Following on from Part I, where his likely birth date and location were established, this second part discusses the early life of Sir Anthony Deane, delving into the years before his shipwright career took off. The earliest easily-traceable reference to Sir Anthony Deane is found in the Calendar of State Papers, dated November 19 1660, where we … Continue reading The Early Life of Sir Anthony Deane
The Birth of Sir Anthony Deane
In the first of a multi-part series detailing the life of Sir Anthony Deane, which will bring to light new information about the grand naval architect, it makes sense to begin at the beginning, and determine when and where Deane was born. Let us start by ruling out certain possibilities. For the "when", the most … Continue reading The Birth of Sir Anthony Deane
Food for Thought
A little something for us all to consider: The fine Charity-School-House at Harwich, built by a Gift of Alderman Parsons when he was chose Member of Parliament there, is now finished: This good Example is recommended, instead of Eating and Drinking. Stamford Mercury, 31st October 1728
The First Parish Register: II
Following on from Part I. A new century brought with it a new language to the register: Latin. A combination of Thomas Drax becoming vicar in 1601, a prideful Anglican and Latin scholar, and James I ascending to the throne in 1603, led to the clerk at the time seamlessly transitioning to writing records in … Continue reading The First Parish Register: II
The First Parish Register
Edited 12 March 2019 The oldest existing parish register for St Nicholas church covers almost an entire century, from the beginning of the reign of Elizabeth I, to the early years of the Commonwealth in the 1650s (with a smattering of records from the 1660s and 70s). This first register started as a copy - … Continue reading The First Parish Register
Ten Medallions
Construction of the Great Eastern Hotel, now known as Quayside Court, commenced on April 27 1864, and the hotel was formally opened on June 1 the following year. Contemporary records detailing the hotel's design make note of ten "medallions", busts of important figures, consistently referred to as Sovereigns who had visited Harwich throughout history. The … Continue reading Ten Medallions
Selected Vicars of Harwich & Dovercourt: II
Following on from Part I. NAME: John RobertsPERIOD: 1533-abt 1536DETAILS: Roberts became vicar in December 1533, but by 1537 he had moved to Ipswich. Simple, right? In fact, Roberts had much more to him. It is widely believed that this John Roberts was a man in hiding by the name of Thomas Swinnerton, who used the … Continue reading Selected Vicars of Harwich & Dovercourt: II
Genesis of the Deanes of Harwich
In the early 17th century, a humble labourer and his wife settled in Harwich, beginning a dynasty that would grow in the town for over 200 years, and lend itself to many senior positions, such as mayors, Aldermen, naval dignitaries, and more. The first we hear of this married couple is in 1622, when on … Continue reading Genesis of the Deanes of Harwich
Selected Vicars of Harwich & Dovercourt
An occasional series, looking at vicars throughout the history of Harwich (the parish being known as Dovercourt-cum-Harwich or Harwich-cum-Dovercourt until being split in 1871). NAME: Thomas DraxPERIOD: 1601*-1619DETAILS: Drax was appointed vicar of Dovercourt-cum-Harwich in 1601, but according to the Biographical Register of Christ's College, Cambridge, he refused to move to the area due to a dislike … Continue reading Selected Vicars of Harwich & Dovercourt
Sir Anthony Deane: A Brief Harwich Primer
A lot will be written up on here, in time, about various Deane families and their connections to Harwich, but I will start with a short fact-check about the most famous Harwich Deane of them all, Sir Anthony Deane. Firstly, and most importantly, Sir Anthony was not born in Harwich; this is a commonly-held belief not just … Continue reading Sir Anthony Deane: A Brief Harwich Primer
Harwicensis 