|
Elham beat off stiff competition for the title of Kent Village of the year 2011 organised by Action with Communities in Rural Kent.
|
Censuses for outlying communities in the parish will be rolled out gradually. Check out the stats page for interesting facts and
|
trivia about the village. We still need your help so please send us any information relating to Elham that may be of interest.
|
|
Les Ames hits out
|
|
Elham resident Les Ames in action for England against the West Indies in 1939. He was one of the finer wicketkeeper - batsmen and played for Kent CCC.
|
Abbot's Fireside c 1450
|
The Abbot's Fireside is one of the older buildings in the village and probably dates back to the mid fifteenth century.
|
Audrey attends school
|
|
Audrey Hepburn (left) lived in Orchard Cottage (Five Bells) for five years in her childhood (1935-1940) and attended the local village schools. She took ballet lessons
and dreamed of becoming a prima ballerina. I wonder what became of her?
|
George V Playing Field
|
Dave Lee opens Elham's brand new playground with a sensory garden and a pretty flower meadow created by the Play for Elham charity. 21st November 2010
|
|
|
Swing Riots of 1830
|
The machine breaking that led to the riots of August 1830 onwards started in the Elham Parish, writes our historian Derek Boughton,
who has made a lifetime's study of the subject.
Elham residents were prominent in the gangs that sought out the new fangled threshing machines and destroyed them. Some of them cost the not inconsiderable sum for the day of £100.
Full Story
|
Sad Loss
1811
|
|
March 25, at his house in Eiham 'Mr. John Bowes, aged 75, whose loss is greatly lamented by his numerous friends and acquaintance. He belonged to the choir of psalm singers nearly 40 years, in which he always took an active part; he departed this life after a long and distressing illness, which he bore with the fortitude of a man and the resignation of a christian; he was distinguished for his uprightness and moderation, with a proper degree of firmness on all occasions which required it; sincere in his attachments and friendship, he observed that mild and conliatory demeanor towards all, that a loss so generally regretted will rarely occur.
Kentish Gazette - Tuesday 02 April 1811
|
|
|
Electricity
1934
|
|
The first electricity comes through the village. All the wires were on long poles along the street but it was some time before most people were connected up.
"It was a very welcome service. All you needed to do was put a switch down and you had heat or light; no more candles or oil lamps to read or sew by. It's wonderful how people managed with such poor light."
Memoires of Bill Watson
|
|
|
|
ALLEGED EMBEZZLEMENT BY AN AGENT
1890
|
Stephen Pilcher File was indicted for, that he being a servant to Joshua Cox and William Ellyett, making false entries in certain books of accounts, the property of his employers, with intent to defraud on the 9th July, 26th July, 24th August, 19th September, and 28th December, 1889, and on February 7th, 1890, at Elham. Mr. Gore and Mr. Arthur Gill (instructed by Mr. R. M. Mercer, Canterbury) prosecuted, and Mr. Lewis Glyn and Mr. G. Thorn Drury defended. The clerk of the Peace mentioned that there were several gentlemen from Elham on the petty jury, and counsel for the prosecution thought it would be fairer if perfect strangers were engaged in trying the case. Mr. Glyn said he did not object, but the application was a most unusual one. Fresh jurymen having been substituted, the case was proceeded with. Mr. Gore, in opening the case, said the prisoner was charged with fourteen offences under the Falsification of Accounts Act, by means of which he succeeded in defrauding his employer of a sum of about £150. The facts were that up to 1888 the prisoner had carried on business as a grocer and draper, and also as a farmer at Elham, and was at that time unable to meet his engagements. At a meeting of his creditors an arrangement was come to, whereby File made over his property, consisting of his shop and stock, to certain trustees, so that it might be carried on for the benefit of the creditors, he remaining as manager. One creditor was the firm Of Messrs. Cox and Ellyett, wholesale grocers of Canterbury. They were old acquaintances of File, and when the arrangement had been come to, prisoner asked them, and they finally consented to buy the business from the trustees, and allow him to carry on the shop, so that he might, if possible, pay of the debts he owed them, in which case there was a kind of understanding that he should have the business as his own. Mr. Cox bought the business for £1,372, and an agreement was entered into, by which File was engaged as manager at a salary of £10 a month. From the commencement the largest discretion was given to prisoner, and this largest confidence placed in him. It must be admitted that there was neglect on the part of Mr. Cox in failing to have the accounts properly checked.
Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald - Saturday 18 October 1890
|
|
|