From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday 24 September, 1859.

REMANDED CHARGE OF BURGLARY

Thomas Taylor, William Wren, Charles Cotter, and Richard Peel, the privates of the 32nd regiment remanded from the preceding Saturday on the double charge of breaking into the dwelling-house of Mr. Barton, surgeon, of Hammond Place, and stealing therefrom several valuable articles, including an ornamental time-piece and a plated inkstand; and of stealing a watch, a pair of trousers, and a silk dress, from the "Red Lion" public house, Charlton Green, the property of the landlord; were again brought up.

The following evidence was now adduced:-

Police-sergeant Gedds, examined - The four prisoners were handed over to my custody on Friday last, about 2 p.m., by the witness Bradford and some other coast-guardsmen, on suspicion of being connected with robbery. Bradford at the same time gave me the pieces of a clock and the portion of silk dress produced. The pieces of clock were tied up in a piece of the lining of a dress. The prisoners were brought to the station-house by the coast-guardsman. The charge was taken down by the superintendent and read over to the prisoners, who declined to say nothing. On searching the prisoners I found in Cotter's pocket some lucifer matches. Between three of four o'clock the same afternoon I went to Mr. Barton's and saw the drawing-room. The room was in order then. I examined the windows, particularly that near the front door, and the balcony adjoining it. I noticed footmarks on the edge of the stone flooring of the balcony outside the railing. Inside the balcony, on the window-sill,  found a half burnt lucifer-match, which I now produce and which corresponds in character with some of the matches I found on prisoner Cotter. The balcony is about ten feet from the ground and overhangs the area. Over the front door is a coping, on which I also observed footmarks. On one side of the door there is a wall which divides the house from a garden, and it would be quite possible for a man to get on this wall and from that to the top of the porch, whence he might step to the balcony of the nearest window of the drawing-room.

Sergeant Back examined - In consequence of information I proceeded on Wednesday last, about half-past eight in the morning, to Mr. Barton's, No. 7, Hammond Place, and went upstairs into the drawing-room with the two maid-servants (witness Smith and the cook). Sergeant Back then described the appearance of the room, his description corresponding to the statement already given by witness Smith. He then said - I also noticed some lucifer matches amongst the flower-pots on the balcony. Several of the flower-pots I likewise noticed were upset and lying on their sides, and some of the paint appeared to have been recently rubbed off the corner of the balcony nearest the front door. On the coping of the door there also appeared marks as if from a shoe with nails in it. Mr. Barton on the same morning gave me the clock case I now produce. I have tried the pieces of the clock produced by Sergeant Geddes and I find they fit it.

Police-constable Thomas S. Barton - I was on duty at the corner of Cambridge Terrace on the morning of Wednesday last the 14th inst., and at about half-past two o'clock I saw the four prisoners go past me from Camden Crescent, as of coming from the direct of Hammond Place. They went down Northampton Street. The prisoner Taylor was walking about two yards in from of the other three men, who were together behind him. I afterwards, in the afternoon of Friday last, went to the beach near the South-Eastern Railway viaduct and there found the pieces of a clock I now produce, which correspond with the other pieces already produced by Sergeant Geddes.

The prisoner, having been cautioned, said they were going to bathe on Wednesday last when they found the piece of silk dress which had been produced. They all declared that they knew nothing about the time-piece.

They were then committed for trial on the first charge at the next Maidstone assizes.

Additional evidence was afterwards taken with respect to the robbery at the "Red Lion," including the following:-

Thomas Robbins, watchmaker, residing at Buckland, examined - On Wednesday last, between the hours of three and five in the afternoon, the prisoner Taylor brought to my shop a watch. It was an old watch and I had seen many times and had frequently repaired for Mr. Thomas Horn, of the "Red Lion" public house, Charlton Green. Taylor, who was alone, asked me to buy the watch. Having looked at it I told him I would have nothing to do with it. I asked him of whom he had got it, and he said he had given twenty-five shillings for it, but that he had forgotten the name of the man of whom he had bought it. I told him I would not buy it at any price, and he then left the door. I took one of the papers out of the back of the watch and saw Horn's name at the back of it. The value of the watch is about 16s.

From the evidence of Mr. James Long, pawnbroker, it appeared there was reason to suspect the prisoner had been concerned in an offer of the trousers to pledge at his shop. They had been offered by a "navvy," who had evidently been sent by the prisoners.

The apprehension of the prisoners on the second charge having been proved, and each of them having denied any knowledge of the robbery.

They were committed for trial upon this charge at the next borough quarter sessions.

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 24 September, 1859.

BURGLARY BY SOLDIERS

Thomas Taylor, William Wren, Charles Cotter, and Richard Peel, privates belonging to the 32nd regiment, were charged with entering the dwelling-house of Mr. Barton, surgeon, 7 Hammond Place, on the night of Tuesday, and stealing therefrom sundry articles, including an ornamental time-piece and a plated ink-stand. The same prisoners were also charged with stealing a watch, a pair of trousers, and a silk dress, from the "Red Lion," Charlton Green, the property of the landlord, Thomas Horn, on he following day.

In the first case the robbery had been committed under very daring circumstances, the articles having been stolen from an upstairs-room overlooking the street, and the thieves having managed to effect an entry by climbing up the columns supporting the door-porch and so gaining a small balcony with which the room connected. The window, it appears, was not fastened, owing to some defect in the sash-line, but it was quite closed at the bottom, and was open at the top only by a few inches, so that a forcible entry must have been effected. The investigations of the depredators were confined to the room in question, the door being fastened on the outside, an their communication with the remainder of the house, except by risking more noise than they felt prudent to make, being thus prevented. Everything considered in the room in the shape of box or drawer was forced open, and several articles of value, including those above mentioned, carried off.

In the second case, four soldiers, including the prisoner Taylor, went to the house of the prosecutor and there sat drinking for about two hours, and after their departure it was discovered that the articles mentioned in the second charge were missing. The following evidence was addressed at this examination:-

Uriah Bradford, a commissioned boatman in the coastguard service, examined - Yesterday morning, about ten o'clock, I was on duty on the beach near to the viaduct between the South-Eastern Railway terminus and Shakespeare's Cliff, when I saw the four prisoners. They were sitting on the beach, about one-third of the distance between Shakespeare's Cliff and the railway terminus. I passed them in the course of my duty about ten yards from the spot at which they were sitting. They appeared to be very busily engaged, but I cannot say what they were doing. I returned again about forty minutes past twelve o'clock and the prisoners were still there. As I passed them I observed them fill something with beach and throw it into the water. I was in a boat with some other boatmen; and on landing about forty yards from them they came up and offered to help us haul the boat up. After doing so I noticed part of a silk dress floating past the stern of our boat. One of out boatmen got it out of the water with a boat-hook, and having called to another boatman named Barton I took him to the spot where I had noticed the soldiers sitting. We noticed that the beach had been recently disturbed to a considerable extent, and that a quantity of thread and cotton was lying about near to the spot. Barton and I then raked among the beach, and about a foot beneath the surface we found some portions of a clock wrapped in the lining of a dress. The four prisoners then came towards us, on observing which I motioned them to stand still, and said I should take them as my prisoners. They asked what for, and I told them they would learn by and bye, and would have to make answer elsewhere. I then called for assistance. As the prisoners were being secured one of them dropped from under his coat a piece of silk which I now produce. I also produce the fragments of the time-piece I an Barton found concealed in the beach.

By Taylor - I did not see you drop anything. I did not say you did. When I first saw you you were busy with the rest.

Wren and Peel both asked the witness whether he saw them have anything in their possession, to which he replied in he negative. Cotter said he had no questions to ask.

Sarah Ann Horn, wife of Thomas Horn, the landlord of the "Red Lion" public-house, Charlton Green - On Wednesday last, about two o'clock in the afternoon, four soldiers came into my house. I recognised Taylor as one of the four, but I cannot say whether the other prisoners were the three other men. There were all "red coats," but I cannot recollect whether their facings were alike or not. On entering, one of the men came to the bar and asked for a pot of beer, with which I served him. Having paid for it he took it to the rest, who were sitting in the tap-room. The same man came to the bar a second time, in about an hour, and asked for another pot of beer.  offered to take the beer in, but he said he would take it himself. Between the first and second pots, I had occasion to go into the tap-room to take some beer to a couple of countrymen who had come in. The soldiers were there, but I did not observe them sufficiently to identify them. I was not a moment in the room, for I was a little timid in consequence of what I had overheard one of them say, viz., that there was a fire-place in the room, but no poker. They remained in the house about two hours, during the whole of which, to the best of my belief, they kept in the tap-room. No persons but the countrymen entered the room during the time they were there, and the countrymen remained only for about five minutes. During the greater part of the time the soldiers were there I was engaged in the back room and in the wash-house, neither of which commands a view of the staircase. While I was so engaged any person might have left the room in which the soldiers were and have gone up stairs without my knowledge. About two hours after the soldiers had left I went up stairs, when I missed my watch from a chair on which I had left it hanging when last in the room. I also missed from a drawer  in the same room a pair of black cloth trousers belonging to my husband. I had seen them in  the drawer a fortnight before. I subsequently discovered that a silk dress belonging to me was missing from the same room. The pieces of silk produced by the witness Bradford formed part of it, and the pieces of calico produced by the same witness is part of the lining. On the four soldiers leaving the house Taylor and another said "Good afternoon." I did not notice whether they had a bundle, but as they were going out I saw one of them stoop.

Sarah Smith, servant to Mr. Barton, 7, Hammond Place - On Tuesday night last, when we went to bed, Mr. and Mrs. Barton were out. The only persons in the house were myself and the cook, Mary Ann Gibbs. The latch of the front door was down, but the door was not otherwise fastened. The lower part of the house was fastened securely. There are two windows in the drawing-room. I shut and hasped one of them. The other, which is the nearest to the front floor, would not close. The upper part of the sash would not go quite up to the top owing to some defect in the sash-lines, but the lower sash was shut down. I locked the drawing-room door on the outside. I heard no noise during the night. I sleep in the back attic, and the drawing-room, which is on the first floor, faces the street. In the morning, on coming down stairs about 8 o'clock, I went into the drawing-room as usual, when I found that the room was in disorder. A papier-mâché tea-caddy had been forced open. It had been left locked and standing on a corner table, from which it had been removed. The drawer of the table was also forced open. The tea-caddy appeared to have been opened with some instruments, a large piece being broken out of the back. The floor was strewn with tea and sugar, and some fragments of a newspaper were lying about as if a newspaper had been torn up to wrap the tea in. I noticed upon the floor the ashes of paper and the ends of lucifer matches. I also noticed that a plated inkstand and a time-piece were missing from the room. I identified some of the pieces as part of the time-piece. There was also missing a flat case containing two brass compasses, and a photographic likeness, also in a case. I then went to the window nearest the front door and I found it open about three or four inches at the bottom and the blind blowing out of it. I then went to inform Mr. Barton, who soon afterwards came down, and a police-constable having been sent for Mr. Barton examined the drawing-room with him (Sergeant Back). If I went into the drawing-room in the interim I did not touch anything. Every box in the room had been turned out and ransacked. There is a balcony in front of both drawing-room windows.

By Taylor - I do not remember having seen you about the premises.

Cotter and Peel asked the same question, and received a similar reply.

Wren declined to question the witness.

Upon the application of Superintendent Coran, the prisoners were then remanded until Tuesday on both charges.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday 12 August, 1881. 1d.

The Dover and Canterbury Bowling Clubs played at the “Red Lion Inn,” Charlton, on Wednesday, 16 each side. There was fine weather and a good company. Score: Dover 109, Canterbury 69, being a decided victory for the home team.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 7 August, 1896.

FIRE AT CHARLTON GREEN

On Tuesday evening, about 6.30, it was discovered that a quantity of woodwork in a workshop belonging to Messrs. Warren and Son, stonemasons and builders, at Frith Road, Dover had caught alight, and also a wash-house at the back of the “Red Lion Inn” was burning under the eves. The hose reel was sent for, and Superintendent Sanders and Police Constable Spinner, Cadman, and Coney were soon on the spot, and in a short time the fire was extinguished, and a heavy shower of rain assisted in putting things out of danger. It is supposed that the fire originated from a boy having gone into the workshop to light a cigar, and having thrown the match away carelessly among the shavings. A large quantity of window frames and woodwork for building belonging to Mr. Warren was, we regret to say, entirely destroyed.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 6 June, 1952.

With his usual energy Mr. Durrant sends up the first wood.

BEER & SKITTLES

Another Charlton Green Enterprise

Expected to be particularly popular with West Country People, a skittle alley was opened on Whit-Monday by the towns uncrowned Soccer King, Fred Durrant, in the grounds of the "Red Lion", Charlton Green.

Hoping to popularise the game in this area is the licensee, Mr. L. R. Latcham who came froth Somerset some years ago. Before the war there were three rinks for bowls behind the house, and since they were destroyed during the war the regulars have been pleading for the return of the game.

Realising that the cost of laying the green was prohibitive, Mr. Latcham nostalgically remembered the skittle alleys back home, and had one built where the old rinks were.

Introducing Mr. Fred Durrant, Dover F.C's. popular player-Manager, Mr. Latcham recalled that the town had just seen a particularly good year for sports, and said he could think of no one who was better qualified to have a hand in the opening of the town's latest sporting venture.

Before cutting the tape stretched across the entry of the bowling alley, Mr. Durrant thanked the crowd of spectators, who he said were typical of those thousands of local people who, week after week gave their support to the Town football club.

An impromptu challenge match with Mr. H. A. Carr, Chairman of Dover F.C. Supporters' Association, Fred lost by 8 shots to 6.

The first game after the official opening was between four Somerset men, now living at Elvington, and four local men--and much to the fifty odd onlookers' surprise, it was the Dover men that won 71 to 54.

With the claim that it is the only alley this side of London, Mr. Latcham says that he will keep it for the locals three nights a week, while on the other nights he hopes to allow other clubs that might start up to play there.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 10 September, 1954.

SKITTLES CHAMPIONS

The Red Lion team, which after stern competition, have become first winners of the Dover & District Skittles league. Standing: J. King, E. Kelly, E. Clark, J. Bailey, and F. Lee. Sitting: D. Mackingtosh, L. Latchem (licensee), G. Morris, N. Leech and G. Graham.

From the Dover Express 24 January 1992.

Publican Alf Bentley: "Leases are as ill-conceived as the poll tax."

Publicans are prepared to lose their jobs and homes rather than sign new leases they say could double their rents.

Half the publicans in Dover being offered these contracts and two-thirds in Shepway are rebelling, say the local branches of the Licensed Victuallers' Association.

"It's like signing a suicide pact, and I won't do it," says Rick Abbott, who runs the Cricketers in River.

He added: "I have a wife and three children and we would lose our home, but we would be ruined if I signed."

Big breweries, with more than 2,000 pubs in the country, are selling pubs or offering 20-year-leases because the Monopolies and Mergers Commission is restricting how many they can have.

Alf Bentley, landlord at the Red Lion in Charlton Green, Dover (above), said: "This is as ill-conceived as the poll tax. What use is a 20-year lease to me when I am 60? The breweries are also driving out experienced landlords and replacing them with people who were probably bakers before."

Lost customers.

Leslie Carpenter, of Carpenter's in The Stade, Folkestone, said: "My own rent will only go up by a third but I couldn't even manage that. I am prepared to lose my pub rather than accept.

"It's hard enough to survive with the recession. We've just lost more customers through the Sealink redundancies."

The LVA says the increase would further damage pubs because landlords would have to put up their prices to try to survive. They say the cost of  pint is now pushing £2.

Only last week Barry Musk walked out of the pub where he had been a tennant for four years, the Red Cow on Foord Road, Folkestone. He now manages a free house, the Impoerial, in Black Bull Road.

He said: "Signing would have meant my rent going up from £12,000 a year to £20,000 which would have ruined me. I was lucky because I found another pub without that kind of expence.

All four pubs are owned by Whitbread. A spokesman said the company was willing to negotiate with landlords if they could not afford new rents.

"The LVA claims that rents will double but I dispute that. Our own survey sows that overall rents have increased by just 45%," he added.

Whitbread says the government legislation has put it and other brewers in a dilemma. The new Landlord and Tennant Act gives publicans security of tenure, yet monopolies commission says brewers must get rid of pubs.