Stourmouth People
Stourmouth - The People
UNDER CONSTRUCTION - PLEASE VISIT OFTEN
Historically Stourmouth was an agricultural community so many of the
inhabitants lived there a few years and moved on - some returned, some
didn't. But a number of family names were prevalent in the area for
generations ... names like Culmer and Hussey (owners of Northcourt in the
reign of Henry III), Joad and Huffam ...
BUSHELL
The Rising Sun was responsible for drawing the Bushell family to Stourmouth.
Stephen became the innholder c1850, baptising four sons at All Saints. One
of them, Ethelbert (born 1852), was grandfather of researcher Maggie nee
Bushell Baldwin. Maggie's sister was born in the Rising Sun Cottage, which
stood where the front carpark is now.
CULMER
This is one of my own families, of course. Since my early days of
investigating this prolific family, I've met up with a number of descendants.
In addition to the handful who share my direct descent from Jane Culmer
(who married into the Griggs family), there is Jennifer Steele and Les
Culmer, both from Australia, who claim Charles Culmer and his wife Charlotte
Coleman as their progenitors.
Culmers have been buried in the All Saints churchyard for centuries. This
photograph is of four unusually-shaped Culmer graves (those of George and
Eleanor Culmer, and their daughters Elizabeth and Eleanor).
DOWKER
This family has appeared in the Stourmouth parish register throughout the
19th century. In 1828, James and his wife Frances Reader brought their
firstborn, George, to church. The
1881 and
1891 census records show George living in Stourmouth House,
married to his Dover-born wife, Emily. They had baptised their 10 children
in Stourmouth. Researcher Mary Moatt is connected to this family and
continues delving into their lives.
DRAKE
Welshman Richard
Drake was rector of Stourmouth from 1840 until 1883; his
wife Jane and son are commemorated in the church, and one of the stained glass
windows was designed by Richard himself. Carolyn nee Blackmore Geddes, of
Perth, Western Australia, is connected to this family.
HOGBEN/HOGBIN
The 1891 census shows a Hogbin family living in School Lane.
John , the
head (born in Acol, baptised 1862 in Birchington by his father Thomas), is a
farmer with a wife and three young children. I was contacted by John's great
grandson Andy Hogin, who advises that family lore places John Hogbin
as estate manager of Lord Northbourne's holdings in Betteshanger. He's
investigating this.
ROALFE
Another name that appears, throughout time, in Stourmouth and nearby villages
is Roalfe or Rolfe, sometimes Ralph. Different branches of the family have
settled in the area, sometimes just for a short while. Margaret Pritchard's
great grandfather
George Roalfe lived in Stourmouth in 1891, although 10
years earlier he was in Molash, and by 1901 the family had moved again
(to Bishopsbourne). Just observing the birthplaces of George's children -
Eastry, Godmersham, East Langdon - gives one an idea of the transient life
of a farm servant in 19th century Kent.
SLADDEN
connect to 1891
Henry Sladden of Preston, a thatcher by trade, was the landlord at Plucks
Gutter at the time of the
1891 census; his wife was Rosa Culmer, daughter of
Charles and Mary Ann. A descendant of the Stone family believes that Henry
was connected somehow to Mary Sladden (Mrs. Edward) Stone of Stone House,
Stourmouth. Only a few Sladdens have appeared in Stourmouth over the
years, although the name is quite common in the parish registers of Thanet.
SPONG
Researchers Fred Spong and Steve McLean are descended from the Spongs and
Keels of Stourmouth - a clan whose branches are entwined with many other
families in the village, like the Impetts. George Keel Spong was born and
married in Preston, and he alternated between living there and Stourmouth
while raising a large family. His son William was the great-great grandfather
of Steve, and William's twin Daniel was the great great-grandfather of Fred.
For appearances of Stourmouth residents in other parts of Kent, see
Stourmouth
Strays .
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e-mail: huppert@cyberus.ca
Page content last modified Friday, 3 September 2004