Morehall 1940s

Folkestone Express 10-2-1940

Annual Licensing Sessions

The record of sobriety in Folkestone was once again the subject of general congratulation at the annual Folke­stone Licensing Sessions held at the Police Court on Wednesday. Councillor R.G. Wood was in the chair and sitting with him were Dr. F Wolverson, Alderman J.W. Stainer, Mr. P. Fuller and Alderman W. Hollands.

The question of the renewal of the licence granted to Mr. James Kent, in respect of his premises at Morehall then came before the justices.

Mr. W.J. Mason said he appeared to apply for the renewal of the licence which the magistrates granted last year. The alterations would have been pro­ceeded with, but for the war coming along and the Government's intimation that only work of national importance should be proceeded with and also it was not possible to get timber. He did not know what view they would take, but other Benches had taken the view that only work of national importance would go on. On the other hand, if they thought that the licence being granted the work should be proceeded with, provided the timber could be obtained, he would be willing to pro­ceed. His application was they should renew the licence.

The Chairman said he thought he might say at once that the justices would not do anything to tie their hands at the present time.

Mr. Mason said at the present time, of course, the business of off-licence was being proceeded with.

The Chairman said the licence would be renewed.

Folkestone Herald 10-2-1940

Local News

An off licence granted in respect of the Morehall Wine Stores was renewed on the same terms as last year by the Magistrates at Folkestone Licensing Sessions on Wednesday.

The application was made by Mr. W.J. Mason on behalf of Mr. J.H. Kent. Mr. Mason said he applied for the renewal of the licence granted to Mr. Kent last March and duly confirmed. In this case there were alterations to be made, he said. Plans were prepared and approved and estimates were obtained. The work would have been pro­ceeded with but for the war and the fact that the Government had inti­mated that only work of national im­portance should be proceeded with, and further there was trouble about getting the necessary supplies of timber. Many of the licensing Benches were also taking the view that at the present time, in view of the national emergency, only work of national importance should be proceeded with. Mr. Kent took the view that probably the Folkestone Justices would desire that that should be done in this case, but if they considered the work should be proceeded with subject to the timber being obtained, Mr. Kent was willing to proceed with it at once according to the plans which had been drawn up.

Councillor R.G. Wood, in the chair, said the Justices would not do anything to force the spending of money at the present time.

The Magistrates would renew the licence on the same terms as last year.

 

 

Photo from Folkestone Herald

Folkestone Herald 13-1-1945

Obituary

The death of Mr. James Henry Kent, of “The Retreat”, Trimworth Road, Folkestone, which occurred on Tuesday, has caused widespread feeling of deep regret in Folkestone and the neighbourhood. Mr. Kent, who was 69, had suffered from a cold for about two months, but last weekend it was expected that a few days` rest would result in a complete recovery. He was admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital on Thursday, but he failed to respond to treatment and died from pneumonia and heart failure.

Mr. Kent, a native of Liverpool, had had business and municipal interests in this district for a period of well over 30 years. When a young man he joined the Merchant Navy, which he left at the age of 29 to marry Miss Annie Elizabeth Lord, whose home was near Abingdon, Berkshire. He afterwards entered the licensed trade, and for short periods held the licences of the Prince Albert, at Sydenham, and the Queen`s Hotel, Abingdon.

He came to Folkestone several years before the outbreak of the last war and, apart from his other business activities, he quickly took a prominent interest in cinema undertakings. He was managing director of the first cinema built in Hythe, the old Hythe Picture Palace, which was opened in 1911, and was the forerunner of the much more up-to-date Grove Cinema, in Portland Road. He made similar interests in Maidstone, Reading and Banbury.

His career on Folkestone Town Council started more than 30 years ago when, in the summer of 1912, he was elected a member for the East Ward. His association, however, was quickly broken, and it was not until November, 1927, that he returned to the Corporation as a member for the Morehall Ward, in which he had important business interests. He was unopposed, filling the seat vacated by the late Councillor S. Kingsnorth. He was re-elected in 1930 and 1933, and then when the whole of the Council retired in 1934, prior to the Revision of the Boundaries Election, he went back again, serving until 1938, when he decided to retire from Municipal life. In July, 1941, however, he was persuaded again to offer his services and he was co-opted to the East Ward. Last summer he resigned his seat, a decision which in many quarters met with much regret. For a long period he was Chairman of the Parks Committee, and he was associated with a number of improvements carried out by the department in the pre-war years. The late Councillor Kent was one of the most progressive members of the Corporation and, coupled with his sound business judgement, this made him one of the most valuable members of the municipal body.

In 1927 he sold to the Corporation for £1,500 the licence of the old Rose Hotel, Rendezvous Street, which he had purchased, and despite strong opposition the licence was transferred in March of that year to the Leas Cliff Hall. Later on he played a big part in obtaining the transfer of a licence to the East Cliff Pavilion.

At the election of Mayor last year he made an outspoken protest against the re-election year after year of one man to the Mayoralty.

For many years he was proprietor of the Morehall Wine Stores, an off licence business, and in March, 1939, after several previous unsuccessful applications he was granted an on licence for the premises, the conversion of which was held up by the outbreak of war.

Mr. Kent was a man of varied activities, of which sporting pastimes formed a considerable part. In Berkshire he was well-known as a keen huntsman and shot. He was a skilful bowls player, and for many years had been a member of the Folkestone Bowls Club and other clubs. As an angler he took part in many of the Folkestone Sea Angling festivals, and also, on a number of occasions, visited Ireland for fishing holidays. He was greatly interested in cricket and had been associated with the Folkestone Cricket Festival in pre-war days, as well as with the County fixtures played on the Sports Ground.

At one time he was a member of the Folkestone Rotary Club. He was a Freemason, being a member of the Temple Lodge of Freemasons, No. 558, Folkestone.

Mr. Kent suffered a severe and tragic loss in the summer of 1934, when his wife died during the annual outing of the staff of the Grove Cinema. Mrs. Kent collapsed during the homeward journey and died at New. Romney. There are no children.

The funeral will take place today. The interment will be preceded by a service at Folkestone Parish Church at 11 a.m.