Sportsmans Tavern 1900s

Folkestone Express 26-4-1902

Wednesday, April 23^rd: Before Alderman G. Spurgen, Colonel W.K. Westropp, and W. Wightwick, W.C. Carpenter, G. Peden and J. Stainer Esqs.

Mr. Stephen Major was granted a transfer of the Sportsman Inn.

Folkestone Daily News 24-3-1906

Saturday, March 24^th: Before Mr. E.T. Ward, Mr. W.C. Carpenter, Lieut. Col. Fynmore, and Mr. T. Ames.

Jesse Wood was granted the temporary transfer of the off licence of the Sportsman, Sydney Street.

Folkestone Express 31-3-1906

Saturday, March 24^th: Before E.T. Ward Esq., Lieut. Colonel Fynmore, W.C. Carpenter and T. Ames Esqs.

The licence of the Sportsman, Sydney Street, was temporarily transferred to John Wood.

Folkestone Daily News 11-4-1906

Wednesday, April 11^th: Before Messrs. E.T. Ward, R.J. Linton, and Lieut. Col. Fynmore.

Mr. Jesse Wood was granted the transfer of the off licence of the Sportsman Inn, Sydney Street.

 

Folkestone Chronicle 14-4-1906

On Wednesday morning, at the Borough Police Court, Mr. E.T. Ward presiding, the ordinary business was preceded by a special licensing sessions.

The transfer of the Sportsman Inn, Sidney Street, was granted to Mr. Jesse Wood.

Folkestone Express 14-4-1906

Wednesday, April 11^th: Before The Mayor, Alderman Vaughan, Lieut. Colonel Fynmore, and R.J. Linton Esq.

The following licence was transferred: The Sportsman to Jesse Wood.

Folkestone Herald 14-4-1906

Wednesday, April 11^th: Before The Mayor, Alderman T.J. Vaughan, Councillor R.J. Fynmore, Mr. E.T. Ward and Mr. R.J. Linton.

A special session for the transfer of alehouse licences was held. Application was made and granted as follows: The licence of the Sportsman to Jesse Wood

Folkestone Daily News 31-5-1906

Local News

On Wednesday afternoon a fatal accident occurred in the Warren. A youth named Smith, the son of Mr. W. Smith, builder and licensed victualler, of Sidney Street, fell over one of the cliffs, and died from the fall. An inquest will be held on Friday.

Folkestone Daily News 1-6-1906

Inquest

Today (Friday) G.W. Haines Esq. held an inquest on the body of Ernest Smith, aged 13, living in Sidney Street, a pupil of the Sidney Street Schools.

The jury having been sworn, the body was viewed and identified by William Henry Bayley, who said: I live at 16, Boscombe Road, and am an assistant master at the Sidney Street Council Schools, boys` department. The body now viewed by the jury I identify as that of Ernest Edward Smith, a pupil at the Sidney Street Schools. He was 13 years and 11 months old, and was the stepson of Jesse Wood. On Wednesday last he was one of a party of 31 boys that went to the Warren on an observation or nature study of climbing plants. This custom was started in the beginning of the spring. At 4.15 they cease to be in my charge, but I always make it a practice to see the boys are back in school area out of any chance of danger. I suggested this journey should be to the Warren. It is left to the teacher to fix the place. I had the sanction of Mr. Jones, the headmaster. We got to the spring in the Warren, near the iron bridge. The lesson finished at the bottom of the zigzag path. Some of the boys wanted to gather flowers. I counted them and found they were all there. I gave permission to those who wanted to remain. Some wanted to get home. I gave them permission to return by the same way as we came. I remained behind with the others for about fifteen minutes altogether. The average ages of the boys are from twelve to thirteen. We then moved towards home, when one of the boys informed me that little Ernest Smith was dying, having fallen from the cliff. I rushed over to the spot, and saw the little boy being carried by some gentlemen. The boy must have fallen eighty feet. Some other boys had been on the same spot. We did not go home the same way as we came, which was safe. When I saw him I did not recognise him. The gentleman who was carrying him laid him down. I saw he was injured. We got a wagon and took him to his home in Sidney Street. I could not say whether he was alive when we took him from the wagon. He has been out with me before. I consider the Warren a danger area.

Cecil Winde, a boy of 12, deposed that he lived at Linden Crescent with his parents. He went to the Sidney Street Schools, and was one of the party on Wednesday afternoon. Some of the boys wanted to go home. Smith asked some of the boys to go up to the cave with him. Witness went up higher than the cave and came down alright. When he got to the bottom he saw deceased had fallen. He did not see how he came to fall. They were told to go straight home by the master, but they went up to the cave. Witness ran up and told the master that deceased had fallen.

A stoker deposed that on Wednesday he saw the deceased fall 150 feet down the cliff. He assisted to take him home.

After hearing Dr. Larking`s evidence the jury returned a verdict of accidental death, exonerating the master from any blame.

 

Folkestone Express 2-6-1906

Local News

An exceedingly distressing and sad fatality occurred in the Warren on Wednesday afternoon, a boy named Ernest Smith (13), living in Sidney Street, having a fall which resulted in breaking his neck. The facts are these: Deceased was a pupil at Sidney Street Council School, and on Wednesday afternoon he and the other boys in his class, with the teacher, went to the Warren for a lesson on botany. The lesson over, some of the boys asked for permission to go home by themselves, instead of accompanying the teacher, as they wanted to get home early. Permission was given, and six of the class went on ahead. Five of the boys with the deceased, it appears, went to see the cave which is in the face of the cliff. Having viewed the cave, Smith suggested that they should go up the cliff and go home by the Dover Road way, and at once commenced to climb. The other boys followed. They had not gone far when Smith appears to have slipped, a piece of turf giving was underneath him. He started rolling, and, coming to a curve in the cliff of some eight or nine feet, he shot forward on his head, which seemed to double under him. The body continued to roll, and in its course was stopped by a tree. Two of the boys immediately ran back and communicated with the teacher. They started for the spot, but were met by a man who had picked up Smith. He was quite dead. Deceased was taken to the Warren tea gardens, and from thence he was taken home in a cart. Decease was a bright and intelligent boy and was in the sixth standard. He was much liked, and his death has cast a gloom over the school.

Folkestone Herald 2-6-1906

Inquest

The Borough Coroner (Mr. G.W. Haines) investigated yesterday afternoon the death of a Sidney Street School boy, named Ernest Edward Smith, who, after being dismissed from a nature study class, which had been conducted by his teacher in the Warren, made a daring climb up the face of a cliff, and, missing his footing, fell to the bottom and was killed.

Ernest Edward Bayley, of No. 16, Boscombe Road, an assistant teacher in the Boys` Department of the Sidney Street Council Schools, identified the body as that of Ernest Edward Smith, a pupil at the schools. He would have been 14 years of age in about one month`s time. Deceased`s father was Mr. Jesse Wood, who lived at No. 57, Sidney Street. On Wednesday afternoon deceased was one of a party of 31 boys who went with witness, about 2.40 p.m., from the schools, in order to find certain climbing plants to illustrate a lesson in connection with nature study. It was part of the lesson to see the plant growing. At the beginning of the spring the lessons were started. The students ranged from 12 to 13 years of age, and the lesson formed part of the school curriculum. At a quarter past four it was the time for dismissal, but witness had always made a point of seeing the scholars back to the school area. Witness fixed upon the Warren, and had mentioned to the lads his intention, having obtained the sanction of his Master (Mr. T.G. Jones) to go there. The lesson finished at twenty minutes past four, and witness and his class were at the bottom of a zigzag path which led down into the Warren. Some of the boys wanted to gather some flowers, so witness called them around him and counted them. They were all there. He asked how many wanted to gather flowers, and the majority put up their hands in favour. They were anxious to pick some periwinkles. A few of the boys said it was necessary for them to go home at once, and these lads were given permission to go home by the same way that the class had come. Those boys left. The remainder went to find flowers, and witness went up to a mound where he could see them all. He waved his hand, and the boys returned. One of the lads was not well, so the class waited while he sat down. The lads who had gone to pick the flowers moved towards home, and then one of the party who had started came back to witness, saying that Ernest Smith was dying, having fallen down the cliff. Witness reached to the point that was shown him. It was just under a hole in the cliff known as the cave. There he saw the boy being carried by a gentleman. From the cave to the foot of the cliff was about eighty feet. There were on the cliff about six of the boys whom witness had sent home. The cave was quite half way up the cliff. The class had not gone down to the Warren by the cave path. When witness first saw the boy, the latter did not recognise him. He was not dead, but appeared as though he was in a fit. When the farm at the end of the Warren was reached, the lad was placed in a wagon and conveyed to his home. He was quite insensible when home was reached. The lads who were sent home belonged to the highest class in the school.

Cecil Wiley, of 45, Linden Crescent, stated that he was a pupil at the Sidney Street Schools. On Wednesday he was in the Warren with the other boys and Mr. Bayley. When four o`clock came, nine of the boys, of whom witness was one, left the class for home. The deceased asked witness and some of the others to go to the cave. They climbed up there, and Smith and some of the others went higher. Witness, however, descended, and when he had reached the bottom he looked up and saw Smith falling down. He heard some of the others say that Smith trod on a turf. They had all been told to go straight home by the teacher, but they did not all intend to do so. A man who was near told witness to go for assistance, and witness met his master and told him.

A marine stoker stated that on Wednesday he was about 400 yards from the entrance to the arren when he saw about six schoolboys. He passed them about 75 paces to the eastward of the cave. Soon afterwards he saw them about 150 feet up the cliff, and one of them said they had better go back. He next heard one of them say that he could not get back. After they had gone about 170 yards he heard a scream, and saw the deceased falling. He was high up in the air, in a spread-eagle shape. Witness ran to the spot where he fell and picked him up, and was walking along when a platelayer and the teacher came up. Eventually the boy was taken to his home. He was certainly alive when he reached there.

Dr. A.E. Larking proved being called to No. 57, Sidney Street shortly after six o`clock on Wednesday, when he saw the dead body of the deceased. His partner, Dr. Lidderdale, had previously been to the Warren, and found that the lad had been conveyed home. There were several bruises on the body, and witness came to the conclusion that death was due to fracture of the skull, and shock to the system.

The Coroner, in summing up, said that the jury would have no difficulty in arriving at a conclusion. The master had very fairly said that he always looked after the boys, to see that they were out of danger. Some of the boys wished to remain behind. He permitted them to do so, but some of the boys asked to go home. If they had done what they were told they would not have heard of any catastrophe. Boys would be boys, and they would go where there was danger. There was a certain element of danger in approaching the cave, and the lad must have missed his footing, and fallen. They were all very sorry for the family.

The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental Death”, exonerating the teacher from all blame.

 

Folkestone Express 9-6-1906

Inquest

An inquest was held at the Town Hall on Friday afternoon by the Borough Coroner (Mr. G.W. Haines), touching the death of Ernest Edward Smith, who fell from the cliff in the Warren, as reported in our last week`s issue.

William Henry Brayley, of 16, Boscombe Road, an assistant teacher in the Sidney Street Council Schools (Boys` Department), identified the body viewed by the jury as that of Ernest Edward Smith, who, he said, was a pupil in the Sidney Street Borough Council Schools. He would have been 14 in a month`s time, witness believed. He lived with his step-father, Jesse Wood, at 57, Sidney Street. Deceased was one of a party of boys, numbering 31, who went with witness to the Warren in Wednesday afternoon. They started from the school at ten minutes to three. They went to the Warren in order to find climbing plants with which to illustrate the lesson. It was for “Nature Sturdy”. Since the beginning of spring, witness had taken the boys out five or six times. It formed a part of the school curriculum. At a quarter past four, no matter where they were, it was then time for witness to dismiss the boys. He had, however, always made it a practice to see them back into the school area and out of danger. Witness fixed the Warren with the approval of the headmaster as the place to study. The lesson finished at twenty minutes past four. They were then at the bottom of a zigzag path in the Warren. Some of the boys wanted to gather wild flowers. Witness told those boys who wanted to gather more flowers to put their hands up. The majority of them did. The rest of te boys said it was necessary for them to go home at once and gave their reasons. Witness gave them permission and directed them to go the same way as they came. Those boys then left witness. He told the other boys to gather their flowers and waited for them. Witness waited about ten minutes and watched the boys from a mound. Subsequently witness waved his hand and the boys came back. They did not start for home, but sat down for another five minutes, as one of the boys was not very well. As they moved along one of the boys who had wished to go home came running back and said “Little Ernie Smith s dying. He has fallen from the cliff”. Witness rushed to the place that the boy had pointed out to him. It was just beneath the cave. The first thing witness saw was that the deceased was being carried by a man. He had had a tremendous blow on the forehead, and blood was coming from his mouth. He was taken to a farm, and afterwards conveyed home in a wagon. He was alive when placed in the wagon.

Cecil Winder (12) said he lived at 45, Linden Crescent with his father, and was a pupil in the Sidney Street Schools. On Wednesday afternoon he went to the Warren with the other boys and Mr. Brayley. After the lesson some of the boys wanted to get some flowers. Smith asked those boys who did not gather flowers to go up to the cave with him. They went to the cave, and then went higher. Deceased had got nearly to the top with three or four other boys. When witness got to the bottom of the cliff he saw Smith falling. Some of the boys said he slipped on a piece of turf which gave way. They had been told to go home. There were six of them. Witness went and told Mr. Brayley what had happened. A man had previously told witness to go to the iron bridge and get assistance. Witness met Mr. Brayley, and they met the man as they were going to the spot.

Coveney John Mulcahy, a marine stoker, said on Wednesday last he was in the Warren, and passed some boys about 75 paces to the east of the cave. When witness was underneath the cave he heard one of the boys say they had better go back. The boys were about 150 ft. up the cliff. There were about half a dozen of them. One of the boys replied “I can`t return. I can`t get back”. Witness passed on. Then he heard a scream. He looked round and saw the deceased in the air, and at once ran to the spot where he fell. He had fallen about 100 ft. and was lying on his face. Witness saw it was a hopeless case and picked him up. He had carried the deceased about 200 ft. when he met the teacher. Deceased was afterwards placed in a conveyance and taken home. Witness went home with him. When he got home deceased was alive, for there was pulsation.

Dr. Larking said soon after six o`clock on Wednesday afternoon he went to 57, Sidney Street, where he saw the dead body of deceased. His partner previously went to the Warren, but found deceased had been taken home. Witness examined the body and found several bruises of a severe nature. He came to the conclusion that death arose from fracture of the skull and shock to the system. The face was very much scratched and bruised all over.

The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death”, and exonerated the teacher (Mr. Brayley) from blame.