Newspaper Stories 1910 - 1915 - Hartley-Kent: The Website for Hartley

Some names redacted for data protection reasons.

01 Jan 1910 Mr Jabez Martin Sydenham, Forest Hill & Penge Gazette
"We regret to announce the death of Mr Jabez Martin, of Brockley Lodge, Brockley Road, who passed away yesterday (Thursday) morning, at the age of 54, after a month's illness. The deceased gentleman was the principal partner of the firm of Messrs J & B Martin, the well known contractors to most of the municipal bodies in London for the supply of road material. The firm had flint and brick works at Fawkham, Kent, and also gravel and sandpits at Crayford. Mr Martin, who was widely respected, leaves a widow, one son and 2 daughters."

28 Jan 1910 General Election - Dartford Kent & Sussex Courier
Conservatives from Tunbridge Wells bussed into Dartford to campaign in election

01 Feb 1910 General Election - Dartford South Eastern Gazette
Conservatives gain Dartford Constituency with a majority of 817

25 Jun 1910 Hartley House sale Times
"Hartley, Kent. 400 feet above sea level. Within easy access from town. One mile and a half from Fawkham Station on the main line of the SE & C Railway, by which London is reached in less than 40 minutes. Valuable freehold properties, comprising:

Lot 1 - Hartley House, a comfortable house of moderate size with stabling, gardens, orchard, containing together 3a 1r 4p, in a bracing and healthy locality. With possession.

Lot 2 - a small villa residence known as Bay Lodge, with good garden etc. Let on lease at £16 per annum.

Lot 3 - Brick built Cottage, blacksmith's forge, garden etc.

Messrs Cobb at the Mart, Tokenhouse Yard, London EC on Friday, July 1st at 2 o'clock precisely."

29 Aug 1910 Wanted Advert Chelmsford Chronicle
Business wanted by Sheppard of Grafton House, Hartley

09 Sep 1910 Oddfellows' Centenary - Dartford District Celebrations Gravesend Standard
"Members of the Independent Order of the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows are this year celebrating the centenery of their order, for which is claimed the proud distinction of being the largest and soundest friendly society in the world, possessing as it does over 1 million members, and a capital exceeding £13,600,000. The members of hte Dartford District of the order, not to be behind their confreres in other parts of the kingdom, on Saturday celebrated the centenary by the holding of sports and a fete, at which were present all those in the district who are actively associated with the movement locally, in addition to visitors from a distance. The Dartford District comprises some nine lodges, these, together with their membership, being as follows: Garden of England (Bexleyheath) - 127; Hope of Dartford (Dartford) - 400; Lesney (Erith) - 238; Hope of Eynsford (Eynsford) - 109; Sons of the Darent (Farningham) - 102; Pride of the Thames (Greenhithe) - 117; Hearts of Oak (Hartley, Longfield) - 171; Pride of Stansted (Stansted, Wrotham) - 45; and Good Intent (Sutton at Hone) - 247; total membership 1,555.

With regard to the financial position of the lodges in the Dartford District, this is a matter upon which the members have every reason to feel gratified, as their sick and funeral funds amount to between £24,000 and £25,000, while their total assets exceed £31,500, money which, thanks to the business ability of the men who have directed the affairs of the several lodges, has been invested, not only in a thoroughly sound manner, but in a way which brings to the lodges a very satisfactory rate of interest. The invested capital and interest combined give ot the Order in the district a security which is a guarantee that those who join this great friendly society locally can do so resting assured that every undertaking given in the actuarial tables in the matter of benefit will be discharged to the uttermost. It is in this fact that the members of the great Manchester Unity, Independent Order of Oddfellows, are able to rest satisfied in the proud consciousness that when the glamour of some, not friendly, but benefit - societies had passed away, their own Unity, like the Ancient Order of Foresters, and one or two other societies of a like nature, will remain as a living demonstration that strict actuarial valuation, based solely upon the contributions of the members, is the only safe policy in such matters, and that even though for a time they may by some be passed by for that which presents a more glittering appearance, yet in the end they will remain unshaken, and enjoy the confidence of those who make provision for sickness and old age. Those present on Saturday included ... Bro W J Davis JP (Chairman of the Dartford UDC), Bro Walter Scanes (Provincial Grand Master of the Dartford District).... A Blackwell, past provincial grand master (Secretary of the Hearts of Oak Lodge, Longfield)...." lengthy report of speeches etc.

24 Oct 1910 From Office Boy to Station Master Hastings Observer
"Battle residents will be pleased to hear of the success of Mr Frank Norman of Clive Villas, who has been appointed stationmaster of Fawkham, a station between Chatham and Swanley. Mr F Norman, who commences his new duties in January, was a scholar at Battle Schools, entering the service of the SE and C Railway Company as an office boy. As time went on he rose to relief clerk, and then relief stationmaster, the latter position having been held by him for the past 18 months."

17 Dec 1910 Drink Driving at Gravesend South Eastern Gazette

20 Dec 1910 The Dartford Election Woolwich Herald
"Polling took place on Wednesday in the Dartford division, the candidates being Mr W Foot Mitchell (Unionist) and Mr J Rowlands (Liberal). The weather was most unfavourable, and the Unionists suffered considerably from lack of motor cars and other conveyances. Mr Mitchell was the victom of a number of misrepresentations with regard to the wages paid to the native labour in the Far East by the company with which he is connected. These facts, together with the careful 'nursing' of the constituency by Mr Rowlands since his rejection in January last, were no doubt responsible for the loss of the seat by the Conservative party. The result of the poll was as follows:

Rowlands 9,152

Mitchell 8,198

Majority 954

At the last election Mr Mitchell won the seat by a majority of 817, and the fact that so many votes were turned over to the Radicals makes Dartford election one of the most noticeable among Liberal victories of the present contest."

[The paper's sympathies appear to be with the Conservatives]

20 Jan 1911 Damage to Underwood Eltham Times
Dartford Magistrates: "Christopher Henry Kingston of Buckfield Cottages (sic), Longfield, was summoned for maliciously damaging underwood belonging to Sir William Chance, of Hartley, on December 31st, and was bound over…"

04 Feb 1911 West Kent Hunt Times
West Kent Hunt to meet at Hartley Manor

11 Feb 1911 Servant Wants Position The Field
"Gamekeeper seeks situation (single handed or good beat); has had life experience, and thoroughly understands all duties; sober and trustworthy; leaving through death of employer; age 29; height 5ft 9in, weight 12 stone, married, one in family; can be highly recommended. Apply W Fuller, Pescot Lodge, Longfield, Kent."

22 Apr 1911 New Use for House Refuse Preston Herald
"Even house refuse is, it seems, following the general law of change. Previous to October 1906, states Mr Arthur Harrison, the borough engineer and surveyor for Southwark, the house refuse of the district was taken to the country depot, screened and sorted, and the ashes sold to brickmakers, the refuse being partly burned and disposed of in various ways. Owing, however to the increased use of gas cooking stoves during the last few years, it was found that the nature of the refuse had changd, and did not produce sufficient ashes to pay for hand screening. Accordingly, Mr Harrison decided to crush the refuse without sorting it, producing by this means a species of manure, which, it is said, saves annually to the ratepayers some thousands of pounds."

11 Jul 1911 Happy Villages London Standard
Happy Villages' description of Small Owners Estate at Hartley

26 Aug 1911 Technical Offences Sydenham, Forest Hill & Penge Gazette
(Bromley Magistrates) "William Bevan, Hartley Bottom, Hartley, did not appear to a summons for not having direction and government of a horse and van on the 27th ult at St Mary Cray - a fine of 10 shillings and 11 shillings costs was ordered."

11 Oct 1911 Seek Vacancy Eastbourne Gazette
Cowman (head) seeks situation, early riser, abstainer, understands oil engine and all machinery, 9½ years in present place, age 42, near school. Apply J Marchant, Fairby Farm, Hartley, Longfield, Kent. [Mr Marchant was living in one of the cottages near Hartley Green. He would have been one of the people evicted by Small Owners Limited when they bought the estate, because they wanted to sell them. As he had 5 children he clearly would need a school close by.] "

24 Oct 1911 The Automatic Landowner Evening News
""The Automatic Landowner - the Mecca of the Small Owner"" It was an English day. A day of autumn compromise.

There was a blunt softness in the air, because across the Kentish downs the wind met no resistance, and was good-tempered accordingly.

The Darracq hummed smoothly along.

We could of course, have trained it straight to Fawkham Station, but we wanted to see what our neighbours were like.

The 1.37 from London Bridge had run us to Dartford in 30 minutes with only one stop.

The 'Bull' - memorable to lovers of Pickwick - was having its front elevation repaired, and was of no interest to us at the moment. We were faring for Fairby Farm, and could do no more justice to the splendid open road than to skim over it, noting the presence of good breaking up gravel in the soil of the fields and ignoring the romance of a ruined Roman Villa to our right. Because after all, we were concerned with the present - with its beneficent alloy which we term promise for the future.

A short cut through Fawkham Station over a stile, and we were tramping the good brown loam, over the protesting heads of young turnips (at this time of year!) up a slope crowned with woodland.

Here a hard, dry path revealed itself, carpeted with acorns.

Mr H pointed to a curly monarch on our left with scarse a leaft unmoored from its anchorage yet.

""What would you give for that oak in your garden? £5? £10?""

""Yes, and be glad of it.""

The Valley Road

Leaving the wood we stood before long on a shelving slope with a wide view in front of us: undulating land leaning gently to a valley road, with flaming beeches in the middle distance, and away off in a hazy dip, more trees in diminishing masses.

""There is Fawkham Church just below, and a little to this side of it is the site of Fawkham Castle - an ancient keep now belonging to the legends. Here where we stand would be a fine take off for your aeroplane: plenty of room, no chance of dangerous currents, and open to the west and south. A few acres would serve your turn - ""

""The last aeroplane I had was a ____ ""

""____ But this land"", went on Mr H, ""is almost too good for a mere jumping on and off place. It is meant for a permanent alighting ground, with kisses at the front door, and tennis on a lawn and pottering about with a dibber and pruning hook and watching goldfish in a pond - just here, say.""

""Well the friend I told you about has lately been married, and is thinking of coming to the country in order to be free from noise and the least suggestion of business. This place is not far from the City, as the train flies it is as near as Hampstead or Brixton. I know you told me so, but I came along to see for myself. What my friend wants is my report of the best 2 acre plot you have got, and it's your turn now.""

We located this plot, but I shall not indicate it. I will just mention that it included a bit of woodland, whether for appearance in the front or quiet enjoyment in the rear pleasance, I decline to say - and a delightful uninterrupted view.

I took out a chart. Some people might call it a meaningless scrawl, but if you had drawn it yourself you also would refer to it as a chart. Then I came to grips with Mr H.

""These are my friend's instructions. First, as to the a house, he doesn't want anything reminiscent of the City; it must be, er, redolent of the soil __""

""In other words, a cottage. We will make him a plan, free, to any style he desires__""

""With a billiard room?""

""Yes""

""And a motor shed?""

""Yes""

""And, let me see, a poultry run?"" ""Yes. We have an expert - that rare thing, a scientific farm manager - who will both provide the poultry and given him three weeks' lessons in the art of keeping them for both

Pleasure and Profit

""And the eggs, I suppose there will be eggs?""

""If he will put himself in the hands of our manager and is willing to take poultry seriously, he could pay for his two acres in two years, out of the poultry and what he takes out of the land.""

""Oh! Will he have to work?""

""No need to. But 10 to 1 this Fairby air will seduce him into doing it. And you can't worry about business while you are gardening.""

""Most true. Personally, I confine myself to looking on at the gardening, and I know I don't think about business then. I can only think what a silly way the other chap has of doing things.""

""Your friend can choose just how he will have his land laid out. A well known firm of designers will make him a plan free, flowers here, for instance, vegetables there, fruit trees over yonder, or he can keep the garden for flowers and vegetables and take a portion of an orchard. One of hte orchards we have is full of 5 year old trees and the price of the land would include the trees in their present perfection.""

""Can you advise as to suitable furniture?""

""We will not only advise but supply, if your friend wishes - and at practically wholesale prices - the kind of furniture that seems to me eminently countrylike and homely. The sort of thing you pay dear for, as a rule, simply because it is both artistic and appropriate, but of course you friend will choose what pleases him.""

""In a sentence - your friend simply tells us what he wants and we supply it. Land, house, plotted garden, poultry, furniture; and if he buys now the best can easily be ready for him by the summer - the ideal time, of course, for a country life.""

""And for health. By the way, the water ____""

""Is company's water.""

""The roads___""

""Council road frontage wherever he selects.""

""Access to town easy enough""

""There is a splendid service of trains. You can get to the city in 37 or 50 minutes, according to your choice of train, both morning and evening. There are even theatre trains from Victoria, Holborn Viaduct and St Paul's at midnight, reaching Fawkham about 12.50.""

""Tell him that, in order to make the first year at his cottage more memorable, we will present your friend with a season ticket to town which will hold good to the end of June 1913. We do not offer free trips to prospective buyers; this free season ticket is only for householders on the residential section of Fairby Farm. We make the offer as one means of settling the land quickly.""

""It is possible he may come down and check my report.""

""He can do it this way; occupy all the morning with business, take the 1.37 from London Bridge to Dartford, and motor from there. He could have an hour on the estate, 315 acres you know, get the 4.15 from Fawkham, and be back in the office to wind up business. Or he could devote midday to the matter; take the 11.20 and return by the 2.46.""

""How do your plots work out in shape?""

""We give, to an acre plot, at least 100 feet of frontage and about 400 feet of depth, for £120 to £130 the acre. If you work out the latest offer I know of anywhere else you find the 20 feet frontage and 100 feet depth ome ou at £2,500 per acre - and more than that. Our local rates, again, are very low, about 4 shillings in the pound.""

""And suppose my friend, as we rather think he has, has got rid of most of his immediately available cash over his recent celebration___""

"" We are providing for any such case. We will take 25 per cent down, and the rest can be paid next year or in 5 years or in 12 years, with a modest 5 per cent on the balances. As you need hardly be told, all the money he pays is so much to the good, nor lost forever as in the case of rent; in fact, if he chose to avail himself of the 12 year period he would be paying less than rent and making hte place his own all the time.

Aladdin's Lamp

Really, seeing how easy it all is, he could hardly do better if he had Aladdin's Lamp! We are the slaves of the ring and lamp. Utter your wish - tell us what you want - and you become automatically a landlord!""

This majestic wind up dazed me for a time, and we next drove slowly round the farm, Mr H pointing out everything with a modest, no not exactly a modest pride; merely the statistical kind of pride of the man who knows that what he is talking about is a good thing without the possibility of question.

We now took in the features of the land appropriated for small holdings - land into which, I was told, thousands of pounds have been put in fertilisers. Certainly the look of it was decidedly promising; rich, dark land with a sufficiency of gravel for aeration. As a sample of fertility, Mr Hu pointed to a field of standing brussels sprouts. There was £600 worth in view, he said.

I saw a dozen or so of labourers' cottages on the estate; Fairby Grange, which did not pass with the land; orchards mature, and one lovely stretch of 5 year old beauties, trees so regular that one might expect see them labelled 'With care! From Noah's Ark Limited.' This particular orchard is to go at £100 the acre.

The farm buildings, apart from the cottaage, cost some £2,000 and it is here that lessons will be given in dairying and agriculture.

""We will take the small holder's milk and separate it and make the cream into butter for him, if he likes. If his produce, in fruit, vegetables, poultry, and the rest, is good enough, we will introduce him to a connection with hotels or institutions who must have the best, and with our methods and organisation we can always supply the best.

We are in the midst of

A Specially Fertile District

as you can see for yourself. As for poultry, Orpington is not for all, to give an example. Let the smallholder send us his produce; our manager will see to the rest. Freedom from trouble again, you see our very object, one of the leading features which make our proposition different from any other. That is the idea of the season ticket and of making you a home complete.""

""And the price for this agricultural land?""

""From £32 per acre, and you can buy from 1 to 50, every acre with a hard road frontage. We have 218 acres set apart for the smallholders; the residential sites account for 97. That is a council school we are passing. Grammar schools you can get at Rochester or Chatham, not far.""

""Grammar schools remind me of golf. I don't know why.""

""There are links at Gravesend, 4 miles away. At Rochester is the Royal Medway Club.""

""Golf suggests church - naturally.""

""There are three within a few minutes: Longfield, Hartley and Fawkham.""

""Coming once more to the agricultural land, I notice that most of it is turned.""

""Yes, cultivated right up to the date we transfer it"".

""You have certainly thought the matter out very thoroughly. I see no flaw in the proposition.""

""My dear sir, we knew from the first what we were looking for. It is the bare fact that we examined or considered hundreds of estates before we pitched upon Fairby Farm.""

""Well you have partly verified our claim that your friend can do the business in half a day. We shall catch the 4.15 badk to Town (we could have taken an earlier train at Fawkham), and a short talk in our office in our office over cottage plans, garden plotting and selection of furniture would relieve him of all trouble. He would simply await our note to the effect that his cottage was ready, furnished and aired, the garden laid out, and the hens clucking out there are eggs, fresh eggs, for tomorrow's breakfast. Let him ask for me at the offices of Small Owners Limited, in Temple Chambers, Temple Avenue, London EC. I shall be pleased to see him, whether he is quite ready to proceed or not. Let him ring up 13183 Central or he can call upon our surveyors, Messrs Leopold Farmer and Sons, 46 Gresham Street, EC.""

I am asking my friend accordingly to meet Mr H. I believe he will thank me next summer at 'Woodland Cottage' Fairby Farm.

John Dalma"

24 Oct 1911 Small Owners Advert Daily Express
"Do you want a garden or smallholding?

At Fairby Farm, Fawkham, Kent, 37 minutes from town. This estate is being arranged on the new idea of colonisation - producer and consume on the same farm.

Acre sites on the residential section adjoin the station, have charming views, company's water, and no road charges, with a FREE SEASON TICKET (lasting till June 1913) for every householder on the residential seciton.

Small holdings on the agricultural section have council road frontage. Land in splendid condition. Many buildings have established orchards with a FREE COURSE IN PROFITABLE POULTRY KEEPING for small owners on the colony.

EASY TERMS OF PAYMENT

Ask for these booklets (A) Fairby Farm, Fawkham, agricultural section illustrated; (B) Fairby Farm, Fawkham, residential section illustrated; (C) To Own or Rent, from the smallholder's point of view; (D) What Small Owners Ltd Do, business methods applied to small holding.

From Small Owners Limited, Temple Chambers, Temple Avenue, London EC."

28 Oct 1911 Small Owners Description The Globe
Description of Fairby Estate by G H Humphries

01 Nov 1911 Small Owners Description Shields Daily Gazette
Description of Fairby Estate by G H Humphries (also appears in other papers)

18 Nov 1911 Small Holdings (Ad) John Bull
"At Fairby Farm, Fawkham, Kent, 37 minutes from town. The new idea in colonisation - producer and consumer on the same farm.

Acre sites in the residential section adjoin the station, have charming views, company's water, and no road charges, with a FREE SEASON TICKET (lasting till June 1913) for every householder on this section.

Small holdings on the agricultural Section have council road frontage. Land is in splendid condition. Established orchards. A FREE COURSE IN PROFITABLE POULTRY KEEPING for small owners on the colony.

Collecting depot under resident manager, in the central buildings on the farm. Combined marketing - deferred payments if desired.

Write for any of these booklets: 1 Fairby Farm Fawkham - Agricultural Section (Illustrated); 2 Fairby Farm Fawkham - Residential Section (Illustrated); 3 To Own or Rent from the Smallholder's point of view; 4 What Small Owners Ltd Do. Business methods applied to smallholding."

[Similar Advert in Reynolds Newspaper but with the heading (to pick up the newpaper's banner) "Our Land is the Land for the People"]

26 Nov 1911 Small Holdings (Ad) Lloyds Weekly News
"Fairby Farm at Fawkham, Kent, is now being divided into freehold smallholdings for sale at prices from £32 per acre, which can be paid over 12 years. Collecting depot for smallholders' produce on the estate in the Central Buildings. Implements, labour, and horses at the disposal of every smallholder. Main line station on the Estate, 22 miles from London. Resident practical small holdings expert will act as our manager on the farm and give free advice and instruction in how to produce and sell." (Reply coupon)

02 Dec 1911 Small Owners Trademark Times
Smallowners v Pearson, name of the paper

10 Dec 1911 The Way to the Land for a Living (ad) Weekly Dispatch
"On the Fairby Farm Estate there are for sale on very easy terms many holdings of land of the highest quality, adjoining hard parish roads, with Company's water laid on. The Farm Buildings will be used a Central Collection and Marketing Depot. Her the smallholder will be able to hire cheap implements, horses and labour. He will also find experts who will advise him free of cost on any difficulty regarding market gardening, fruit culture, poultry and the many departments of an up-to-date smallholding. There are 60 acres of established orchard, 108 acres of arable, and 50 acres of pasture land. A main line station on the estate ensures quick transit of produce. London is only 23 miles distant, and the busy towns of Gravesend and Dartford are within 5 miles." (reply coupon)

[another differently worded advert on 12/11/1911 has the tagline "Don't Emigrate before you have seen our small holdings"]

19 Jan 1912 Small Owners Advert Poultry World
Smallowners ad "A new calling - if you are sick of town. If you dislike office work. Get back to nature" (p543)

27 Jan 1912 Gravesend West Street Railway Kent Messenger
TJ Symons of Mile End Green writes to support northfleet UDC's request for railbus between Fawkham and Gravesend, would like halt at Mile End Green Bridge

03 Feb 1912 Miss Baker Cresswell Kent Messenger
Death of Miss Baker Cresswell of Old Downs after long illness. Funeral at All Saints followed by burial in Northumberland. She was well esteemed in district

03 Feb 1912 Ash Primary School Kent Messenger
Mr and Mrs Meyers teachers at Ash school dismissed for allegedly striking Florrie Webb (5) with a cane and rubbing salt in her mouth. They put different interpretation on events. Florrie had been placed with her sister Jessie (main witness) by Dartford Guardians with Mrs Jenkins of Turners Oak. They called Jessie later in front of all the class and told them she was a liar. At that point she retracted her statement. Couple had worked there 30 years, NUT supports their case.

09 Feb 1912 Longfield Halt Station Gravesend Standard
Northfleet District Council: "The clerk read the following letter from the South Eastern and Chatham Railway Company which he had received in reply to the council's request for additional railway service:- 'Dear Sir - I am in receipt of your lettr of the 24th January suggesting the establishment of a railcar service between Fawkham Junction and Gravesend West Street Station, with halts at Dover Road and Fawkham Junction, and in reply, I have to say that the question has already been fully considered, but having regard to all the circumstances, I regret being unable to recommend that the outlay required to give effect to the proposal should be incurred by the managing committee, at least, at the present time - Yours faithfully, F H Dent, general manager.'

The following letter on the subject was also read:- 'Dear Sir - The inhabitants of the parish of Hartley desire to support the efforts of your council to obtain greater facilities of railway transit between Gravesend and Fawkham, and a letter has been forwarded to the South-Eastern Railway Company to that effect - Faithfully yours, Major M Hildebrand (chairman, Hartley Parish Meeting).'

Councillor Symons said he had received several letters from people who welcomed the idea.

The chairman said a refusal was qualified by the last sentence of the company's letter."

10 Feb 1912 Fire at West Yoke Farm Kent Messenger
Fire at West Yoke Farm, home of J Haygreen, barn, lodge, stable and straw stack destroyed. Workers from neighbouring farm saved hay stacks. Horton Kirby Fire Brigade arrived after 25 mins.

10 Feb 1912 Miss Baker Cresswell Kent Messenger
Funeral of Mrs Baker Cresswell, widow (77), at All Saints. Pall bearers were her personal servants Messrs Keen, Elliott, Remington, Atkins and G Elliott.

23 Feb 1912 Win a farm at Hartley Poultry World
Greatest ever prize competition for poultry keepers announced. Details fo comptetion on p771 to win 4 roomed cottage and 2½a farm.

05 Mar 1912 Stock Sale at Fairby Gravesend Standard
"Hartley, near Fawkham - Within a few minutes' walk of Fawkham Station, on the main line of the SE&C Railway. Messrs Cobb will sell by auction on the premises, on Wednesday March 6th, 1912 at 11am precisely (by order of T Morton esq, who has sold the farm), the whole of the live and dead farming stock on Fairby Farm comprising 9 young and powerful cart horses, pony, 10 dairy cows and heiffers, 9 fat beasts, 2 calves, 174 Kent ewe and wether lambs, 3 spring market vans, waggon, 7 dung carts, bullock cart, milk and hay floats, liquid manure cart, 2 iron water barrels on wheels, 9 ploughs, 2 self binders by Massey Harris, 3 mowers by Hornsby, 2 hay sweeps by Cottis, hay elevator and horse gear by Innes, potato sprayer, potato digger, 3 hay rakes, horse hoe, 8 brakes, rolls and harrows, tree sprayer by Drake and Fletcher, troughs, gates etc and other agricultural implements and effects, including harness and office furniture. Luncheon will be provided by ticket, at 1 shilling per head. Catalogues may be obtained at the place of sale; at the Lion Inn Hartley; of D L Pattullo esq, Orpington; and of Messrs Cobb, Land Agents and Surveyors, 61 and 62 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC and Higham near Rochester."

09 Mar 1912 Ash Primary School Kent Messenger
Meyers v Hennell and other school managers for injunction in high court against sacking. G Day only manager who did not sign dismissal notice

15 Mar 1912 Win a farm at Hartley Poultry World
30 candidates already

16 Mar 1912 Ash Primary School Kent Messenger
Meyers v Hennell no injunciton granted but school managers allowed them to stay there until case decided. Plaintiff claimed bruises to Florrie, who was deaf, were made by foster parents, also that 625 out of 630 parishioners had signed petition in their support (pointed out Ash's population was only 600!)

16 Mar 1912 Conservative Meeting Kent Messenger
Mr Foot Mitchell at Conservative meeting held at Longfield School

16 Mar 1912 Ash Telephone Exchange Kent Messenger
Ash telephone exchange open always now

05 Apr 1912 Win a farm at Hartley Poultry World
Circulation up thousands thanks to Fairby competition

06 Apr 1912 Dartford Board of Guardians Kent Messenger
Dartford Board of Guardians election - Longfield - Fortunatus Lynds 64, James Martin 51

12 Apr 1912 Gravesend Hospital Gravesend Standard
Acknowledgements include Mrs Alice Lawson, Old Downs, Hartley, for books and papers for the patients at the infirmary and toys for the children.

20 Apr 1912 Ash Primary School Kent Messenger
Ash Vestry - 30 attend - protests in favour of Meyers

20 Apr 1912 Titanic Sinking Kent Messenger
Titanic - list of Kentish people affected

21 Apr 1912 Old Downs Sale Gravesend Reporter
Sale of furniture at Old Downs by executors of Mrs E D Baker-Cresswell

27 Apr 1912 Titanic Sinking Kent Messenger
Titanic - bandmaster Mr Hartley was a member of Mr Scoma's band at Rosherville about 4 or 5 years ago, conducted in Mr Scoma's absence

27 Apr 1912 Unfit Horse Kent Messenger
George Day of Longfield fined 6s and his employer Albert High of Longfield fined £1 for working a gelding in unfit state

04 May 1912 Titanic Sinking Kent Messenger
Longfield to hold Titanic relief concert, led by Doris Cowlrick

03 May 1912 Houses for sale at Kent Road Gravesend Standard
Alfred Spain and Son of Gravesend announce auction sale on 6 June 1912. Includes "Two freehold brick built houses, nos 1 & 2 Armstrong Cottages, Kent Road, Longfield, Kent, near Fawkham Railway Station, let to weekly tenants, and producing £28 12s 0d yearly."

10 May 1912 A Triumph of Cooperative Organisation Poultry World
"Quite recently I had the pleasure of visiting the Fairby Farm Estate at Fawkham, Kent, and viewing the site of the Poultry World's Model Farm. Old sol was on his best behaviour for once in a way, and catching the 11.27 from st Paul's, I arrived at Fawkham at 12.29. I was met at the station by Mr Humphreys, the managing director of Small Owners Ltd, and after a refreshing lunch, we made a tour of the Fairby Small holdings Colony. It is a charming piece of country, and we trotted along quite merrily over ploughed land and pasture meadows, through woods, and along typical country lanes. Everything looked as cheerful. All raround seemed to be hustle and bustle. The woodman was busy chopping down trees for fencing posts for the Small Owners. The Small Owners too, were busy out on the land, some digging, some spraying fruit trees, whilst others were erecting poultry runs, attending to their stock or turning their land to the betterment of thier plots of land. The builders were also there putting up dwelling houses for the Small owners.

Occasionally we stopped to look back on the picturesque landscapes, for the estate is some 350 feet above sea level, thus commanding extensive views over the surrounding country. During our round of inspection we passed Small Holdings of evry description. A goat farm called for our attention, whilst the Small Holdings that combined the production of fruit and market vegetables were innumerable. We finally came to the site of the Poultry World's Model Farm. Lucky, indeed, will be the winner of this. No better spot could be found anywhere. Situated in the very heart of the Fairby Estate, it has ever good point to recommend it. The land is a ixture of chalk and gravel, thus ensuring perfect and quick drainage. The land has a gentle slope - another point that goes hand in hand wiht perfect drainage It is well sheltered on the north and east sides by woodland, thus making hte site ideal for poultry farming. Bitter an disagreeable north and east winds will not affect the fowls, which will have the much desired south winds to help along their egg production. As stated above, we should have to go many miles to find a more ideal spot for a poultry venture, with a full souther aspect, a gentle slope, a high elevation and the best of soil.

The fruit and poultry farming combined go hand in hand - with success - no-one can deny. The time is not far distant when the small holder will realise the profit derived from poultry and from an orchard the can be fertilised and ade productive by fowls, whose manure is one of the best fertilisers we have. A good flock of fowls is to the small owner what a good herd of cows is to the large farmer, and I think it is a great mistake that the British agriculturalist has not throoughly realised the importance of pultry keeping as a valuable adjunct to his orchard or other work. No two branches go as well as poultry and fruit culture, they can be worked on the same ground with decided advantage to each other.

Kent is undoubetedly a happy hunting ground for poultry farmers, and those interested in fruit culture. Was it not at Orpington (which is quite close to Fawkham, that that most useful breed, the Orpington, was produced? Fawkham too, is no exception to the general rule, as appleid to Kentish ground. On the Fairby Estate the soil is very adaptable to the requirements of poultry keeping an the culture of fruit and vegetables. Under the cirucmstances, Small Owners Ltd have reserved a large portion of Fairby Farm Estaet for would be poultry farmers, and those who think of going in for the poultry industry cannot do better than bespeak some of the land. If the land is not wanted yet, Small Owners Ltd, may be commissioned to prepare the land and keep it in readiness for the purchaser until the latter is finally ready to take the farm over.

A few words are here necessary concerning the wonderful business scheme now being carried out on the Fairby Farm Estate at Fawkham. Small Owners Ltd of Temple Chambers, Temple Avenue, London EC exists fo rth epurpsose of organising on business lines the small holdings movement in the United Kingdom. As a first essential, a small holder must have good land. Low price land for small holdings is generally a bad investment. Small Owners Ltd very wisely weighed up this argument before selecting The Fairby Farm Estate at Fawkham, which is bieng subdivided into small holdings.

It is an acknowledged fact that the foundation of success in agriculture is the ownership of land. Tehre is a vast difference between the small holder and the small owner. In fact, there is just the difference as between tnenat and landlord Unde rthe Small Owners Ltd's system every holde rof a plot of land becomes his own master, and in consequence the hard work putin to the holding for its improvement is not wasted, for who benefits in the long run, but the small owner himself? That well known agriculturalist Mr Arthur Young, once wrote: 'Give a man the secure possession of a bleak rock, and he will thurn it into a garden; give him 9 years' lease of a garden, and he will turn it into a desert.' These words are as true today as ever they were. If a small holder rents a piece of land he may meet with failure, as his heart and soul are not in the concern; but place the same man on his own freehold plot, and he will labour night and day to improve it, and in addition take the pains to secure a better knowledge of the industry he is occupied in. that the Small Owners Ltd are on the right track in solving the 'Back to the land' question, no-one can deny. Money spent in buying land is undoubtedly capitally invested, whilst money spent in rent cannot but be irrecoverable expense. Under the Small Owners' system, as the land increased in value, that value belongs to the owner. With leased land it belongs to the landlord.

The whole system mentioned above amounts to this: To enable cultivators with small capital to own their land, Small Owners Ltd have inaugurated a plan by which you can pay down a deposit, and at once start working the land, and thereby pay in instalments (seldom more than the rent asked for such land), an din a few years the land is absolutely your own Freehold property. You can useit, resell it, or borrow oney on it, and you can proudly realise that for you and your family this land can be held for evr free of rent.

This gives the reader a general idea of what Small Owners Ltd are doing at the Fariby Farm Estate at Fawkham. It is the small man with the small capital that Small Owners Ltd wish to help, and the system under discussion will stand a through scrutiny. Fairby Estate is situated in one of the most attractive districts in Kent, and the Small holdings are situated within a few minutes' walk of Fawkham Station, on the SE & C Railway main line. Almost every branch of small hustbandry is represented on the estate - market gardening, fruit growing, poultry rearing and chicken fattening being successfully carried on in conjuction wiht the more usual work of a modern and scientifically managed agricultural estate. The farm is in a high state of cultivation, and being situated from 300 to 350 feet above sea level, it is natually in a remarkably healthy district, commanding extensive views over the surrounding country. The Fairby Farm Estate, some 315 acres in extent, is divided into holdings of from 2 to 20 acres each for sale, freehold for cash, or by instalments spread over 12 years.

The Small Holder has come on the scene at the most opportune time, ans although Small Holding establishments are only in their infancy, there is no doubt that vast improvements with surprising results will take place within a very short time. As authorities tell us, it is absolutely necessary that the Small Holding should be situated near to a station on a main line since the produce must be taken to the station, and other goods will have to be carried to and fro. In this respect, the Fairby Estate is ideal. Situated, as stated above, within 2 minutes walk of Fawkham Station (on the main line) the Fairby Colony is well blessed as regards its location. Fawkham Station is only 23 miles from London (Holborn, St Pauls and Victoria Stations) and is supplied with a capital train service, the journey occupying from 37 minutes. Being situated in mid-Kent, it is within easy distance of several good markets, such as Margate, Folkestone, Dover and Canterbury, whilst other markets for its Small Holdings' produce would be London, Dartford, Gravesend, Rochester and Chatham. All seems so simple.

Even with Small Holdings, the difficulty of disposing of produce is often freely discussed, but Small Owners at Fawkham need never be alarmed concerning the immediate disposal of their produce. A great scheme like the one outlined above would not be complete there was a cooperative system adopted to the disposal of market produce etc. Co-operative orgaisation is the thing of the day, even where Small Holders are concered, and details as to the market side of the question have been well thought out by Small Owners Ltd. One of the excellent existing farm buildings at Fawkham has been arraged as collecting depot where anything produced by the Small Owner will be taken and disposed of by the Company's Produce Department in the best market, thus securing direct communication between producer and consumer. All worries of the market side can be handed over to the Company, i.e., if the Small Owner wishes the company to be his agent. Fruit and produce trains start early in the morning to reach London before breakfast, and the arrangements are fixed up between the railway company as regards tariff and transit are perfect and in every way beneficial to the Small Owner.

Small Owners Ltd place themselves at your service. There are excellent farm buildings and appliances at hand, and if the small owner requires the use of horse and cart, a labourer, a pigsty, cow shed, bull, appliance or storehouse, his requirements will be gratified by Small Owners Ltd, at very nominal rates. Everything required by the small owner is there almost for the asking. Lectures on the various branches of husbandry will be gien from time to time, meetings of small owners will also be held, so that any suggestions will be entertained by Small Owners Ltd. Experts in the several branches of husbandry etc, will be resident at Fawkham, and give free advice to the Small Owners. The Company will, if desired, arrange for the preparation of plans and the erection of houses on any of the small holdings, and will endeavour to meet the requirements of the purchasers with regard to mortgages or methods of deferred payments. By means of whoesale buying, appliances of all descriptions required by the small owners may be purchased at rock bottom prices.

Recounting then the innumerable benefits offered by Small Owners Ltd, can we wonder that most of the land at Fairby has been so eagerly booked up? There is yet time, however, to secure plots, but readers should act promptly. Those of our readers who are desiring ideal plots for poultry ventures cannot do better than take a few acres at Fawkham. The land is ideal, and several plots adjacent to the Poultry World's Model Poultry Farm still to be had. If you are not yet ready to take over the Farm, Small Owners Ltd will reserve you the land, cultivating and managing it as requested, and then, say in 2 years' time, or earlier if required, it will be in thorough working order. After you have owned a holding for a few years, even although it is only partly paid for, you can borrow on the security of the money you have invested in the land. Surely there can be no better security than freehold land. After my visit, I was amply convinced that the Small Owners Ltd have completely solved the small holdings or 'back to the land' question and those of my readers who are in any way interested in the above scheme, should write for fullest particulars to Small Owners Ltd, Temple Chambers, Temple Avenue, London EC., but WRITE TODAY. W Powell-Owen."

Illustrations: (1) "Attending to the Fruit Trees. A small owner at Fawkham Kent, attending to his fruit trees. That fruit and poultry farming go hand in hand no-one can deny and the land on the Fairby Estate is ideal for these two branches of husbandry."; (2) "Preparing Poultry Fences. The woodman at Fawkham busy preparing poultry etc fences for the Fairby Small Owners."

11 May 1912 Ash Primary School Kent Messenger
Ash School case before Mr Justice Eve in Chancery Division, argument over appointment of school managers

17 May 1912 Fairby Goat Farm Eltham Times
"Goats' milk for sale, 6d per pint, sterilised; 4d unsterilised; carriage paid on 6 pints. Fairby Goat Farm, Fawkham, Kent."

18 May 1912 Ash Primary School Kent Messenger
Ash School case - judge finds for defendants. County council upholds the dismissal. Doctor said Florrie was "timid and sensitive". The intimidation of her sister and mother by the plaintiffs was an aggrievating circumstance. They dismissed petition by 196 parishioners asking for leniency whatever "technical" offence committed, saying it was way more serious than that and that the school had received poor reports for years. Letter from Rev Hennell read out.

25 May 1912 Ash Primary School Kent Messenger
Ash School Case - motion of censure of managers passed 41-0 at vestry. Mr Meyers writes to defend himself

31 May 1912 Win a farm at Hartley Poultry World
Drawing of prize poultry farm

31 May 1912 No Dog Licences Eltham Times
The following were fined by Dartford Magistrartes 7s 6d each and costs - Rev Winstanley Bancks of Hartley, Henry Tomlin of Longfield. The following week, Charles Eve of the Gables, Hartley fined for having 2 dogs but only one licence.

01 Jun 1912 Property Sale Longfield Kent Messenger
1&2 Station Road, Longfield (occupiers J Sexton, W Heaver) sold for £320

08 Jun 1912 The Telegraph Wires (poem) Gravesend Reporter
Poem "The Telegraph Wires" by W.A.P of Gravesend, last verse "They traverse the earth and the ocean / Embracing Commercial Pursuit / And binding our friendships together / Are bearing practical fruit"

08 Jun 1912 Housing in Dartford Rural District Gravesend Reporter
Poor state of housing in DRDC mentioned, especially Swanley and Sutton at Hone, by Arthur Mee.

20 Jun 1912 Cooperative Strawberries Daily Mirror
"Cooperative Strawberries - Wonderful success of Small Ownership Fruit Growing - Peer's Holding: Fawkham (Kent), June 19 - Tomorrow will be Strawberry Day, and the smallholders on the Fawkham Estate of Smallowners Limited, have arranged a special display of strawberries in the windows of Messrs Fairby's Ltd,. at Knightsbridge and Kensington, consisting of 4lb baskets of selected fruit picked by the holders of land on the estate. // They will be sold at 4d a lb, which is below their market value, to all comers. Fairby's Ltd are the exclusive distributors for the estate.

Fawkham is in Kent, between Swanley and Chatham, and the fruit to be displayed will undoubtedly demonstrate the remarkable success of the cultivators, many of whom have never been fruit-growers till this year.

The aim of the company is to develop the estate of 315 acres on a '5 per cent philanthropy" basis, and as an experiment in cooperative small ownership the success has been outstanding. // There are 3,000 people on the waiting list, the Daily Mirror was assured yesterday by the secretary and other estates are being acquired for similar sub-division.

Small capitalists or men of business capacity with accessory permanent employment, to which they can travel daily, are the best material.

The speical feature of this scheme is that there is a central farm depot with £5,000 worth of machinery and implements, from which, for instance, a seed drill may be hired, with a man to operate it, at 12s 6d per day, with it 2 acres can be sown in a day.

An isolated smallholder would have to work many days to obtain the same result, or hire at great espense.

A Fruit foreman advises growers about their crops. One man was warned the other day that there was blight coming on his trees, and was shown how to deal with it. He did not recognise the signs himself.

There were 12 owners diligently picking strawberries at 3 o'clock this morning for the London market. Picking continued all day.

One man sells 80lb of strawberries daily at 6d a pound at the office at which he works in the city.

Another man paid £400 for his holding in January. He has just sold half of his gooseberry crop for £35, and will make £200 this year out of his fruit.

Two great jam makin gfirms have taken respectiely 3 tons of gooseberries and 5 tons of strawberries from the estate since the beginning of this week. The sales made by the company for holders yesterday totalled £165 - a typical day.

One holder is a bootmaker, and lives upon the profits of his land, combined with his earnings as a bootmaker on the estate. Another is a chimney sweep, a third is a peer, a fourth a retired marine captain.

A fitth man is a farm labourer, and cultivatees an acre and a half of his own, besides giving help where required to other holders, of course for wages. His land cost him only £60. He bought it outright, but need not have done so, and is buying his cottage by instalments.

"Only a very exceptional man can prosper as a smallholder by himself," said the secretary to me today. "We believe we have solved the 'back to the land' problem by combining the Irish Government land purchase scheme principles with perfect organisation and collective effort."

"A man can pay the whole or part of his purchase money by instalments. Suppose he has £250 capital. He can pay £100 down towards the purchase of 5 acres worth £400, and the balance of £300 he will pay off monthly or annually at the rate of £33 a year for 12 years, which includes interest. He will want £100 to live on for the first year and can stock his land for £50."

"After the first year it will support him. I know a man who makes not less than £220 a year profit from 5 acres, but he works very long hours, from 6am to 8pm."

"We are not a land development company. We buy estates which are actually working farm or orchard land, and purchasers have no pioneer work to do. Any extra labour required is obtainable in the district - there is no 'foreign' labour. A very nice house we can put up for £195, which can be paid for by instalments."

"One man here has come back after 24 years in Ontario, and thinks he can do better here. Another man is sure of making £28 a year out of a single rood by fowls alone."

"Take a man with only £100. He can have 2 acres of strawberry land and half an acre of arable, which woud cost £146, paying £36 down and the rest in quarterly instalments of 3 guineas each. He rents a cottage for 4s a week. The second year he should get £75 in 3 weeks from strawberries alone. The cost of strawberry farming is under a penny a lb, and any price obtained over 1¼d is certainly clear profit."

Mr Green, a working man owner, told me his 150 fowls had already paid all their cost and were bringing in 10s a week. He grows strawberries and vegetables also. His little daughter Hilda, aged 7, and an infant daughter, who were in the Great Ormond Street Hopital last autumn, are now bonny and healthy. He paid down one-fourth of the cost of his holding of 4½ acres, £375, when he came in January."

21 Jun 1912 Small Owners Picture Feature Daily Mirror
Picture feature on Fairby Estate

22 Jun 1912 Housing in Dartford Rural District Gravesend Reporter
"Dartford Housing Condition - Expert's Amazing Report" (photocopy)

22 Jun 1912 Housing in Dartford Rural District Gravesend Reporter
National press takes up case of DRDC housing. Report by Mr Poplar in Daily Chronicle. Extracts mention Hextable, Swanscombe and Stone.

28 Jun 1912 Housing in Dartford Rural District West Kent Advertiser
Arthur Mee produces schedule of proeprties which he says exemplifies need for enquiry into council's neglect for health. One in Hartley "Black Lion Cottages - 4 cottages dependent on 1 well, 6 feet from the main water supply. These houses have privies".

05 Jul 1912 Win a farm at Hartley Poultry World
Mrs George O'Grady mentioned as candidate

06 Jul 1912 Longfield Cricket Club Kent Messenger
Cricket - Longfield beat Westwood by 42 runs (details)

06 Jul 1912 Rev E Smith of Longfield Kent Messenger
Accident to Rev E Smith of Longfield at Green Street Green when he fell off tricycle (photocopy)

{Also mentioned in Kent Messenger of 7.8.1912]

06 Jul 1912 Rev G Bancks of Hartley Kent Messenger
Hartley's Talented Rector (photocopy), Rev Bancks has sold 40,000 ol Harvest of Hives.

[Another article about him in Kent Messenger of 7.8.1912]

26 Jul 1912 Parson Publisher Chelmsford Chronicle
"Mr H Hamilton Fyfe contributes to the 'Daily Mail' an interesting description of 'A Day with the Parson-Publisher,' the Rev Gerard Bancks, rector of Hartley, near Longfield, Kent, formerly curate of Braintree. He was curate of Braintree when the Rev JW Kenworthy came to the parish, and went from there to the parish church of Windsor to Canon Gee. Mr Fyfe, travelling in the train, found a farmer engrossed in a small green coloured book called 'The Harvest of the Hives', both written and published by Mr Bancks. Asked about the book in which he was so interested, the farmer passed it over, 'Wonderful, true and right', he said. 'I lay he knows a thing or two about bees, and I know a bit myself as well. Kept 'em thirty year. But there's strange notions in that as is new to me. Strange that is to get fresh notions my time o'life, but it's so.'

The object of the booklet is to persuade people to keep bees and to show what can be done with honey. Gathering from the advertisement at the beginning of the book that this was not the rector's only publication, but that he had other works in various edition - one in its fourth, another in its fifth, and a third sold in a 'revised' form to the number of 30,000 - Mr Fyfe began to feel very curious about Mr Bancks, and wrote to 'a most unusual phenomenon' - as author who had reached a large public without the assistance of a publisher - and asked if he might go and see him. The result was that he spent with him a most pleasant and interesting day. He found that Mr Bancks's little books have gone all over the world. He get letters about them from all the corners of the earth, and orders as well. 'Of Honey and its Uses' he has sold 40,000; of 'Mead and How to Make It' and of 'The Production of Vinegar from Honey', 20,000 each. The vinegar he makes from honey, calling it melegar.

Mr Fyfe tried, too, some home made British wine from Mr Bancks's cellar. He found the damson wine, in the 11th year of its age, a clear, dry wine, in colour like a generous sherry, most refreshing and pleasant of flavour - far better for him than fortified continental clarets and sherries and hocks; and, of course, far cheaper. Mr Bancks makes a gooseberry wine too, which in its fizzy state (bottled before the fermentation is over) is declared by ladies to be as good as 'real champagne'.

Thus the writer is led to ask: Why have we neglected for so long the wholesome liquors that can be made from the produce of our own land? Once they were in common use. So they might be now. Every farmer might have his stock of home made wine, as farmers do in wine bearing countries. It only needs care in the making to supply the table all the year round with a healthful, enjoyable drink, aiding digestion and making glad the heart at the same time.

It is this keeping up of the practice of our great-grandfathers and grandmothers wich partly accounts for the delightful leisurely, yet busy, active but unhasting atmosphere of Mr Bancks's life. Writing and publishing only represent one side of his activities. In the garden is a studio where he both paints and photographs. He is a collector of prints, of china, of old furniture. He has a good collection, too, of flint arrow heads, sling stones, and other weapons and implements worked by the patient hands of our ancestors in the dim childhood of the human race. His latest publication deals with 'Man in the Old Stone Age', and gives a lucid summary of the great additions to our knowledge made during the last 60 years.

Mr Bancks began his publishing with a story for children called 'A World Beneath the Waters'. It was very kindly reviewed, but, as he says, it wanted advertising. Then it might have had a really big sale. One cannot get at the big public without advertisement. The honey pamphlets are different. They appeal to a special class. Here is the balance sheet for the first.

(Debit) 40,000 copies at 15s a thousand - £30

(Credit) Sale of 40,000 at 1d each less discounts on large quantities - £150

Profit £120

The Mead and Vinegar booklets cost him £18 each to print, and in either case he cleared about £40. He does all his own business. There are no office expenses, nothing whatever but the cost of the books themselves."

30 Jul 1912 Robert Emmett of Fairby Times
Birth of son to Robert W Emmett and his wife Lady Alexandra of Fairby

02 Aug 1912 Rev Gerard W Bancks - His Interest in Bee Keeping - The Harvest of the Hives Eltham Times
"The Rev Gerard W Bancks, the Rector of Hartley near Longfield, Kent, is the son of the late James Bancks and Marianne, daughter of the late Timothy Yate, of Madeley Hall, Salop, and was born at the Prebendal House, Thame, Oxon. He was educated at King's College School and St John's College, Cambridge, where he took his MA degree in 1882. He received a title from the late Lord Forester, and subseqently held Curacies at WAlhamstow and Windsor.

In earlier days Mr Bancks was much interested in Natural History, and it was thus he was attracted to the study of bees and beekeeping. Then for some years he gave his chief attention to Science, Chemistry, Physics. Archaeology also greatly attracted him, and in those days he began his collection of flint instruments. Later on he spent 5 or 6 years reading Philosophy, and joined the Aristoltelian Socieyt. But as the final result of his studies in all directions Mr Bancks has come to the conclusion that the deepest and most abiding interest lies in Art. 'In Art it seems to me,' he says, 'we have probably the key to the solution of hte profound enigma of our Being, and of the explanation of the ultimate end of the great scheme of the universe.'

Mr Bancks has been markedly successful in his literary efforts, and his fairy tale for children, 'A World Beneath the Waters,' published in 1895, at once made his name well known. The late Mr W T Stead was much taken with the book. He wrote to Mr Bancks at the time it was first published tha this own children were enchanted with it, and that he considered it 'quite delightful'. Another series of stories which Mr Bancks has in view present various phenomena of Nature in the guise of Fairy Tales, and are intended to teach the children that even the minutest atoms of the world around us are really 'worlds in themselves.' The truth of heredity, too, is asserting itself in Mr Bancks' family, for he has a little daughter, aged 11, who has already begun to write tales which have been pronounced by very competent authorities to be 'very good indeed'.

Mr Bancks has always had a penchant for literary research, and is an habitue of the Record Office and the British Museum Library. He has also made a collectio of palaeolithic flint implements from the Kent gravel beds. One of his latest booklets is on 'Man in the Old Stone Age'. It gives a lucid summary of the graet additions to our knowledge made during the last 60 years.

But Mr Bancks has also written several brochures on subjects connected with apiculture, and it is his work in connection with beekeeping and the popularising of the use of honey that has more particularly attracted our notice. He is himself a successful bee keeper, and has exhibited at all the principal shows, taken a large number of medals and prizes. He has especially exerted himself in this connection to encourage the utilisation, in various ways, of the products of the hive, with a view to promoting the interests of the industry, and has made good use of his pen in this cause. Three pamphlets he has issued are 'Honey and its Uses', 'Mead, and how to make it', and 'The production of Vinegar from Honey', and now there comes to hand a 4th pamphlet of peculiar usefulness, entitled alluringly 'The Harvest of the Hives'.

Like many another distinguished author, the bee and the industry and thriftiness of its tiny life are a constant source of attraction and wonder to Mr Bancks. It is probably because of its fascination for him that he finds himself - a busy man, with many literary interests - yet writing a 4th pamphlet devoted to the bee. 'The Harvest of the Hives' aims ast setting forth concisely, simply, and yet conclusively, the value of bee keeping not only for the mere pleasure of it, but from the utilitarian standpoint. In 'The Harvest of the Hives' Mr Bancks reveals a pretty considerable research into bee literature, old and new. He has evidently read up all available literature on the subject. He has found that bee keeping was pracitised by the ancient Egyptians. In the works of Greek and Latin writers, from Homer downwards, he has found numerious allusions to bees and the taking of honey for food. He attributes the decadence of bee keeping in more modern times to the introduction of can sugar into this country, which minimised the use of honey. But Mr Bancks rightly insists on teh superiority of pur honey - 'The spirit of the flowers', as Maeterlinck has called it - over mere sugar. For honey, in addition to being wholesome and nutritious, contains very valuable properties which it is impossible to replace. It is estimated that if there were a sufficient number of skilled bee keepers in this country, something like 20,000 tons of honey, valued at upwards of a million pounds, might be gathered annually in the British Isles, whereas scarsely a tenth of this amount is actually secured. Moreover, they honey bee is valuable for the fertilisation of fruid and seed crops - a point which is not sufficiently regarded by farmers and fruit growers.

Mr Bancks analyses and describes in a very clear manner the constituents of honey, and hte process by which it is gathered and stored, and why it is that the product varies in quality, flavour and aroma, according to the source from which it is gathered. Then, too, in this useful little brochure is the practical side - recipes for the use of honey; how it may be substituted for sugar in fruit pies, puddings etc; howe it will improve the making of cakes; how honey vinegar may be made, and how the old fashioned and wholesome mead may be brewed. Altogether as we have said, this is a practical little booklet, and reveals Mr Bancks as one who not only makes a pleasant hobby of bee keeping, but desires us to see also the utilitarian side. Of the wonderful philosophy of the bee, no author can surpass Maurice Maeterlinck, whose thoughtful exegisis 'The Life of the Bee', should be read by all who would love their bees; fo rthe delights of bee keeping and its fragrant, sunny side we can revel in the writings of Tickner Edwardes; than consult Cheshire or Cowan or Webster; but for some new side lights on bee keeping and the uses of honey we must procure Mr Bancks' informative booklets."

07 Aug 1912 Rev G Bancks of Hartley Kent Messenger
Feature on Rev Bancks

10 Aug 1912 Crime - obscene words Gravesend Reporter
Albert Rimmington of Longfield fined 10 shillings for obscene words in Dartford Road, Dartford on 15 Jul

17 Aug 1912 Southwark Rubbish Tip Kent Messenger
Dartford RDC - proposal that London boroughs should burn rubbish rather than bring it to district - lost

24 Aug 1912 Meopham Cricket Club Kent Messenger
Meopham beat Chatham Dockyard by 100 runs

24 Aug 1912 Ada Louisa Bancks Kent Messenger
Death of Mrs Ada Bancks after undergoing an operation in London

{Times of 19.8.1912 mentions "Death of Ada Louisa Bancks on 17th, dau of Robert Nisbett, Gravesend vet"]

31 Aug 1912 Longfield Football Club Kent Messenger
Longfield Village Club to form football team, first captain FA Fuller

31 Aug 1912 Longfield Fire Brigade Kent Messenger
Longfield Fire Brigade Ambulance members win 3rd prizes for 4 man drill and artificial respiration at the National Fire Brigade Tournament at Crystal Palace

06 Sep 1912 The Late Mrs A L Bancks Gravesend Standard
"The funeral took place at All Saints' Church, Hartley, last week, or Mrs Ada Louisa Bancks, daughter of the late Dr Innes Nisbett of Gravesend, and wife of the Rev Gerard W Bancks, the Rector, amid many evidences of deep regret. The service was conducted by the Rev C H Gibbens of Green Street Green.

The chief mourners, in addition to the bereaved rector, were Miss Bancks, Mr and Mrs Nisbett, Mr Suggate, and Miss Alice Deane. Among others present, who included nearly all the parishioners, were the Rev F W Warland, the Rev H B Hennell, the Rev F B Alcock, Viscount Mountmorres, Mr Hare, Mr Priestman, Mr Jesse Garratt, Miss Hassell and Mrs Eade. Psalm xc was sung to a chant in a minor key, and after the lesson, the hymn, 'On the resurrection morning', was sung to Turpin's setting, immediately before the coffin was born from the church. Before the service the organist, Mr Curtis, played 'Blest are the departed', from Spohr's 'Last Judgement'. There was a full attendance of the choir, and the music throughout was rendered with marked and reverent expression.

A magnificent wreath of magnolias, from the garden of Hartley Rectory, was placed on the coffin, inscribed 'In loving memory, from Gerard and Lulu', and other floral tributes were received from the following: Mr and Mrs Nisbett, the Misses Yate, Mrs and Miss Bancks, the Rev F W Warland, Mr and Mrs Hare, Mrs Trewby and family, Mr and Mrs Wright, the Misses Myer, Mr and Mrs Hatton, Mr and Mrs Webb, Capt and Mrs Lawrence, Mr and Mrs Crook (Gravesend), Miss Lawson, the Misses Bragger, White and Summers, Capt and Mrs Copus, Mrs Alchin, Mrs Thomas and Mr A E Thomas, Miss Marian Thomas, Mr and Mrs Elliott, the Whitcombe family, Miss Whitcombe, Major and Mrs Hildebrand, the members of the Mother's Meeting, the Viscountess Mountmorres, the Rev E and Mrs Smith, Hartley School, Lady Alexandra Emmett, Mr, Mrs and Miss D Cowlrick, Miss Cowlrick, Mrs Osborne and daughters, Mr and Mrs Forsyth, Mrs Mabe, Mrs Taylor, Mrs Wansbury, Mrs and the Misses Andrus, Mr and Mrs F Cowlrick, Miss Crook, Mrs Thornton, Mr and Mrs Kluht, Miss Harman, Mr and Mrs Eade, Mrs Dunkin, the Hadlow family, Mr and Mrs Auld and others."

21 Sep 1912 Old Downs Sale Gravesend Reporter
By order of executors of Mrs E D Baker-Cresswell. Auction of surplus furniture at Old Downs. 2 rosewood 'Empire' cabinets, ormalou and other clocks, 2 writing tables, one excellent boudoir grand pianoforte by Collard and Collards, 2 settees in leather

09 Oct 1912 George Monk South Eastern Gazette
Swallowed Fruit Stones - Schoolboy's death at Longfield - Jury and the Doctor

At the Gravesend Town Hall, on Thursday, the Borough Coroner held an inquiry into the death of George Arthur Wiliam Monk, aged 10, who died on Tuesday. Mr W Lowe was chosen foreman of the jury.

Emma Monk, of Hartley Hole, Longfield, identified the body as that of her son, who was taken ill on Friday evening. He had been to school all that day and then complained of pain. He slpt all day Saturday and the following night. On Monday she sent for Dr Lace, of Sutton at Hone, who came on Tuesday, having meanwhie sent medicine and a powder. When he came he ordered the child's removal to the hospital. The boy had been eating damsons and blackberries before being taken ill. Witness expressed the opinion that had the doctor attended when summoned he might have been able to save the child's life. The doctor lived 5 miles away.

Dr Herbert Temple Williams, house surgeon at the hospital, said the child was brought in early on Tuesday afternoon, in a very collapsed condition, and died about 6 o'clock. He was too ill on arrival for anything to be done. Witness made a post mortem and found obstruction of the intestines. There were some damson stones in the intestines, and the only remedy was an operation. Had deceased been operated upon on Monday, he might have been saved.

George Monk, a bricklayer's labourer, father of deceased, said when he went for the doctor he explained his son's condition. Dr Lace told him he had several cases of persons eating sour fruit to attend, and he would come in the morning.

"He has got a motor car and it would not have taken him ten minutes", witness added.

The Coroner, addressing the jury, said it might be difficult for them to understand the action of Dr Lace, but had a proper explanation of the case been given him, he would no doubt have endeavoured to attend the child. As it was, directly he saw the boy, he appreciated the seriousness of the case.

Eventually, after a long deliberation, the jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical testimony, and added a rider to the effect that had Dr Lace been in a position to attend immediately he was notified, the child's life would probably have been saved.

19 Oct 1912 Crime - Longfield Hill Kent Messenger
William Joyce of Bean fined £1 or 14 days for stealing 10s from George Miles of the Green Man from a basin on the counter

19 Oct 1912 Hartley Social Club Kent Messenger
Founding of Hartley Social Club (photocopy)

19 Oct 1912 Longfield Football Club Kent Messenger
Longfield Football team named for match against Wrotham at Longfield

24 Oct 1912 Small Owners Advert Express
Small Owners Advert

25 Oct 1912 Cox's Orange Pippins Harrow Observer
"The flavour of English Cox's Orange Pippin wants a lot of beating, and the foreign apples, although very fine in flavour and appearance, do not quite equal them. And an apple that comes a very good second is the Allington, in fact, some connoisseurs even prefer it to a Cox's Orange. At Fawkham, Kent, some very choice fruit is grown upon the Small Holders' estates, and is carefully graded and packed. Messrs Harvey and Shillingford have taken a good part of their apples, and are offering Cox's Orange at 6d per pound, and Allingtons at 4d per pound. An apple at night and first thing in the morning is a very pleasant way of keeping oneself fit."

19 Nov 1912 Exedown Reservoir South Eastern Gazette
Mid Kent Water apply to have powers to extend Exedown Reservoir (serving Hartley)

02 Dec 1912 Small Owners Limited Times
Smallowners - problems of marketing of fruit

20 Dec 1912 Longfield Property Sale Poultry World
For sale - FH bungalow, 7 rooms, bathroom, 1a + land £410 cash or £90 cash plus mortgage; bungalow erected with land £50 cash and mortgage. Parker, Longfield

04 Jan 1913 Hartley Primary School Kent Messenger
Hartley School Treat at Social Club inc lantern entertainment and Xmas tree. Covered brakes took children from their homes

04 Jan 1913 Longfield Football Club Kent Messenger
1st annual dinner of Longfield FC at the Black Lion

11 Jan 1913 Longfield Cricket Club Kent Messenger
Vote to found Longfield cricket club on land to be given by Mr Robson. T Rodwell of Hartley present

17 Jan 1913 Local Notes and Queries Bexleyheath Observer
"It will surprise most people to know that if the old age pensions were made a local charge, we in Kent would have a rate of 11d in the pound added to our burdens. This is one of the facts Mr James Rowlands has obtained in a return from the Local Government Board. On the last Friday in March 1911, there were 19,491 old age pensioners in the county, and at the same period in 1912 the number had increased to 20,708, the total annual cost being £380,000 [can't be sure, photocopy is blurred here]. It will be seen that practically 20 people in every 1,000 in Kent are in receipt of a pension. What the pensions have done for the payers of the poor rate in this district is shown by the return, which gives the paupers over 70 years of age, excluding lunatics, in the Dartford Workhouse on March 31st 1906, and January 1st 1912. On the latter date the numbers were: Indoor 157, a decrease of 43 as compared with the previous date; outdoor 7, a decrease of 421. Thus, the total number of people over 70 years of age taken off the poor rate in this one union is 464, or 74 per cent. For the union county of Kent the percentage of reduction is 70 per cent.

Some figures of very great interest have been prepared in connection with the movement to adjust the representation of the various parishes of the Dartford Union on the Board of Guardians. The return shows the population and assessable value of the parishes in the years 1836 and 1911, and from these some exceedingly illuminating conclusions can be drawn. It is seen that during the 76 years the whole of the urban and semi-urban districts have increased, in some cases enormously, while on the contrary, the truly rural parishes have either decreased in population or remained practically stationary. Thus we see that Erith, which had a population of 1,533, and an assessable value of £988 in 1836, increased more than 11 times as to population, while the assessable value has gone up to £163,903 - 167 times. In the same time, Dartford's population has increased from 4,715 to 23,609, and asssessable value £1,720 to £123,450; Bexley, the largest parish in the Union as to acreage, has increased in population from 3,605 to 15,895, and assessable value from £2,032 to £87,680. Crayford's population has increased from 2,022 to 6,234; Darenth from 588 to 3,449; Sutton at Hone from 1,012 to 5,541; Swanscombe from 1,166 to 7,693 and Wilmington from 724 to 2,227.

On the other side of the picture we have Ridley, which in 1836 had a population of 91, now has only 66 and its rateable value is only £510, against £67. Ash now has a population of only 603 against 628 in 1836, and Kingsdown has 407 against 431. And yet Ridley, with its 66 inhabitants has one member on the Board of Guardians, the same as, say, Eynsford, with its 2,147 population. If Erith had the same proportional representation as Ridley, it would have 420 Guardians. If time permitted, I might instance a few more comparisons which would give food for reflection, all bearing on this matter of representation. For instance, take the value of the various parishes. Not only are most of the rural parishes over represented when we consider the population, but it is the same with respect to the value. Thus, on average, each acre in Erith is assessed at £42, and in Ash 15s, in Dartford £29, and in Ridley 12s."

[As far as I can tell the complaint was well founded. Erith and Bexley had 3 members; Dartford, Crayford and Sutton at Hone (which included the growing settlement of Swanley) had 2 and all the other parishes, however small had a single member. So for example Dartford had one member per 12,000 electors, Ash one per 600 electors]

24 Jan 1913 A Horse Starved Eltham Times
(Dartford Magistrates Court) Robert Dickens and Robert Abbot of 126 Fulwich Street, Dartford, greengrocers were summoned by Haydn Fletcher, an RSPCA inspector, for causing unnecessary suffering to a horse through malnourishment. George Kingsland of St Albans Road, blacksmith, said the horse was brought to him for shoeing but collapsed more than once including in the road, where Arthur Smith, of East Hill, bill poster tried unsuccessfully to get the horse up. Thomas Sullivan, groom at the vicarage said he had been sent by the vicar with bran mash for the horse, but it was too weak to eat. Inspector Burbridge said he saw the horse in the road on New Years Day, it had been in fair condition when he had previously seen it 3 weeks earlier. William James Wallace of Home Villa, Bullace Lane, a horse slaughterer, said he told the owner it needed to be killed to put it out of pain, and Abbot agreed. He found very little food except the bran mash in its stomach. Frank Robards, vet, confirmed it died through want of nutrition.

"Fred Harris, of Hartley Green, Longfield, said the horse, with a van and harness, was bought by the defendant Dickens from him on November 27th, for £9, but he had not been paid for them. The horse was then in good condition, and £4 was allowed for it, the balance being for the van and harness. He sold it at a low price because he had no use for it. There was nothing the matter with it. Jim Cole, 19 of Hartley Green, who described himself as a fruit and landforeman for the last witness, siad the horse was in good condition when it was taken away by Dickens. It was taken on a fortnight's trial, as defendant said he did not want to buy a pig in a poke. He knew the man by sight, and had had a previous transaction with him. On December 9th, defendant brought over a pony which he wanted to exchange, but as no deal was effected, on the 16th he agreed to buy the horse." RSPCA Inspector Fletcher said he spoke to the defendants, who denied they were the owners because they hadn't paid for it. "They knew it was weak because it could not pull half a ton of potatoes up to Stone." Ellzabeth Abbot claimed it was well fed but in poor condition when it came. Each defendant fined £2 plus £1 1s vet's costs. Abbot fined £1 on a second charge. Chairman said they were lucky not to be sent down.

[Messrs Harris and Cole must have been newcomers to Hartley as neither are in the 1911 census]

27 Jan 1913 Farming Experiment Daily Mirror
Correspondent's experiments in using elecricity to kill pests on gooseberries at Fairby

30 Jan 1913 Win a farm at Hartley Daily Express
Poultry World's win a smallholding competition (Johns, Johns Close)

01 Feb 1913 Road Traffic Survey Kent Messenger
Traffic survey at Farnborough on Sun 29th Sept – 276 cars, 100 side cars, 67 motorbikes, 2 motor wagons, 1 steam engine, 79 horse vehicles, 2 horses, 10 hand vehicles, 605 bikes

05 Feb 1913 £1,000 Farm Won by An Irish Woman Irish Independent
"Mrs O'Grady (pictured with picture of Hartley) of Utility Poultry Farm, Coachford, Co Cork, won the prize as a result of an examination in London conducted by oral and written questions on the rearing of poultry and the production of eggs"

07 Feb 1913 Win a farm at Hartley Poultry World
Mrs O'Grady wins farm, details. Description of prize giving, all candidates went to London Opera House, where her name was announced in interval.

14 Feb 1913 Parish Council Bexleyheath Observer
Dartford RDC - "A letter was read from the Kent County Council notifying the issue of an order increasing the number of Parish Councillors for Longfield from 5 to 7."

14 Feb 1913 Win a farm at Hartley Poultry World
"The Truth about the £1,000 Prize Competition". PW writes to refute allegations made in other quarters, stating Smallowners donated the house and land in return for free advertising. They were happy for PW to appear as donors. Farm will be completely stocked, on the night of the prize giving they asked to purchase another 2 acres from SO so there could be no criticism that the farm was of an inadequate size. Mrs O'Grady has utmost confidence in them.

14 Feb 1913 Win a farm at Hartley Ballymena Observer
"An Irishwoman, Mrs O'Grady of the Utility Poultry Farm, Coachford, Co Cork, was the winner of a £1,000 poultry farm in Kent in a competition at Anderson's Hotel, Fleet Street, London, on Friday. The competition was organised by the Poultry World. Six ladies were among the competitors of whom there were 44. Two gentlemen sat in front of a table upon which there was a crescent of 25 small globes containing 25 different kinds of poultry food, and each candidate was required to identify the dishes as requested. Indian corn was easily recognised but few know that a collection of little brown seeds was millet, and fewer still could tell what price should be paid for it.

In the corner by the judges was an oblong wicker basket which imprisoned four defective birds. One, or possibly two of the birds had to be taken from the basket by the candidate and the defects pointed out. After this each candidate entered a room where two judges with a plucked chicken, an incubator and an egg tester. Here his knowledge of the utility side of the profession was examined. The most interesting competitor was Captain Pearson Webber, who while on service in India, lost his eyesight [He would later visit Hartley with his students from St Dunstans in 1915] the searching questions in the two examination papers were dictated to Captain Webber; he took them down with a pin in Braille shorthand, and, to the astonishment of the judges, typed his answers on an ordinary typewriter. In telling the poultry food, Captain Webber's sense of touch served him with complete fidelity. In two cases in which knowledge of the colour of the birds was almost essential to identifying their breed his lack of sight was a handicap, but in one case, by feeling the texture of feathers, he was able to describe not only the breed and the defects, but also the colour with perfect accuracy. The candidates came one from each county in the UK and Ireland. The candidates with their friends attended the London Opera House in the evening, when, during the performance, Mrs O'Grady was declared the winner, and was presented by Mr Ben Natham, the general manager, with the title deed of a farm at Fawkham, Kent, valued at £1,000. Mrs O'Grady received a great ovation from the audience...." [The farm is now called Johns, John's Close, Hartley]

16 Feb 1913 Small Owners Advert Lloyds Weekly News
Small Owners ad

21 Feb 1913 In Search of Game Bexleyheath Observer
"Henry Canter and Leonard Canter, 3 Stanley Cottages, Darenth, were charged under the Poaching Prevention Act. PC Abnett said that on January 26th he saw defendants in Rabbits Road, Horton Kirby, coming from Mr Hohler's land at Fawkham. He searched them, and found 5 rabbits and 6 nets on Leonard Carter. There were 5 previous convictions for poaching against Henry Canter. Leonard was fined 10 shillings and costs, and Henry 20 shillings and costs, or 14 days."

22 Feb 1913 Longfield Football Club Kent Messenger
Football: Longfield v Royal School of Mines, one of players for latter was from Royal College of Sciences, another was captain of Hull City (Gordon Wright)

28 Feb 1913 County Council Election Bexleyheath Observer
Nominations for Dartford Rural No 1 District (incl Ash, Hartley, Longfield): Cecil James Hulkes, land agent, Hadlow Place, Tonbridge, proposed by Rev F W Warland and Henry Booth Hohler, Gerald F Hohler and Frederick G Meyers.

George Day, farmer, North Ash, proposed by William Chambers and Richard French, H W Snape, E J Tubb, F Lynds, G T Lynds, A J Miller, F Crowhurst.

07 Mar 1913 Townsmen on the Land London Standard
Mr Hamilton Edwards, Chairman of Small Owners Limited challenges idea that townsmen can't make good farmers.

08 Mar 1913 County Council Election Kent Messenger
County Council – Dartford 1 (inc Hartley. CJG Hulkes 460; George Day 249

15 Mar 1913 Longfield Parish Council Gravesend Reporter
Longfield Parish Council sue former clerk Walter Robson

15 Mar 1913 Gravesend West Street Railway Kent Messenger
Motor rail service from Longfield to Gravesend to commence in summer

16 Mar 1913 Hartley Manor Sale Observer
Sale of Hartley Manor with history

17 Mar 1913 Hartley Manor Sale Times
Sir William Chance has disposed of his estate of 600 acres near Fawkham, Kent, known as Hartley Manor. It is intersected by the South Eastern and Chatham main line. The land, scheduled in the Domesday Book as belonging to Odo, Bishop of Baieux, was originally called Erclei or Arclei. The lordship of the manor and the advowson to the living of Hartley are included in the sale, which was carried out by Messrs Nicholas.

[also mentioned in Kent Messenger 29.3.1913]

18 Mar 1913 Miss Davies-Cooke Westminster Gazette
Miss Davies-Cooke [owner of Middle Farm] writes to say she is president of the Ladies International Club at Bayswater, which provides accommodation for ladies of gentle birth who are earning their living

21 Mar 1913 Mrs Alice O'Grady Poultry World
Picture of "foster mother" coop for chicks on Mrs O'Grady's farm (?Ireland)

22 Mar 1913 Longfield Station Kent Messenger
AW Beck clerk at Fawkham station promoted

29 Mar 1913 Hartley Manor Sale Kent Messenger
Sale of Hartley Manor Estate, including lordship

25 Apr 1913 Unpaid Rates Bexleyheath Observer
"Small Owners Ltd, were summoned for the non-payment of the following poor rates, made in October last: Fawkham £1 18s, Hartley £11 10s 10d and Longfield £1 10s 7d. A letter was read from the Secretary stating that the demands were only received on the 15th inst., and the rates had not been paid because of the reluctance of the collector to give them certain particulars as to the rates. Mr Robson, the collector, said that he had given them all particulars. Immediate orders were made."

09 May 1913 Measles Bexleyheath Observer
"The county medical officer has approved of the closing of Longfield School, owing to an epidemic of measles in the village."

09 May 1913 Opening of a New Oratory Catholic Times
"A public oratory has been opened at Hartley, Kent, in memory of the late Captain Aubrey Davies-Cooke and Kathleen Mary Davies-Cooke…..."

10 May 1913 Rosa Bleakley Essex Newsman
Death of Rosa, wife of Robert Bleakley, Small owners's manager. Wreath from Smallholders at Fairby Farm

10 May 1913 Longfield Halt Station Kent Messenger
Local people wanted Longfield Halt built at Pinden Bridge, people from Westwood not likely to walk back to Halt

10 May 1913 Robert Bleakley Essex Newsman
"Sad Death of a Bride - Funeral on her 25th Birthday

Great sympathy is felt with Mr R W Davies, of Treffgan, Braintree, headmaster of the Council School, in the lamentable death of his youngest daughter (nee Miss Rosa Gwynne Davies), who was married to Mr Robert Bleakley, manager to Small Owners Limited on April 17 last, at Bocking Chapel.... The young couple had returned from their honeymoon, the husband's residence being at Longfield, Kent.... when the bride was compelled to undergo an operation for her eyes. this was performed at the National Hospital, London, and was quite successful, on Monday, but the patient failed to recover from the anaesthetic, and after remaining unconscious for several hours, during which secondary haemorrhage supervened, she died at 6.30pm......" Description of funeral, Mr Bleakley was accompanied by Mr George Humphrey, managing director of Small Owners Ltd. Wreaths sent included those from Mr Hamilton Edwards; London Staff of Small Owners Ltd; Small Owners at Fairby Farm; and from the Farm Staff at Longfield.

10 May 1913 Typists' Uniform Adelaide Journal
"Cotton overalls of a fawn shade have been provided for the girl typists in a Strand office. It is a revival of an experiment which 4 years ago started an agitated controversy in the ranks of thousands of women engaged in city offices. At that thime the innovation met with an outburst of indignation, and was solemnly condemned at a conference of girl typists. The suffrage movement had begun to open the eyes of men to the capacity of women for revolt, and commercial magnates whose nod rocked the prices on half a dozen bourses shrank from a course which threatened to introduce revolution into the office. One city man who desired a Quaker like sobriety of costume in his office, orders a uniform of brown, with white collars and cuffs, for his typists. The unexpected happend when he found that his son had married one of them; but those who have seen a recent popular musical comedy will understand that a demure Quaker gown may heighten the fascinations of an attractive girl. The revival of the experiment has been undertaken by Small Owners Limited of Norfolk Street, Strand. The new overalls are of a becoming pattern. The style has been the subject of much anxious care, and a fawn shade was selected as the least likely to clash with diverse complexions. A neat waist is assured by a belt, and the neck is not too high to conceal a Peter Pan collar or ribbons - the Daily Mail."

13 May 1913 A Million Daisies Pall Mall Gazette
A Million Daisies - Specially grown in England for Today's Decorations

A million daisies (Marguerites) have been gathered from the small owners' farms and sent to all parts of the country for Empire buttonholes and decorations today. The farms on which they were grown are at Great Leighs in Essex, the Histon District of Cambridgeshire and Fairby at Fawkham in Kent.

This is the first year that hardy English daisies have been grown for Empire Day. It is a crop that pays the small holder very handsomely, as much as £83 having been made by one grower from an acre. Last year the daisies grown for the market made more per box than sweet peas Now that they have become the flower of Empire - the white petals representing the Dominions and the golden centre the Mother country - their cultivation is expected to become increasingly profitable.

For purpose of decoration few flowers, if tastefully arranged, are more graceful. The novice is sometimes apt to crowd too many in a vase. Five or six blooms, as a rule, prove far more effective than a crowded bunch.

16 May 1913 Hartley Parish Church - A Venerable Edifice Eltham Times
"The parish church of Hartley, dedicated to All Saints, provides a link with antiquity, and like most other churches of this kind the history of it gives one also a clear outline of the parish, and of the people who created it in those days of the dim past. When Domesday was being prepared the hamlet was called Erclei, and it was a part of the enormous possessions of Odo, the half brother of William the Conqueror, while in the Textus Roffensies the name of the village is given as Herdei. Later in Henry III's reign, the place belonged to a noble family (Montchensie), the head of which obtained a free warren for his land from the king, and whose chief seat was at Swanscombe. Another ancient name by which Hartley is recorded is that of Harselhotte. [This is now known to be a mistake, Haselholt is thought to be Hadlow]

In the course of time the patronage of the church, which for centuries had been in private hands, came to the Earls of Shrewsbury, Mr Thomas Bloomfield securing the advowson about 1750. The trustees under his will sold it to the Rev Thomas Bradley, who in 1776 was the Rector. At one period Hartley was held with Horton Kirby, and tradition says that the priest resided at the Parsonage House adjoining All Saints, which meant a long journey for him when repairing to Horton Kirby for the services there. One night the Parsonage was destroyed by fire, and the poor folk of that day believing that it was a design of Providence on account of the priest residing so far from the other church, the Rectory was built 2 miles nearer Horton Kirby. To this day the residence of the parish priest of Hartley is on that site, a full half hour's walk to the church, and if not actually in another parish - that of Longfield - can only miss it by one of those inexplicable devices which determine the confines of one parish from the other. Hartley in ancient days paid 9 denarii chrism fee to the See of Rochester, and the Church in Edward I's time was valued at 12 marks, and in the King's Book at £7, while at the commission of inquiry in 1650 it was returned as a Parsonage, with a house, 8 acres of glebe lane, the whole worth £60. [Actually the site of the old rectory at the bottom of Hoselands Hill was built in 1851, believed to be because the rector lived in Greenhithe but was under pressure to live in Hartley]

There remains but little now to suggest to the visitor its ancient beauties, the ruthless hand of the 'restorer' being as much in evidence hereas in other pre-Reformation churches and this, with individual acts of vandalism on the one hand and the ravages of time and storm on the other, has shown the hallowed place of nearly all of its antiquity. One of the last things that happened here was the partial destruction of a fine old oak pulpit, which was actually converted into a box arrangement to fit in a corner of the nave on the north, a hideous deal stained boarding providing the background. Major Hildebrand, one of the churchwardens, who is anxious to safeguard what remains of an ancient past, is proposing to try and raise the funds necessary in order that the pulpit may be restored to something of its former beauty as all the panels are intact, one or two of them forming the interior othe pulpit. The history of this pulpit as given to me by the Rector is rather curious. The fine old panels, which are intact, were removed from the sanctuary some time in the last century, and some of these were made up into a bedstead for the owner of a farm, the remainder forming a crudely shaped and very cramped pulpit. The Rector is looking forward to recovering the lost panels and using them with those now in the church for the construction of a handsome pulpit. In 1863 Sir Stephen Glynn visited Hartley church, and in his notice of hte fabric he refers to a lynchnoscopic single lancet trefoiled on the north side of the sanctuary, no trace of which; except on the outside, can be seen at the present time. The vestry, which is on this side of the chancel, and which is modern, can have had nothing to do with the destruction of this window, as it had just been done at that date, Sir Stephen referring to it as new, as well as remarking that the walls had been lately reconstructed in a great measure.

With reference to this the Rector of the parish, the Rev Gerard W Bancks, says that he thinks this lychnoscopic single lancet must be a small window on the south, and that the north window Glynn has confused as 'the two lights without foil'.

The Rev Edward Allen was responsible for the restoration of the tower and west end, and he was the rector at the time that Sir Stephen made his report on the church. His son the Rev W H Allen (sic), succeeded him in the Rectory, and the two held the living for nearly a century, their memorials in the churchyard near the south porch recording their long ministry in the parish. It was to the memory of the Rev W H Allen that the lich gate and the south porch were erected, and insciption on the two sides of the porch giving the donor and to whose memory they were built. On this side of the church, at the extreme east end, on the ground level, will be found a sun dial with the hole for the centre pin. Its original position must have been higher, and it would escape attention in the ordinary way, its discovery being of quite recent date. The massive ancient oak door, with its fine iron work, will arrest attention and Major Hildebrand who secured the keys of the church for me, and accompanied me on a round of inspection, mentioned that this door had been taken to London for expert workpeople to put in a proper repair which has preserved a fragment of the old church that is possibly a thousand years old.

All Saints consists of a nave, chancel, south porch, and a wooden belfry with small spire at the west end, and is built of flint and rubble, strengthened in recent years by brick buttresses. There are two Norman windows set high on both sides of the nave, the west window being Perpendicular of three lights, while a leper window is revealed on the south side of the church. The chancel arch is pointed, rather small and plain, and one authority speaks of a sedilia as well as a squint being in the church, I thought that the organ had hidden the sedilia, but the Rector writes to me and says that this is not so, and that possibly it was blocked up by the two light window. The same authority refers to a curious wooden box under a stained glass window in the southwest part of the chancel, but the only stained glass now in the church is that in the east window, and two other windows put in by the late Rector in memory of some of his family. Most ancient churches had these boxes, which were used for Peter's pence, for the safe custody of the vestments, sacred vessels, and other such purposes. The font is not nearly so old as the church, nor indeed is it of the period of the centrepiece on which it rests. It is supported by eight pillars, and had 8 sides, with a quatrefoil in each. I omitted to enquire about the bells, but there used to be two here, the treble one bearing the name of its maker, Robert Rider, a London founder, 1351-1386. The altar gives one the appearence of being quite new, ans is like those that Bruges has made familiar, with a conventional design. It is not veiled, but has a super frontal of the colour of the season. An inventory of church goods dated 1552 is given in one of the volumes of Archaeologica Cantiana.

While the register commences in 1712 the list of Rectors dates back to 1328, at which time Henry Cotebrooke was in charge of the parish. One of the Rectors, William Potter bequeathed his silk hat to the Parson of Faccam (Fawkham). There is one peculiarentry in the churchwardens' accounts, which puts down a guinea for the possin block. Sir Stephen Glynn complains of the dreary situation in which the church is situated, which seems to pint to the fact that he must have been there in the winter. To come to Hartley in the full glory of an early spring day, as was my good fortune, was a perfect dream of loveliness, and the memory of the day will be a long time fading from memory.

Hartley Church is now in the patronage of Sir William Chance, baronet, and the Rev Charles W Bancks MA is the present Rector, having been instituted in the diocese of Lincoln in 1879, and priest at St Albans in 1882. It was in 1885 that he came to Kent, working at Sutton Valence first, and coming to Darenth the next year, where the rev gentleman remained until he was preferred to Hartley. The services are of the usual village character, the choir being a mixed one in consequence of the difficulty of getting sufficient boys and men. BEDESMAN."

23 May 1913 Profit from Daisies Daily Citizen
"To be known and recognised as a true patriot it will be necessary to wear a daisy tomorrow. The daisy, it seems, has been made the flower symbol for the Empire, and tomorrow is empire day.

One result has been quite a boom in the commercial cultivation of the daisy. 'Daisies are of many forms' explained Mr LJ Humphrey, of Small Owners Limited, to a representative of the Daily Citizen yesterday, 'but the ox-eye or marguerite is the most valuable from a commercial point of view. Smallholders find it a profitable crop, and there are many holdings in Cambridgeshire, Kent and Essex where great preparations are being made for the demand which is anticipated tomorrow.'

'It is a comparatively new industry, and it is interesting to note that the flowers sell much better in the north of England. The reason is that in the south of England there is so much foreign competition. But daisy cultivation is getting to be quite a profitable industry. They pay even if the wholesale price is 1s 9d per box of 48 bunches, but often it is possible to obtain 6s or 7s per box. The opening up of the industry has come as quite a boon to the smallholder, whose first crop of the year it is. It is quite common now to see 2 acres of land under daisy cultivation.'"

[The land at Kent referred to is Hartley]

24 May 1913 Land for Sale at Woodland Avenue Beckenham Journal
"To close the estate, as the merely nominal upset price of E£100. About one-fifth of the cost.

Between the villages of Longfield and Hartley, near to Fawkham Station on the SE&C Railway and about 5 miles from Dartford and Gravesend - The valuable piece or parcel of freehold building land, having a frontage of about 300 feet to Woodland Avenue, together with the wooden buildings; also a piece of freehold land, on the main road (Leading from Fawkham Railway Station to Hartley), and having a frontage of about 63 feet, with the tram car theron used as an outbuilding. The Land forms part of the Fawkham Park Esate, and is held by Mr John Foster, on an annual Michaelmas tenancy, at the low rental of £13.

Messrs Baxter, Payne & Lepper will sell by auction at the Railway Tavern, Longfield, on Friday, May 30th, at 5 o'clock in the evening (in one lot) the above freehold property.

May be viewed and particulars with conditions obtained at the place of sale; of G L Lepper esq, Solicitor, 72 Mark Lane EC, and of the auctioneers. Offices: Bromley and Beckenham, Kent, and 69 King William Street EC."

24 May 1913 Windmill House Kent Messenger
Old Landmark Gone – metal frame of windmill behind Windmill House on road between Dartford and Longfield taken down. Well known landmark for cyclists

27 May 1913 Newlands Shaw for Sale South Eastern Gazette
"Longfield, Kent. About 1½ miles from station whence London is reached in under the hour. 'Newlands Shaw', occupying a delightful spot, commanding splendid views approached by a carriage drive and containing 3 reception rooms, usual offices, 3 bedrooms, bathroom (h and c) etc. Company's water laid on. Gardens and Pleasure Grounds; small piece of picturesque woodland in all 4 acres.

Messrs Denyer and Collins are instructed to sell the above by auction (unless previously disposed of privately) at the Mart, Tokenhouse Yard, EC on June 18th. Auction Offices: High Street, Tonbridge and at Tunbridge Wells, and 16 Abchurch Lane EC."

30 May 1913 St Francis de Sales RC Church Gravesend Standard
"At Hartley, last Sunday morning, mass was said at 9 o'clock (the first on Sunday since the Reformation), in the presence of a numerous congregation. The Oratory is in the Northfleet parish, and is easily accessible now by means of the new service of trains from West Street to Longfield. Among those present were Col Vaughan, who served during the mass which was said for the late Dowager Duchess of Newcastle); the Baroness von Hogel, Miss Davies-Cooke, Mr McNaughton; New Barn, Fawkham, Meopham and district having representatives. Father Patrick Ryan SJ, on behalf of Father Hoare, appealed for the spreading of the faith in Hartley. It is hoped to arrange for Sunday mass shortly. Meantime service of instruction is held every Wednesday evening at 7 o'clock by the rector of Northfleet."

30 May 1913 Farming Experiment Daily Mirror
Experiments to grow strawberries with electricity

31 May 1913 Gravesend Sufragettes Kent Messenger
Gravesend council refuse suffragettes permission to have stall in market, some councillors spoke in favour, others said no political group had been there before

07 Jun 1913 Woodland Avenue sale Kent Messenger
Property sale – FH building land with 300 ft frontage to Woodland Avenue, together with wooden buildings and a piece of FH land on main road sold to Mr Walter Robson of Hartley for £120

14 Jun 1913 Hartley Cricket Club Kent Messenger
Cricket at Hartley – Hartley 74, beat Ash 42

21 Jun 1913 Hartley Parish Meeting Kent Messenger
Hartley Parish Meeting calls for more mains water. Present: Mr & Mrs Emmett, Rev Bancks, Maj Hildebrand, Capt Copus, Messrs Braybrook, Johnson, Good, Swallow, Wansbury, Flint, Harris, Dr Welch, Elliott, Tate, Rose, Green, Robson & 40 others

26 Jun 1913 Small Owners Description Express
"Organising Small Holders…..

Mr Hamilton Edwards, the chairman, and Mr G H Humphrey, the managing director of Small Owners Limited, write to the editor of the Express.

Sir, We have been much interest in reading in your today's issue Lord Lansdowne's remarks on small ownership at Matlock Bath, on Saturday.

As a result of our experience in the past few years in facilitating the establishment of smallholdings on English land on a basis of small ownership, we are heartily in agreement with his suggestion to apply the principles of the Irish Land Purchase Act to the English Small Holdings movement. We feel, however, there is one important point to which sufficient prominence is very rarely given by speakers on agricultural subjects, and that is the provision in smallholding districts of organised farm centres where agricultural instruction, farm implements, horses and casual labour are at the disposal of the small holder. In our opinion, such facilities are absolutely essential if the small holder is to be successful.

Lord Lansdowne referred in his speech to the success of small ownership on the continent. This success has been largely due to the willingness of the continental peasant proprietors to combine by means of a system of credit banks and cooperative societies for the purpose of working the land and disposing of produce. In spite of the considerable attention which ahs been directed by the English authorities to the establishment of credit banks in this country, little or no progress has been made. Agricultural students, when questioned, ahve come to the conclusion that the Englishman is too essentially individualistic to merge his private business in the somewhat altruistic relationship which membership of a credit bank or cooperative society must involve.

Security Problem solved

the security for a credit bank loan in this country necessitates the personal guarantee of two fellow members of the borrower. Very few Englishmen would care to make the necessary disclosure of their private affairs, and some other system must therefore be designed to take the place of the facilities which a continental small owner enjoys. We have found that this want is filled by our system of organsised farm centres, and we write to suggest that the new Unionist land policy should include the provision of such centres as an integral part of their new land scheme.

On our Fairby Farm estate, we have now completed the establishment of the various departments which go to make an ideal central depot. Established in the centre of the estate, worked by a colony of small owners, it comprises stabling for the horses which are hired out to them, and a farm office, equipped with a telephone, by means of which produce is sold either in our associated retail shops in London or to distant markets where good prices may be ruling.

There is also a jam factory, to which fruit is sold at a price fixed at the beginning of the season. This for example, obviates the risk of sending strawberries to an overcrowded market, with its resultant loss to the producer. there are also on hire full sets of farm implements, appliances, baskets and measures. There are stables, cow sheds and pigsties for temporary accommodation for small owners who desire to keep stock and prefer not to invest capital in buildings until they have placed their smallholding on a profit earning basis. In addition to these facilities, there is also a club room, serving as a village hall, and containing a reference library of books suitable and useful to the small holder, maps, a barometer, weather forecasts, and a supply of agricultural periodicals.

There is also a general store, from which anything can be bought, worked on a mutual profit sharing basis between the company and the customers.

Loans from Credit Banks

Last of all, there will be established on July 1 the final link in our scheme of agricultural small holding organisation - the credit bank.

The credit bank will lend to small holders on the security of their interest in their holdings, and subject to a report by the farm manager that their holdings are in good order and under profitable cultivation. these loans will be granted without any sureties, and in dealing with this bank a small holder will be able to rely on the privacy which any customer of ajoint stock bank expects as a matter of course. No-one except the bank manager and the directors of the company need know from whom he gets the money to buy anything he needs. // Nobody but the farm superintendent will have any right to advise him on the way to manage his holding and produce profits.

It is by the provision of such centres as these that the small holder movement will be placed on a really sound successful basis. As far as we ourselves are concerned, we are quite prepared to place all our experience and the whole perfected organisation of the company at the disposal of either one of the great parties.

In addition to the advantages of the small holder which our system gives, a government department would be able to place at the disposal of the cnetre the services of its experts and the valuable records which are always at the disposal of the Board of Agriculture.

Hamilton Edwards, Chairman; G H Humphrey, Managing Director, Small Owners Limited. June 23."

26 Jun 1913 Small Owners Description Daily Express
Description of Fairby Estate by R Hamilton-Edwards

27 Jun 1913 Ex-Superintendent's Funeral Tonbridge Free Press (KM)
"The funeral took place at Ashford Cemetery on Thursday in last week of Thomas Noakes, whose death occurred, at the age of 80 years, on Saturday. The deceased, who was a native of Frant, Sussex, had had a long and distinguished career in the police force, having seen service at Hartley in the Dartford Division, Chipstead (Sevenoaks), the Isle of Thanet, and Sheerness, before he came to Ashford, while afterwards he was for a short time attached to the Bearsted Division. He was succeeded by the late Supt Wenham in 1894, retiring on a pension owing to ill health. Mr Noakes was a keen sportsman, and was also interested in the Ashford Institute. Proceeding the interment, a service was held at the Parish Church where the Rev D Relton officiated. The body was enclosed in a polished oak coffin which was borne by 6 constables: PCs Wells, Bishop, Pullen, Littlewood, Apps and Smith."

27 Jun 1913 Cricket: Hartley v APCM Gravesend Standard
"After a week's rest, the APCM team journeyed to Hartley, on Saturday, and won handsomely by 59 runs. A late start was caused by a long brake journey necessitated the visiting captain applying the closure with the score at 102 for 4. This proved to be sound judgement, for Hartley were dismissed for 43, with but 3 minutes to go. A E Crabbe again batted brilliantly in compiling his 57, receiving good support from F Bex. The former also bowled effectively, taking 6 for 17.

APCM 102-4 declared (A E Crabbe 57, Day took 3 wickets)

Hartley 43 all out (R W Emmett 4, A Nairn 1, Humphreys 2, T Rodwell 10, Dennis 2, Day 1, Cole 1, Williams 10, Thornton 1, Braybrook 1 not out, T Elliott 5, G Elliott 0, Extras 5)."

[Cricket was notable for the mixing of the social classes, which would have been unusual at the time, the team included the solicitor owner of Fairby (Mr Emmett), farmers (Thornton), builders (Nairn, Braybrook), gardeners (Elliott) and farm labourers (Day), although I note Mr Emmett was chosen to open the innings!]

28 Jun 1913 Fairby House for Sale London Monitor
"AD 1700 - Full of old oak and interesting features

Kent (Beautiful part of the county, within hour of London) - FAIRBY, Longfield - very fine old residence. Perfect repair; approached by long carriage drive; containg briefly, porch entrance, old world hall, billiard, 3 reception, 11 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, complete domestic offices, capital stabling, motor garage, 3 cottages, finely timbered pleasure grounds, gardens and paddocks about 20 acres. Electric light; company's water; telephone connected; hunting and shooting. Close to Catholic Chapel. // Millar Son and Co will sell the above by auction at the Mart, Tokenhouse Yard EC 15th July next. Illustrated particulars of auctioneers, 46 Pall Mall SW."

[The London Monitor was a Roman Catholic newspaper. The Evening Standard of 23/6/1913 has smilarly worded advert without reference to the RC Church]

28 Jun 1913 Hartley Cricket Club Kent Messenger
Cricket at Hartley – APCM 102-4 beat Hartley 43. AE Crabbe for APCM scored 57 and took 6 wickets

04 Jul 1913 Servant Wanted Church Times
General Servant wanted £16-18 wages monthly holiday - Mrs Flint, Bundoran

07 Jul 1913 Small Owners Description Pall Mall Gazette
Description of Fairby Estate by Bevil Tollemache

[The paper of 30/9/1913 has a picture of Mr Tollemache]

08 Jul 1913 Small Owners Description Pall Mall Gazette
Reply by Mr Hamilton-Edwards to correct inaccuracies in article of 7/7/13 calculated to do the company harm

13 Jul 1913 Flowers from Fairby Belfast Weekly News
"Honour for Small Owners

The bouquets and floral decorations of the Royal saloon in connection with the visit of HRH the Princess Henry of Battenberg to Herne Bay to open the King Edward VII Memorial Hall were supplied by Fairbys Limited of 17 Buckingham Palace Road, the distributing department of the Fairby Small Owners' Colony of Fawkham, Kent."

26 Jul 1913 Arthur Outred Kent Messenger
Arthur Outred 22 of Cottage taken to Gravesend Hospital with fractured skull

02 Aug 1913 Whitehill Road Allotments Kent Messenger
Public enquiry into Longfield PC's application to Local Govt Board for £500 loan to buy land between Dartford Road and railway for allotments, burial ground and recreation ground. Cricket club said they had to play at Horton Kirby. Man from Longfield Hill against as too far away

08 Aug 1913 Cricket: Hartley v Northfleet Gravesend Standard
"Mr G K Gardiner had fixed up with Hartley for the Monday a double innings match, and this also resulted in a win for the Reds by an innings and 26 runs. A Wright was again in form, scoring 25 runs and taking 5 for 15. He was ably supported by W Saville, A Martin and J Williams, the first named doing the hat trick. Northfleet, who were accompanied by many friends, were ably entertained by the home team, spending a most enjoyable day. // Hartley 28 all out and 18 all out (Nairn 6 & 0), Rodwell (0 & 2), Dennis (2 & 3), Green (12* & 0), Elliot jun (3 & 0), Day (0 & 3), Applegate (0 & 2), Cole (0 & 0*), Elliott sen (0 & 1), Woodward (1 & 0), Williams (0 & 0), Extras (4 & 7). In the first innings W Saville took 5 wickets and A Wright 4. In the second innings J Williams took 5 wickets and A Martin 4.

Northfleet 72 (A Wright 25, Dennis took 4 wickets, Day 3)."

08 Aug 1913 Hartley Court Sale Bexleyheath Observer
"Sale Friday next. Mr Philip Champion has been favoured with instructions from Major A B R Hildebrand RE who is proceeding to Ireland, to sell by auction upon the premises, as above, on Friday, 15th August 1913, at 12 o'clock, the whole of the live and dead stock and outdoor effects, including 8hp De Dion 4 seater motor car, dog cart, tumbril, 45 head of poultry, 18 ducks, 11 geese, 4 in calf heiffers, nag mare, ditto with foal, stack of meadow hay, the crop of apples as growing on about 4½ acres, and a quantity of surplus household furniture. Catalogues can be obtained of the auctioneeer, Mr Philip Champion, 5 Market Buildings, Maidstone and Lowfield Street, Dartford" [Also in South Eastern Gazette 5.8.1913]

08 Aug 1913 An Old Offender Bexleyheath Observer
"William Cooper, of 7 Bath Street, Gravesend, was summoned for using obscene language at Longfield on July 15th. PC Hannigan said that prisoner was having an argument with his brother, and used the language complained of. 16 previous convictions were recorded against the defendant, and in the last case he was fined 40s and costs for obscene language, on January 13th this year. Defendant was fined 40 shillings and costs or 14 days."

09 Aug 1913 Fairby Farm Times
Mentioned as one of estates sold, many being broken up

13 Aug 1913 Ideal Weekend Cottages London Evening News
"In delightful country surroundings, 15 old fashioned cottages for sale at prices varying from £100 to £225. Full particulars and photographs on application to: The Cottages Department, Small Owners Limited, 34 Norfolk Street, Strand WC."

[When Smallowners Limited bought Fairby, this was bad news for the people who lived in the existing properties on the estate, because Small Owners did not want to be landlords, so they would have been evicted so the cottages could be put up for sale.

Ideal Weekend Cottages - Kent, 23 mies from London]

15 Aug 1913 Fawkham Footpath 'Obstructed' Bexleyheath Observer
"Dartford RDC has received information from the Commons and Footpaths Preservation Society, of complaints that the footpath leading from St Mary's Fawkham, to Horton Kirby, had been obstructed. The District Surveyor has inspected the path, but beyond an ordinary field gate, which could easily be opened, there was not, in his opinion, any obstruction. He has, however, been instructed to keep the path under observation."

16 Aug 1913 Longfield Football Club Kent Messenger
Longfield FC 1912/13 p 20 w 4 d 5 l 11 f-a 35-53. Now in Gravesend League Div 2, vice captain J Rich

23 Aug 1913 Ash & District Horticultural Society Show Kent Messenger
Big report on annual Ash & Dist Horicultural Society Show. Prizes included Desert Apples 3rd H Green of H, Scarlet Runner Beans 4th T Rose of H. Cttee included from Hartley, Messrs Cromar, Chandler, Robson and Whiffen

05 Sep 1913 Servant Wanted Eltham Times
"Wanted. Useful Girl, to help with house work; family three; no cooking; no children convenient house; good wages; outings - Home Field, Hartley, Longfield, Kent [Stack Lane]

19 Sep 1913 Chelsea Guardians Westminster & Pimlico News
Report of various tenders includes "Potatoes - W T Jay £540 17s 6d (accepted); K F Clisby £550 10s; Fairbys Limited £802 17s 6d."

26 Sep 1913 St Francis de Sales RC Church Gravesend Standard
"The mission lately given in the Oratory at Hartley by the Rev D Aidendsen MA PhD, DD proved very successful. His lordship the Bishop of Southwark said mass therin last Sunday morning. Weekly Sunday services are being arranged. The service of trains now running betwween Gravesend and Longfield has proved of much use in connection with the establishing of this new centre of religious teaching."

30 Sep 1913 Small Owners Description Daily Mail
Review of Bevil Tollemache book which mentions Fairby

08 Oct 1913 De Mallet Morgan - Monckton Wedding The Sketch
Picture of couple

[They bought The Birches, Ash Road, in 1926]

10 Oct 1913 Mr Clinch Loses a Vote Bexleyheath Observer
Electoral Register Revising Court at Dartford County Court. "Mr D O Burt (Liberal Agent) objected to the ownership vote of Mr George Clinch, who was on the register as the owner of a piece of land at Longfield. His objection was that the land was not of sufficient value for the Parliamentary vote. Mr Clinch appeared himself, and Mr Burt said that ht eland was waste land by the side of the road. It was not fenced in, and anyone could walk on it. It was producing nothing per annum to Mr Clinch, and could not be worht the necessary 40s a year. Mr Clinch said that he had refused £90 for the land, as he considered it was worth £4 or £5 a year to him. He could let it for agricultural purposes. Mr Burt said the price of allotments in Longfield was 4d a rod, and if the land was let for allotments it would not bring in more than 10s a year. After some argument, the Barrister said that he did not think the land was of the necessary value, and Mr Clinch's name was struck off."

10 Oct 1913 A New Mission for Kent Catholic Times
"A portion of the Hartley Manor Estate has recently been acquired by a Catholic lady near Fawkham in Kent, and the buildings known as the Middle Farm have been converted by her into a charming and old fashioned dwelling house, the yard having been made into a delightful quadrangle of an almost monastic aspect. On one side of this stands the large thatched barn, which, like the farm itself is some 200 years old and build of magnificent old oak. The floor has been covered with concrete, and dignified old oak fittings have been arranged on it so as to turn it into a remarkably fine chapel or oratory capable of seating some 150 persons. Father Hoare of Northfleet, comes to give an instruction in this oratory on Wednesdays; the Bishop of Southwark has said mass in it, and Father Arendsen has preached there a very successful mission to non-Catholics, who came in great numbers and showed much goodwill. Several are under instruction; and a consderable number of Catholics who, owing to the lack of a priest and to other reasons, had neglected the habitual practice of their religion, have profited by the facilities now at their disposal. Congregations varying from 30 to 90 have come to this oratory, which, in its sober yet dignified worship, reminds us of the days when the Church was just emerging from the eras of persecution. Funds are required for the establishments of regular Sunday mass; and Miss Beatrice Davies-Cooke, of the Middle Farm, Hartley, Fawkham, is forming a Catholic library there for which books will be welcomed."

22 Oct 1913 Small Owners Description Aberdeen Daily Journal
Review of Bevil Tollemache book which mentions Fairby

25 Oct 1913 Indignant Longfield Frontagers - The Making up of Essex Road Evening News
At the council offices, Longfield, on Monday, a meeting of the Essex Road Frontagers was held to consider what steps should be taken in view of the refusal of the Dartford Rural District Council to go on with the matter. Mr F Lynds was voted to the chair, others present being Messrs W High, Thos Crouch, A High, William Crouch, W T Bennett, Elvey Bance and G T Lynds. Mr E Foster wrote regretting his enforced absence.

The chairman having explained the prpose of the meeting, a letter which appeared int eh press from the pen of a Longfield working man, stating the frontagers' grievance, was heartily approved. The chairman then read the report of the Rural Council meeting, and advised the frontagers to approach that authority and ask them to refund that portion of the money they had no right to. Mr G T Lynds said it appeared to him that the Rural District Council had tried in every possible way to screen the surveyor and contractor, and they (th counicl) were therefore responsible. The council had apparently dropped the whole matter, and left the frontagers in the lurch. Mr W Crouch said it was estimated that the frontagers had got about £220 less materials then athey paid for. The Chairman said Mr G Day, who was present at the opening of the road asked the surveyor to point out where he had seen the full amoun tof flints put on, but the surveyor did not reply. Continuing, the chairman said he had asked for the road to be opened about 20 times. His first protests was made immediately after completion. Subsequent replies were that the contractor had documentary evidence to prove the full complement of stones were there.

Mr G T Lynds: So the Rural council think theis job is done with? The chairman. Yes. Mr Crouch: Where did that coat of granite come from that they put on Essex Road, and why did they put it on an already perfect road? The chairman: I don't know where it came from, why it was put there, or who paid for it. The surveyor approached me about putting it on. I protested, but eventually gave way. Mr George Day was surprised to see it there, but the surveyor assured him they always did it on new roads. Mr Crouch: What is the surveyor's salary? Chairman: £450 (a voice: 'And a motor car'). The chairman: One poor widow lady had had to put her property on the market to meet this debt ('Shame!').

After a lengthy discussion, a resolution was proposedby Mr W Crouch, seconded by Mr Elvey Bance, and carried unanimously. This strongly expressed the views of the meeting on the matter, and demanded a full and open enquiry. In the event of this being refused, the meeting threatened to petition the Local Government Board.

[At the Longfield Annual Parish Meeting of 1914 it was agreed to ask Kent County Council to investigate - Gravesend Messenger 4.4.1914 but KCC refused to get involved - Gravesend Messenger 16.5.1914]

25 Oct 1913 For the Thrifty Traveller Gravesend Messenger
"At the council offices, Longfield, on Monday, a meeting of the Essex Road Frontagers was held to consider what steps should be taken in view of the refusal of the Dartford Rural District Council to go on with the matter. Mr F Lynds was voted to the chair, others present being Messrs W High, Thos Crouch, A High, William Crouch, W T Bennett, Elvey Bance and G T Lynds. Mr E Foster wrote regretting his enforced absence.

The chairman having explained the prpose of the meeting, a letter which appeared int eh press from the pen of a Longfield working man, stating the frontagers' grievance, was heartily approved. The chairman then read the report of the Rural Council meeting, and advised the frontagers to approach that authority and ask them to refund that portion of the oney they had no right to. Mr G T Lynds said it appeared to him that the Rural District Council had tried in every possible way to screen the surveyor and contractor, and they (th counicl) were therefore responsible. The council had apparently dropped the whole matter, and left the frontagers in the lurch. Mr W Crouch said it was estimated that the frontagers had got about £220 less materials then athey paid for. The Chairman said Mr G Day, who was present at the opening of the road asked the surveyor to point out where he had seen the full amoun tof flints put on, but the surveyor did not reply. Continuing, the chairman said he had asked for the road to be opened about 20 times. His first protests was made immediately after completion. Subsequent replies were that the contractor had documentary evidence to prove the full complement of stones were there.

Mr G T Lynds: So the Rural council think theis job is done with? The chairman. Yes. Mr Crouch: Where did that coat of granite come from that they put on Essex Road, and why did they put it on an already perfect road? The chairman: I don't know where it came from, why it was put there, or who paid for it. The surveyor approached me about putting it on. I protested, but eventually gave way. Mr George Day was surprised to see it there, but the surveyor assured him they always did it on new roads. Mr Crouch: What is the surveyor's salary? Chairman: £450 (a voice: 'And a motor car'). The chairman: One poor widow lady had had to put her property on the market to meet this debt ('Shame!').

After a lengthy discussion, a resolution was proposedby Mr W Crouch, seconded by Mr Elvey Bance, and carried unanimously. This strongly expressed the views of the meeting on the matter, and demanded a full and open enquiry. In the event of this being refused, the meeting threatened to petition the Local Government Board."

[At the Longfield Annual Parish Meeting of 1914 it was agreed to ask Kent County Council to investigate - Gravesend Messenger 4.4.1914]

31 Oct 1913 Longfield Primary School Bexleyheath Observer
"A petition was sent through the Parish Council ot the Elementary Education Sub-Committee [of Kent County Council] on behalf of 87 children attending the Longfield School, asking for 'a better system of education than our children are receiving, and a schoolmaster appointed to control the school.' The sub-committee recommended to the Kent Education Committee at its meeting at Maidstone on Monday, that in view of the satisfactory reports that have been received from HM Inspector of the school, no action be taken and that the Parish Council be informed accordingly."

31 Oct 1913 Organist Wanted Eltham Times
"Organist wanted for country parish church; £15 - Apply Rector, Hartley, Longfield, Kent."

05 Nov 1913 Small Owners Description Yorkshire Post
Review of Bevil Tollemache book which mentions Fairby

06 Nov 1913 Ideal Homes for Artists and Literary Men The Stage
"Two charming country cottages are for sale at Hartley, Longfield, Kent, at £250 and £400 each. Nice large gardens, company's water and modern conveniences. Midnight theatre train daily. Mortgage arranged for either property if desired. Convenient to London and yet in the heart of the Kent country. Arthur Barnes, Hartley, Longfield, Kent."

14 Nov 1913 Win a farm at Hartley Poultry World
PW wins £100 in damages for libel over competition, but has to admit cottage hadn't been built then and was only later built on plot selected by Mrs O'Grady.

18 Nov 1913 Sale at Black Lion South Eastern Gazette
"Sale Friday next. The Black Lion Inn, Hartley, Kent.

Mr Philip Champion has received instructions from Mrs E Wansbury to sell by auction, at the above address, on Friday next, 21st Nov, 1913 at 12 o'clock noon, the useful and well kept Household Furniture and effects and live and dead stock, including 3 cobs, pony, 3 heiffers, sow and 4 pigs, 12 geese, 30 head of poultry, 2 vans, 6 carts and traps, sets of harness, two wood lodges, 4 fowl houses, gent's and lady's bicycles and other effects.

Catalogues can be obtained at the place of sale, and of the auctioneer as above."

21 Nov 1913 Dartford RDC Sanitary Committee Bexleyheath Observer
One case of puerpal fever at Longfield. DRDC District also had one case of anthrax where the man's life has been saved by an injection of antitoxin at St Bartholemew's Hospital.

28 Nov 1913 Charitable Donation Evening News
Miss A Bunce of Hartley Manor donates £12 to papers fund for toys for poor children

19 Dec 1913 Black Lion Transfer Bexleyheath Observer
Dartford Petty Sessions, Transfer of Licences. Black Lion Hartley to John William English.

10 Jan 1914 Farm Workers Wanted Kent Messenger
"Wanted men for fruit tree planting, digging etc; good wages and constant work for steady workmen - apply Small Owners Limited, Hartley, Longfield."

10 Jan 1914 Rural Development: A Settlement of Small Owners The Outlook
"Rural Development. A Settlement Of Small Owners (By Patrick Perterras.)

Some weeks ago Mr. Tollemache's book, The Occupying Ownership of Land, was reviewed in The Outlook. Exception was taken to some of the author's views with regard to agricultural cooperation, and it was argued that the extremely well-organised group of small holdings at Fairby, to which he refers, though a great advance on the unorganised groups of the past, must in turn be surpassed by groups organised on genuinely cooperative lines. I believe that contention to be incontrovertible. It elms not follow however that the Fairby group is not destined to be entirely successful. There is no reason why it should not become cooperative. Its success indeed seems to be already assured, and it is with sincere satisfaction that I see it tending more and more towards cooperative methods. If, as I believe will be the case, the plan adopted at Fairby proves merely an approach to cooperation through the temporary employment of outside capital on joint-stock lines, co-operators need not object to it. The example may well be one which in similar conditions they might follow. It is said in support of the Fairby plan that when it is proposed to settle men on the land who have little or no experience of either agriculture or cooperation, some kind of paternal administration is essential to begin with, and that cooperation, if later considered desirable by the settlers themselves, will follow. I am not prepared to assert that in the circumstances indicated the Fairby plan may not be the best.

Some account of the Fairby settlement, and the means by which it was brought into being, may be interesting. At the is outset it may be said that the admirable work accomplished at Fairby has been done by Mr. George Humphrey, the present managing director, and his brother, Mr. Leonard Humphrey, the chief agricultural expert and formerly an official of the fa Irish Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction.

The estate has recently been added to considerably, and the original number of fifty small holdings will probably be more than doubled within the next few months. When the land was purchased it consisted of fruit-orchards, pasture, and the arable land, all in very good order. The scheme of the syndicate which bought it was to cut it up into small holdings, building a house on each in accordance with the requirements of the occupier. Each accepted applicant was advised as to the class and size of holding most suitable to him and as to the employment of his capital. As a rule a cash payment, but equal to 25 per cent, of the price of the house and land, was, demanded on taking possession, the balance being payable in instalments spread over twelve years. An arrangement has since been made with a building society by which the payments may, if desired, be spread over twenty years. All the sale occupiers must become purchasers either for cash or on the then instalment system. There are no permanent tenancies.

In a central position there is a depot, which is at once the social and business centre of the group. Each small holder over can hire labour, implements, or horses at reasonable rates. Through the depot he can market his produce and buy his requirements. There is a store where domestic necessaries may be purchased; and a credit bank is being established to supply capital, if required, to those who, having invested in the estate, have a sound security to offer. There is also a well-equipped jam factory and fruit-bottling establishment. Skilled technical advice is provided, so that the least experienced men can hardly go wrong and will gradually gain knowledge in a practical school which is always up to date. The deptot also serves the purpose of a dub, possessing a library and common reading-room. Social and business meetings take place frequently. The settlers' wives have formed themselves into a ladies' guild and are already organising a supplementary industry, which will probably take form of carpet-weaving, to be carried on in their homes.

It will be seen that the system makes it especially easy for those who are not adepts in agriculture to set up on the land.

Experience is not insisted on as a qualification. In selecting from the many applicants energy and character are considered far more than technical knowledge, and the wisdom of this course has been completely vindicated. If the settlement had done nothing else, it would have served a most useful purpose in establishing beyond a doubt that, with sound advice and expert guidance at command, the intelligent but uninstructed man who will work may confidently set up as a small farmer and at once become successful.

Fruit and vegetables form the bulk of the output from Fairby. Most of the small holders also keep poultry, though poultry-keeping is not generally recommended to the inexperienced man except as an auxiliary industry. Some pigs are kept and there is a range of pigsties at the depot, where those who have no accommodation for pigs on their holdings may house them for 6d. a week apiece. The only dairying : is done by one settler, who supplies the others with milk, and in doing so finds a sufficient business. The holdings vary in size from two to twelve acres.

I must record, as an example of the manner in which smallholders settled in a group and working together can obtain advantages which individually would be quite out of their reach, the way in which the important strawberry-crop is said dealt with at Fairby. The fruit is gathered soon after 4am, and a motor immediately conveys it to London, where it is on sale by 8am the same day. In the evening any fruit which may remain unsold is brought back to Fairby by the same motor and at once made into jam or " pulped " for winter jam-making. Similar methods are applied to other kinds of produce; and when difficulties arise about the disposal of anything produced on the estate, the matter is carefully thought out by good business brains, and if a solution the is possible it is sure to be arrived at.

So far all the settlers have cultivated almost exclusively in the open, and there is little glass to be seen on the holdings. But the management have just erected a long range of glass for experimental purposes. It is proposed to test various kinds of hothouse crops; and when it has been proved beyond a doubt that any particular form of produce can be raised profitably, the syndicate will be prepared to advance money to settlers to put up the necessary glass for themselves. It may perhaps surprise some readers to know that without any glass a good worker can extract a reasonable living from two acres of ground. It is found that the net is income from that area at Fairby comes to about £70 a year.

It will be seen that the Fairby system provides not merely to the economic advantage of buying or selling in common, but some of the social amenities which co-operation affords. And it is clear that ultimately the settlement can become entirely co-operative. Already it has been decided is to offer the store to a co-operative society consisting of the settlers. I understand that another co-operative society for sale and purchase is contemplated by some of the settlers themselves. And when the original syndicate has sold and been paid for all its land it will have fulfilled its function, and all the central institutions created by it can then be taken over by the settlers.

I may add that a portion of the Fairby estate has been set aside for what are residential rather than agricultural small holdings. Houses costing £800 or £1,000 or more, with two or three acres of land attached, are obviously not intended to be supported from such small landed estates. But it seems very sound policy to associate with the community at Fairby a certain number who do not rely on agriculture for their living. It takes all classes to make up a complete community.

The Fairby system is simplicity itself, and for that very reason its originators deserve the highest credit. Like Columbus with the egg, they have shown how easy of solution a baffling problem may be when approached intelligently. What they have done may be done again, and their system may be applied to many forms of agricultural enterprise. They have rendered a great service to the cause of rural development. They do not profess to be philanthropists, but nevertheless they have brightened the lives and added to the happiness of those who have taken advantage of their scheme."

16 Jan 1914 The Poultry World Prize House Poultry World
The Poultry World £1,000 farm picture of house (2), breeding pens, Orchard pens (LON/205 p 479))

30 Jan 1914 The Poultry World Prize House Poultry World
Ad - Mrs O'Grady winner £1,000 Poultry World prize, offers to pupils at very reasonable fees, tuition all branches, poultry farming, either at Longfield, Kent or Coachford, co Cork.

31 Jan 1914 Potatoes for Sale Kent Messenger
Mr Sale of Hartley Green has 2 tons of chat (baby) potatoes for sale

13 Feb 1914 Football Bexleyheath Observer
"Erith Baptists v Hartley. Hartley visited Erith in the Dartford League on Saturday. The Baptist won the toss and elected to kick with the wind. Very soon the Hartley goal was besieged, and after 10 mintues' play, Blake opened the scoring with a long shot. Hartley then broke away, but Gill eventually cleared with a big kick, and once again the 'Baps' were pressing. About half way through this half, Beaton broke through the Hartley defence, and from just inside the penalty area scored no 2 with a beauty, the goalie having little chance. With the wind against them, the 'Baps' took some time to settle down, but gradually they worked down to the visitor's goal. Hartley were having more of the game now, but the defence was too strong for them. Beaton drew the Hartley defence, and passing to Purcell, enabled the latter to put across a nice centre, and Newby scored no 3. Bong wings, well supplied by Ford, spelt danger whenever they broke away, and from one of these raids, Newby, standing close in, received the ball, and promptly kicked no. 4. This was all the scoring, and the Baptist gained two pointsby 4-0."

14 Feb 1914 Longfield Football Club Kent Messenger
2nd annual dinner of Longfield Football Club at the Black Lion. President J Dudley Martin in the chair.

20 Feb 1914 Dartford & District Football League Bexleyheath Observer
Division II table 1 Slade Green Loco (Played 11, Points 20), 2 Stone Invicta (10, 16), Stone Club (7, 11), Wilmington TAS (7, 11), Erith Baptists (10, 9), Stone St Michaels (11, 7), Crayford Invicta Res (9, 5), Hawley Res (9, 4), Hartley (Played 12, won 0, drew 1, lost 11, goals for 3, goals against 71, points 1)

21 Feb 1914 Longfield, Slander Kent Messenger
Sims v Lynds, case of slander at Longfield. Jury awards plaintiff £5

28 Feb 1914 Cow for Sale Kent Messenger
For sale - half bred shorthorn and Kerry Cow, mother prize winner - £25. Also Gentleman's phaeton and rick cloth - Pennis House, Fawkham

28 Feb 1914 Horse for Sale Kent Messenger
"Bay van mare for sale, 8 years, quiet good worker. H Bentley, Hartley, Longfield, Kent."

07 Mar 1914 Black Lion Trading Standards Kent Messenger
"At Dartford, on Friday, Charles English, of Hartley, was summoned for selling margarine instead of butter. He pleaded not guilty. Richard Fulkes, Dartford, said that on January 24th he asked for half a pound of butter at defendant's shop at Hartley, and handed the purchase over to Supt Hayward. the latter stated that he sent a portion of this to the County Analyst, who certified that it was margarine. Defendant said the young woman who helped in the kitchen made the sale, giving the purchaser a half pound of margarine in ignorance, although there were papers bearing the words "margarine" in letters 2½ inches deep across the front of the counter. Miss English, defendant's sister in law, said she served the man. She asked him if he wanted the butter at 1s 4d or 1s 2d. He asked "Have you any cheaper?" She told him there was some at 1s a pound. He said "That will do", and she weighed him a quantity out. He paid her sixpence, and left the shop - a fine of 5s and costs was imposed."

13 Mar 1914 These Motorists Bexleyheath Observer
"There are still some motorists who disturb the peacefulness of Bexleyheath with furious driving. At the Dartford Petty Sessions, Harry Robert Rue, 10 Earl's Road, Bermondsey was summoned for exceeding the 12 mile speed limit with a heavy motor on February 12th at Crook Log. PS Philcox proved the case, and defendant was fined 10s and costs. For exceeding the 20 mile limit on the Broadway, Bexleyheath, George John Bush, Hartley Manor, Longfield, was fined 20s and costs."

19 Mar 1914 The Fairby Village Farm Ormskirk Advertiser
Successful Small Holdings Experiment

An article which must be of great interest at the present time, when Small Holdings and their creation are so much in the public mind, appears in the March Official Circular of the Central Land Association, from the pen of Mr G H Humphrey. The scheme, which is here outlined, and with which Mr Humphrey is so clearly associated, is claimed to be the most successful experiment of the kind in this country.

At the outset the writer of the article says it is gernerally admitted that agriculture should employ a larger number of the population of this country than it does at present. Compared with other European countries, the area under agriculture in the United Kingdom employs barely one third of the number which aa similar area employs in other countries. It was after investigation of small holdings and small holding societies in this country that the organisation under which Fairby Farm is developing was formed in 1911, Mr Humphreys continues:

"We found that small holdings suffered from lack of capital, and the failure and limited success which are generally associated with the movement is due to this fact. I came to this conclusion that unless it could be proved that small holdings were sufficiently commercially successful to attract capital just in the same way as in any other industrial enterprise, all the propaganda work which was being done by the societies was to no purpose.

Investigating the price of land, it was found that under the Small Holdings Act 1907, many small holders were paying 50 shillings and some even more per acre, or a rent in many cases 50, 60 and 100 per cent more than the rental farmer had paid for the land as a large farm But enquiry from some of the large estate agents showed that there were many estates in this country which were as suitable for small holdings as any which were being let for 50 shillings per acre, to be purchased at from £18 to £30 per acre. Land which would be bought for £20 per acre was as good as that which was being let under the 1907 Act at 40 shillings and 50 shillings per acre. Here then was an opportunity to prepare a scheme of land settlemen which should prove a sound commercial investment.

A scheme of small holding purchase by instalments was prepared and put into operation with such success that a small farm was secured in Essex, divided up into small holding and rapidly disposed of. This land was sold to th esmall holders at £27 per acre. As evidence of its suitability for the purpose, one of the small holders told me at the end of the second year that he had made a return of £50 per acre, and that he expected in a year or two's time to make £70 and £80 per acre nett profit from his holding. I should mention here that I believe him to abe an exceptionally capable small holder, and therefore his figures are above the average return which may be expected. But his fact also emphasises that a small holder who knew his beuness chose land which could be sold at £27 per acre, and has done extraordinarily well on it. He has told me that he considers this land equal to much of the land which is offered in Cambridgeshire at £80 and £100 per acre, where the demand for small holdings alone has sent up the price of land. As had been expected, the success of this samll farm had the result of securing outside coercial capital, enabling the organisation, which had been started by my brother and myself, to purchase Fairby, a property sufficiently large for the development of those ideas of organisation and administration which we deemed essential in any large scheme for the creation of small holdings.

Fairby Farm in 1911 was 315 acres in extent and is situated 23 miles from London on the main Chatham line. From the agricultural point of view it is a fair type of many farms to be found in this country. It had been cultivated as an average Kentish farm. 50 acres were under fruit, about 40 acres under market garden crops, 60 acres under pasture, and the rest was farmed with straw and root crops. The fruit plantations were 5 and 6 years old, and gave us admirable data as to what an established small fruit holding woudl produce. The farm generally was suitable for almost every form of intensive agriculture. This area was offered for sale in small holdings in the autum of 1911, and was very rapidly taken up. There are altogether some 60 small holders on the farm, and most of them go in for a mixed semi-intensive form of cultuvation. With regard to the selection of applicants, as a commercial concern it is not possible to influence these very directly, but our policy has been to encourage rather the better type of agriculturalist and the small businessman than the ordinary agricultural labourer. Although agricultural experience is of course invaluable in farming, it is not so necessary, and has proved indeed sometimes a hindrance when a man takes up a small holding.

The distinction between small holdings and farming has not been sufficiently defined in the past. A small holder is not a little farmer, and to be successful has very little indeed to learn from a large farmer. Niether have we found that the men who win the prizes at the local flower shows and grow the largest cabbages and the finest rhubarb become the best small holders. The important thing fo a small holder to learn is to grow what he can sell profitably, and in this way many men who have had something of a ound business trianing, bu tno agricultural experience, become excellent small holders. A man who came to use 2 years ago with no experience and took up a 5 acre holding (??? fruit) last year made £180 nett profit after paying all expenses. I am persuaded in my own mind that there should be no difficulty in creating hundreds of similarly successful small holders in other parts of the United Kingdom.

In dividing Fairby a basis of ownership was decided upon for two reasons. Firstly that ownership would be more attractive to the commerial poeple we desired to interest, as it would offer a better return on their capital. Secondly, we found that ownership had much greater attraction for the best small holders than any system of tenancy. With the Fairby system which is now fairly well know as the 'depot system' of agricultural organisation, we carry on the farm staff, buildings, horses, implements, just as they were conducted under the later owner and farmer. Most small holders in other districts have a stable, a horse or pony, a cart, a plough [.......................................................................] labour is used to cultvate the farm and to keep all the unsold land in at least as high a state of cultiviation as it was when we took it over. Similarly, the requirements of small holders wiht regard to seeds, implements, netting, fencing etc are met through the Buying Department. The farm staff is in charge of a foreman who is chosen for his experience of market garden and fruit crops. In additiona to the use of the buildings as a Depot, ertain portions of them have been adapted to provide the other departments which the scheme includes. In the Machinery Building there is an efficient oil engine and shafting runs to the chaff cutting machine, root pulpers and oat crushers, also to the Joinery Shop where the window frames and other joinery used in the Building Department for the erection of houses and temporary buildings are made. Teh power is also used in connection with some of the machinery in the Jam Factory. With the Jam Factory on the spot the small holder at Fairby is sure of anett market price on his holding which is nearly always better than the nett price that he could expect on an exceptionally good day at Covent Garden. In connection with the Depot there is also a 5 acre market garden, including a long glass and mushroom house whih is being developed to provide experimental data for the small holders. It is hoped during the coming year to instal several similar glass houses on the small holdings. Many small holders would go in for glass were it not for the captial involved. It is proposed at Fariby to build glass houses for the small holders and sell them to them on a deferred payment system over a term of years.

Another development which is also under consideration is a plant for the dessication of vegetables. This it is considered will deal wiht the surplus of vegetables just the same as the Jam Factory deals with the surplus of fruit. We have always considered that a small holding colony should not only produce successful small holders, but should promote the prosperity of the district in which they are situated. That this has been the case at Fairby is very evident. Under the old system of farming, Fairby in 1910 employed only about 7 men per 100 acres. Under present conditions the estate is employing 25 men for each 100 acres. The local tradesmen testify to the increased prosperity which they have experienced as a result of the settlement at Fairby. Even the Railway Company last year considered it advisable to open a new stateion in the district. With these facts in mind we welcomed the opportunity which arose last year to purchase an adjoining 600 acres, being the Hartley Manor Estate, which in its turn is developing as satisfactorily as Fairby has done.

In conclusion, I consider that we have abundantly proved at Fairby the economic soundness of small holdings and the suitability of the Englishman for intensive cultivation. Further we have showen that the United Kingdom can offer better opportunities than any of our Colonies to any man who wishes for an agricultural life and is willing to work hard. Several of the returned Colonials who have settled down at Fairby have made similar remarks to me. One in particular who approached us 2 years ago would not believe, afeter 22 years' experience in Canada that a living could be made off less than 100 acres of land. After being assured that 5 acres under our system was sufficient to provide a good income, and with the additional proisse that if he could not make a living from it, we would take his house and 5 acres of land back at the price he paid for them, he decided to settle at Fairby. Last year he tells me he made £164 nett profit off his 5 acres. Comment is needless. What has been done at Fairby can be done in many other parts of the country. Fairby is the first serious attempt to bring sound finane, business organisation and suitable applicants together, for the extension of small holdings in this country.

With regard to the question of cooperation, I feel sure that ultimately Fairby will become entire cooperative. Our system of organisation takes the place of cooperation for the time, as the capital it represents provides the implements and organisation for combined working When, however the small holders have put their individual undertakings on a osund comercial basis, they will know aht they require and jut how far cooperative management will benefit them."

21 Mar 1914 Essex and Kent Road Land for Sale Gravesend Reporter
Plots for sale in Fawkham (probably Kent Road/Essex Road) by Kent and Essex House Land and General Investment Co Ltd

21 Mar 1914 Eggs for Sale Kent Messenger
Chicken and duck eggs for sale - Bassano, The Croft

04 Apr 1914 Mirror Repairs Gravesend Messenger
Advert - "Old Mirrors resilvered and made like new. Prices reasonable. Send postcard, or call and see samples at A Fielder, 1 Fern Cottage, Essex Road, Longfield."

11 Apr 1914 Longfield Property Sale Gravesend Reporter
Messrs Winnatt - Bungalow and 3 acres at Longfield for sale £1,500

24 Apr 1914 Rev G Bancks of Hartley Daily Mail
The Profitable Bee' letter by Rev Bancks

01 May 1914 Retirement of Police Inspector Gravesend Standard
"Police Inspector A Thompson, who has retired from the Kent County Constabulary after nearly 30 years' honourable service, joined the force on June 24th, 1884, and was first stationed at Hartley, and then at Ash and Greenhithe. When at the latter town he was awarded a special mark for his meritorious conduct in apprehending two burglars at the Ship Hotel, who had effected an entrance to the premises by means of a ladder. On January 26th 1894 he was promoted to instructing constable, and appointed to Sutton at Hone, and afterwards served at Riverhead, Westerham, Knockholt and Snodland, being promoted to sergeant on November 30th 1897 when serving at Westerham. On November 1st 1900 he was appointed to West Malling, and was stationed there until promoted to Inspector on April 1st 1908, and appointed to Sheerness, where he has remained until his retirement."

01 May 1914 Homefield, Stack Lane Eltham Times
"Wanted to rent, 6 roomed house, with bathroom and gas; good garden; Bickley or Chislehurst; £30 to £40 per annum - Homefield, Hartley, Longfield, Kent"

08 May 1914 Dartford Rural District Council Sanitary Committee Bexleyheath Observer
Medical Officer of Health reported 19 cases of Scarlet Fever in the previous month, 3 of diptheria (one from Hartley), and 2 of enteric fever (one of these cases at Longfield attributed to eating oysters).

09 May 1914 Hares for Sale Kent Messenger
Hares for sale - Wood, Woodcroft

09 May 1914 Rev G Bancks of Hartley Kent Messenger
Favourable review of Rev Bancks's book "Harvest of the Hives"

12 May 1914 Longfield Cricket Club Gravesend Messenger

14 May 1914 Treadwell Family Table Talk (Melbourne, Aus)
Engagement of Ruby Treadwell of Fairby, York Street, St Kilda

15 May 1914 Longfield Cricket Club Gravesend Standard
Cricket - Northfleet v Longfield at Northfleet. Longfield 120 all out, Northfleet 121-9

15 May 1914 Occupation Ownership of Land North Wales Chronicle
"The overemigration of the rural population of Great Britain into our towns and colonies has caused the depopulation of our villages to such a serious extent that England has, at last, turned her attention to the question of the land, this being now one of the chief topics of the day. Recent events prove tht great changes must soon take place in our land system......."

Fairby Farm Estate: A company was formed to acquire and organise smallholdings, conducted as a money making business, not charity. The experiment amply justified itself. Land and buildings were taken on 12 years' purchase system, 25 per cent was paid deposit on taking possession, and this deposit is kept as a reserve in case the smallholder gets behind through inexperience. The company then return him the 25 per cent, but retain the land, thus helping him to tide over his loss. So the company is really a credit bank to the smallholder. The Fairby Farm smallholders have teh enormous advantage of agricultural organisation. A farmhouse has been turned into a depot, and it is close by. From this central depot expert advice is given to the new smallholder, giving him every information he requires as tot eh size and division fo the holding, the cottage, amount of capital to be outlayed on the purchase of stock and manure. this help is so thorough that eveen experience in cultivation was not needed, provided the man had energy and character. At this depot they have a competent foreman, a poultry expert, and sufficient implements for all the holdings. The depot cultivates the land not taken, gives them help and advice when necessary, and horses, implements and labour are hired from the depot at a profit to the depot. The advantage of this to the 50 smallholders now can be gathered from the fact that not one of the 50 has found it necessary to buy a horse or build a stable! The depot is the social and business centre of teh whole area. The smallholder buys at the lowest market prices what implements he may want, and sells his produce direct to the big markets. The produce is sold through the depot to salesmen, who like to buy in big quantities. Last year the Fairby Farm estate smallholders sent their produce to Belfast, Wigan, the North of England as well as London. The depot farm manager superintends the carting and packing of fruit, and the preparation of poultry for sale. Consignments are bulked, saving railway carriage and leaving the smallholder free to devote his time to the holdings. Compare this with our poor Welsh farmer trudging to market with 2 or 3 fowls, 2 or 3 dozen eggs, and a few pounds of butter!"

16 May 1914 Longfield Cricket Club Gravesend Reporter
Southfleet cricket club fixtures - Longfield (H - 20/6, A - 18/7), Hartley (H - 4/7, A 15/8)

20 May 1914 Small Owners Description Lincolnshire Echo
Detailed description of Fairby Estate

22 May 1914 Hartley Roads Bexleyheath Observer
Dartford RDC - "A letter was received from the Mid Kent Water Company in reply to the Council's complaint as to the defective reinstatement of the roads at Hartley, where water pipes had been laid by the company, stating that they had had their men on the track, on and off, for the last 3 months, and were again sending them next week to patch up the road where necessary. The Committee had instructed the surveyor to see that the company properly reinstated the road."

22 May 1914 Longfield Cricket Club Gravesend Standard
Cricket - Henley's Athletic v Longfield at L. Longfield 73 all out. Henleys 89-3

23 May 1914 Beating the Bounds at Meopham Gravesend Reporter
Beating the bounds at Meopham. L Oliver remmbered doing the same 61 years before. Detailed report

23 May 1914 Hartley a Growing Village Kent Messenger
"Hartley: A Growing Village. In North Kent, one of the most rapidly developing places of late is Hartley. It is, indeed almost a village of mushroom growth, for whereas a couple of years ago fair fields surrounded a few houses, today it stands as a village plentifully besprinkled with small detached villas, each hemmed in with a few acres of cultivated land. the reason for this expansion is the success which has attended a small holding scheme. There may be various views as to the smallholding movement, but certainly the Fairby Estate (as the new settlement is termed) seems to promise excellently. The estate covers 1,000 acres, and to meet the requirements of the 'community' a Roman Catholic chapel is in the course of erection, a new post office installed, and, we understand, one of the London Banks contemplate opening a branch. The principal feature of the scheme is, of course, the central depot, which is admirably organised to comprise a hub of social and commercial activity. For recreative purposes, a library and club room are provided, while in addition to a jam factory and fruit bottling department, facilities are afforded on behalf of the smallholders for the purchase of various farm implements. In short, Hartley is establishing itself as a progressive, enterprising, locality."

23 May 1914 Cottage to Let Kent Messenger
5 bed cottage to let - Barnes, Hartley

30 May 1914 A Smallholders' Law Suit Kent Messenger
"A Smallholders' Law Suit

An action to restrain a nuisance brought by Mr E Hallick of Verbena Lodge, Hartley Green, against the Small Owners Ltd, London, came before Mr Justice Warrington in the Chancery Division on Friday, resulting in a settlement which was announced on Monday.

Mr Hallick, who bought a small holding from the defendants on which to cultivate market flowers, complained that defendants manufactured jam in premises adjoining his land and allowed quantities of black smoke to be emitted from a chimney. The smoke and soot, he said, spoiled his flowers, rendering them unmarketable. The price paid for the holding was £275.

In announcing a settlement, Mr Terrell KC, for the plaintiff, said that the defendants would buy back the holding for £450 and pay £150 in respect of costs. The plaintiff and his wife were prepared to start life again elsewhere, with they hoped, better success. His lordship sanctioned the settlement and expressed his approval of it." [Verbena Lodge was later called "The Nutshell" and was demolished to make way for Culvey Close]

06 Jun 1914 Longfield Station Gravesend Reporter
Trains from Fawkham 7.40, 8.22, 10.13, 1.15, 2.30, 3.15, 4.31 (NS), 4.33 (S), 5.53, 8.27, 10.41; Sun 8.24, 11.43, 5.20, 10.40

11 Jun 1914 New Barn Advert Evening Standard
"A real country cottage in a secluded and charming old lane, with good water supply, near a station, good school, about 22 miles from London, is the ambition of most; 'New Barn' offers all this, and on advantageous terms. Prospectus from the New Barn Estate Office, near Longfield, Kent."

13 Jun 1914 Fire at Kent Road, Longfield Gravesend Reporter
Fire at home of TW Lynds of Kent Road, Longfield. Fire brigade quickly on scene and no-one hurt

13 Jun 1914 Roman Remains at Ash Kent Messenger
Roman remains discovered on George Day's farm at Ash

13 Jun 1914 Ash & District Horticultural Society Show Kent Messenger
Ash and District Horticultural Society choose Mr Johnson of Hartley to judge Ash garden competition because he doesn't live in the parish

16 Jun 1914 Longfield Cricket Club Gravesend Standard
Northfleet v Longfield at L. Northfleet 157, Longfield 42. J Rich played for Longfield scored 1 got 1 wicket. Also G Rich, W & R Heaver

19 Jun 1914 Whose Clothes? Bexleyheath Observer
"George Taylor, no fixed abode, was charged at the Dartford Police Court on Wednesday morning with stealing a quantity of clothing, valued at 15s, the property of some person, or persons, at that time unknown. PS Binfield said he saw prisoner outside the Railway Tavern, Longfield, on Tuesday night with a bag on his back. He asked the man if he had been selling some clothes in the public house. Prisoner said: 'They are my own clothes. I bought them from a pawnbroker in High Street, Strood.' Upon examining the bag witness found it contained a lot of clothing. Prisoner had sold a pair of boots and a suit of clothes to a man named Blake for 4s. Witness told prisoner he very much doubted if he was selling his own clothes, whether he would let a suit go for 4s. Prisoner said: 'Well, then, find out where I got them. I've been in prison every year for 16 years, and I can go again.' The case was remanded until Friday, in order that further evidence might be forthcoming."

19 Jun 1914 Johns, Johns Close Poultry World
"The Prize Poultry Farm (Presented by Poultry World), Longfield Kent.

Within a mile of Fawkham Station, 22 miles of London. A splendidly equipped poultry farm with well fitted and picturesque modern residence, with 4 bedrooms, bath, pretty sitting, hall, drawing room etc. Unusually good building poultry houses, and pens, specially erected by Spratts Ltd. Kitchen Garden and orchard ; 5 acres in all. To be sold by auction, July 3rd next, unless sold privately meanwhile. Auctioneers: Messrs Nicholas, 4 Albany Court Yard, Piccadilly W, and at Reading and Newbury."

"Mrs O'Grady, winner of the Poultry World's £1,000 prize for expert in poultry management in the United Kingdom, the largest Irish Poultry Farm, has vacancy for pupils; most thorough training; all branches; can supply references from former pupils now working successfully - Apply Coachford, Co Cork."

20 Jun 1914 Ash Road Gravesend Reporter
Surface water at Fairby. Surveyor recommends new catch pit at Fairby and overflow iron kerb be installed by Old Downs private road. Mid Kent water said not to have reinstated road properly after laying their mains.

20 Jun 1914 Woodlands, Ash Road for Sale Kent Messenger
To those desirous of residing in a beautiful part of the county, with a pleasurable and remunerative occupation.

WOODLANDS, HARTLEY

1½ miles from Fawkham Station, 22 miles from London.

A perfectly unique freehold property, comprising picturesque small residence, approached by carriage drive with pretty gardens and lawns in front, and containing 3 reception rooms, kitchen, scullery, 3 bedrooms, bathroom (h & c) etc. Company's water. Modern drainage

4 acres thriving fruit plantation. A part of the property has been highly cultivated for market gardening, and the remainder includes paddock and poultry runs, the whole extending to about 14 acres.

Denyer and Collisn are instructed to sell the above by auction, at the Mart, Tokenhouse Yard, EC, on Friday June 26th at 2 o'clock precisely....

20 Jun 1914 Evening Classes Kent Messenger
Annual exhibition from craft and evening schools held at Maidstone. "The many exquisite designs of lace afforded some indication of the popularity of this beautiful work in some of the villages of Kent, largely through the efforts of Mrs and Miss Ainger, who have given instruction at 8 centres during the past winter with marked success. Among the first year students, Miss Edith Rodwell, Hartley, was placed first, her exhibit consisting of some lovely Buckinghamshire lace in course of production..."

27 Jun 1914 Evening Classes Gravesend Reporter
Longfield - fruit farm strike spreading; evening classes at Clubroom

27 Jun 1914 Obituary of William Packman Kent Messenger
Ash - Sudden death

William Packman, aged 74, who had been employed for a number of years by Mr Joseph Thornton, New House Farm, Hartley, died suddenly on Saturday morning last. He was heard as usual about the house at 6.30am by his sister, Mrs Russell of Russell Villas, Ash, with whom he lived. Shortly afterwards she heard him calling to come downstairs, and on arriving found him lying prostrate on the kitchen floor. Dr Smith was sent for, and on arriving shortly afterwards found that life was extinct. The cause of death was attributed to heart trouble, and the coroner decided that an inquest was not necessary.

[The Packmans originally lived for many years at Hartley Hill Cottage, and William was still employed at New House Farm.]

27 Jun 1914 Evening Classes Kent Messenger
Evening classes at Longfield and Hartley. Lace weaving class at Hartley

30 Jun 1914 Hartley Cricket Club Gravesend Standard
"The IPM were much too strong for the home team at Hartley on Saturday, both in bowling and batting. Williams took 4 wickets for only 3 runs, and Lowman 5 for 13, and Hartley were all disposed of for 30. The visitors only lost 1 wicket in winning, C A Harris and H Bullock doing all the batting."

Hartley - 30 all out (Rodwell 0, Ellerby 3, A Humphreys 2, Dennis 3, Saftin [should be Laftin] 7, Cox 5, H Day 0, F Cox 0, C Haygreen 1*, J Boorman 0, Hodges 3, Extras 6).

IPM 60 for 1 (C A Harris 28*, H Bullock 20*, H Day took the only wicket).

04 Jul 1914 Longfield Church Gravesend Reporter
Feature and picture of Longfield Church; accident at Whitehill Corner

09 Jul 1914 Prize Poultry Farm Evening Standard
Property Market: "The Prize Poultry Farm, situated at Longfield, Kent, comprising a picturesque modern residence, with buildings, pens and poultry houses, and 5 acres of well stocked kitchen garden, orchard etc, was sold by Messrs Nicholas for £750. The property was offered for competition by the 'Poultry World' in 1913, and was won by Mrs O'Grady, whose Utility Poultry Farm in co. Cork is well known. She later discovered that it was impossible to supervise both farms efficiently, and decided to part with 'The Prize' with the above-mentioned result."

11 Jul 1914 Hartley Cricket Club Gravesend Reporter
Cricket - Southfleet 157 all out; Hartley 60 all out

11 Jul 1914 Small Owners Description London Standard
Bevil Tollemache writes to claim Fairby is a success, a venture he was involed in with G H Humphreys and his brother. Details

14 Jul 1914 Hartley Cricket Club Gravesend Standard
"Northfleet won by 117 runs, on Saturday, their opposition being Hartley. T Lincoln and A Stevens batted finely for the winners, but the most remarkable thing about the match was the bowling of A Wenban, his analysis reading 2 overs, 1 run, 6 wickets. Hartley have a good bowler in A Humphries, and he, bowling right through Northfleet's innings claimed 9 of their wickets."

Northfleet 152 all out (T Lincoln 41, A Stevens 32, W Saville 21, A Humphries took 9 wickets, H Ellerby 1 [prob C H Ellerby]).

Hartley 35 (H Ellerby 0, T Rodwell 6, R Bastills [prob Bartels] 4, A Humphries 5, P Dennis 5, W Braybrook 4, E Holness 0, J Wickens 0, W Cox 1, H Williams 0, E Letchford 1*, Extras 9).

14 Jul 1914 Evening Classes Gravesend Standard
Kent VAD holding classes in Gravesend

18 Jul 1914 Hartley Road, Longfield Gravesend Reporter
Dangerous corner at Hartley Road in Longfield to be seen to by Dartford Rural District Council

18 Jul 1914 Bicycle for Sale Kent Messenger
Mead lady's bicycle for sale £3 15s. Bunce Hartley Manor

18 Jul 1914 Hospital at Cliffe? Gravesend Standard
Rector of Cliffe offers rectory as hospital and his car for any war

18 Jul 1914 Lt F de Mallet Morgan Framlingham Weekly
Picture of marriage of Lieutenant F de Mallet Morgan.

18 Jul 1914 Hartley Cricket Club Kent Messenger
"Cricket: a feature of Hartley's match with Northfleet [at Northfleet] on Saturday, when they were defeated 152 runs to 35, was the bowling of A Humphreys, who took 9 wickets. Wenham, for the other side, however, took 6 wickets for 1 run!"

28 Jul 1914 Aircraft at Gravesend Gravesend Standard
For first time in history, Gravesend is visited by aircraft and 2 airships

31 Jul 1914 Dublin Fusiliers at Gravesend Gravesend Standard
Excitement as 2nd batt Dublin Fusiliers marched from Milton Barracks, some caught train in direction of Rochester, other part went to guard Tilbury Docks. Guns mounted at Purfleet Tower, huge oil storage tanks there an obvious target for aircraft. Aeroplane patrols from Eastchurch too

31 Jul 1914 Success of Fairby Western Gazette
Success of Fairby

31 Jul 1914 Boy Scouts Norwood News
"The holiday spirit prevails everywhere. All of the troops are in a state of preparation and orderly excitement. The 1st West Norwood Troop is leaving for a week or fortnight at Hartley Court Cottages, Kent. The tents were packed on Tuesday, and have been sent on per freight train. Other camp requisites will go down on Friday with the transport and commissariat party on the motor transport. The troop will parade at Headquarters on Saturday at 2.45, and proceeding to Herne Hill Station, will meet the Dulwich party and entrain by the 3.45 to Swanley Junction, where a branch line train will taken them to Fawkham Station. The remaining mile or so of the journey will be performed on foot."

01 Aug 1914 Small Owners offer land for council housing Gravesend Reporter
Smallowners Limited - H G Humphries, general manager, offers land for council to build 20 houses and to guarantee rents for a period of years. Said expansion of fruit industry had led to demand for labour but lack of housing supply

01 Aug 1914 Jennie M Coutts Marriage Kent Messenger
Longfield - wedding of Jennie M Coutts of Thorn, Longfield to Leonard D Durban of Kennington at Southfleet

01 Aug 1914 German Reservists leave England at the Call of the Kaiser Gravesend Magazine
German Reservists leave England at the call of the Kaiser - pictured "leaving their adopted home to fight against it". Some going willingly but many not, one said he was only going because he feared he'd never see his aged mother again.

04 Aug 1914 German Reservists leave England at the Call of the Kaiser Gravesend Standard
On Sunday 2nd, 1,000 German reservists embark at Gravesend to defend their country. Most townsfolk silent, as few boos but most felt they were simply doing their duty. One german said with pride he'd given up a good job and his English wife was accompanying him

04 Aug 1914 Troop Movements in Kent Gravesend Standard
"Gen teams have been passing almost daily through Green Street Green and Longfield, their destination being evidently Maidstone and Canterbury. Drivers and men fully accoutred, their horses stretching their full stride…"

04 Aug 1914 Reservists Called Up Gravesend Standard
Many reservists called up. Motor Consumer's Co buses pass through Gravesend with 5,000 gallons of fuel

07 Aug 1914 Outbreak of War in Dartford Dartford Chronicle
Outbreak of war. (Fri 31 Jul) Little excitement in Dartford as gravity of situation became known. (Sat 1) Rail travellers say tunnels lighted and lines supervised for whole length. (Sun 2) Prayers for peace in local churches, some sing national anthem. 40 London buses with seats removed at top seen going through at a late hour, rumours say they were to evacuate women and children from Sheerness. (Mon 3) Bank holiday, more around town than usual discussing the situation, every 2nd person had evening paper. No rowdiness, although as evening wore on knots of young men sang Britons never will be slaves "in tones more raucous than musical"

08 Aug 1914 Kent County Council Employees who Join up Kent Messenger
KCC vote to pay wages of those who volunteer or are called up for 1 month and more at committee's discretion. Home Office has written to authorise a larger police force.

08 Aug 1914 Reservists Called Up Kent Messenger
Many Gravesend works lose staff as Territorials called up - Post Office 14, APCM 70, Henleys Cables 85, IPM 40, Amalgamated Press 21, Gravesend Police 8. Big crowd at Clock Tower to hear result of GB ulitmatum delivered by telephone to the North Kent Club. God Save the King and Rule Britannia sung "with patriotic fervour".

08 Aug 1914 Meopham Rifle Club Members Join up Kent Messenger
50 members of Meopham Rifle Club offer to serve

14 Aug 1914 German Spy' at Farningham Dartford Chronicle
Church Lads Brigade arrests 'German Spy' at Farningham (paper's quote marks)

14 Aug 1914 War is with German Rulers not its People in Britain Dartford Chronicle
Sportsman writes to the paper to urge that ill will to Germany's rulers should not extend to innocent Germans living in Britain. He cites one whose son is a territorial.

14 Aug 1914 What Women can do Dartford Chronicle
"What women can do" they can urge menfolk to serve country, and "unrecorded acts of womanly sympathy and devotion"

14 Aug 1914 Booker - Divall Wedding at Fawkham Dartford Chronicle
Marriage of George T W Booker of Speedgate to Clara Divall of Speedgate at St Mary's Fawkham

15 Aug 1914 Volunteers at Longfield Gravesend Reporter
Longfield hold parish meeting re war: 40 attend, 23 volunteer as special constables, 10 taken on. Schools to be used for Red Cross Work, Stretcher to be bought for Fire Brigade

15 Aug 1914 Gravesend VAD Kent Messenger
Good response to request for help from Gravesend VAD

15 Aug 1914 Volunteers at Meopham Kent Messenger
Meopham - 35 volunteer as special constables, ambulance training being offered, 34 in services and 52 in rifle club, so 121 now assisting their country.

21 Aug 1914 Call to Join Up Dartford Chronicle
Larger advert than previous week to get men to join up

22 Aug 1914 Longfield Special Constables Gravesend Reporter
32 special constables at Longfield

22 Aug 1914 Hartley and Fawkham Special Constables Gravesend Reporter
Small villages of Fawkham (14) and Hartley (16) examples to larger villages in volunteers to be speical constables

22 Aug 1914 Longfield Station Gravesend Reporter
Fawkham Station has become local agent for Reporter

22 Aug 1914 Poem for Peace Gravesend Reporter
Poem for peace (others in the paper at this time in favour of war), extract "For Halcyon days of August have / Grown dark with wintry fears / And smiles that welcomed their approach / Have turned alas to tears".. (by "FP")

22 Aug 1914 Longfield Special Constables Gravesend Reporter
22 special constables now in Longfield

22 Aug 1914 Hartley and Fawkham Special Constables Kent Messenger
Special Constables - Hartley 16, Fawkham 14, Dartford 19, Meopham 51, Longfield 28.

28 Aug 1914 Why every British Hen should be on active servic Poultry World
Why every British Hen should be on active service. GB uses 12m eggs per day (2m in London alone). Imports were 21m eggs in 1913, 2/3rds will be disrupted by the war eg. Germany 514,000 Austria 884,000, Russia 11.5m

29 Aug 1914 UK Harvest Kent Messenger
UK Harvest 1914 - 7,799,000 quarters of wheat

01 Sep 1914 Panic Buying Gravesend Standard
Paper refers to panic buying a month before

03 Sep 1914 A Foreigner Arrested Gravesend Reporter
Longfield: "A foreigner arrested": Special constable found Hungarian named Zuga Pop near Hartley on Wednesday evening. Charged with not registering under the Aliens' Registration Act.

04 Sep 1914 A Foreigner Arrested Dartford Chronicle
Conviction at Dartford

Tuesday at Dartford Police Court, Zeina Pol, described as a Hungarian, an old man, was charged with being an alien enemy, who had failed to regiter himself, at Ash on August 30th.

Accused said he did not know that he had to register.

PC Prall said he was called by a special constable on Wednesday night at Haven Hill, where he found the prisoner, who had several papers. When asked whether he would be tried at this court or not, prisoner said (through his interpreter) that he would like to be taken to London to se Mr Luber and the Acting consul. He also said he thought the people were going to poison him with tea.

Mr E T Lincoln, official interpreting, said that a book and papers with pictures of two airships were found on the accused, who said he did not know what they were. "He got these things because he wanted to be arrested."

Prisoner was sentenced to 1 month's hard labour. [Later the interpreter Mr Lincoln would write that they thought he was a spy but couldn't prove anything, hence the vagrancy charge.]

04 Sep 1914 Football Suspended Gravesend Standard
Kent FA suspends competitions

04 Sep 1914 Artist Wrongly Arrested as Spy Gravesend Standard
Clerk from Gravesend mistaken for a spy and arrested while making a painting of the River Medway as his hobby

04 Sep 1914 200 Join up in Gravesend Gravesend Standard
200 joined up in Gravesend since first call. 59 at barracks on Monday (31/8), 46 accepted

05 Sep 1914 Fawkham Church Collection Kent Messenger
Collection at Fawkham Church for Prince of Wales Relief Fund raises £12.17.10

05 Sep 1914 First Aid Classes at Hartley Kent Messenger
Class for first aid and ambulance to be held in Hartley

05 Sep 1914 Earthworks at Longfield, Hartley and Ash Kent Messenger
"From Longfield, through Hartley and up to Ash, well defined earthworks occur in most of the woods, and frequently the banks are largely composed of flints. An interesting point is the presence over the earthworks of circular depressions. They are worth mapping for permanent record"

05 Sep 1914 War at Longfield Kent Messenger
"On Thursday there was another parish meeting for the enrolment as special constables. Many parishioners have now joined this force, and are engaged during the nights in patrolling the roads and guarding the telegraph lines. On Friday the ladies of the parish and neighbourhood assembled at the clubroom and formed a branch of Queen Mary's Needlework Guild, electing a committee with Mrs E Smith as president and Mrs Auld as secretary. They started with a subscribed capital of £10 and are now strenuously at work on garments of various kinds. Many of the young men of the parish have offered themselves for military service, including Mr CE Smith a son of the rector and two of the sons of Mr Hickmott of Longfield Court."

05 Sep 1914 A Foreigner Arrested Kent Messenger
Case of Tasya Pol - said to have been found by special constable at Haven Hill, Ash. Given 1 month for not registering as enemy alien

05 Sep 1914 Roman Remains at Ash Kent Messenger
Roman remains found in North Ash

08 Sep 1914 Poem: To the Colours Dartford Chronicle
Poem by CBE "To the Colours" - "The piping days of peace are gone/The bugle calls to war".

08 Sep 1914 Army Recruiting at Northfleet Gravesend Standard
Army recruiters at Gravesend - Northfleet football match. Only a small number of 400 crowd came forward, 11 accepted

08 Sep 1914 Clergy Cannot be Combatants Gravesend Standard
Archbishop of Canterbury says clergy can't be combatants as incompatible with office

10 Sep 1914 Roman Remains at Ash Gravesend Reporter
Roman remains found at Mr G Day's farm at Ash, 178 pieces of vessel including one with "Martinus F(ecit)"

10 Sep 1914 Longfield and Hartley Special Constables Gravesend Reporter
3 more special constables sworn in at Longfield, 19 at Hartley, 2 more at Ash

11 Sep 1914 Arthur Mee 'Will you let England Down' Dartford Chronicle
"Will you let England Down" big inset by Arthur Mee. If we lose our children will have to speak German, there will be taxes for the Prussian army of occupation. Tells men to join the army now.

12 Sep 1914 Army Recruiting Circular in Gravesend Kent Messenger
Gravesend Recruiting Committee send letter to large number of young men in district.

12 Sep 1914 James O'Neill Inquest Kent Messenger
Inquest on James O'Neill of Gravesend, who was working on Pescot Farm, Longfield for 5 weeks, went to bed in sack at farm, found dead in morning from heart failure. Verdict - Natural Causes. Given RC burial by Northfleet priest in Longfield Churchyard.

12 Sep 1914 Pescot Hill Longfield Accident Kent Messenger
Samuel Coad of Dartford in cycling accident on Pescot Hill, apparently braking too fast and going over handlebars, given first aid by TG Lynds and new parish stretcher (cost 30 shillings) brought from Longfield Hill, Meopham doctor Griffiths called and eventually he was taken to Dartford Cottage Hospital. Dr Giffiths and TG Lynds will be running Hartley classes on alternate weeks

15 Sep 1914 Belgian Refugees Arrive Gravesend Standard
First batch of Belgian refugees arrive at Tilbury

15 Sep 1914 Army Recruiting Advert Gravesend Standard
Recruitment ad."What is your answer to your country's call?

17 Sep 1914 Longfield Roll of Honour Gravesend Reporter
Roll of Honour - Is your name on it. Weekly lists of recruits most without address, but No 2 Company KRGA (Territorials) Gunner E Dust and E Goodwin of Longfield

18 Sep 1914 George Johnson Lecture Western Daily Press
George Johnson lectures on fruit keeping

19 Sep 1914 Army Recruiting at Longfield Kent Messenger
Longfield - "Recruiting - a meeting was held in the Longfield Club Room on Tuesday evening to further recruiting. The meeting having been opened by a stirring speech and songs, the Recruiting Officer for the Dartford District gave a well reasoned address, pointing out the great advantages of voluntary enlistment over consription, and urging the necessity for a large and efficient army even at the conclusion of the war, when the terms of peace were under discussion. A lady on the platform made a strong appeal to women 'from a woman to women' begging wives and mothers to encourage their menkind to strive to defend their homes and families, while Canon Gedge of Gravesend, spoke upon the matter from a clerical point of view. It was mentioned that if Longfield could make up a contingent of only 10 men, a place would be found for them in the West Kent Regiment" (article elsewhere in paper says meeting was under auspices of Gravesend and Northfleet Territorial Force Sub-Committee. Speakers - Rev E Smith (chairman), Lt Ivan Firth, Maj Pigou, Rev Canon Gedge, Mrs Firth, Guy T Munford (Sec). Miss Winifred Firth and Lt Ivan Firth sang patriotic songs. She also sang at a meopham recruiting meeting where was said to have just returned from tour of the world. She lived in Gravesend (1911 Census)

[Gravesend Reporter 17.9.1914 said Gravesend Recruiting Committee holds meeting at Longfield Working Men's Club on Tuesday to "stir up right spirit in surrounding villages" (to Gravesend)]

25 Sep 1914 Milton Barracks Gravesend Standard
Record number (1,896) at Milton Barracks

25 Sep 1914 Small Owners Description Chelmsford Chronicle
GH Humphrey, Smallowners history

26 Sep 1914 Roman Remains at Ash Gravesend Reporter
Roman bath found at North Ash 7 by 7½ feet, nearby was deep pond with sides too steep for cattle , it is said it never dries up, possibly fed by springs

26 Sep 1914 Queen Mary's Guild Longfield Kent Messenger
Queen Mary's Guild, Longfield Branch. 60 useful articles sent on 9th Sept, 100 more reading to be sent. Long list of names of officers and committee. Thanked by queen, they have QMNG badges for sale at 1 shilling each to raise money. 47 from Longfield have joined up already, if every parish did this Kitchener would have an army not of 1m but 3-4m.

[Also in Gravesend Standard 25.9.1914]

26 Sep 1914 Poem: The piping days of peace have fled Kent Messenger
Frank H Humby (Sidcup) "The piping days of peace have fled / The bugle calls to war! / To check the grim and ruthless foe / To stay that own hand / For right to deal a winning blow / For home and king, for motherland! Etc for 5 more verses

26 Sep 1914 Longfield Football Club Kent Messenger
169 footballers from Gravesend league's 13 teams have joined up including 13 from Longfield in 2nd division

26 Sep 1914 Longfield Parish Council Kent Messenger
Longfield - trouble at Parish Council, meeting called for. Details of members of Queen Mary's Guild, Longfield Branch

02 Oct 1914 Wake Up Dartford - Dartford's Poor Response to King's Appeal Dartford Chronicle
"Wake up Dartford - Dartford's poor response to King's appeal". Recruiting day only got 8 new volunteers "despite martial music and soul-stirring speeches". Large attendance but young men conspicuous by their absence. MP and other dignitaries attend at Central Park

03 Oct 1914 Army Recruiting at Longfield Gravesend Reporter
47 from Longfield have joined up - 4 times the national average; Queen Mary's Guild at Longfield have donated 100 useful items

03 Oct 1914 First Wounded Arrive at Gravesend Kent Messenger
First wounded arrive at Gravesend

03 Oct 1914 Evening Classes Kent Messenger
Longfield and Hartley - classes at Fairby Club Room - first aid for women (Tues), Cookery (Weds), room lent free of charge by Smallowners. Day schools reopened on Monday after hop picking holiday; girls go to Dartford Brent School to learn cookery, boys to Southfleet for woodwork. Frank Pankhurst and Percy Bevan of Longfield survivors of HMS Cressy sinking (see article)

[Also mentioned in Gravesend Reporter 10.10.1914]

03 Oct 1914 Longfield Survivors from HMS Cressy Kent Messenger
Longfield survivors of HMS Cressy disaster back home - Frank Pankhurst, Percy Bevan and Alfred Streatfield.

03 Oct 1914 Longfield Schools Reopen after Harvest Kent Messenger
Longfield Schools reopen after hop picking holiday but because crop is good many haven't returned yet

06 Oct 1914 Army Recruiting at Gravesend Gravesend Standard
Large recruitment meeting at Gravesend. Paper says it was well organized, oratory good and large attendance. But disappointing results, just 4 joined Kitchiner's army, and 6 the territorials. However 850 Gravesenders already in army

10 Oct 1914 Longfield Roll of Honour Kent Messenger
Roll of honour lists 40+ names from Longfield.

10 Oct 1914 Hartley Poultry Farm Sale Kent Messenger
Hartley Poultry Farm, Hartley Kent - within easy distance of Fawkham Station.

Mr Philip Champion has received instructions to sell by auction, upon the premises as above, on Friday 23rd October 1914 at 1 o'clock pm, the live and dath poultry farm stock, comprising:

500 head of pure bred fowls (all Cook's strain direct), including White and Buff Orpingtons, White Wyandottes, Rhode Island Reds, Red and Speckled Sussex, White and Salmon Faveroiles and Indian Game, 60 portable houses and sheds. Poultryman's living house, portable stable, 5 incubators, 10 foster mothers, fatting coops, a large quantity of wire netting and stakes. 2 stacks of hay. Mare, Van and Harness The very complete and extensive equipment of a new and up-to-date appliances and utensils and a few lots of household furniture,.. [Hartley Poultry Farm was at Fairhaven, Manor Drive.]

10 Oct 1914 Evening Classes Kent Messenger
Adult education at Hartley, classes on Market Gardening and Lace Making (Thurs 5.15pm)

10 Oct 1914 Whitehill Road, Longfield Kent Messenger
Widening of bottom of Whitehill Road in Longfield, telegraph pole moved

16 Oct 1914 Organist will continue to play German Music Dartford Chronicle
HS Pratt, organist and bandmaster of Dartford writes against the idea of banning German music as "silly". Beethoven belongs to the world.

16 Oct 1914 Situation Wanted Eltham Times
"Wanted situation by all round man. Good poultryman; kill and truss for market; prepare for table; good milker; good judge of all stock; would manage small farm - GB, Forge House, Hartley, Longfield, Kent."

16 Oct 1914 Belgian Refugees Arrive Dartford Chronicle
Belgian refugees arrive in Dartford

16 Oct 1914 Letter from the Front Dartford Chronicle
Leonard Balchin writes to friend in Crayford to say Germans shelled hospital and ambulance.

16 Oct 1914 Belgian Refugees Arrive Gravesend Standard
Hundreds of Belgian Refugees pass through Gravesend after fall of Antwerp. Most on way to London

17 Oct 1914 Belgian Refugees at Ash Gravesend Reporter
7 Belgian refugees accommodated at Ash in home lent by George Day.

17 Oct 1914 Poem: Now war has broken o'er us Kent Messenger
Kate H Samways (Paddock Wood) "Now war has broken o'er us / And the cry for men is great / Will you stand idly watching / Leaving England to her fate / British men I now implore you / Enlist ere it be too late and 8 more verses

17 Oct 1914 Evening Classes Kent Messenger
many attend market gardening classes in Hartley on Mondays, but numbers down due to war. Women's and girl's classes well attended

23 Oct 1914 Belgian Refugees Arrive Gravesend Standard
Belgian female refugee escapes to Gravesend, delighted to find husband in hospital there

23 Oct 1914 Belgian Refugees at Dartford Bexleyheath Observer
"A the meeting of the Dartford War Relief Committee, last week, Mr Jodrell Mansford, headmaster of the Dartford Grammar School, who at the request of the Chairman of the Committee, undertook to organise such assistance as might be offered by the people of Dartford for Belgian refugees, told those present what Dartford had done up to the present with regard to the reception of Belgians in the town.

Already there were 'families' of Belgian refugees in the Dartford Rural District. One 'family' of 7 is being supported by Mr George Day, the Chairman of the Dartford Board of Guardians, in a cottage at Ash. The Dartford Committee are fitting them out with boots and clothes, and are helping them in many other ways. Six of the members of this 'family' were at Liege, from whence they escaped to Louvain. There they were received by the 7th member, a woman, whose husband was fighting in the Belgian Army. The side of the house was blown out by the Germans, and eventually the party escaped to England.

Mr A M Fleet and the Rev H T Powell had a cottage in readiness at Darenth, and a Belgian 'family' of 8 was conveyed there on that (Wednesday) evening. Mr Castle, who lives on the Heath, has taken an entire 'family' of refugees from Antwerp, and these were also brought on Wednesday. There are 4 other refugees on the Heath. Coun Goff providing accommodation for a man and his wife; Mrs Webb has a woman, and Mrs Stidolph is taking care of her daughter......"

24 Oct 1914 Longfield Rifle Club Gravesend Reporter
Longfield Rifle club formed

24 Oct 1914 Country Sayings Kent Messenger
Old saying for wheat sowing "Sow 4 grains in a row / One for the pheasant / One for the crow / one to rot / and 1 to grow"

24 Oct 1914 Longfield Rector's Son sails from Brazil Kent Messenger
Longfield Rector's son sails from Brazil to enlist

27 Oct 1914 Gravesend Volunteer Corps Gravesend Standard
Proposal for 200 strong Gravesend Volunteer corps

31 Oct 1914 Rural Development Company Founded Kent Messenger
"Messrs Jordan and Sons, Company Registration Agents, chancery Lane WC, write us that the Rural Development Company Ltd, Fairby Farm, Longfield, was registered on October 14th, to promote the improvement of agriculture by providing small holdings, allotments, and market gardens, for persons desirous of acquiring them. The nominal capital is £10,000 in £1 shares. The directors and subscribers (1s each) are Messrs C A Lambton, Hartley court, Longfield (director) and G H Humphrey, Steephill, Fawkham (Company Secretary)."

31 Oct 1914 Roman Remains at Ash Kent Messenger
"Roman Remains

The site of the Roman building at North Ash has now been completely dug over and prepared for planting apple trees, a very appropriate crop for the site of a Roman farm, as the Romans are said to have introduced the culture of the apple into Britain. It is thought that the walls already laid bare represent only a very small portion of the whole building, and although this portion has been obliterated, yet it is expected that much more of the foundations may be hidden under the strawberries in the next plot, and as the strawberries will be exhausted in about 2 years, and more ground perhaps be cleared for apple trees, it is hoped that more extensive remains may then be laid bare."

31 Oct 1914 Longfield Fire Brigade Kent Messenger
"Longfield and its Fire Brigade - an amusing debate

The parishioners of Longfield met in the schoolroom on Tuesday, with a veiw to adopting, if necessary, the Lighting and Watching Act. This would empower them to place their voluntary fire brigade under the direct control of the council, and to make the improvements, of which, in teh general opinion of the village, the brigade is in need. But instead of adopting the Act, it was decided to abolish the fire brigade!

Mr F Hickmott presided, and among those present were: The Rector (The Rev E Smith), Messrs R Forsyth, WF Sandeman, R Gilham, A Robson, J Blackman, J Kirk, J Croak, T Coleman, J Sims, J Calaby, H T Baker, G Hills, R Hales, F Cannon, F Langford, and F Lynds with the clerk ot the council (Mr W Wright).

The Chairman said the fire brigade was formed in 1902, and the appliances at the outset cost £123. Since then the upkeep of the appliances had cost £33 13s 6d, while the cost of running the brigade had been £231 17s 9d. The Rector: Against that, what assets have you got in the way of property? The Chairman: I should not like to say (laughter). I think thre are two hose carts and a hose.

In reply to further enquiries, the Chairman said the question was: 'Was the cost of running the brigade too great?' the rent of the shed was £10 a year. Mr Sandeman: Will these expenses continue under the new authority? the Chairman: You see, the present brigade is voluntary, and we, as a council have no control over it. By the scheme we have in hand we shall have one fire house. Mr Sandeman: It is a long way to Tipperary (laughter) - I mean, from one end of the village to the other, in the event of fire. I think, in this case, safety lies in decentralisation.

The Rector: If you adopt the Lighting and Watching Act you will have to put up a building of a certain character. The Chairman: Yes, I believe that is so. A voice: The cost to be borne by the ratepayers.

The Chairman: Yes. The next point is to consider the retaining fees, which amount to £12 10s a year. Under the new system we thought of working the brigade with 5 men instead of 10, and in lieu of retaining fees, to pay each man 1s 6d per drill. Mr Gilham: They will then be going to a drill every night, and wear our machine out jolly quick (loud laughter). the Chairman: Oh! There will be a maximum number of drills (renewed laughter). In answer to the question, the Chairman said about £15 would be spent on the building. Mr Gilham: We shall never get a suitable building for that sum.

In further remarks, the Chairman said they intended to work the brigade at half the cost by having only half the men. The Rector: Are you going to keep it on the rates? The Chairman: Yes, it will be entirely on the rates. The Rector: Who gets the insurance money paid to the brigade. The Chairman: It goes to the committee. The Rector: Who are they? The Chairman: I don't know.

Mr Cannon, speaking as a member of the brigade, said that the men at the bottom of the hill, never received any instructions from the captain, and they had lost two of their men.

Mr F Lynds proposed the abolition of the brigade. Mr Coleman seconded. Mr Sandeman asked whether they had met to abolish the fire brigade (laughter). It was necessary to have some apparatus on the spot. Mr Coleman: The only time we have had a fire in Longfield recently was when we tried to get the brigade together in the daytime. One man turned up; he was Mr Smith, and for a long time he could not find the key. When he did find it the fire was out (loud laughter). A variety of propositons were here made.

Mr Gilham moved as an amendment to Mr Lynds' proposition that they should still have a fire brigade, and not adopt the Lighting and Watching Act, but help the brigade 'out of the threepenny rate'. The Clerk: That is exactly what we are doing now (laughter). Mr Gilham: that's all right, but I should like to see a little improvement. You could improve it without extra rating. Mr Sandeman: By personal endeavour (laughter).

Mr Gilham's amendment was lost, nine voting against it and five for it. Mr Lynds' proposition abolishing the fire brigade 'at one fell swoop' was carried by a good majority. Needless to add, the Lighting and Watching Act was not adopted."

01 Nov 1914 Belgian Refugees at Gravesend Gravesend Magazine
(Nov 14) "Our wounded guests" picture feature on wounded Belgians at Gravesend

03 Nov 1914 Prince Louis of Battenberg Gravesend Standard
Paper supports sacking of Prince Louis of Battenberg, and calls for all Germans and Austrians not to be trusted

06 Nov 1914 Gravesend Volunteer Corps Gravesend Standard
Gravesend Volunteers now have 206 recruits

07 Nov 1914 Ash Road by Fairby Gravesend Reporter
Surveyor reports inlet for taking surface water to the Fairby pond has been improved

07 Nov 1914 Free Zeppelin Insurance Gravesend Reporter
Advert - Daily News offers 'Free Zeppelin and Aeroplane Insurance' £250 if bomb damage

07 Nov 1914 Thomas Schulz of Gravesend Gravesend Reporter
Thomas Schulz of 151 Milton Road writes to say he is not a German, just has German name

12 Nov 1914 Queen Mary's Guild Longfield Evening News
"Mrs Smith, of Longfield Rectory, Kent, sends us 5 women's skirts made ina pretty shad of green herring-bone serge, 3 nice warm dresses for the elder girls, 5 women's petticoats, and 3 similar garments for children."

[QMNG was set up to alleviate all distresses from the war]

13 Nov 1914 Army Recruiting Circular from Parliament Gravesend Standard
Parliamentary Recruiting Committee to send circular to every house asking them to complete form saying who is willing to or already serving

13 Nov 1914 Blackout Blinds Gravesend Standard
"Quaint" blinds appearing to stop lights showing, one pub has tablecloths, doormats etc.

14 Nov 1914 Longfield Rifle Club Kent Messenger
Rifle practice at Longfield. Paper says claims war will last 3 years are "sensationalist". Offer of Devonshire House, Meopham, as Red Cross Hospital turned down

14 Nov 1914 Gardening Lectures Kent Messenger
"Gardening Lectures: Mr W P Wright has concluded a course of lectures on Market Gardening in the Fairby Club, Hartley. He dealt chiefly with root and green vegetable crops. The lectures have been well attended and much appreciated by the many new agriculturalists who have established themselves at Hartley under the auspices of the Small Owners Company"

14 Nov 1914 Rifle Practice Kent Messenger
"Rifle practice: Although Longfield has sent so many of its sons to join the forces, there are many left at home who are anxious to qualify themselves. They have, therefore, organised a Rifle club and are practicising on their new range on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons. It is held in connection with the village club, and is having the support of many who in ordinary conditions would have supported the Football club".

17 Nov 1914 Laura Pearson of Longfield Hill Gravesend Standard
Laura Pearson (18) of Shipley Cottages, Longfield Hill, appears before Grays Police Court accused of unlawful wounding of Pt Horace Caller of W Kents. He said he' chucked her 2 weeks before but she turned up at his base at Purfleet, and cut him with a razor when he went to kiss her. She told police she didn't care what happened to her

17 Nov 1914 Wounded at Gravesend Hospitals Gravesend Standard
110 wounded from Southampton arrive at West Street Station, 13 go to VAD hospital Yacht Club, 37 to Rosherville Hotel Hospital, rest to General Hospital

17 Nov 1914 Spy Peril Gravesend Standard
"Spy Peril" paper says in 1911 there were 281 Austrians and 1,549 Germans in Kent

20 Nov 1914 Water Supply at Ash Bexleyheath Observer
Dartford RDC "With regard to the water supply at Crooked Billet, Ash, a letter was read from the owner of the cottages, Mr Wild, regretting that the council could not comply with his request, and as he was not able to carry out the necessary work, the cottages would have to be closed. The Medical Officer recommended that the closure should take place. Coun Day said they could not afford to close the cottages. Could not the council lay the water on? Coun Morgan said it was only a question of £2 or £3 to do it. He thought the owner was able to do it. The best thing to do was to let the matter alone. The owner could not afford to close the cottages, and if they left it alone they would have their way."

20 Nov 1914 Gravesend Volunteer Corps Gravesend Standard
Gravesend Volunteers now have 400 recruits

20 Nov 1914 Hillcrest Longfield Advert Poultry World
Ad for breeding pen and chickens (various) 35s 6d. Ellerton, Hillcrest, Longfield

01 Dec 1914 Gravesend Volunteer Corps Gravesend Magazine
(Dec 14) Picture of Gravesend Volunteer Corps in civilian clothing. Value of volunteers discussed but journal thinks more available the better. Mainly involved in drilling and route marches, no equipment yet.

05 Dec 1914 Hartley Road, Longfield Gravesend Reporter
DRDC has acquired land to widen part of Hartley Road, Longfield

05 Dec 1914 Bee Keeping Course at Hartley Kent Messenger
Course on bee keeping at Hartley by J Garrett. Needed in light of recent bee disease

[Also in Gravesend Reporter 12.12.1914]

12 Dec 1914 Christmas 2014 Gravesend Reporter
Christmas 2014. 'A humourous forecast by T Jay'.

12 Dec 1914 First Aid Classes at Hartley Kent Messenger
Ladies who studied first aid at Longfield and Hartley shortly to take exams

19 Dec 1914 Longfield Fire Brigade Gravesend Reporter
Longfield parish meeting vote to disband Fire Brigade. Capt G T Lynds determined to see it continue

19 Dec 1914 Wounded Soldiers from Longfield Kent Messenger
Wounded soliders Hannigan and Crouch from Longfield making good recovery.

19 Dec 1914 Christmas at Gravesend Kent Messenger
Christmas at Gravesend

24 Dec 1914 Disengaged Actor Advert The Stage
"Disengaged, Disengaged. Mr Wilfred Mansfield, Heavy Lead, Hartley Green, near Longfield, Kent."

26 Dec 1914 Fairby Jam Factory Advert Kent Messenger
Fairby Jam Factory wants competent jam boiler

29 Dec 1914 Germans Living in Britain Gravesend Standard
Paper's editorial complains of many Germans in country and says that "rid ourselves of them for good".

02 Jan 1915 German plane spotted over Gravesend. Gravesend Reporter
German plane spotted over Gravesend.

02 Jan 1915 Farm Horses Kent Messenger
Government has bought 160,000 farm horses

02 Jan 1915 The new Hartley Agricultural Colony is making satisfactory progress Kent Messenger
Village Industry

The new Hartley Agricultural Colony is making satisfactory progress. The Rural Development Company has taken over the business of Small Owners Limited, on the Fairby Farm and Hartley Manor Estates, is providing additional facilities for the promotion of local industries, including poultry farming, pig-keeping and a bacon factory. The colony has, of course, been somewhat affected by the war, 14 of the residents and the company's staff have joined the colours, but there is a good prospoect of business being greatly developed by the increased demand for produce of all kinds. The projected Fairby Fair had to be indefinitely postponed, but a poultry conference is to be held on January 4th. The social side is not by any means overlooked, as the Cooperative Society and the Ladies' League and the Social Club are all flourishing. In spite of the war, several newcomers have taken up residence during the last few months.

02 Jan 1915 Evening Classes Kent Messenger
Longfield - 8 of the 10 ladies who took the nursing exams passed.

02 Jan 1915 Longfield Air Raid Kent Messenger
"The worshippers on leaving Longfield Church on Christmas Day were startled in seeing the German aircraft gliding above the Thames. The Taube was soon seen to turn back followed by a British plane…"

09 Jan 1915 Longfield Roll of Honour Kent Messenger
"Longfield - Roll of Honour: The following is a list of men who have left the parish to join the colours - R Adams RWK; G Allchin RWK; T Andrews RN; I Arrows RFA; Percy Bevan RN; R Bleakley WKY; W Bristow RWK; Fred Brooks RE; Frank Brooks RE; H Brooks RE; H Caller RWK; J Caller RWK; J Chapman; Louis Coleman WKY; F Cooper HMS Falcon; H Crouch RWK; W J Crouch NF; F Day 18th Hussars; G Day RWK; S Day RWK; W Day; D Drury-Lowe WKY; N Flint RGAT; G Goodwin RGAT; M Hannigan RFA; R Dilworth-Harrison RF; A Heaver RFA; B Heaver RWK; G Hickmott RFA; H Hickmott MIY; S Hickmott RWK; A Hollands RWK; J Jenkins RWK; N Latter RE; A Letchford RWK; E Longhurst RGA; J Martin RA; ___ Martin RA; M Newcombe WKY; F Pankhurst RN; P Pankhurst RWK; G Reid; A Remington ASC; E Remington ASC; G Remington ASC; G Rich RWK; S Seager HMS Cyclops; CEBM Smith 28th London (artists); EM Smith IOC OTC; A Streatfield RN; H Swan RWK; E Tomlin 7th Hussars; R Tomlin RGA; T Young" Another article in same paper - "The Rector of Longfield's eldest son, Mr E M Smith is now in training in the Inns of Court OTC, but is hoping to be shortly transferred to the Royal Engineers with a commission. His brother Mr C E B U Smith, has jusst gone out with a draft of the 28th London (Artists') to join the 1st battalion a the seat of war, and his friends have heard that the journey has been accomplished safely." [then Longfield Rectory was in the parish of Hartley]

09 Jan 1915 Hartley Road, Longfield Kent Messenger
"The widening of Hartley Road is now almost finished, and is a great improvement. The hope is expressed that the railway company may soon come to an arrangement for its completion"

09 Jan 1915 Longfield Council Housing Kent Messenger
Longfield Parish Council concerned about deficiency of house accommodation in parish, looking at whether they have powers to build on Whitehill field.

09 Jan 1915 Fairby Farm Sale Kent Messenger
Sale at Fairby by Rural Development Company who have taken over farm from Smallowners. Includes motor tractor, poultry houses, 3 cart horses and carts

09 Jan 1915 Rural Development Poultry Conference Kent Messenger
Rural Development Poultry Conference to be held at Fairby Farm 30 January

15 Jan 1915 Industrial Injury Death at Crayford Dartford Chronicle
Miss Ethel Hawkins of Crayford (19) died after working 5 months as seamstress at Vickers, from poisonous fumes from canvas used to make aeroplane's wings. Factory at hendon has now installed ventilators (another similar death noted in Chronicle 5.3.15)

16 Jan 1915 Ash Road, Rubbish Dumping Gravesend Reporter
Complaint that refuse has been dumped just inside a gate between Fairby and the Black Lion.

16 Jan 1915 Longfield Roll of Honour Gravesend Reporter
Longfield "Roll of Honour" names

16 Jan 1915 Scarlet Fever at Longfield Gravesend Reporter
One case of scarlet fever at Longfield

16 Jan 1915 Concert for Servicemen's Families at Longfield Kent Messenger
Concert for families of local servicemen at Longfield Club Room. Singers include Misses Newcombe, Holmes, Day; Messrs Tate and Harris

16 Jan 1915 Gravesend Volunteer Corps Kent Messenger
Gravesend Volunteer Corps hope to get uniforms soon

22 Jan 1915 Air Raid Precautions Dartford Chronicle
Air Raids - no detailed advice but police say stay indoors. Wilmington PC decide to turn off street lights at 10pm. Aircraft engines heard over Swanley proved to be our planes. No outside lights at night. Special constable patrols at 7pm

23 Jan 1915 George Day Wounded Kent Messenger
Longfield - George Day previously listed as missing has been found in a hospital in Rouen. Hearing affected by guns

29 Jan 1915 London and District Electricity Supply Bill Dartford Express
London and District Electricity Supply Bill promoted by LCC would give new authority power to supply DRDC and other areas, 27 member committee, 18 LCC, 1 DRDC. To be opposed by DRDC.

30 Jan 1915 Poor Treatment of Serviceman's Wife Kent Messenger
Farmer evicts wife of serving solider at Godmersham for replacement worker. Paper said "such is our gratitude to our patriots"

30 Jan 1915 Fall in Number of Benefit Claimants Kent Messenger
Dartford Board of Guardians report that number of casual relief cases fell in 2nd half of 1914 to 922 from 1,349 in the same period of 1913

30 Jan 1915 Hartley in Olden Times Kent Messenger
"Hartley in Olden Times" lecture by J F Kirk at Fairby Club Room. Long details. Claims stone age man spread southward from Northfleet. Origin of name. Says Hartley is on plateau easily defended on 3 sides, parish boundaries run along lines of defensive embankments on the slopes of the 3 sides. Circular hut depressions seen in gap in embankment at north, Parkfield, Foxborough and Hartley Woods have many hut circles, as does large open field by Manor House. Says many tracks converge on Hartley Church, and postulates it may have been site of ancient shrine. Details of tenants in chief after conquest and patronage of church. "we may hope that Hartley has entered upon a new and prosperous epoch in its history under the auspices of the Small Owners and Rural Development Companies".

30 Jan 1915 Harrassment of Medically Unfit Kent Messenger
Letter from someone rejected by army as unfit for badges for them to stop them being called shirkers

30 Jan 1915 Evening Classes Kent Messenger
"Fairby Classes: the class for first aid for Women before Christmas was so well appreciated, and the students made such a good shwo at the examination that it is now to be followed up by a course in Home Nursing at Hartley, where also a further course in Market Gardening is just starting."

30 Jan 1915 George Day Wounded Kent Messenger
"War Notes: Many cases of deafness resulting from the firing of the big guns seem to have occurred amongst the infantrymen at the front, and perhaps they have not hitherto seen the necessity for precuations against it so much as the artillerymen have done. George Day, who was last week reported as being in hospital with the disorder, has returned home with a month's leave to assist his recovery. The Rector's [of Longfield] son, Mr E M Smith, has now obtained his commission, in the Royal Engineers, and is stationed at Aldershot to carry on his training until he is required in the fighting line."

30 Jan 1915 Dogs for Sale Gentlewoman
"Griffons Bruxellois - champion and prize bred puppies and adults, from 5 guineas. Write - Kennelmaid, Middle Farm, Longfield, Kent."

01 Feb 1915 Rural Development Poultry Conference Times
Conference organised by Rural Development Company on poultry

01 Feb 1915 The Despatch Rider (story) Gravesend Magazine
(Feb 15) "The Despatch Rider" by Eric Deane, short story about imagined German invasion of Gravesend.

01 Feb 1915 Rural Development Poultry Conference Times
Fairby Poultry Conference, Will Hooley's speech

05 Feb 1915 Germans Cannot Win Says Paper Dartford Chronicle
6 months into war, paper admits Germans fight with determination and valour, but cannot win. Paper shocked at attacks on mercentile and hospital ships.

05 Feb 1915 Profit from poultry - Conference at Fawkham Dartford Chronicle
"Profit from poultry - Conference at Fawkham". Rural Development Company conference, speaker W Hooly said with intensive methods, one man could keep 2,400 chickens. He reckoned on profits of £40-120 per acre

06 Feb 1915 Rural Development Poultry Conference Gravesend Reporter
"Scheme to employ maimed soldiers" At the Rural Development Company's Conference at Longfield on Saturday, a practical scheme was put forward for the benefit of disabled soliders, who are unable to return to their former employment. The suggestion is that the men should take up poultry farming.....

06 Feb 1915 The Lure of the land - Kentish Small Holdings Operation in Operation Kent Messenger
"The Lure of the land - Kentish Small Holdings Operation in Operation - The Rural Development Company at Hartley - Poultry boom conference". Big feature on scheme. Cuthbert Lambton and Georga H Humphrey act as financiers and guiders to "budding farmers who are constantly throwing in their lot with the scheme". Hartley Court Estate soon snapped up by men doing well as smallholders so the adjoining estate was purchased, bringing total to 1,000 acres of which 200-300 are still available on easy terms, in the meantime it is being capably farmed by the company. "In looking over the estate as its stands at present, the visitor must be prepared to shut the aesthetic eye to some extent, and be content with the utilitarian aspect. One hopes, however, that the opportunity will not be permanently lost of making Hartley a model village in its appearence as well as its resources." Some defects in design down to predecessors that they hope new company will remedy. Current farmers are drawing a satisfactory income after just 1-2 years experience, number of settlers number nearly a hundred. Company has built a demonstration American home and has another under construction, paper not sure about design but admits they are labour saving for those who live in them. Their use is not compulsory. Report of Poultry Conference, key speakers Will Hooley an expert and Mr Lambton. Mr Lambton reminded listeners that UK imported 8¼ million eggs in 1913. Company's aim is to make available their organisation and experience to everyone. They had jam and bacon factories, demonstration market garden and poultry farms. Residents could hire horses and implements from company to save money. Company also provided general store and village hall where a drill club met and evening classes held in winter with the assistence of KEC. They are starting correspondence courses on poultry keeping with a period of practical work on the farm for those thinking of taking it up but wanting to try first. This could well help injured soldiers.

06 Feb 1915 The Lure of the land - Kentish Small Holdings Operation in Operation Kent Messenger
"The Lure of the land - Kentish Small Holdings Operation in Operation - The Rural Development Company at Hartley - Poultry boom conference".

One of the most promising schemes of rural development which we have peronally investigated is that at Hartley, Longfield, which was brought before the notice of a select number of visitors on Saturday last, by means of a conference and other procedings.

this scheme is that promoted by the Rural Development Company Ltd, whose centre is Fairby Farm, Hartley, Longfield. the proprietors of this company are Mr Cuthbert A Lambton of Hartley Court, and Mr George H Humphrey of Steephill, Fawkham, who on joint stock lines, act as financiers and guides to teh budding farmers who are constantly throwing in their lot with the scheme. The nucleus of the company's property was the Hartley Court estate [actually it was Fairby Farm]. this was soon snapped up, by men who are now doing well as smallholders, especially with their fruit and poultry, and an adjoining estate was purchased which brought the area under the Company's control to nearly 1,000 acres. Two or three hundred of these are still be obtained, on the easy terms prevailing on the estate, but judging by the history of the Company and the present prospects, these will not for long go abegging. Meanwhile, in the hands of the company, they are being capably farmed. In looking over the estate as it stands at present, the visitor must be prepared to shut the aesthetic eye, to some extent, and be content with the utilitarian aspect. One hopes, however, that the opportunity will not be permanently lost of making Hartley amodel village in its appearence as well as in its resources. What is being done now will be the inheritance of succeeding generations, and it would ill become the enterprising and enlightened people connected with the estate to hand down to posterity something which would give it an indifferent opinion as to the taste of the present generation. Granted that some of the defects of design are a legacy from its predecessors, yet the present company has the chance to correct any failings of the past before they become irremediable. From an agricultural point fo view, however, Hartley seems very well favoured. To anyone not himself owning the critical eye, information is plentifully at hand as to the capabilities of this locality. Men fresh to the land are, after one or two years' experience here, drawing incomes with gratify them, and enjoying an Elysian Existence which they would not surrender for gold. The lure of the land has laid hold of them, and the land here responded to their love and care. From time to time conferences, are to be held on subjects of practical interest to the settlers, who by the way, now number nearly a hundred, and the question of the production of eggs and poultry now being a pressing one, the proceedings on Saturday were entitled 'The Poultry Boom Conference.' The Company believes in poultry as a valuable adjunct to the small holder, and it shows the way to success by intself demonstrating on poultry culture. At the moment it has an American house in being and another in course of erection, an possibly an improvement, of the original. Opinions may differ as to whether these eleaborate American houses, which are as minutely and careully planned as to every hygienic detail as a sanitorium, are best fitted for this country. But their use is not compulsory. There they stand as a demonstration, and one can easily see that whatever else may be said for them, they achieve one great object, that of labour saving, which is a consideration to a man who has to make the utmost use of his own time and that of those around him. These houses were on Saturday duly inspected by the visitors, some of whom had come a considerable distance, and afterwards the principles and prospects of poultry farming were discussed in the excellent Village Hall which the Company has provided, and which is the social and educational centre of the community. Mr Will Hooley, a well known authority on the subject, was the principal speaker, but the Chairman, Mr Lambton, also took the opportunity of saying a few words on the topic as well as on the policy of the Company with reference to the small holders. There was no doubt, he said, that now was the proper time to start a poultry farm or to increase the stocks already held. Before the war, 8¼ million pounds' worth of eggs were imported to this country annually from the continent. The war had stopped these supplies and also destroyed the breeding stocks; therefore that 8¼ million pounds' worth of eggs would not be forthcoming either during the war or for a considerable time after. The question we had to decide was therefore: 'Have we the energy and enterprise to secure this market?' Apart from the financial aspect, it was up to us as a nation to put ourselves in the position of being able, at the end of the war, to help rehabilitate the devastated homes of our allies. Now was the time to act. As a Company they (the Rural Development Company) were firm believers in the value of poultry to the small holder as well as in the value of the small holder himself to the nation. That value was dependent on the fact that the poultry must be profitable to their owner. They must be profitable to their owner. They must be profitable as a business proposition, without any aid from Government or financiers, or charity of any sort. Success and a good income could be obtained from poultry. They could be obtained by industry, attention to detail, and common sense, combined with knowledge. Common sense, industry and attention to detail were all points which must be provided by the individual himself. Knowledge could be offered to him from the outside, and it was here that his partner and himself considered that the funds of a joint stock company could be most usefully applied. Therefore they were sparing neither money nor pains so that no settler on that estate at all events should fail for want of experience or advice. It was one of the general aims of the Company that anyone should at all times be able to avail himself of the benefits of its organisation and experience, whether with regard to poultry keeping, fruit, flower and vegetable culture, agriculture or stock keeping, the erection of houses, the purchase of material or the sale of his produce, and at the same time be free to act on his own initiative. The Company had a jam factory to save him from the fluctuations of the fresh fruit market, a bacon factory for the benefit of his pigs, a market garden worked as a demonstration garden in sets applicable to small holders, and a poultry farm showing the system in operation in the United States. From the farm could be obtained horse hire and implements for the heavier cultivation which would save a man from investing his own capital in tose directions; the Company also provided a store where he could obtain all the necessities of his household, not to mention the Village Hall where by means of a drill club, he could learn to defend his home, and where (partly by the assistance of the Kent Education Committee) lectures on suitable subjects were held during the winter. All these things were really of more value to the existing small holder, but Mr Humphrey and he (the speaker) had thought whether they could increase the scope of assistance they were holding out and offer it to people who, while yearning for the land, desired to know more about the subject before they relinquished their present occupations. They had therefore made arrangement to start 3 months' course of instruction in the poultry industry, commencing by correspondence and concluding with practical work on the farm; and he explained that this method, it was hoped, would be of the greatest assistance to some of the thousands of soldiers and sailors who presently, owing to the result of wounds, sickness or other causes, would be unable to continue in the Army or follow their previous occupations. As a beginning they hoped to give a free course to a limited number of such ex-members of the services and be able to find them, there or elsewhere, permanent employment. The Company hoped that ladies and gentlement in other parts of the country would assist in that scheme by offering employment to soldiers and sailors thus prepared for the duties. It would be seen therefore that that conference really marked an epoch in the progress of the Company's policy, and they hoped it would be followed by others on market gardening or other sciences connected with the cultivation of the land. Mr Hooley followed with an informative address, and in the evening gave a lantern lecture. The visitors were hospitably entertained by the Company, and spent a pleasant and informative time."

06 Feb 1915 Longfield Collection for Belgian Refugees Kent Messenger
Longfield - £4.12.8¼ collected for Belgian Refugees to go on rent, provisions and £2.10.0 allowance for Mr de Proost, will try and find job for him. Belgian Children in National Schools.

06 Feb 1915 Dartford Volunteer Corps Kent Messenger
Dartford Volunteer Corps formed with 70 men.

12 Feb 1915 Alice Gasson Inquest Dartford Chronicle
Inquest on Alice Flora Gasson (42) of Woodlands Cottages, Longfield - natural causes

13 Feb 1915 Belgian Refugees at Longfield Gravesend Reporter
Belgian refugee family housed in Essex Road, Longfield on 18 Jan

20 Feb 1915 Woodward's Farm Fire Kent Messenger
Fire at Woodwards Farm, Longfield Hill. Dartford Fire Engine arrives in half an hour

20 Feb 1915 Alice Gasson Inquest Kent Messenger
Inquest on Alice Flora Gasson (42) of Longfield Hill - natural causes

26 Feb 1915 Dartford Roll of Honour Dartford Chronicle
Paper prints roll of honour with over 3,000 names and more to add to answer accusations that Dartford was behind in recruiting. Covers Dartford Union. Remember too that Dartford and Erith have many munitions workers, equally valuable. Still many able bodied men left, whom they urge to joing up asap.

26 Feb 1915 Fawkham Valley Road Dartford Chronicle
Dartford RDC - poor state of roads at Fawkham Church raised. Roads in district said to be never worse due to weather and exceptional traffic.

27 Feb 1915 Bertie Puddephatt Inquest Kent Messenger
Inquest at Longfield Club Room on Bertie Leonard Puddephatt (6m) of Hillside Cottages, Fawkham - death from asphyxia due to convulsions

01 Mar 1915 Gravesend Volunteer Corps Gravesend Magazine
(Mar 15) Volunteer Training Corps monthly notes - membership down due to requirement that younger men join forces, leaving corps over officered, meaning some had to join ranks. Ad says they drill twice a week, and have a route march after Sunday Church Parade. They have miniature rifle range by canal and rifles for training but not for general issue.

01 Mar 1915 Pressure to Join Up Criticised Gravesend Magazine
(Mar 15 - Shrimpers Net) “I and possibly a. few others, would much like to know who are the self-appointed people that propose to visit each house in the district as amateur recruiting sergeants. Since the war began there has been too much officiousness by a lot of busy-bodies who, not having sufficient intelligence to do some practical work for the country, imagine they are called to dictate to others. It is a piece of the grossest impertinence to suggest such a thing, and I trust that if any self-constituted committee, whatever title it may give itself, does make a house-to-house Visitation, the callers will receive the reception they deserve.

It is possible there are many men eligible for military service, who for some reason or other have not seen their way to enlist in the forces, but as long as we have a voluntary system in this country, it must be left to each man’s own conscience as to what he shall do in the matter.

Many are patriotic at other people’s expense. A case recently came to my knowledge of a fairly wealthy man telling his gardener, a young fellow of twenty-five that he must either join the army or go; in plain English, either to 'go or‘ be pushed. This young man was the sole support of widowed mother and a sister; he informed his employer that he was willing to go provided his wages or a part were to be to their: support. The employer’s patriotism did not go so far as that, when' it touched his pockets it vanished; the young man left and obtained a better situation. Kitchener wants all the fit men he can get, but he does not want forced men, and he would be the very first to sit on the ‘patriots’ who want the country saved by other people’s skins….”

12 Mar 1915 Registration of Births in Dartford RDC Dartford Chronicle
Dartford RDC - heated debate on whether to adopt Notification of Births Act, carried 6-4 (Day of Ash and Matchett of Fawkham in favour, Rev E Smith of Hartley was not against but thought County Council would do a better job. Ultimately this will entail appointment of health visitor. Arthur Mee had written to criticise the previous decision to oppose 6-3 as "a sentence of death for children whose lives might be saved". Those against thought health visitors might clash with parish nurse, and that nurses give lectures on the dangers of flies in sugar etc. Mover Rev Stanley Morgan suffered a number of personal attacks by Cllr Snell, opposing.

12 Mar 1915 William Hooley Poultry Expert Poultry World
William Hooley answers enquiries, "new address" is Ashliegh, Hartley

13 Mar 1915 Annual Rates Gravesend Reporter
Hartley - county rate to be £147.18.8 (up 1¼ d in the pound)

13 Mar 1915 Record Player for Sale KM (Gravesend Telegraph)

20 Mar 1915 Stansted Fire Gravesend Reporter
Fire at Stansted. Dartford Fire Brigade attend 5 minutes before Sevenoaks

20 Mar 1915 Local News in Brief Kent Messenger
(1) North Kent Motor Services - new motor bus Gravesend to Meopham Green (G - 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 7pm; MG 10am, 1.30pm, 4pm, 7.30pm) Similar route to 308

(2) "Short notice of sale. Station Road, Longfield, Kent. Mr Philip Champion has been favoured with instructions from the trustee under a deed of assignment executed by Messrs Langford and Baker, to sell by auction, upon the premises as above, close to Fawkham Station, on Friday next, 26th March 1915, at 2 o'clock pm, the whole of the stock in trade of a builder and wheelwright....."

26 Mar 1915 Explosives Factory at Joyce Green? Dartford Chronicle
Plans for explosives factory at Joyce Green

27 Mar 1915 Major Hildebrand Awarded DSO Kent Messenger
Longfield - DSO for Major Hildebrand

27 Mar 1915 Balloon Story from Hartley Kent Messenger
"Balloon story from Hartley: A few afternoons ago, a balloon containing a military party was observed descending at Hartley. The occupants inquired of some who were working near 'What place is this? Where are we?' and the reply was 'Hartley'. The aeronauts then asked 'Where is Hartley?' Instead of giving the desired instruction in Kentish geography, the workers called out 'Are you Germans?'. The balloonists, thinking perhaps to play a joke upon the yokels, replied 'Yes.' The yokels, thereupon, seized the grappling apparatus and secured it to a telephone post, with the result that the occupants had to get out and pack up the machine and taken it home by rail. At the station they complained of being tired and hungry, having been out from early morning, but they declined some cakes which were offered to them, and recovered their good spirits before starting for home."

01 Apr 1915 Gravesend Volunteer Corps Gravesend Magazine
(Apr 15 Shrimper's Net) There is often a. laugh to be had. The other day I was watching-a. corps - never mind which one - it will apply to any - extending out in firing line, I think that is the right term. The advance was quite all right, but when the order to “halt and lie down" was given, one could not repress a smile. Some carefully hitched up their trousers before bending down on one knee, others gently laid down their “rifles” before getting to Mother Earth, whilst those who possessed more than their pound of flesh were extremely careful in their movements, and also on their return to the upright. It must be understood that the idea was that the enemy was firing at 500 yards, so that by the time the man had hitched up his trousers to save baggy knees, he would have been in that land were such garments are not wanted. Still, joking apart, its wonderful the difference the training is making in many of the members. Men who six months ago would have never dreamt of doing a ten-mile walk before Sunday’s dinner, or running at full pace across a field, time after time, can now do it without turning a hair. It’s making Young men out of old. THE WANDERER.

02 Apr 1915 Baloon Lands at Hartley Western Gazette
Soldier's Joke - balloon lands at Hartley

According to a local journal, a farm labourer at Hartley, Kent, captured a military balloon, but the only reward he received for his bravery has been ridicule. Whilst at work he heard voices overhead, enquiring the position of Hartley. At once, imagining that enemies were upon him, he asked "Are you Germans?" "Yes" replied the occupants of the balloon in chorus, whereupon Hodge at once seized the rope hanging from the aircraft and secured it round a telephone post, and made off for help. The occupants however, were British soldiers, who were forced to deflate the balloon and return by rail!

02 Apr 1915 Baloon Lands at Hartley Kent Messenger
Hartley farm labourer Hodge finds military balloon, occupants fool him into believing they are Germans

09 Apr 1915 Joseph Ketele Belgian Refugee De Stem Uit Belgie
Joseph Ketele and his family from Dicksmuide is at Hartley

10 Apr 1915 Longfield Election Gravesend Reporter
Longfield DRDC election - Fortunatus Lynds (sitting member) 58, his brother G T Lynds (contractor) 10, J Dudley Martin 49. Electorate 198. 4 cars used but not by winner.

17 Apr 1915 Longfield Rifle Club Gravesend Reporter
18 members of Longfield Rifle Club at competition. Bell medal won by Mark Webb

17 Apr 1915 Marguerites for Sale Kent Messenger
Marguerites for sale - Wood [of Woodcroft, Ash Road]

23 Apr 1915 Joseph Ketele Belgian Refugee Het Volk
Joseph Ketele and his family from Dicksmuide is at Sacristy Cottage, Hartley

24 Apr 1915 Fairby Stores Want Delivery Man Kent Messenger
"Wanted a smart man to drive grocery van, deliver and solicit, age not essential. Apply The Manager, Fairby Stores"

01 May 1915 Agricultural College at Meopham Kent Messenger
New agricultural college at Homestead, Meopham to teach ladies fruit and poultry farming

01 May 1915 Wanted Servant Kent Messenger
Wanted servant £18-20 pa - Mrs Flint, Bundoran

08 May 1915 Local Soprano Winifred Firth Kent Messenger
Picture of soprano Winifred Firth, daughter of George Firth, doctor

13 May 1915 Wanted Cook n/a
Cook general wanted wages £26-28 - Mrs Lambton, Hartley Court

14 May 1915 3,000 in Dartford Said to be doing no war service Dartford Chronicle
Paper says they are in a position to state that 3,000 single men are doing no war service. Likely to be worse since 30 is not the maximum age for joining up. They exempt Longfield and Wilmington from criticism. Dartford has 500 eligible unenlisted men, Swanscombe/Stone/Darenth (? does this include rest of rural district?) with practically no war work have 500, if you add Crayford and Bexley then it is about 3,000. "Is it not the duty of every town and village in the Dartford Union to send every available man". They put it down to ignorance of the need or selfishness. Some will be munitions workers. Highly critical of group of workers on Dartford tram who were discussing a strike for an extra 1d per hour. Passenger protested that soldiers couldn't strike, to be told "that's their look out, if they are fools enough to go they must put up with it". Not joining up when they have well paid jobs.

15 May 1915 Anti-German Rioting at Gravesend Gravesend Reporter
Anti-German rioting at Gravesend last Thursday, shop of Shulz & Son in Milton Road smashed, despite brave attempt to prevent this by CP Marshall, secretary of local volunteers, who stood in front of the shop to stop them "under a torrent of an unmerciful downpour and a torrent of abuse that would daunt most men..." Many ringleaders were women.

15 May 1915 Spend Whit Monday at Hartley's Sports Grounds Kent Messenger
"Spend Whit Monday at Hartley's Sports Grounds near Fawkham Station - Sports, Dancing, Prizes - Soldiers and Sailors Admission Free - Admission to the Public 2-5pm, 1s including tea; after tea 6d - Entry forms, stamped envelope, A Humphrey, secretary Hartley Sports Club, Near Fawkham, Kent." [subsequently cancelled]

15 May 1915 Gravesend Volunteer Corps Kent Messenger
Gravesend Volunteer Corps - due to demand by government that military age men agree to join up when called for, numbers fall from 500 to 130.

15 May 1915 Anti-German Rioting at Gravesend Kent Messenger
Gravesend Riots - began 6.45pm, so bad by 9pm that Middlesex Regiment called out with fixed bayonets. Paper deplores attack on Mr Schulz, a former member of the town council

15 May 1915 Spring Cabbage for Sale Kent Messenger
3,000 - 6,000 flower spring cabbage for sale - Stobbs, Hartley

21 May 1915 Strike at Vickers, Crayford Dartford Chronicle
Strikes at Vickers, Crayford, settled with offer of 4s per week bonus to meet cost of living. 500 went out on strike when management tried to put them on piece work. Strike at Halls also.

21 May 1915 Anti-German Rioting at Dartford Dartford Chronicle
Anti-German riots on Friday. Police prevent attack on German national J Gunter's shop at Spital Street. Englishman Mr Willimont of Colney Road sought police protection after children and louts made trouble outside his shop. Police prevent damage and escort him to safety. Names were circulated round the town. Paper highly critical of attacks - "mob law in Dartford".

22 May 1915 Obscene Language at Hartley Gravesend Reporter
Elizabeth Wicks of Runley Farm, Ash fined 20/- for obscene language at Hartley. "Guilty I expect" she said

22 May 1915 Anti-German Rioting at Gravesend Gravesend Reporter
Heavy sentences in Gravesend Police Court for rioters (see 15/5)

22 May 1915 Anti-German Rioting at Gravesend Kent Messenger
Gravesend Mayor says there are no Germans in the town, the distubances have "hurt the good name of Gravesend". Paper says both Mr Glasson and Mr Schulz were born in England to parents born in England. Thos Schulz writes to paper to thank people for the many expressions of support he had received.

22 May 1915 Spend Whit Monday at Hartley's Sports Grounds Kent Messenger
Hartley Whit Monday event indefinitely postponed

28 May 1915 Wots the Matter with you (poem) Dartford Chronicle
Poem "Wots the matter with you", critical of strikers by "A Kentish Workman".

29 May 1915 Gravesend Recruiting Campaign Gravesend Reporter
Week long recruiting campaign gets 51 recruits from Gravesend and Northfleet.

29 May 1915 Anti-German Rioting at Gravesend Gravesend Reporter
In response to rumours in the town, the mayor of Gravesend issues statemetn that there are no enemy aliens in Gravesend, all were "sent away" about 6 months ago. Paper refuses to publish letter criticising the police over riots because it wasn't signed. Town council praises the volunteer corps and special constables. Losses suffered at warehouse of JR Glason and shop of T Schutz. Many fined for looting. Charles Turner(?) said to be ring leader, jailed for 3 months for breaking plate glass of Mr Glason.

29 May 1915 Wanted Waggoner for New House Farm Kent Messenger
Waggoner wanted - £1 with "harvest money and some fuel, good cottage and garden" - Thornton, New House Farm

04 Jun 1915 Dartford UDC Support Lord Kitchener Dartford Chronicle
Dartford UDC pass motion of support for Gen Kitchener and criticise the Daily Mail

05 Jun 1915 Kent Road Longfield Gravesend Reporter
Fire hydrant at the corner of Kent Road and Station Road being repaired

05 Jun 1915 Gravesend Recruiting Campaign Gravesend Reporter
Call for more recruits. In last fortnight 90 have joined but Gravesend's quota is 300.

05 Jun 1915 Zeppelin Raid at Gravesend Gravesend Reporter
Zeppelins Again - paper reports government communique without saying the town was bombed.

05 Jun 1915 Longfield Recruits Kent Messenger
Longfield - 2 more recruits, including FJ Kirk, retired Civil Servant who has joined the War Office to release someone for the front

05 Jun 1915 Gravesend Volunteer Corps Kent Messenger
Gravesend Volunteer Corps - still no uniforms, that had to turn out to recent riots in civilian clothes and armed with walking sticks.

11 Jun 1915 Fire at Manor Farm, Ash Dartford Chronicle
Fire at Mr Dunlop's Manor Farm, Ash, in stack. Dartford Fire Brigade arrive after ½ hour of call in motor engine. They prevent fire from spreading to tarred wood nearlby by taking flaming straw to next field. They were hampered by lack of water.

11 Jun 1915 Ramble to Longfield Evening News
The Footpath Way - No. 14 The Land of Shrimps, Apples and Hops

On leaving Gravesend Central Station you will probably wish to spend some time in exploring the picturesque purlieus of the town. The narrow High Street and the riverside district are full of character.

You will pick up the walk by returning to the ain road that runs parallel wiht the river, then either walk or (better still) take the tram ot Northfleet Church. Getting off here, go through the churchyard left of the building and, turning left when out of it, another path will be found that continues to Springhead. At first it is not inviting. But it soon improves, and runs alongside the stream running down from Springhead.

When you come at last to a road there is an open path opposite which should be noted as continuing the walk.

But you may care first to turn a few yards to the right and get some light refreshments at the house beyond, which is famous for its fare and is much patronised by the Gravesend folk. It has pleasant gardens, watercress beds, a monkey house, an ancient giant of a willow tree, and bubbling waters of the spring that gives the place its name; in all sufficient attractions to make it almost worthy to adopt the phrase of Rosherville Gardens as its motto: The Place to spend a happy day.

But suppose we get on with the walk. Take the aforesaid path and continue along it to a crossroad. The follow the Betsham road rightwards (sign-posted) to that hamlet at another crossroads.

Here turn to the left and go up the Longfield and Fawkham Road, through hopfields and apple orchards, till you reach the next crossroad at the oddly picturesque corner by the thatched public house, the Old Wheatsheaf.

A land of small holdings

Turn to the right past this a little way to a stile on the left, and over it, take the left path forward and down to the road in the valley below. If you like to follow the indicated route on the map from this point to Fawkham church, which I took, it will be easy to pick up.

The path is signposted from the lane ahead. But I do not advise it. There is little of interest at Fawkham Church, and the land between it and Hartley, to the Black Lion, is cut up in small holdings. However flourishing these may be they do not add to the beauty of the landscape.

It is better to turn along the road leftwards, instead of going on to Fawkham church (The SE and C Railway station lies to the right as you pass the Railway Hotel).

Note when just beyond the second right turning, a signposted footpath on the left ('To Southfleet'). This rises sharply up an unfenced, stiffish hillside, almost opposite Longfield Church in the valley.

A good view point

This path is to be followed. It commands fine views when the crest of the hill is reached, over rolling fields, orchards, and in the distance the river.

It ends at length in a rough cart track. By turning left along this and keeping forward on reaching a road with a better surface, you will come into the very pleasing and pretty village of Southfleet.

A fine grey old church, many gabled ancient cottage, and wide branched trees combine to make Southfleet one of the prettiest villages in Kent.

With a look at the map you will be able to see how to reach Southfleet Station, or to return via Springhead by footpath from the churchyard here.

But my route was to leave the church and follow the land that dips downhill past the Ship Inn and then rises to another lane that opposes it. By turning right here for a little way you will pick up a path on the left (an obvious continuation of another on the right) that leads into Perry Street, a hamlet of Gravesend.

Then, keeping forward by the continuing rough road, and following the same direction when in town, you will come to the tramlines, and can so rach the Central Station. For the curious in gastronomy, Gravesend natives (freshly boiled shrimps) are to be had in the little shops in West Street.

And, mind you, they are not to be despised eaten with thin brown bread and butter and lashings of hot tea at the end of a 12 to 14 mile walk, such as this, through Kentish orchards, hop gardens and cornfields.

Outward: Victoria, Charing Cross etc to Gravesend, 3 shillings return. Or (a cheaper route) from Fenchurch Street, 1s 9d return, including ferry, whichever is convenient.

[The article includes a map and pictures of Southfleet Church, Cottages and the Wheatsheaf Pub]

12 Jun 1915 Longfield Recruits Gravesend Reporter
Longfield - Frank Cooper has joined RNR. FJ Kirk, retired civil servant and people's warden, returns to clerkship in Civil Service for duration of war. (in 1915 he was 66, previously Index-Compiler In General Register Office)

12 Jun 1915 Zeppelin Raid at Gravesend Kent Messenger
Paper urges people not to leave towns as a result of German "frightfulness". On censorship it says "This is not the ideal time for the journalist. There is so much he knows he may not say".

12 Jun 1915 Wanted Ploughman for Fairby Farm Kent Messenger
Ploughman wanted (2 horses), 20 shillings pw - Fairby Farm

18 Jun 1915 Campaign to Stop Child Labour Dartford Chronicle
Editorial calls for stop to prosecutions for using child labour as "being detrimental to nation and individual". This was in reply to NUT resolution criticising KCC for allowing children out of school for agricultural work.

19 Jun 1915 Hartley Water Supply Gravesend Reporter
Hartley parish to pay £20 to meet the balance of the guarantee made in respect of the water supply. Precept on overseers therefore.

19 Jun 1915 Fire at Manor Farm, Ash Gravesend Reporter
Dartford Fire Brigade attend within half an hour of being called to fire at Manor Farm, Ash

19 Jun 1915 High Price of Coal Gravesend Reporter
Coal merchants charging 36/- per ton of best Wallsend Coal and 34/- for kitchen coal

19 Jun 1915 Longfield Parish Council Gravesend Reporter
Longfield PC (1) allotment holders allowed to take 1 foot extra on each side and to dig to a greater depth; (2) Widening of Hartley Road discussed; (3) PC to buy secondhand shed for the Fire Brigade at cost of £10; (4) Poor postal deliveries in New Barn blamed on shortage of staff

19 Jun 1915 House to house collections at Gravesend Gravesend Reporter
Gravesend - quarterly list of donors to house to house collections

19 Jun 1915 Gravesend Recruiting Campaign Gravesend Reporter
Gravesend - recruiting meeting at Clock Tower. Kitchener has called for 300,000 men and Gravesend's quota is 300, only 150 volunteered last month. Only 1 man came forward and he was too old. Paper notes many young men at meeting and that 5,000 men of military age in the town have not enlisted. Women told to remember the women of Belgium and encourage their men to enlist.

25 Jun 1915 Dartford Recuiting Campaign Dartford Chronicle
West Kent Regiment recruiting week in area. Nearest to Hartley is 28/6 at Dartford, Horton Kirby, South Darenth and Sutton at Hone.

25 Jun 1915 Air Raid Precautions Dartford Chronicle
Advert by Kent Police with Air Raid advice. No signal will be given because it will show the enemy they are over a populated area. Stay indoors, keep water/sand to hand to fight fires, windows closed in case of poison gas. Report UXBs to the police.

26 Jun 1915 Belgian Refugees at Longfield Gravesend Reporter
Julius Soelbeit, a Dutchman living at Longfield fined 9/- after he got drunk, fell down and wounded his head.

26 Jun 1915 Blackout Offences Gravesend Reporter
Gravesend - Military captain the borough coroner fined for breaking blackout regulations.

26 Jun 1915 Rosherville VAD Hospital Kent Messenger
Mrs Jones of Longfield a donor to Rosherville VAD hospital

26 Jun 1915 Hospital Supply Depot at Meopham Kent Messenger
Meopham women set up Hospital Supply Depot

01 Jul 1915 Kent Volunteer Fencibles (Gravesend) Gravesend Magazine
(Jul 15 Kent Volunteer Fencibles) Describes 40-50 men who in 85 degree temperature accomplished route march from Gravesend to Meopham on Sunday 4th. Left Dashwood Meadow at 10am in 3 columns kept in communication by cyclists with the idea they should arrive at Meopham Green simultaneously. Western force under Cdr CP Taylor went via Northfleet Green, New Barn, Longfield Siding and Idleigh Court. All three nearly arrived together.

03 Jul 1915 Pinden Rubbish Dump Gravesend Reporter
Mr Newcomb of Longfield complains of rubbish at the Pinden sidings. DRDC find no problem - the rubbish there is being sifted, some for brickfields, others for the pit being covered with lime. Crops growing where other pits were.

03 Jul 1915 Air Raid Precautions Gravesend Reporter
Fears of incendiary bombs on standing corn, farmers urged to organise fire watching.

03 Jul 1915 Fruit Train Derails at Longfield Kent Messenger
On Saturday morning some fruit trains derailed on leaving Fawkham Station on upline, only slight delays as trains rerouted up to Pinden Junction on the down line.

03 Jul 1915 Longfield Schools Close for Fruit Picking Kent Messenger
Longfield Schools closed for fruit picking

03 Jul 1915 2 Gallon Jars wanted Kent Messenger
Empty 2 gallon jars wanted - Rural Development Co, Fairby Farm

09 Jul 1915 The Recruiting Campaign - Dartford's Rally - Over 100 Recruits Dartford Chronicle
"There was no lack of enthusiasm at the last meeting of the week's Recruiting Campaign, held at th Central Park, Dartford, on Saturday evening. The crowd was one of the biggest that has ever been assembled around the bandstand, and the enthusiasm which prevailed bore solid fruit in the shape of recruits, those who gave in their names bringing the week's total well over the hundred.

Mr AW Smale, JP, Chairman of the Dartford Urban District Council,, in introducing Colonel Wood Martyn, who is in command of the 10th battalion Royal West Kent Regiment (Kent County), said that Lieutenant West and his band had met with great success in the locality, and he hoped to put the topstone on that night, so that they would send them away quite satisfied with the result of their work. Britain was fighting a man who stuck at nothing, and they must have men. They did not wan the men who were engaged in the munition factories, but they wanted all the others. Things were in the balance, and they wanted the men to come forward and give the other shove which would send the Huns back to their own country. He urged the young ladies who had young men who would not enlist to have nothing more to do with them, because if, they would not fight for them now they certainly would not do so when they were married.

Colonel Wood Martyn said, as secretary of the Territorial Committee, he had many times spoken on behalf of others, and he now wanted to speak on his own behalf. He could not understand why in such a fighting county as Kent there were still so many young men wearing black coats. When men who had made half a century went to the Front, how much more should the young men come forward? The elder men would do their part, and the young men must do theirs. Did not the men walking about in black coats realise how urgent was the need? It was unthinkable, and he asked them to join one or other of the units of the West Kents, of whom they were proud. (applause). The new battalion was unique, it was raised by the Vice-Lieutenant of the county, and he wanted 2 units from East Kent and 2 from West Kent. They had done well so far, but they wanted to do better. There was no excuse for keeping out and every man was wanted. Never was the war in a more critical state. He believed they would see the Germans in Calais within 3 weeks. He did not see how the brave boys at the front were going to withstand the torrent of shells from the big guns which would be hurled at them. It meant that the Germans would get the big coast towns and be in a position to shell Dover. This was what they wanted. Before they could dominate the world they wanted to get England out of the way. He promised, as an honourable man, that the recruits who went down to him should have a hearty welcome, and should be fitted out with 2 suits of khaki and the necessary kit the day after their arrival. They had the officers all ready, and they were a good lot of fellows who always had a smile on their faces. He asked them for old acquaintance and old friendship's sake to send down a thumping big platoon (applause).

Lieutenant Wood referred to the seriousness of the position in France. At the beginning of the war we took upon ourselves the obligations of keeping the seas clear of enemy shipping, both commercial and Naval, of financing ourselves and our Allies, and supplying munitions to those of our allies who needed them. We had kept our promise. It was never expected that we shhould also have to supply men, but soon after the beginning of the war, thwne the Frnace were retreating before the Germans, the French commander sent a request for the loan of 80,000 men. The loan was granted. Never in the histor of the world had men been called upon to take the risk those men had to take at Mons, and never was there a race who would stand as the British did. And the British wass the only race which could finish the war."

10 Jul 1915 Air Raid Precautions Gravesend Reporter
Air Raid Patrol in Gravesend - Emergency Borough Cttee - 12 districts with special constable - section leaders who appoint street patrols. They ring on doors with a raid is imminent, and carry card with addresses of those who don't want to be called up. Householders told to extinguish lights and how they can make anti-chlorine respirators (hypo 3 oz, bicarb soda 2 oz, 1 pt water, but told gas will quickly disperse anyway.

10 Jul 1915 Gravesend Recruiting Campaign Gravesend Reporter
"The appeal made of late to our young men to join the forces have not had the effect that we desired". Bombadier George Webster of Southfleet writes from front to complain of unpatriotic young men not joining up. "If only some of the chaps could see some of the ruined towns out here and the barbarous way in which the Germans are behaving, they would not hesitate before taking a plunge. The Zeppelins ought to be a good advertisement, and if nobody enlisted after that they want a terrible lot of persuading."

10 Jul 1915 Dartford Recuiting Campaign Kent Messenger
Dartford recruiting campaign gets 100 volunteers

10 Jul 1915 Farm worker wanted at Woodlands, Ash Road Kent Messenger
Man wanted for 14a fruit, poultry and vegetables - Gibson, Woodlands

16 Jul 1915 William Hooley Poultry Expert Poultry World
Mr and Mrs Will Hooley Silver wedding at Hartley

17 Jul 1915 Longfield Parish Council Gravesend Reporter
Longfield - (1) Pond at junction of Hartley Road has been cleaned out; (2) Road by siding damaged by carting of flints (owner of quarry said it was a government contract) and "traffic to the new powder works that is being erected adjoining". Telephone lines to be installed from Southfleet Avenue, New Barn to the siding.

17 Jul 1915 Gravesend Volunteer Corps Kent Messenger
Gravesend Volunteer Corps vote not to disband. Feeling that there is a lack of support from Government and locals

23 Jul 1915 National Register Dartford Chronicle
DRDC advert for volunteer national register enumerators for Hartley and their other parishes for 9-21 August.

24 Jul 1915 Gravesend Recruiting Campaign Kent Messenger
Soldier at front writes to criticise timidity of those who won't visit coast towns. Damage from a "Zepp" is nothing to what he sees in France.

24 Jul 1915 Support for Mary Jungk Kent Messenger
Paper and those attending Gravesend Police Court sympathise with Gracy Jungk who was given 1 month for entering prohibited area as an alien. She married German tailor the day before war broke out. He is interned at Holloway. She gets sacked every time people learn of her name. Nowhere to turn but her parents in Gravesend.

24 Jul 1915 Defending Longfield Gravesend Reporter
Defending Longfield - Sunday walker comes across detachment of the Gravesend Volunteer Training Corps on exercise to repel an invasion

24 Jul 1915 National Register Gravesend Reporter
National Register - Issue of Forms: Details of form to be filled on Aug 15th. Men 15-65 must say if they have dependents, what profession or other skills they have and the address of their employer

31 Jul 1915 EC Powder Works Longfield Gravesend Reporter
DRDC Medical Officer visits the building works at Longfield Hill. It has a marquee accommodating 50 men, supplied with water by Mid Kent Water and an artesian well. 14 wooden buildings are under construction but concerns about them being top heavy and vulnerable to the high winds in the valley.

31 Jul 1915 High Price of Coal Gravesend Reporter
AE Parsonson writes to say something should be done about the price of coal which at 34-37/- per ton is 12-14/- higher than in 1914. He accuses merchants of exploitation and excessive profit.

31 Jul 1915 Child Workers in Agriculture Kent Messenger
116 children in DRDC area released on licence to go into agriculture as of June 1915, 2nd highest in Kent (1,276 in all)

31 Jul 1915 Keeping Pigeons without a Licence Kent Messenger
3 Crayford residents fined by Dartford magistrates for keeping pigeons without a licence

31 Jul 1915 Support for Mary Jungk Kent Messenger
Mrs Jungk released after case raised in Parliament, Home Secretary orders her release and refunded the fine collected by her husband's fellow prisoners. She has received offers of help from several quarters including a titled lady.

31 Jul 1915 Pleasure Boats Banned Kent Messenger
DORA - pleasure boats banned from Thames Estuary

31 Jul 1915 Gravesend Volunteer Corps Kent Messenger
Gravesend Volunteer Corps now have some rifles and men can buy their uniforms

31 Jul 1915 Support for Mary Jungk Kent Messenger
Mary Jungk arrested for visiting parents in Gravesend

01 Aug 1915 German Books in Gravesend Library Gravesend Magazine
(Aug 15 Shrimper's Net) MANY people have a great ambition to sit in the seats of the mighty, as represented by the ornate furniture provided in the Town Halls or Guildhalls of their respective towns. I have never aspired so high, but it has been my great desire to be present at the meetings, though merely as a humble spectator. My daily occupation of —-——; well, never mind what, has allowed no time for such luxuries, but when a grateful Government pensions me I hope to realise my ambition, as after paying rates, taxes, and the incidental expenses for food, clothing etc, there will be little left out of the 5s per week, so my amusements must therefore be provided gratis. In the meantime, I cull the words of wisdom that fall from the lips of our city fathers, as reported in the local press, wondering what our “ Weekly Wailes" would do if there were no Town, Urban or Parish Councils: the reports of the meetings are often the only gleams o f sunshine in the pages.

Sometimes the wisdom and perspicacity of our senators are overpowering; quite recently the subject for discussion in the Gravesend Town Council was the question whether the Free Library Committee should have accepted some volumes of Goethe or Schiller printed in the original German. Patriotism rose to fever height; how dare the Committee do such a thing; it was, so said one speaker, “a slur and an insult to the intelligence of the townn. "

An “insult ” to think that anyone in Gravesend would wish to read poets who belong not to Germany but to the world. A “slur” to intelligence that anyone would read, for instance, Schiller’s The Invincible Armada, the words of which should thrill every Britisher with pride, especially where the poet, speaking of England, says : — “ And all the hearts of freemen beat for thee,/ And all free souls their fate in thine forsee…./ One look below the Almighty gave,…./ “And w h o , ” saith He , “shall lay mine England low,/ The stem that blooms with hero deeds—/ The rock where man from wrong a refuge needs—/ The stronghold where the tyrant comes in vain?/ Who shall bid England vanish from the main”. These noble lines should be on England‘s lips to-day. '

As is well known, Goethe and Schiller were close friends and both were inspired by a great idea of freedom. The Prussian ideal did not appeal to these fine old writers of a century ago, but as an English biographer of Schiller wrote, it was “ questions of national moment, liberation, revolt against authority, the struggle for individual freedom. Into that breathed all the warmth of his own passion and thus transformed philosophy and history into poetry.”

One might add that in 1789 when Goethe was residing in Frankfort the town was occupied by the French, and so he was led to an early acquaintance with the heart and drama of France.

Those are the men whose books it is an insult etc. I suppose limericks, nursery rhymes and the doggerel effusions of old maids (both sexes) are thought more suitable for t h e intelligence of the burgesses of the ancient borough. THE WANDERER

06 Aug 1915 Hartley Roll of Honour Dartford Chronicle
Roll of Honour: Hartley - Army: Charles Henry Baines, Edward Cheary, Capt David Copus, William Elliott, J Gardiner, Alfred Hodges, Robert Rose, T Rose, Frederick Shambrook, William Thornton, Maj C E Tristram, Edward Woodward. Longfield - Navy: T Andrews, Percy Bevan, F Cooper, Frank Cooper RNR, Percy Goodwin, Frank Pankhurst, Sidney Seager, Alfred Streatfield. Longfield - Army: R Adams, G Allchin, L Arrows, R Bleakley, W Bristow, Fred, Frank & Harold Brooks, H J and F Coller, J Chapman, L Coleman, Harry, WJ and Helwyn Crouch, Geo Wm Dark, T Davis; G, F, S, C and W Day; D Denry-Lowe, Frederick C Duvall, N Flint; F and W Ganden; E Goodwin; M & W Hannigan; R Bilworh Harrison; A and B Heaver; George, henry and Stanley Hickmott; A Hollands; Fred Inkpen; JF, RE & RO Kirk; N Latter; A & E Letchford; E Longhurst; J, RA & ? Martin; Alfred and Arthur Munday; M Newcombe; P Pankhurst; G Reid; A, E & G Remington; Geroge Rich; FE Shambrook; CE and RM Smith; H Swan; E & R Tomlin; T Young. Longfield - Territorials: Arthur F Hollands, WH Thompson. Total: Hartley 12, Longfield 74

06 Aug 1915 Blackout Offences at Hartley Dartford Chronicle
The Lighting Order - Rector of Hartley fined (faded microfilm)

06 Aug 1915 Blackout Offences at Longfield Dartford Chronicle
Alice Bevan of Hope Villa, Station Road, Longfield fined for blackout regulations

07 Aug 1915 Blackout Offences at Hartley Gravesend Reporter
The Rectory Lights - "At the Dartford Petty Sessions on Friday, the Rev CGW Bancks of Hartley Rectory was summonsed under the Defence of the Realm Regulations for not keeping his windows obscured during prohibited hours on July 18th. He pleaded guilty. PS Binfield stated he asked the defendant to cover the windows, after he had them under observation for a quarter of an hour. Witness had spoken about the defendant's lights on previous occasions. Mr Bancks knew of the order. Defendant - 'I have no recollection of being warned about the lights.' He went on to say that the light which formed the subject of the summons was only a momentary one. He was fined £1."

07 Aug 1915 Blackout Offences at Longfield Gravesend Reporter
Alice Bean of Hook Villa, Station Road, Longfield fined £1 for blackout offence on July 19th

07 Aug 1915 Anniversary of War Gravesend Reporter
Gravesend - procession and meeting to mark anniversary of the war.

07 Aug 1915 Blackout Offences at Hartley Kent Messenger
"Rectory Lights - the Rev CGW Bancks of Hartley Rectory was summoned for failing to keep the windows of the Rectory shaded as required by the order of the Secretary of State. // PS Binfield said at 11pm on July 18th he saw a bright light from a bedroom window. He kept observation for a quarter of an hour. He then went to the house and complained, whereupon a dark curtain was drawn over the window. He had spoken about the lights in the Rectory before. // Mr Bancks said he did not understand that he had been warned at all, and the sergeant explained that he had on one occasion drawn attention to a ray of light between two heavy curtains. // Defendant said he was under the impression that all precautions were taken. The lights wre only visible while curtains were being drawn, and he thought he would have been warned definitely before a summons was issued. // Fined 20s.

07 Aug 1915 Blackout Offences at Longfield Kent Messenger
Case of Alice Bean (v Reporter 8/7/15), she said light was a ½d candle.

13 Aug 1915 Dartford Recuiting Campaign Dartford Chronicle
Recruiting Advert - "standards have been lowered". Arrangements to receive and train all who enlist.

13 Aug 1915 Blackout Offences at Hartley Kent Messenger
The Lighting Order - More Summonses

Several summonses under the Lighting Order were heard at Dartford on Friday.

Percy Dennis of Hartley, was summonsed at the person in charge for not keeping the lights at the Hartley Social Club's premises effectively shaded on July 18th. Harold Bare and Albert Humphreys, two other officials of the club, were also summoned in respect of the same offence.

Police Sergeant Binfield said he saw a bright light coming from a billiard room occupied by the club. He went to the room and found Dennis and Bare playing billiards. There were 6 acetalyne lights over the table, and the windows were only shaded by linen blinds Bare told witness when the Order came in he had the blinds put up, and if they were not sufficient he would have some of darker material supplied at once. Witness replied that he would be reported.

Bare said he had no intimation from the police that the curtains were not sufficient, though they had been in use for a long time. 30 or 40 people used the room.

Humphreys, the owner, said until the officer called he had not the slightest idea the lights were not sufficiently obscured. He immediately ordered the club to be closed, and this was done. Had they been notified they would have covered the windows at once.

The case was dismissed.

Annie Sales, Minchin Cottage, Hartley Road, was charged with a similar offence on the 19th and pleaded guilty.

Police Sergeant Binfield said he saw a light pass the front door and go upstairs lighting 4 windows. He told defendant there was too much light, and she put the light out in all but one window, and that was darkened by a cloth.

Mrs Sales said she had to have a light for the baby.

Defendant's husband, it was stated, had enlisted, and she and a sister occupied the house.

Fined 5 shillings.

13 Aug 1915 Keeping Poultry Lessons at Hartley Poultry World
Waverley Poultry course run by Mr Hooley includes practical at Hartley

13 Aug 1915 Blackout Offences at Hartley Kent Messenger
Blackout regulations - Social Club cleared; Annie Sale of Minchen fined 5 shillings

14 Aug 1915 Blackout Offences at Hartley Gravesend Reporter
Soldier's wife fined - Alice Sale of Minching Cottage fined 5/- over blackout regulations on 19 July. PS Binfield said the windows were covered with white material; she then put out 4 lights and covered another window with dark material. Said she had been attending to her baby.

14 Aug 1915 Fined for Serving Drinks to Soldier Kent Messenger
DORA - Plaxtol landlord fined £5.5.0 for serving soldier a drink, Bench said they wouldn't be so lenient next time

14 Aug 1915 Blackout Offences at Hartley Kent Messenger
Cases of Alice Sale and Hartley Social Club. Summons to club was to Percy Dennis, Harold Bare and Albert Humphrey, club officials

18 Aug 1915 Donkey and Cart for Sale Kent Messenger
2 donkeys with Governess car £14 - Bassano

21 Aug 1915 Road Maintenance Costs Gravesend Reporter
Increase in costs in road maintenance put down to more military traffic, buses and cars

21 Aug 1915 Milton Barracks Kent Messenger
New military hospital at Milton Barracks

21 Aug 1915 Tuberculosis in Dartford RDC Kent Messenger
94 cases of TB in DRDC area in 1914 above 5 year average of 45

21 Aug 1915 Female workers in previously male jobs Kent Messenger
Female nurses being used in male wards of mental hospitals (national story, not specifically local)

28 Aug 1915 EC Powder Works Longfield Kent Messenger
Matthew Gristwood of The Tents, Longfield, worker at Powder Mills, finded 9s for being drunk and disorderly at Meopham Road, Longfield. PC Rich said he violently resisted arrest.

28 Aug 1915 Boar Club at Hartley Kent Messenger
Hartley agricultural cooperative society decide at a largely attended meeting to form Boar Club to lace a purebred middle white boar at service of members. Hope to improve pig breeding in district.

28 Aug 1915 Poultry Keeping for Blind Soldiers Birmingham Daily News
Blind soldiers from St Dunstans receive instruction at Fairby

01 Sep 1915 Keenest on Conscription are over fighting age.. Gravesend Magazine
(Sep 15 Shrimper's Net by the Wanderer) Wonders why some councillors in favour of conscription have not joined the Volunteers. "By the way, is it not curious how many of the people who favour compulsory service are over the fighting age?"

03 Sep 1915 St Francis de Sales RC Church Gravesend Standard
Part of general article about Northfleet RC Parish: "Much success has attended the opening of the Oratory at Hartley (served from Northfleet), a gift of Miss Davies-Cooke, a well known worker in London charitable undertakings. Visitors from distant parts express great admiration for the old world site and the devotional atmosphere of this charming place of worship". Article also notes that Fr Hoare is moving to Earlsfield to be replaced by Rev J Cuthbert Shoolbred.

03 Sep 1915 Blackout Regulations Dartford Chronicle
Paper says Lighting Order is confusing and relies on the opinion of police officers who apply it differently. Better to warn householder first.

03 Sep 1915 Poultry Farming for Blind Soldiers Poultry World
"Nothing brings home the horrors of war more closely as the presence of the injuried in our midst, and very few of them realised them fully at Fairby until Friday last, when a party of blind soldiers visited the poultry farm of the Rural Development Company. the men had give of their best fo rthe homeland for us, and the 'Rural' people wondered how far they could be of help to them. Sitll it was a very happy party that arrived in motors, accompaneid by th ever genial Captain Peirson-Webber, Mr Fred Horne and Mr Sidney Major (Small Holdings Commissioner of the Board of Agriculture), Mr C A Lambton and Mr George Humphrey, directors of the company, received the party, and Mr Will Hooley, the Superintendent of the Poultry Farm, together with his students, escorted the party round the farm. These heroes who have lost their sight took the keenest interest in the buildings, and the students were most attentive in pointing out the details. In one of the buildings sliding doors had been introduced all through, so that one could attend to all the duties of rearing chiicks from one point. The large semi-intensive house, with its hum of cackling inmates, greatly pleased them; then [...] turn of the nests often occupied by two birds, and to count the number of eggs in them were points they could appreciate.

The party then adjoured to a well grazed paddock, where some competitions had been arranged. Here the men did great credit to the instructor, Mr C L Thomas, and very soon recognised the various breeds of poultry put before them. Black, White Leghorns, Sussex, Rhode Island Red, Indian Game and Buff Orpington were recognised with marvellous accuracy. Selecting foods in saucers proved a rather more difficult task, because one explained that frequently the sense of smell vanished with the loss of sight.

After a very enjoyable afternoon an adjournment to the village had a refreshing cup of tea ready in a tastefully decorated room, of sweet smelling flowers. This being duly discussed Mr will Hooley announced the winners of the Competitions, they were: Messrs Hallam, W Clark, Wardell, [Li....], Davies, Kinght and Lingard. The birds in the tests comprised Indian Game, Rhode Island Reds, Camp[...], White and Black Leghorns, Buff Orpingtons, and Sussex, whilst the foods were very varied in character. Hallam was very successful; this man was taken prisoner and afterwards boyonetted in the neck. Mr C A Lambton the chairman of the company, said how pleased he was to have them there that day. Apart from teh social nature of the day, he hoped osme little conference would take place as to how far it was possible for the soldiers to take up poultry farming and work poultry farms; and he hoped Captain Webster wouls say a few words on the subject before he departed. Mr Will Hooley sai there were som things that these soldiers could do equally as well as those who had their sight; one was to truss a chicken, the other to pluck a chicken. It was becoming more and more important to grade eggs. Another use was the tying and [packing of table poultry for market. In the increased number of poultry businesses that will come into existence after the war, employment of this kind would be possible. Mr George Humphrey said it was their earnest desire to try and start something that day which would be a help to the men in days to come. So fare as they were concerned they were prepared to do their share and train 10 men if they desire it. He had in his hand two letters from people who had seen a preliminary notice of this meeting in the paper, and who offered to transcibe the Waverley Poultry Course into Braille free of charge. They had with them Mr Irvine of the Waverley Book Co, who offered them the free use of the copyright of the Poultry Course for this purpose. Captain Peirson Webber thanked the company for their jolly day's outing and for their generous offer - he would place it in the proper quarter, and thought it was very sporting of them to do all they had done that day."

04 Sep 1915 Paper Calls for Pessimists to be Interned Gravesend Reporter
Editorial rails against pessimism and calls for internment for such people

04 Sep 1915 Poaching at Fawkham Kent Messenger
Leonard Gear, Bert Hever, William Saxton, Charles Saxton, William Caller cleared of trespass in search of game at Fawkham

04 Sep 1915 Blind Soldiers and the Poultry Industry Kent Messenger
"The Rural Development Company Ltd received at Fairby Farm, fawkham, on Friday last, a most interesting party in the persons of Captain Pierson Webber and over a dozen of his pupils from that excellent institution, St Dunstan's Hostel, Regent's Park. This hostel, under the patronage of her Majesty, is devoted to soldiers blinded in the war, who are not only nursed thorugh the shock of their affliction but are prepared for such occupations as are possible to thiem. Captain Webber, who lost his sight in teh Boer War, is in charge of teh country life section of the hostel, and is training a number of the men in the art in which he himself is an expert, that of poultry keeping, surely one of the last occupations in which one would expect the sightless to achieve success. Captain Weber however, is a standing example of the skill with which this vocation can be taken up by those without sight. 'Of course', he says, 'I make use of all the sighted assistance that I can, but with the aid of the Braille type, and of the sense of touch and hearing, it is possible to do a good deal. The secret is to know your subject, the rest is easy. Having little to distract him, the blind man soon concentrates the mind on a thing, and memory, touch, and hearing are alike developed. It took me a year to get over the shock after I was 'knocked over', but these poor fellows recover in a few weeks, thanks to the care and attention bestowed on them, and many of them are making progress in this branch of outdoor work. I love the work; it is charming. It has given me the happiest 12 years of my life.' Certainly the Captain was among the cheeriest persons in the select party who were present on the occasion, comprising the Directors of the Company, the enthusiastic lady pupils, the Manager (Mr Will Hooley), and several friends. And he had infected the men with his own buoyant spirits, so that they were even merry throughout the whole proceedings. With him were Capt Owen, who lost his sight in the fighting under General Botha, members of the Rifle Brigade, the Scots Guards, Coldstreams, and others, all of whom had been injured in the eyes by shrapnel, this accounting for perhaps 90 per cent of the blindness among our wounded. They were invited to take part5 in a competition by identifying the breeds of poultry and different meals, cereals, etc, placed before them. By the number of the toes, the texture and serrations of the comb, the feather, the weight, the crest an dother distinctive feature of the various breeds they shoed the ability to distinguish such varieties as the Orpington, the Leghorn, the Sussex, the Rhode Island Red and others, although they had comparatively little training. They exhibited teh same sagacity in the identification of foods. Further the men were taken round this up to date farm and introduced to the various labour saving appliances and generally made acquainted with the arrangements. They could not have a better practical demonstration of the possibilities of poultry keeping, for everything here is on advanced principles, and we were informed that the aspiration of the Directors is, in the near future, for the farm to produce a million eggs a year.

The guests, by the bye, were hospitably entertained, and over the tea tables several complimentary speeches were made, in the course of which it was hinted that a course of poultry instruction in Braille was in contemplation, and that very likely several of the blind soldiers would be taken on at Fairby for further training."

11 Sep 1915 Fined for Treating Kent Messenger
Case of treating to drinks at Two Brewers, Dartford. Case against man accused of buying drink for wife dismissed, bench said very difficult to enforce especially when it occurs in crowded bars. Criticism by defence of "police spies" from Maidstone who brought charges.

18 Sep 1915 German Wounded at Longfield Station Gravesend Reporter
Excitement at news of a large number of German wounded were to be detrained at Longfield en route to Gore Farm hospital on Wednesday. "The Red Cross trains arrived shortly after 5 o'clock, and there being a large body of VAD and St John Ambulance helpers, the 96 men were speedily transferred to motor cars and conveyed to their destination." Some were on stretchers, "The majority, whose wounds were not very serious, appeared cheerful and thankful that they had escaped for the present from the tragedies of war". Military escort.

24 Sep 1915 Woodpulp Exports to Germany Dartford Chronicle
Discussion over whether woodpulp exports to Germany should be banned. Is it of use for munitions?

24 Sep 1915 Deed of Assignment for Benefit of Creditors London Gazette

25 Sep 1915 List of Kentish POWs Kent Messenger
Page devoted to long list of Kentish POWs. Number, name, regiment and POW camp

25 Sep 1915 Obituary of Crimean War Veteran Kent Messenger
Death at 91 of one of few survivors of Crimean War in Northfleet

25 Sep 1915 Evening Classes Kent Messenger
Longfield/Hartley - evening classes unlikely to occur this winter. Lace making postponed anyway

02 Oct 1915 Postcards of RN Ships Banned Gravesend Reporter
Traders told not to sell postcards fo Royal Navy Ships

02 Oct 1915 Gravesend Hospital Kent Messenger
Gravesend Hospital Pound Day - Hartley collector Mrs A Fowle

05 Oct 1915 Dressmakers Wanted Gravesend Standard
"Assistants wanted for high class dressmaking, half or whole day. Also apprentices - Apply, Miss Elphick, Haverstock Drive, Longfield, near Gravesend."

08 Oct 1915 Robson - May Wedding Dartford Chronicle
Marriage of Frank Robson of South Grafton, NSW, 2nd son of W Robson of Grafton House to Evelyn May [Crowther, 1924-2006] at Christchurch Cathedral, Grafton, NSW.

09 Oct 1915 Highway Maintenance Gravesend Reporter
Rural Development Company offers the highway surveyor a site west of the road between Hoselands hill and Three Corner Green to store stones. Water inlet at The Gables needs cleaning out, owner written to. Rural Dev Co willing to let land for stone depot at Longfield siding. Draft grant of land by Railway company to widen Hartley Road.

09 Oct 1915 Harrassment of Non-Combatants Gravesend Reporter
Shop worker (aged 45) replies to correspondent saying they are shirkers. It is not just about selling ribbons and tea, his job includes a lot of heavy lifting.

09 Oct 1915 Gravesend Recruiting Campaign Kent Messenger
"Follow the drum" Gravesend recruiting rally. 2,000 thought to have joined from the town already, but can do a lot better. Men of 3rd Gloucester and 10th West Kents attend. Few join immediately but they hope some will join later. Local MP said fact people can get double the wages at Tilbury Docks didn't help.

09 Oct 1915 Gravesend Hospital Kent Messenger
Longfield - practically every household contributed to hospital pound day, run by Miss Smith

16 Oct 1915 German Spy Peril' Kent Messenger
Talk in Gravesend by Mr Le Queux on "German Spy Peril" well attended

16 Oct 1915 Meopham Scout Troop Kent Messenger
Boy Scouts - Central North Kent Assocation now has 21 effective troops including Meopham. Need someone to run one at Longfield where many boys are willing to join

16 Oct 1915 Violets for Sale Gentlewoman
"Violets, large, for sale - Strawson, Hartley, Longfield, Kent."

[The Glen, Manor Drive]

23 Oct 1915 Imports of German Hops Kent Messenger
Writer shocked that UK imported 1,600 cwt of German hops last week

23 Oct 1915 Gravesend Recruiting Campaign Kent Messenger
"Three Country Girls" write to complain of number of slackers in Gravesend, in the small village where they live all eligible men have joined up

23 Oct 1915 Poultry Keeping for Blind Soldiers Mirror of Australia
"Light in our darkness" - picture of blind soliders at Rural Development Poultry Farm, Hartley

30 Oct 1915 Female workers in previously male jobs Kent Messenger
Mrs E Roberts of Gravesend writes to criticise those Gravesend Guardians who only attend every 6 months because a female (Mrs Jackson) was elected as chairman

03 Nov 1915 The Gables, Ash Road for Sale Bystander
The Gables, Hartley, near Longfield, Kent. For Sale £1,100 Freehold.

This charming little property occupies a very attractive situation on high ground, overlooking one of the prettiest rural districts. Only ¼ mile from station, village and church; 3 reception and 5 bedrooms, bathroom (h & c), and usual offices; motor garage and other out-buildings; tennis lawn and spinney; with well stocked gardens of about 1 acre. For further particulars address 'Owner' as above.

[The advert contains a good picture of the house. The Gables is on Ash Road at the top of Hoselands Hill]

13 Nov 1915 You Ought to be a Soldier (poem) Gravesend Reporter
9 verse poem by Keith Hedden "You ought to be a soldier" addressed to eligible and fit. "Young man you ought to be soldier!/And wear a khaki suit!/Your king is calling!/Can you that call dispute?...."

18 Nov 1915 Gravesend Hospital Kent Messenger
Gravesend VAD hospital thank donations from Hartley Social Club, Southfleet Congregational Church

20 Nov 1915 Rosherville VAD Hospital Kent Messenger
1st anniversary of Rosherville VAD Hospital

27 Nov 1915 Obituary of Edward Blackman of Longfield Hill Kent Messenger
Sapper Edward Henry Blackman, Kent Fortress RF of Longfield Hill drowned on HMS Hythe at Dardenelles on 28 October, aged 25

27 Nov 1915 Smith (Longfield) - First (Swanley) Wedding Kent Messenger
Gerald J D Smith of Longfield Rectory and Constance Gwendoline First of Swanley Junction married at Swanley

27 Nov 1915 Longfield Recruiting Campaign Kent Messenger
Longfield PC organises local committee to assist Derby Scheme. "Every effort is being made to secure the enlistment of the few remaining eligible men". Southfleet committee is running canvass and will send results to central committee in Dartford. 6 young men have joined up

04 Dec 1915 Sheep Worrying at Fairby Kent Messenger
Reward to find dogs guilty of sheep worrying at Fairby

04 Dec 1915 Percival Smith-Hartley of Old Downs Kent Messenger
"Dr Percival Horton Smith-Hartley, CVO MA FRCP of the Old Downs, Hartley, celebrated his 48th birthday on Thursday. He married, in 1895, the only daughter and heiress of the late Lieut-Col Joseph Hartley DL, and himself assumed the additional surname of Hartley in 1904. He is a well known medical man, and several works on medical and scientific subjects have issued from his pen."

11 Dec 1915 Theft of Chickens at Stack Lane Kent Messenger
"A Hartley Chicken Case" - Patrick Joseph Golding, a gardener in the employ of Miss Davies-Cooke at Middle Farm was charged with stealing ducks and fowls valued at 15s, the property of Ernest De Vere at Hartley on December 5th.

Henry Thomas Parrett, a gardener, employed by Mr Hill, at Home Cairn, said he missed the birds on Friday morning, when he found three of the fowl house doors open. An examination of the field showed the prints of hobnail boots. Prisoner's field adjoined his master's, and witness went and asked him if he had missed anything. Prisoner said 'No," but added that someone had been to his stable and let his donkey out. PS Binfield was informed, and later on brought a pair of boots, which he compared with the footprints. Prisoner was a married man, and lived in a cottage belonging to his mistress.

Crossexamined by Mr Clinch (for the defence), witness aid he had no doubt that somebody had let prisoner's donkey out of the stable in which it was kept, because, his (witness's) daughter was present when it was found. It was a fact that hundreds of men in the neighbourhood wore hobnail boots. He was surpised to find suspicion point to the prisoner, whom he had known for some time.

PS Binfield said he went to Middle Farm, Hartley, and saw prisoner. On the premises he found prints of hobnail boots similar to those he had seen in the field from which the birds were missing. Witness asked prisoner to show him his boots, and they corresponded with the prints. Prisoner suggested counting the nails, and this witness did, and found the number to be 13, with one blank space. There were not tips on the heels. The boots also had blood and feathers on them. Prisoner said he got the blood on his boots when he cut his thumb the previous day, but on being shown the alleged place witness replied, 'that did not bleed yesterday.' Prisoner said, 'You don't doubt me do you?' Witness replied 'I have not finished with you yet', whereupon prisoner said 'I told you a lie about the blood on my boots, I had the nose bleed yesterday.' Witness said 'Where?' and prisoner said 'While I was rolling the lawn'. Witness said 'Let us go and see where,' but prisoner replied 'It was raining at the time, and the blood was washed away.' The blood on the boots was congealed, and had got on to the boots while they were dry.

Cross examined by Mr Clinch, witness said he examined prisoner's house, but found no traces of missing birds.

In reply to Inspector Burbridge, witness said that the boots were hob-nailed in a very peculiar way. The prints had 14 nails on one foot and 13 on the other, with a blank space corresponding with a place on the boots where one nail had worn down.

Mr Clinch submitted that there was not enough evidence to hang a dog upon, and that the actions of the prisoner in assisting the police were the actions of an honest man.

Prisoner, in the box, said he scratched his thumb on Friday, and had the nose bleed on Saturday. The sergeant had said that there were 14 nails on one boot and 13 on the other, and that those corresponded with the prints in the field, but only 13 nails were to be seen in each boot on Sunday. He nailed the boots himself, and he knew absolutely nothing about the theft.

Examined by Inspector Burbridge. He could not explain why the blood was washed off the lawn, but not off his boots.

Prisoner was convicted and fined £3, or one month's imprisonment." ["Home Cairn" should be Home Care, probably later Homefield, Stack Lane]

11 Dec 1915 Female workers in previously male jobs Kent Messenger
Kent Women and Agriculture meeting at Sessions House, Maidstone. Agree to set up county, district and parish committees, arrange meetings in each village and keep register of volunteeers, to encourage food production in gardens or allotments. Possibly badges for each volunteer.

11 Dec 1915 Gravesend Recruiting Campaign Kent Messenger
Gravesend BC - Finance Committee recommends that all employees attest.

17 Dec 1915 Belgian Refugees at Hartley De Stem Uit Belgie
Daughter to refugee Paul Ketele at Hartley

18 Dec 1915 Gravesend Recruiting Campaign Gravesend Reporter
Brisk local recruiting - at Milton Barracks under Lt Hiscock this week. The reporter was impressed by the cheerfulness of the crowd. Several hundred attended on each of the 3 days. Gravesend recruiting area covers from Dartford to Isle of Grain and includes boroughs of Gravesend, Northfleet and rural districts of Dartford and Strood (part). Seems to be connected with attestation scheme, men given khaki armband to show they have enlisted (previously several people said they would join when called for)

18 Dec 1915 Female workers in previously male jobs Gravesend Reporter
First of 24 female postladies (letter carriers) started work in Gravesend on Tuesday.

18 Dec 1915 Christmas Turkeys Gravesend Reporter
David Grieg has turkeys for 10½d per pound.

18 Dec 1915 Swanley Recruiting Campaign Kent Messenger
Big rush in Swanley, Farningham and Crockenhill to attest under Lord Derby's scheme. Huge crowds at Milton, in spite of 40-50 volunteers and extra doctor, they had to work until 3am some days.

18 Dec 1915 Swanscombe Recruiting Campaign Kent Messenger
Swanscombe PC reported canvass of men, 771 'cards' returned, 23 outstanding 'shirkers' kept moving house to avoid canvass. Single - 100 would enlist, 158 doubtful or refused, 51 already enlisted. Married 147, 201 and 12. Most cooperated but one canvasser had to call at two houses 10 times.

25 Dec 1915 From a Soldier Kent Messenger
Eccles soldier tells men to join up now to crush "Prussianism" and "the rascals of the Capitalist Class of this country" and women to boycott shops if male assistants don't have khaki armband