Updates

29-3-2014: Folkestone Express and Folkestone Herald Reports for 1919 Added.

Prince of Wales 1915 - 1919

Folkestone Express 27-11-1915

Local News

At a sitting of the Folkestone Bench on Wednesday, before E.T. Ward Esq., and other Magistrates, the licence of the Prince of Wales (beerhouse), Guildhall Street, was temporarily transferred from Miss Weaver to Mr. Claude Banks.

Note: Date is at variance with More Bastions.

Folkestone Herald 27-11-1915

Wednesday, November 24^th: Before Mr. E.T. Ward, Lieut. Col. R.J. Fynmore, Mr. G.I. Swoffer, Mr. R.J. Linton, Councillor G. Boyd, Councillor W.J. Harrison, Mr. E.T. Morrison, and Col. G.P. Owen.

The licence of the Prince of Wales, Guildhall Street, was temporarily transferred from Miss Weaver to Mr. C. Banks.

Note: This is at variance with More Bastions.

Folkestone Express 15-1-1916

Wednesday, January 12^th: Before E.T. Ward, Lieut. Col. Fynmore, G.I. Swoffer, R.J. Linton, G. Boyd, R.G. Wood, E.T. Morrison and J.J. Giles Esqs.

The justices granted the transfer of the licence of the Prince of Wales beerhouse, Guildhall Street, to Mr. Claude L. Banks from Miss Weaver.

Folkestone Herald 15-1-1916

Wednesday, January 12^th: Before Mr. E.T. Ward, Lieut. Col. R.J. Fynmore, Mr. G.I. Swoffer, Mr. R.J. Linton, Councillor G. Boyd, Councillor R.G. Wood, Mr. J.J. Giles, and Mr. E.T. Morrison.

Mr. L. Banks made an application for the transfer of the licence of the Prince of Wales beerhouse, Guildhall Street, from Miss Weaver to Mr. C.L. Banks. Granted.

Folkestone Herald 21-4-1917

Friday, April 20^th: Before Mr. G.I. Swoffer and other Magistrates.

Claude Latham Banks, landlord of the Prince of Wales, Guildhall Street, was summoned for permitting drinking in prohibited hours. Defendant, who pleaded Not Guilty, was represented by Mr. A.K. Mowll.

P.S. Sales said at 11.50 p.m. on April 16^th, he saw a light in a rear room of the Prince of Wales. He knocked at the door and asked if anyone was on the premises. Defendant said “No, only the wife and kiddy. Why?” Witness said “I have reason to believe you have”. Defendant then said he had a few friends in. Witness entered the premises, and in a rear room saw three civilians and a soldier sitting at the table. Defendant said they were his guests, and the soldier said “We have been having supper”. Witness said he could not see any sign of supper, to which defendant replied that they had had supper some time before. On the mantel he found two pint glasses and two wine glasses. One of the large glasses contained about half a pint of beer. The landlord said “That`s mine”, and drank the contents. The other glasses had evidently had mineral waters in them. Witness took the names of the men and said he would report them for a summons. The soldier said “This is a bit of red tape; worse than being in France”. Defendant said “Don`t make it too thick; it is most unfortunate. I would have given anything for it not to have happened”.

By Mr. Mowll: Defendant showed him a bottle of ginger wine in the bar, and said that was what the men had been having. He was not satisfied that the glasses had been used for ginger wine. Defendant told him he had invited the men at 9 o`clock.

By the Magistrates` Clerk: The room was not a public one. There was nothing of any kind on the table, and there were no marks of glasses.

P.C. Whittaker corroborated.

Mr. Mowll submitted that he had no case to answer, and pointed out that the section under which the action was taken said “Any person who sells or exposes for sale”, whilst another section stated that the Court must be satisfied that a transaction in the nature of a sale was about to take place. This, he suggested, had not been proved.

The Magistrates decided to hear the evidence for the defence.

Defendant stated that he and three of the other men, whose birthdays came near together at the beginning of April, met at the Hippodrome on the previous Saturday, and arranged to have a birthday supper on the Monday. Witness provided the supper, which was laid in his own private room. Nothing was provided to drink with the supper, but later the men had some ginger wine, and witness had a glass of beer. Witness offered to show Sergt. Sales the remains of the supper, and he replied “No, I am perfectly satisfied”.

By the Chief Constable: The fifth glass must have been either removed with the supper, or have been on the floor.

Pte. W.T. Tillings, Royal Fusiliers, corroborated.

At this point the Bench dismissed the case, with a caution to licence holders that they ran great risks by giving these little suppers.

 

Folkestone Express 28-4-1917

Friday, April 20^th: Before Mr. G.I. Swoffer and other Magistrates.

Claude Latham Banks, landlord of the Prince of Wales, Guildhall Street, was summoned for selling drink during prohibited hours on April 16^th. Mr. A.K. Mowll appeared for the defendant and pleaded Not Guilty.

P.S. Sales said at 11.50 p.m. on the 16^th he was on duty, when he saw a light in a room at the Prince of Wales, Guildhall Street. He knocked, and on the defendant appearing, he asked him if he had anyone on the premises. He said “Only the wife and kiddie”. Later, he said he only had a few friends, and witness said he would see them. In a room at the back of the bar, witness saw four men sitting at a table, one of them being a soldier. Witness asked them what they were doing there, and defendant said “They are my guests”. The soldier said they had stayed to supper. Defendant, in reply to the Sergeant, said he invited the men about 9 o`clock. The room was described by the landlord as his private room. On the mantelshelf there were four glasses, one of which contained about half a pint of beer. Defendant said that was his. The other glasses had apparently contained “minerals”. He took the names of the men, and said they would be reported for being on licensed premises during prohibited hours. The soldier said “This is red tape; I`d sooner be back in France”. Defendant, when told he would be reported, said it was most unfortunate; he would not have had it happen for anything. He was very sorry.

Cross-examined by Mr. Mowll: The house was properly locked up. Witness was satisfied that the men were not there for supper. Defendant showed him a bottle which contained non-alcoholic ginger wine.

By the Clerk: There were no glasses on the table.

By the Chief Constable: The glasses were within reach of the men sitting at the table.

P.C. Whittaker, who accompanied the last witness, corroborated.

Mr. Mowll submitted that there was no case for him to answer, as it had not been proved there had actually been a sale.

The Bench ruled that the case must proceed, and Mr. Mowll called the defendant, who, giving evidence, said it was arranged to give a birthday supper party, but this was put off because witness was ill. However, the four of them met at the Hippodrome on Saturday, and arranged to meet for supper at his house on Monday. They occupied his own private room. For supper cold beef, mixed pickles, and bread and cheese were served, but they had nothing to drink at all for supper. After the repast the supper things were removed into the kitchen. After supper his guests had a non-alcoholic ginger wine. They had not played at cards. The soldier told them about Vimy Ridge, where he was wounded at the previous battle.

Cross-examined by the Chief Constable: He did not remember saying to the Sergeant when asked whether he had anyone on his premises “No, only the wife and kiddie”. All his guests left the premises at 8 o`clock, and returned at 9 o`clock. Witness charged nothing for the supper. He was sure they had nothing to drink with the meal. After the supper they all drank ginger wine with the exception of witness. The fourth glass must have been removed with the remains of the supper, or been placed on the floor. The time after the supper was spent in conversation, and he was surprised how quickly the time went.

By the Clerk: The civilians had been customers of his ever since he had had the house – about 18 months. They were invited because their birthdays were all close together. They did not have a party last year. The soldier`s experiences were the topic of the evening. He had to “call time” on beer at 7 o`clock that evening, because he only had a certain amount of beer to sell per day, and had to keep it down.

Private William T. Tillings, who was one of the party, said the landlord arranged the supper as they were leaving the Hippodrome on Saturday. He was wounded at Vimy Ridge on May 23^rd last. He had a pass which entitled him to be out till midnight.

The Chief Constable: Didn`t you find all this conversation rather dry work? – Not particularly.

How many glasses of ginger wine did you have? – Only one.

Did you have anything to drink with the supper? – No.

Rather dry, wasn`t it? – Yes, it went down rather dry.

The Chairman here announced that the majority of the Bench held that there was not sufficient evidence to justify a conviction, and the case would therefore be dismissed. They, however, wished to caution licence holders about “these little supper parties”, and hoped this sort of thing would not happen again. Let licensees think of the risks they were running.

Folkestone Herald 28-7-1917

Local News

The following licence was transferred at the Police Court on Tuesday, Mr. E.T. Ward being in the chair: Prince of Wales, Guildhall Street, from Mr. Barber (sic) to Mr. C. Stay.

 

Folkestone Express 18-8-1917

Local News

On Wednesday at the Police Court the following licence was transferred; the Prince of Wales beerhouse, Guildhall Street, from Mr. C.L. Banks to Mr. C. Stay 

Folkestone Herald 18-8-1917

Local News

At a sitting of the Borough Magistrates on Wednesday, Mr. G.I. Swoffer presiding, the licence of the Prince of Wales beerhouse was transferred from Mr. C.L. Banks to Mr. C. Stay 

Folkestone Express 2-2-1918

Friday, January 25^th: Before Mr. G.I. Swoffer, Councillors G. Boyd and E.T. Morrison, and the Rev. Epworth Thompson.

Charles Stay was summoned in respect of a breach of the Lighting Order in Guildhall Street, and the case was adjourned till the morrow, defendant not appearing.

Sergt. Burniston said that when he called at the house the defendant remarked to him “Oh! You go to h---“.

Saturday, January 26^th: Before G. Boyd and E.T. Morrison Esqs.

Charles Stay, of Guildhall Street, summoned for a bright light at the Prince of Wales public house, whose case was adjourned from the previous day, now appeared, and he was defended by Mr. H.W. Watts.

The evidence given on the previous day was repeated and the defendant and his daughter also stated that no light was showing from the room.

The Magistrates imposed a fine of £2, there being a previous conviction for a similar offence.

Folkestone Herald 2-2-1918

Local News

On Saturday at the Police Court, Charles Stay, occupier of the Prince of Wales beerhouse, was fined £2 for a breach of the Lighting Order.

Folkestone Express 31-5-1919

Friday, May 23^rd: Before Lieut. Col. Fynmore, Col. Owen, the Rev. Epworth Thompson, Messrs. Collins, Condy, and Blamey.

Mr. Charles Stay, of the Prince of Wales beerhouse, was summoned for allowing a child to be in the bar during opening hours. Mr. H.W. Watts appeared for the defendant and pleaded Guilty.

Inspector Sales said at 12.45 on May 18^th he saw the defendant`s son serving customers. Defendant said the boy was 14 last December, but witness said his information was that the lad was 13 years of age. Subsequently Mr. Stay produced the birth certificate, which showed that the boy was 13 last December.

Mr. Watts, addressing the Bench in mitigation, said on the day in question Mrs. Stay was away, and defendant had the services of his son, a Boy Scout, honestly believing he was 14 years of age. The boy had not been in the bar since, and Mr. Stay was sorry the mistake had occurred.

Fined 10s.

Folkestone Herald 7-6-1919

Wednesday, June 4^th: Before Mr. A. Stace and Mr. W. Hollands.

Mrs. Mary Ann Williams was charged with wilfully damaging crates and bottles, value about 7s. 6d., the property of Mr. C.L. Verral, of 38, Foord Road.

Mr. Verral stated that defendant came to his premises drunk on Tuesday evening and asked for drink, which was refused. She then said “If you won`t ---- serve me, I`ll throw these over”, and deliberately pushed over the crates. Witness followed her up to Guildhall Street, where he gave her into custody.

P.C. Whitehead stated that in company with the first witness he went to the Prince of Wales Tavern, where defendant was in the private bar. He took her outside, and told her he would have to take her into custody, at which she became very violent.

Defendant said she was very sorry, but as her sight was bad she fell over the crates.

The Chief Constable said defendant had a very bad record, there being no less than 21 previous charges against her.

The Magistrates sentenced her to 14 days` hard labour, without the option of a fine.

Folkestone Herald 27-12-1919

Local News

We regret to announce the death of Mr. Henry Stocker, who passed away after a brief illness on Sunday last, at his residence, Lilford Villa, Cheriton Road, in his 71^st year. Deceased, who was a Londoner by birth, had resided in Folkestone for over thirty years, and up to the time of his retirement held the licence of the Prince of Wales Tavern, Guildhall Street, having previously been proprietor of an off licence in Foord Road. The deceased was a shrewd man of business. He was a member of the Sandgate Lodge of Freemasons, and in politics was an enthusiastic unionist. In the later years of his life he took a keen interest in gardening, and was passionately fond of flowers, especially roses. He leaves behind him a widow and six children. Of these three are abroad in the United States, Canada and Nova Scotia. Another is a well-known employee at the Post Office. Genuine sympathy is expressed for the widow and family.