A fascinating item has recently appeared on eBay which shows a rarer side of the historic job application process. While we have the newspapers available to see adverts from any particular time, we usually don't get to see anything from the applicants, unless a job was advertised shortly before a Census was taken, for example. … Continue reading Early Victorian Job Hunting
The Many Deaths of Captain Forbes
For a decade from 1772, several publications would partake in an annual event, unknown to them - the announcement of the death of Captain Thomas Forbes. From the Weekly Magazine, to the Gentleman's Magazine, the Town & Country Magazine, and beyond, the death of Forbes persisted for ten whole years, typically on a different date … Continue reading The Many Deaths of Captain Forbes
The Kettles of Harwich
The name of "Kettle" in Harwich is synonymous with Frederick and the mineral water factory, but the Kettles have a rich and varied history in relation to Harwich and Dovercourt. We will be looking at three generations of the Kettle family. The story begins in the small parish of Kersey, Suffolk, in 1815, and the … Continue reading The Kettles of Harwich
Farewell to Sir Anthony Deane Month
June 2021 has been and gone in a flash, and with it, so too has Sir Anthony Deane month. I wished to do the tercentenary of his passing justice, and I hope I have, in my own small way. Let's look back at the posts from the past month: Children & Descendants - In which … Continue reading Farewell to Sir Anthony Deane Month
The Legacy of Sir Anthony Deane
While Sir Anthony Deane has a prominent seat at the dining table of Harwich history, and was regarded as one of the most accomplished and respected shipwrights of his day, his legacy on a national, more modern, level should also be discussed. Firstly, given that the specifics of his profession, as they were, are not … Continue reading The Legacy of Sir Anthony Deane
The Wrong Deanes
With apologies to Kneller, NPG, Aardman, et al In Sir Anthony Deane's time, there were of course other men of the same name, of varying degrees of prominence, some of whom have been confused with our shipwright knight. Let's take a look at some of these Deanes, and see who they really were. Harwich Deanes … Continue reading The Wrong Deanes
Master Shipwright Deane
In the autumn of 1664, Anthony Deane - then of no title - was issued a warrant to go to Harwich and assume the role of Master Shipwright, not just a promotion from his current role of Assistant Shipwright at Woolwich, but an important tactical decision for the safety of England. As discussed previously, this … Continue reading Master Shipwright Deane
Deane and Addenbrooke
As one of the many people in this country who effectively owe their life to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, it was pleasing for me to find that the benefactor of the hospital, John Addenbrooke, was closely connected to Sir Anthony Deane. Addenbrooke was a Fellow of Catharine Hall, Cambridge, as were two other men, Peter … Continue reading Deane and Addenbrooke
1685 Charter Names
A quick one for today, here is a list of the 24 Harwich men named in the 1685 Charter of James II, as I don't believe a list of names is freely available, plus Sir Anthony Deane is named among them, fitting in nicely with the month's theme. Interestingly, at the time there were only … Continue reading 1685 Charter Names
The Children & Descendants of Sir Anthony Deane
Rather than a who's-who of famous and notable descendants of Sir Anthony Deane, as that could become quite large, this is more of a genealogist's guide, an explanation of the avenues from which someone may be descended from Deane. By my reckoning, Sir Anthony may have had as many as twenty-three children between his three … Continue reading The Children & Descendants of Sir Anthony Deane
Harwicensis 