40 Bank Street (Elwick Road 1881 )
Ashford
Above postcard, circa 1900. Kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above photo, circa 1900. Kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above photo, date unknown, by kind permission Roy Moore,
http://www.kentphotoarchive.com. |
Above photo, circa 1912, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above photo, date unknown, by kind permission Roy Moore,
http://www.kentphotoarchive.com. |
Above photo 1975 by Mike Bennett. |
Opened in 1858 this part time pub traded on market days, when the auction mart
and corn exchange was operating in the area.
The pub was at one time supplied by Nalder & Collyer, which was a Croydon-based
company. Miles away!
Nalder and Collyer sold out to the City of London brewery in 1919, got
closed in 1936 and their pubs were sold on to Ind Coope, which is how the
Market Inn became an Allied Breweries outlet.
Late 70s/early 80s when Pete Smith, licensee of the Royal Dragoon,
had the licence for the Market Inn. It sold Shepherd Neame.
From the Maidstone Telegraph, Rochester and Chatham Gazette,
11 February, 1860.
THE NOTORIOUS DUTCHMAN AT ASHFORD
At the police court, on Tuesday, before W. Rurra, Esq., and elderly
and very respectable-looking man, who gave the name of Van de Walter,
but who has a number of aliases, was charged with defrauding Mr. Bridge,
of the "Market Inn," to the amount of upwards of £4.
Remanded.
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From the Maidstone Telegraph, Rochester and Chatham Gazette, 18 February, 1860.
ASHFORD THE SWINDLING DUTCHMAN
At the remanded examination of Van de Walter (but who has also a string
of aliases) on a charge of defrauding Mr. W. Bridge, of the “Market
Hotel,” a good deal of evidence was brought forward as to the prisoner's
swindling career previous to his making an appearance at Ashford.
Mr. Henry Cantril, son of the proprietress of the “Royal Hotel,” Derby;
Mr. George Hilton, Superintendent of police at Derby; Mr. James Venables,
of the “Mitre Hotel,” Oxford; and Mr. Joseph Strangfield, surgeon,
Weston-super-Mare, Somersetshire, having given evidence for the
prosecution, prisoner questioned Mr. Strandfield, with a view of showing
that he had given him ten of the shares back, and that they were all
valueless, but Mr. Strangfield said that his assertions were totally
untrue. This being the whole of the evidence against the prisoner.
The Chairman said he thought the charge of obtaining goods under false
pretences had not been substantiated; he had not obtained goods by means
of false pretence, but made the fraudulent representations because he
was not able to pay the bills.
Superintendent Hilton said that he had discovered that the prisoner
victimised hotel keepers in Yorkshire in a similar manner ten years ago;
he had also traced him to Chester and Grantham.
The Chairman:- If the sale of shares can be proved against him there is
no doubt of a conviction.
Prisoner:- I think, when I am a little more composed, I can answer every
case. The truth is this, Mr. Chairman, that I am ruined by my
brother-in-law, who ran away with the money for which I was security.
Before that I had been living in very good circumstances. Then I became
very poor, and I have tried to my knowledge to make some money, and I
came for that purpose into England. I have several inventions, which I
have made useful to me, and made money with them; but that would not
always succeed, and then I have been reduced, and been almost a pauper.
Then I have made money again, and paid what I owed. I am now getting
old, and my energies and faculties have not always been successful.
Still, I was on the point of being successful in Derby, if that Mr.
Bowyer had not interrupted me, and driven me away. But wherever I have
been I have paid as much as I could. Now, the man that pays whenever he
can is not exactly a swindler. As far as this case goes, it is a
trumpery case. To me these shares were worth nothing; they had not paid
any interest for the last ten years, or more, and it was only from
friendship that I charged myself with ascertaining what they were worth.
The prisoner was then formally charged with having committed a
misdemeanour, in applying the shares ton his own use, and on this charge
he was ordered to be detained, and, for the convenience of the witnesses
transferred to Somersetshire.
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From the Maidstone Telegraph, Rochester and Chatham Gazette, Saturday 10 March, 1860. Price 1d.
ASHFORD
Van de Walter, the Swindling Dutchman, otherwise Dr. Wolf, and a number
of other aliases, the Dutchman who was examined before the Ashford
magistrates, on a charge of swindling Mr. Bridge, of the “Market Inn”,
and several other hotel keepers, and who was remanded at
Weston-Super-Mare, in order that a charge of fraudulently disposing of
some shares in the Hague gas company, of that place, might be further
investigated by the magistrates there, has been committed for trial at
the next Old Bailey sessions. |
From the Maidstone Telegraph, Rochester and Chatham Gazette, Saturday 31 March, 1860. Price 1d.
THE NOTORIOUS DUTCHMAN
The foreigner who under the name of van de Walter swindled Mr. Bridge,
of the “Market Inn,” out of several weeks' board and lodging, after
practising upon several hotel keepers in Leicester, Derby, and
elsewhere, has escaped justice after all. He was committed by the
magistrates of Weston-Super-Mare for trial at the Central Criminal
Court, for fraudently disposing of Dr. Strangfield's shares; but in
consequence of some mistake, neither the prosecutor, prisoner, not
witnesses were in time for the sitting, and therefore the prisoner was
discharged. |
From the Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, 23 June 1860.
ASHFORD THE FOUR O'CLOCK MOVEMENT.
A numerously attended meeting of the building operatives in Ashford was
held at the "Market Inn," on Wednesday in Ashford when a petition was
drawn up to be sent to each employer in the town and neighbourhood
requesting that the system of leaving work at four o'clock on Saturdays
might be adopted in Ashford. A second meeting is to be held on Wednesday
next. See "Rose
and Crown," Maidstone. |
From the Kentish Chronicle, 26 January, 1861.
ASHFORD PETTY SESSIONS. AN"EXCITED LOVER"
(Before G. E. Sayer, Esq., and Captain Groves.)
Thomas Convin, an engineer, was charged with creating a disturbance and
breaking a window at the "Market Inn," on the previous Sunday.
Mr. Bridge, the landlord, stated that the prisoner came to his house
about one o'clock on the above day, with a return ticket from Brighton,
and had some dinner. Witness went out about three o’clock, and on his
return he found the prisoner very much excited, and threatening that he
would get a revolver the next time he came, and murder every one in the
house; and as to the barmaid, as sure as he met her there would be
bloodshed. His conduct was so intolerable that he was put out of the
house; but he returned again three times, and on the last occasion he
broke the glass and ran towards the station. He had only two glasses of
stout in the house.
Thomas Smith and George Potter corroborated this evidence, stating that
the prisoner threatened to take their lives also.
The prisoner said that he had been working at Mr. Foord’s engine factory
at Ashford, and while there proposed and was accepted by a young person
living in Mr. Bridge's house. Something unpleasant occurred, and he
obtained a good situation at Brighton, and from thence wrote many
letters, both to Mr. Bridge and to the object of his affections, with
the view of making matters up. These, however, proved unavailing, and he
therefore came himself; but as this was attended with no better success
he became excited in the manner that had been stated, for which he was
now very sorry, and if the offence were looked over he would go away and
never come back again.
Mr Bridge said that the young person mentioned was the daughter of
highly-respectable parents, and denied that there had ever been any
engagement between her and the prisoner.
The Bench fined him 4s. 9d. for the damage, and 20s. fine.
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Maidstone Telegraph, Saturday 8 February 1868.
ASHFORD. Petty Sessions, Saturday.
Before G. E. Sayer, Esq., chairman, Lient.-Colonel Groves, R. H.
Knatchbull-Hugessen, Esq., M.P., H. Tufton, and P. D. N. Oxenden, Esqs.
How Mrs. Woodgate Lost Her Bag.
A respectably-dressed woman belonging to Ham-street attended to
prosecute a pensioner named Horace Finn, living in Ashford, for stealing
from her a reticule bag containing some bread and cheese, a bottle of
medicine, and 5d in copper. It appeared from the evidence that Mrs.
Woodgate came up to Ashford on the previous market day, and towards
evening she went into the "Market Inn," having had, as she admitted
"something to drink." The barmaid, however, thought from her condition
she did not stand in need of any beverage of an alcoholic nature, and
declined to serve her with anything stronger than a glass of water. Mrs.
Woodgate accordingly partook of a bumper of the limpid element. Being,
however, in a generous frame of mind, she treated every one else who
happened to be near her to stronger potations. She passed once or twice
between an inner room and the bar, and on one occasion left her hag
behind her. The prisoner brought it to her, and she thanked him. Soon
afterwards she started to go to the railway station, and according to
the statement of the prisoner and other persons she asked Finn to
accompany her and to carry her bag. She herself denies that she did so.
In was certain, however, that her funds by this time were running low,
as she complained of having out 2d left to pay her fare. Finn, not to be
outdone in the generosity which she had shown, said that "if no one else
would pay her fare he would." At the station they became separated, and
Finn not being able to find her again took the bag home and hung it up.
Mrs. Woodgate in the mean time began to think she had been robbed, and
went from the railway station to the police station and made her
complaint. Supt. Dewar advised her to go home and consult with her
husband before she gave any one in charge. The husband, the day after he
had heard his wife's story, communicated with Police-sergeant Smith, and
that officer immediately proceeded to Ashford and found the bag hung up
in Finns house. There was no concealment of it in any way, and the
bottle of medicine still remained in it. The Bench, without hearing
Finn's witnesses, dismissed the case.
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From the Whitstable Times, 29 June, 1901.
ASHFORD USING TREATS TO AN HOTEL KEEPER.
At the Ashford police court on Friday, Daniel George Swaffer, of
Ashford, was charged with using threats to William Francis Palmer,
landlord of the "Market Hotel." On the previous day prisoner said he
would "stick something into” prosecutor, besides using other threats. He
was ordered to find sureties to keep the peace for six months, himself
in £5 and two of £10 each; or, in default, a month's imprisonment.
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The pub changed name to the "Wig and
Gavel," as yet date unknown.
LICENSEE LIST
BRIDGE Mr 1860-62+

BRAHAM George 1874+
PATCHING James 1881-82+ (age 44 in 1881 )
DAVIDSON Alexander A 1891+ (age 28 in 1891 )
PALMER William Francis 1901-30+ (age 45 in 1930 )

BLAKE Edward Porcher 1938+
SMITH Peter late 1970s-early 80s
https://pubwiki.co.uk/MarketInn.shtml
http://www.closedpubs.co.uk/markethotel.html
From the Kelly's Directory 1903
Census
Kentish
Chronicle
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