No litter picks in Hoo for a while!

The monthly Hoo Clean Up litter pick is on hold until further notice.

I formed the Hoo Clean Up back in 2012 to highlight the growing litter problem in the centre of Hoo. Sadly, the litter problem still exists.

These days the group is very much a positive social gathering for a small, but enthusiastic, bunch of residents.

   

Good news for Aveling group

Following the group’s first public event last September (Thomas Aveling’s Birthday Celebration 2019), the Thomas Aveling Society rolls into 2020 with three positive developments to report.

Firstly, Hoo resident and talented artist Alan Page presented Michael Pearce with a fabulous painting showing an imagined scene featuring Thomas with one of his steam road rollers outside the Invicta Works in Strood.

Secondly, thanks to a donation of £200 from the Blakemore Foundation (owners of Hoo Spar), plus additional support by Village Voices Publishing, the ‘Mobile Thomas Aveling Museum’ will be launched later this month (January). The project is part of the group’s ‘Reaching Out Education Programme’ and will see an exhibition placed in schools and local groups for set periods.

Lastly, the Thomas Aveling Society recently lobbied Medway Council and housing developer Taylor Wimpey to assign Thomas Aveling themed names to roads on a new housing development along Stoke Road in Hoo (yet to start construction). Thomas worked for farmer Edward Lake (of Abbots Court) on the fields around Stoke Road (and Abbots Court) as a young man - possibly developing his early inventions and engineering ideas on the very fields now being developed. The Thomas Aveling Society has agreed for the following road names to be assigned: Thomas Aveling Road, Invicta Drive, Harvest Rise, Plough Close, Foundry Close, Blacksmith Lane and Edward Lake Drive.

The Thomas Aveling Society was formed in 2014 to promote and celebrate the life and legacy of pioneering engineer Thomas Aveling, who lived in Hoo as a boy and young man. He was buried in the churchyard at St. Werburgh Church following his death in 1882, aged 57.

  

Seven years of the Hoo Clean Up

When I formed the Hoo Clean Up community litter picking event back in January 2012 I didn't think it would still be regularly taking place seven years later.

A team of Hoo residents last month marked the seventh anniversary of the Hoo Clean Up at the group's first litter pick of 2019. The volunteers were joined by a group of enthusiastic beavers (and cubs and scouts) from 50th Medway Towns (Hoo) Scout Group (all pictured below).

The Hoo Clean Up wasn't formed to provide a litter picking service, or to highlight any failing in service by Medway Council (or its contractors). It was formed to highlight a growing problem of residents (of all ages) who needlessly drop litter.

I am pleased to say that I have attended all but two or three events since January 2012.

If you would like to take part - the volunteers in Hoo meet on the last Saturday of every month (except in April and December) at 9.30am, outside Hoo Library (Church Street, Hoo , ME3 9AL). The session is followed by free refreshments (sponsored by the Village Voices Community Magazine) back at Hoo Library.
 

Engineering Hitler’s Downfall

I took the below photo (and many others) back in 2011. It shows World War Two anti-tank obstacles (Dragon’s Teeth) near Grain beach.

The history of these defences (as well as one of my photos), along with other initiatives deployed during the Second World War, are featured in a book by Gwilym Roberts called Engineering Hitler’s Downfall. It was published late last year and includes a Forward by Admiral Lord West. 

You can purchase the book online (for £18.99) by clicking here.

If you'd like to take a look at my original post from February 2011, click here.
 

Merry Christmas!

I hope you have an enjoyable and relaxing Christmas.

If you'd like to see how wintry the Hoo Peninsula landscape looked back in 2010, click here for some photographs.
 

WW1: Remembering each and every one

I’ve written before about my local ancestors William Watson (from Stoke) and Harry Stratford (from St. Mary Hoo), who were killed during the First World War.

Next month will be the centenary of the end of the First World War (Armistice). You’ve probably already heard about many activities, events and commemorations taking place across the country.

The Royal British Legion, in partnership with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, has developed something called Every One Remembered, a project to individually commemorate over one million Commonwealth service men and women who were killed during the First World War. The losses were felt in almost every town and village in the UK and throughout what was then the British Empire.

Every One Remembered is an opportunity for you to be part of a great collective act of Remembrance.

I believe the project is only accessible online, so if you’re not online you’ll need to enlist the help of a friend or family member. Then visit the dedicated website where you can choose to commemorate someone you know - a relative or person on your local war memorial - or commemorate someone randomly selected for you. There is also an optional opportunity for you to make a donation to support the Royal British Legion’s work with the Armed Forces community.

I’ve added an entry for my ancestor William Stephen Watson. He lived in Lower Stoke on the Hoo Peninsula. It only took a few minutes to complete the entry. I couldn’t add a photo of William as I don’t have one. I only have a brief description of him on his military record - I sadly don’t know what he looked like.

If you’d like to share photos and stories about any local ancestors who fought in the First World War please get in touch using the contact panel on the right.
 

Is it farewell to The White Horse?

Perhaps it was only a matter of time before a proposal came forward to demolish The White Horse pub in Upper Stoke, but I’m still rather sad about the prospect.

A planning application was submitted to Medway Council (the local planning authority) on 8th June to demolish this old building and replace it with a number of dwellings. The summary advises the following:

“MC/18/1736 - Outline planning application with all matters reserved for the demolition of existing public house and outbuilding and construction of three detached four-bed houses with integral single garage and a pair of garages linked detached four-bed houses with associated parking and landscaping - White Horse Public House, The Street, Stoke, Rochester, ME3 9RT”.

I’ve mentioned The White Horse a few times on this website (click here, here and here for a few examples) explaining my links with the place.

I love old buildings so it’ll be sad to see The White Horse disappear from the Upper Stoke streetscape.

I hope I win the National Lottery this evening!

Click here to be directed to the relevant section on Medway Council's planning portal.
  

Get to work on your archive

Nearly all of us have a box or two of old family photos tucked away in the loft, cellar or sideboard. These boxes usually provide a fascinating insight into family life - with a mix of old black and white images and colour photos with the odd Polaroid thrown in. 

But what happens to that treasured box of photos when we’re no longer around - do they get passed on to someone else in the family? Will they know who is actually pictured in all those personal memories?

Well, I’m encouraging everyone to dig out their old photos and have a ‘family day’ to sort through them and to make a note on the back of each photo of who is pictured (and to add any other useful details). 

Each box of photos is a great source of social history - your own personal history archive. Who knows where our photos will one day end up, but at least if someone has made a note on the back - whoever is looking at them will know who they are looking at.

  

Contact

Through the 'Get In Touch' section on this blog - I receive many requests for assistance with family history research, as well as others simply looking for more information about villages on the Hoo Peninsula. I always try responding as quickly as possible, but due to the nature of many of the requests - I can't always provide an immediate answer.

I will be including some of the requests (particularly those relating to family history research) in my monthly local history article in the Village Voices Community Magazine (delivered to 15,100 properties on the Hoo Peninsula, Frindsbury, Higham, and Wainscott). This will enable the widest possible exposure and hopefully help with some of the requests.

So, either through Village Voices or the contact section on this blog, please stay in touch.
 

Centenary of the Armistice

The centenary of the end of the First World War will be in November and many commemorations are being planned up and down the country. I’ll be including more details about these on this blog in the coming months.

In the meantime, a local list of events, projects and activities to commemorate the centenary is being compiled by the quarterly Strood & Hoo Peninsula Times and the monthly Village Voices Community Magazine. The full list will be published in these two publications later in the year.

If representatives of local groups would like to ensure that their activities to commemorate the centenary of the Armistice is recorded on the list, it is essential for them to get in touch by writing to Village Voices Publishing, PO Box 692, Rochester, Kent, ME1 9LN. Or information can be emailed by clicking here.

I will be regularly featuring items relating to the First World War in my local history column published in the monthly Village Voices Community Magazine. I'll also be sharing on this blog more research I have recently undertaken into the life of my ancestor William Watson (from the village of Lower Stoke), who was killed during the First World War. 

Share your local history!

Since starting my monthly local history column in the Village Voices Community Magazine earlier this year, I have been overwhelmed with people contacting me in response to my requests for sharing information about the area and old family photographs. As well as residents from the Hoo Peninsula, I have also been contacted by those who live further afield (but who have a connection to the area).

I will happily feature as many items as I can over the coming months, just keep getting in touch and be sure to include as many details (and photos) as you can when you do, as this helps greatly.

It really is fascinating to learn so much about other people’s family history and discovering even more about our fascinating area (especially when old photographs are supplied).

To get in touch, either use the contact panel (right) or send an email to the Village Voices Community Magazine by clicking here.

  

Remembering William Watson

Back in November 2011 I visited Arras in northern France to see the grave of a relative who was killed in action during the First World War.

A resident of the small settlement of Stoke here on the Hoo Peninsula, William Stephen Watson was my great grandfather’s nephew. He was only 21 when he was killed, on 17th February 1917 during the Battle of Miraumont.

With the passing of this centenary, I hope I will get the opportunity to visit Arras again in the near future.

Click here to view the full account of my 2011 visit to Arras.

  

Old BAE Club to be demolished

Following the recent purchase by Bellway Homes Limited of land at the top of Bells Lane in Hoo, previously occupied by the BAE Sports & Social Club (later known as The Village Community, Sports & Social Club and, prior to its closure, as the Peninsula Club), demolition of buildings on the site is about to commence.

According to a notice on the perimeter fence the buildings could be demolished tomorrow (28th December) or thereabouts.  It will mark the beginning of a process involving potentially hundreds of new homes being built in this part of Hoo, although at the time of writing I have not seen a formal planning application.

My own memories of this site are relatively recent.  Back in 2013 I was one of the organisers of the semi-successful Hoo Village Fun Day.  We welcomed special guests Cllr. Josie Iles (then the Mayor of Medway), Mark Reckless MP and Rochester Town Crier Robin Burfoot, and we enjoyed many attractions, including the fabulous Big Sing Choir (under the instruction of T Jae Cole), a strongman contest and a helicopter flypast.  It was an exhausting day.

It is sad knowing that this once popular facility, including its double recreation ground, will not be hosting such events ever again.

Fun Day photographs appear courtesy of the Village Voices Community Magazine.

  

Merry Christmas!

I hope you have an enjoyable and relaxing Christmas.

If you'd like to see how festive the Hoo Peninsula landscape looked at this very same time back in 2010, click here for some photographs.
 

Hoo Marina is waiting for you!

I always enjoy popping down to Hoo Marina (now known as Port Werburgh). It’s high up on the list of places to go locally whenever I have family and friends staying over - just like when my mother and sister visited last summer.

Although you have to go through a small industrial area to get there, the views of the River Medway from the marina are worth it.

And, you can enjoy a nice cuppa and something tasty to eat at Hoo Riverside Diner - perfectly placed within the marina. Next door you’ll find the office of Premier Houseboats, offering a really interesting range of boats for sale - always good to have a nose at the sales board on the window!

From Saturday 9 March another business will be opening in the marina, next to Riverside Diner, called Beach Hut 'n' Boats. They’ll be offering a colourful range of products. Take a look at their website by clicking here.

Hoo Riverside Diner is open from Monday to Friday (8am to 4pm) and Saturdays and Sundays (8.30am to 4pm).

So, when you get some spare time, pop down to Port Werburgh and see what you’ve been missing!

  

Backed by the people!

I thought I’d share this photograph of my new t-shirt.

I designed it online last weekend and it was delivered this morning. One of only two made, it was produced at no cost to the taxpayer of course!

The front shows the Stop Estuary Airport campaign logo, with the most recent version of my photo-wall on the back - featuring many local residents.

Keep up to date with the Stop Estuary Airport campaign by clicking here. Alternatively, take a look at the website run by the Friends of the North Kent Marshes here.

No surrender!

  

No surrender, no Thames Estuary airport!

It's been a while since I added anything on here about opposing the ludicrous idea of constructing an airport in the Thames Estuary. But that doesn't mean the issue has gone away, sadly. Far from it!

I thought I'd include my most recent ‘Stop Estuary Airport’ photo-wall produced last year, to highlight the parliamentary petition currently being organised by the MP for Rochester and Strood, Mark Reckless. Mark represents all of the communities on the Hoo Peninsula - from Cliffe to the Isle of Grain.

You can show your support for opposing a Thames Estuary airport, and for Mark's petition, by completing the online petition form on his website. Just click here to get involved.

If you’re concerned about the possible destruction of the Hoo Peninsula, please make every effort to get your voice heard! Tell all your friends, family, neighbours and colleagues about the petition - let's send the message, loud and clear, that there'll be 'no surrender' from the people of the Hoo Peninsula!

Stay in touch with the Stop Estuary Airport campaign by visiting Medway Council's dedicated website. Another excellent resource is the site run by the Friends of the North Kent Marches, click here to visit.

Step up and save the peninsula from destruction!

  

Stop the Thames Estuary Airport!

The campaign to prevent our area being destroyed by a Thames Estuary Airport has really taken off!

Medway Council, the RSPB and Friends of the North Kent Marshes continue to work hard, and in partnership with local residents, to prevent this catastrophe from happening.

My Photo Wall - a work in progress!

Although the media hype has calmed down in recent weeks, local residents are being encouraged to ‘keep up the pressure’ and maintain the campaign momentum.

That's why it is great to see more and more residents and businesses across the Hoo Peninsula displaying posters, leaflets and car stickers.

The dedicated Stop Estuary Airport campaign website, run by Medway Council, provides detailed information about where you can pick up leaflets, posters and car stickers. It also explains how you can get involved in the campaign.

As well as the Medway Council site, it’s also worth taking a look at the website run by the Friends of the North Kent Marshes by clicking here. The RSPB website also has an interesting section about the Estuary Airport proposals, with lots of useful and detailed analysis and information.

Step up, get up and together let’s Stop the Thames Estuary Airport from becoming a reality.
  

News of Thames Estuary Airport proposals reach Switzerland

An unexpected package landed on my doormat yesterday, post marked Zurich. As I don’t know anyone in Switzerland, I wondered what on earth it could be!

It was from an organisation called SVS / BirdLife Switzerland and contained the latest edition of their magazine ‘Ornis’ - which reminded me of a request a couple of months ago from them to use one of the pictures from this website.

I don’t claim to be anything other than a keen amateur when it comes to photography, but it was nice to see one of my snaps actually published in a magazine. The image they selected shows a view of Hoo Flats, as seen from the Saxon Shore Way along the River Medway. The photo appears as part of an article about the Thames Estuary Airport proposals. Not speaking very good German, I’m afraid I can’t tell you ‘exactly’ what the article says.

Lots of interest in our little corner of the world. But not really a great surprise given that parts of our local area are internationally important to wildlife.

If you want to know more about why our local landscape is so important, visit the dedicated pages on the RSPB website here.

  

Muddies get national exposure

Since starting this website a couple of years ago, I’ve learnt lots about the Hoo Peninsula from the growing number of people who get in touch to share their stories and old photos.

I’ve even discovered quite a few ‘new’ distant cousins. Always nice!

Early last year I was contacted by Jill Warby (nee Mortley). Jill was born in Upper Stoke and her family are well known in many local villages, but especially Stoke and Allhallows. But it was only last week that I worked out Jill and I are third cousins, through her mother’s side of the family. We share the same great-great-grandfather, John Watson, who was born in Allhallows in 1833.

As I mentioned the other day, Jill has written a wonderful article about her ‘muddie’ grandfather, Sidney George Mortley. The article has been published in the March edition of The Countryman magazine.

Here’s a photo of Jill with her copy of the magazine. She is pictured with a photo of her late father Ronald Sidney Mortley on the wall behind her.

Well done Jill - it’s really good to see the ‘muddies’ getting some national exposure. They form a fascinating part of our local history. 

If you missed the article I wrote about muddies last week, just click here to take a look.