In 1803 Napoleon began planning an invasion of England and began to gather and train a new army in camps on the north French coast which eventually amounted to some 200,000 men supported by over 2,000 ships of various types and sizes. Other invasion methods were considered, including a fleet of troop-carrying balloons and a […]
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John Pemberton Plumptre and Jane Austen’s niece
During the latter part of 1814 Jane’s niece Fanny Knight, the daughter of her brother Edward, wrote to Jane asking her advise as to whether she should marry J.P.P., who was described as gentlemanly and wise; but also religious and too serious. Jane’s advise regarding his firm religious beliefs was ”don’t be frightened by the idea […]
The Redd Lyon at Frogham-renamed The Phoenix in 1833
In 1833, during John Hopper’s tenure as land-lord, “The Red Lion” was renamed “The Phoenix”. In December of 1832 John Pemberton Plumptre of Fredville had been elected to Parliament as one of the two Eastern Kent M.P’s., the other being Sir Edward Knatchbull, Bt. and a celebration dinner was held at “The Red Lion” on February […]
Recently come to light photographs of:Holt Street
Recently I have been fortunate enough to have had access to the archive of the late Aubrey Sutton, a Nonington born man with an interest in local history whose father harvested the last crop to be grown on the site of Snowdown Colliery. The archive contains hundred of slides, photographs and news-paper cuttings concerning Nonington […]
Recently come to light photographs of: the Fredville Houses and the hamlet of Frogham
Recently I have been fortunate enough to have had access to the archive of the late Aubrey Sutton, a Nonington born man with an interest in local history whose father harvested the last crop to be grown on the site of Snowdown Colliery. The archive contains hundred of slides, photographs and news-paper cuttings concerning Nonington […]
Molly and Tommy Smith-cave dwellers
The Kentish Gazette of the 30th November, 1886, reported: “The death has occurred at the Eastry Union of ‘Molly’, who for half a century or more has lived in a cave at Womenswold. ‘Molly’ or Mary Anny Smith, as her real name was, was about 70 years old and lived with her son Tommy, who earns […]
The present parish of Nonington, where and why.
The present parish of Nonington, often spelt Nonnington, is to be found in East Kent some two miles or so to the north-east of the A2 approximately mid-way between Dover and Canterbury. Sandwich is some seven miles to the north-east and Deal is about ten miles or so to the east. The original parish of Nonington measured roughly […]
The Plumptre Hospital in Plumptre Square, Nottingham
The Plumptre Hospital in Plumptre Square was founded by John de Plumptre, a wool merchant and sometime Mayor of Nottingham, in 1392 during the reign of Richard II. The hospital was more of an almshouse than a hospital and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was endowed to support a Master and a priest […]
The Nonington Poor Houses in Church Street and Easole Street-revised
The system of poor relief in post-Reformation England had its origins early in the reign of Elizabeth I when consolidating Acts of Parliament of 1597 and 1601 established the civil parish as the administrators of the Poor Law. Every Parish Vestry was ordered to hold annual elections, usually at Easter, to elect an overseer of […]
Beating the Nonington Parish Bounds in 1895
The following are taken from the Nonington parish magazines of May and June of 1895 May, 1895