Letters to the Editor
SPRING 2008
Dear Editor
Further to Dr Shirley Black’s letter (Winter 2007/08, page 14) about Edward Hasted, I should like to take this opportunity to relate my own research into the two editions of Hasted’s History of Kent. The edition we normally consult is the 2nd edition which we can borrow from libraries. However, by my reckoning, this is a somewhat abridged version of his 1st edition, which can usually only be found in the archives. It is possible that upon first appreciation, one would think that the 2nd edition of 12 volumes would contain more writing than the 4 volumes of the 1st edition. However, I believe the opposite to be the case.
I have come to this conclusion from studying the entries for the parishes of Elmsted and Hastingleigh. The main text lines of the 2nd edition have 1-2 more words than the 1st edition. But as the smaller type of the extensive footnotes of the 1st edition have 1-2 words more, I think that balances things out. Concerning the actual text:
Elmsted: 2nd edition, 487 lines, 1st edition, 799 lines, making the 1st edition about 58% bigger.
Hastingleigh: 2nd edition, 203 lines and 1st edition, 324 lines, making the 1st edition about 52% bigger.
It seems to be the additional notes in the 1st edition that account for the difference. On one page in the 1st edition under Elmsted, there are only four lines of main text; the rest of the page is taken up with notes continued from the previous page and even those notes have further notes. I found this extra information of vital importance when researching the Honnywood family in Elmsted.
Prior to Hasted, many books were written on the history of Kent and no doubt he built upon these for his work. Even so, I’m sure Hasted could not possibly be aware of the particulars of every parish in Kent, so he must have relied on information from local important people. In fact, John Boyle, in his In Quest of Hasted says that a questionnaire (covering manors and places of note, subsequent developments, and current ownerships) went to the last owner of the properties recorded in Philipot’s Villare Cantianum (1659).
John Boyle’s book is about the great amount of Hasted’s background material that he found gathering dust in Canterbury Cathedral Archives. Having browsed the collection, I found that the papers are filed parish by parish and include information not in either the 1st or 2nd editions. There are also some of Hasted’s questionnaires. For example, in box 433 two of them read:
“Q. Elmsted manor owned by Mr John Lushington of Helchin House. Whose now? A. Mr Taylor of Rodmersham, who married a daughter of Richard Lushington uncle of John. Q. Southleigh manor owner Mr John Browning of Waltham. Whose now? A. Stephen Birch’s by purchase.”
Also in the collection are two large books of wills translations and a great deal of miscellaneous items.
From elsewhere I have come across an astrological chart of that era for the Hasted family that I don’t think has been written about anywhere.
Finally, concerning the article (Winter 2007/08, page 15) on Rev L B Larking collaborating with Rev T Streatfield on a new history of Kent, the part that was completed was published in 1886 and called Part 1. The Hundred of Blackheath. No further parts were prepared. The Rev Streatfield’s collection consisted of voluminous biographical, genealogical and heraldic memoranda, extracts from parish registers, wills, and other records. After his death in 1848, his materials were entrusted to the Rev Larking. He died in 1868 and was unable to do more than collect additional matter. Thereafter, the Streatfield family gave the whole manuscript collection to the British Museum who in 1973 transferred it to the British Library.
There are also references in the Centre for Kentish Studies. Viz. U908 Streatfield family: “Deeds, estate and family papers and correspondence of the Streatfield and related families, 13th to 19th centuries” – includes index and pedigree charts. U1194 J. Fremlin Streatfield collection: “Prints and drawings of Kent buildings...” – arranged alphabetically by locality.
The overall title of their work was intended to be Hasted’s History of Kent, corrected, enlarged, and continued to the Present Time. What immense value it would be to have this particular history of Kent, and what a shame it was never completed. It languishes to this day, filling 56 volumes in the British Library, awaiting resuscitation by some competent hand.
Keith Griffiths