1934

Eighteen men who were committed by a special sitting of the Wingham Petty Sessions at Dover, in connection with the "tithe raid" on West Court Farm, Shepherds well, were indicted at the Kent- Assizes at Maidstone, yesterday, on a charge of riotous assembly. The men were:—David Gill, OxRoad Farm, Elham; William S. Wood, sen., Beverage Bottom, Elham: Henry Gammadge, Robin Hood Cottage, Elham; James Higgins, John William Crow and John Terry, all of Exted Farm, Elham; Thomas A. Rawe, Bladbean Farm, Elham; John Woodland, Exted Farm. Elham; Ernest A. Law, Oast House Cottages,Elham; Robert Potts and Alfred S. Potts,- Wesley Cottages, Lyminge : Leslie Wren, Longage Cottage, Rhodes Minnis: Roland Cullen. Mount Farm, Elham; Frank Castle, Mount's Court Cottages. Acrise; John Hutchinson, Station Road, Lyminge: William S. Wood, jun., Elham; Alfred J. Ross, Out Elmsted, Barham; and Frederick Solley, Great Mongeham. Sir Henry Curtis Bennett, prosecuting, said that the riot took place late on the night of September 3rd, when the men assembled at the farm, apparently as some sort of protest against the tithe laws. Some days previously a number of ducks had been taken from a farm at Westwell, the property of Mr. Kedward, and removed to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners' farm at 1West Court, Shepherdswell. These men and others Went to West Court Farm and recovered the ducks. All pleaded guilty with the exception of Frederick Solly, aged 48, against whom the prosecution offered no evidence. He was formally acquitted and discharged. Of the others, John Terry, aged 52, William Stephen Wood, sen., aged 48, Alfred John Ross, aged 32, and David Gill, aged 30, all farmers, were each fined £10, The remainder were bound over for two years. Addressing Terry, Wood, sen., Gill and Ross, the judge said it was a very wrong adventure, and, but for their assurance not to repeat such conduct, he would have sent them to prison.