Bouverie Arms 1960s

Folkestone Herald 13-6-1964

Local News

Two youths involved in a fracas at the Bouverie Arms public house, Cheriton Road, from which, it was said, they had been banned, on March 13^th, were charged with assaulting the landlord, Mr. Harry Elliott, at Folkestone Magistrates` Court on Tuesday. The youths, who pleaded Not Guilty, were fined £3 each. Postle, however, chose the alternative of seven days` imprisonment.

Mr. Elliott said that at about 8.30 p.m. on March 13^th the youths, Edward Postle (19), of 14, Samian Crescent, Folkestone, and Michael Huntley (18), of 56 Bradstone Road, Folkestone, were in the toilets at the back of his premises. A customer told him that there was a disturbance there and he went to investigate. “When I saw them I turned round and walked back to the door of the lounge bar”, witness said. “As I went in I was grabbed from behind and pushed into the bar. Postle did this. The other one went for my son and knocked him against the fireplace. I went to help him and there was a general scrimmage. I called for help and a customer from the saloon bar came through and helped me to get them out”. Witness said he was struck about the head and in the ribs, and later went to hospital for an X-ray. His wife and son were also involved.

The son, Jeffrey Elliott, said he stood at the door while his father went to investigate. When they went back they were grabbed. His father was pushed over the counter and he was pushed over the fireplace. Eventually his mother came along and took a reasonably active part in the scuffle. Witness said it was Huntley who tackled him and Postle who assaulted his father.

Leslie Avis, landlord of the Devonshire Hotel, said he was sitting in the saloon bar and on hearing two cries for help went into the other bar. “I went through”, he said, “and there was absolute chaos. Postle was pulling Mr. Elliott`s tie and his son was grappling with Huntley on the fireplace”.

Huntley told the Court that he and Postle were walking along the road to go to a cafe and met a girl outside. They wanted to use Mr. Elliott`s toilets, so they walked up the passage by the pub. There were a few cars parked there and they had to squeeze past a black car to get through. He tripped and they both fell through the bar door. Mr. Elliott and his son tried to push them out. Huntley continued “When we were pushed Postle went for the son and I held Mr. Elliott and kept him away from the scuffle. I could not have hit him as my hand was wrapped up in plaster. Mr. Elliott`s wife came in and started hitting me over the head and kept saying “If you don`t let my husband go I`ll call the police””.

Postle gave similar evidence.

Miss Gwenda Mann said she met defendants by the Bouverie Arms and they went to use the toilets. When they had tried to squeeze past a black car they fell into the bar doorway. The landlord came out and pushed them back. She shouted “Please don`t fight”.

Folkestone Herald 17-4-1965

Local News

Irish Labourer Joseph O`Loughlin struck a costly blow when he smashed the public bar window of the Bouverie Arms Hotel in Folkesrone on April 3. He was fined £5 by Folkestone Magistrates on Tuesday for causing wilful damage, and ordered to pay £45 for the cost of repairing the window.

Chief Inspector Frank Corke, prosecuting, said that at about 11.45 p.m. the licensee of the Bouverie Arms, Mr. Harrv Elliott, saw a man trying to look through thej saloon bar window. He did not take much notice of him and the man went away. Several minutes later, however, the public bar window, measuring over 6ft. by 2ft. 6in., was smashed. Mr. Elliott left the hotel, and saw O`Loughlin, the man who had tried to look into the saloon bar, in Millfield, holding one of his shoes in his hand. He handed him over to the police, who were told later by O`Loughlin “I did it because they said “Ignore him; he`s a Paddy””.

O`Loghlin told the Court he had been drinking all that day.