Folkestone Chronicle
13-5-1871
Auction Advertisement extract
To be sold by Auction by Mr. Geo. Brickman, at the King`s
Arms Inn, Folkestone, on Thursday, May 25th, 1871, at seven o`clock
in the evening precisely:
Lot 2: All that Freehold cottage or tenement, with the appurtenances
thereto belonging, situate in East Street, Folkestone, and having a frontage to
the street of 21 feet 8 inches (more or less), in the occupation of George
Fagg, as a weekly tenant, at the rent of 2s. 6d., the landlord paying all rates
and outgoings.
The basement floor of this cottage is now used as part of
the Tap Room of the Packet Boat Inn.
Folkestone Express 29-5-1875
Local News
We have to
record a lamentable accident at sea, resulting in the loss of the lives of two
young fishermen, and of the boat in which they were sailing. It appears that on
Thursday, William John Smith, son of Mr. William Smith, of the Steam Packet Inn
(sic), Radnor Street, a fine young man of seventeen, was engaged in fishing for
shellfish in his father`s boat, accompanied by his cousin, John Bullen, of
Deal, a somewhat younger lad. The lads were about three quarters of a mile from
Dymchurch about 3 p.m., when some persons on the shore saw the little craft
capsize under a sudden squall, and disappear. Three or four boats put off as
quickly as possible from Dymchurch, but could find no trace either of the young
fishermen or of their craft.
Folkestone Express 5-6-1875
Inquest
Last week we
noticed the fatal accident which befell two young lads, the son and nephew of
Mr. William Smith of the Steam Packet Inn (sic), who were drowned by the
capsizing of a fishing boat off Dymchurch. The body of William Smith was
recovered on the following day by Thomas Pegler, a fisherman living in East
Street, in this town, who in hauling a whelk pot drew up the body, which had a
cork fastened to the waist.
An inquest
was held on the body at the Steam Packet Inn on Saturday evening before Mr. J.
Minter, Coroner for the Borough, when the facts of the accident were stated by
Thomas Winderberg, labourer, of Dymchurch. Deceased`s father identified the
body, and Pegler proved picking it up. The jury returned a verdict of Found
Drowned.
The body of
George Bullen, the other victim of this fatality, was picked up on Romney Sands
on Thursday.
Folkestone Express 30-10-1875
Inquest
About 3.30
a.m. on Saturday morning last the people dwelling in the neighbourhood of
Radnor Street were awakened from their slumber by hearing loud cries for help.
It afterwards turned out that a man named Alfred Harper, who was lodging at the
Oddfellows Arms,
was taken with a fit of delirium tremens, and after striking and threatening to
kill a friend who was sitting up with him, jumped out of a window about twelve
feet from the ground, and ran and threw himself over the quay close to the
border of the South Eastern Railway Company`s workshop, into the harbour. The
man, who was a good swimmer, appears to have lost all power, and was drowned.
The inquest
was held at the Packet Boat, Radnor Street, the same evening at six o`clock,
before the Coroner, J. Minter Esq. and a jury.
The first
witness called was John Malin, who described himself as a labourer, living with
the deceased at the Oddfellows Arms: I have known the deceased, whose name is
Alfred Harper, about six years. I identify the body as that of Alfred Harper.
He is about forty years of age, and by trade a tin and wire worker, late of 1,
Portland Court, King Street, Ramsgate. He has been in Folkestone about fourteen
days, and lodged at the Oddfellows Arms, where he continued to reside until
this morning.
The deceased
has not tasted a drop of intoxicating liquor since last Monday (the 18th),
but previous to that he had been drinking very heavily. He has not been out of
bed since last Monday night (th 18th) except to have it made by me.
I was sitting
up with deceased last night (Friday 22nd). I sleep in the same room
and in an adjoining bed to the deceased. After I had been in bed a short time I
asked the deceased (who was very restless) if I should light a candle, and he
replied “Yes, Jack, light a candle and come and sit by me”. I did as he
requested me, and about half an hour after he jumped out of bed and began
grasping at something he imagined he saw on the wall, and said “I have got `em.
They have tried to kill me ever so many times”. I at last persuaded him to go
to bed again. He was not in his senses. About 3.30 a.m. he got up and said “You
still watch me”, and struck me in the face with his fist. After that he asked
me to go out of the room. There was no-one else with him. After I left the room
I stood and held the door, and then I suppose he jumped out of the window into
Radnor Street. The room was on the first floor about twelve feet from the
ground. I left the house after I had been holding the door about three minutes
to go and seek assistance. I think he must have jumped out of the window while
I was going downstairs.
Robert Smith,
landlord of the Packet Boat, said: About half past three on Saturday morning I
heard someone calling for help. I jumped out of bed and looked out of the
window and saw a man lying face down and stark naked under my window. While I
was dressing I saw him get up and run and then jump over the quay into the harbour.
The tide was not quite high at the time. I finished dressing as quickly as
possible and ran to the quay and saw the deceased floating head down in the
water near the landing steps. I ran down and got him part of the way out of the
water and called for assistance. My wife called my lodgers and all four came.
We then got him to the top of the steps and rolled him. We afterwards brought
him into the room and rolled him for one hour but without any success. There
was about seven feet of water when he jumped in.
J. Malin,
re-called, said: Soon after deceased struck me he pulled off his shirt and said
“It is no use spoiling good things”, and told me to keep it in remembrance of
him. I then said “You are worth twenty dead men yet”. Deceased had said he
thought he was dying.
Dr. Mercer, a
surgeon practicing at Folkestone, said: Last Thursday I was sent for to see the
deceased. He was suffering from a slight attack of Elrysepsias in the face. I
could see by the symptoms he had been drinking. I prescribed for him and sent
some medicine.
On Saturday
morning about three or four o`clock I was called and told the man at the
Oddfellows was suffering from delirium. I gave them an ascetic for him.
About five I
was again called and saw the deceased. I recognised him as the man I had been
attending. He was suffering from delirium tremens, and in my opinion his death
was caused by drowning. I examined the body and found bruises on the skull,
face, and chest, but there was no fracture of the skull.
After a short
consultation the jury gave a verdict of “drowned while in a state of temporary
insanity”.
Folkestone Express 18-12-1875
Local News
On Tuesday
afternoon a man named William Whitnall, a smith, living in Queen Street,
attempted to commit suicide by jumping from the East Pier into the harbour. He
was observed by a boy, who gave the alarm, and the unfortunate man was rescued
by two fishermen named Richard Taylor and William Milton. He was taken to the
house of Mr. Robert Smith, Packet Boat Inn, Radnor Street. Though quite
insensible, he rallied through the energetic efforts of Mr. and Mrs. Smith and
was able to be removed home. Though much better, he is still in a very feeble
state. We understand that the unfortunate man, who has been in a lunatic
asylum, has for some time past been in a desponding state.
Folkestone Chronicle 30-9-1876
Wednesday,
September 27th: Before Ald. Caister, Col. De Crespigny, J. Tolputt
and J. Clark Esqs.
John Gurr, a
young man, was charged with feloniously removing a cash box containing £61 0s.
8d., a solitaire, and coins &c.
Mary Smith,
wife of Robert Smith, landlord of the Packet Boat, Radnor Street, stated that
the prisoner had lodged in her house about eighteen months. On Monday evening
she left her cash box in her bedroom; she last saw it about six o`clock. She
had £40 in gold in the box, and one in silver; added to that there was £24 in
the box prior to that; of these the sum of £5 or £6 was in silver; she locked
the box but not the bedroom door. Prisoner came home about seven o`clock. When
he came in he went straight upstairs to his bedroom, and in doing so he had to
pass her room. He remained about a quarter of an hour. She looked out and saw
him go down, but she did not notice whether he had anything with him. He came
in about half past nine o`clock; he went out again, and came in about half past
eleven o`clock. She saw him then; he went up into his bedroom, but came down
again and asked her to give him a bottle of ginger beer. When she went to bed
she did not notice her cash box, but she missed it at seven o`clock on the
following morning. The prisoner was in, and she went up to his bedroom door and
asked him whether he happened to be there. He replied “Yes”, but she did not
speak to him on the subject of the cash box until her suspicions were aroused.
Just before eight o`clock she said “Have you taken my cash box?”. He replied
“No”. She then told him that she knew he had got the money, because she heard
that he had been showing it. She asked him to give it up to her, but he said he
had not got it, so she came away and sent for the police.
P.S. Reynolds
deposed to going to the Packet Boat and taxing prisoner with the theft, who, in
reply, handed him the stolen property.
The prisoner
was committed for trial.
Southeastern Gazette 30-9-1876
Local News
At the Petty
Sessions, on Wednesday, John Gurr, a labourer, was charged with stealing a cash
box on Monday evening, containing about £65 in gold, some rings, and other
valuables, from the Packet Boat Inn, Radnor Street, kept, by Mr. Robert Smith,
where prisoner lodged.
It appears that
the box was not missed till early on Tuesday morning, and Mr. Smith, having
heard that prisoner had exhibited an unusual amount of, money on the previous
evening at once suspected him of the theft. When given into custody he handed
over the money which he had secreted about his person. He was committed for trial.
Folkestone Chronicle 4-11-1876
Quarter
Sessions
Monday,
October 30th: Before J.J. Lonsdale Esq.
There was
only one prisoner for trial, Matthew Gurr, bricklayer, who was charged with
stealing the sum of £61 16s. 8d., a cash box, two rings, two solitaires, and
three coins, the property of Robert Smith.
Prisoner
pleaded Guilty.
The prisoner
asked for mercy, pleading that bad company and intoxicating liquors had brought
him to this sad position.
The Recorder
sentenced the prisoner to 12 months` imprisonment with hard labour.
Southeastern Gazette 4-11-1876
Quarter Sessions
The autumn session was
held on Monday, before the Recorder, J. J. Lonsdale, Esq.
The only case for
trial was that of John Gurr, for
stealing a cash box containing gold and other property of the value of £60,
from his lodgings, the Packet Boat Inn, Radnor Street, kept by Mr. Robert
Smith. Prisoner pleaded guilty.
The Recorder said
he had committed an offence which subjected him to fourteen years’ penal
servitude, but, as he appeared to have previously borne a good character, he
should only sentence him to twelve months’ hard labour.
Kentish Gazette 7-11-1876
Quarter Sessions: The Autumn session was held on Monday week before the Recorder, J.J. Lonsdale Esq.
The only case for trial was that of John Gurr, for stealing a cash box containing gold and other property to the value of £60 from his lodgings, the Packet Boat Inn, Radnor Street, kept by Mr. Robert Smith. Prisoner pleaded Guilty.
The
Recorder said he had committed an offence which subjected him to fourteen
years` penal servitude, but, as he appeared to have previously borne a good
character, he should only sentence him to twelve months` hard labour.
Folkestone Chronicle 7-7-1877
Inquest
An inquest
was held on Thursday evening at the Packet Boat, Radnor Street, on the body of
Patrick Hickey, who met with his death from falling down steps leading from
East Street to the back entrance of the Packet Boat Inn. Dr. Mercer stated that he was called to see
the deceased, and found him insensible. The cause of the death arose from a
fall, producing concussion of the brain. Isabella Wilson deposed that the
deceased came out of his house in East Street and went to the top of the steps
leading into the Packet Boat yard. She saw him miss the first of the steps and
then fall over. She had seen him in the afternoon, and then thought he had been
drinking. Corroborative evidence having been given by another witness, the jury
returned a verdict of Accidental Death.
Folkestone Express 7-7-1877
Inquest
On Thursday
evening an inquest was held by the Coroner (J. Minter Esq.) at the Packet Boat
public house, Radnor Street, on the body of Patrick Hickey, who came to his
death by falling down the steps leading from East Street to Radnor Street.
Mr. Richard
Mercer, a surgeon practicing in Folkestone, identified the body as that of
Patrick Hickey, who was a pensioner and bath-chairman. On the previous evening
about seven o`clock witness was called to the Packet Boat, where he found the
deceased sitting in a chair in the parlour supported by Robert Smith, the
landlord, and perfectly insensible. On examining the deceased`s head he found a
scalp wound about two inches in length and extending into the bone on the back
towards the upper part. There was also a bruise on the left side of his
forehead. The landlord told him that deceased had fallen from the back to the
top of the steps leading from East Street into the yard of the Packet Boat. He
was “a little fresh” at the time. Witness had the deceased removed to his house
in East Street, where he lingered in a state of insensibility till eleven
o`clock when he died. The cause of death was concussion of the brain and a
fusion of blood on the brain, the effects of a fall.
Isabella
Wilson, the wife of James Wilson, a labourer living in East Street, Folkestone,
deposed that on the previous evening, between six and seven o`clock, she saw
the deceased come out of his house in East Street and go to the top of the
steps leading into the Packet Boat yard. He was proceeding to go down the steps
when he missed the first step and fell. She saw someone go to his assistance,
and as she was afraid, she left the spot and did not see any more of deceased.
She saw the deceased in the afternoon and she then thought he had been
drinking.
Hannah
Harris, the wife of a fisherman living in East Street, nearly opposite the
steps leading to the Packet Boat Inn, stated that she was standing at the door
of her house about half past six o`clock on the previous evening, when she saw
deceased come out of his house and walk towards the steps. He seemed to stagger
a little, but she could not say whether it was from drink or from his being
tired. She knew that he had had a long walk to Hythe. Just as she was going
into her house she heard the deceased fall, and she ran to the steps and went
down. She found him lying at the bottom on his back and she lifted him up. He
was bleeding very much from the back of the head and was quite insensible. With
the assistance of two of Mrs. Smith`s lodgers he was carried into the tap room
of the Packet Boat, and a doctor was at once sent for.
The jury
returned a verdict of “Accidental Death”.
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