Of Princes and Swans

The recently-opened Harwich Museum is in full swing, and the section I find myself drawn to the most is the little study area, or reading room, which not only has all sorts of Harwich-related books, guides, and photographs, but also a selection of Standard newspapers by year, which are a real treasure trove for all … Continue reading Of Princes and Swans →

Commercial Dovercourt in the Early 19th Century

Heading into the 1800s, it is fair to say that Harwich had eclipsed its older Borough cousin at Dovercourt, with the Packet service, among other nautucal activities, making it a useful hub in the corner of North Essex. As county directories started to become more common, Harwich started to feature, with details of coaches from … Continue reading Commercial Dovercourt in the Early 19th Century →

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 →

Talestones

Gravestones of a certain age take on a new meaning beyond their original intent. Rather than serving as a memorial, a marker for the grieving, once those with held memories have also departed these stones become historical documents, as if pages from a book or a newspaper were transformed into their own monuments, records that … Continue reading Talestones →

Fangt die Taube

Wilhelm Friedrich Weischedel was born in the Württemberg state, or kingdom, of Germany in about 1846, and in the early 1880s he emigrated to England with his wife and three children, his fourth and final child being baptised in Camden, London, in April 1882. Frederick Weischedel, as he typically went by, was a cabinet maker … Continue reading Fangt die Taube →

On This Day: December 14

1531 (OS): John Holland became Vicar of Dovercourt-cum-Harwich, following the death of Richard Strowgth (aka Strought). He stayed for only two years before moving on. 1611 (OS): The burial is recorded of "Lucas [blank] nauta servus Galfridi Pells de Lynne regis", one of the more interesting burials of the time - this translates as "Luke … Continue reading On This Day: December 14 →

The Harwich Pub Scene in the 1890s

A stupidly specific subject this time, let us head back to the late Victorian era, at a time when Harwich was flooded with licenced premises. Believe it or not there were over thirty pubs, inns, and hotels crammed into Harwich (I make it 32), and as you can imagine things were starting to hit saturation … Continue reading The Harwich Pub Scene in the 1890s →

Harwich Quirks & Oddities

Last Updated September 11 2020 Harwich, being a small, old town, has changed and developed a relatively large amount over the centuries, despite the town's ancient blueprint still largely standing to this day. As a result, when looking back from the present, without the benefit of historical context, a number of situations arise which seem … Continue reading Harwich Quirks & Oddities →

The Duke of the Duke’s Head

The Duke's Head was one of the longest running pubs in Harwich, operating for well over 200 years before closing in 1971, but who was the Duke who lent his head to the sign? Dukes have had a long association with the history of Harwich, particularly when it comes to public houses. There was the … Continue reading The Duke of the Duke’s Head →

Update: The Ship

In March, I wrote a post discussing the Ship, and its connection to the Swan. I suggested that the Ship re-opened in its new location in 1847 as a combined venture of James Haylett and Thomas Ennels. This appears not to have been the case. An auction in the Suffolk Chronicle, dated August 6 1842, … Continue reading Update: The Ship →