Kentish Gazette, Tuesday 15 December 1807.

SHIP INN, SANDGATE.

John Prebble respectfully announces to his friends and the public that he has taken the above inn; and trusts by attention and civility, joined with good accommodation and reasonable charges, that he shall merit and receive their future favours.

Neat wines and spirituous liquors.

Dinners dressed on the shortest notice.

Good stabling, with neat post chaises, able horses, and careful, drivers.

From the Kentish Gazette, 14 October 1845.

SANDGATE, Oct. 4. Sudden Death.

We regret to have to record the very sudden decease of Mr. Joseph Baldwin, many years principal Groom to T. T. Hodges, Esq.; he spent the evening on Friday last with a few friends at Richardson's "Ship Hotel," and retired at half-past nine, bidding the party good night, alas! for ever, for very melancholy to relate he was a corpse by seven o'clock in the following morning. He was a man of quiet and unobtrusive habits, and very generally respected. Mr. B. we are sorry to add, has left a long afflicted poor wife, wholly unprovided for, but we feel assured her ease will receive at the hands of Mr. Hodges all the consideration that humanity and liberality can suggest.

Kentish Gazette, 14 December 1847.

SANDGATE.

Monday 6th Inst., being the 10th anniversary of the Sandgate Benefit Society, the members dined together, at the "Ship Hotel," and after spending an harmonious and happy evening retired to their respective homes. This Society has effected much good and progresses prosperously. Long may it continue to do so.

From the Kentish Gazette, 28 November 1848.

Richardson.

Nov. 17. at Sandgate, of apoplexy, Martha, wife of Mr. William Richardson, landlord of the "Ship Hotel," at that place, aged 37 years, leaving an affectionate husband and a numerous young family to deplore their awfully sudden and irreparable loss.

From the Kentish Gazette, 28 November 1848.

SANDGATE, Sudden Death.

An inquest was held last week at the "Ship Hotel," upon the body of Mrs. T. B. Richardson, wife of the landlord of the above hotel, who expired after a few hours illness on Saturday morning. The deceased was apparently well till nine o’clock, on Friday evening, when she was suddenly seized with a fit, and Mr. Roscoe was immediately called in, but she never rallied, her death being attributed to apoplexy.

Verdict, "Died by the Visitation of God."

Kentish Gazette, 5 June 1849.

DEATH.

Richardson:— May 24, at Sandgate, Mary Mason, widow of Mr. William Richardson, of the "Ship Inn," whom she survived only four months, aged 32 years.

Maidstone Gazette 21 October 1851.

Petty Sessions, Wednesday; Before R. Hart Esq., Mayor, J. Bateman, W. Major and S. Mackie Esqs.

The licence granted from William Medhurst, Ship Inn, Sandgate, to Augustus Neve.

Note: Name known at either Ship, Sandgate.

Southeastern Gazette, 4 January 1853.

SANDGATE.

Fatal Accident to a Tradesman.

On Tuesday afternoon last, Mr. John Grimwood, baker, Mr. Richard Best, landlord of the "Ship Tavern," and Mr. Brown (brother of Mr. Grimwood), started in a pony cart from Sandgate to Folkestone. They first went a short distance on the lower road, but afterwards returned, and intending to take the upper one, they had got to within a few yards of the lodge of Darnley House, when Mr. Best remarked that he thought something was coming down the hill from Folkestone very fast. Mr. Grimwood drove his pony on to the side of the road, and in a moment a cart with two horses ran into the pony cart, and the collision was so great that they were all thrown out, Mr. Grimwood falling against the wheel and receiving a fracture of the skull; the other persons received but trifling injuries. Medical assistance was obtained, and on examination it was found that Mr. Grimwood was quite dead. The horse and cart that caused the accident belonged to a farmer at Romney, and had been employed to carry the sailors and baggage of some poor shipwrecked fishermen; whether the horses running away arose from negligence of the driver, we are unable to state. A coroner’s inquest was ordered to be held on the body on Friday morning. A jury was summoned, who were in attendance all day; but no coroner came. They were again summoned on Saturday evening at seven o’clock. The deceased was about thirty-one years of age, and has left a wife and family of three children, with the prospects of a fourth. The affair has cast quite a gloom in the quiet town of Sandgate, the peculiar position of the road preventing the possibility of avoiding such an accident.

Coroner’s Inquest.

An inquest was held on Saturday last, at the "Ship Tavern," Sandgate, at seven o’clock in the evening, before T. T. Delaaaux, Esq., on the body of Mr. John Grimwood. Some misunderstanding as to where the body was found, between the coroners of the borough and county, was explained to the jury, who had been detained the whole day previous waiting for the arrival of the coroner.

Mr. Ford attended from Mr. Hart's office, to watch the proceedings on behalf of the family of the deceased.

Richard Best deposed:— I keep the "Ship Tavern," Sandgate. On the 28th of last month, about three o’clock in the afternoon, I was in a light chaise cart with the deceased and his brother-in-law, Mr. Brown. We intended to go to Folkestone, but had proceeded only a short distance when I heard something coming down the hill. I told the deceased so, and he drove to his proper side and stood still, the deceased said "We shall have a spill," and in a moment a cart drawn by two horses came upon us, throwing us all out, the deceased falling to the ground. As soon as I recovered I ran for a doctor, and could not find one. I went to Dr. George; he was at home, but he sent a message out that he was too ill to come, and recommended me to go for his partner, Mr. Moseley, I did so and he was not to be found.

By the Foreman:— I am sure that was the message. I believe Dr. George saw the deceased afterwards. I think that the deceased was thrown against the wheel of the cart.

By Mr. Ford:— It was a heavy dung cart; the accident occurred near Daroley-lodge. I did not see the driver of the cart; if he had been near I must have seen him; the cart appeared to be empty. I believe that if any one had had the management of the horses, the accident would not have occurred. The extent of the road I could see was about five or six rods. There is a curve in the road. The horses were galloping as if they had run away.

Thomas Brown deposed:— I live in Islington, and am a law stationer. I was in the cart with the last witness and the deceased. (The coroner then read the evidence of the last witness, which this witness corroborated, adding that he saw a man, who looked like a waggoner, on the footpath, running as if he was after the horses; this was about three or four minutes after the accident). Witness continued:— I remained with the deceased and raised him up; the collision was so sudden that it was like a flash of lightning.

James Todd deposed:— I am a general dealer, and live at Hythe. I walked with a man driving a cart drawn by two horses; he was walking along the footpath. A man passed by on horseback, which started the leader, who first trotted and then galloped; the sideboards of the cart rattled, which made them go faster; the waggoner could not have prevented their starting. We walked from Folkestone sometimes on the road and sometimes on the footpath. I do not know how many feet the bank is high, but the driver could not, from the position he was in, have any control over the horses.

By Mr. Ford:— As a person accustomed to driving, I do not think it prudent to leave the horses’ heads going down a hill; if the driver had been in his proper place at the time the horses started, I think he could have controlled them.

Daniel Painter deposed:— I am a hatter, and live at Folkestone. I was on the road from Sandgate to Folkestone, at about three o’clock in the afternoon of the 28th, and when within twenty yards of the brow of the hill, I saw two horses and a cart coming at a fast rate toward me, the driver running from the pathway endeavoring to overtake his horses. Shortly afterwards I saw a man running in the same direction. I do not recollect meeting a horse. A pony might have gone up Coolinge-lane. The driver was ten or fifteen yards behind the cart, and was running fast.

Henry Lawrence deposed:— I am a fisherman at Sandgate. I was on the bank opposite to where the accident happened near to Darnley cottages. I saw a cart and two horses come down the hill, and run against a cart in which were three men; they were all thrown to the ground. I saw the driver come by, some time afterwards. I cannot say how many minutes it was. I was confused at the time. I saw Todd coming towards Sandgate.

At this stage of the evidence, Mr. Ford, on behalf of the family of the deceased, asked for an adjournment, as evidence could, he thought, be produced, giving some further information.

The request was accordingly adjourned to twelve o’clock to-day (Tuesday).

Southeastern Gazette, 11 January 1853.

SANDGATE. Adjourned Coroner’s Inquest.

On Tuesday last the inquest on the body of Mr. John Grimwood was resumed, when the following additional evidence was adduced:—

Edwin Brown, groom, deposed:— I live at Folkestone; as I was coming from thence to Sandgate on Tuesday last, at about half-past two o’clock in the afternoon, I overtook and passed a cart drawn by two horses. On my passing, the fore horse started. The horses were going at a foot-pace before I passed. I saw the driver on the footpath; he was abreast of the rod horse, a little further down the hill. I looked back and saw the horses had run away. To prevent being run against I turned up Coolinge-lane. I saw the driver run after the horses down the road, and I heard him call out to them to stop. I afterwards passed down the road, and saw the deceased lying on the road.

By Mr. Ford:— I was slowly trotting, about five or six miles an hour. The driver, where he was, could not possibly have any control ovor the horses; if the driver had been in his proper place, the accident might have been prevented.

By a juror:— There was a man with the driver at the time I passed. The footpath is about 4 1/2 feet high.

Edward George, M.D., deposed:— On Tuesday afternoon I found deceased apparently dead. I put my hand to his wrist; his pulse was still beating; in two minutes afterwards it ceased to beat. I found a severe lacerated wound upon the forepart of the head, and I believe a fracture without depression of the bone. There was a fracture of the right fore arm, but I consider death arose from concussion of the brain, which might have been produced by a fall.

By a Juror:— About six or seven minutes elapsed between the first time I was called, and when I attended the deceased. I was not aware that the accident happened so close to my house, or I should have tried (notwithstanding my illness) to have gone to the deceased at once.

James Todd, re-examined, further stated that the man who drove the horses when the fatal accident occurred, was then in the room, and he pointed him out to the jury.

The man alluded to, after being duly cautioned, made a statement to the following effect:— My name is John Post. I am a waggoner in the employ of Mr. John Mortley, farmer, who has a farm at Romney. I was coming towards Sandgate on Tuesday last, and when I was a short distance off some cottages, a young man came down the hill on horseback, he passed my horses. The fore one started, and flew-off to the other side of the road. I came off the footpath, nearly opposite the house, and ran after them to try and stop them. They were stopped in Sandgate. When I got to them, I caught hold of the leader, and he plunged and tried to start again. I gave my name to the policeman, also my master’s, and he told me I might go.

The coroner having summed up the evidence, the jury retired, and returned the following "special verdict":— "We, the said jurors, find that John Grimwood was accidentally killed on the 28th December last, by the running away of the horses of a cart belonging to Mr. John Mortley, of Romney, and that John Post, as the driver of the said cart, was guilty of great negligence by walking on the footpath instead of in the road near his horses."

At the request of the jury, John Post, the waggoner, was called in and cautioned as to his future conduct.

In connexion with the above fatal accident, we have learnt some particulars which show the value of life assurance and the danger of procrastination. It is the custom of offices to allow some days after the premium becomes due for its payment. The deceased, who was insured by the Indisputable Policy Company, for £500, had delayed the payment of his premium till the last day, so that the insurance had fallen before his relative went to pay the premium. It is gratifying, however, to be able to state, from information received from the agent of the company, who happened to be the foreman of the inquest, that on his making the circumstance known to the board, they immediately directed him to inform the widow that they would consider the assurance as still effectual.

Southeastern Gazette 15 August 1854.

Local News:

At the petty sessions, the following license was transferred; The Ship Inn, Sandgate, from Richard Best to George Ward.

Notes: Best previously unknown at Ship Hotel, and earlier date for Ward.