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Launched 09/04/2011

Latest update

21/03/2024 07:02

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Graveyard Memorial Inscriptions
Welcome to the Elham Historical Society database website. Feel free to browse and uncover the history of Elham. Our dedicated team of historians has recently finished recording the details on all the memorials in the graveyard. Our chairman Derek Boughton has overseen the operation, correlating the data and checking for errors. The results of their labours can be seen on the burials page.

Elham beat off stiff competition for the title of Kent Village of the year 2011 organised by Action with Communities in Rural Kent.

Censuses for outlying communities in the parish will be rolled out gradually. Check out the stats page for interesting facts and

trivia about the village. We still need your help so please send us any information relating to Elham that may be of interest.

Les Ames hits out
Les Ames in action

Elham resident Les Ames in action for England against the West Indies in 1939. He was one of the finer wicketkeeper - batsmen and played for Kent CCC.

Abbot's Fireside c 1450
Abbot's Fireside

The Abbot's Fireside is one of the older buildings in the village and probably dates back to the mid fifteenth century.

Audrey attends school
Audrey Hepburn

Audrey Hepburn (neé Rushton) lived in Orchard Cottage (Five Bells) for five years in her childhood (1935-1940) and attended the local village schools. She took ballet lessons and dreamed of becoming a prima ballerina. I wonder what became of her?

George V Playing Field
George V Playing Field

Dave Lee opens Elham's brand new playground with a sensory garden and a pretty flower meadow created by the Play for Elham charity. 21st November 2010

Swing Riots of 1830
Swing Riots

The machine breaking that led to the riots of August 1830 onwards started in the Elham Parish, writes our historian Derek Boughton, who has made a lifetime's study of the subject.

Elham residents were prominent in the gangs that sought out the new fangled threshing machines and destroyed them. Some of them cost the not inconsiderable sum for the day of £100. Full Story

New Inn 1834

Manor Rental. Mesrs Flint & Co., owners, Margaret Marsh, tenant. Messuage or tenement formerly called the Three Tuns now the New Inn, etc., in the Upper Market in Elham formerly occupied by John Rigden senior now Margaret Marsh, Kings street west, mess. and premises William Noble north, land of William Noble east and premises next mentioned south. One piece of land on which a stable is now erected(formerly a messuage) abutting New Inn north, stable of William Noble south, street west, land of William Noble east. All above John Rigden the elder then Thomas Fenner and his heirs now Messrs Flint & Co. CKS: U47/3

Emma Rigden 1938

News in Brief. FAITHFUL SERVICE On our front page is announced the death of Constance Emma Rigden, of Elham, Kent, the former governess and devoted friend for 51 years of the family of the late Dr. and Mrs. Vere Nicoll. Brigadier & Mrs Fryer (she was daughter of H W Selby-Lowndes, Master of East Kent Hunt from 1900).

Elham Valley Railway opened 1887

On 13th February 1915 he was transferred to 3rd Field artillery Brigade Headquarters. Gallipoli. Sir Ian Hamilton decided that action had to be taken to secure ground around Krithia. He brought Anzacs and other brigades from Sairi Bair. They attacked on 6th May 1915 at 11 am, but made little progress. Land was gained and then lost again. Hamilton called up all his reserves and ordered general advance. At night fall 300 yards had been gained. The troops were exhausted, but worked through the night to consolidate their positions, as air intelligence had warned that reinforcements were on the way. At 10.30 am on 7th May the New Zealand brigade attacked and at 4.30 the 2nd Australian Brigade followed with bayonets fixed and heavy artillery in a long line right across the peninsula. On the morning of the 8th May it was clear that they had gained 400 yards. Alfred was killed on 7th May 1915 during the battle for Krithia. His commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Charles Rosenthal (O.C. 3rd Field Artillery Brigade) wrote to Melinda Croud to explain what had happened and to express his condolences: Gaba Tepe, Gallipoli Peninsula May 30th 1915:

Dear Mrs Croud, Having been wounded with shrapnel on May 5th and been absent in hospital until two days ago when I returned to duty, I have been unable to write to you earlier re your husband’s death. Particulars were sent to you immediately. He was killed by a shrapnel shell as was also the Captain of one of my batteries. Please accept my very sincere sympathy with you and your family in your irreparable loss. From the General’s family downwards very few will escape bereavement. Your husband lies buried with other comrades close to where our guns are now placed. Yours very sincerely Charles Rosenthal, Lieut.-Col., O.C. 3rd F.A. Brigade. I am returning his letter to you. He was buried by a military chaplain Rev. D J Failes, at the top of the Gully on the right flank of their position, and this was later called Artillery Road West Cemetery, three quarters of a mile from Anzac Cove. The Australian War Memorial holds a photograph of the original grave. The Australian government web site for Shell Green gives further details about the action that killed Alfred and Captain Leslie: “On the morning of 6 May Captain Walter Leslie and Lieutenant Percy Ross and their gun crews were on Bolton’s Ridge attempting to destroy a concealed Turkish position when Leslie was wounded in the arm and thigh. Confusion seems to have surrounded the subsequent death and burial of Captain Leslie who was reported to have been taken on board the hospital ship Gloucester Castle, where he died at 8pm and was buried at sea. His family was told that he had died of wounds on 8th June 1915. Elham Valley Railway


What's in the database
11810 People
6780 Demography entries
2416 Events
1294 Marriages
415 Properties
425 Photographs
Completed projects ...
  • Properties 1841-1911
  • Demography records 1841-1911 (village only)
  • Cemetery & Graveyard burials
  • Memorial and graveyard inscriptions
Work in progress ...
  • Demography records 1841-1911 (parish)
  • Marriages within the Elham parish
  • Audio/verbal accounts by Elham residents
Coming soon ...
  • Mapping of all properties within the Elham parish
  • List of artefacts
Future projects ...
  • Audio village tour
  • Complete list of shops - past and present
What's new!
Michael Hayes
Doctor Who Producer
Arthur Frederick Broadbridge
Elham resident and diplomat
Charles Alfred Fortin
Elham assistant surgeon
William Lewis Cowley
Elham resident and author
George W Palmer
Graveyard burials
John Midgeley
Henry Clayson
STATS - Facts & Trivia
Windlass Cottage Title Deeds
Church Cottage history back to 1720
Anthony Eden
Prime Minister and Elham resident

EHS
Swing Riots
Les Ames in action
Audrey Hepburn
Letters

EHS Database

Swing Riots of 1830 recounted by Derek Boughton our local expert historian.

Les Ames for England v West Indies at Kingston, Jamaica 1930 or 1935. WK Ivan Barrow watches on.

Audrey Hepburn attended private schools in the village and dreamed of being a ballerina. I wonder what became of her?

What's in the database? Find the latest additions here.

1871 The Danger of "Larking"