1560 (OS): Baptism of "Hellen the Daughter of Odne Mayngnussun' and of Mary his w.". A good example of Nordic integration with Harwich in the 16th century. 1587 (OS): Date the will of Margaret Cooper was written; the main significance of this is that a John Allden was a witness, and his signature is present. … Continue reading On This Day: December 8
Queries Regarding The Joneses
The following is a list of questions, primarily relating to the parents of Christopher Jones, that as far as I am aware have no concrete answers as of yet, coupled with my own thoughts and knowledge of each. How old were Christopher sr and Sybil? - It is fairly safe to say Christopher sr died … Continue reading Queries Regarding The Joneses
On This Day: November 20
1559 (OS): John Kylbecke, the son of Christofer Kylbecke and Ann Kylbecke, was baptised. This is significant as it is the earliest baptism record that exists in the register. 1587 (OS): Ursula Shackspare was buried. A mystery Shakespeare appears in the Harwich registers in the 1580s; his forename is not given at any point. Ursula … Continue reading On This Day: November 20
The Birth Year of Christopher Jones
It is generally accepted that Christopher Jones, master of the Mayflower, was born in 1570, and while it seems rather convenient that it would make him exactly 50 at the time of the 1620 voyage, it appears to be an accurate estimate, but let's look into it in more detail. The reason Jones' birth date … Continue reading The Birth Year of Christopher Jones
The More Things Change…
Here is a letter printed in the Harwich Standard in 1970, showing that no matter which anniversary of the Mayflower voyage, the same talking points still present themselves. Sir, -- This year, the 350th anniversary of the Mayflower we have the chance for Harwich to make the most of it and shout it from the … Continue reading The More Things Change…
The First Harwich Phone Directory
Late Victorians got the first taste of an exciting new world of telecommunications, with a telephone network slowly being introduced across the United Kingdom. By the 1898-9 edition of the "National Telephone Company's Directory", we find that the Harwich Area had been established, but at that point the area only covered the existing exchanges in … Continue reading The First Harwich Phone Directory
The George of George Street
Another plagiaristic title brings us to one of the more curious streets in Harwich. The history of the street could fill its own blog post, but the major development towards how it looks today began in early Victorian times. In fact, as you might suspect, it coincides with the construction of the railway alongside. By … Continue reading The George of George Street
George Palmer and the Mysteries of Directories
Not an entry in a plagiaristic series of wizardy novels, but an example of the usefulness - and limitations - of county directories. Before the Yellow Pages or anything similar, companies would occasionally publish per-county directories covering the towns and cities of each county, and the notable inhabitants thereof (mainly from a commercial perspective). By … Continue reading George Palmer and the Mysteries of Directories
HPFC Update
My research into the history of Harwich & Parkeston Football Club is kinda on the back burner with other things going on, but I will occasionally post updates looking into bits and pieces I find along the way. This article in the East Anglian Daily Times from November 1876 is not the earliest reference I … Continue reading HPFC Update
John Moore: The Other Mayflower Owner of Harwich
With the recent murmurings in the local paper relating to Harwich's connections to the Mayflower, it seems prudent at this point to offer a fully sourced and rarely cited connection, in fact the only other besides that of Christopher Jones that could be considered provable beyond reasonable doubt. Firstly, the key source is to be … Continue reading John Moore: The Other Mayflower Owner of Harwich
Harwicensis 