Landlord Ernest Jeffrey. Credit Brenda Gilbert
Folkestone
Herald 21-3-1931
Felix
Now don`t, kind reader, put the blame on my humble
self, but rather accord it to my Selsted correspondent. He has opened up a wide
and interesting subject. However, there are so many other matters that need my
attention that necessity calls here for brevity. In Folkestone we have little
novelty to note in regard to signs, except it be The Honest Lawyer. This is
associated with a small inn situate in Bellevue Street. Modern Folkestone knows
it not, but amongst the elder inhabitants the unpretentious establishment is
known. How it came by the designation Honest Lawyer is somewhat of a puzzle.
Indeed it is very much so. Why single out the lawyer more than members of any
other profession? Why not, for example, the Honest Dairyman, who shudders at
the sight of water? Why not Honest Butcher, who keeps a strict eye on the
justice of his scales, and who is careful to apportion the right quantity of
bone or fat with the family joint? Why not the Honest Greengrocer, who, if he
could, would offer cherries without stones, or apples without pips? Why not the
Honest Fishmonger, who is always endeavouring to supply fish fresh from the
Channel, together with those “dried haddocks” that have no relation to a
codfish? Why not the Honest Tailor, who knows not shoddy? Why not the Honest
Baker, who provides us with our unadulterated daily bread? How many years have
passed since the Honest Lawyer appeared in steep Bellevue Street I know not,
but from all I can gather the sign did not, or does not, have any local
application. It is to be met with in other parts of England. However this may
be, I repeat it is a somewhat remarkable thing to single out the lawyer as
being honest. Why, even if his inclination was not that way, he is bound round
with the red tape he uses so freely himself. Are not all or nearly all his
actions governed by the Law Society? Are not his fees legally fixed for him?
And even then, if there should be a dispute, his customers, or rather clients,
are protected by the Taxing Master. Why, of course lawyers are honest. They
cannot help themselves.
Folkestone
Express 2-4-1932
Inquest
A verdict of “Suicide while of unsound mind” was
returned at an inquest held at the Town Hall on Tuesday on Sidney Spencer Reid,
aged 71, who was found dead in a sitting room at the Honest Lawyer on Saturday,
where he lodged. A cardigan enveloped his head and he held a length of gas
tubing in his hand, the other end of which was fixed to a gas tap.
P.C. Pay said that on Saturday at 8 a.m. he went to the
Honest Lawyer, and in the sitting room he saw a man sitting in a chair. The
doctor had just left and the man was dead. He was fully dressed and a gas
piping was fixed to the main gas tap on the floor and the other end was in the
dead man`s hand. There was a note on the floor.
Dr. H. Dodgson said he visited the house at 7.50 a.m.
In the sitting room on the first floor the deceased was sitting in an armchair,
and it was obvious to him that the man had been dead for three or four hours.
His head was enveloped in a cardigan. The cause of death was due to gas
poisoning.
Mrs. Charlotte Hubbard, a widow residing at the Honest
Lawyer, Belle Vue Street, said the deceased was formerly employed at the
Folkestone Gas Works. He was 71 years of age. He left work in November last and
seemed rather depressed since. Deceased occupied two rooms. On Friday evening
when he retired he seemed quite normal. Recently he had complained of pains in
the head and he had said that he felt as if he might fall down. Ernest Edward
Jeffrey, her son-in-law, had lived at the house for 27 years. She had always
understood that the deceased and her son-in-law were the best of friends. On
Saturday morning between 7 and 8 a.m. her son-in-law came into her bedroom, and
as a result of what he told her she went into the sitting room and saw the
deceased sitting in a chair with a cardigan round his head.
Winifred Fry, employed at the Honest Lawyer, said that
about 7.30 a.m. on Saturday she went to deceased`s bedroom to take him a cup of
tea. She found that he was not in his room and she went to the sitting room.
She saw the deceased sitting in a chair. There was only a slight smell of gas
in the room.
Ernest Spencer Jeffrey said he had resided with his
mother-in-law at the Honest Lawyer for 27 years. He had known deceased for
eleven years. He was friendly with deceased.
The Coroner: You have read the note which was found at
his side?
Witness: Yes.
The contents of the note do not seem to be friendly? –
He had led Mrs. Hubbard to believe that he had a lot of money and I did not
believe him and told him so.
He paid his rent? – Oh, yes. Since he left he Gas Works
he had been living on the old age pension. When I left him on Friday night we
were the best of friends.
The Coroner said he did not intend to read the note in
full. It commenced “Just a note to say goodbye to all. I shall go out and
away”. The note ended “Goodbye, my dear old Lottie. God bless you”. The note
also contained a request that Mrs. Hubbard should be given his case and box.
Witness added that he had read the note and there was
no truth in the assertions it contained.
The Coroner: It scandalises you a lot. Has the deceased
ever tried to do this before?
Witness: No, sir.
The Coroner said that the note also stated “This is all
through Jeffrey because of my pension”. The making of such statements showed
that deceased was deranged. Death, there was no doubt, had been brought about
by gas poisoning, self administered, during temporary insanity.
Folkestone
Herald 2-4-1932
Inquest
The death occurred on Saturday morning under tragic
circumstances of Mr. Sidney Spencer Reid, aged 71, a former employee at the
Folkestone Gas Works, who was found dead in a gas filled room at his lodgings
at the Honest Lawyer, Bellevue Street. A length of gas piping was in his hand.
The Borough Coroner (Mr. G.W. Haines) conducted the
inquest at the Town Hall on Tuesday morning, and returned a verdict of “Suicide
during temporary insanity”.
P.C. Pay said on Saturday at 8 a.m. he went to the
Honest Lawyer, and in the sitting room on the first floor he saw a man sitting
in a chair. He was informed that the doctor had just left. The man was fully
dressed. A length of gas piping was held in one hand, and the other end was
fixed to a tap of a gas main in the floor. There was a note on the floor by his
left side.
Dr. H. Dodgson said on Saturday morning at about 7.40
he went to the Honest Lawyer and saw the deceased. He thought he had been dead
for three or four hours. His head was enveloped in a cardigan. Death was due to
coal gas poisoning.
Mrs. Charlotte Hubbard, landlady of the Honest Lawyer,
said the deceased was a lodger at her house. He was formerly employed at the
Folkestone Gas Works. He was 71 years of age. He left work about November last,
and had been depressed since then. He occupied two rooms, a bedroom and a
sitting room. On Friday night when he went to bed he seemed quite normal. He
had complained of pains in the head and had said he felt as if he might fall
down. Ernest Edward Jeffrey, her son-in-law, had lived with her for about 27
years. She had always thought they were the best of friends.
Winifred Fry, employed at the Honest Lawyer, said on
Saturday morning at about 7.30 she went to deceased`s room with his morning
tea. The door was ajar, and she saw deceased was not in his bedroom. She went
into his sitting room, the door of which was slightly ajar, and there was a
faint smell of gas. The windows were shut. She saw deceased sitting in a chair.
She went to Mr. Jeffrey, who came at once.
Ernest Edward Jeffrey said he had lived at the Honest
Lawyer with his mother-in-law for 27 years. He was a stoker at the Folkestone
Electricity Works. He had known deceased since the War. They had been good
friends to a certain extent.
The Coroner: What do you mean by that? – Well, he had
led Mrs. Hubbard to think he had a lot of money, and she had had confidence in
him. I told him he had no money.
Continuing, Jeffrey said that had been going on for
some time. It was not a sudden occurrence. Deceased had always paid his rent
regularly, but when he finished working at the Gas Works his only income was
his old age pension. He became depressed. Whilst working he had paid 25s. a
week for board and lodging, but afterwards he could not pay it. Witness told
deceased he had no money. Apart from that they were the best of friends. They
were quite friendly when witness left him at 8.30 on Friday night. When he went
to the room on Saturday morning the gas tap was on, and he turned it off. The
slot meter was on the ground floor. It was a penny meter. The smell of gas was
very faint. There was a note on the floor. Witness was the first peron to read
it, and he put it back again.
The Coroner said he would not read all the note. He
read the following extract: “Just a note to say goodbye to all. I will go out
of the way. This is the end. Goodbye, my dear old Lottie. God bless you. Send
all my clothes and box to Mrs. Hubbard of Holmewood”. The Coroner added that
the rest of the letter showed that deceased was not in his right mind.
Jeffrey said he did not wish it to be published. It was
of a personal nature, but his conscience did not prick him. If he had been
guilty of anything he would have burnt the letter. The whole world could read
the letter.
The Coroner said he had no hesitation in saying that
deceased had poisoned himself during temporary insanity. The letter said “It is
all through Jeffrey”, but it went into language which showed that his mind was
deranged.
Folkestone
Herald 19-11-1932
Local News
There was an amusing incident at the Folkestone Petty
Sessions on Friday last week, when Mrs. Hubbard, licensee of the Honest Lawyer
Inn, Bellevue Street, Folkestone, applied for a protection order, pending a
transfer of the licence at the next transfer sessions, to Mr. Jeffrey.
When the application was made, the Mayor, who presided,
asked “Is the Honest Lawyer there?”
The Chief Constable (Mr. A.S. Beesley): I do not think
so, sir.
Mr. Rutley Mowll, of Dover, and Mr. B.H. Bonniface, who
were seated at the solicitors` table, joined in the laughter which ensued.
The application was granted.
