From the Kentish Gazette, 1 December 1840.

On Saturday, the 21st ult., an inquest was held at the "Castle Tavern" before J. Emmerson, Esq,. coroner for Sandwich and its liberties, on the body of Henry Bower, master of the brig "Union Packet," "Blyth," lying in the harbour. Between 7 and 8 o’clock on Friday evening the deceased was seen sitting on the slip-way coughing violently, and ultimately broke a blood-vessel from the effects of which he died.

Verdict "Died by the Visitation of God."

Kentish Gazette, 16 July 1844.

RAMSGATE. Daring Robbery.

On Monday evening, Mr. Burke, a well-known commercial traveller, of the firm of Swaine and Co., distillers, London, was proceeding from Hodges’ "Castle Hotel," to the "Camden Arms," St. George’s Steps he was accosted by a respectably-dressed female, when two men, who were in ambush a short distance from the spot, rushed upon him and held his arms, when the woman forced her hand in his pocket and abstracted a purse, containing 108 sovereigns, and ran away. He made a grasp at her dress, and tore away a piece of habit shirt which he held tight, and immediately gave an alarm to the police on duty, who with their usual vigilance, succeeded the following morning in tracing the party to the "Honeysuckle," at Hereson. On the woman being questioned as to her torn habit shirt, she said her husband had done it last week, but on comparing it, it exactly matched both in the rent of the muslin and pattern to the piece, given by Mr. Burke to the police the previous evening. She was taken into custody, together with a man and woman who were found in her company, and was examined before the magistrates on Tuesday, who remanded them all to Sandwich for safe custody till their final hearing. One sovereign only was found on the woman.

Southeastern Gazette, 30 August 1853.

Death.

Aug. 26, at Ramsgate, suddenly, Mrs. Hodges, wife of Mr. Thomas Hodges, of the "Castle Hotel."

South Eastern Gazette, 18 October 1853.

SANDWICH.

The Michaelmas Quarter Sessions were held at the Guildhall on Thursday last, before John Deedes, Esq., Recorder.

Philip Bartlett, mariner, was charged with assaulting, on the 21st August, Sydney Bodley, a pier policeman, whilst in the execution of his duty; also Thomas Newman, a police-constable of the town, and Thomas Hodges, of the "Castle Hotel." Mr. Turner appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Horn for the prisoner. We gave the evidence in these cases at the time. The trial lasted upwards of seven hours, and terminated with a conviction for a common assault upon Hodges, and prisoner was sentenced to three months’ hard labour. These cases created great interest.

South Eastern Gazette, 27 March, 1860.

Petty Sessions, Monday.

(Before G. E. Hammond, H. Benson, and A. Crofton, Esqrs.)

George Epps was charged with having, on the 10th inst., assaulted Grace Mepstead. It appeared that the parties were fellow servants at the "Castle Hotel," and in the evening of the day named a dispute arose between them as to the warming of some beer in the kitchen, when, as alleged by complainant, defendant struck her with a clothes horse. This was denied, and there being no corroborative evidence, the summons was dismissed.

Kentish Gazette, 29 March, 1870.

A Narrow Escape From Drowning.

A young gentleman who occupied apartments at the "Castle Hotel," near the pier gates, narrowly escaped death by drowning on Tuesday evening last. He had arrived by train the same evening, and was therefore a perfect stranger to the place. While taking a walk opposite the hotel, he ignorantly walked over into the basin, and when he rose to the surface of the water he, of course, called out very lustily for help. Mr. J. Smith, a Customs Officer, on duty in the watch-room, on hearing the alarm, ran out immediately, finding the police and a coastguardman trying to render assistance, Supt. Pritchard, of the Harbour Police, went down on the ladder and drew a boat, and called to the young gentleman to take hold fast, which he did. Mr. Robert Solly, boatman, then went down, and succeeded in getting him into the boat and up the ladder. Before going to his hotel he expressed a wish to pay the man who had picked him up, and placed £2 in another person's hand, to be given to him, stating that he could not share more at present. He also said he thought he was walking on the land at the time, and that the gas lights must have deceived him.