Kelly's Directory 1874, Rainham          Kent Online Parish Clerks

Transcribed by David Auger

Rainham is a parish and village, and station on the London, Chatham and Dover Railway, on the road from Chatham to Sittingbourne, in the Eastern division of the county, hundred and union of Milton, county court district of Sittingbourne, lathe of Scray, rural deanery of Sittingbourne, archdeaconry of Maidstone, and diocese of Canterbury, 4 miles east from Rochester, and 6 west from Sittingbourne: it reaches to the creeks on the Medway, and includes several marsh islands. The higher ground is chalk, in downs perpendicular to the coast: to the south are woods. The church of St. Margaret is a handsome building, with a conspicuous tower: it was the burial place of the Earls of Thanet; eight earls and six countesses of this family are buried here, including Henry, the last earl: the church, which is six centuries old, has a double nave, two chancels, carved screen, three stone sedilia, stalls and brasses, one of them of the date of 1409, and contains two monuments to the TUFTONs, Earls of Thanet, whose ancestors held land here in the reign of King John.

The register dates from the year 1592. The living is a vicarage, valued at £520, with residence and two acres of glebe, in the gift of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and held by the Rev. Augustus John PEARMAN, M.A., of Pembroke College, Oxford. The National schools were erected in 1846. There are chapels for Wesleyans, Independents and United Methodist Free Church. Bricks are made here. The charities for distribution amount to £30 yearly. Berengrave is the residence of William WALTER, esq., J.P. Sir H. TUFTON, bart., is lord of the manor. The principal landowners are Sir Henry TUFTON, bart., the Governors of St. Katharine’s Hospital, the Earl of Aylesford, and J.W. STRATFORD, esq. The soil is light loam; subsoil, chalk. The chief crops are wheat, cherries and hops, and there are several market gardens. The area of the parish is 3,562 acres of land, and 260 of water: gross estimated rental, £14,504; rateable value, £12,357; the population in 1871 was 2,082.

LOWER RAINHAM and RAINHAM QUAY are 1 mile north. MOOR STREET is half a mile east; COZENTON, half a mile north; MACKLAND, half a mile north; MOTLEY HILL, 2 miles north-east.

Parish Clerk, James TAYLOR.

POST & MONEY ORDER & TELEGRAPH OFFICE & Savings Bank. – Mrs. Mary Ann BREAREY, postmistress, High street. Letters arrive through Sittingbourne at 8.30 a.m. Box closes at 6.25 p.m.

PILLAR LETTER BOX at Lower Rainham, cleared at 5 p.m. week days, & 10.30 a.m. Sundays

INSURANCE AGENTS:–County Fire & Provident Life, C. MOSSLiverpool & London & Globe, J. LONGLEYPhoenix Fire, M. HARVEYNATIONAL SCHOOL, John LONGLEY, master; Mrs. Emma LONGLEY, mistress; Miss ROWLATT, infants’ mistressRailway Station, Alfred FISKE, station masterCARRIER. – George THOMAS’s van passes through daily, to & from London, Sittingbourne & Faversham[GENTRY & CLERGY]CASTLE Alfred, High streetCOLEGATE Thomas Richard, Ivy streetDODD Misses, Church houseDODD MrsEVEREST, William BenthamKNIGHT John Sladen, M.D., M.R.C.P., High streetPEARMAN Rev. Aug. John, M.A. (vicar)PENFOLD Henry, M.D.SMART Misses, Bloor’s placeSMART Mrs. Church houseTROTT John, Railway streetWAKELEY Mrs. Fore streetWAKELEY Richard MansfieldWAKELEY Thomas StanleyWAKELEY William HenryWALTER William, J.P. Berengrave houseWATKINS Mrs. Moor streetCOMMERCIALATKINS James, malster & corn, hay & straw dealerBAKER George, boot & shoe makerBAKER George, fancy bread & biscuit baker & confectioner, High streetBARDEN Thos. corn factor, High streetBATH John, shoe maker, Railway streetBLEEZE Caroline (Mrs.), bakerBODKIN Henry, blacksmithBREAREY Mary Ann (Mrs.), berlin wool & stationery, High streetBROOKS George, shoe maker, Ivy streetBURROUGH John, draper, High streetBUSBY John, Three Mariners, Lower RainhamBUTCHER Joseph Edward, brick maker; & at UpchurchCALLAWAY Mary (Mrs.), shopkeeperCASTLE Mary Anne (Mrs.), Red LionCHAMBERS William, beer retailerCOOPER Stephen, Kent Volunteer, fly master & livery stables, Railway stCOPPIN Jesse, grocer, High streetDAMMARELL William, tailor, High stEDMONDS Wm. & Son, market gardenersEVEREST William Bentham, surgeonFINNES William, butcherFOSTER Jas. shopkeeper, Lower RainhamGARRETT William, harness makerGILBERT Thomas, farmer, MeresboroughGREEN Daniel, farmer, Pump farmGREEN George, carpenterGREEN Richard, smith, Broad walkHALES Thomas, shopkeeper, Ivy streetHARRIS Henry, chemist, High streetJACOB George, shopkeeper, Railway stKITCHINGHAM William, beer retailerKNIGHT William, barge ownerLONGLEY George, nurserymanMANSFIELD James, farmer, Moor streetMILES James, jun. farmer, Matts Hill farm, HartlipMILES James Luke, farmer & hop grower, Silham farmMOSS Charles, grocerNEWMAN Houland, beer retlr. Railway stPARSONS John, butcherPARTON Frank, shopkeeper, Ivy streetPENFOLD Henry, physician & surgeonPHILPOTT Thomas, gardener & seedsmanPIKE Charles Thos. hair dresser, High stQUINNELL George, grocer, Broad walkREEVES Henry, tobacconistRICKWOOD Phillip, boot ma. Railway stROPER William, greengrocerSAYERS Elizabeth (Mrs.), White Horse inn, & fly proprietressSIDDALL George, Cricketers, High streetSMITH Charles, shopkeeperSMITH Oliver, shopkeeperSMITH Thomas, blacksmithSTYLES George, beer retailerSWAN Henry, market gardenerSWAN H. John, fruiterer, Low. RainhamSWAN William, beer retailerSYMS Jhn. Brown, corn factor, Broad wlkTAYLOR Jas. & Son, plumbers & paintersTAYLOR James, printer, High streetTURNER George, grocer & draperWAKELEY Brothers, merchants & corn factors; offices, Railway stationWAKELEY Thomas (exors. of), farmer, Moor streetWAKELEY Thomas Stanley, brick makerWALTER Wm. landowner, Berengrave hoWATSON Rt. Durrant, farmr & brick mnfrWHAYMAN George, draper, High streetWHITLOCK Thomas Gale, grocer, High stWILKINS James, farmer, Moor streetWILLIS Job, cowkeeper, Mere’s Court laWorking Men’s Institute (William WALTER, J.P. president; Rev. A. J. PEARMAN, treasurer;Dr. Henry PENFOLD, hon. sec.), High street