RootsChat.Com
England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Kent => Topic started by: SearchingForParadise on Monday 23 September 13 21:38 BST (UK)
-
Hi All we are new to RootsChat & came across your forum while trying to research a building we have purchased hopefully someone can shed some light on its past!! Searching the internet we came across this post by Jibba http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=443849.0 some of the content relates to the Paradise Chapel & Congregational Church our building is directly behind it, named the " Manse " i am led to believe this was originally the Minsters house for the Chapel, the church is long since gone, i can remember going there when it was a scout hall many moons ago, we would love to know its age and if any members know any history relating to the building/church it was also mentioned the Church was built in 1790 and further building work carried out in 1860 does anyone know when the Manse would have been built??, our knowledge only comes from the purchase that in 1975 the Manse was converted into flats and from a photo in Jibba's post it would seem a top window has been bricked up in the conversion we would love to see some better pre conversion photos if anyone can help Many Thanks Simon
-
Welcome to Rootschat :D
I'm sure someone with local knowledge of Sittingbourne will be long soon.
Meanwhile have you tried contacting the Sittingbourne Heritage Museum?
http://www.sittingbourne-museum.co.uk/
-
Thanks bearkat we've only just started researching the property so will certainly drop them a line regards Simon
-
In 1901 John Sheward, Congregational Minister and his Wife were living in your house.
Address then was The Manse, 31. Crown Road,Paradise Place ,Milton next Sittingbourne.
-
Thanks Grandarog strange how its now 48, Crown road must have gained a few!!! just as an update i have emailed Sittingbourne Heritage so hopefully the ball is rolling on some archive history :)
-
You are Welcome,
You might like to try
http://www.sittingbourne-museum.co.uk/index.html
You may find more help and info from them .There may even be an article in one of the journals. Good Luck. There are also the old ordinance survey maps to look at in Sittingbourne Library Reference section. and they have a photo archive as well . Worth a visit for you. :)
-
PM sent!
The first Pastor of the Paradise Chapel was William Erratt Parrett who must have lived in "The Manse" for about 26 years. He was the father of William John Parrett who founded the printing firm, W. J. Parrett Ltd. (East Kent Gazette). Although there are probably members of the family still living, the only one that comes to mind is Graham Parrett who was the MD of the EKG for many years. If you can track him down he may have some knowledge of "The Manse".
Another source of information would be the URC (Congregational) Southern Synod.
http://www.urcsouthern.org.uk/property/
or The HRGS at
http://www.hrgs.co.uk/
Unfortunately this site has been `down` for some time now but if/when it comes back I`m sure I`ve seen some info (A Book about "The Paradise Chapel" (by John Clancy, I think). The local library may have a copy.
And a little snippet at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mrawson/dir08milt.html
Scroll down to "Churches".
Hope this is of some help.
-
Thanks for the pointers guys all very interesting" keep them coming i'm on the case!! " Cornopean thanks for the PM i will have a scan on the photos tonight regards Simon
-
Hi Simon looking at this chat I'd like to tell you about 48 crown road "the manse" well this was my dads family home since I think the 30's til it was sold in 1975 I have lots of fond memories of this house please contact through this if you are still interested
Linda
-
Don't think you will have much chance of contact on here Simon has not been on for 4 years.
-
Aww that's a shame I was hoping for information
Thank you
Linda
-
Hi Linda thanks for the post i've just had an email prompt with your reply.... we'd love any information you have about The Manse especially any early photos if there are any in your family archives :) :) Regards Simon
-
That was lucky Simon had the prompt system set up. ;D ;D :D :)
-
Hi Simon
I'm going to ask other family members for photos if any are around . My daughter drove passed number 48 last week and started asking questions , there are none of the brothers left now they've all died ,they were a big family of men and 1 sister one of which was my dad ,I'm not sure if I am allowed to put names on this site . Did you buy the house in 1975 ?
Linda
-
Hi Linda we purchased one of the flats at auction in 2009 as an investment and as others were put up for sale bought them and eventually the freehold !! at some point in 1975 the building was divided into 4 units i do have the original Leases i believe the surname " Bird " was on all of them i would assume that was the builder/developer, we are on another project at the moment but as soon as we're back at The Manse we have plans to give the building back its period look hence our quest for photos !! Regards Simon
-
I don't know the surname Bird but my family were the Homden's but perhaps the surname of Mills was on the deeds that was my aunt's married name I've been asking but no one has come up with any photo's I do temember the lay out sort of the kitchen ,parlour as it was called , there was a cellar attic rooms . My dad only had one picture of the garden with my man and grandad I've asked my sister if she has it , there were tennis courts with they sold to the council maybe in the 60's and they used to breed rabbits and chickens a big allotment and a big lawned garden
-
Thanks Linda ....I would think at some point part of the land was sold off to form the unmade road that links the new houses on Larkfield Avenue with Beechwood Avenue !! it now has a modest rear garden. It does have a partial cellar, no attic rooms though...During modernisation of the " less than professional !!! " flat conversion we did uncover original printed wall paper that had been boarded over and when excavating under the ground floor i uncovered a stone cross that i will eventually incorporate into the perimeter walling as a feature !! please let me know if any photos materialise we were hoping that some wide angle wedding shots from the church might come to light showing how the front looked in its heyday :)
-
Hi Simon
I wish I could help with the photos in those days not a lot of photos were taken but someone in my family must have some I will keep trying
Linda
-
Thanks Linda ....i'll keep my fingers crossed !!!! :) :)
-
Hi Simon do any of those names appear on your paperwork and the picture my dad had my sister snapshot it and it only shows my grandparents outside in the garden but you can't see the house x
-
Dr Williams’s Library 14 Gordon Square London holds a copy of
The history of Paradise Chapel Milton, Kent.
by Jones, J. Bedworth.
Publisher: Sittingborne : The author, 1910
Description: 83p. 8vo. Illus.
Their ref 5106.Ke.21
It’s a reference only item but they do provide a copying service for a fee. You might have sighted a copy of this item by now from another source.