George Inn 1900s

Folkestone Programme 9-9-1901

Local News

It will be observed from the list of collections on behalf of the Victoria Hospital Saturday and Sunday Fund, that “Joe”, the hospital dog, has collected during the last twelve months £3 0s. 2½d. This is somewhat behind Joe`s average, but then this friend of the hospital is “getting on in years”, being a dog seventeen years old. He is blind and almost toothless, and the wonder is that he can do anything at all for the institution. Joe is not a collector on behalf of the hospital who receives his crown pieces and half sovereigns; he is content with pennies and halfpennies; indeed his owner, Mr. Russell, of the George Inn, does not remember him ever receiving more than half a crown at a time. During the past ten years Joe has collected on behalf of the Victoria Hospital alone the sum of £37 13s. 4½d. But his charitable disposition extends further than the hospital, for there are other charities on behalf of which he begs a copper, and to which he pays. In his old age the friends of the hospital  hope Joe may for some time yet be able to follow his vocation – that of helping the local hospital and other charities.

Folkestone Express 9-4-1904

Wednesday, April 6^th: Before W. Wightwick and G.I. Swoffer Esqs.

The licence of the George Inn was transferred from Mr. Russell to Mr. Frederick Taylor.

Folkestone Chronicle 16-4-1904

Wednesday, April 13^th: Before Mr. W.G. Herbert, Lieut. Cols. Westropp and Fynmore, Mr. G.I. Swoffer, and Mr. J. Stainer.

The Bench granted transfer of the licence of the following premises: The George Inn, from Charles Russell to Frederick Taylor 

Folkestone Express 16-4-1904

Wednesday, April 13^th: Before W.G. Herbert Esq., Lieut. Col. Fynmore, Lieut. Col. Westropp, G.I. Swoffer and J. Stainer Esqs.

The licence of the George Inn was transferred from Charles Russell to Frederick Clark.

Folkestone Herald 16-4-1904

Wednesday, April 13^th: Before Ald. W.G. Herbert, Lieut. Colonel Fynmore, Mr. J. Stainer, Mr. G.I. Swoffer, and Lieut. Colonel Westropp.

Licence was transferred as follows:- The George, from Charles Russell to Fredk. Hayward Godden Taylor.

Folkestone Daily News 26-7-1906

Inquest

Mr. G.W. Haines (the Borough Coroner) held an inquest at the Town Hall on the 25^th inst., on the body of James George Quint, who was found bleeding on the pavement in front of Battery Terrace, The Bayle, on Wednesday morning.

The first witness, Mr. Winds, living close by, deposed that he heard a scream and saw the deceased lying on the pavement in a pool of blood. He went to his assistance, and Dr. Barrett was sent for.

Dr. Barrett deposed that he was called to The Bayle early on Wednesday morning, and found the deceased quite dead. He had evidently fallen from the top window and struck his head on the kerb, which had caused a lacerated wound of the skull and a fracture of the bone. He could not say whether his neck was broken, but those injuries were sufficient to cause death. He had been in the habit of attending the deceased for three months, since he had a slight attack of paralysis, which had left spinal trouble, and since that time he was scarcely ever free from pain, and had been a terrible sufferer.

Mrs. Quint, wife of deceased, deposed that she was married eighteen years since. He had formerly kept the George Inn, Folkestone, and his name was James George Quint. They resided at Battery Terrace, and the deceased had been in bad health for some time, but about three months since he had an attack of paralysis, and since that time he had been a great sufferer. He was never free from pain, and had sometimes remarked that his pain was such that he wished he were dead. On Tuesday night they went to bed as usual, and in teh early morning she missed him. She thought at first he had gone to the lavatory. On getting up to try and find him she discovered that he had gone upstairs to a room that was unoccupied, the window of which she believed was fastened. She heard a scream, and her attention was called to him lying on the pavement by a neighbour close by, who, she understood, saw him fall.

The Coroner summed up at great length as to whether the deceased overbalanced himself and fell out of the window, or whether, being in such pain, he at that time might not be responsible for his actions and jumped out. He explained the theory of suicide and the theory of accident in great clearness to the jury, leaving it to them to consider the verdict.

The jury returned a verdict that deceased met his death by committing suicide by jumping from a window during a fit of temporary insanity brought about by terrible illness and suffering.

Folkestone Express 28-7-1906

Inquest

The Borough Coroner (Mr. G.W. Haines) had a very painful case to enquire into at an inquest at the Town Hall on Wednesday evening, on the body of George James Quint, an old man residing at 26, The Bayle. Quint was well known in the town, as he for some years held the licence of the George Inn, George Lane.

Frederick Wines, residing at 12, The Bayle, a cellarman, said the body viewed by the jury was that of George James Quint, formerly landlord of the George Inn. He had lately resided at 26, The Bayle. His age was 71. Witness had known him about eight or nine years. Deceased had not been out lately, and for the past month or so he had not spoken to him. That morning, about five o`clock, he was in his house when he heard screaming. He looked out of the window and saw Mrs. Quint leaning over her husband, who was lying halfway on the pavement and over the kerb opposite to his house. Deceased was on his back about two feet from the house, with his head on the pavement. To all appearances Quint was dead when he first saw him. There was a quantity of blood under his head. He was dressed in a paid of pants, socks, and shirt. Mrs. Quint told him her husband got out of bed to take some medicine. She thought he was going to the lavatory, but instead of that he must have gone upstairs, opened one of the windows, and got out. Witness noticed that the window at the top of the house was the only one open. The bottom sash of the window was wide open.

Dr. Barrett said he had attended the deceased for the last three months. He had a slight attack of paralysis on one side. That left him with very severe pains in the spine, and the arm in particular. He was scarcely ever out of bed. He saw him on Monday, when he seemed more cheerful. That morning, at a quarter past five, he was told that Mr. Quint had got out of the window. He went round immediately and found the deceased lying in the street with his head on the pavement, and his neck just over the kerb. The width of the pavement was about six feet. There was a good deal of blood on the pavement, and there was blood coming from the deceased`s mouth and nose. He was quite dead. Witness examined his head, and found he had considerable lacerated wounds right from the top to the bottom of his head. The bone was fractured across the top. The injuries were quite sufficient to cause instantaneous death. He could not say whether Quint`s neck was broken. Witness thought that deceased had fallen on his head, and he then must have turned a complete somersault. There was only one window open, and that was in the top storey. Deceased had apparently not been dead more than a few minutes when he saw him. Quint had complained to him that he was not able to sleep except for a short time. He had said nothing to lead him to think he could not put up with it. After the stroke, deceased was more or less helpless on one side, and the pain seemed to increase more than decrease. In his opinion death was due to fractured skull. He had never shown signs of being mentally affected.

Mercy Quint, the widow of the deceased, said she resided at 26, The Bayle. Her husband held the licence of the George Inn twenty years ago. His age was 71. For nearly a year he had been declining, and three months ago had a stroke. He seemed to sleep fairly well. She had had the parlour arranged for a bedroom, and her husband and herself slept in it. Her husband was unable to walk about the house. During the past few days his pain had been a little easier. He had complained very much about it, and he had told her if the pain did not cease he thought he would go out of his mind. At times deceased could walk without assistance to the end of the passage. They both went to bed the previous night jut after ten, and during the night she heard nothing of him. At five o`clock she missed him from the room. She then called out, thinking he was upstairs, but as she received no answer she went upstairs, and found the top floor bedroom window facing the street with the bottom sash wide open. She looked out, and saw her husband lying on the pavement below. She went down and screamed for assistance. By the side of the bedroom window there was an easy chair. There would be no difficulty in anyone getting out of the window without standing on the chair. The window was opened as far as it would go. Deceased was six feet high. The windows were always fastened before they went to bed.

The Coroner said the question for the jury was to try and find out how the deceased got out of the window. The evidence showed, in his opinion, that he could not possibly have fallen out, so he must have jumped out. With regard to the state of the deceased`s mind, they knew that there was a turning point when pain overcame people, and caused them to take steps for which they were not morally responsible.

The jury returned a verdict of “Suicide whilst temporarily insane”.

Folkestone Herald 28-7-1906

Inquest

The Bayle was on Wednesday morning the scene of a very sad occurrence, involving, as it did, the gruesome death of an old man of 71. Demented, it is supposed, by unendurable pain, for which there seemed no relief, and which deprived him in a large measure of sleep. Mr. James Quint, at one time landlord of the George Inn, George Lane, threw himself, it is presumed, from a top-storey window. He was found on the pavement by his wife with a fearful gash on his head. Assistance was soon at hand, but it was of no avail, for the unfortunate man was dead.

The inquest was held on Wednesday evening before the Borough Coroner, Mr. G.W. Haines.

Frederick Wm. Hines, living at 12, The Bayle, a cellarman, identified the body. He was 71 years of age, and witness had known him for 8 or 9 years. He had not been out much lately. Witness last saw him alive about a month or so ago. He had been laid up for a month or so. That morning, about five o`clock, witness was indoors, when he heard screams. He jumped out of bed and looked out of the window, and saw Mrs. Quint, wife of the deceased, leaning over her husband, who was lying on the kerb and road opposite his (deceased`s) house. He was lying on his back about two feet from the house. The body had not been shifted when Dr. Barrett came up. Deceased`s head was on the pavement, and his feet in the road. Witness should think he was dead when he saw him. There was a lot of blood on the ground near his head. He was dressed in a pair of pants, socks, and shirt. Mrs. Quint said to witness that her husband got out of bed to take some medicine, and she thought he was going to the lavatory. Instead of that he must have gone upstairs and opened the window and got out. Here was only one window (at the top) open; all the others were shut. The bottom sash of the top one was wide open.

Dr. Barrett said he had attended the deceased for the last three months. About three months ago he had had a slight stroke of paralysis down one side, and that had left him with very severe pains down that side. He was scarcely ever out of bed. Witness saw him on Monday last, and then he seemed more cheerful. That morning, at a quarter past five, he was called, and on going round found deceased lying on the pavement, his feet pointing to the road. The pavement was about 6 ft. wide There was a good deal of blood on the pavement, and blood was coming from deceased`s mouth and nose. Witness examined deceased`s head, and found he had a considerable lacerated wound right at the top of his head, and the bone was fractured right across the top. The injuries were quite sufficient to cause instantaneous death. Witness could not say whether his neck was broken. The probability was that deceased came down on his head and then turned over. The top window was open as wide as it could be. The body had not been moved when he arrived. Witness had seen deceased once or twice a week for the last two months. He had complained that he could not get sleep, but he said nothing to lead the witness to suppose that he could not put up with it. The stroke had left him much weaker on one side than the other. The pain seemed to increase rather. That was not an unusual thing in cases of neuralgic pains. In witness`s opinion death was due to a fractured skull. The want of sleep and pain did not seem to have produced any signs of mental trouble.

Mercy Quint, wife of deceased, living at 26, The Bayle, said that her husband had been landlord of the George Inn about twenty years ago. He had been declining for nearly a year. Deceased seemed to sleep fairly well. She slept with her husband in the front room on the ground floor. He could not walk about or sit up, and had had to have his food cut up for him for the last two months. The pain had been a bit easier during the past few days. He complained very much of it, and he had said that if it did not cease he thought he should go out of his mind. He could at times go to the end of the passage without assistance. About five o`clock that morning she woke up and missed him from the room. She then called out, thinking he was upstairs, but could not make anyone hear. She then went upstairs, and then found the top floor bedroom window, facing the street, with the bottom sash wide open. She looked out and saw her husband lying on the pavement below. She went down and screamed for assistance. There was nothing in front of the upstairs window, but an easy chair was at the side. The window sill was about four feet from the floor, and deceased could easily have got out without using a chair. The window was rather difficult to open, and did not open far. When she saw it, it was open as far as it could be opened. Deceased was a man of 6 ft. His head would probably have been above the level of the sash when opened. The windows were all fastened overnight.

The Coroner, in summing up, said the question for the jury to consider was how the deceased came out of the window; whether overcome with weakness or by a sudden spasm of pain as he was opening the window to get some fresh air, he fell out, or whether he threw himself out. As far as he (the Coroner) could see, deceased could not have actually fallen out. As to the state of his mind, it was very possible to suppose that he was not at the time responsible for his actions. Some sudden feeling might have overcome him which gave him the strength to go up to the top room, open the window, and throw himself out. If, on the other hand, the jury thought he overbalanced himself, they could give that as their verdict. They well knew there was a turning point when pain overcame people, and they took those steps for which they were not morally responsible.

The jury returned a verdict of “Suicide during temporary insanity”.