Gun Tavern 1940s

Folkestone Express 17-2-1940

Local News

Folkestone people who offend against the black-out regulation in regard to the lights in their houses and premises are now certain to pay increased fines. On Tuesday the magistrates imposed penalties, which were generally double those previously inflicted, after the Chief Constable (Mr. A.S. Beesley) had given a warning that there were still many bright lights to be seen in Folkestone, despite the fact that no less than 305 cases had been dealt with by the Folke­stone magistrates since the commence­ment of the war.

The Chief Constable, previous to the calling of the first defendant, said "I think the time has come when I should draw the special attention of the Bench to the number of defendants who are summoned for these particular offences. Since the war commenced 305 cases have keen dealt with by this Bench, and still there are cases every week and still very little notice appears to be taken of these regulations by the public. In the view of the Home Office and the Police it is very serious, for it is considered such lights would be of great use to enemy airmen. I think I should say that these remarks should be taken by people as a warning”.

The Mayor: The magistrates are seri­ously considering the number of sum­monses in respect of lighting we have had before us. We have, before coming Into Court, considered the matter of in­creasing the penalties.

Several defendants were before the Folkestone magistrates on Friday for breaches of the Lighting Order.

The first defendant was Mrs. Dorothy Green, the Gun Tavern, Guildhall Street.

P.C. McNaughton said at 9.05 p.m. on the 1^st February he was on duty in Cheri­ton Road and saw a bright light coming from the Gun Tavern. He saw the de­fendant, who admitted responsibility, and told her she would be reported. She replied that the light had only been on for a few minutes.

Defendant told the Court that she was out at black-out and came in thinking the black-out had been effected.

A fine of 10/- was imposed.

Local News

Many Folkestone people will regret to learn of the death of Mr. Bernard Ralph Straughan, at the Folkestone Royal Vic­toria Hospital, on Friday.

The late Mr. Straughan was 63 years of age, and for a number of years he resided in Folkestone. He was for quite a long period the licence holder of the Gun Tavern, and recently had been manager of the Trocadero Bars at Dover, from which position he had to retire owing to ill-health.

One of his sons, who is in the R.A.F. and serving in France, returned home yesterday (Thursday), two days too late for the funeral, which took place on Tuesday.

The first part of the service was con­ducted in the Parish Church by the Rev. J.S. Long, who officiated at the inter­ment at the Cheriton Road cemetery.

Folkestone Herald 17-2-1940

Lighting Order

A further batch of summonses for lighting offences during the black-out were dealt with at the Folkestone Police Court on Friday last week, when the defendants were fined as follows:

Dorothy Green, the Gun Tavern, Cheriton Road, 10s.

Folkestone Herald 1-4-1944

Local News

A Folkestone licensee who was alleged to have obtained a greater quantity of tea and sugar than that to which he was entitled, and the manager of a Folkestone firm of grocers, summoned for supplying the excess amount, appeared before the Folkestone Magistrates on Tuesday to answer summonses issued by the Ministry of Food.

Thomas Frederick Green, of the Gun Tavern, Cheriton Road, was summoned for obtaining tea and sugar for the Gun Tavern between November 14^th and January 8^th last, otherwise than in accordance with an authorisation issued by the Ministry of Food. There was a second summons alleging that at the Gun Tavern he used tea in excess of the amount permitted - 280 hot beverages to 1 lb.

George Thomas Longley, manager to W. Hollis, grocer, of Guildhall Street, was summoned for supplying Green with the excess amount, and there was a further summons for making an entry in an official order form and varying the quantity of rationed food ordered.

Mr. B.H. Bonniface appeared for Green, and Mr. G.P. Medlicott represented Longley. Defendants pleaded Guilty to each summons.

Alderman W. Hollands presided, with Mr. P. Fuller, Capt. H.P. Keary and Dr. Esme Stuart.

Mr. H.G. Wheeler, prosecuting for the Folkestone Food Control Committee, said Green was the licensee of the Gun Tavern, and since November 27^th, 1939, he had been the holder of a catering establishment licence, issued by the Ministry of Food. The evidence in respect of obtaining excess food in each case was the same. A catering establishment drew food on an authorisation issued by the local Food Officer. A form was issued setting out the quantity of food that could be drawn, and for an eight week period the total quantity must not exceed the amount authorised on the authorisation form. A similar form was sent to the retailer showing how much food he could supply. Mr. Wheeler said for the eight week period in question the amount of teal allowed to Mr. Green was 1lb., but during that period defendant obtained 4lbs. of tea. He was allowed 2lbs. of sugar, but in fact he had 8lbs. A caterer at the end of a period sent to the Food Office a form and on that he set out the number of hot beverages and meals supplied. Although Mr. Green was allowed to purchase 1 lb. of tea and bought 4 lbs, he only accounted for ½lb. of tea, for during the period he supplied 145 hot beverages. The Ministry allowed 280 hot beverages for each lb. of tea. Mr. Green sent the sheet of order forms to Mr. Longley in blank, Longley filling them up according to the food he supplied; that was a breach of the regulations. Mr. Wheeler said on January 28^th, with Mr. W. Hazelden, Divisional Enforcement Inspector, he saw Green and pointed out that he had obtained and consumed a greater quantity of rationed food than that to which he was authorised. Green said that he had sent the eight order forms to Mr. Hollis in blank. He added that he did not notice that the figures of food purchased were in excess of the quantities permitted, adding “It may be that the family ration books, three books, are included in the order form by mistake. All the ration books are registered with Mr. Hollis and we purchase all our groceries from him. As far as I am aware I have not got any food that I was not entitled to purchase”. Mr. Wheeler said the Inspector next saw Longley, who said “I have supplied the goods which are described on the order forms. . . . the food supplied on the ration books is not in­cluded in the food supplied on the order forms. ... I have other catering establishments registered with me, but I have not made the mistake with them. There has been no over-supply except in the case of Mr. Green and that was due to my misunderstanding. I was not aware that I was not allowed to make any entry on the order forms. I will see that it does not occur again”.

Miss Joyce H. Blaxland, an assistant at the Folkestone Food Office, replying to Mr. Bonniface, said Mr Green returned 4lbs. of tea.

Mr. Wheeler said they were perfectly prepared to accept Mr. Green's figures as to hot beverages supplied. It was only a case of excess purchase.

Mr. Bonniface said it was a mistake which started with the period March 16^th last year. Once the mistake was made by Mr Hollis in regard to the authorisation it went on. He suggested it was purely a technical offence and one which might have been found out a good deal earlier by the Food Office.

Mr. Medlicott said Mr. Hollis had been in business as a grocer in the town for 54 years and that was the first time there had ever been any trouble. The whole thing was simply due to a misunderstanding, and he was sure Mr. Wheeler would not put it any higher than that. On an old form four weeks were inserted and that was how the mistake came to be made in the first place, one lb. for each week. He also submitted that only a technical offence had occurred. With regard to the second summons, he knew ignorance of the law was no excuse, but Mr. Longley did not know that he was not allowed to fill in the quantities in his own hand­writing and that Mr. Green should have done it. Mr. Medlicott  said the amount of paper one had to look through was appalling. The orders were very difficult to digest and it was also difficult to keep oneself up to date.

The Clerk (Mr C. Rootes) said the Bench wanted to know what happened to the other 3lbs. of tea

Mr. Wheeler: That is what we should like to know.

After retiring the Chairman said offences of this kind had to be regarded with a certain amount of seriousness today. Mr. Green would be fined £5 for the first offence, and £1 for the second offence. Mr Longley would also fined 10/- for filling in the form contrary to the regulations.

Folkestone Herald 29-9-1945

Local News

A sixty nine years old woman charged with smashing a plate glass window at a public house was sent to prison for two months by the Folkestone Magistrates on Saturday. Defendant was Florence Varley, who pleaded “Guilty under provocation” to smashing a window at the Gun Tavern and causing damage to the extent of £15.

Thomas F. Green, licensee of the Gun Tavern, said about 8.30 the previous night he was in the bar when he saw defendant interfering with soldiers and asking them for cigarettes. He went to Varley and asked her to leave. She replied “I will go out when I`m ready” After she had gone outside he heard a smash of glass. He found Varley standing by a window with one of her boots off.

Defendant told the Magis­trates that she went to the pub­lic house for the purpose of getting a bed for the night. The licensee came up to her and was most insulting. She had had a drink but was not drunk. The licensee touched her and she touched his window.

Mr. Green denied touching defendant.

P.W.R. Fairbrace said he was called to the Gun Tavern and saw defendant in the public bar. With assistance he brought defendant to the police station. Later, when charged, she said “I would willingly have broken his jaw”.

Varley: I would willingly have killed the little worm if I had had the chance.

Defendant then added “Don`t read my record out; it`s bad enough as it is”.

Det. Sergt. H. Bates said according to police records defendant`s proper name was Catharine Robinson and she was born at Sheffield. She had been a musician and circus entertainer. She had 56 previous convictions includ­ing a number for wilful damage and thefts.

The Chairman (Alderman J. W. Stainer), sitting with Mr. P. Fuller, announced that defen­dant would go to prison for two months.

As she left the court defen­dant turned her head and with a smile commented “That`s only a sleep”.