Updates

6th July, 2013: Folkestone Express Reports for 1905 Added

Pavilion Shades 1900s

Folkestone Chronicle 20-12-1902

Wednesday, December 17^th: Before Alderman J. Banks, Messrs. Wightwick, Swoffer, and Herbert, and Lieut. Col. Hamilton.

 

The following transfer of wine, beer, and spirit licences was granted: The Pavilion Shades to William Edward Neal (sic)

Folkestone Express 20-12-1902

Wednesday, December 17^th: Before Alderman Banks, Lieut. Colonel Hamilton, W. Wightwick, W.G. Herbert, and G.I. Swoffer Esqs.

A transfer of licence was granted to William Edward Nash for the Pavilion Shades.

Folkestone Express 4-11-1905

Wednesday, November 1^st: Before Aldermen Spurgen and Vaughan, Lieut. Col. Fynmore, and W.C. Carpenter Esq.

Robert James Smart, Patrick Maloney, and Robert Richard Fitzgerald were charged with stealing a mackintosh, an overcoat, a woollen scarf, and a pair of woollen gloves, the property of General Jackson, from the hall of No. 6, Castle Hill Avenue, the previous Wednesday.

Kate Hunter, parlourmaid in the employ of General Jackson, of 6, Castle Hill Avenue, said she recognised Maloney as a man who went to the house on the previous Wednesday evening and asked for assistance. On Sunday she missed from the hall a mackintosh coat, and also a dark cloth overcoat. The cloth coat had silk facings, and had covered buttons. She also missed a white woollen knitted scarf, and also a pair of woollen gloves. The articles were missed from the lobby of the hall, the door of which was only closed at night. On Monday evening Det. Sergt. Burniston showed her the mackintosh, which she identified as the property of General Jackson.

In answer to Maloney, she said he went to the house about seven o`clock, and he was in the lobby.

Charles Dobbs, residing at 24, Athelstan Road, said he recognised the three men. At half past eight on Saturday night he saw Smart and Fitzgerald in Harbour Street. The former was wearing a dark overcoat and a white knitted scarf. The latter had the mackintosh produced on his arm, and was trying to sell it. Smart asked him if he could sell the mackintosh, but previous to that he asked witness to have a drink. He accepted the invitation, and they went into the Wellington public house, where he asked him to sell the overcoat. He said if witness sold it he would give him a shilling. Witness told him he would not, as he did not know where to sell it. They came out of the house together, and witness left him after directing him to the Pavilion Shades stables, where he said he might sell it. He remembered one day last week he saw Maloney and Smart going up Canterbury Road.

Frederick Charles Rigden, a licensed cab driver, residing at 5, East Cliff, said he recognised Smart and Fitzgerald. On Saturday night he was in the harness room at the Pavilion Shades when they came to him. Smart had the mackintosh, which he asked him to buy. He replied he did not want it, and the prisoner then said he could have it for 4s. Witness told him he did not want it, and he had better take it away. Prisoner then said he had been out of work several weeks and had got the coat from General Jackson, who had given it to him because he was going away. Witness eventually gave him 3s. for it. On Monday he handed the mackintosh to Sergt. Burniston.

In answer to Smart, witness said he told him that General Jackson had given him the overcoat.

Smart: It is a lie.

Fitzgerald then said that Smart did tell the witness General Jackson gave him the mackintosh, but as he was drunk at the time he could not remember what he said.

Det. Sergt. Burniston said on Monday, from information he received respecting an overcoat and mackintosh missing from 6, Castle Hill Avenue, he made enquiries, and at 7 p.m. he called on Rigden, who handed him the mackintosh produced. Witness continued the enquiry, and the previous evening he went to Canterbury. At 10.20 p.m. he saw Maloney and Fitzgerald together. He said to them “I shall charge you with being concerned with a man named Smart, who is detained at Canterbury police station, in stealing from the hall of No. 6, Castle Hill Avenue, Folkestone, a mackintosh, an overcoat, a woollen scarf, and a pair of woollen gloves, the property of General Jackson”. Neither made any reply. Witness took them to the Canterbury police station, where Smart was brought forward, and he then charged the prisoners with being concerned in the theft. Later on he brought them to the Folkestone police station, where they were formally charged. Maloney replied “About 10 a.m. last Sunday I went in the Tramway public house to look for Smart. I waited half an hour, when I saw Smart and Fitzgerald. Smart said “Can you sell an overcoat for me?” I told him I would try, and Smart then handed me a dark mixture overcoat, which was silk lined. I took the coat and tried to sell it. I could not sell it, and later on I took the coat back to Smart”. Smart said “Maloney and myself kept a look out while Fitzgerald went to the house and stole the coats. When he sold the coat on Sunday, Maloney had a share in the money”. Fitzgerald said “I am not going to get the old sergeant into trouble”, no doubt referring to Maloney as the “old sergeant”.

The Chief Constable said that was as far as he could take the case that morning, and he should like the Magistrates to grant a remand, so that he could endeavour to trace the other coat.

Prisoners were the remanded until Saturday.

Folkestone Express 11-11-1905

Saturday, November 4^th: Before Aldermen Spurgen and Vaughan, Lieut. Col. Fynmore, and W.C. Carpenter Esq.

Robert James Smart, Patrick Maloney, and Robert Richard Fitzgerald, who were before the Magistrates on Wednesday, were brought up on remand and charged with stealing an overcoat, a mackintosh, a woollen scarf, and a pair of woollen gloves from the hall of No. 6, Castle Hill Avenue, the property of General Jackson.

The evidence given at the first appearance of the prisoners before the Magistrates was read over.

Miss Hunter, a parlourmaid in the employ of General Jackson, said she identified the overcoat produced as that of her employer.

Detective Sergeant Burniston further stated that at midday on Wednesday he called on Alfred Howard, who handed him the coat now produced, which was afterwards identified by Miss Hunter. The value of the coat and mackintosh was 30s.

Henry Boorman, the landlord of the Hope Inn, said he recognised Smart and Maloney. On Sunday, just before two o`clock, Maloney went to his private bar and asked him if he wanted to buy the coat produced. He said the man was “on the road” and stopping at the Radnor, and wanted 4s. for it. Witness told him he had no use for the coat, and prisoner replied if he had the money he would buy it. When Maloney got outside, he was joined by Smart and another man and went off towards Dover Street.

Alfred Howard, living at the Tramway Tavern, said on Sunday, about a quarter to two, he saw Smart in the Clarendon Hotel with a man with whom witness worked. Smart was wearing the coat, and he asked witness if he would buy the coat for 4s. Witness asked him if the coat belonged to him, and he said it did, but he had not had it long. He further said he was hard up and wanted to get to Canterbury and also wanted food. Witness told him he could only afford to give him 3s. for the coat, and also said that when the prisoner pulled himself round at Canterbury he could have the coat if he returned with the 3s. he gave for it. On Wednesday Detective Sergeant Burniston came to him and he handed the coat to him.

Smart pleaded Not Guilty to stealing the coat, but Guilty to selling it knowing it to have been stolen. Maloney did not steal the coat.

Maloney said he was Not Guilty. He met Smart on Sunday morning about ten o`clock, and he asked him if he could dispose of the coat. He (the speaker) took the coat, silly enough, because he thought the coat actually belonged to Smart.

Fitzgerald pleaded Guilty to stealing the coat.

Inspector Swift said he had not been able to find any convictions against Maloney and Smart. However, he identified Fitzgerald as William Murray, against whom there were nine convictions for larceny dating from 1887. One of the sentences was three years penal servitude for theft from a hall.

The prisoners were sentenced to six weeks` hard labour, and the Chairman said it would have been a serious thing for Fitzgerald if he had been sent to the Quarter Sessions with a record like he had.

Smart said that if the two others had spoken the truth they would have said that he did not steal the coat but that Maloney took it.

The Chairman further said that people ought to be more careful in buying anything from unknown men.