Victoria (3) 1915 - 1919

Folkestone Express 22-1-1916

Elham County Bench

Thursday, January 20^th: Before E. Garnet Man, A.S. Jones, J.E. Quested, C.E. Mumford, H. Strahan, H.P. Jacques, F.E. Burke, E.J. Bishop and A.N. Watney Esqs.

Alice O`Connor, a laundry worker, denied purchasing a quart bottle of stout on behalf of a member of H.M. Forces for consumption off the premises.

Mr. H.W.J. Tomlinson, landlord of the Victoria Hotel, Cheriton, said on Christmas night the defendant came to his house and asked for two bottles of stout. He asked whether the beer was for a soldier, and she replied that it was for her own consumption, and that she knew the consequences of buying drink for soldiers.

A police constable said he saw the defendant hand a bottle to a soldier.

Defendant said it was supper beer, and two soldiers, who followed her, asked whether there was any chance of a drink. She said “No”, whereupon one of the soldiers took a bottle from her hand.

The Constable said subsequently the woman admitted giving the beer to the soldier.

As it was a first offence, defendant was fined 5/-, a week to pay being allowed.

Folkestone Herald 22-1-1916

Elham County Bench

Thursday, January 21^st: Before Mr. E. Garnet Man, Mr. F.E. Burke, Mr. A.S. Jones, Mr. H. Strahan, Mr. J.E. Quested, Mr. E.J. Bishop, Mr. C. Ed. Mumford, Mr. A.N. Watney, and Mr. H.P. Jacques.

Alice O`Connor, a laundry employee, was summoned for illegally procuring certain intoxicating drink for soldiers on Christmas night.

Mr. H.W. Tomlinson, landlord of the Victoria public house, Risborough Lane, Cheriton, stated that on Christmas night the defendant called at his house for two bottles of stout. He asked her whether it was for her own consumption, and whether she knew the consequences if it was to be given to soldiers. She replied “Yes, I know. The stout is for myself”. He then served her.

P.C. Clow stated that he was on duty outside the Victoria public house about eight o`clock, when he saw the defendant leave the house carrying two quart bottles of stout. Sergt. Withall was with him at the time, and remained on duty near the house. Witness followed the defendant some little distance, and he saw her hand one of the bottles to a soldier. He at once went to her, and brought her back to the house, when she said she gave one bottle to a soldier.

Defendant said that she purchased the two bottles of stout for herself. As she left the house she was followed by two soldiers, who asked her whether there was “any chance for a drink”. She said “No”, whereupon one of the men snatched a bottle out of her hands, and opened it as the constable came up.

Defendant was fined 5s.

Folkestone Express 27-10-1917

Local News

At the Elham Petty Sessions yesterday (Thursday) Herbert John William Tomlinson, of the Victoria Hotel, Cheriton, was fined £5 for supplying two corporals of the C.M.P. with beer. Having assisted in clearing the house at closing time, he gave them the beer. The Chairman, pointing out there had been some misconception that the military police had finished their duty at closing time, said that a military policeman was never off duty.

Folkestone Herald 27-10-1917

Elham Petty Sessions

Thursday, October 25^th: Before Major D`Aeth, Mr. E.J. Bishop, Mr. H. Strahan, and Mr. C. Ed. Mumford.

Herbert J.W. Tomlinson, licensee of the Victoria public house, Risborough Lane, Cheriton, was summoned for supplying beer to certain soldiers, contrary to the regulations. Mr. G.W. Haines defended, and pleaded Not Guilty.

Sergt. Major Gilbert Smith, of the Canadian Military Police, stated that on the evening of 22^nd September he was visiting the military police patrols. Some few minutes past eight o`clock he found a picquet standing outside the Victoria public house in Risborough Lane, and two Corporals, who should have been with the picquet, could not be seen. He went to the entrance of the house, and when he tried to get inside someone put what seemed to be his foot against the door to prevent him entering. Eventually he did enter, at about seven or ten minutes past eight. He saw Acting Corporal Fletcher and Acting Corporal Smith standing in front of the bar with beer glasses in front of them. They had their brassards on. He ordered them out. Each had a pint of beer in his glass. When they were outside he placed them under arrest. At 9.30 that night the defendant came to him at Cheriton and asked him to take no action of the matter, as it would be serious for him. He told defendant that it was no use endeavouring to discuss the matter with him, and it was up to his superiors to deal with it. He was quite certain as to the time he entered the house because before going on his duty for the night he checked his watch by official time.

Cross-examined: When he went to the door of the house he did not say who he was, and it might be quite possible that defendant put his foot to the door in order that no-one might enter. He knew of no order whereby corporals of the police could enter licensed premises “to clear the house” unless called upon by the landlord in cases of disturbance. Two days after he reported the corporals an order had been issued pointing out that corporals were not to enter any house at closing time unless urgently requested by the landlord.

Corporal James Smith, C.M.P., stated that he heard someone in the house call “time”. It was then a few minutes before eight o`clock. Fletcher and he entered the house, and saw some staff sergeants, who “jeered” at him. The whole of the men in the house left, including the staff sergeants. It had been customary for landlords to provide a pint of beer when the corporals of a picquet and police on duty entered to clear the house. He had a pint and so did Fletcher, who was with him.

The Chairman: If you were at any other house would this have occurred?

Witness: Yes, sir. It is the custom at all houses.

The Chairman: did you pay for it?

Witness: No; when the house was cleared of soldiers, a pint was put on the counter.

Mr. Haines, addressing the Bench, said he pleaded Guilty to a technical offence. In this district, ever since the Canadian troops were stationed in the locality, it had been a recognised custom that the police should have a glass of beer or ale when they cleared the houses of soldiers. This was not an offence against the regulations which dealt with offences “calculated to assist the enemy” or to “make a man less efficient for duty”. This was no sale, but an acknowledgement, so to speak, for “services rendered”; those services being to see that the house was clear of all troops at the proper time. This was no question of selling, and being a technical offence he asked the Bench to look upon the occurrence as a matter of custom, for the defendant had a good many years record without any complaint and the house had a clean record.

The Magistrates having deliberated in private, the Chairman said they concluded that an offence had been committed, and would therefore have to convict. But they recognised that the offence had arisen out of a lax system which had been allowed to be carried on, and which apparently became a custom amongst licence holders in the district. The defendant no doubt assumed that when the military police cleared the house at 8 o`clock the policeman`s duty was at an end, but a military police officer was never off duty. The defendant on this occasion committed two offences; he committed an offence against the “Treating Order”, for he treated the corporals to a drink of beer – a bad custom in the district – and he had supplied men with intoxicating liquor while they were on duty. Defendant would have to pay a fine of £5 as a warning to all other licensees. The Bench decided, however, that the defendant having been led by “custom” should not have any complaint made against the house or any endorsement of his licence at the next licensing meeting.

Superintendent Castle said he would note the observations made anent next Licensing Sessions.

Folkestone Herald 13-7-1918

Elham County Bench

Before Mr. E. Garnet Man, Dr. Tyson, Mr. A.S. Jones, Mr. E.J. Bishop, Mr. H. Strahan, and Mr. C. Ed. Mumford.

The licence of the Victoria Inn, Risborough Lane, Cheriton, was transferred from Mr. F.H.W. Tomlinson to Mr. F. Rivers.

Note: Date is at variance with More Bastions.