Two nephews of my Great-Grandfather Herbert Watson joined many others from the Hoo Peninsula in putting their lives on the line during World War I.
So today, when everyone in Britain is thinking about those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, I’m remembering William Watson (Lower Stoke) and his cousin Harry Stratford (St. Mary Hoo) who left their respective villages, and families, to fight for King and country. Never to return.
Private William Stephen Watson
- 3 Gravel Pit, Lower Stoke -
1st Royal Marine Battalion, Royal Marine Light Infantry
A Christmas Market will be held at the Recreation Hall (Village Hall, The Street) in High Halstow on Saturday 13 November, from 12 noon onwards. Plenty of festive fayre will be available and a special visitor from the north pole will be making an appearance!
The Grain Over Forty Fives Group (GOFFS) will hold their Winter / Christmas Fair on Saturday 13 November, between 11am and 2pm. The event will take place at the Village Hall, Chapel Road, Isle of Grain. To book a stall or for further information, phone Jenny on 01634 271759 or Cynthia on 01634 272478.
I joined the High Halstow Hikers this morning for a nine mile trek along country lanes and farm tracks between High Halstow and Cliffe - with the farmers’ permission where there were no public footpaths. The weather was crisp and sunny and almost 20 people turned-up. We set-off from High Halstow Village Hall at just after 9.30am and headed down Cooling Road, turning into Wybournes Farm and then towards Cooling. After stopping for a quick look at St. James’ Church in Cooling, we headed for Cliffe, passing through Rye Street. The return journey to High Halstow took us through Morning Cross, Cooling Street, Spendiff and Cooling Court, before a pit-stop at The Horseshoe and Castle, in Cooling. We arrived back at High Halstow at just after 1pm.
It was nice to meet so many people enjoying a really well organised walk. High Halstow Hikers’ next event will be held in early December and posters will be displayed around High Halstow village.
There will be a Bonfire Night Party and Sing-a-Long at Allhallows seafront tonight (access via Allhallows Leisure Park). The bonfire will be lit at 7pm and there will be refreshments and other goodies available.
A second bonfire event will be held next week, on Friday 12 November, sponsored by Allhallows Parish Council. More details will follow on this site shortly.
Medway Neighbourhood Watch would like to hear from residents concerning the setting-up of new Neighbourhood Watch schemes on the Hoo Peninsula. For further details and an information pack, please contact John Haddaway (Watch Liaison Officer) on 01634 792131.
The November edition of The Beacon Parish Magazine is out now! The magazine is full of information about local events and community articles. Although delivered to many areas in the village, copies can also be obtained from some local shops, including: Choicemeats at 1 Fourwents Road and the Newsagent at 35 Knights Road.
For further information, contact the Editor (Mrs Muriel Bewsey) on 01634 252129.
There will be a Farmers' Market at the Village Hall in High Halstow (The Street, High Halstow) between 9am and 11.30am on Saturday 6 November. Pop along for fruit, vegetables, cakes, honey, gifts, plants, bulbs, pickles, chutneys, sweets, pet food, jewellery, greeting cards and much more!
High Halstow Farmers' Market is held on the first Saturday of the month at the Village Hall.
I went along to the High Halstow Autumn Fair yesterday afternoon, held at Memorial Hall. It was good that lots of others had turned-out, despite the weather. Amongst a variety of stalls, I can happily report there was a great selection of tasty homemade cakes!
Following the Autumn Fair, it was a short walk along the road to the Red Dog. It was nice to see the pub so busy after only a few days of being re-opened.
A special welcome and every success to Lee Atkinson, the new licensee of the Red Dog pub in High Halstow.
The pub re-opened its doors to the public this week, following a period of refurbishment. Lee is hoping to make the pub a place to be proud of and is serving-up a variety of quality real ales and good food. Having been fully transformed, the pub's interior offers a warm, friendly and inviting atmosphere.
I used to play in a Bat and Trap team that won a league championship in East Kent, so it was good to hear about the thriving Peninsula Bat and Trap League, of which the 2010 season ended on Wednesday 3 October. The Finals Night was held at the Evening Star pub in Cliffe.
The following pubs were awarded with cups and trophies:
Royal Oak (Wainscott) - 53 Cooling Road, ME2 4RP. Six Bells (Cliffe) - 181 Church Street, Cliffe, ME3 7QD. Tudor Rose (Upnor) - 29 High Street, Upnor, ME2 4XG. Evening Star (Cliffe) - 128 Church Street, Cliffe, ME3 7PY. White Horse (Upper Stoke) - The Street, Upper Stoke, ME3 9RT.
The 2011 season will start in April / mid May and finishes at the end of September. Games are held on a Wednesday evening, commencing at 8pm. Any pub wishing to submit a team should contact Danny Gibson on 01634 290079 or 07988 769604. Or you can email Danny here.
Bat and Trap is an old Kent game, dating as far back as the 1700s - according to Ye Olde Beverlie pub in Canterbury! The Canterbury & District Bat and Trap League was the first to be set-up, in the 1920s. If you want to know more, their website provides detailed information about the history of the game in Kent.
Click the video below to see how Bat and Trap was played in the 'good old days' - not that much has changed, although it isn't necessary to wear a suit anymore!
I was recently contacted by Chris Fenner, who runs a family history website. The site includes information about numerous family members that lived on the Hoo Peninsula. Click here to visit the website.
The Isle of Grain Youth Soccer School started in September 2010, for children aged 4 to 15. Meeting on the St. James' C of E Primary School football field, behind the Church on the High Street, kick-off is at 9.30am every Saturday morning. Cost per child is £2.50.
For membership details and other information, contact Paul on 07818 558036. The Isle of Grain Youth Soccer School recently obtained sponsorship from E.ON.
On Sunday 31 October, from 2pm until 5pm, there will be an Autumn Fair at Memorial Hall, The Street, High Halstow. 20p entry fee for adults with free raffle. All proceeds go to CPC Kent, registered charity number: 1041434.
Pop along and purchase presents and gifts, including: gift baskets, gift mugs, homemade cards, candles, handbags, bracelets, necklaces and much more! Refreshments available.
To book a table, please call Emma-Louise on 07860 144010.
Making the most of the sunny weather, I headed to St. Mary Hoo this morning and joined public footpath RS22, before linking-up with the ‘curlews, convicts and contraband’ walking route. There were great views of the estuary as I walked across St. Mary’s Marshes and Halstow Marshes to St. Mary’s Bay and Egypt Bay. A favoured landing spot for smugglers, Egypt Bay was also home to Napoleonic prison ships.
From St. Mary Hoo (The Street), I walked towards Ross Farm and followed the road past The Old Rectory, where walking markers are placed. I followed these markers down through a number of fields before reaching St. Mary’s Bay.
The route between St. Mary’s Bay and Egypt Bay is clear, offering numerous opportunities to enjoy the views.
Although both St. Mary’s Bay and Egypt Bay are similar looking, Egypt Bay has had concrete sea defences added.
There will be a Farmers' Market at the Village Hall in Lower Stoke (Mallard Way, Lower Stoke) between 10am and 2pm on Saturday 9 October (tomorrow). Pop along for local produce, pet food, jewellery, cards and much much more!
Taken from the September 2010 edition of the High Halstow Times (the date on the advertisement should read Saturday 9 October) - please click the image to enlarge:
This week I’ve been looking at how the area has changed over the years, comparing recently taken photographs with a small collection of old postcards I’ve come across.
The last postcard shows the White Horse pub in Upper Stoke. The farmhouse belonging to Court Lodge Farm can be seen on the other side of the road, which is obscured by trees in a more recent photograph.
Do you have any old postcards or photographs of the area? Would you like to share them on this website? Please get in touch using the contact page.
Following other posts made this week, it's time to look at another old postcard of the local area. This time the postcard shows the High Road in Stoke - now known as the High Street.
Compare the old postcard to the recently taken photograph below - both were taken from just outside Mackay's Court Farm and point towards the centre of Lower Stoke.
Further to the post I made yesterday, this old postcard shows Old Forge House in Lower Stoke, opposite the Nags Head pub. The exact location is where Cuckolds Green Road, Grain Road and Chapel Road meet.
The prominent wooden structure, to the left of the house, is the forge. The Ship Inn, which was sadly demolished in the 1950s, is partially visible next to the forge. Look closely and you can see a windmill in the background.
Compare the old postcard to the photograph I took recently of the same location.
I recently bought some old postcards of the area and I will be sharing these on this website in coming days. To help compare how things have changed, I will also include recent photographs of the same locations.
Today, the postcard is of Station Road in Middle Stoke - now known as Grain Road. These photographs point towards Burrows Lane. Like many places on the Hoo Peninsula, Middle Stoke once had its own railway station, called Middle Stoke Halt. It opened in July 1906 and closed in December 1961.
The Hoo Peninsula stands out on any map of the Thames Estuary. It falls within the Thames Gateway regeneration area, which has been designated for major housing, economic and infrastructure developments over the next 20 years.
To ensure our historic environment takes a central role in the strategic decisions that will shape any future development, English Heritage has stated that they hope to increase the knowledge and understanding of the development and historic aspects of the local landscape.
English Heritage are in the process of carrying out a wide-ranging analysis of the local landscape and last year formed the Hoo Peninsula Growth Area Historic Landscapes project. Essentially, this project will supply partners and stakeholders with information explaining the importance of the Hoo Peninsula’s historic landscape, to ensure there is an improved basis for management and decision-making.
The first phase of the project commenced in October 2009 and is set for completion next month. The process has involved the collection of information about the area's historic environment. It is hoped this project will underline the importance of the Hoo Peninsula’s landscape, so that it can be appreciated by the widest possible audience.
Photograph: Copyright, English Heritage.NMR
More information about this project can be obtained by visiting the English Heritage website.
Following a swim at Grain beach the other day (it was just about warm enough!), I decided to have a look around St. James' Church. In a peaceful corner of the village, at the end of the High Street, the Church is a short walk from the beach. Dating back to the 12th century, the Church has undergone extensive building and restoration work over the years. The tower, although Norman in appearance, was part of a re-building and restoration programme in 1904/05.
There will be a Quiz Night on Friday 24 September, at Memorial Hall, The Street, High Halstow. Tickets are £2.50 per person and anyone wishing to participate should arrive at 7.30pm for an 8pm start. Bring your own drinks and nibbles! To book a table, phone 01634 251536 or 01634 831570.
A small collection of old postcards will feature on this website next week. They will include locations in Lower, Middle and Upper Stoke on the Hoo Peninsula. These postcards will be accompanied by recently taken photographs of the same locations, to compare how the area has changed.
The Hoo Peninsula is almost surrounded by water - with the Thames Estuary on one side and the River Medway on the other. Our area has strong links with the sea and increasing numbers of people use it for leisure activities, which is excellent and positive news.
As a teenager, I was proud to be a Sea Cadet. I really enjoyed my Duke of Edinburgh's Award assignment with the RNLI. I learnt many fascinating things during that time and I will never forget the dedication and commitment shown by the RNLI voluntary crew members.
According to the RNLI, last year was the busiest in their history and a lack of funds means there is a danger of them not being able to keep-up with increasing demand. In Kent alone, lifeboat crews were called out 411 times to help those in danger off the coast.
RNLI volunteers are not paid and they risk their lives to save others, and without public donations they would not be able to rescue anyone. If you would like more information about their vital work, or if you would like to make a donation, please visit their website.
The 'World's Biggest Coffee Morning' is being organised by Macmillan Cancer Support this week. A Coffee Morning event will be held locally at the Memorial Hall, The Street, High Halstow on Friday 24 September, between 9am and 11am. There will be coffee, cakes, scones, fruit and cheese, as well as a tombola and raffle. Pop along and take a friend with you!
More information about Macmillan Cancer Support can be obtained by clicking here.
I am keen to promote local shops and businesses and have added a FREE listings page to this site. If you would like to add your business to this listing - send your details using the contact page.
I recently came across this old black and white photograph and have been trying to work out where it is. After studying the photograph and after a tour of local churches, I believe it is St. Mary's Church at St. Mary Hoo, which is no longer an active place of worship. Please let me know if I am wrong. The second photograph, of St. Mary's Church, was taken a few months ago and points in a similar direction to the older photograph - east of Hall Road, near to Moat Farm Road.
If my assumptions are correct about the location of the old photograph, the farmer probably worked at nearby Moat Farm. Despite being slightly obscured from view - it would be nice to know who he was!
Work has commenced on building a road bridge over Stoke level crossing on the A228 (Grain Road). The first phase of the project includes extensive work to protect the surrounding environment, including the creation of a habitat for water voles. Construction work is expected to continue until March 2011. Medway Council has said the new bridge will be a single carriageway bridge to realign the A228 and improve safety.
Hoo St. Werburgh Parish Church presents 'An Evening of Traditional Jazz' on Saturday 18 September, from 7pm until 10.30pm. Tickets £6. Go and listen to Jazz Amis! For tickets and more information, please contact Bob Stubbins on 01634 254035 or Mick Hollands on 01634 251979.
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