From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 3 December, 1937.

LICENSEE TRAGIC END

The Borough Coroner (Mr. E. T. Lambert) held an inquest at the Town Hall on Friday, on Alfred Thomas Curd (41), the licensee of the "Cherry Tree" Inn, London Road, who was found dead at 61, London Road, on November 24th.

Mrs. Beatrice Alice Curd, who was in great distress, said she was a widow of deceased, who was licensee of the "Cherry Tree" Inn, and carried on a confectionery business at 61, London Road. The last time she saw her husband alive was on November 23rd, at about 2.15 p.m., when he left the public house to go to the shop, as he often did. He seemed as usual, and asked her to send his tea, which she did, at about 4.45 p.m. when her children left school. They said, on returning, that he was in the shop. He generally closed the shop at 8 p.m., but he did not always return immediately. hen he did not come home by 11 p.m. that night she went to Mrs. Hutchinson, at 94, London Road, because she was worried. She thought perhaps her husband was chatting with the licensee of the "Hand and Sceptre," or the "Red Lion" public houses, but he was not there, so they went to the shop. The key was not in the lock, and the door was locked, so they went home, and she sat up to 3 p.m. Next morning she told Mrs. Hutchinson that her husband had not returned, and they went to the shop at about 9.45 a.m. and Mr. Hutchinson forced a window and entered the premises. Her husband had no serious business troubles, but was anxious to sell the shop, and could not do so; she knew of nothing else to depress him. His health was good, and he was always cheerful and happy. She had no idea why he had acted as he did.

Alfred Hutchinson said he carried on a cooked meat business at 94, London Road. he had known the deceased for about two years and, he always struck him as a normal man. He did not appear to be worried. he last saw him on Sunday night in the bar of the "Cherry Tree" public house. On Tuesday, Mrs Curd came to his house at 11.20 p.m. and asked him if he had seen her husband. At her request he went with her to 61, London Road. They knocked, and rattled the door, and came to the conclusion that deceased was not there. It was a lock-up shop. Mrs. Curd then went home and the following morning he accompanied her to the shop. He entered the premises by the scullery window. Directly he got in he noticed a strong smell of gas, and went and turned it off. Mr. Curd was lying with his head in the gas oven and his legs curled up. He touched him, and found he was dead, so he told Mrs. Curd, and went to inform the Police.

Dr. J. R. W. Richardson, Police Surgeon said that at 10.15 a.m. on the previous Wednesday, as a result of a Police message, he went to 61, London Road, and in a scullery at the back of the premises he saw deceased lying near a gas oven. He had been dead about ten hours. Death was due to asphyxia, caused by coal gas poisoning. He had not previously known the deceased.

Margaret Ivy Kennet, 143, London Road, Dover, said that for some months until the previous Saturday she was in the employ of the deceased, and served in the shop at 61, London Road. She saw Mr. Curd every day, and he always appeared cheerful. He never mentioned any troubles, and she had no idea why he did what he had done.

Norah Goldfinch, Clerk to Messrs. Carder and Carder, solicitors, said her firm acted for a creditor of deceased to whom he owed a considerable sum, running into hundreds . She had reason to believe there were several other debts outstanding. She had seen deceased several times during the past year. he seemed anxious that the debt should be paid off, but not unduly worried. He appeared a cheerful man. Last January he signed an undertaking to pay off the money by instalments. He had kept up fairly well. He was pressed to pay at the beginning of the year, but not recently. His last payment was smaller than it should have been, and he explained that he could not pay more as he had several other things to pay. A letter was sent the deceased on 25th October in acknowledgement of £5 he had paid.

The Coroner said that was all the evidence available. There was nothing, so far as the deceased's state of mind was concerned, to show he was not perfectly normal and cheerful. He thought it very possible that deceased had worried considerably privately. He was indebted to one creditor for hundreds of pounds.

Mrs. Curd: Yes, but when he sold the shop we could have wiped out the debt.

The Coroner: Quite so, but he was anxious because he could not sell the shop, and that, no doubt, temporarily upset the balance of his mind and caused him to act as he did. I therefore find he died from asphyxia, caused by coal gas poisoning, which he administered himself, at a time when the balance of his mind was disturbed. I should like to express my sympathy with the relations.

Mrs. Curd said her husband had been worried about the takings of the shop.