq., Mayor.

Mr. John Hartley, of the "Princess Royal Inn," South Street, applied for a temporary licence to sell excisable liquors, until the next general licensing day, which was granted.