Kentish Gazette, 6 June 1854.

DEATH.

Strong:- May 17, at Ramsgate, Mrs. Elizabeth Strong, aged 83 years, landlady of the "New Inn," High-street, for nearly 60 years.

South Eastern Gazette, 28 February, 1860.

Charles Harwood, Esquire, Judge of the County Court of Kent at Ramsgate, authorized to act under a Petition of Insolvency, hearing date the 9th day of January, 1858, presented by ALFRED HOGBEN, of Ramsgate, in the county of Kent, late licensed victualler but now out of business, will sit on the 13th day of March next, at Ten o’clock in the forenoon precisely, at the Town-hall, Ramsgate, in order to Audit the Accounts of the Official Assignee of the estate and effects of the said insolvent, under the said petition, pursuant to the Acts of Parliament made and now in force relating to insolvents. And the said Judge will also sit on the same day, at the same hour and at the same place, in order to make a Dividend of the estate and effects of the said insolvent, when and where the creditors who have not already proved their debts are to come prepared to prove the same, or they will be excluded the benefit of the said dividend; and all claims not then proved will be disallowed.

THOS. BOWLING, High Bailiff.

South Eastern Gazette, 2 October, 1860.

Fatal Carriage Accident.

On Sunday evening week a great deal of excitement was caused by an accident, which ended in the death of a man named John Rigby, many years steward of the Magician steam vessel, plying between this place and London. Deceased hired a phaeton of Mr. George Wattson to go for a drive into the country, accompanied by his wife, his niece, and a male friend. They went to Sarre, where they stayed for some time, and at a quarter before 8 o’clock they started to return home, but when they got as far as the Countess of Ashburnham’s the horse bolted. At the time it did so deceased was holding the reins, while his friend lighted his cigar. Deceased’s friend immediately jumped out to stop the horse, but did not succeed in doing so, and it kept on at the top of its speed through the village of St. Lawrence, where it came into collision with a pony and chaise in High-street, opposite the "New Inn," by which the occupants of the vehicle were thrown to the ground with great violence.

The landlord of the "New Inn" and Mr. Mitchell, chief boatman of the coast guard, speedily got deceased out of the debris, and took him into the house. Three surgeons were immediately sent for and did all they could to save deceased, but he died in about an hour after the occurrence.

The other persons that were in the carriage were also seriously injured, and on Wednesday Mrs. Rigby was in a very precarious state.

On Monday an inquest was held on the body of deceased, when the following evidence was adduced:-

Deceased’s friend stated that he drove the horse home on and on the evening in question, found it to be fidgety. On starting he examined the harness and found it to be all right. The horse was restless, and appeared determined to go faster than he liked. When within two miles of Ramsgate the animal bolted, witness jumped out to stop it, and in so doing fell, but got up again and ran after the vehicle; he, however, was unable to overtake it. When witness hired the horse he asked to have a good one, and was told that it was a good one. He did not think if he had held the reins the accident would have happened. He did not know whether deceased let go the reins or not.

Lewis Schlieschr, one of the parties injured, said the horse was a spirited one, but the last witness appeared able to manage it easily.

Mr. Austen, one of the surgeons who was called, said on attending the deceased he found him insensible and on examination he found a protuberance on the upper part of the forehead on the left side. It was his opinion that death resulted from the combined effects of concussion and compression of the brain.

Mr. Wattson, proprietor of the vehicle, stated that the horse was very quiet, and he believed it could be safely trusted with anyone. The horse had run away once before, but that was from the person in charge of it allowing the reins to get under its tail.

The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death," and recommended Mr. Wattson to caution parties when they hired the horse, it being a spirited one.