New Publications
The Hoo Peninsula Landscape
‘The Hoo Peninsula Landscape’ by Sarah Newsome, Edward Carpenter and Peter Kendall (ISBN 978-1-84802-225-6). Part of Historic England’s Informed Conservation series.
The heritage of the Hoo Peninsula has until now been little known beyond the local area, despite being only 30 miles from the capital. From a rare 17th century pond built to trap ducks, to a decoy oil depot built to deceive German bombers during the Second World War, Historic England (HE) experts have been uncovering and protecting the extraordinary historic sites of the Hoo Peninsula. They have researched and mapped the landscape, archaeology and development of this area of north Kent, acknowledging that events and activities have taken place here over the centuries as part of much bigger stories, with national, and sometimes international, significance. Sarah Newsome, Senior Investigator at HE said: “Through this project, we have revealed that the Hoo has a complex history that goes beyond the familiar Dickensian idea of a low-lying land of misty marshes”
HE is delighted to offer KAS members 33% discount and free p&p (normally £14.99). Please ring 01235 465577 or email direct.orders@marston.co.uk and quote ref. number 7200160002 to take advantage of this offer and get your copy for £10.00. Offer expires 30 June 2016.
BELOW: Decoy pond on the marshes at High Halstow
ABOVE: Circular channels, fuelled and set alight to replicate burning oil tanks, decoys to draw enemy bombs away
Malting and Malthouses in Kent
James Preston
This publication from Amberley Books fills the gap in Kent’s industrial history between already published works on hopping and brewing. At the beginning of the 19th century brewing was England’s third largest industry, with a commensurate demand for its main ingredient, malt. Kent, particularly North Kent and Thanet, were well placed for growing and malting barley to supply local and London brewers, with roughly half of all malt consumed in London in the 17th and early 18th century.
This book charts the history of malting in Kent. It explains the malting process which was to remain unchanged until after the abolition of the Malt Tax in 1880, and describes how function determined the design of malthouse buildings. How the organisation of the industry shifted from small independent maltsters to country brewers who employed large-scale malthouses is examined. The reasons why malting in Kent suffered a slow decline until it finally disappeared in 1931 is investigated, its fate being inextricably linked to national trends in brewing. The industries’ heritage, in the form of malthouses which survived demolition and now generally listed buildings with a new life as flats or desirable residences, is fully described.
The book is well illustrated with 102 archival and contemporary photographs telling the story of an important, but neglected, local industry. Normal price £14.99, but offered to KAS members for a limited time post free at £13.50 from the author at 162 Bostal Road, Rochester, Kent ME1 3BB. Cheques should be made payable to J Preston – please include your postal address.
Kentish Administrations in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1559-1660
David Wright - david@eastkent@gmail.com
Most researchers will know that over one million PCC wills are online and easily available to read and download. However, the administrations are not digitised and only partly indexed.
David Wright has now made a consolidated index of the first hundred years of Kent entries by parish and surname, freely available at his website - davidwright.co.uk. Most entries give name, parish (and sometimes rank or occupation), plus details of the administrators, usually close family, but often friends, creditors or other people. They are a valuable ancillary source to the wills themselves and all too often overlooked or ignored, perhaps because of being in Latin, but as the format changed very little over the centuries, practice with the post-1733 English ones will soon give greater confidence to tackle what can often be extremely interesting and valuable information such as the death or remarriage of widows, children and executors, the guardianship of minors, and so on.
A full article on the index will appear in the June 2016 Kent Family History Society Journal.