Clarendon Hotel 1915 - 1919

Folkestone Herald 20-2-1915

Obituary

We regret to record the death of Mr. Stanley W.H. Rishton,

who passed away at the Railway Hotel, West Wickham, on the 12th instant. Deceased was for some years manager of the Clarendon Hotel, Tontine Street. Whilst in Folkestone he became very popu­lar, being an active member of many clubs and- associations. He was captain of the Wingate C.C., and was one of the promoters of the Folkestone and District Cricket League. He was an esteemed member of the North and East Wards Amusement Association and the Folkestone Rowing Club. Great sympathy is felt with his devoted wife in her great loss. Mrs. Rishton also was an untiring worker in many local institutions.  Mr. Rishton was 35 years of age. The remains were laid to rest on Wednesday at the West Wickham Churchyard.

Folkestone Express 24-7-1915

Local News

A curious story was told at the Folkestone Police Court on Monday (before Mr. E.T. Ward and other Magistrates), when John Wilson, a private in the Canadian Contingent, was charged with stealing, on July 17^th, a lady`s gold wrist watch and a gold locket, value £2 15s., the property of Mrs. E.M. Garland, of the Clarendon Hotel.

Claude Garland, manager of the Clarendon Hotel, Tontine Street, said prisoner came to the house on Saturday about 12.30, and, in reply to a request, was shown up to the first floor. He did not see him again. About 2.30 a Mr. Walker made a communication to him, in consequence of which he went upstairs to the bedroom (on the second floor) occupied by witness and his wife. He examined a box on the dressing table which had contained some of his wife`s jewellery, and missed a gold wrist watch and a little locket. The watch bore the initials “E.M.G.”, and the locket contained portraits of witness and their little boy. He last saw the property safe that morning. On discovering the loss he gave information to the police, and about 5.30 Mr. Walker again came to see him, and witness then went to the end of Tontine Street, and he saw the prisoner standing in Beach Street. He pointed him out to Corporal Stewart, of the Military Police, who brought the accused to him, and he noticed that he had the watch on his wrist. The property he valued at 55/-.

Prisoner (to witness): Did I come to you on Saturday and say “I have a watch here, and it is not mine”?

Witness: No.

Charles Augustus Walker, manager in Messrs. Upton Bros.` china department, Tontine Street, said about two o`clock on Saturday he was crossing Tontine Street and saw the prisoner, who stopped him and put a little gold locket into his hand. He looked at it, and, opening it, he recognised the photograph of the last witness. He said “This looks like the landlord of the Clarendon”, and he advised him to take it back again where he had found it. Prisoner took the locket back and said “On your honour as a gentleman, don`t say anything about it”. He then walked away. Later on witness made a communication to Mr. Garland. Subsequently, about 5.30, he was coming through Beach Street and saw the prisoner standing there.

The Clerk: What was his condition?

Witness: He seemed the worse for drink.

Corporal Stewart, of the Military Police, Shorncliffe, said at 5.30 on Saturday night he was on duty in Tontine Street, when Mr. Garland pointed out to him the prisoner. He went to him, and saw that he was wearing the watch (produced) on his wrist. Witness then took him back to Mr. Garland, who identified the watch. Prisoner was next taken to the Guard Room, and afterwards to the police station.

The Clerk: What condition was he in?

Witness: He had been drinking. He seemed to be getting over the effects of drink, but he was not drunk.

Detective Sergt. Johnson said on Saturday he saw the accused at the police station, and showed him the watch, informing him that he would be charged with stealing it; also a gold locket not recovered. He cautioned him, and he replied “I am sorry”.

Mr. Garland, re-called, said the man had been in the house about ten minutes before he directed him upstairs.

The Clerk: Did you yourself serve him? – No.

You saw him served? – Yes, with a bottle of Bass.

So far as your observation goes, that is all he had in the house? – Yes.

What condition was he in? – Perfectly sober.

Prisoner desired to have the case settled by the Magistrates, and said he had no alternative but to plead Guilty, seeing that the watch was found on him. His mind was a blank. He woke up and found the watch and kept it on his wrist. Since he had been in the Battalion as an officer`s servant nothing had been missed.

The Clerk: Do you mean you were drunk?

Prisoner: Yes, sir. I got too much liquor.

An officer said the prisoner had an absolutely clean conduct sheet. He had known him since last October. He had been a waiter in the Officers` Mess, and it was true what he had said, that not one of them had missed anything that could be traced to him. As for drunkenness, there was no charge against him.

The Clerk (to prisoner): Have you any information to give as to what has become of the locket?

Prisoner: I am sorry that I cannot. If I could replace it I would, but I will replace the value. I have no idea where the locket is.

The Chairman said the Magistrates would bind him over for three months, and he would have to pay the costs of the hearing, 15/-.

Folkestone Herald 24-7-1915

Monday, July 19^th: Before Mr. E.T. Ward, Lieut. Col. R.J. Fynmore, Alderman C. Jenner, Col. G.P. Owen, and Mr. H.C. Kirke.

John Wilson, aged 56, a Canadian soldier, was charged with stealing                a lady’s gold wristlet watch with a leather strap, and a gold locket, of the total value of £2  15s., the property of Mrs. G.M. Garland, on Saturday.

Mr. Claude Ga land, the Manager of the Clarendon Hotel, said prisoner came into the bar on Saturday about 12.30. He asked if he could use the lavatorv, and witness showed him the way to the lavatory on the .first floor. Prisoner went up­stairs, but witness did not see him return. Later in the day, about 2.30, a Mr. Walker came and made a communication to witness. In consequence witness went upstairs to the bedroom occupied by himself and has wife, on the second floor. He ex­amined a box on the dressing table, which con­tained some of his wife’s jewellery. He missed a gold wristlet watch with a leather strap (produced), and also a gold locket, both the property of his wife. The watch had his wife’s initials on it, and in the locket was a photo of himself, and his little son. That morning, about 10 o`clock, he had seen the watch and locket safe in the box. He com­municated with the police. About 5.30 Mr. Waflker again came and made a communication to him. From what he told him, witness went to the end of Tontine Street, and, looking up Beach Street, saw the prisoner standing on the kerb. He pointed him out to Corporal Stewart, of the Military Police, who arrested him. Witness saw that prisoner was wearing the gold watch on his wrist. The value of the property was £2 15s.

Answering the prisoner, witness said that he (prisoner) did not come up to him at his own door and any he had a watch which was not his.

Mr. Charles Augustus Walker, manager of the china department of Messrs. Upton Brothers, Tontine Street, said that on Saturday afternoon, about 2.30, he was crossing the street, when prisoner stopped him and put a gold locket into his hand. He looked at it and saw the monogram “E.M.G.” on the locket, and recognised inside a photograph of the landlord of the Clarendon Hotel with a little boy. He said to the prisoner “This looks like the landlord of the Clarendon”, and advised him to return it, thinking he had found it. He did not say anything to that, but took the locket back, and said “On your honour as a gentleman, don`t say anything about it”. He then walked away. A few minutes later witness went to the Clarendon and spoke to the landlord. Later in the afternoon he was in Beach Street, about 5.30, and he saw the prisoner there. He then went and informed Mr. Garland. He thought that accused was the worse for drink.

Corporal Charles Edward Stewart, of the Military Police, stationed at Shorncliffe, said on Saturday afternoon, about 5.30, he was on duty in Tontine Street. The first witness pointed out the prisoner to him, and also made a communication to him about a watch. He went to the prisoner, who was standing at the junction of Tontine Street and Beach Street. He asked him if he had been in the Clarendon public house, and said “Did you have anything there?” Prisoner replied “I had a few drinks”. He found accused was wearing on his right wrist the wristlet watch produced. Witness took him to Mr. Garland, who identified the watch as his property. He then took the prisoner to the guard-room, and afterwards to the police station. He had been drinking. He was not drunk. He was getting better, but was under the influence of drink.

Det. Sergt. Johnson said about 6.30 on Saturday he saw prisoner at the police station. He showed him the watch and strap produced, and told him he would be charged with stealing it, also a gold locket not recovered, from a bedroom at the Clarendon Hotel that day, the property of Mrs. Garland. He cautioned him, and prisoner said “I am sorry”.

Mr. Garland said accused was in the bar, to his knowledge, ten minutes. He saw prisoner served with a bottle of Bass. That was about five minutes before he went upstairs. He was perfectly sober at the time.

Accused said he had several bottles of Bass with another soldier, and he had several with him. Pleading Guilty, he said his mind was a blank until he woke up and found he had the watch on him. He was going back to return the watch when he was stopped. If he had wanted to make away with it, he could have done so easily. His officer could prove that he had been amongst jewellery and money as Officer`s Servant, and nothing had been missed. He was very sorry. It was through the drink. His mind was a blank until he woke up about 5.30.

An officer said there was no entry of any kind against prisoner, either on his regimental or company conduct sheet. He had known him ever since they had been in England since October. He had been a waiter most of the time in the officers` mess, and nothing that had ever been missing had been traced to him. He enlisted on September 24^th. His age was 55.

Prisoner said he did not know where the locket was. He wished he could replace it, but he would pay the value of it.

The Chairman said they understood he was willing to compensate the owner of the locket, and they hoped he would.

Accused: I will, sir. I will do everything I can.

The Chairman said prisoner would be bound over for six months, and would have to pay the costs (15s.).

Folkestone Express 1-1-1916

Local News

“The Bench are determined to put this sort of thing down”, said Mr. J. Stainer, at the Folkestone Police Court on Friday, in sentencing to three months` hard labour Frederick Charles Mullett, who was charged with purchasing, on behalf of a soldier, a bottle of whisky by retail, for consumption off the premises, contrary to the regulations.

A private in the 2^nd East Surrey Regiment said on the previous day he was in Tontine Street, when he saw the prisoner leave a public house, cross the road, and give a soldier a bottle. Witness afterwards went to the prisoner, and asked him if he could get him a bottle “of the same”. The accused said “Whisky?”, and witness replied “That`s it”. He gave the man some money, and he came back with a bottle of whisky. Then a civil policeman and a military policeman came up and asked witness what he had got. He replied “A bottle of the stuff”, whereupon witness and the prisoner were conducted to the police station.

The Clerk: You wee in uniform?

Witness: Yes.

And you were going to give him something for his trouble? – I was.

Prisoner said that two young men came up to him and begged him to get them some whisky. He was stupid enough to do so. It was the first time he had ever done it, and he would never do it again. If the Bench would let him off, he would go to Hasting – to his mother`s place.

The Clerk pointed out that the matter was of grave importance. The competent military authorities had made an Order for the closing of all licensed premises in the borough for the sale, at all hours, of intoxicating liquor, by retail, for consumption off the premises, to any members of H.M. Forces, or for sale on behalf of them. Any person convicted of a breach of the Order could be sentenced to six months` imprisonment with or without hard labour.

The Chief Constable mentioned that the defendant had been before the Court before, the last time being on December 13^th.

The prisoner: Let me off, and I will go to Hastings at once.

The Clerk: You said that before.

The prisoner: A policeman can accompany me to the station and see me get the ticket.

The Chairman (Mr. J. Stainer) said the Magistrates regarded this as a case of extreme gravity. The prisoner was perfectly well familiar with the proceedings of the Court.

Sentence was then pronounced as stated above.

Folkestone Herald 1-1-1916

Friday, December 24^th: Before Mr. J. Stainer and other Magistrates.

Frederick Charles Mullet was charged with obtaining a bottle of whisky for a soldier, Pte. Edward Guy, of the 2^nd East Surrey Regiment. Prisoner pleaded Guilty.

Pte. Edward Guy said he was in Tontine Street on Thursday. He saw the defendant leave the Clarendon Hotel, go across the road, and give the soldier a bottle. Witness went up to the defendant and asked him to get a bottle of stuff, as he had done for the other soldier. Witness gave him 3s. 6d., and defendant went into a wine shop, but returned and said that was not enough, whereupon he gave him another 2s. 6d. Defendant eventually got the whisky at the Clarendon Hotel. They went down to the Fishmarket, where defendant handed him the whisky. A policeman and a military policeman then came up, took the whisky from witness, and arrested the accused.

Defendant said the witness and another young man came up and asked him to get the whisky. If they let him go, he would go straight away down to Hastings to his mother`s. He had lived there for twenty years.

The Magistrates` Clerk (Mr. J. Andrew), said recently the competent military authority, the Town Commandant, made an order for the closing of all licensed premises for the sale at all hours of intoxicating liquor by retail to any member of His Majesty`s Forces, or any person acting on his behalf, for consumption off the premises. That Order was now in force, and anyone found guilty of an infringement of the Order was liable to a term of imprisonment not exceeding six months` hard labour.

The Chief Constable (Mr. H. Reeve) said the prisoner had been about Folkestone for some time. He had been charged six times that year for drunkenness, and three times in the previous year.

The Chairman said it was a very grave charge. Prisoner knew what he was doing. The Magistrates were confident he had bought two bottles of whisky on Thursday for soldiers. He would be sentenced to three months` hard labour. They were determined to put that kind of thing down.