Gravesend History Hub

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A new initiative that will see Gravesend's History brought to life via talks and walk in workshops for local primary schools and the public in and around the borough

When Lt Col Charles Gordon first came to Gravesend he was often seen sitting at the back of his local church not trying ...
05/10/2023

When Lt Col Charles Gordon first came to Gravesend he was often seen sitting at the back of his local church not trying to draw attention to himself but very quickly then known as Chinese Gordon or Pasha Gordon and as a hero, the congregation very soon recognised him and before very long he was even asked to lead the church.

Trying to find out this guys story is proving to be a real headache.In Gravesend cemetery right next to the war memorial...
24/03/2023

Trying to find out this guys story is proving to be a real headache.
In Gravesend cemetery right next to the war memorial for English War dead is a white stone column. This column is a headstone of a Japanese man named Takenouchi Kurazo or Ginzo, the location of the stone would suggest a military man and there's another name of Suzuki Takuzo.
This is quite normal as you have the person remembering you or family who installed the stone named upon it too. So we have Suzuki Takuzo.
Was this a prisoner of war, a Japanese soldier fighting on behalf of England, a local family?
I can find absolutely nothing on him or his story both here or in Japan

If this Street could tell all it's stories before its gone!
29/11/2022

If this Street could tell all it's stories before its gone!

We are at Holy Trinity school today in Gravesend teaching as Constable George Henry Palmer the Victorian Borough Police ...
15/11/2022

We are at Holy Trinity school today in Gravesend teaching as Constable George Henry Palmer the Victorian Borough Police officer all about Heroes and Villains of History. Kids are having a blast!

Would really love to track the names down of all involved at this hilarious moment in history when Home Guard soldiers s...
13/11/2022

Would really love to track the names down of all involved at this hilarious moment in history when Home Guard soldiers stationed at Gravesend coastal defences during WW2 were called out to man the guns on the river during a raid while they practised for an annual panto, all soldiers were dressed in drag at the time! These pictures were originally declared secret by the MOD as the government didn't want the butch image of British soldiers ruined apparently where as it appears all around the world during the war it was a common thing from war records.
It has been reported that these pictures were taken at Shornemead fort and being a regular visit to the fort I've always wondered where this actual spot is. Obviously the fort is in a severe state of disrepair after being used for demolition practice by the Royal Engineers and the fact its become a motorbike haunt and graffiti backdrop. Such a shame as most of areas are now turning there's into tourist attractions.

Visited a primary school today in Gravesham Borough to give a brief explanation as to why we celebrate Remembrance Day e...
10/11/2022

Visited a primary school today in Gravesham Borough to give a brief explanation as to why we celebrate Remembrance Day each year and why we wear poppies.
The kids loved meeting a WW1 soldier and had a fair few questions. One more school to visit this week.

Would live to find out more and will in time about this hero.Commander Osbourne William Dalyell died 22/12/1862 and buri...
18/10/2022

Would live to find out more and will in time about this hero.
Commander Osbourne William Dalyell died 22/12/1862 and buried in Gravesend cemetery although the family stems from Scotland.
Only thing so far to see is that he must of had an extensive service in the Royal Navy looking at his grave it lists he won the Knight of the legion of honour medal and the Medjidie 5th class medal possibly all from the Crimean wars. Everything else has now deteriorated on his grave but I have found he was the son of another Royal Navy officer with an illustrious career that of William Cunningham Dalyell and his wife Dame Maria Sampayo. This Dalyell family have alit about them on the Internet but not much about Commander Osbourne unfortunately but seeing as he's buried in Gravesend one imagines as Inspecting Commander if the fleet he must if been working either on the Thames or at the Chatham dockyard?

Wow! Now check out this career for a forgotten grave in Gravesend cemetery. Admiral Willuam James Mingaye of Hyperion Lo...
18/10/2022

Wow! Now check out this career for a forgotten grave in Gravesend cemetery.
Admiral Willuam James Mingaye of Hyperion Lodge, Rosherville died 30/11/1865 aged 80
Joined the navy in 1798, Lieutenant in 1806,Captain 1822, Commander of the King's yaught the Royal George in 1822, 1825 to 1832 commander of the hms hyperion, rear admiral 1852, vice admiral 1857 and admiral in 1863

Thus is a bit of fantastic local history for Gravesend for the sport lovers out there!Buried in Gravesend cemetery is th...
18/10/2022

Thus is a bit of fantastic local history for Gravesend for the sport lovers out there!
Buried in Gravesend cemetery is the grave of Cricket legend Thomas Adams who was born in Gravesend 2/5/1808 and died19/1/1894 aged 85 years. Known as 'One of the Elleven of all England' he had a fantastic career and is mentioned on many legends of cricket websites.
Known locally for opening the Bat & Ball cricket ground by laying the first wicket.

Another Gravesend local hero not really known about who's grave has been found amongst the many others in our cemetery.S...
17/10/2022

Another Gravesend local hero not really known about who's grave has been found amongst the many others in our cemetery.
Sgt George Coomber of the Gravesend Borough Police Force died while executing his duties on 6th August 1864 aged 34 years.
With mention on the Metropolitan Police memorial wall it says while in Gravesend he attempted to rescue two men in either a collapsed cesspit or the men had collapsed (most likely) when George himself was overcome by methane gas and died.
Gravesend Borough Police Force had its own helmet badge which even today is quite rare. As a police constable around Gravesend with the amount of pubs Gravesend had plus all the boats passing through one imagines there was never a shortage of crime about the town from smuggling to rowdy sailors.
Another two of Gravesend's Police constables were the Palmer brothers George Henry and William whom both became town constables before moving to the Eastern of London.
George Henry who lived in Albion parade as a constable went from the thick of Gravesend crime to the hustle of Whitechapel in the 1880s where he would of most certainly been involved in the hunt for Jack the Ripper. When he left the police force in 1901 he was listed as pub landlord of the Golden Lion in Luddesdown.
His brother Willuam was stabbed while attending a crime and later died from his injuries and laid to rest in Chalk church in an unmarked grave but is also mentioned upon the Metropolitan police forces memorial lists.

A Gravesend born man who served his country now lies in our Graveyard and should be remembered.Sqdn Leader Ronald F L To...
17/10/2022

A Gravesend born man who served his country now lies in our Graveyard and should be remembered.
Sqdn Leader Ronald F L Tong DFC RAF was born in Gravesend on 24th October 1917 and had a career In the RAF that must of recognised his abilities as a pilot and leader having been mentioned in dispatches. Unfortunately after returning from a raid over enemy territories on 10th January 1945 his plane crashed while attempting to land in a snow storm. His body was laid to rest back home.
Ronald's grave will feature in a new project proposed for Gravesend by Hysterical History

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