Folkestone Gazette
7-8-1957
Local News
The licensees of three public houses on the Fishmarket –
the Oddfellows Inn, the Ship Inn, and the Jubilee Inn – have placed their
premises out of bounds to all troops at Shorncliffe Camp.
One of the licensees informed the Gazette yesterday that
the behaviour of some troops was so bad that it injured their holiday trade.
“People just walked out when soldiers came in”, stated the licensee. “We have
shown great tolerance and tried to reason with these men, but tolerance has
been interpreted as fear. Therefore,
we have had no alternative but to take the decision we have. We have notified
the military authorities of our decision”.
Folkestone Herald
10-8-1957
Local News
Because they allege continuous bad behaviour by soldiers patronising their houses, the
licensees of three public houses on the Folkestone fishmarket, at their own
request, have had their premises placed out of bounds to all troops at
Shorncliffe Camp. The
licensees of the Jubilee Inn, the Oddfellows Arms and the Ship Inn discussed
the position and on Friday each of them sent a telegram to the Adjutant at
Shomcliffe informing him of their decision. Since the ban was announced, a
fourth licensee, Mr. George Prior, of the Royal George, near the Fishmarket,
has also placed his premises unofficially out of bounds.
Apparently the main trouble has been caused at the Jubilee Inn, where the
landlord is Mr. Donald A. Mayne, who was formerly a Second Officer in the
Merchant Navy. He has been at the house for three years. His wife, Mrs. Mary
Mayne, told the Herald this week that the trouble had been caused by troops of
a certain regiment who arrived back from Malaya about three months ago. “They
are so badly behaved, brawling, fighting and shouting”, she said. “If we try to
reason with them all they say is “You ought to have been where we have been”,
and don`t take any notice. Many times we have sent for the Military Police to
deal with them. We have told them time and time again that if they do not
behave themselves we would put the premises out of bounds. They just turn round
and tell us we can`t turn them away because they spend too much money here”,
said Mrs. Mayne. “The fact is that we are losing money because when the troops
come in, the holidaymakers walk out rather than sit and listen to continuous
shouting and singing. Even our regulars have been keeping away from the
premises”. Mrs. Mayne said the houses had to make their money at this time of
year from the visitors, but their holiday trade had been greatly affected. She
said there was a noticeable improvement in trade following the ban. “We have
talked and talked, and tried to reason with these men, but it has only been
interpreted as fear. They have been in Folkestone for some time and we have
stood it long enough. We have got to put our foot down. We do not like this
action, but we have been forced into it. We realise that the good ones must
suffer because of the bad. We do not condemn them all by any manner of means”,
she stated.
The other two licensees, Mrs. D. Bentley, who has been in charge of the
Ship Inn for 25 years, and Mr. George Skinner, of the Oddfellows Arms, said
they had not experienced any real trouble from troops, but they had heard them
shouting and singing outside. Mr. Skinner and Mrs. Bentley decided to combine
with Mr. Mayne and place their premises out of bounds. They said “We have got
to do the same thing and stick together. We do not want to catch the overflow
if only one of us bans the troops”.
A notice “Out of bounds to troops” is displayed on the doors of the three
houses.
On Wednesday morning an officer from the Camp interviewed the licensees
and took down details of alleged incidents of fighting and smashing glasses in
the Fishmarket during the past few months.
Asked for his views, Major R. Smith, Garrison Adjutant, Shorncliffe,
agreed there had been a little touble with one of the regiments on the Camp; he
was doing his best to find out what it was all about. “As far as I can make out
there has been some shouting, but there are no civil charges pending against
any troops at Shorncliffe Camp”, he said. Major Smith said if the licensees
wished to put their premises out of bounds it might possibly be a good thing.
There had been complaints, but it was always difficult to trace specific
instances. On Saturday night, he said, they had heard that troops were rioting
in the town, but when patrols were sent out to investigate the matter they
found absolutely nothing.
Folkestone Herald
12-7-1958
Local News
Two men, told by the landlord of a public house in
Folkestone Fishmarket to leave the premises, thought they would have their
revenge by emptying a drum of diesel oil they found outside the premises. But
the oil belonged to a ship`s chandler and had been left on the quayside for the
crew of a fishing boat putting to sea early the next morning.
Stanley Beck (42) and John Gordon Farnell (28), both of
no fixed address, pleaded Guilty at Folkestone Magistrates` Court on Tuesday to
stealing the oil, belonging to Mr. W.T.B. Saunders. Beck was fined £5 and
Parnell £2.
Mr. T.H. Jones, prosecuting, said apparently Beck and
Farnell had been told by the landlord of the Ship Inn to leave the premises.
They thought they would have their revenge by pouring the oil over the wall of
the public house. They were seen by the manager of the Ship Inn and when he
shouted the two men ran off. They were later found at the back of premises in
Marine Parade. Farnell told P.C. Lower “We have had a few drinks. What has it
got to do with you?” Told they would be arrested, Beck replied “It will be a
good night`s kip”. Farnell said “I took the drum of oil away because the
landlord told us to get outside”.
Beck denied to the Magistrates that he touched the oil
and offered to make restitution of 7/4, its value
“It was drink that made me do it”, said Farnell. “I am
willing to pay the cost”.
Chief Inspector L.A. Hadlow said Farnell had a good
character, but Beck had eight previous convictions.
Both men were allowed 14 days to pay the fines, with 14
days` imprisonment in default.
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