Above photo from Chris Roo's Flickr. Date unknown.

Above photo, date unknown. Same time as shot above.

Above photo, date unknown by Darkstar.

Thanet Advertiser 09 September 1871.

ANNUAL LICENSING SESSIONS.

The brewster sessions commenced on Monday, which was set apart for renewing licenses already granted.

On the second day, set apart for the hearing of applications for fresh licensee the justices present were E. L. Harrison, Esq. (Mayor), R. Harrison, Esq., son., R. L. Harrison, Esq., jun., and J. Dorman, Esq.

Mr. Peniston then applied, on behalf of Mr. John A. Dunford, for a spirit license for the "Prince of Wales," Harbour-street, Ramsgate, already licensed for the sale of wine and beer. Two previous applications had been made and refused. On the last occasion objection was made to a kind of perpetual concert going on in the house. This objection had, however, been removed, and it was obvious that a great need existed in the neighbourhood for a house licensed for the sale of spirits; the excursionists arriving in thousands by the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway, which was in close proximity to the house, were in a thirsty condition, and required a very considerable amount of accommodation at one and the same time. The house was well fitted for a license, and he handed in a memorial signed by numerous ratepayers in the neighbourhood, certifying that the applicant was a fit and proper person to receive a license, and that if the premises were licensed it would conduce to the public convenience.

The applicant was called to prove the service of the necessary notices, but neglected to produce the duplicates, and Mr. Peniston Applied for an adjournment.

Mr. Towne, who opposed the application on behalf of Mr. Martin, the proprietress of a licensed house called the "Harp," objected to it as an unnecessary delay.

The Bench decided to hear more of the application.

Supt. Buss, in reply to Mr. Dorman, said it was correct that there were five licensed houses on the same side of the street within 160 yards.

The applicant was examined by Mr. Peniston, and stated that the house was rated at £32, and that there was sleeping accommodation for eleven persons. He stated that the complaint made against the house for being open during illegal hours was caused simply by an oversight on his part as to the time. He provided dinners, on an average, for 200 a day in the summer, and was constantly sending out for spirits. He had sometimes 400 persons in the house at 4 time.

In reply to Mr. Dorman, he stated that the average size of his bedrooms was about 7ft. by 15ft. He had discontinued the concert.

Cross-examined by Mr. Towne:- There had not been any alteration in the neighbourhood since last year, end the premises were the same.

Mr. Towne said he had opposed the application on two former occasions, and the Bench had decided that a license was not required. He might say, on the contrary, that it would be very obnoxious and inconvenient, instead of a convenience to the public. He need hardly tell the Bench how many licensed houses there were in Ramsgate. He believed there were more than eighty licensed public-houses within the jurisdiction of the Bench, besides an almost innumerable quantity of beer-houses, &c. Mr. Bruce had thrown out the idea that about one to a thousand was the proportion of licensed houses, which he would wish to see, and that he would like to have the licenses reduced to that number. According to that, Ramsgate had at the present time about seventy more licenses than were required for a population of between fourteen and fifteen thousand. There was very large existing accommodation near the railway station.

Immediately adjoining the station-yard was a large licensed house, called the "Refectory," and then another large house, called the "Harp" to which Mr Dunford's house adjoined, and on the other aide of which were the "Castle" and "Shipwrights Arms," and various other houses. It was preposterous to suggest that further accommodation was required, and to ask the Bench to stultify what they had themselves said on a former occasion.

The Bench refused the application.

From an email received 16 September 2020.

Dear Sirs,

I have acquired a parchment of an indenture, the lease agreement between Tomson Wotton Ltd and a gentleman by the name of a Mr. Luca Gatti for the lease of numbers 100, 102, 104 and 106 Harbour Parade in Ramsgate, Kent, for the public house, known as ‘The Prince of Wales’.

The parchment is 71 cm x 58cm, and is stamped with a 5/- duty stamp on the front, and an ER stamp on the back. It has not been executed (it is unsigned). It has been folded in three x three, making it more convenient to move around.

Yours faithfully,

James Hidden.