Thanks And Acknowledgements

My thanks go to Kent Libraries and Archives - Folkestone Library and also to the archive of the Folkestone Herald. For articles from the Folkestone Observer, my thanks go to the Kent Messenger Group. Southeastern Gazette articles are from UKPress Online, and Kentish Gazette articles are from the British Newspaper Archive. See links below.

Paul Skelton`s great site for research on pubs in Kent is also linked

Other sites which may be of interest are the Folkestone and District Local History Society, the Kent History Forum, Christine Warren`s fascinating site, Folkestone Then And Now, and Step Short, where I originally found the photo of the bomb-damaged former Langton`s Brewery, links also below.


Welcome

Welcome to Even More Tales From The Tap Room.

Core dates and information on licensees tenure are taken from Martin Easdown and Eamonn Rooney`s two fine books on the pubs of Folkestone, Tales From The Tap Room and More Tales From The Tap Room - unfortunately now out of print. Dates for the tenure of licensees are taken from the very limited editions called Bastions Of The Bar and More Bastions Of The Bar, which were given free to very early purchasers of the books.

Easiest navigation of the site is by clicking on the PAGE of the pub you are looking for and following the links to the different sub-pages. Using the LABELS is, I`m afraid, not at all user-friendly.

Contrast Note

Whilst the above-mentioned books and supplements represent an enormous amount of research over many years, it is almost inevitable that further research will throw up some differences to the published works. Where these have been found, I have noted them. This is not intended to detract in any way from previous research, but merely to indicate that (possible) new information is available.

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Saturday, 24 May 2014

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

Lance Corporal Morris John Whelan, of the 11th 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 11th 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 30th, 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 30th 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.
 
 
 

 

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