Raglan 1900s

Folkestone Daily News 15-2-1905

Inquest

An inquest was held this (Wednesday) afternoon by the Borough Coroner (G.W. Haines Esq.) on the body of G. Mitchell, of 9, Grosvenor Mansions, London, an estate agent.

Charles William Stewart, decorator, of 6, Upper Park Street, Islington, identified the body as that of his brother-in-law. Deceased, who was 30 years of age, was developing a building estate, and resided where he carried on his business. His wife was still alive. He left home onSaturday evening, saying he was going to Paris to transact some business with a Mr. Raggerty, for whom he was managing an estate. Witness saw him six or eight months since, but knew nothing of his affairs.

William Adams, of the coastguard station, Sandgate, deposed that he found the body at 7 a.m. on the beach on the Lower Sandgate Road, near the western Lift. He was returning from Folkestone to Sandgate. Tide was ebbing, and it would be high water at 5.10 a.m. Deceased was fully dressed, excepting his hat, and had on a long coat with a collar. He was lying flat on his face, with his right arm extended. A glove was on the hand, and the face was bleeding. Witness gave information to the police, and saw the deceased undressed at the mortuary.

Henry King, landlord of the Raglan Hotel, deposed: I identify the body as that of a man whom I had seen at the Alexandra Hotel the night previous. I asked him if he was staying at Folkestone, and he said “No, I have come from Paris tonight”. He left the Alexandra at 11 o`clock and went round by the Royal George. He seemed cheerful and rational. In conversation he said he was seasick when he went on the sea. He was perfectly sober. I noticed his coat was muddy as if he had been sitting down. He said nothing as to where he was going, but kept on smoking cigarettes. He paid for mine and Mr. Barber`s drinks with half a crown, and told tales and laughed heartily. I was surprised when I heard he had no stick or bag. I did not notice if he was wearing a ring.

Dr. Thornton Gilbert deposed: I went to the mortuary to see the body, and found no marks of violence except on his face and scalp, which I should say was caused by the pebbles and stones on the beach. There was a lot of sand in his mouth and nostrils. I should say he died from drowning. I was told that when they stripped him his body was still warm, so he could not have been in the water long. He had been shaved about three hours before going into the water. He had a double row of teeth at the top, and one finger had the appearance of having had a ring on.

E. Chadwick deposed that he attended at the mortuary yesterday morning and saw the body. The deceased had on him 1s. 3d., a watch, a pair of links, and a pair of gold spectacles. The watch had stopped at 2.20.

A verdict of “Died from drowning” was returned, there being no evidence to show how the deceased got into the water.

Folkestone Chronicle 18-2-1905

Inquest

On Wednesday afternoon the Borough Coroner, Mr. G.W. Haines, and a jury inquired into the circumstances surrounding the death of a well-dressed stranger, who was found dead within a yard of the water on the Lower Sandgate Road on Tuesday morning. Many rumours of a more or less startling nature had been circulated during the day. It was therefore very satisfactory when it was known that the body had been identified, and that a possible chain of circumstances would be given in evidence.  – such at least as would point almost conclusively as to how and by what means deceased met his death.

Charles Edward Stewart, of 6, Upper Park Street, Islington, said: I am a builder and decorator. I identify the body now viewed by the jury as that of Frederick Mitchell, an estate agent, of 9, Grosvenor Mansions, Victoria, London, S.W. He was developing a building estate for another gentleman. I should say he was about 30 years of age. Deceased was my brother-in-law. His wife is still alive.

The Coroner: Is his wife present here today?

Witness: No; I could find her in two or three minutes.

The Coroner: Do you know when he left Grosvenor Mansions last?

Witness: On Saturday to go to Paris to see the gentleman for whom he carries on business transactions. The man`s name is Rafferty, and his London address is Grosvenor Mansions. It is six or eight months since I saw the deceased. I do not know much about his affairs, neither does his wife.

William Adams, a Coastguard attached to the Sandgate Division, said: Yesterday at 7.30 in the morning I was returning from Folkestone to Sandgate, when opposite the new lift I saw a body lying about one yard clear of the water. The water was ebbing. It was high tide at 10.05 a.m., and was then quarter ebb. Deceased was fully dressed, with the exception of his hat. He had a long coat with the fur collar turned up over the head. The body was face downward, with the right arm extended, and the fingers all out so (flat). A glove was on one hand. I immediately gave information to the police, and accompanied the body to the mortuary.

Henry King, sworn, said: I am licensee of the Raglan Hotel, Dover Road. The body now lying at the mortuary I identify as that of a man I saw on Monday night. I went into the Alexandra Hotel about 10 o`clock in the evening. The man was dressed in an overcoat with an astrakhan collar, had prominent teeth, and was very good looking. I sat down beside him, and asked of he was staying in Folkestone. He said “Oh, no!”, and told me he had just come over from Paris. At eleven o`clock he wished Mr. Barber and I goodnight, and walked off round by the George. He seemed perfectly cheerful and rational. I noticed that his overcoat round the bottom and his boots were covered in mud.

The Coroner: What was he drinking?

Witness: Whisky hot.

The Coroner: Was he sober?

Witness: Quite.

Continuing: He did not say where he was going. In conversation, he said he did not like the sea travelling as it always made him sick. When he paid for the drink I think he put down 2s. 6d., and I believe had 1s. 9d. change. When he went out I said to Mr. Barber “What a nice fellow he seems”. He had been laughing and we had been telling each other tales.

The Chief Constable: Was he carrying a bag or anything?

Witness: No.

Dr. W.T. Gilbert deposed: By your orders (the Coroner`s) I went to the mortuary this morning, and saw the body in the same position as you have now seen. I found no marks of violence, blows or contusions, except on the face and scalp. I was told that he was found on the pebbles. The wounds were quite superficial, and would not account for death. I was told that there was a lot of sand in his mouth and nostrils. I should say that he died from drowning. The only evidence I got was that when they were stripping deceased his body was still warm. On looking at his upper lip I should say that he had been shaved within three hours of getting into the water. He had a very peculiar condition, that is, he had a double row of teeth in the upper jaw. His little finger showed the mark of having worn a ring. I could not detect any smell of drink; that would be neutralised by the water.

Edwin John Chadwick, Town Sergeant, sworn, said: I attended the mortuary yesterday morning and undressed the deceased, and took an inventory of all he was wearing. This included (among other things) a 14 ct. gold watch and chain, 1s. 3d. in money, two stones, a leather case with card case attached, with an envelope, on which was written the address – F. Mitchell, care of Mr. Rafferty, 9 Grosvenor Mansions – a compass and two sleeve links.

The Coroner directed Mr. Stewart to go and fetch Mrs. Mitchell, but after some minutes the witness returned to the Court. He informed the Coroner that deceased`s wife had taken some rooms in Victoria Grove, but he could not find her. She had not attended the Court as she had not thought it necessary. Had she known that she was wanted to attend, she would readily have come to the Court. Deceased, witness said, did not tell his wife much about his business affairs.

The Chief Constable suggested to the Coroner that witness did know a little more than he had stated.

The Coroner: Do you know whether the deceased had at any time threatened to take his own life?

Witness: On a good many occasions he had said life was not worth living.

The Coroner: Was a letter received by his wife from Folkestone?

 

Witness: Not from Folkestone, but from Paris. 

 

The Coroner: Do you know the contents of that letter?

Witness: No.

The Coroner: Who has it?

Witness: His wife.

The Coroner: Generally, what were the contents of that letter?

Witness: That since he had arrived in Paris he had come to the conclusion that his journey was a failure, and that he had no hope for the future in life.

The Coroner then addressed the jury and reviewed the evidence, drawing particular attention to the doctor`s evidence, which negative any suggestion of violence.

The jury at once returned a verdict that deceased was found drowned. There were no marks of violence, and no evidence to show how deceased entered the water.

Folkestone Express 18-2-1905

Inquest

An inquest was held on Wednesday afternoon at the Town Hall, Folkestone, on the body of Frederick Mitchell, a house and estate agent, og Grosvenor Mansions, Victoria, S.W. The body was found the previous morning on the beach by a coastguardsman. The Borough Coroner (Mr. G.W. Haines) conducted the enquiry.

Charles Edward Stewart, a builder and decorator, of 6, Upper Park Street, Islington, said he identified the body as that of Frederick Mitchell, of Grosvenor Mansions, Victoria, a house and estate agent, in business for himself. He was with three or four other gentlemen developing a building estate. Deceased`s age was about 30, an was the brother-in-law of witness. His wife was in Folkestone, but was ill. On Saturday evening the deceased left Grosvenor Mansions. He said he was going to transact some business for the gentleman for whom he carried on an estate. The gentleman`s name was Patrick Rafferty. Witness last saw the deceased about six months back. He did not know, nor did the deceased`s wife know much about his affairs.

William Adams, a coastguard, attached to the Sandgate Station, said the previous morning at 7.30 he was returning from Folkestone to Sandgate, and when opposite the new lift he saw the body lying about a yard from the water, which had just left him. High water was at ten minutes past five. Deceased was fully dressed, with the exception of the hat, with a heavy greatcoat on. The body was lying flat on the face with the right arm extended, the fingers of the hand also lying out flat. Witness could not see any hat near. The body was bleeding from the face, which appeared to be bruised through coming into contact with the rocks.

Henry King, licensee of the Raglan Hotel, Dover Road, said he had seen the body lying at the mortuary, and he identified it as that of a man who he was with on Monday night for about an hour. He met the deceased in the Alexandra Hotel about ten o`clock in the evening. Witness asked him if he was staying in Folkestone, and he replied he was not. He also said he had come from Paris that night by the boat at nine o`clock. At eleven o`clock they came out of the hotel, and the deceased left them at the door going round at the George. He appeared very rational and quite cheerful. He said, however, that he dreaded the sea because he was always sick when he went on it. He had been drinking hot whisky but was quite sober. From the bottom of his coat for about a foot up there was a lot of mud, and it looked as though the deceased had been sitting down in it. Deceased did not say where he was going. He paid for the drinks with half a crown. He did not appear to witness as though he was suffering from mental depression. Deceased was wearing a hard hat. Witness did not notice whether he was wearing a ring.

Dr. Gilbert said he went to the mortuary that morning and saw the body. On examining it he found no marks of violence, or contusions except on the face and scalp. The marks, he considered, were caused by the action of stones and pebbles. There was a lot of sand about. The wounds were quite superficial, and would not account for death. There was a lot of sand in the mouth and nostrils; in fact the latter were choked up. He should say deceased died from drowning. He was told that when the body was stripped it was warm, so deceased could not have been in the water many hours. Looking at his upper lip he should say the deceased had been shaved within three hours of getting into the water. Deceased had a double row of front teeth – a peculiar physical condition. On the left hand there were marks as though he had worn a ring on the little finger. Witness could not smell any evidence of drink, which, however, would be neutralised by the water he swallowed.

Adams, re-called, said there was a lot of sand where he found the deceased.

Edwin J. Chadwick, the Coroner`s Officer, said he went to the mortuary the previous morning and undressed the body. In the pockets of deceased he found a pair of compasses, two stones, a leather case with card case attached, containing an envelope which bore the name F. Mitchell. There was also a 14 carat gold watch, a gold chain, a pair of gold links, and 1s. 3d. on him. He had no ring upon him.

The Coroner, in summing up, said there was no suggestion that Mitchell had been robbed, and no marks about him of any violence.

Mr. Stewart, who had been in search of the deceased`s wife, returned and said he could not find her. He further stated that deceased always made a deal more of things than what he ought to. Mrs. Mitchell had the impression that there was no need for her to attend. She had received a letter from her husband posted at Paris in which he said he had come to the conclusion his journey was a failure and he did not think there was any prospect in future life.

The Coroner`s Officer stated that deceased`s watch stopped at 2.20.

The jury returned a verdict of “Found Drowned”, but how deceased got into the water, there was no evidence to show.

Folkestone Herald 18-2-1905

Inquest

An inquest was held by the Borough Coroner (Mr. G.W. Haines), on Wednesday, upon a body which was found on Folkestone beach on Tuesday morning.

The deceased was identified by Charles Wm. Stewart, a builder and decorator, residing at 6, Upper Park Road, Islington, as Frederick Mitchell, his brother-in-law, a house and estate agent, of 9, Grosvenor Mansions, Victoria, London. Witness could not say how old deceased was, but guessed about thirty. Mr. Mitchell had carried on business at his residence, as far as he could state, and left Grosvenor Mansions on Saturday evening to transact business with a man named Rafferty, as he said. Witness did not know much about the affairs of deceased.

The Coroner, on being told that the dead man`s widow was in Folkestone, desired that she should be called.

William Adams, Coastguard, of Sandgate Station, stated that he found the body on the beach about 7.30 a.m. on Tuesday, opposite the new lift. The water had just left him, being about a yard away, high tide occurring about 5.10 a.m. on that morning. He was well-dressed, having on a heavy greatcoat with an astrakhan collar turned up, but no hat, and was lying on his face with his right arm extended. He had one glove on. The clothes were soaked through, and had a quantity of sand adhering. There was some blood on his face. Witness gave information to the police.

Henry King, licensee of the Raglan Hotel, stated that he saw deceased in the Alexandra Hotel on Monday evening, and could identify him because of his prominent teeth. He was with him for an hour on Monday night. When deceased was asked if he was staying in Folkestone, he replied “Oh, no”. Witness described him to an acquaintance, on that occasion, as a very nice fellow, and stated that he was very rational, and told tales, laughed, and altogether left no room for the slightest suspicion that he was even downhearted, much less contemplating suicide. The only thing deceased said that was in any way disagreeable was that when he went on the water he was always sick. He had returned from Paris that evening. During the evening he drank whisky, and was smoking all the time. In payment he put down half a crown, and received in change about 1s. Witness noticed that his boots were covered with mud, as also was his coat about a foot from the bottom. He wore a clean white shirt, collar, and cuffs, and was, on the whole, well dressed. When he left, with his hands in his pockets, about 11 p.m., he was quite sober, and wished them a cheerful goodnight.

Dr. J.W. Thornton Gilbert stated that he found no marks of violence on the body, except slight wounds on the face and scalp. There were no bruises or contusions. He considered the wounds due to the actions of the stones, pebbles, etc. The mouth and nostrils were choked with sand, and he considered deceased had died from drowning. Asked how long the body had been in the water, the doctor stated that he had no direct evidence on that point, but the body was warm when stripped. The upper lip had been shaved within three hours, not by artificial means, but through some cause while in the water. He had a peculiar double row of front teeth in the upper jaw, and a ring mark on his little finger. There was no smell of drink. If there had been originally, the water would have eradicated it.

William Adams, on being re-called, stated that a large amount of sand was on that part of the beach.

Edwin J. Chadwick, Coroner`s Officer, stated that he searched deceased at the mortuary, and found on him a pair of compasses, a 14 carat gold watch and chain, and a letter with his name and address upon it; also a leather purse.

Upon being asked if there was any suggestion of suicide, Mr. Stewart stated that Mrs. Mitchell had received a letter from Paris from deceased, containing something to the effect that since he reached Paris he had come to the conclusion that his journey was a failure and that he had no hopes or future prospects in life.

The jury returned a verdict of “Found drowned, but that there was no evidence to show how deceased came to be in the sea”.

Folkestone Herald 18-3-1905

Monday, March 13^th: Before The Mayor, Alderman G. Spurgen, Alderman T.J. Vaughan, Councillor G. Peden, Councillor R.J. Fynmore, Mr. E.T. Ward, and Mr. W.C. Carpenter.

John Bexhill, alias Hiriam Heisden, was charged with being drunk and disorderly in Dover Street on Saturday night.

P.S. Laurence stated that after 11 p.m. prisoner was shouting and challenging someone to fight. At the Raglan Hotel he threw down his hat and offered to fight again. Witness took him into custody. Prisoner became violent, and witness closed with him, there being a struggle on the ground for about ten minutes. P.C. Prebble came to the assistance of witness, and prisoner was handcuffed, and his legs tied. He was so violent that his boots had to be taken off. P.S. Laurence said he had known him for thirteen years, but had never known him to work.

Prisoner was sent to prison for a month, with hard labour. As he left the dock, accused remarked to the Magistrates “You don`t keep me; I keep myself”.

Folkestone Daily News 12-4-1905

Wednesday, April 12^th: Before Messrs. Spurgen, Carpenter and Fynmore.

The Bench approved plans for alterations at the Raglan Tavern

 

Folkestone Express 15-4-1905

Wednesday, April 12^th: Before Lieut. Col. Fynmore, and W.C. Carpenter Esq.

The Bench approved of plans for alterations at the Raglan Tavern

Folkestone Herald 15-4-1905

Wednesday, April 11^th: Before Mr. W.C. Carpenter and Councillor R.J. Fynmore.

Mr. King applied for the approval of a change of plans in the Raglan.

Folkestone Express 23-2-1907

Wednesday, February 20^th: Before E.T. Ward Esq., Aldermen Vaughan and Spurgen, Lieut. Colonel Fynmore, and T. Ames and C. Jenner Esqs.

The licence of the Raglan Hotel, Dover Road, was temporarily transferred from Mr. H. King to Mr. C.H. Barker.

Folkestone Herald 23-2-1907

Wednesday, February 20^th: Before Mr. E.T. Ward, Aldermen G. Spurgen and T.J. Vaughan, Councillor J. Jenner, and Messrs. R.J. Fynmore and T. Ames.

The licence of the Raglan Inn, Dover Road, was temporarily transferred from Charles Hy. Barker to Hy. Keene.

Note: This appears to be a mix-up and misnaming. This should be from King to Barker.

Folkestone Express 2-3-1907

Wednesday, February 27^th: Before W.G. Herbert Esq., Major Leggatt, R.J. Linton and G. Boyd Esqs.

The following licence was transferred: The Raglan Tavern, from Mr. H. King to Mr. C.H. Barker.

Folkestone Herald 2-3-1907

Wednesday, February 27^th: Before Alderman W.G. Herbert, Major Leggett, Councillor G. Boyd, and Mr. R.J. Linton.

The licence of the Raglan Tavern was transferred from Mr. Henry Kingsley (sic) to Mr. Charles Henry Barker 

 

Folkestone Daily News 4-3-1907

Adjourned Licensing Sessions

Monday, March 4^th: Before Messrs. Ward, Fynmore, Linton, Boyd, Herbert, Pursey, Carpenter, Leggett, and Hamilton.

The transfers of the licences of the Bricklayers Arms and The Raglan were confirmed.

 

Folkestone Express 9-3-1907

Adjourned Licensing Sessions

The adjourned licensing sessions were held on Monday at the Police Court, when the principal business to be considered was whether or not the five licences should be referred to the East Kent Licensing Committee for compensation. The Licensing Justices on the Bench were E.T. Ward Esq., Lieut. Col. Fynmore, Lieut. Col. Hamilton, W.G. Herbert, C.J. Pursey, R.J. Linton and W.C. Carpenter Esqs., while other justices present were Major Leggett, Mr. G. Boyd, and Mr. J. Stainer.

The licences of the Raglan and the Bricklayers Arms, which had been temporarily transferred since the annual licensing meeting, were confirmed by the Justices.

Folkestone Herald 9-3-1907

Adjourned Licensing Sessions

Monday, March 4^th: Before Mr. E.T. Ward, Alderman W.G. Herbert, Lieut. Colonel Hamilton, Councillors W.C. Carpenter and G. Boyd, and Messrs. R.J. Fynmore, C.J. Pursey, R.J. Linton, and J. Stainer.

The renewal of the licence of the Raglan Hotel was granted to the new tenant.