Royal George 1940s

Folkestone Express 22-6-1940

Lighting Order

The Folkestone magistrates are still hearing, ad nauseum, cases where the Lighting Regulations are defied. During an air raid alarm the offence assumes serious proportions, and al­though the present penalty is £1, there is likelihood that in future a much heavier fine will be inflicted. The justices have great discretionary powers, but there is evidence that their patience is becoming exhausted. It is pointed out that the police in these times have far more serious work to do than to watch for lights; and, in any case, people might give a thought to their own safety, even if they don’t care about the safety of others. All the time of the Police Court on, Friday was occupied by these cases, the defendants appearing before Dr. W.W. Nuttall, Alderman J.W. Stainer and Mr. J.P. Fuller.

Charles Stubbington was summoned in respect of a light at the Royal George Hotel on June 9^th.

A visitor at the Pavilion Hotel noticed a light at 11.40 and went out and saw a crowd of people. He went back to his hotel and sent for a police officer who, after making enquiries, located the light in a bedroom on the third floor of the Royal George Hotel. The bedroom was occupied by the defendant, who was an under-barman. He said he went to bed at 11.15 and put the light out. The next he knew was being aroused by the con­stable.

Folkestone Herald 22-6-1940

Local News

A light seen by a visitor staying at a hotel was the subject of a summons against Charles Stubbington, a barman at the Royal George Hotel, Beach Street, at the Folkestone Police Court on Friday last week.

Stubbington pleaded not guilty to a breach of the black-out regulations.

Henry Farjeon, staying at the Royal Pavilion Hotel on June 8^th, said at 11.40 that night he saw a light showing a short distance away. Leaving the hotel he went to Harbour Street where he saw a group of people looking at the light. Witness sent for a police 'officer and afterwards accompanied him to the Royal George Hotel.

P.C. Hardy said at 12.15 a.m. on June 9^th he received a complaint from the first witness about a light showing from a third floor window. Witness went to the Royal George Hotel and saw defendant, who was the occupier of the room. Stubbington denied that the light came from his room.

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Stubbington, giving evidence, said he entered the room at 11.15 p.m. and was in bed by 11.25 p.m., when he put out the light. It could not have been his light that was on at 11.40.

The Chairman (Dr. W.W. Nuttall) said the Magistrates considered the case proved. Defendant would be fined £1.

Folkestone Herald 15-2-1941

Local News

The licences of all bombed licensed premises in Folkestone were renewed at the annual Licensing Sessions, held at the Town Hall, on Wednesday.

The Chief Constable (Mr. A.S. Beesley) reported that nine premises had been destroyed or damaged by enemy action and 35 others had been closed owing to lack of business.

The Mayor (Alderman G.A. Gurr) presided with Alderman R.G. Wood and Mr. P. Fuller.

The Clerk (Mr. C. Rootes) said in regard to two houses which had been rather badly damaged, he understood they were going to carry on their business when re­pairs had been made.

Plans were presented in regard to the Royal George, the upper part of which had been removed.

The Mayor announced that all the publicans` licences would be renewed without prejudice to the question of redundancy, when the time came for it to be considered. 

Folkestone Herald 3-4-1943

Local News

At Folkestone Police Court yesterday the Magistrates agreed to the adjournment un­til next Tuesday of the hearing of a number of summonses under the Licensing Act in connection with the Royal George Hotel.

Mr. B.H. Bonniface, who stated that he was prosecuting, asked that the summonses should be adjourned until next Tuesday as Mr. Rutley Mowll, for the defence, was unable to appear that day.

The Magistrates agreed to the adjournment.

Folkestone Herald 10-4-1943

Local News

Hearing voices coming from a licensed hotel after closing time, police officers investigated and on entering the premises later found the manager and seven men in the bar.

There was a sequel at the Folkestone Police Court on Tuesday when Albert John Relen, the manager, was sum­moned for supplying intoxicat­ing liquor after permitted hours, and Alfred Lewis Baxton Lee, The Stade, Cecil Brickell, The Durlocks, Alfred Waller, Dyke Road, Pte. John Richard Stephens, Gnr. William George Dunham, John Saunders, Segrave Crescent, and Cyril Fitch, Shaftesbury Avenue, were each summoned for con­suming after permitted hours. There were seven summonses against Relen. Defendants, represented by Mr. Rutley Mowll, pleaded guilty. Mr. B.H. Bonniface prose­cuted.

Alderman R.G. Wood pre­sided with Miss G. Broome-Giles, Alderman J.W. Stainer. Mr. P.V. Gurr and Mr. C.A. Wilde.

Outlining the case for the prosecution, Mr. Bonniface said on the night of Saturday, March 20^th P.c. Duke was on duty in Beach Street, where the Royal Georges Hotel was situated. The hotel had been the sub­ject of enemy attack and to­day consisted only df two bars on the ground floor. The two bars were really one bar, be­cause they were only divided by a curtain. The police officer heard voices inside the public house, which caused him to be suspicious, and he contacted  P. Sergt. Tully and P.W.R. Hearnden. Sergt. Tully had checked his watch before coming on duty. The officers kept observation on the hotel and heard sub­dued talking all the time, the ring of the cash register and also a certain amount of clinking of glasses. They found they were unable to get into the premises, how­ever, until at 10.50 when the defendant Waller came to the door, apparently to go home. This gave the officers an opportunity of entering, and on going inside they found that apparently no attempt had been made to clean down the counter. On the counter was one glass containing a complete half-pint of beer, two glasses three-quarter full, another half full with what was apparently whisky and soda. There were also three empty glasses and also on the counter was 6d. in silver and 5d. in coppers. In the bar were seven of the defendants, and in the other bar there was a woman, whose name did not appear in these proceedings. Mr. Bonniface, drawing attention to the number of glasses on the counter, said there could be no doubt defendants were consuming on the premises between 10 and 10.50. When Relen was asked why the people were on the premises he said that he and his wife were rather nervous since they had been bombed out, and the other people were waiting to go home with them. Sergt. Tully pointed out that that did not entitle them to consume after hours, and Relen said he was aware of that and was very sorry. No-one claimed the money on the counter; Relen said it wasn`t his, and none of the other defendants claimed it, so the police took the money. Neither would any of them acknowledge which was his drink. Mr. Bonniface said Relen was not the licensee; he was the father of the licensee, who was in the Services, and it was per­haps extraordinary that he should hold the licence when he could not give any super­vision to the place. “There’s no suggestion”,  concluded Mr. Bonniface, “that any of the defendants was under the influence of drink”.  

Mr. Mowll said he had advised defendants to plead Guilty and he accepted Mr. Bonniface’s version as to what took place. He wanted to address a few words, not by way of excusing defendants, but with regard to the sad circumstances which had prevailed in the history of the hotel. Relen was the father of the licensee, who was serving in the Forces. The father was a retired Post Office servant, who came to the rescue when his son was called up. The hotel had been dogged by misfortune. It was a very substantial place when the son became licensee in 1934. He paid a valuation of £1,600 to come in. In October, 1940, the premises were badly damaged by a heavy bomb. They were re-opened in the following March, but were only habitable on the ground floor; consequently the father had to treat the place as a lock-up and reside in his private house. In January last the father's residence was blown up by a delayed action bomb, and Relen went to live with Saunders, one of the defendants, who had promised to take care of the licensee’s father and escort him home at nights. After six or seven weeks the father secured another place which was on the way to Saunders's home and he (Saunders) continued to see him home. On this night Saunders got talking to Fitch and two soldiers. Fitch spent his weekends with Saunders, so they had two men who were going to accompany Relen home. Saunders and Fitch were keen dart players, and they were discussing the possibility of a match. Brickell and Lee joined in the conversation. Mr. Mowll said he was not justifying the drinking out of hours, but the circumstances showed how these people came to be on the premises after licensed hours. “It might be called a place of multiple sorrows”, went on Mr. Mowll. “These towns on the South-East coast, whether they be Folkestone, Dover, or Deal, are all passing through very bad times, and one can’t help but admire the bravery of people carrying on under these con­ditions. The nerves of some might become frayed and then their judgment might become a little faulty. I just ask you to consider how this man was trying to carry on his son’s' business, which had already suffered very severely”.

After retiring, the Chairman announced that Relen would be fined a total of £3 10s. (10s. in respect of each summons) with five guineas costs, and each of the ether defendants would be fined 10s.

Folkestone Herald 30-9-1944 

Obituary

Mr. Albert John Relen, a well-known and highly esteemed licensee was killed by enemy action on Saturday. He was digging in his garden at his residence, 11, Radnor Bridge Road, Folkestone, when his death occurred. Mrs. Relen was seriously in­jured, and at one time it was feared that she might lose her sight, but it is now expected that in time she will make a complete recovery.

Mr. Relen had been residing in Folkestone since 1934. He was proprietor of the Royal George Hotel, Beach Street. His popularity was widespread and the news of his death came as a severe shock to numerous friends and acquaintances.

Mr. Relen and his family have been involved in no fewer than nine incidents caused by enemy action during the war, and in each case have been provided with accommodation by Mr. and Mrs Jack Saunders, of 13, Segrave Crescent, Folke­stone. In 1940, when a land-mine fell in the Folkestone Harbour dis­trict, the Royal George was badly damaged and Mr. Relen's barman was killed. Much sympathy has been ex­pressed with Mrs. Relen and her son and two daughters in the loss they have suffered. The son is a sergeant in the Army.

The funeral took place at the Folkestone Borough Cemetery, Hawkinge, on Thursday.