Lifeboat 1980s

Photo from South Kent Gazette

South Kent Gazette 21-1-1981

Local News

The oldest and longest-serving publican in Folkestone, Mr. Harry May, retired on Sunday after 32 years as landlord of the Lifeboat, in North Street. It`s also the end for the pub. The brewers, Whitbread Fremlins, are closing it down and will probably sell it as a private house.

Mr. May, 79, became landlord of the Lifeboat in 1948 after 30 years as a fisherman in Folkestone. On Friday he was given a royal send-off by friends from the Folkestone Licensed Victuallers` Association and by representatives of the brewers. Mr. Joe Cornwell, tied trade regional manager of Whitbread Fremlins, presented him with a pewter tankard. His wife, Dorothy, received a bunch of flowers. Mr. John Mees, chairman of Folkestone Licensed Victuallers` Association, presented the couple with an engraved silver tray and a set of wine glasses. Harry and Dorothy will soon be moving to nearby St. Gabriel`s Court. Harry will keep himself busy by helping to mend the nets at the town`s fish market. The big loves in his life have been fishing and his pub. He started work as a fisherman on the family boat, The Three Brothers, in August, 1918. “It was a poor life, except for the Second World War, when we made a bit more money”, he said.

Folkestone Herald 18-7-1981

Local News

A youth claimed he broke a pub window by accident, then deliberately put his elbow through another because he was angry he had hurt himself, a Crown Court heard on Tuesday.

Stephen Laws, 18, of Victoria Grove, Folkestone, claimed he tripped as he left the pub`s outside toilet and fell against a window, grazing his forearm. “I got mad and put my elbow through a pane in the front door”, he told Graves­end Crown Court. Laws denied attempted burglary and damaging a wall window at the Lifeboat Inn, North Street, in Febru­ary last year, but was found Guilty. He had earlier admit­ted damaging a window in the pub door. He was ordered to carry out 120 hours' community service and ordered to pay £7.62 compensation with £50 prosecution costs.

Mrs Dorothy May, of St Gabriel’s Court, Dover Road, formerly of the Lifeboat Inn, told the court she was woken by a bang in the early hours of February 1. She looked out of the window but could see nothing and went back to bed. Later she heard the sound of a sash window opening downstairs and saw a youth running away across the road. She found a window in the bar had been opened and the glass cracked around the lock. A window in the ladies` toilet had been opened and its lever bent, and a small pane of glass in the front door just above the lock was smashed.

P.C. Andrew Walker said he arrested Laws in Tram Road. There were fragments of glass in the mud on the soles of his shoes and a small cut on his finger. He had been drinking but was not drunk, he added.

In evidence Laws said he had been to a disco at the East Cliff Pavilion and had drunk a large amount of lager. On the way home he stopped at the Lifeboat to use the outside toilet. He claimed he fell over something and broke a window by accident. Then, as he was “pretty mad”, he put his elbow through a pane in the front door. Laws denied trying to get into the premises and claimed he had not tampered with catches on the door or windows.

He was said to have previous findings of Guilty for burglary, theft and handling.

South Kent Gazette 9-6-1982

Local News

A new-look lifeboat has been launched in Folkestone - on dry land! But it is not a place where staying dry is the order of the day. For The Lifeboat at The Durlocks, Folkestone, is a pub.

Mr. Geoff Gosford and his wife Marion have bought it as a free house. Closed for the last three years, Mr Gosford has given the pub a new lease of life by taking over the helm. The bar has been re­designed and the whole place renovated and redecorated. The coxswain of Dungeness lifeboat Mr. Willie Richardson, accompanied by his crew, officially reopened the pub. Last October Mr. Gosford packed in his job as a services’ representative for the Ford Motor Company, for which he worked in Southern Europe but was based in Basildon, Essex. He wanted a more settled life to be with his family instead of travelling and living out of a suitcase.

Photo from South Kent Gazette

 

 

 

Folkestone Herald 20-11-1987

Local News

Beer drinkers in Folkestone have passed a bitter milestone in pint prices. This week the Good Pub Guide book was frothed up over Kent regulars digging deeper into their pockets than most of Britain`s pub-goers. The guide criticises a one third increase in Surrey, Sussex and Kent during the year “pressing towards the £1-a-pint barrier which London has passed”. But some pubs in Folkestone broke the barrier up to two years ago and finding a brew in the area for less is a problem.

Folkestone landlords this week criticised the guide for being out of touch and blamed high rates plus brewery increases for the pricey cost of their pints.

Geoff Gosford, landlord of the Lifeboat in The Durlocks, said “Prices are quite high, but so are the overheads. Folkestone rates are the same as some London boroughs. Our beers can be expensive, but it is all real ale. We recently had the legendary Conqueror here as a guest ale. It was £1.28 a pint but three pints of that beer was worth nine of any other. I haven`t had one complaint about my prices”.

Eileen Lewis, landlady of the Guildhall on The Bayle (£1 a pint) said “Some pubs may take advantage and raise prices higher. But the majority are very conscious of the cost of beer to their customers. It is not publicans clamouring for expensive beer, it is breweries”.

Ken Holletts, landlord of the British Lion (£1 a pint) said “I have not raised the price of beer since becoming the landlord. All increases have been imposed by the brewery. Our prices are reasonable, and as cheap as you`ll find in the town centre”.

Black Bull landlady Maureen Coles in Canterbury Road (prices again in the £1 range) said “Rates and electricity and so on are all expensive and brewery increases take their toll”.

A spokesman for Whitbread, a major brewery supplying Folkestone, said “Beer prices are cheaper in other parts of the country, but Folkestone is no different, really, to most other parts of the South East”.

Folkestone Herald 5-2-1988

Inquest

Detectives and a Home Office pathologist were called in to investigate a suspected murder after a man died in hospital of multiple head injuries. Father-of-three Kenneth Huntley was so badly injured he could not speak or communicate with his son or doctors. At his inquest, a coroner recorded a verdict of ac­cidental death after he heard it was more likely Mr. Huntley was injured from falling downstairs drunk. Some 34 witnesses, including several pub landlords in Folkestone, were questioned by police and were called to give evidence. The hearing was told that Mr. Huntley was a regular in at least three pubs in the town and often drunk to excess.

Landlord of the British Lion, The Bayle, Folkestone, Kenneth Hollett, said “Mr. Huntley would come into the bar in the early morning and mid-evenings about three or four times a week”.

Another landlord, Geoffrey Gosford, of The Lifeboat Inn, said “Mr. Huntley was not the most popular of customers. He drank very heavily and occasionally I saw him the worse for drink, but he never caused any trouble”.

Neighbours of Mr. Huntley’s at Bradstone Road, Folkestone, said they often heard him screaming to himself, and several had seen him drunk or slumped outside his house. They claimed he had become worse since his wife left him.

One of the last people to see Mr. Huntley before he was injured last September was a customer at the British Lion, Carol Edge, of Connaught Road, Folkestone. She told the inquest “I was driving along and I saw Mr. Huntley coming down Grace Hill. He appeared very drunk and was staggering. That was about 10.30 p.m.”

The same night a neighbour of Mr. Huntley, Mrs. Beryl Davies, said she heard a scuffling noise coming from the basement of his house, but she was frightened and did not want to get involved.

When Huntley’s son, Alan, went to check on his father the next morning, he found him lying in bed in pain with a black eye and marks on his face. Hours later his speech was “unintelligible” and the doctor was called. Tests in hospital showed Mr. Huntley had suffered a fractured skull and collarbone, fractured all his ribs ex­cept one, and had severe bruising. “He never explain­ed how he got his injuries”, said Alan Huntley.

Kenneth Huntley, a former chief warden at Hythe Rangers, died of a heart attack the next morning. Despite the circumstances surrounding his death police were not called in until the following Tuesday.

At the inquest Home Office pathologist, Doctor Peter Venezis, who carried out tests on the body, said “The injuries on Mr. Huntley are consistent with a heavy fell. If he was drunk, he would have fallen heavier, and this might explain why his injuries were such”.

 

 

Watercolour by Stuart Gresswell (ex Raglan and Guildhall)

Lifeboat 1950s - 1960s

Folkestone Herald 3-4-1954

Local News

Sir Harry Mackeson has been asked to help persuade the Ministry of Transport to give a decision about the provision for a car park in the Harbour area. (Yesterday afternoon Sir Harry visited the area with officials of the Ministry and British Railways.)

Delay in obtaining approval from the Ministry is delaying the completion of the scheme for the redevelopment of the area, the Borough Engineer, Mr. E. L. Allman, told members of Folkestone Chamber of Trade on Monday evening.

Mr. Allman said in redevelop­ing the area they had not only to contend with natural diffi­culties but man-made diffi­culties. In the area they had no less than 13 public-houses, of which six were to remain. They had agreed with the brewers that a site adjacent to the Harbour Hotel should be made available to improve their premises. The existence of the railway line to the Harbour, and trunk sewers, which had to remain, added to the difficulties of plan­ning the area. Then there were awkward levels. It seemed that some type of housing was required and also a car park. The Tram Road would be brought into Harbour Street to keep traffic away from the railway arches, leaving a space free for pedestrians using the arches. Seagate Street and a small length of Beach Street would be disposed of, and Dover Street would be brought round in a bold curve into the Tram Road above the arch. The Borough Engineer said he thought the scheme for South Street would be pleas­ing, reproducing as far as possible the conditions that existed before the shops were built 300 or 400 years ago.

The Royal George public house would remain in an altered form, but there was difficulty about the site adjoin­ing the Ark Cafe. The Minis­try seemed to think that a cafe would do well there. During the scheme they had moved some 10,000 cubic yards of earth, quite an achievement on a restricted site.

He said the units of accom­modation being built would ac­commodate 120 - 130 people. The Lifeboat public house would remain but the corner from North Street into the Durlocks would be improved by utilising a site adjoining the public house.

Mr. G. Balfour asked whether the new development would blend with the houses built before the war.

Mr. Allman said he was afraid the present-day restric­tion on money made it im­possible to follow the type of building in Radnor Street, but as far as their limited resources allowed they would select tiles and bricks to blend. Referring to Dover Street, he said there were still some sub­standard houses there which should come down. In future, when the street was widened, there would be no necessity to interfere with the Quakers’ Meeting House, an old building which was set well back.

Folkestone Herald 11-2-1956

Notice

In the County of Kent, Borough of Folkestone

To: The Clerk to the Rating Authority for the Borough of Folkestone in the County of Kent,

The Clerk to the Licensing Justices for the Borough of Folkestone in the County of Kent,

The Chief Constable of Kent,

And to all whom it may concern.

I, Harry Frederick May, now residing at The Lifeboat Inn Folkestone in the County of Kent, Beerhouse Keeper, do hereby give notice that it is my intention to apply at the second session of the General Annual Licensing Meeting for the said Borough, to be holden at the Town Hall, Folkestone, on Wednesday the 29^th day of February 1956 for the grant to me of a Justices Licence authorising me to apply for and hold an Excise Licence to sell by retail any intoxicating liquor which may be sold under a Spirit Retailers (or Publican`s) Licence for consumption either on or off the premises situate at The Lifeboat Inn, North Street, Folkestone aforesaid of which premises Messrs. Mackeson & Company Limited of Brewery, Hythe, in the said County, are the owners of whom I rent them and it is my intention at the hearing of the application for the new licence to offer to surrender the following licences:-

(a) The licence now in suspense relating to the premises known as “The Wellington”, Beach Street, Folkestone, of which premises Messrs. Bushell Watkins & Smith Limited of The Black Eagle Brewery, Westerham is the registered owner.

(b) The licence now in suspense relating to the premises known as “The Wonder Tavern”, Beach Street, Folke­stone, of which premises Messrs. Flint & Co. of 58, Castle Street, Dover is the registered owner.

Given under my hand this 2^nd day of February, 1956.

H. F. May.

Folkestone Herald 3-3-1956

Adjourned Licensing Sessions

The grant of a full licence to the Lifeboat Inn, North Street, and the surrender of the suspended licences of the Wonder Tavern and the Wellington, Beach Street, were agreed at the adjourned Folkestone Licensing Sessions on Wednesday.

Mr. P. Bracher, making the applications, said there appeared to be no objection. There was a beer licence at the Lifeboat Inn, but facilities were wanted to supply all types of alcohol. He said there was a definite demand for it because there were more people living in the area, and because of the summer trade. The matter had been before the Licensing Planning Committee, and no objection was raised by them to the application. Mr. Bracher said the present premises of the Lifeboat Inn were not what the brewers desired. The cottage next door was coming down, and it was the brewers` immediate intention to improve the Lifeboat Inn. Arrangements were made with the Corporation for the acquisition of the property and for the setting back of the road. Plans for the improvement of the premises would come before the Justices for approval in the very near future. He said the premises on the sea side, only partially protected from the weather, were going to be temporarily rebuilt at once. When the cottage came down a wall, with windows in it, would be erected. It would be a comparatively temporary arrangement while plans for the better siting of the house were being prepared. Something had to be done for the comfort of the tenant and the customers as soon as the adjoining cottage was demolished. Mr. Bracher went on to explain that it was proposed that two other licences in suspense should be surrendered. Arrangements and discussions had gone on with the Customs and Excise that the value of the licences should not be paid to the owners of the premises, but be taken by the Customs and Excise in consideration of the additional monopoly value which would be payable in respect of the Lifeboat Inn. The two licences which it was proposed to surrender were in respect of the Wellington and the Wonder Tavern, in Beach Street. Dealing with the figure, Mr. Bracher said if no surrender had been made of any other licence, it was agreed with the Customs and Excise that it should be £600, the additional monopoly value payable on the grant of a full licence in respect of the Lifeboat Inn. After that had been settled the value of the two other licences was agreed at £250 and £350, a total of £600. There was no alteration in the monopoly value payable on the Lifeboat Inn simply because the two other licences were being surrendered to satisfy the payment. He said the owners and holders of the other two licences had authorised him to say they had consented to the surrender.

Harry Frederick May, the licensee of the Lifeboat Inn for eight years, said there was a demand for wines and spirits. Nearby was the W.T.A. Hostel, where there were 140 visitors in the summer. In addition a block of flats had been built in North Street and many visitors used the area in the summer. He said ladies` darts matches were held at the Lifeboat Inn, and the secretary of the team told him there was difficulty in arranging matches with other houses because wines and spirits were not obtainable.

Folkestone Gazette 4-11-1959

Townsman`s Diary

Three local inn signs will be displayed in Brussels shortly. Perhaps you may have noticed that the colourful sign of your favourite hostelry has disappeared recently and been replaced with a notice such as is pictured on this page. What`s behind their disappearance? Well, the enterprising House of Whitbread are taking part in an exhibition one of the big stores in the Belgian capital is staging from November 19<sup>th</sup> to January 1<sup>st</sup>. The accent will be on the British way of life and many British goods will be on sale. Included in the exhibition are signs from Kent inns. Whitbreads are displaying the signs at their prefabricated public house. From Folkestone the brewers have taken the signs of the British Lion on Folkestone`s old Bayle, the Lifeboat Inn, North Street, and The Star, Newington. The signs were on their way to Brussels yesterday.

Folkestone Gazette 22-11-1961

Local News

Further help for the British Empire Cancer Campaign has come from two Folkestone public houses during the past week. Piles of pennies were toppled over at The Red Cow and The Lifeboat, North Street. Total for the Red Cow was £10 14/11 and for the Lifeboat £22 4/1. The local committee of the British Empire Cancer Cam­paign thank all who contri­buted to such excellent results.

 

 

Photo from Folkestone Herald

Folkestone Herald 12-12-1964

Local News

Mr. Harry May, landlord of the Lifeboat Inn, in North Street, has an unusual hobby, in which his customers also join.

Naturally enough, as a fisherman and seaman for more than 30 years, Mr. May`s interest is the sea. And when a member of a lifeboat crew sent him a picture of their boat it was enough to start him off on his hobby. He has written to every one of the 152 lifeboat stations in Britain asking for pictures of their boats. So far more than 100 have been sent to him, and the photographs now decorate the walls of his bars. Not only does it give an interest to his customers, but most of them support the lifeboat collecting boxes, too. Last summer, said Mr. May, they collected quite a reasonable sum for the lifeboats.

Folkestone Gazette 16-12-1964

Local News

Mr. Harry May, landlord of the Lifeboat Inn, in North Street, Folkestone, has an unusual hobby, in which his customers also join. Naturally enough, as a fisherman and seaman for more than 30 years, Mr. May’s interest is the sea. And when a member of a lifeboat crew sent him a picture of their boat it was enough to start him off on his hobby. He has written to every one of the 152 lifeboat stations in Britain asking for pictures of their boats. So far more than 100 have been sent to him, and the photographs now decorate the walls of his bars. Not only does it give an interest to his customers, but most of them support the life­boat collecting boxes, too. Last summer, said Mr. May, they collected quite a reason­able sum for the lifeboats.

 

Folkestone Herald 11-6-1966

Photo from Folkestone Herald