Royal Pavilion Hotel 1910s

Folkestone Express 14-9-1912

Tuesday, September 10^th: Before W.G. Herbert, J. Stainer, G.I. Swoffer, and G. Boyd Esqs.

 

George Coleman was charged with being drunk and disorderly in Harbour Street the previous night.

 

Prisoner, on entering the dock, said before the proceedings went any further he thought he was justified in asking Mr. Herbert not to sit on the Bench, because he attacked him in a very cruel manner when he had the misfortune to be placed there the last time. He thought Mr. Herbert himself would feel that under the circumstances he should not act.

 

The Clerk: I am sure you will get justice from Mr. Herbert as well as from the other Magistrates. Personally I am sorry you have made such a statement.

 

Coleman: He is prejudiced.

 

The Clerk: Are you Guilty or not?

 

Coleman: I was elevated.
 

The Clerk: Were you drunk and disorderly?

 

Coleman: I don`t think I was disorderly. I had three drops of spirit.

 

Inspector Lawrence said at five minutes to eleven the previous night he was called to the Royal Pavilion Hotel buffet, where he saw the prisoner leaning over the bar, and at the request of the barmaid he got Coleman out of the hotel. When he got into the road, prisoner commenced to shout and swear, and he was compelled to bring him to the police station.

 

Prisoner said it was not his habit to swear. He had been in great pain all day. He had been working very hard, and he did not take alcohol in any way whatever. However, the previous evening when he had finished his business he took a little drop of gin. There were three drops, but not very large, only twopennyworths. When he went to the Pavilion Hotel the young woman, very rightly, probably, did not wish to serve him. When he was asked to leave, the Inspector would admit, he left. He had no recollection of using obscene language. He might have said it was d---- stupidity, but he could not call that obscene language.

 

Inspector Lawrence then gave an example of the language.

 

Prisoner said he saw men rolling and staggering about the town almost every day, but no-one interfered with them. However, he was the “pilgarlic”, and he was taken. It must be prejudice, and was persecution and nothing less. Everyone in that Court knew that between the Harbour and the north end of the town any time of day, and on all days of the week, they would see a man or certain men staggering or rolling about, but no-one interfered with them. That, however, was no justification for him, but it was not fair. He had been a tradesman, and had lost £6,000 in that town. His wife had lost her business owing to the insanitary condition of the premises, and his children had been injured. He admitted he might have been excitable, but he did not admit that he was using obscene language.

 

The Clerk said during the past six years Coleman had been fined three times for drunkenness.

 

The Chairman said the prisoner would be fined 5s. and 4s. 6d. costs, and the Magistrates hoped that he would not come there again.

 

Coleman: I hope I shall not.

Folkestone Express 29-8-1914

Saturday, August 22^nd: Before Mr. E.T. Ward and Col. Owen.

Lucy Foreman was charged with stealing a ring, the property of a fellow servant at the Royal Pavilion Hotel.

Maud Ellen Lambert, a chambermaid employed at the Royal Pavilion Hotel, said the prisoner had also been employed there as staff maid from July 28^th until August 14^th, when she left without notice. The ring (produced) was her property. On Thursday week she placed the ring in a hatpin box in her bedroom, and she saw it safe on the following morning at ten o`clock. The same evening she went to the box, but the ring was missing. She made a search for it, but could not find it, and on Saturday she gave information to the police. On Friday she was shown the ring with two others, and identified it as her property. She valued the ring at 32/6. On Thursday before the prisoner left she was sweeping he (prosecutrix`s) room at four o`clock. She did not give the prisoner permission to take the ring; in fact, she had not even shown it to her.

Harrison Prescott, manager to Mr. S.W. Joseph, pawnbroker, of High Street, said the previous day, at half past eleven, the prisoner came to the shop and offered the ring produced in pledge, and asked a loan of 5/- or 6/-. She said it was her property, and had been in her possession five or six years, it having been given to her by a young man. He ultimately advanced 5/- on it. Prisoner gave the name of Lily Gilham, 85a, Marshall Street. Later in the day he handed it over to Det. Sergt. Johnson.

Det. Sergt. Johnson said from information received he made inquiries. The previous evening at 9.45, he, in company with P.C. Butcher, saw the prisoner in the public bar of the Swan Inn, Dover Road. He called her outside, and told her they were two police officers, and asked her her name. She replied “Lucy Foreman”. He then cautioned her, and showed the ring (produced), which had been given to him by the last witness, and told her she answered the description of a woman who had pledged the ring, which had been stolen, at Mr. Joseph`s, and had been identified by Maud Lambert as her property. He informed her she would be charged with stealing it from a bedroom at the Royal Pavilion Hotel on the 14<sup>th</sup>. She replied “My young man, named Carter, gave it to me two years ago”. He saw Carter in the prisoner`s presence, and showed him the ring produced, and told him that the prisoner said he gave her the ring two years ago, He replied “I did not. She asked me to pledge it for her. I took it down to the pawnshop, and they refused to take it in”. Prisoner then said “I may as well tell you the truth. My husband gave it to me as an engagement ring ten years ago, but he is now in Canada”. He brought her to the police station and formally charged her, and she again said her husband gave it to her ten years ago. Prisoner had not a wedding ring on.

Prisoner asked the Magistrates to decide the case, and pleaded Not Guilty. She said her husband gave her the ring ten years ago when she was in the Victoria Hospital.

The Clerk pointed out that she told Det. Sergt. Johnson that her young man gave it to her two years ago.

Prisoner said what she told the Magistrates was the truth.

The Chief Constable (Mr. Reeve) said they knew nothing about the prisoner there. She had, however, been drifting about a good deal. Mr. Easton, the Police Court Missioner, told him that she was eight or nine years ago in service in the town, and bore a very good character then. She was married, but her husband had deserted her, and she had one or two children in the Cottage Homes at Chatham. He was afraid she had not been leading a very good life since she had been down there.

The Clerk said Mr. Easton informed him that the prisoner had been in a Salvation Army Home from January to July, when she was found that situation down there.

Prisoner agreed to go into a home.

The Chairman said they did not wish to send her to prison. They wished to give her another chance. They had decided to bind her over for twelve months, the condition being that she was to go into a home for that period, during which time she would be under the supervision of the Probation Officer.

Folkestone Herald 29-8-1914

Saturday, August 22^nd: Before Mr. E.T. Ward and Col. G.P. Owen.

Lucy Foreman was charged with stealing a ring, the property of Maud Ellen Lambert. She pleaded Not Guilty.

Miss Maud Ellen Lambert said she was employed at the Royal Pavilion Hotel, and prisoner was employed there as staff maid from July 24^th till August 10^th. On the 14^th inst. accused left without giving notice. The ring produced was identified by the witness as her property. On Thursday, August 13^th, witness placed the ring in a hairpin box. At 10 o`clock on Friday morning it was safe there, but on the same evening when witness went to the box it was gone. She made a search, but was unable to find it. On Saturday afternoon witness gave information to the police, and on Friday afternoon, the 21^st inst., she was shown the ring with two others. She identified hers. She valued it at 32s. 6d. On the day it disappeared prisoner swept out her room. Accused left about seven in the evening. Witness had not given or lent the ring to prisoner.

Mr. H. Prescott, employed by Mr. S.W. Joseph, pawnbroker, deposed that on Friday, 21^st inst., at 11.30, prisoner came into the shop and asked for a loan of 5s. or 6s. on the ring. Witness asked her if it was her property, and she said it had been in her possession for about two years, it having been given to her by her young man. Witness advanced her 7s. in the name of Lillie Gibbons, 85a, Marshall Street. Later in the day witness handed over the ring to Detective Sergt. Johnson.

Detective Sergt. Johnson deposed that on Friday night, at 9.45, he saw prisoner at the Swan Hotel, in Dover Road. In the company of P.C. Butcher he called her outside and told her they were two police officers. Witness asked her for her name and she replied “Lucy Foreman”. He then cautioned her and showed her the ring, telling her that it had been stolen and that Miss Lambert identified it as her property. Witness added that she would be charged with stealing it from a bedroom at the Royal Pavilion Hotel on the 14^th inst. She said “My young man, Carter, gave it to me two years ago”. Witness then saw Carter in prisoner`s presence and showed him the ring, but he said he did not give it to her. Carter said she had asked him to pledge it, but they refused to do so at the pawnshop. Accused then said “I may as well tell you the truth. My husband gave it to me ten years ago, but he is now in Canada”. Witness brought her to the police station and there formally charged her. Prisoner again said her husband, who was in Canada, gave it to her ten years ago.

Prisoner, in defence, said her husband had given it to her ten years ago when she was in the Royal Victoria Hospital.

The Chairman asked her if she would go in a home. At first she refused, but on second thought she said she would. She was then bound over for 12 months, and to go into a home selected by Mr. Easton, the Police Court Missioner, for that period.

Folkestone Express 16-3-1918

Wednesday, March 13^th: Before Mr. G.I. Swoffer and other Magistrates.

Thomas Leonard Ford was charged with stealing a pair of fur gauntlet gloves, value 50s., from the cloakroom of the Royal Pavilion Hotel.

William Alfred Taunton, head porter at the Royal Pavilion Hotel, said the prisoner was the attendant in charge of the cloakroom. On January 16^th he was on duty there. A few days later he asked the prisoner if he knew anything about a letter concerning the loss of some gloves. He handed him the letter and prisoner said “Mr. Taunton, I know nothing whatever about them. I have never seen him”.

Lieut. G.T. Mellitt said on January 16^th he stayed at the hotel for a few hours, and left his pack in the cloakroom with the attendant, from whom he received a receipt. The pack was there about five hours, and he received it from the same attendant. Included in the pack was the pair of gloves (produced), which he valued at 50s. On opening the pack later he missed the gloves.

Harold Robert Manning, taxicab driver of the Pavilion Garage, said some evening about the end of January he was standing with his cab near the entrance to the Hotel when the prisoner came out of the Hotel to him and asked him if he would buy a pair of gloves, which he had had for some months. Witness enquired what sort they were, and Ford replied “Big fur gloves”. He asked the prisoner if he could see the gloves, and he said he could if he went down into his room. Witness went with him to a room in the basement, and the gloves (produced) were taken by Ford from a drawer, and witness asked him the price. Ford replied “10s.” and witness gave him that money, as he thought it was a fair price, having seen gloves like them marked up for 18s. 6d. He wore them for a fortnight.

Det. Sergt. Leonard Johnson said about 11.30 the previous morning he went to the Royal Pavilion Hotel, where he saw the prisoner, whom he told he should charge with stealing the pair of gauntlet gloves, one of which he showed to the prisoner. Ford replied “I went round to dinner, and when I came back to the cloakroom I found them. I asked several officers there if they belonged to them, and they said “No”. I kept them two or three days and then sold them”. Witness brought him to the police station, where he made no reply to the charge. Manning handed him the gloves on February 25^th, when he was making inquiries about them.

Prisoner said he wished to be tried by the Magistrates. He was Not Guilty. When he went to dinner on the day in question he left the cloakroom in charge of another attendant. He found the gloves, and he ought to have taken them to the office. When spoken to by Taunton concerning them, he had sold the gloves.

The Chief Constable (Mr. Reeve) said the prisoner was a Folkestone man, and had been working about the town in the different hotels. Stange to say, some 27 years ago he was fined for stealing property from the same hotel. He understood that several complaints had reached the hotel of property having been missed from officers` luggage in the cloakroom.

The Chairman said had it not been for the prisoner`s good character for a long time they would have dealt very severely with him, for he was in a place of trust. Other people must be protected, and the prisoner would have to go to prison for a month`s hard labour.

The witness Manning was called forward, and the Chairman said he must think himself lucky that he was not in the dock. He ought to have known better than to buy the gloves. He never inquired where they came from, and the Magistrates warned him that if he ever came there again in such a way he might find himself doing time. 

Folkestone Herald 16-3-1918

Wednesday, March 12^th: Before Mr. G.I. Swoffer and other Magistrates.

Thomas Leonard Ford was charged with stealing a pair of gauntlet gloves, value 50s., from luggage left by an officer in the cloak room of the Royal Pavilion Hotel on January 16^th.

Wm. Alfred Taunton, head porter at the Royal Pavilion Hotel, said defendant was the cloakroom attendant at the Hotel. On January 16^th witness gave him a letter to read, complaining that a pair of fur gauntlet gloves had been taken from an officer`s pack in the cloakroom. Defendant said he knew nothing whatever about them, and had never seen them.

Lieutenant G.T. Mallett stated that on January 16^th he stayed at the Hotel for a few hours, and deposited his pack in the cloakroom, leaving it with the attendant. He could not say prisoner was the attendant. He received the luggage back from the same attendant. Later he opened his pack and missed the gloves, which were a present to him, and were worth about 50s.

Harold Robert Manning, a taxi driver employed at the Pavilion Garage, stated that on an evening near the end of January he was standing with his cab  in front of the Pavilion Hotel, when defendant came out of the hotel to him and asked him if he would buy a pair of big fur gloves he had had for some months. Witness asked to see the gloves, and defendant took him to his room in the hotel and showed them to him. Witness asked him the price, and he said “10s.”, which witness gave him. Witness wore the gloves for a fortnight, and then put them away. Later he handed them to Detective Sergeant Johnson.

Detective Sergeant Johnson stated that on the previous morning he saw prisoner at the Royal Pavilion Hotel, and told him he would be charged with stealing the gloves. Witness showed him one of the gloves, and he said “I went round to dinner, and when I came back to the cloakroom I found them. I asked several officers if they belonged to them, and they said “No”. I kept them two or three days and then sold them”. When charged at the police station he made no reply. Witness saw Manning on February 25^th, and from what he told him Manning handed him the gloves.

Prisoner said he was Not Guilty. He left the cloakroom in charge of another attendant. When he came back he found the gloves lying on a suitcase. He inquired of the officers present, and finally kept them for several days. As they were still unclaimed, he sold them.

The Chief Constable said prisoner had been working in local hotels for a good many years. He had been charged at that Court and fined £2 for stealing property from the Royal Pavilion Hotel 27 years ago. He understood the management of the Hotel had had many complaints of property being stolen from officers` luggage.

The Chairman said if prisoner had not had a good character he would have had a long sentence. A person in a position of trust like this must be taught in order to protect the public. Prisoner would go to prison for one month with hard labour.

Addressing the witness Manning, the Chairman said he was fortunate in not finding himself in the dock. He ought to have known better that to buy a pair of gloves like that for 10s. He must have known they were worth more. He had better not come before the Bench again under similar circumstances.