London and Paris 1960s

Folkestone Gazette 29-6-1960

Obituary

Well-known licensee and sportsman, Mr. Percy (Pat) Attwood, 44, Earls Avenue, Folkestone, died at his home on Monday after four weeks’ illness. He was 79.

Mr. Attwood was born in a cottage, now demolished, on the old Manor Farm. His father was park-keeper at Radnor Park. An old boy of North Council School in Black Bull Road, Mr. Attwood started in the plumbing business, and soon became a master plumber. On the death of his father, who had become the proprietor of the Castle Inn, Foord Road, Mr. Attwood, or Pat as he was affectionately known by his many friends in the district, commenced in 1904 his long association with the licensing business. He took over the Castle Inn, and remained for some 20 years, a popular and much respected licensed victualler. Later he took over the licence of the Shakespeare, at the corner of Guildhall Street and Bouverie Road East, and in 1942, under shell-fire, moved to the well-known harbour hostelry, The London and Paris. At this time Folkestone har­bour was badly shelled and the hotel itself was damaged, but Mr. Attwood kept the business going. A great personality, Mr. Att­wood had a large clientele and many famous people, especially actors and boxers, visited him to make The London and Paris their first port of call from the harbour. About eight years ago Mr. Attwood relinquished the hotel, and took a half interest in the Bristol Hotel, on The Leas. He retired about five years ago.

An enthusiastic sportsman, Mr. Attwood was an expert oarsman in his younger days and won many trophies while a member of Folkestone Row­ing Club. He was Chairman of the Club for a number of years. He was also very interested in boxing, cricket and football, which he helped to promote in Folkestone during the last war, being a founder member of the Folkestone Wartime Football Club. He was a member of Folke­stone and Hythe Licensed Victuallers’ Association for many years, and he was a prominent Freemason.

The funeral service will be held at Hawkinge on Thursday, followed by cremation.

 

Photo from Folkestone Herald

Folkestone Herald 2-7-1960

Local News

The funeral service of a well-known local Freemason, Mr. Percy (Pat) Attwood, of 44, Earls Avenue, Folkestone, who died on Monday, took place at Hawkinge on Thursday, fol­lowed by cremation. Mr. Attwood, who was 79, had been ill for the past four weeks.

Born in a cottage, now non­existent, at the old Manor Farm, the son of a park-keeper at Radnor Park, Mr. Attwood was educated at the North Council School in Black Bull He started work as a plumber, and soon became a master man, but in 1904 succeeded his father, who had become the proprietor of the Castle Inn, Foord Road, and took over the pre­mises to start his long association with the licensing trade. Mr. Attwood, or “Pat”, as he was affectionately known to his many friends in the district, remained at the Castle for about 20 years. He then moved to the Shakespeare at the corner of Guildhall Street and Bouverie Road East, and then in 1942 took the licence of the London and Paris under shell-fire. This well-known harbour hostelry was among the many buildings damaged in the area during the war period, but Mr. Attwood kept the business going. Many famous people, including actors and boxers, used to make the inn their first port of call when arriving at the harbour. About eight years ago he left the London and Paris and took a half interest in the Bristol Hotel, on The Leas, finally retiring about five years ago.

A keen sportsman, Mr. Attwood was an expert oarsman in his younger days. He won many trophies, and was club champion of Folkestone Rowing Club, of which he later became chairman for a number of years. He was closely interested in football and before the last war was a director of Folke­stone Town. He was a founder member when Folkestone War­time F.C. was formed in 1942, and continued to support the club.

As a young man he played cricket for Swingate C.C. and also supported the Folkestone team for many years. He was interested in boxing.

During World War I, Mr. Attwood served with the Royal East Kent Regiment (“The Buffs”). When he was stationed at Chatham at the beginning of the war the barrack room he was billeted in was hit by a shell, and some 30 soldiers were killed. At the outset of World War II he was a member of the National Fire Service for a time.

Always a very active man, Mr. Attwood could often be seen at the London and Paris golf course, where he played until 10 years ago. He rode a bicycle until four years ago, but his main hobby in recent years was gardening. Mr. Attwood was greatly interested in the Turf, and on the Saturday before he died he had a winner at Newbury.

Mr. Attwood’s wife died in March, 1950. He is survived by a daughter.

Photo from Folkestone Herald 31-12-1960

 

 

A second or so after the Herald photographer snapped this picture at the London and Paris Hotel, Folkestone, there was £11 1/7 in pennies in the blanket held by customers and friends. Mrs. Lawson, wife of the Chairman of Folkestone Round Table, pushed down the pile. The money was for the Cancer Research Campaign. 

Folkestone Gazette 24-5-1961

Local News

Two more piles of pennies were knocked over at Folkestone during the weekend. One at the London and Paris Hotel raised £11 2/-, and the other, at the West Cliff Shades, £18 10/6. The money goes to the Folkestone Branch of the British Empire Cancer Campaign.

 

Photo from Folkestone Herald 15-12-1962

Folkestone Herald 13-2-1965

Local News

Police statements about the responsibility of publicans towards drunken drivers have brought protests from local landlords. Superintendent Frederick Coatsworth said at Seabrook last week that licensees exerted a tremendous influence on their customers and had a vital role to play in the prevention of offences involving drink, especially where motorists were concerned.

Reaction from Mr. Reg. Gard, landlord of the George Inn in George Lane, Folkestone, was “It just doesn’t make sense. We’re supposed to be mind- readers now, asking customers their age to see if they are over 18. The only thing we can do is to refuse to serve drinks to anyone who has obviously had too much. And, of course, thirsty motorists could always wear a ticket around their necks saying “I’m a driver. Please can I have a drink?””

Mr. Ron Letts, licensee of the Globe on The Bayle, said “It’s ludicrous. Our job is to sell drinks. A fair proportion of my customers are drivers, and in the nine years I have been here I have found they are generally responsible people. On the odd occasion, when you know your customer, it’s O.K. to say “Give me your keys—you’d better take a taxi home”. But how can you say that to a perfect stranger?”

Mr. Alec Wales, of the Lon­don and Paris, near the Har­bour, who is chairman of Folkestone, Hythe and Dis­trict Licensed Victuallers’ Association, put most of the blame on restaurants. “You cannot hold a pub­lican responsible for what customers drink”, he declared. “I don’t allow anyone who is obviously drunk in my house, but when they can get served at a restaurant, what can you do? I certainly don`t think the majority of drunks come from pubs”.

At Folkestone Brewster Sessions on Wednesday Supt. Coats worth reiterated his opinion. “Licensees, particularly those whose premises attract what is known as the motor car trade, have a vital contribution to pay in regard to safety on the roads”, he said. The police are the first to realise in a town such as Folkestone that all persons do not obtain their liquor in licensed premises. But, as responsible citi­zens, licensees can exert a great influence on their cus­tomers by always bearing in mind the effect which alcohol taken in excess might have on drivers of a motor vehicle”.

The last word came from Mrs. Maud Lewis, licensee of the Guildhall Hotel, chairman of the Women’s Auxiliary of the local L.V.A. After Brewster Sessions she told the Herald “We all try to do our stuff. If we think customers have had enough we tell them so. Irrespective of whether they`re driving or not, I`m firm with them on the question of drink”.

Folkestone Herald 3-4-1965

Local News

Mr. William (Billy) Banks retired as barman at the London and Paris Hotel, Folkestone, on Wednesday. He had been there for the past nine years.

The customers contributed to a parting gift and pre­sented him with an electric razor on his last night at the bar. The landlord, Mr. A. Wells, gave him £10, and his wife presented him with £5.

Mr. Banks, who is 68, has been a barman for 45 years. Before going to the London and Paris he worked at the White Lion, Cheriton, and the Swan Hotel, Hythe. Mr. Banks lives with his sister in Radnor Park Cres­cent, Folkestone.

Folkestone Gazette 26-5-1965

Local News

When 43-year-old Neil Hoyle was found by a policeman he was standing in the middle of a pedestrian crossing by Folkestone Harbour trying to direct the traffic. Earlier police had received a complaint about his behaviour in the London and Paris public house. At Folkestone Magistrates` Court on Tuesday Hoyle pleaded Not Guilty to being in charge of an offensive weapon and being drunk and disorderly.

John Henry Featherbee, of 105, Shaftesbury Avenue, Cheriton, said he was in the London and Paris when Hoyle came up to him. “He knocked my cap off” said 63-year-old Mr. Featherbee, and then told me to come outside”. I would not, because I knew he was in possession of a knife. He had been showing it to three other men in the pub”.

Charles Thorne, of 10, Clifford Mansions, said he was standing at the bar. “I started whistling”, he said, “and Hoyle came up to me and told me I was whistling the wrong tune. He had upset several other customers and the landlord told him to get out. I rang the police”.

P.C. J. Cornelius said he saw Hoyle trying to direct traffic. Several motorists had to stop. He asked him to move on, but he became abusive. He (witness) took a knife from his belt.

Hoyle, who is lodging in Shellons Street, Folkestone, said “I was sacked from my job on Saturday. I bought the knife for 1s. 6d. to prepare food. It was in my belt the whole time. I only remember speaking to one man in the pub”.

Hoyle, who had five previous convictions, including two in Vancouver, was fined £5 for being in possession of an offensive weapon, and £2 for being drunk and disorderly.

Folkestone Gazette 23-2-1966

Local News

One big push by Miss Folkestone – Maureen Irving – and down goes another pile of pennies at the London and Paris Hotel. Watching her on Friday night were the licensee, Mr. Alex Wells, and Mrs. Wells, customers and members of the local com­mittee of the National Cancer Research Fund. The pennies, totalling more than £11, will go to the fund. Altogether it has received more than £60 from piles of pennies collected at the hotel over the past three years.

 

 

Folkestone Herald 26-2-1966

 

Folkestone Herald 29-6-1968

Local News

When a man was arrested by police at the London and Paris public house in Harbour Street, Folkestone, his brother tried to free him. Then when he was arrested as well, a third man rushed up and started struggling violently with the police. This led to an allegation by one of the three men, who all pleaded Not Guilty to various charges at Folkestone Magis­trates’ court last Friday, that during the scuffle a chief in­spector aimed a punch at his nose.

Thirty-year-old power station worker Robin White, of Woodfield Close, Cheriton, also claimed that when his brother, Michael White, of Cheriton Road, was arrested, police dived on him and pulled him backwards by the hair. But Robin White, who had four previous convictions in­cluding one for assault occasioning actual bodily harm, was convicted on a charge of unlawfully obstruct­ing a policeman, fined £15 and bound over to keep the peace for a year in the sum of £10. The case against his brother of obtaining credit by fraud was dismissed. The third man, 21-year-old hod carrier Alan Barton, of Black Bull Road, was fine £5 and also bound over to keep the peace, for causing a breach of the peace. Barton, a father of two, had a previous conviction and a finding of guilt as a juvenile.

Mr. Leon Glenn Hill, prose­cuting, said the charges arose from an incident in the bar of the London and Paris on May 24. A man in a group of four or five men and some women ordered drinks and then others ordered drinks. The round cost £1 10s. 11d.

Eighteen-year-old Miss Price said in Court that she recognised both the White brothers, but neither had ordered the first drinks.

Mr. Roland Price said when he asked who was paying for the drinks, a man said: “I am not paying £1 10s. for two drinks”.

P.C. Timothy Worthington, of the East Kent Special Patrol Group, said when he arrested Michael White, he said: “I have not done any­thing”.

Pointing to the licensee, he added “That man is lying”.

 

P.C. John Bibby, also of the special patrol group, said he saw Robin White trying to pull his brother away from P.C. Worthington. P.C. Bibby said when he tried to restrain Robin White, he struggled violently and was taken outside by other officers. Oustide the pub Barton rushed up shouting and started struggling violently.

Questioned by Robin White, P.C. Bibby agreed that when White was taken to Folke­stone police station, he was first charged with obstructing him and not P.C. Worthing­ton which was the subsequent charge.

Chief Inspector Alan Bourlet said while he was talking to Michael White inside the pub, Robin White became argumentative. He told Robin White not to be difficult. But he intervened when Michael White was asked his name and address and told his brother not to say anything. He moved between the Chief Inspector and his brother. Chief Inspector Bourlet said he told White to keep out of it and mind his own business. He again asked Michael White his address and he re­plied “Yogi Bear.” Michael White was arrested by P.C. Worthington and was taken outside. Robin White started struggling with the officers who were taking his brother away and it was necessary to restrain him. Inspector Bourlet said he and P.C. Bibby had hold of Robin White when Barton shouted “Leave him alone”. Barton lowered his head and approached at virtually a charge with the intention of freeing Robin White. The Chief Inspector said he warded Barton off with one hand but he became more violent and all three men were taken to Folkestone police station.

D.C. Allan Forbes said when he saw Michael White at his home on June 14, he denied being the first to order drinks. White agreed to take part in an identification parade but added “I can’t see the point as I am bound to be picked out as one of the blokes who ordered drinks”.

Michael White said in Court that one of his friends came to the bar and said “Get the drinks in, Terry’s paying for the round”. He ordered drinks for him­self and his wife and the others started shouting out orders. His friend, Terry, said “I'm not paying £1 10s. for two drinks”. White claimed that he told the Chief Inspector that his name was Yogi Bear because that was his nick-name. The reason he struggled with the police was because his wife was being pushed around.

Robin White claimed that eight policemen dived on his brother. “They pulled him back­wards by the hair”, he said, “and twisted his arms up his back”. White went on to claim that a punch was aimed at his nose by the Chief Inspec­tor. White said he ducked and the blow hit him on the head. White said he had nothing to do with the purchase of the drinks. He denied telling his brother to say nothing to the police and said he had not tried to release his brother.

Folkestone Herald 24-8-1968

Local News

The Sunshine Homes for Blind Babies were given £42 10s. on Tuesday evening when a pile a pennies was pushed over at the London and Paris Hotel in Harbour Street, Folkestone.

Representatives from the Sunshine Homes and of the Folkestone and District Licensed Victuallers’ Associa­tion crowded with customers into the public bar to see the pile go over.

The chairman of the Folke­stone and District L.V.A., Mr. John Buckle, and Mrs. A. Rayner, chairman of the Women’s Auxilliary, sent the pennies crashing into a blanket. A total of £27 15s. 8d. was realised from the pile. The extra money was raised from a competition.