Guest Book Page 1 of 3

We hope you found the site interesting and useful.

Below are some comments that visitors to this site have made we hopr you enjoy them

 
Date Sun 14/08/2005
Name lesley Taylor nee WADE
Email Address

lesley.wade1@btinternet.com
Location Rye East Sussex

Comments






.Lived in Biddenden and attended local school from approx 1958 until left home in approx 1970. Lots of good memories of Biddenden. Sad to see the once vibrant High Street full of local shops, people and gossip gone. I recall 3 thriving public houses and several general stores. The little Miss Wise\'s Sweet shop was a particular favorite. Any Primary School Photos out there of the period 1957-60? Would love to see some. Also of the village Fete of this era. You MUST at least keep your POST OFFICE. Regards to Biddenden and to any of your residents that may recall me.
 
Date Mon 08/08/2005
Name Ivan Oder
Email Address

IvanOder@nerdshack.com

Location USA

Comments

.Well done website. Keep up the good work I will visit again.
 
Date Fri 29/07/2005
Name sharon cradduck hill
Email Address

bhushan@semo.net

Location campbell, missouri

Comments

.My dad\'s name was james cradduck and his dad\'s name was charles henry cradduck. Charles had a brother whose name was david cradduck.
 
Date Tue 26/07/2005
Name Caren Freeman
Email Address

cdmrhf97@sbcglobal.net

Location California, USA

Comments



.I am a descendant of James CRADDUCK born 1811 in Biddenden, Kent, England and his wife Susannah BROOKER. I\'m glad I got to see the town where they were from before they came to the USA. I would love to hear from any relations as I am researching my genealogy! Thanks!
 
Date Sun 24/07/2005
Name Nigel Osborne
Email Address

nigel@solas.co.nz

Location New Zealand

Comments


.A very useful site - Its already put me in touch with three people I hope will be able to help with my family history research. I am particularly interested in the Stapley, Ledger, and Drury families.
 
Date Fri 08/07/2005
Name Tasha
Email Address

natasha@nmannering.wanadoo.co.uk

Location Kent

Comments

I am currently looking into my family tree and would be interested if anyone knows anything about the scamp family that lived in biddenden in the 1940\'s please contact me.
 
Date Thu 21/04/2005
Name Virginia Randolph
Email Address

vrandolph@foxinternet.com

Location Seattle, WA. USA

Comments






I visited Biddenden in 2003 and stayed at Birchley House B&B in Biddenden. I am a descendant of Bernard Randolph, b.1556 in Biddenden and his wife, Jane Biddenden, also born in Biddenden. Bernard and Jane have brasses in All Saints Church, as well as other Randolph and Biddenden family members. The Randolph family lived in Birchley House in the 1500\'s but it was out of the family by the 1700\'s. I was able to visit the
part of Birchley House where Bernard Randolph and his family lived in 1582. A wonderful village where I met many lovely people.
 
Date Sun 17/04/2005
Name Irene Clark-Wolfson
Email Address

icwolfson@sympatico.ca
Location Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Comments



.I recently learned that my ggg and gg Grandparents, John Pemble and wife Harriet Brakerfield Pemble, their son Stephen Pemble and wife Philadelphia Whiting Pemble went to America from Biddenden area in the 1840s. Thank you for the beautiful pictures of the village.
 
Date Sat 09/04/2005
Name Nancy Downey
Email Address

Beartrack100@comcast.net
Location St. Paul, Minnesota, USA

Comments









My husband and I visited Biddenden in October 2001 and we thought that it was absolutely delightful. And the people were so friendly and helpful. We plan to return this September with my mother, my brother and sister-in-law. This time we hope that we can see the inside of All Saint\'s Church.Our ancestor, John Stowe was baptized there on June 2, 1539. On July 30, 1572, he married Joan Baker at All Saints, as well.This John Stowe was the Parish Clerk at Biddenden in 1587. His son, John Stowe, also baptized at All Saints on Jan 14, 1581 and married there on Sept. 13, 1608 to Elizabeth Bigge of Cranbrook, emigrated to Boston, Massachusetts in 1634.He also brought with him his six children, all baptized at All Saints. My mother, aged 78, whose maiden name is Stowe, has heard all about Biddenden from us and is very excited to see it in person.
 
Date Tue 05/04/2005
Name Sue Witherden
Email Address

sue.witherden@mac.com
Location Auckland, New Zealand.

Comments






.Approx. 17 years ago we visited Biddenden churchyard and coincidentally met a Jack Witherden. I found out that day that I was expecting our 3 child. Being also Witherdens, we named our son Jack Witherden. Just felt it was meant to be. Does Jack still live in the village? We have just emigrated to New Zealand but with our Jack now approaching 17 wondered about the other Jack Witherden. Would love to hear any news. He may remember us, as we told him our story and that if our child was a boy we would call him Jack after him.
 
Date Sat 26/03/2005
Name Mrs E Gould
Email Address

REMOVED
Location Hertfordshire

Comments




Does anyone know what happened to The Jack Hampshire Pram Collection after Jack died? We knew him over many years and spent many a happy day with him seeing all his wonderful prams, and indeed many other interesting things that he collected. He was a true character and we miss him greatly. I know he hoped his collection could stay intact, but fear that it has been broken up and sold. We remember him with huge affection.
 
Date Fri 18/03/2005
Name Wes Anderson
Email Address

wes_anderson75@hotmail.com
Location North Dakota

Comments


Hi, I found your guestbook in a search but I can\'t find the site it goes to! I am related to the Steadman\'s from biddenden. My grandmother was a Stedman from Grace City, North Dakota.
 
Date Tue 15/02/2005
Name Colin Hollingsworth
Email Address

lynnhstr1@aol.com
Location Biddenden

Comments


My wife and I with our two children have lived in the village for less than a year and are still finding interesting facts about Biddenden, especially the old railway station and the windmill and the fact that there was i believe FOUR pubs, can someone confirm this please.
 
Date Wed 02/02/2005
Name Sue Smith
Email Address goaty96613@hotmail.com
Location UNKNOWN

Comments

It is a very nice place and welll looked after
 
Date Mon 31/01/2005
Name

Ian Bingham

Email Address ibingham@blueyonder.co.uk
Location Gillingham, Kent

Comments


Looking forward to visiting the village shortly as my ancestors (Binghams)were part of the community from the 1750\'s to the 1900\'s, some buried in the churchyard. The website has been very helpful.
 
Date Thu 23/12/2004
Name

Mugu Dan

Email Address mugu@net.nl
Location Lome Togo

Comments

This site is very good and very cool!
 
Date Tue 21/12/2004
Name

Dr Anthony J Smith
Email Address dinnage@hotmail.com
Location Peebles, Scotland

Comments




My father was the village baker in Biddenden between 1934 and 1949. As part of his business he sold bread to the hoppickers. In the 1940s bread cost four pence halfpenny; fourpence three farthings delivered to the hop gardens. The bakery was situated adjacent to the point of the village green, which at that time, had an iron fence round it and was covered in shrubs. Next to the bakery was a butchers shop complete with slaughterhouse close to the back door of the bakery. I remember the windmill falling down in the 1940s
 
Date Fri 26/11/2004
Name

Chris Brown
Email Address kcbrown@waitrose.com
Location Wallingford, Oxfordshire

Comments

I am researching my family history (Stapley) and Biddenden is very much in the story. Your site is very enjoyable to peruse.
 
Date Fri 12/11/2004
Name

Coker

Email Address coker@yahoo.com
Location london

Comments

hello everyone
 
Date Sat 23/10/2004
Name

Andrew Pring

Email Address andrew.pring@dsl.pipex.com
Location Bradford Yorkshire

Comments












I have recently been back again to Biddenden where I grew up in 50s-60s as my father Fred has just died. My ties to the village, and family home at 10 Chulkhurst are sadly being broken.
-
My time at John Mayne were happy childhood days and my time at Sutton Valence mixed. The area is full of the varied contributions of my parents - my mother Jackie as relief postwoman who also worked in the fruit and hopfields and father Fred who helped build houses with Woodgates, then worked with the Council on the roads and also did weekend odd jobs in the gardens of houses around the area. It is good to see names I recognise from the past and the influence of new people all of whom have contributed to the village over the years yet kept the essence of the Biddenden I remember alive, largely unchanged. I have been particularly impressed by the Millennium Field, the trees and carvings near the \'Rookery\' where I used to play. A restful place for reflection.
 
Date Wed 11/08/2004
Name

Douglas Baldock
Email Address Douglas_Baldock@hotmail.com
Location Aldershot

Comments

Brings back great memories.
 
Date Tue 10/08/2004
Name

Farris, Eric

Email Address eric.farris.@thway.org.uk
Location Biddenden

Comments

Lovely Village, have lived here all my life! so far!
 
Date Tue 10/08/2004
Name

Jill

Email Address Witheld
Location Ontario, Canada

Comments

I like your site, my grandmothers family(Besbeech, now Bisbee) came from there and one day I would like to visit.
 
Date Mon 09/08/2004
Name Jean Funnell
Email Address jaf2@tesco.net
Location London E97DH

Comments






I was very interested to find this website because my mother lived in Biddenden as a child. Her name was Mary Emeney and she was born in 1904. She lived with the Vane family at Clapper Hill Farm for several years. She had a relative, Jesse Vane who lived in Vane Court and she took me to visit him at Vane Court between 1950 and 1960. I believe Jesse Vane was a milkman but a lot of the Vanes were farmers. My grandfather married Alice Vane. I believe my mother also lived at Vane Court for a time. Thanks for providing such interesting material. Jean Funnell
 
Date Wed 04/08/2004
Name

Brandi
Email Address Witheld
Location Medford,Oregon,USA

Comments

I liked it very much
 
Date Monday 26/07/2004
Name

Natalie
Email Address withheld
Location Winchelsea East Sussex

Comments

What a lovely village and friendly locals. Great informative website too.
Thanks
 
Date Monday, April 12, 2004
Name

Samantha Luckhurst
Email Address sammy230_59@msn.com
Location Smarden Kent

Comments

I like biddenden its a nice little place
 
Date Sunday, January 4, 2004
Name

Marion Hover
Email Address MKH1973@NTLWORLD.COM
Location Ashford

Comments

I am one of your postpeople and cover all areas of Biddenden. Your village is always tidy and it's nice to get out of Ashford for the day even if it is just work.
 
Date Wednesday, December 17, 2003
Name

Glynn Brown
Email Address glynnbrown46@bigpond.com
Location Australia

Comments

My great grandmother, Mary Ann, and her first husband, Charles HARRIS, had a Baker's shop in the house known as?
 
Date Friday, October 31, 2003
Name

Steve Steadman
Email Address stevesteadman@earthlink.net
Location Florida, United States

Comments

This site is enjoyable. i am trying to learn more about my ancestors. I have been able to learn That members of my family (Steadman) lived in Biddenden in the 1600's. If anyone has any additional information I would be most greatful.
 
Date Wednesday, October 8, 2003
Name

Phil Paton
Email Address plroadtrip1@adelphia.net
Location Los Angeles

Comments

Feeling homesick. Missing Kent. Want cider. Will buy home and bring my new American family. Aaah, to be home. Miss home. Be nice to us when we get there. Please.
Phil.
 
Date Wednesday, September 3, 2003
Name

Janet Pritchard
Email Address fastglobe-janet@btconnect.com
Location Essex

Comments


I am a great fan of Biddenden, my grand parents used to go hop picking in the area, and we often visited as children. I now make a point of visiting at least once a year. My 'great Aunt' Harriet is laid to rest in the church yard, she was a hop picker and loved the village so much that she moved there from London.
 
Date Wednesday, August 20, 2003
Name

Patricia Waghorn
Email Address N/A
Location

Biddenden

Comments

The site is very good. Full of interesting information for residents and visitors alike.
 
Date Sunday, July 27, 2003
Name

Wendy Magnison
Email Address USA
Location

N/A

Comments

What a beautiful city, I would love to visit some day. I am a descendant of James Cradduck born there in 1811. Thank you for the tour.
 
Date Saturday, July 19, 2003
Name

Mick Martin
Email Address scotchmikey@hotmail.com
Location

london

Comments

I would like to find susan mark or justin mark, susan used to work in the rose justin used to play in goal for smarden
 
Date Tuesday, July 1, 2003
Name

Ameels
Email Address Diane.Ameels@pandora.be
Location

Ronse- Belgium

Comments

Such beautiful Weavers houses and typical cimetry
 
Date Friday, June 20, 2003
Name

Jacqueline Clark
Email Address bearingup@blueyonder.co.uk
Location

Sittingbourne Kent

Comments

I visited your village yesterday but could not find much information, this sight has been very informative 20.06.03
 
Date Friday, June 6, 2003
Name

Richard Wadley
Email Address richard@rwadley.fsnet.co.uk
Location

Guest at St Michaels

Comments

Met you at Millenium field today. I'm pip's brother! We're impressed with the site. Regards. Richard, Margaret + Pip
 
Date Saturday, May 24, 2003
Name

john-william day
Email Address unknown
Location

strood , kent

Comments

Very good.
 
Date Monday, May 5, 2003
Name

Dave Nicholls
Email Address vintageculture@comcast.net
Location

Philadelphia, PA

Comments

I'm interested in finding out if there are any realatives of Frances Hopper Bourne (b. c. 1825) living in Biddenden or the surrounding area. We recently acquired a sewing sampler done by her and dated December 4, 1834. We'd love to have contact, so if someone with genalogical knowledge reads this, please get in touch. Regards, Dave
 
Date Tuesday, April 29, 2003
Name

Colin Hunt
Email Address cdh@netcomuk.co.uk
Location

Biddenden

Comments

Good photos and history of the village and properties
 
Date Thursday, April 17, 2003
Name

JONATHAN BEER
Email Address JOHN.BEER@COATES.COM.AU
Location

COOPERS PLAINS . BRISBANE.AUST

Comments

JUST VISITING AS I WAS BORN HERE IN 1962 AND WE LEFT IN 1968 TO COME TO AUSTRALIA.
 
Date Monday, March 24, 2003
Name

Becsewell
Email Address becsewell@yahoo.co.uk
Location

Woking

Comments

Beautiful Cider!
 
Date Thursday, February 27, 2003
Name

Mugu Togo
Email Address mugu@mugu.guy.web.com
Location

lome togo

Comments

I love the site oooooohhhhhh
 
Date Sunday, February 23, 2003
Name

Barbara L. Zehar
Email Address littlepebbles96@msn.com
Location

Keller, Tx. U.S.A.

Comments






I am the G-G-G-G-Granddaughter Of John Day (B:1794) and Jane Hopper of Biddenden England their son William (B:1818)was Married to Susan Brittain from Virginia and their son George Hopper Day (B;1845)was married to Ann Brown, their son Joseph Claude Day(B:1881) was married to Lillie Mae Esco, their Dau. Lois Love Day (B:1918) was married to Albert George Loncki, their Dau. Marlene Patricia Loncki (B: 1942) was married to my Father Robert William Tomasik in 1961 and then they Had my Dec. of 1961 Barbara Laverne Tomasik. I hope to find out alot of Info from this Lovely site and Thank You for having this site.
 
Date Sunday, February 2, 2003
Name

Marcia Smeenk
Email Address msmeenk@comcast.net
Location

Dumfries, Virginia US

Comments

My ancestors may have lived in your city.
 
Date Tuesday, December 17
Name

Bob Beale
Email Address bobbeale53@aol.com
Location

La Habra, CA. USA

Comments




My family have a long association with the village. At one time we owned the River Hall House and the surrounding land and also were owners of the row cottages where you will find Clarisses tea room and shops. She is a lovely lady. Showed me the original deeds to the cottages that bore my name. Recommend the teas. Also the church which is the resting place of many of my ancestors. I will visit again, such a beautiful village, so much history. Just wish it were still in the family.
 
Date Sunday, November 10, 2002
Name

Ray Olson
Email Address rayolson@telus.net
Location

Prince George B.C., Canada

Comments

My wife and I visited Biddenden this summer. Her ancestors (Beken,s) came from there.
We would love to return sometime.