Saturday, 11 October 2014
Updates
As part of the Folkestone Triennial Fringe there will be a talk about Folkestone`s old pubs on Saturday, 18th October, from 12 noon until 3 p.m., starting on The Stade.
More details: http://www.folkestonefringe.com/2014CF/artists/told.html
More details: http://www.folkestonefringe.com/2014CF/artists/told.html
George 1940s
Folkestone Herald
28-12-1940
Local News
There was an application at the Folkestone Police Court on Christmas Eve.
Mr. Harry Thompson, of the George Inn, applied for an occasional licence
to sell drinks between 7 p.m. and 12.30 a.m. at a Spitfire dance to be held at
Bobby’s Restaurant on New Year’s Eve.
The police did not object, and the application was granted.
Folkestone Herald
18-4-1942
Local News
Folkestone Magistrates on Tuesday granted a protection order
to Mr. H.J. Linkins, of Somerset Road, Cheriton, who is taking over the licence
of the George Inn, George Lane, from Mrs. Thompson, the wife of the former
licensee, who is serving in the Army.
 |
| Photo from Folkestone Herald |
Folkestone Herald
25-11-1944
Obituary
Well-known in Folkestone as a licensed victualler for many
years, Mr. Frederick David Godden Taylor, 104, Somerset Road, Cheriton, died
recently in his 75th year.
In 1940 Mr. And Mrs. Taylor responded to the request of the
authorities that all who could do so should leave the town. They moved to
Cheltenham where, a year ago, Mr. Taylor was taken seriously ill. An operation
was performed, but he did not fully recover. At his request he was brought, back to his home in
Cheriton about a month ago. In his early days Mr. Taylor assisted his father, the late Mr. Tom
Taylor, of The Bayle, in his milk business. Later he became landlord of the
Eagle Tavern, Guildhall Street. Subsequently he took over the licence of the
George Inn, George Lane, where he remained till he retired in 1927.
When the Hobnail Gang Club was formed at the London
and Paris Hotel, he became its Chairman. He was a good singer and took part in smoking
concerts and charity entertainments: his speciality was laughing songs. Mr. Taylor, who had a wide circle of
friends, leaves a widow, son and daughter. The latter is in Canada.
The funeral took place at St. Martin's, Cheriton,
the Vicar of All Souls’ (Rev. A.C. Cawston) officiating.
Eagle 1940s
|
| Photo from Folkestone Herald |
Folkestone Herald
25-11-1944
Obituary
Well-known in Folkestone as a licensed victualler for many
years, Mr. Frederick David Godden Taylor, 104, Somerset Road, Cheriton, died
recently in his 75th year.
In 1940 Mr. And Mrs. Taylor responded to the request of the
authorities that all who could do so should leave the town. They moved to
Cheltenham where, a year ago, Mr. Taylor was taken seriously ill. An operation
was performed, but he did not fully recover. At his request he was brought, back to his home in
Cheriton about a month ago. In his early days Mr. Taylor assisted his father, the late Mr. Tom
Taylor, of The Bayle, in his milk business. Later he became landlord of the
Eagle Tavern, Guildhall Street. Subsequently he took over the licence of the
George Inn, George Lane, where he remained till he retired in 1927.
When the Hobnail Gang Club was formed at the London
and Paris Hotel, he became its Chairman. He was a good singer and took part in smoking
concerts and charity entertainments: his speciality was laughing songs. Mr. Taylor, who had a wide circle of
friends, leaves a widow, son and daughter. The latter is in Canada.
The funeral took place at St. Martin's, Cheriton,
the Vicar of All Souls’ (Rev. A.C. Cawston) officiating.
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 9th.
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 8th,
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 9th 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.
. , .
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 20th
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)