A FEW INTERESTING SHEPPEY FACTS

A FEW INTERESTING SHEPPEY FACTS.

Taken from the local newspaper of the day.

NOTE;- The paper may have reported a past event or a present event.

(Some items may be duplicated from “PAPERS” in the main index.

V.G. Denotes very good report

V.V.G.Denotes very very good report.

( See the complete article for the full report.)

With apologies if the dates are wrongly transcribed.

Newspaper Item. Newspaper Date.

Animals

All dogs to be muzzled in hot weather 1865 July 8^th

Rabid dog in church 1871 July 23^rd

A Stag swims across the Swale, lands in Elmley 1877 Dec 22^nd

Order re mad dogs in Sheppey 1878 Jan 26^th

Small elephant washed up at Leysdown after gales 1882 Nov 25^th

Air Raids

Report on all Air Raids and the deaths 1919 Jan 18th

Banks

New London & Prov.Bank for Sheerness 1911 April 8^th

Banks Town

Also named Edward Street or Broadway

Barracks R.A.

To be built – description of. 1862 Sept 6^th

Completed – every room has gas. 1862Sept 27^th

Bartons Point

Fort is being built 1890 Jan 11^th

Books and Paintings

Queenborough Mayor gives three rare Shakespear books 1889 Feb 23th

Queen autographs book in library 1889 Dec 7^th

Abbey Gainsboro’ painting nearly stolen 1876 Sep 2^nd

History and prices of Turners Sheerness Painting £7,450 1890 May 17^th

Mayor has 1661 copy priced 17/6 “Mayor of Queenborough “1893 May 6^th

“Sheppey Companion”by W. Knewstub pub.1839 1907 Feb 9 th

Boom

A boom is to go across to Grain 1909 June 5^th

Bostall Hall

A boarding establishment, a small fire 1912 Mar 30^th

Bottle Works

To start up at Queenborough 1911 Jan 11th

Bridge ( Ferry)

New Swale bridge two paragraphs 1904 Nov 5^th

History of Tremsit and Tremmond ferry V.G. 1907 April,May,June,July

Passenger toll to be withdrawn- ½ d 1909 April 10^th

Number of passengers 1909 May 1^st

New tolls 1910 May 28^th

Was built by Dr.Arroll 1910 Nov 19^th

Built 1825 ( shares for sale ) 1911 April 1^st

Building of 1860 1913 Sept 13^th

Frozen over 1766 Jan 29^th 1916 Jan 1^st/1918 Jan 5^th

4 new schemes for new Swale Bridge 1918 Mar 2nd

Bus Service

Service to Eastchurch 1870 April 23^rd

1849 two coaches per day Bluetown to Sittingbourne 1909 Feb 13^th

Cabs

34 applications for cab licenses 1892 Jan 30^th

Canal Bank

Re building of 1871 June 10^th

Canal? From Sheerness to Rye ? ¼ mile wide,30 ‘ deep 1879 May 17^th

Carnival

Description of in Sheppey 189?6 Oct 31^st

Carnival in Sheerness 1900 Sept 8^th

Cemetary

Not consecrated yet 1869 Nov 20^th

Consecration of new burial ground Minster 1 ½ acres 1896 Feb 8^th

Norwegian memorial 5or 6 washed up 1 year ago 1903 Mar 14^th

Epitaphs by Rev Morrow account 1906 Dec 8^th

Census

1881 and 1871 population 1881 May 7^th

Data on census 1911 Mar 25^th

1877 and 1829 1877 Dec 1^st, 1879 Jan 18^th, 1871 July 29th

Ditto 1893 Feb 11th

Population (1845 Kelly of Kent

Sheerness 7,000

Queenborough 634

Eastchurch 1019

Leysdown 310

Elmly 42

Harty 117

Birth / Death Rate

1869 Jan 23^rd,1871 Mar 11^th,1888 May 19^th,1871 May 20^th,1871 May 4^th

1872 Jan 6^th,1874 April 4^TH,1875 Jan 2^nd,1876 Aug 19^th,1877 July7th

Chamber of Commerce

To start up 1908 Oct 24^th

1 ½ paragraphs on Chamber 1909Jan 23rd

Quarterly Meeting 1910 Sept 8^th

Officers elected for the year 1912 Mar 16^th

Charles Dickens

Attempt to overturn carriage at Chatham 1862 June 21^st

Literary Institute to ask C.D. to attend 1863 Oct 17^th

Paper by his son why whose names were used in the books 1910 Oct 8^th

Alfred Tennyson Dickens, his son ,dies in New York 1912 Jan 6^th

The names in his books are from Chalk Graveyard 1913 Sept 20^th

“Little Nell “ died and buried burnt ?? shop??/ land?? 1916 May 16^th

Son here to read fathers work for the Red Cross 1914 Nov 21st

Charities.

Richard Webbs 1869 Mar 27^th,1871 Feb 10^th, Mar 25^th,April 18^th,

Eastchurch Charities 1889 April 27^th

Queenboro’ “ Stamps “ charity£500 invested forr widows 1890 Jun 7^th

Hopsons charity –Minster school 1890 Aug 23^rd

Hopsons Charity as prizes 1900 Dec 22^nd

Webbs Palm Sunday 6d each for workhouse children 1906 April 7^th

Webbs Charity – a full description (1812) 1907 Mar 30^th

The Queenborough Charities 1907 July 6^th

A new charity for Queenborough 1908 Feb 8^th

Major Hobson left £700 1817 Feb 17^th 1908 Feb 29^th

Webbs charity for the Workhouse 1908 May 2^nd

Richard Webb pen given for the best writing (1812) 1908 July 4^th

Webbs charity 3 paragraphs (very good) 1909 April 10^th

Shipwrecked Sailors and Charities 1909 Sept 18^th

Webbs charity by a centarian 1911 Jan 28^th

Webb memorial service b 1733 d 1833 1911 April 15^th

Hopson trust list of winners plus history 1911 Nov 25^th

Richard Webbs Charity Silver pens are given 1913 June 21^st

History of Hobsons Charity 1913 Nov 8^th/22^nd

1804 The shipwrecked Gentlemen of Queenborough 1916 Sept 23^rd

Chemical Works

To be enlarged 1871 Aug 5^th

History of 1911 Jan 7^th

Chemical factory to close 1907 Aug 3rd

Cheyney (Lord)

Greedy Lord Cheyney 1881 Nov 26th

Choral Society

To start 1906 Oct 27^th

Christmas

See “shops “for food details

See Workhouse for Christmas in the Workhouse

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CHURCH- VARIOUS

Statistics

Kent Churches and marriages etc 1878 Aug 3^rd

Alma Road Congregational Church

Improvements 200 extra people to be seated 1866 June 30^th

Sunday school opened 1892 Feb 13^th

48^th Anniversary 1906 Feb 3^rd

Anniversary 1907 Jan 26^th

Baptist Chapel Halfway Houses

History 1909 Dec 25^th

Baptist Church Strode Crescent

New church 1869 April 10^th

Foundation Stone laid 1869 Nov 13^th

Size and the cost 1876 May 20^th

Foundation stone laid and a short history of 1878 June 20^th/July 6^th

Opening 1878 Dec 7^th

History of Rev.J.Sprunt 1907 Oct 26^th

New organ 1916 May 6^th

Bethel Church

High Street new church site 60ft by 90 ft 1904 Sept 24^th/Aug 27^th

124^th anniversary " it really started in 1725 “ 1908 Nov

100^th anniversary of the Sunday School 1910 Feb 19^th

148^th anniversary and history 1761, 1781, 1763 V.V.G. 1910 Nov 19^th

Catholic Church

Opening of the new church Marine Town 1864 Sept 3rd/17th

New organ 1864 Dec 3^rd

Catholic Chapel Yard in Rose Street 1866 April 14th

Bethel Chapel (Hope Street)

History of, memorial stones 1882 Dec 2^nd

History 1903 Mar 28th

Bethel Chapel (Bluetown)

History 1903 Mar 28^th

To be re opened 1874 May 16^th

150^th anniversary of the Bethel (very short but good) 1912 Dec 7^th

Bethel Chapel Minster

New opened at Minster 1869 Oct 16^th

Organ required 1869 Nov 20th

Dockyard Church

New organ 1865 Aug 12^th and Oct 14th

To be renovated 1876 April 1^st

Estimate for repair after fire £4,700 1882 Jan 7^th

Appears to be un-consecrated 1880 Feb 28th

Brass erected to comm..loss of H.M.S.Wasp 1890 Sept 20^th

1881 fire with 2 dead 1909 May 15^th, 1915 Jan 2^nd , 1917 Nov 3^rd

1690 first Church opened (1^st Jan)1918 Jan 5^th, 1916 Jan 1^st , 1915 Jan 2nd

Eastchurch Church

History of church from 1196 V.G.(3 Paragraphs ) 1904 Jan 23^rd/30^th

Bells ,the oldest is cast 1607 1911 Feb 11^th

Bells ,the oldest in Sheppey 1911 Mar 4^th

History of church V.G. 1911 Nov 4^th/11^th

History V.V.G (original data ?) 1911 Nov 4^th

Eastchurch bell ringing contest 1911 Sept 16th

Eastchurch Wesleyan Methodist Church

Tenders required for 1882 Feb 11th

Ebeneezer Chapel

Anniversary of 1864 Oct.15^th

General

Listed 1869 Jan 9^th

Listed 1877 July 14^th

Why are Kent Churches locked ? 1880 July 3^rd

All Sheppey vicars named 1888 Aug 4^th

Kent Penitentiary church Tenterden etc 1860/1904 Aug 6^th

Kent Synod Methodist 1906 May 12^th

Old Synagogue to be pulled down 1907 July 6^th

Sittingbourne / Sheppey names of vicars 1908 Nov 21^st

1762 the house used by Wesley –fire 1909 April 17^th

White Chapel was opposite the pier, Red Chapel was the Bethel Bluetown 1909 Jan 23^rd

Kent churches nearby description 1910 Oct 1st

1812- 1912 Wesleys 100 years 1912 Nov 16^th

Alma Road+Cong+Bethel+Wesleyan+ 1^st time ever all pray together 1918 Jan 12th

Halfway Church

New church 1911 April 29th

Harty Church

The chest is described G. 1913 Nov 15th

Iron Chapel (Meyrick road/Broadway junction )

To be built 1871 Nov25th and Dec.2nd

Church is opened 1872 Jan 13^th

John Wesley

9 visits to Sheppey V.G. 1912 Feb 10^th

1778 Nov 3^rd he preached here also 1769 and 1784 1917 Nov 3^rd

Lecture on Wesley by Rev.J.G.Morrow V.G. 1906 Feb 3^rd

Letter from Wesley to his sister 1778 1906 Feb 17^th

Dates that he preached in Sheerness (2 ) 1916 Nov 25^th

Wesley preached here 1788 Dec 3^rd

Wesley preached here 1769 Dec 5th

Minster Abbey Church

Graveyard closed by order of Council 1893 July 4^th

Gainsborough painting nearly stolen 1876 Sept 2^nd

Sir Edward Wallers not Spanish tomb 1876 Sept 2^nd

In bad way , tithes 1800, no vicar and in ruins 1877 Dec 8^th

Large meeting re the restoration and its history 1878 May 18^th/June 1^st

Renovation 1880 Feb 28^th

Stone box found in niche ,coin and skull 1880 Aug 28th

Burial – believed to be King Offa 1880 Oct 30^th

Foundations probed – three sides of large quadrangle 1880 Nov 6^th

Restoration , the Queen gave £500 1880 Nov 13^th

Christmas Eve in Minster Abbey 1882 Aug 28^th/ 1880 Dec 25^th

Long poem by J.Saffery 1881 Jan16th

Re-opening 1881 June 11^th

History three paragraphs V.V.G 1904 Feb 13^th/20^th/Mar 5^th

Death of Don Cerinomo 1591 Armada 1907 May 23rd

Mormons

At the co-op hall 1865 Oct 21st

Primitive Methodist Chapel

In Spring Garden Passage pulled down last week 1893 Aug 5th

Queenborough Church

Josiah Hall to restore the steeple 1874 April 25^th

Restoration of steeple 1881July 9^th

Eggs found in the wall-as a sacrifice 1881July 9^th

List of vicars V.G. 1906 Feb 24^th

List of vicars 1557 to date 1907 May 18th

Description of the church silver1673 V.G. 1907 June 8^th

Description of bells 1907 June 22^nd

Reg. of births 1907 June 29^th

Vaults sealed up by Palmer 1907 July 13^th

History of some church furniture 1909 June 12^th

Re church bells, 1911 Jan 28^th,May 13^th,20^th,June 3^rd ,24^th

Masonic Bells dedicated by the Bishop of Dover 1911 June 24^th

Church burnt out in 1719 1911 Nov 18^th

Well in the church yard 1912 Nov 2^nd

St.Pauls Church (Bluetown)

Opening service 1870 July 30^th

Contract for building church £2,000 1871 July 29^th

Memorial Stone laid. 1871 Sept.30^th

Foundation stone laid for school 1878 May 4^th

School opened by the Bishop of Dover 1878 Sept 20^th

New organ for church 1889 May 25^th

History and costs 1914 June 6^th

Sunday Schools

No.of children at each school ,e.g. 700 at Bethel Sunday School 1863 Mar.14^th

1824 there were 600 at the Bethel Sunday School 1917 Sept 12^th

Trinity Church

Re Cross for the Communion Table 1917 Mar 31^st

1840 bar gate at church 1917 Aug 25^th

Model in wood to be presented to Dr.Bryant 1862 Mar 8^th

Altar windows presented by E.T.Merrith and brass Lectern presented 1888 Feb 25^th

A curate as from this date on 1913 Aug 2^nd

Cross for Communion Table 1917 Mar 31st

Vicars

List of some Kent Vicars 1866 April 21st

Warden Church

May be washed away soon. 1866 May 5^th

Service at the Church 1866 May 12^th

A landslide, the Church is in danger 1874 Sept.19^th

Church has nearly gone, wall is cracked and pilfering is taken place. 1875 Oct 2^nd

Skulls on the surface now. 1881 May 28^th

Short history and rebuilding of church (V.G) 1881 June 11^th,18^th,25^th July 2^nd.

In 1800 the first church falls over the cliffs 1907 Nov 30^th

Church falls in sea 1876 1917 April 14^th

Wesleyan Church

List of all Kent Ministers 1864 Aug.20^th

List of all Kent Ministers 1865 Aug.25^th

Ditto 1878 Oct.5^th, 1879 Aug.30^th, 1881 Sept 17^th,1909Aug 14^th,1916 Aug 12^th

Re-opening 1880 Dec 11^th

Hope St. Church moved from Bluetown in1839. 1915 Mar20th

Wesleyan Chapel Queenborough

Foundation stone laid 1888 May 26^th

Opening of chapel 1888 July 14^th

Now licensed for weddings 1893 April 18th

Westmister

To have a new church in 9 months time 1907 Feb.16^th

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Cricket

Queenboro cricket club fined for using Queenboro Common 1836 July 4^th

Sheppey United Cricket Club averages for the season 1889 Oct 26^th

Short history since 1874 1908 Mar 14^th

Old style single wicket played 1912 Aug 31^st

Cinema

First time in Sheppey Bioscope picture 100,000 ft. 1906 June 16^th

New cinema opened at Minster 1914 April 4^th

Civil War

Jack Cades rebellion V.G. 1907 May 11^th

Clocks

Bensons clocks see Dockyard 1880 Oct 23^rd

Church clocks in Kent by Benson 1890 Aug 9^th

New clock for Hoo Church 1892 June 25^th

Coal Washer (Queenborough)

Description of 1910 Sept 17^th

Coat of Arms

For Sheppey ,there is not one,Council 1910 July 2^nd

New Seal- Ship and White Horse 1911 Mar 25^th

Medal with coat of arms given to all children 1911 June 24^th

Comet

Of 1907 seen 1907 Aug 24^th

Halley’s comet 1910 May 21^st

Conservative Party

Newly formed party for Sheerness 1882 April 8^th

Three paragraphs on above 1889 April 27^th

Co-op

Started in 1816 ,oldest in the country 1875 Mar 13^th

Long meeting report 1881 Oct 15^th

W..J.Penney in chair 1881 Dec 17^th

Co-op buy a boat 1882 Oct 21^st

Site of the first co-op ( High Street) etc 1892 Oct 22^nd

Jubilee 50 years and 15 original pioneers 1900 Mar 3^rd

Merger of co-op and economical 1903 April 4^th/18^th,1907 Oct 15^th

½ yearly meeting of econ 1909 June 12^th

Oldest co-op in England is in Sheppey 1910 July 16^th

History of the Mill and the Bakery 1910 Oct 8^th

Re amalgamation of the Co-op and the Eco 1911 Feb 11^th

Letter re Centenary 1816 Nov21st 1916 Dec 2^nd

Copland

Gibralter Copland of Sheppey, invents new look and saves water1904 Jan 16^th

Lottery ticket of 1816 held by Copland 1916 Feb 5^th

Copperas Factory

History of 1911 Jan 7^th

Coronation

Tea party and games 1911 July 22^nd

Council Offices

Water works and the Tower collapses 1862 May 3^rd

Sir John Rennie inspects the above 1862 May 17^th

Wages for the week £18-14s-0d 1864 May 7^th

Contract to sweep the streets of Sheerness £5 per week 1863 Aug 29^th

Town Joiner is suggested tools given 1870 May 14^th

£2,500 borrowed to build the Esplanade 1874 Oct 31^st

Cost of paving given per square yard 1875 Sept 11^th

Promenade and the dwarf wall to be built 1875 Dec 4^th

Council members 1879 April 12^th

Balance sheet for the Council 1890 Aug 30^th

Steam roller to be brought for the roads 1890 Sept 27^th

Addresses, nominations and the results 1912 April 6^th/ Mar 16^th

Rate is fixed at 1/10d in the £ for 6 months 1916 Mar 25^th

Coursing

Description of V.G. 1912 Mar 23^rd

Court Leet

At Kingsborough 1870 June 18^th

Maintenance of sea wall,old books,1251,1402 etc 1874 April 25^th

Poems Ys Is Yo Boke of Bob Ye Friar 1881 Dec 24^th

Old tree nearly dead, very old 1904 Oct 1^st?

Old tree nearly dead ,fill with concrete? 1907 July 13^th

History of the Court Leet ,500 year records are with Copland 1913 Dec 13^th

Last meeting was in 1856 1913 Dec 13^th

Mentioned by Alderman Howe 1915 Feb 13^th

Cycling

Sheerness Royal Cycle Club 1906 Jan 12^th

21 mile Chatham to Halfway on 48” Diameter wheel 1hr-20mins1876 Sept 9^th

A trip Kent Surrey????? 1888 June 9^th/16^th

Ditches

Ditches in Sheerness 1866 June 9^th

Dockyards

Deptford ,Woolwich 1870 May 7^th

Officials in 1791 1904 Oct 29^th

Dockyard Closure

Questions to be asked in the house 1865 June 24^th

11/7/1868, 18/9/1869 1868 April 18^th

Dockyard, Chatham

Wage list for 1601 1914 July 18^th

Strike among hired mechanics 1862 July 26^th

Convicts arrive to work on the extensions 1863 Mar 12^th

Nelson sails of the Victory found 1875 May 1^st

Yard to be lit with electricity 1881 Jan 8^th

Dockyard Naval Estimates

4/4/1874, 18/3/1882, 30/3/1882, 15-22/3/1890, 11/3/1893 EtcEtc

Dockyard Exams Results

16/10/1869, 11/7/1874, 5/7/1879, 3/7/1880, 25/6/1881, Etc ,Etc

Dockyard Wages and Manpower

12/3/1864, 11/3/1865,

Given in 1729 =204 1874 Oct 3^rd

Hours to be worked 1881 Nov 12^th

1748 men in the dockyard Mar 3^rd/24^th

Wages of the tradesmen 1889 Dec 14^th

Dockyard miscellany

Wooden model 50 years old sent to the Southampton Museum 1866 Feb 3^rd

Rat catchers to be paid 1/- per dozen caught 1874 Oct 3rd

120 apprentices named at funeral 1879 June 28^th

New (Benson) clock fitted to the storehouse 1880 Oct 23^rd

King William IV Admiralty house fire 1893 Sept 2^nd

Petition for better conditions V.G. 1903 Oct 30^th

Interview with Admiralty re Yard 1904 Feb 6^th
Petition ( three paragraphs ) 1906 Dec 1^st

Health of, number sick, died or hurt 1908 Jan 15^th

            Only a wooden fence around Dockyard and no policemen         1910 July 23^rd
            Re Storehouse                                                                          1911 June 24^th
            Good list of senior Dockyard men                                             1912 Jan 20^th

Some ships in docks for 5 years .Old no.2 dock roof pulled down1912 Sept 21^st

Long list of Officers in 1869 1913 Feb 13^th

Steam basin opened 1823 Sept 9^th 1913 Sept 13^th

Searching the employers in 17th century 1914 April 18^th

First stone laid for the dry dock 1819 June 10^th 1917 June 10^th

40 years ago and the Yard Superintendent had powers of law 1916 July 1^st

Officers in 1869 1916 Aug 26^th

Officers in 1797 1869 April 17^th

First iron ship built at Sheerness 1875 July 17^th

List of ships built at Sheerness 1832 to 1865 1904 Mar 5th

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Devonian Meetings

Held in Sheerness 1907 Feb 16^th

Devonian dinner 1908 Feb 29^th

Druids etc

U.A.O Druids Lodge No 385 of Queenborough £1 given for rescue 1866 Jan 20^th

Oddfellows, Knots, Druids, numbers mentioned 1870 May 14^th

Ditto Fete 1870 July 2^nd

M.U.I.O.O.F. dinner long report 1870 Sept 10th

Dutch Invasion

V.G. 1888 Jan 21^st

Warden mentioned as important 1888 June 2^nd

Eastchurch

Cattle market 1903 Dec 12^th

Electricity

Lighting for town or gas ?? 1904 Feb 6^th

Public lighting for Minster (gas?) 1906 April 21^st

1^st victim of civilisation lighting ( electricity) 1908 Oct 17^th

Long debate –gas ver electricity 1910 Nov 5^th

Elmley

Visit to .two paragraphs V.G. 1904 Oct 8^th

Kings hill and house, King James capture (short account ) 1906 Oct 20^th

Now almost deserted 1909 June 19^th

Emmigration

To Canada to Prussia, from Dockyard 1870 April 2^nd

To Canada 1870 June 4^th/11^th

Letter from Canada 1871 Feb 4^th

Ditto 1892 Jan16th

Emigrate to Canada for £5 1869 Feb 13^th

Ditto from Vancouver very long letter 1892 April 23rd

Ditto Ditto 1893 Aug 12^th

Letter from America re the condition of work 1896 Oct 17^th

Letter from San Fransisco re Earthquake 1906 May 12^th

Evening Classes
In Sheppey 1892 Sept 17^th

Evening classes are suggested 1897 Aug 5^th

Classes started at 3d per week 1893 Oct 21^st

Explorer

Captain Scott last Artic region 1913 Feb 22^nd