When out walking I always admire the fine looking old house next to the Church at Ridley. It looks fascinating, I'd love to have a look around it! I haven't found out much about it at all, but did find this press photo from when one of the barns burnt down in 1938. I also found a very small image of the house.
Here are a few other images I have found of the now sadly burnt down Green Man in Hodsall Street. I don't know what date they are, but the one showing the white painted front is obviously more recent. I also found a clear picture of the pub sign used on that image, which was taken in 1985.
Interesting little bit of history. Front, back and sides of an old Milk Carton - the milk was 'Farm Cartoned' at Haven Manor, Haven Hill, Fairseat, Kent. The milk is untreated ie. Raw milk.
Digging about a bit, I tried to date this packaging.
Firstly, I assumed that milk cartons were perhaps from the 50s era, but I was wrong. In fact milk cartons were invented roughly 1929, and my research led me to a fascinating website about Danish Carl Hartmann of Hartmann packaging, who apparently invented the Satona, a fully automatic carton making, filling and sealing machine for milk. He also invented egg boxes! The Hartmann history page is a fascinating read, do take a look at this page www.hartmann-packaging.com/world/about-us/history/
I also Googled 'when did mass pasturisation of milk become common?'
'One of the most deadly micro-organisms that can live in milk is bovine tuberculosis, which killed thousands of children before pasteurisation became widespread in Britain following the 1922 Milk and Dairies Act'
Hmmmmm... I could perhaps try and date the carton from the fonts used, but I think I'll leave it for now. Perhaps a relative of the Harris's of Haven Manor, Fairseat, will stumble across this post and tell me when H A & W M Harris were living at Haven Manor.
Anyway, do enjoy my funny little 'find'.
I found an old advert, either from a newspaper or a magazine, for the auction of Fairseat Manor and 235 Acres. I have different records as to whether the date of auction was 1960 or 1968, probably because a zero and 8 can look quite similar in small print. I'd be grateful if anyone can confirm the date. The auction took place in July of that year.
On another post about Fairseat House (which is next door to Court House/The Cottage) Becca Peters commented and told me this:
"Fairseat House was a school. Court House was originally built for the headmistress' brother which is why there is a little gate between the two. It was deemed unsuitable for a man to live in the same building"
Dick also told me this information:
"Horace Grant had the house built in around 1850 at about the same time as Fairseat House. He lived in it and called it The Cottage. His sister, Hannah, ran a boarding school for girls in Fairseat House"
I don't have the image in a better quality or size, but will continue to look out for one.
The image beneath has featured on my blog before, but it had a watermark over it,. I've managed to get rid of that now.
These are both beautiful images of a bygone era.
