Updates

May 24th, 2014: Folkestone Express and Folkestone Herald Reports for 1927 Added.

Pavilion Shades 1920s

Folkestone Herald 4-2-1922

Local News

At the Elwick Auction Rooms on Tuesday, Messrs. Knight, Frank and Rutley, in conjunction with Messrs. Wickenden and Sons, of Tunbridge Wells, sold the Tenterden Brewery, with its ten tied houses, for £28,700. Included in the ten houses was the Pavilion Shades, Tram Road, Folkestone.

Folkestone Express 24-12-1927

Monday, December 19^th: Before Alderman Spurgen and other Magistrates.

Frederick John Baines, of Dover, a corporal in the Territorial K.A., was charged with having, while being bailee of a handbag containing 7s. 4d., converted the same to his own use, thereby feloniously stealing the same.

Constance Mildred Horton, a housemaid at 7, Terlingham Gardens, said she first met Baines casually one evening at the Town Hall. She met him several times up to the 11^th December. She met him on the 11^th December, and she had her handbag, containing a purse and 7s. 4d. She was with him until about 10 p.m. When she left him she forgot to ask defendant for her handbag. She met him the following Tuesday about 9.15 p.m., and asked him for the handbag. He said he would give it to her on the Friday evening. She met him on the Friday evening at 5.15, and she was with him until ten o`clock. She again asked him for the handbag, and he said he had forgotten it, and that he would send it on Saturday by post. She did not receive the handbag on Saturday. On Saturday evening she went out, and passed him in Sandgate Road about 9.15. Defendant was standing talking to someone else. She saw him again about 9.40, outside a public house near the fishmarket. She said she wanted the handbag and the money back, and he said he had not got it. He said “I will give you the money on Monday”. She walked off, and he went into the public house. She saw a member of the Military Police Force in Tontine Street, and made a complaint to him. He went with her to the public house, and defendant was just leaving. Lance Corpl. Cox questioned him, and a policeman came along. She then noticed her handbag lying on the ground. She pointed it out to the police, and they then proceeded to the police station. The bag was opened at the police station, and the purse was inside, but there was no money in it. The value of the bag would be about 2s. 6d.

L. Cpl. Cox, Military Foot Police, said he was on duty in Tontine Street on Saturday about 9.50 when she made a complaint to him, and he accompanied her to the Pavilion Shades public house. He there saw the defendant leaving the public house. He stopped him, and told him that the young lady had complained that he was in possession of her handbag, and refused to give it up. He said “Yes, that`s right. I will send it to her”. He asked defendant for his particulars, and he replied “Pte. Green”. Seeing he had two stripes on his arm he told him not to play about, and he then said “Gunner Baines”. He asked defendant if he was in possession of a permanent pass, and he said “No, I am a Territorial”. He told defendant to accompany him to P.C. Simpson. They went to where P.C. Simpson was standing, and then returned to the Pavilion Shades. He walked across to the young lady, who was six or seven yards away, and she pointed out the handbag lying on the ground just outside the gate of the Pavilion Shades. He picked the bag up and handed it to P.C. Simpson, and he then accompanied the others to the police station.

P.C. Simpson said at 9.15 p.m. on Saturday he was on duty in Beach Street when defendant was taken to him by the last witness. L. Cpl. Cox requested him to obtain his particulars, as he had been accused by a young lady of stealing her handbag. Miss Horton also complained to him that defendant was in possession of her handbag. He asked him for his particulars, and he said “I am a Territorial”. Miss Horton stated she gave her handbag to prisoner to mind, and that on leaving him she forgot to ask for it. She said she saw him again on Tuesday, and he refused to give it to her. On seeing him again that evening he said he had not got it, but would post it on to her. L. Cpl. Cox then produced a handbag, and Miss Horton identified the bag. He looked into the bag, and saw it contained an empty purse. He took Haines to the police station. He wa charged by Det. Con. Bugden with stealing the handbag, purse, and 7s. 4d. He replied “I did not steal the money. I had no intention of stealing it”,

Defendant pleaded Not Guilty, and said about a month ago, while standing under the Town Hall, he had a conversation with the girl. He asked her if he could see her home, and she said he could. A great friendship sprang up, and after going together for a fortnight she told him she was rather unhappy where she was working, and longed to see him every evening. On the 11^th December he arranged to meet her at 5.15, and he was there. After walking a little way, she said “My hands are cold. Will you kindly put my handbag in your pocket?”, and he did. He forgot about it when leaving her, and arranged to see her on Tuesday, and left the handbag at home. On Friday he found he had not got any money, but he had promised to see the girl, and he spent some of the money to travel to see the girl. He had no intention of stealing the money, and if he was given a chance he would repay it. He wanted to apologise for doing a mean action.

The Chief Constable (Mr.  A.S. Beesley) said defendant had justly described it as a mean action, and it was not the first time he had committed this mean action. On the 3^rd October, 1927, under similar circumstances, he took a purse containing two 10s. notes and 15s. in silver, and was fined £3. He was then in camp at Felixstowe. He was born at Southampton in 1906, and went to Dover in 1917. He was first employed as a plumber`s mate, and then on the switchboard at the electric light works. Since July, 1927, he had been out of employment. He resided at Biggin Street, Dover, and was attached to the Territorials in Dover, and had attained the rank of full corporal.

The Magistrates sent defendant for one month`s imprisonment with hard labour.

 

Chequers 1920s

Folkestone Express 26-11-1921

Local News

The licence of the Chequers Inn was on Wednesday, at the Police Court, transferred from Mr. Dunn to Mr. Scrivens.

Folkestone Express 18-3-1922

Obituary

The death took place somewhat suddenly on Wednesday of Mr. H. Dunn, who was until a short time ago the licensee of the Chequers Inn. He was for many years associated with sea life, and was captain of some of the coaling vessels which used Folkestone Harbour in years gone by. His demise will be greatly regretted by a large number of families.

 

Folkestone Herald 25-3-1922

Felix

 

A Folkestone notability passed away recently in the person of Mr. Harry Dunn. The deceased was a mariner, and his experiences on the briny, especially in the Channel, were many, varied, and in some cases, exciting. Our bluff and hale old friend at one time piloted vessels in and out of the harbour, and if any ships going up or down channel needed any assistance in this respect he was there with his knowledge of the tides and shoals associated with this narrow stretch of water. I don`t know why, but he rejoiced in the nickname of “Shoemaker”, and he was generally known by that soubriquet. Subsequently deceased became skipper of a collier trading to and from this port. He “came to anchor” in his later days at the ancient Chequers Inn, near the harbour, which he recently relinquished through ill-health. Everyone who knew him had a good word for genial “Shoemaker”, a fearless sailor, whose life was full of incident.

Folkestone Herald 17-7-1926

Saturday, July 10^th: Before Alderman G. Spurgen, Colonel G.P. Owen, and Colonel P. Broome-Giles.

Lance Corporal Morris John Whelan, of the 11^th Hussars, was charged with being drunk and disorderly in Dover Road. He was further charged with assaulting P.C. Simpson while in the execution of his duty. He pleaded Not Guilty to both charges. Trooper George Allen and Trooper Cyril Mace, of the 11^th Hussars, were also charged with assaulting the police. They pleaded Not Guilty.

P.C. Simpson said he was on duty in uniform in Dover Street on Friday night, when he saw Whelan. Who was very drunk, enter the Chequers public house. He followed, and drew the landlord`s attention to Whelan`s condition. He prevented him from being served, and saw him ejected. Later in the evening, at 11.05, he saw Whelan in company with the other two prisoners, and four or five other soldiers in Dover Road. He was very drunk, and was shouting and using the most filthy language. The other soldiers were also very noisy. He went up to them and advised them to be quiet, and go to the camp. Whelan made some obscene remarks to him, challenged him to fight, and refused to go away. Witness took him into custody, and, with the assistance of P.C. Dickinson, commenced to bring him to the police station. He had gone about ten yards when Allen came up to him and caught hold of the back of his collar, and the other soldiers surrounded them. Allen hit him twice in the face with his fist. As a result he released his hold of Whelan, who broke away. After he was free Whelan raised his whip and struck him a blow on the face with the butt end, causing a considerable swelling. Whelan then ran down the street. Witness caught hold of Allen, closed with him, and with the assistance of Mr. Haslam and Mr. Lawrence, took him to the police station. He went to Guildhall Street, where he saw Whelan, whom he took back to the station, where he charged him. The accused made no reply. He then charged Allen, who said “You can`t touch soldiers”.

Whelan denined hitting P.C. Simpson with a whip, stating that he had not got one.

P.C. Simpson said Whelan had a whip when arrested.

P.C. Dickinson said at 11.05 p.m. on Friday evening he was in Dover Road with P.C. Simpson, when he saw some soldiers, who were shouting and singing. Whelan was rolling about, shouting, and using filthy language. He was drunk. P.C. Simpson arrested Whelan, and Simpson walked on one side and witness on the other. Mace came up and struck him a violent blow behind the right ear with his whip.

Mace: It is a lie.

P.C. Dickinson, continuing, said he was quite sure it was Mace. The blow caused him to release his hold of Whelan. He immediately closed with Mace, and with the assistance of a civilian brought him to the police station. He charged Mace, who replied “I do not think so”. Later in the evening he saw Whelan in Guildhall Street, and he helped P.C. Simpson bring him to the police station.

Mr. Albert Haslam, Manager of the Cambrian Coaching Company, said he was in his office in Rendezvous Street on Friday evening, when he heard noises, and he went outside. He saw P.C.s Dickinson and Simpson with a soldier under arrest. There was a struggling and hostile crowd round them. Seeing the constables were in difficulty, he went back and called some of his staff to come to their assistance. Just previously to his getting up to them Allen went behind Simpson and struck him a most cowardly blow with his clenched fist. Allen then turned round towards his office. Two men attempted to stop him, but he knocked them both down. Allen got as far as the Rendezvous Restaurant, when two other civilians and witness caught him. He held him until P.C. Simpson came up and took Allen to the police station. Allen made plenty of threats when he was holding him as to what he would do when let go, but he made no suggestion that he was the wrong man.

Whelan said he did not strike P.C. Simpson with a whip, as he had not got one. When Simpson bustled him out of the Chequers public house he left the whip lying on the table. When arrested he was talking with his friends and two soldiers. Simpson came up and got hold of him, and a civilian with the policeman struck him in the face two or three times. That was why he struggled.

The Chairman: Do you mean Mr. Haslam struck you?

Whelan: No, it was not Mr. Haslam. Continuing, Whelan said if he had not been struck he would have gone to the station without struggling. He admitted he had had a good deal of beer, but he was not drunk.

Allen said he did not want to say anything.

An officer said all three prisoners had got good military characters. Whelan had just been promoted lance corporal, and the other two were officers` servants. There was no civil conviction against any of the prisoners.

Colonel Owen: I see Allen is in plain clothes. If a soldier is allowed out wearing plain clothes, that shows that his military character is good, doesn`t it?

The Officer: Yes, sir.

The Chairman said Whelan would be fined 10s. for being drunk and disorderly, and £1 for assaulting the police. The other two prisoners would be fined 1 each. With regard to the remark passed by one of the prisoners that the police could not touch soldiers, he might say that the police had the same duty to perform with regard to soldiers as to the rest of the community. If it had not been for the prisoners` good characters, the Magistrates would have sent them to prison.

The Bench thanked Mr. Haslam for assisting the police.

The Chief Constable (Mr. A.S. Beesley) said he would like to associate himself with the Magistrates` remarks, and say how much help such as Mr. Haslam`s was appreciated.

Folkestone Herald 12-11-1927

Local News

For committing damage to the extent of 5s. in the Chequers Hotel on October 30^th, four Folkestone men, whose names were given as  Harry Wise, Vernon Bridgood, Stephen Cook and Leslie Roach, were each fined 5s. and costs at the Folkestone Police Court on Tuesday.

It was stated by the licensee, Mrs. Charlotte Scriven, that the men entered the house on the night of October 30^th and went into the tap room. They asked for permission to play the piano, and she told them they did not allow it on Sunday. They did not reply, but when she entered the room ten minutes later she found that a gas bracket, a picture frame, and some darts and rings had been broken, the damage amounting to about 5s.

In fining the men 5s. each and costs of the damage, the Chairman, Mr. G.I. Swoffer, said as the offence was committed on licensed premises it was a very grave charge. The licensees had to keep law and order, and they might think themselves lucky they had got off with a fine as they had.

Note: No record of Charlotte Scriven in More Bastions.