Newspaper Stories 1869 - - Hartley-Kent: The Website for Hartley

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Newspaper Stories 1869 -

13 and 20 November 1869 - Two cases of Poaching at Hartley
Maidstone Telegraph

(13.11.1869) Edward Dicks was charged with having been trespassing on land belonging to William Allen esq of Hartley, in search of rabbits.  Fined 20 shillings and costs; in default of paying, one calendar month's imprisonment.

(20.11.1869) John Badd and George Hind were charged with stealing 5 rabbits, the property of William Marshall (King's Arms) of Hartley on the 6th November.  They were also further charged with having stolen a rabbit, the property of Thomas Mitchell of Hartley, on the same day.  2 months' hard labour in each case.


2 March 1870 - First Communication Cord Prosecution
Hampshire Advertiser

Unnecessarily Stopping a Train - The first prosection by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway Company against a passenger for unnecessarily stopping a train to be stopped by means of the apparatus provided for communicating with the guard was instituted last week, and the case heard at the Dartford Police Court on Saturday.  The defendant was Mr John Usher, an auctioneer, of Canterbury, who was a passenger from Canterbury to Rochester, and having failed to alight at the last named city communicated with the guard when near Farningham Road Station, the consequence being that the train was immediately stopped.  A fine of 40 shillings and costs inflicted.


16 May 1870 - Attempted Suicide
South Eastern Gazette
This case reminds us that until the Suicide Act 1861, it was a crime in this country to attempt suicide.  John Ware (1819-76) in 1861 had been living at Hartley Court Cottage, but in 1871 had moved to Darenth Cottages, so it looks like that when his employer fired him, he evicted him from his home as well.

John Ware, a labourer of Hartley was charged with attempting to commit suicide by hanging himself.  It appeared that about 6 o'clock on Monday morning last, prisoner got up early and went into a shed adjoining the house; his daughter Elizabeth saw him, and told her younger sister to go and see what her father was about. She accordingly went and found her father hanging by the neck from a beam, suspended by means of a neckerhief.  She called her sister, who cut him down.  He fell to the ground insensible, assistance was at once procured, and he was carried indoors, but he was unable to speak for 6 hours.  Mrs Ware said the only way she could account for his doing this was that some time ago he was severely struck on the head with a stone, and he has since been at times rather strange; also he had been discharged from his work as farm labouerer in consequence of his bad sight, which she thought preyed upon his mind, more especially as his sight was getting worse.  Upon the prisoner's promising that he would make no further attempts upon his life, the bench dismissed him.


4 February 1871 - Theft of Ferret
Maidstone Telegraph

On Wednesday before S C Umfreville esq, Edward Longhurst was charged with stealing a live ferret, value 4 shillings, the property of Henry Bensted at Hartley, on the 19th inst (January).  Fined 20 shillings, 5 shillings costs and 4 shillings the value of the ferret, or 21 days' imprisonment.


13 February 1871 - A Fox Hunt at Hartley
Maidstone Journal
A highly controversial topic today, but there is no denying it was a popular sport among many of the gentry in Victorian England.  An earlier report in 1868 suggests that the hunt was not always very popular in Hartley and Ash.

Sport seems to be the correct word to use, because it is clear they did not see themselves as being involved in pest control, the reference to coverts - little copses of wood in fields, gives the game away, for they are actually encouraging the fox population, so they will have something to hunt.

The West Kent Hounds.
Sir - being sure it will give pleasure to many of your readers, I propose sending you a short account of the doings of the above on the 4 advertised days of last week........

On Thursday we met at Hartley, a certain find, and very few minutes after throwing into covert, Charley was afoot, and the big pack close at him.  Happily Mr Allen was busied at the lower side of Hartley Wood with his men at stone cart, and our fox was headed going for Horton.  A lot of men stopped back for a view (which they got at a second fox) but dear it cost them.  The hunted fox went away at best pace through Foxberry Wood, Nine Horse Shoes, White Ash and Viney Woods, up and down the hills and across the valley of Stansted, to Mr Rigg's preserves, when, heading short, after running straight out for 5 miles, he slipped back to the left through Hall Wood, Meopham Banks and Elbows Wood, shortly after which a second fox being afoot, and the hounds dividing, Mr James Russell (on his second horse) the cold put the body of the pack back to Tom Hils, who was sticking with about 5 people of his hounds to the line of, as we thought, the beaten fox, to Hartley Wood, where was no getting to ground.  Here we hunted for an hour, when half a dozen jays jabbering overhead we thought our fox was dyng in the corner of Foxberry Wood, but it was not so  The hounds took the line across the open by Red Libbets and Pennis Woods to the Horton Coverts, where, though the hunting was slow, there was no dwelling, it was either St Margaret's or Darenth Wood, when Captain Laurie, who was going home, gave us a welcome halloa, seeing our fox lay down in the open.  He was away before the hounds could be got up, and the fog increasing, and pace improving, those who got thrown out now has no chance of nicking in, our gallant fox shunning some of the coverts of the morning, but in the main, running the same line, though at a faster pace, managed at 4 o'clock to save his brush for another day, by slipping into earth about 300 yards from Stansted Church.  The hounds seemed as though they would not be denied, and men were not wanting, who tried by ineffectually, to get him out by candlelight.


22 April 1871 - Theft of Boots
Gravesend Reporter
William Wells was servant to Rev W W Allen, rector of Hartley; he lived at Rectory Cottage at the bottom of Hoselands Hill.

Charles Russell, a tramp, was charged with stealing a pair of boots, value 2 shillings, belonging to William Wells, groom, at Hartley.  Prosecutor said he left his boots in the stable on the 10th April.  His daughter sw prisoner come out of the stable and shut the door.  PC Bailey went in pursuit of prisoner, and found him in the Railway Tavern, Southfleet, with the missing boots on.  1 month's hard labouer.


2 October 1871 - Sale of Farm Stock at Hartley Court
Maidstone Journal

Hartley Court...
Farming Stock and Implements, 3 stacks of oats computed 200 quarters.

Messrs Dann & Son have received instructions from Mr William Allen (quitting the farm), to sell by auction on the premises, as above, on Friday 6th October 1871 at 12 for 1 o'clock, 9 powerful cart horses, 3 breeding sows, 34 head of poultry, 3 handsome beagles, 3 ferrets.  The implements comprise 3 captial cylinder iron land rollers, 3 strong waggons, 5 dung carts, turnrise and Ransome's iron ploughs, ox, small and iron harrows, Suffolk drill brakes, sowing machines, sets of chain and plough harnesses, 30 quarters of corn, sacks, tools, ladders, 350 new hurdles, iron garden roller, 14 inch law mowing machine, and numerous items.  May be viewed the day previous to the sale.  Catalogues had on the premises, the inns in the locality and of the Auctioneers and Estate Agents, Bexley, SE.


21 October 1871 - Donation to Gravesend Hospital
Gravesend Reporter

Dispensary and Infirmary - The Hon Treasurer (G Sams esq) acknowledges with thanks the sum of £4 3s received as collection at Ash Church, on Sunday the 8th inst.  Also £6 1s 3d amount of collection at Cobham Church by the Rev O M Ridley MA and £1 13s 4d, a thank offering for harvest, collected at Hartley by the Rev W W Allen.


11 December 1871 - Woodland for sale
Maidstone Journal

Valuable Underwood, Hartley Court, Kent.
Mr Robert Allen has been instructed to sell by tender, about 34 acres of Valuable Underwood, varying from 11 to 14 years' growth, growing in Hartley and Goss Woods, Hartley Court.

Any person desirous of tendering for the same may obtain the necessary form from William Turvill, Hartley Court, near Dartford, or of Mr Robert Allen, Ruxley, near Foot's Cray, which must be forwarded to Mr Robert Allen on or before Tuesday the 26th of December 1871.

Mr Robert Allen will not pledge himself to accept the highest or any tender.


13 January 1872 - Robbery at Hartley Rectory
Gravesend Reporter

Burglary - between 7 and 8 o'clock on the evening of Thursday the 4th inst. the dwelling house of the Rev W W Allen, the Rectory, at Hartley, wa entered, and some amount of property stolen, an old fashioned French watch, an old French gold hunter, a lady's gold Geneva, a gold bracelet set with turquoise and rubies, a gold turguoise ring, three pebble brooches, a white cornelian brooch, an enamelled locket, a heart shaped locket, a child's chased silver mug engraved "W.W.A", £8 in money, and other smaller articles.  Entrance was effected by a ladder to the bedchamber window.  A reward of £30 is offered for information for the apprehension of the parties.


24 May 1872 - The Movement among Farm Labourers
Newcastle Courant

.....
On Monday two large gathering of labourers of the western parts of the county of Kent were held, the first on the Brent, near Dartford, and the other at the Royal Oak, Northumberland Heath, near Erith, for the purpose of discussing their grievances and organising branches in cooperation with the Agricultural Labourers' Union, recently established at Maidstone.  The attendance was very numerous at both places, and there was a manifest determination to join earnestly in the agitation for increase of wages and reduction of the hours of labour.  Mr Simmons of Maidstone, and other connected with the movement addressed the meeting.  It was said that already there were in Kent some 1,200 labourers in union, and as arrangements were made for the forming of about 18 additional branches, no doubt, in 2 or 3 months, they would number five or six thousand members.  Arrangements were made for the formation of branches of the Union at Dartford and Erith, and the proceedings terminated....


10 June 1872 - Opening of Longfield Station
Maidstone Journal

Fawkham: Opening of a Railway Station
The inhabitants of this parish have at last succeeded in obtaining what they much required - a railway station on the London, Chatham and Dover line.  For several years many attempts have been made to induce the company to open a station at Fawkham, but without success.  A short time ago H B Hohler esq, came to reside there, when that gentleman took the matter in hand and succeeded.  The new station was opened on the 1st of June.


4 July 1872 - Hartley House and other properties for sale
The Times
The results are given in the Daily News 29.7.1872
Longfield Court £5,000
9 acres and 2 cottages at Hartley Green £1,050
Hartley Cottage (House) £1,080
Land at Grub Street £800
Bay Lodge wheelwrights £415
Forge Cottage £310

Longfield, Hartley and Ash, Kent, 5 miles below Dartford, in an exceedingly picturesque locality

Longfield Court, a charming old fashioned gothic residence, standing in very tastefully disposed pleasure grounds, with padocks of about 22 acres, and having stabling for 8 horses, coach house, gardener's and keeper's cottages, pheasantry, and extensive domestic offices, situate close to Longfield Church and Fawkham Station on the London, Chatham and Dover Railway.

Also about 9½ acres of choice building land, contiguous to the aboe, adjoining the railway station, having frontages on 3 sides to good roads.

A capital enclosure of arable land, about 9 acres, and 2 cottages at Hartley Green.

Hartley Cottage (now called Hartley House), a comfortable detached residence in large garden, with stabling, orchard etc, together about 3 acres.

Also 2 detached cottages, in good gardens, with wheelwright's and blacksmith's shops respectively; and also an enclosure of arable land, about 9 acres, all situate in Grub Street, in the parish of Hartley, about 1½ mile from Fawkham Railway Station.  (Forge Cottage and Bay Lodge)

And 2 cottages and about 2½ acres of arable land at West Yokr, in the parish of Ash.

31 August 1872 - Sunday Trading at the King's Arms
Dartford Chronicle

Tippling
William Letchford, George Munn, John Fincham and William Packman were summoned for having been found for the purpose of drinking in the house of Mr John Callow the Kings Arms, Hartley, who was convicted at the court a fortnight back for illegally opening his house on July 21st.  Accused pleaded guilty, and were fined 2s 6d, costs 7 shillings each.


1 October 1872 - Sale at Hartley Wood Farm
South Eastern Gazette
The farm is now called Hartley Manor.  The proprietor quitting the premises would be William Bensted, listed as living here in the 1871 Census.

Hartley Wood Farm, Hartley near Dartford, Kent.
Messrs Hodsoll & Ray are instructed by the proprietor (who is quitting the farm) to sell by auction, on the premises as above, on Friday October 11th 1872, at 12 o'clock.

The valuable live and dead farming stock, comprising 4 powerful and active draught horses, mare in foal with colt at foot, milch cow, 8 calves, 2 waggons, 5 dung carts, 2 rollers, 5 share Kent drill, an excellent 2 horse thrashing machine, galvanised iron water barrel on carriage and 4 wheels, ox harrows, hop nidgets, bean and pea brakes, cleaning machine, 75 hop bins and cloths, 160 new hurdle gates, sheep cages and troughs, harness etc.  Also a portion of the household furniture.

Catalogues may be had on the premises, and of the auctioneers, Farningham and Horton Kirby, Kent.


21 October 1872 - Sunday Trading at the King's Arms (2)
Gravesend Journal

John Callow, landlord of the Kings Arms, Hartley, was also summoned for opening his house for the sale of liquor before 12.30 on the morning of Sunday July 21st, PC G Webster (KCC) said that on visiting th house at 11.30 in the forenoon, he found 4 men in a wash house at the rear, 2 were standing, one holding a glass in his hand, the third was seated in a chair beside a table, and the 4th sat on the table, on which was quart pot containing beer.  The men were William Letchford (Hartley), George Munn, John Fincham (working at Red Cow Farm) and William Packman (Hartley).  Witness observed to the landlord that he supposed he knew he was doing wrong.  Defendant said Letchford had represented himself as a traveller.  Witness said that he should report the same.  Defendant said Letchford.... (rest of photocopy missing)


4 January 1873 - No red flag at Longfield
Gravesend Reporter
The Locomotive Act 1865 required self propelled vehicles to have someone with a red flag at least 60 yards in front of the vehicle, to warn of its approach.  Mr John Samuel Evenden of Meopham had been fined £5 for not having someone with a red flag at Longfield on 30 November.

Traction Engine on Highways
The following letter has been addressed to the editor of the South Eastern Gazette: Sir, Seeing in your edition of December 24th an account of my being fined by the Dartford bench of magistrates for allowing a traction engine to proceed upon the highway in the parish of Longfield, allow me to say that it was upon a very unfrequented road, where you may travel in the daytime for hours without meeting anything, much less so at the time the engine was moving, shortly after 5 o'clock in the morning and pitch dark.  The engine was travelling with its proper lights, but a man with a red flag would be as useless at 60 yards from the engine as he would have been 6 miles off.  Yours truly, John S Evenden.


13 September 1873 - King's Arms loses its licence
Dartford Chronicle
The photocopy is indistinct down the left margin due to the binding of the original.

King's Arms (late) Hartley
Mr [...] Hilder, solicitor of Gravesend and [.....] of this district, appeared as representative of John Finch in respect of certain premises at Hartley Bottom, lately known as the Kings Arms.  He said the licence was unfortunately lost last licencing day, through no fault of the present tenant, but an inadvertency of the [....] not appraising him of the circumstances, [....] he might have taken proper action.  What was sought was the revival of an old licence which had been in existence over 50 years.

Supt Fread (KCC) said he had given notice [.....] neighbourhood did not require the house [.....] also that the house had been misconducted.

[....] of the court (to the Solicitor): "You treat [....] as one for which a new licence is sought?"  Mr Hilder said he had given notice as such; but [....] as an old house, becaue the application [....] different circumstances that if the same had never been used for such proposes.

[.....] was presented, on behalf of applicant from the parish of Meopham, where he [....] resided, signed by the clergyman, churchwarden, overseers, and others, and speaking of him as a man of sober life and conversation.

The magistrates were unanimous n refusing a renewal.


24 October 1874 - Governess wanted
Gravesend Reporter

Governess -  a situation required by a lady accustomed to tuition ; acquirements - English, French, Music, and singing.  Excellent testimonials.  Address P.M. Post Office, Hartley, Dartford.


6 February 1875 - Fare Evasion
Pall Mall Gazette
Just to show there is nothing new under the sun, this type of fare evasion still goes on today.

Samuel Shrubook, a builder's foreman, living in Grange Road, Bermondsey, was summoned at Lambeth yesterday, for having travelled on teh London, Chatham and Dover railway without having paid his fare, ad with intent to avoid payment.  The defendant took a ticket from Farningham Road to St Mary Cray, for which he paid a few pence.  He did not allight, but travelled onto Herne Hill, where he was met by a woman who gave him a ticket from there to the Elephant and Castle.  He thus avoided payent for the journey between Herne Hill and St Mary Cray.  It was stated that frauds of this description were frequently committed.  Mr Ellision said it was a shameful fraud, and ordered the defendant to pay a fine of 40 shillings and £1 10s costs, with the alternative of 1 month's imprisonment.  The magistrate regretted that he had no power to inflict a heavier punishment.


25 June 1875 - Road Traffic Offence
Bexleyheath Observer

Highway Offences
At the Dartford Petty Sessions on Saturday last, Alfred Parker, Hartley, was summoned by Mr Superindent Fread, for riding on a wagon without reins on the 20th May, at Ash  The defendant was very deaf, and appeared to understand but imperfectly what was said to him, in explanation of the charge, which was substantiated by PC Taylor.  The superintendent said he did not wish to press for a penalty, as he did not consider the defendant a proper person to be entrusted with a team, being very deaf, and he was also lame.  Fined 2s 6d and costs.  John Forester in the employ of Mr Ricomini of Ash, was summoned for a similar offence, viz driving a wagon at Kingsdown on the 29th May in such a way as not to have control of the horses.  PC Taylor said the defendant was riding on the shafts and had no reins.  Fined 2s 6d and costs.


25 December 1875 - Christmas Fare at Dartford
Bexleyheath Observer

Mr Burton, High Street, had 6 Scots, 6 Devons, 4 shorthorns, 20 Southdowns from Mr J T Smith, Hartley; 10 half-breeds, from Mr Pigou; and a choice calf from Mr G Solomon, Joyce Green.  Mr Jones, Lowfield Street had 10 Scots, 4 Shorthorns, half-breed sheep, and a choice calf.  Mr Filmer, High Street, 6 beasts, including one bred and fed and exhibited at Smithfield by Mr Walter Farthing, Stoney Court, Somerset; sheep and 9 porkers.  Mr Roots, Spital Street, had 2 prime Sussex beasts, and some good southdowns from Mr Stoneham, Crayford.  Mr Kemp, Lowfield, exhibited some good seasonable beef and mutton.  Mr Cosson, 2 Norfolks and Kent Sheep; Mr Manners, a fine pig, 11 months old, weight 60 stone, fed by Mr Faulkner, Erith; and another from Mrs Plummer, Belvedere, about 45lbs; also a good show of geese, turkeys etc.  High Street had a very gay appearance, from the shops of the grocers, drapers, stationers, Birmingham houses etc being set off very tastefully.  We should not omit to mention also the shops of the confectioners and fruiterers, which were not deficient in picturesque effect.



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