West Cliff Shades 1910s

Folkestone Express 15-2-1913

Annual Licensing Sessions

The Brewster Sessions were held on Wednesday morning. The Justices present were E.T. Ward Esq., Major Leggett, Lieut. Col. Fynmore, Lieut. Col. Hamilton, G. Boyd, G.I. Swoffer, R.J. Linton, and J. Stainer Esqs. Mr. Boyd and Mr. Stainer did not take part in the licensing business, not being on the committee.

Plans were submitted for interior alterations at the West Cliff Shades, and the Chairman said they had examined them, but they would like to see the premises before deciding. The application was therefore adjourned until the 10^th March.

Folkestone Herald 15-2-1913

Annual Licensing Sessions

Wednesday, February 12th: Before Mr. E.T. Ward, Lieut. Col. Fynmore, Lieut. Col. Hamilton, Major Leggett, Mr. W.G. Herbert, Mr. J. Stainer, and Mr. G. Boyd.

Application was made on behalf of the Ashford Breweries for sanction to certain interior alterations at the West Cliff Shades for the provision of two bedrooms. It was stated that the plans had been filed with the Clerk, and were in order.

The Chairman remarked that the Bench had seen the plans, but they would like to see the premises before they consented to the alterations. Therefore they would visit the premises, and the matter would come up again at the transfer sessions.

Folkestone Express 19-7-1913

Monday, July 14^th: Before Alderman Penfold and G. Boyd Esq.

Edward Moran was charged with begging on Saturday night. He pleaded Guilty.

P.C. Cox said at 10.40 on Saturday night he saw the prisoner come out of the West Cliff Shades, and he went into Sandgate Road, where he stopped a gentleman. He went a little further down and stopped two other gentlemen. He then turned round to him (witness), he being in plain clothes, and said “Will you give me something to make up the money for my bed?” He told him he was a police officer, and the prisoner said “I have just had two pints, and I wanted to make the money up”. When searched, tenpence in coppers, a soldier`s discharge papers, and a pawn ticket were found on the prisoner.

The prisoner said the pawn tickets were for two medals. He only came in the town on Saturday. He had had a sprained ankle. He had two pints of beer, but they were given to him. He had not done any begging before then.

The Chief Constable (Mr. Reeve) said the prisoner was a stranger. There was, he was sorry to say, a large number of such men in the town at the present time.

Sent to prison for twenty one days` hard labour.

Folkestone Express 3-1-1914

Saturday, December 27^th: Before The Mayor, Councillors C.E. Mumford and W.G. Harrison, and Messrs. Stainer, Swoffer, and Boyd.

John Harrison was charged with begging. He pleaded Not Guilty.

P.C. Bourne said about six o`clock the previous evening he was on duty in Sandgate Road near Christ Church when he saw the prisoner accosting foot passengers, and he received something from three different persons. He then went into the West Cliff Shades, and later returned, and he received something from a young man. He told him he should take him to the police station, and he replied “Don`t charge me with begging. Charge me with selling lavender”. On searching him, he found one penny in his possession.

The Chief Constable said prisoner was a perfect bully, and he had been convicted for bad as well as minor offences.

One month`s hard labour.

Folkestone Herald 3-1-1914

Saturday, December 27^th: Before The Mayor, Mr. J. Stainer, Mr. G.I. Swoffer, Mr. G. Boyd, Councillor Mr. W.J. Harrison, and Councillor C.E. Mumford.

John Harrison was charged with begging. He pleaded Not Guilty.

P.C. Bourne said that at about 6.30 the previous evening he saw prisoner in the Sandgate Road, near Christ Church. He was accosting foor passengers, and witness saw him receive money from three. He then went into the West Cliff public house. Half an hour later, witness again saw him in Sandgate Road, near the same place, accosting foot passengers. Harrison received money from a young man, and asked two ladies for something towards a night`s lodging. When searched at the police station, prisoner was found to have a few packets of lavender and one or two post cards on him.

The Chief Constable said he knew prisoner to be a perfect bully. In December, 1911, he committed a most violent and unprovoked assault upon a gentleman who refused to assist him, for which he was committed for fourteen days. There was also a conviction against him at Dover for being drunk and assaulting the police.

The Chairman said that men such as prisoner were a curse to the neighbourhood. The Lower and Upper Sandgate Road were infested by them. The Bench wanted to get rid of them. Prisoner would be sentenced to one month`s hard labour.

Folkestone Express 25-10-1919

Friday, October 17^th: Before Col. Owen and other Magistrates.

Robert Wilson was charged with obtaining £5 by false pretences from William Muddle on the 4^th October.

Det. Con. Butcher said that at 3 p.m. on Thursday he saw prisoner detained at Lime Street police station, London. He told him he was a police officer from Folkestone, and that a warrant had been issued for his arrest for obtaining five £1 Treasury Notes by false pretences from Mr. William Muddle on the 4^th October, with intent to defraud. He cautioned him, and prisoner replied “It is all a fake. I wrote the cheques and letters myself. I didn`t know any person of the name of Lewis at St. Margaret`s Chambers, Victoria Street”. He brought Wilson back to Folkestone, read the warrant to him, and showed him the letter and cheque (produced). He replied “Quite right”.

Prisoner was remanded in custody until yesterday (Thursday).

The accused was again brought before the Magistrates yesterday (Thursday) morning.

Two further charges were preferred against the prisoner, one of obtaining £2 from Mr. Barker, the landlord of the West Cliff Shades, and also of obtaining £5 10s. from Miss Stay, greengrocer, Guildhall Street, both sums being obtained under false pretences.

Mr. Walter William Muddle, managing director to Mr. William Muddle, grocer, 26, Bouverie Road West, said he identified prisoner. On the 4^th October, from something he was told by a clerk in his employment, he proceeded to the Metropole Hotel about 3.30 p.m. He saw the prisoner there at the receiving office. He knew prisoner was in the employ of the hotel company, and he had done business with him on previous occasions. He had a conversation with the prisoner with regard to the price of goods to be supplied to the hotel. After that prisoner took a letter and a cheque from his pocket, and said he was entitled to some money from a private estate, and that the cheque had come through from a trustee. Prisoner asked him to pay the cheque in through his (witness`s) bank, and asked him to let him have some money on it. He believed, in consequence of what the accused said, that the letter and cheque were genuine, and that the cheque would be honoured on presentation. He told Wilson he would let him have £5 on account of the cheque, and prisoner said he would call at the shop when he left work at six o`clock. Witness then left, taking the letter and the cheque with him. Prisoner called at the shop shortly after six o`clock, and five £1 Treasury Notes were paid to him by the cashier in his presence. The accused then left the shop. The cheque was endorsed “R. Wilson” when it was handed to him. Witness paid the cheque into the bank on the 6<sup>th</sup>, and received it back on the 9<sup>th</sup> marked “No Account”. He saw the accused in the shop about 3.30 on the afternoon of the 9<sup>th</sup>, and told him the cheque had been returned marked “No Account”. Prisoner said he had been having a few days` holiday, and had been to London, that the man Lewis had no money in the bank, and that he (prisoner) would have to pay the money himself. He asked the prisoner if he could find the money himself, and he replied that he would let him have £5 at the Hotel Metropole at 12 o`clock on Saturday. He had not received the money, or any part of it. On the 16<sup>th</sup> he took out a warrant for the prisoner`s arrest.

Mr. Walter Herbert Barker, the proprietor of the West Cliff Shades, said he had known the prisoner as a customer for the last seven or eight weeks. Prisoner went to his house about 6.30 p.m. on the 6^th October, and produced from his pocket book a cheque and letter, the latter being signed by Lewis, and the money order being for £10 10s. Wilson asked him if he would cash the cheque, and he replied he was not in the habit of cashing cheques. Prisoner then asked him to pay it through his account and asked him to advance £2 on it. He gave him two £1 Treasury Notes, and told prisoner to call on the Thursday or Friday for the balance, and he said “All right”. Before he advanced the money he read the letter and cheque, and he believed the letter was a genuine communication. On the 7^th he paid the cheque into his bank, and it was returned on the 9^th marked “No Account”. He had not seen the prisoner since he called on the 6^th, and he had not received his £2, or any portion of it.

Miss Nancy Stay, greengrocer, 50, Guildhall Street, said the prisoner went to her shop about 2 o`clock on the 9^th October. On several occasions she had done business with the prisoner on behalf of the Hotel Metropole, where he was employed. On this occasion prisoner handed her a cheque for £5 10s., signed by Mr. Lewis, and asked her if she would change it, and she did so. Prisoner said it was a cheque from his sister. It was endorsed “R. Wilson”. She gave prisoner notes to the value of £5 10s. He left the shop, and she had not seen him since. She had not received her £5 10s. She changed the cheque because she knew him through business transactions, and she believed the cheque would be honoured on presentation. The cheque was paid into the bank the same day, and returned on the 13^th marked “No Account”.

Mr. George Collier, clerk at the Metropole Hotel, said the prisoner had gone to the hotel on July 16^th as receiving clerk, and remained in that capacity until October 6^th. On that day he said he felt ill, and wished to take the day off instead of the following Wednesday. Witness agreed to that, and prisoner left that day, returning the following Thursday morning. He left again between 9 and 10 a.m. and never returned.

Mr. P. Johnson, cashier, Lloyd`s Bank, Holborn Circus, examined two of the cheques drawn on his bank, and said they had no customer of the name of “J.B.D. Lewis”, and so far as he knew they never had had.

Mr. P. Raynor, clerk at Barclay`s Bank, Victoria Street, London, said they had no customer of the name of “J.B.D. Lewis”.

The accused was committed for trial at the Quarter Sessions.

Folkestone Herald 1-11-1919

Thursday, October 24^th: Before Col. G.P. Owen, Mr. J.H. Blamey, Mr. L.G.A. Collins and Mr. E. Condy.

Robert Wilson was charged on demand with obtaining money on false pretences from W.W. Muddle Ltd., of 26, Bouverie Road West.

The Chief Constable said that there were now two additional charges against the defendant.

Mr. Walter William Muddle, managing director of Muddle Ltd., grocers, stated that on October 4^th defendant asked him to cash a cheque for £10, saying that he had some money due to him from some land and the cheque was from one of the trustees. Witness gave him £5 on account, and later paid the cheque into his bank. The cheque was drawn on Barclays Bank, London, and was signed “J.D. Lewis”. Later the cheque was returned to him marked “No Account”. He saw defendant, who promised to pay him the money, but he had never received it. On the 16^th instant he took out a warrant for the man`s arrest.

Mr. Walter Herbert Barker, of the West Cliff Shades, said he had known defendant as a customer for about 7 or 8 weeks. On the 6^th instant defendant asked him to cash a cheque for £5 5s., drawn on Lloyd`s Bank, Holborn Circus, signed “J.D. Lewis”. Wiitness gave him £2 on account, and paid the cheque into his account. On the following Tuesday it was returned marked “No Account”.

Miss Nancy Stay, fruiterer and greengrocer, of 26, Guildhall Street, said defendant had had some business transactions with her. On the 9^th October she cashed a cheque for £5 10s. for him. It was drawn on Lloyd`s Bank, Holborn Circus, and was signed “J.D. Lewis”. She paid the cheque into her bank, but on the following Monday it was returned to her marked “No Account”.

Mr. George Collier, control clerk at the Hotel Metropole, said defendant first came to them on 6^th July, 1919. On the 6^th instant he was away owing to illness, but he came back on the following Wednesday and asked for time off. He went away and never returned.

Mr. Percival Johnston, cashier at Lloyd`s Bank, Holborn Circus, said that they had no customer by the name of J.D. Lewis or any account in that name.

Mr. Peter Rayner, clerk at Barclay`s Bank, Victoria Street, London, said that they had no customer of the name of J.D. Lewis or any account bearing that name.

Defendant was committed for trial at the next Quarter Sessions.