From the Whitstable Times, 5 November, 1870.

RAMSGATE POLICE COURT.

THE SERIOUS CHARGE OF ASSAULT AGAINST A FISH DEALER.

Matthew Gardiner was charged, on remand, with having assaulted David Sondes.

Mr. W. C. L. Rowling appeared for the complainant, and Mr. J. Towne (of Margate) for the defendant.

The evidence taken on the previous hearing haring been read, Mr. Bowling called William Hughes, a fisherman, who said he was at the “Queen’s Head” on Saturday week, at about quarter-past 8. Sondes went in shortly after him (being sober at the time), and he was drinking a glass of beer at the bar, when Gardiner went up and called him an informer. Sondes then said, “I can’t help it—I am,” and Gardiner then struck him several times on the face. Sondes fell against a partition, in consequence of receiving these blows. He did not spit in Gardiner's face, nor give him any provocation.

On being cross-examined, the witness said Sondes did not move his feet when he fell against the partition.

Mr. Griggs, M.R.C.S., said he had been attending Sondes in consequence of injuries received on the neck, lip, and over the eye. When he first saw him he was suffering from severe pain at the angle of the jaw, on the left side; and the large muscle of the neck was very tender and considerably swollen. He had difficulty in opening his month, and also in protruding the tongue; and there were also a slight laceration of the lip - the inner side of it being cut—and a slight cut over the eye brow. He first saw him on Wednesday last, but his condition was now much improved. At first he considered that the symptoms were of a serious nature; but he did not, at any time, believe the defendant's life was in danger.

In his cross-examination he said the injury was the result of severe blows on the lip and jaw. The fact of Sondes being intoxicated at the time would not tend to increase the symptoms.

Mr. Towne, after addressing the Bench for the defence, called Joseph Catt, a wholesale fish-dealer, who said he was a with Gardiner at the “Queen’s Head” last Saturday week. He was first in an inner room with him, and he (the witness) shortly afterwards went to the bar.

Mr. Towne was about to question the witness on some conversation which took place between him and Sondes, and Mr. Bowling objected, on the ground that the defendant was not present at the time; but the objection was over-ruled by the Bench.

The witness, in continuation, said that when she left the room, Sondes said, “Joe, here’s the informer (meaning himself)—why don’t you do it ?” He understood by “Why don’t you do it?” “Why don’t you hit me?” as the complainant previously addressed him in a similar manner. He (the witness) and Gardiner shortly afterwards went to the bar, and Gardiner said to Sondes (first), “Do you mean me?” and Sondes replied, “I’m the informer—hit me!” Gardiner then struck him three times. Sondes was not knocked down, but only reeled against the wall; and he afterwards had a glass of something else to drink.

He stopped there about three quarters of an hour afterwards, and then left. He (the witness) did not see any spitting.

Mr. Towne produced an anonymous letter which he said had been written by the complainant to the witness; but Mr. Bowling objected to its production on the ground that no name was signed.

The witness said he had lost £70 by means of the letter.

Sir William Coghlan pointed out that on the previous occasion when the case was heard, the complainant admitted the handwriting; and the Bench agreed to allow the letter to be reed by Mr. Towne.

It was dated “Ramsgate, October 21st, and was signed “a friend to Ramsgate,” and was to the effect that the defendant had forwarded a large number of rotten herrings to Chatham.

The witness stated that Gardiner was his partner in the transaction, and that what was stated in the letter was for libel. Previous to the assault, when he was sitting in the inner room, Evans was there; but Gardiner did not mention Sondes.

In his cross-examination, he admitted that he simply “lost” the £70 through being compelled to pay that amount to some one to whom he owed it, who served him with a writ in consequence of the letter. Evans was half drank when in the inner room.

John Stephen Hogben, a fisherman, said he was near the pier-gates the night previous to the assault, and heard Sondes repeatedly attempt to annoy Gardiner by saying “I’m the ------- informer.” He (witness) and Gardiner walked away in order to free themselves from Sondes’ annoyance.—

Frederick Lawrence, landlord of the “Queen’s Head,” stated that Sondes stayed in his house three quarters of an hour after the assault was committed; and Isaac Fox, the collector of market-tolls, said he saw the complainant being taken home drunk, between the hours of twelve and one, after the assault.

The magistrates retired, and, on their return, the Chairman said the Court had well considered whether they were called upon to punish the defendant by fining or not. He might have had some provocation, but nothing could justify a man in taking the law into his own hands. The defendant had struck blows which might have terminated fatally, and he would have been charged with manslaughter; and the court, though very reluctant to inflict such punishment on a man of the defendant's position, felt it their duty to sentence him to fourteen days’ hard labour at Sandwich.

Thanet Times, Tuesday 15 September, 1964.

"Queen's Head" is the pub for Seafarers.

A couple who came on holiday to Ramsgate from the Midlands for 7 years are now the popular host and hostess of the "Queen's Head" at on Ramsgate seafront.

"After we came down for our first holiday from Coventry we liked the town and came back for six more years, not thinking that we would one day be living here," said licensee, Mr. Edward Millington.

The "Queen's Head" stands opposite the harbour and is a Seafarers pub. Customers, who include yachtsmen, local boatman and lifeboatman, find a ship's telegraph in the bar and charts and see pictures on the walls.

"This is our fourth season here, and before coming south we had two houses in Coventry," said Mr. Millington, who comes from the North East Coast.

He met his wife, a Coventry girl, when he went to that city before the war to work in a shadow aircraft factory test laboratory.

As a young man, his ambition was to become a professional footballer and before going to the Midlands he was with the Middlesbrough nursery.

His family, on his mother's side have been in the hotel business for many years.

East Kent Times and Mail, Wednesday 30 July 1969.

Draught Drought in Thanet pubs?

Thanet publicans are facing a nightmare situation - they're on the border of being the pubs with no beer.

Water supplies have held out well in the recent weeks of drought but it's been a different matter in the pubs - beer supplies are dwindling fast.

Already Whitbread "Tankard" one of the most popular beers has run out in many pubs. In others, stocks are almost exhausted.

Because of this the men who like a "fistful of flavour" are having to turn to other ales. And this is worrying the publicans.

Drunk dry.

Said Eddie Millington of the "Queen's Head," Ramsgate:- "Other beers will also be running out soon at this rate. I can see it reaching the stage where some pubs will be virtually drunk dry.

The big trouble is with Whitbread's, who have run out of the much sought-after "Tankard."

"I phoned them up on Monday and there wasn't a drop in the brewery," said Mr Millington. "We've been told some more stocks will be coming through by Thursday but I wouldn't like to rely on it."