The Garlinge's wild flowers, Mantel ornaments frankly from Birmingham

Following correspondence with Jen Garlinge- a little research on wildflower categories at English flower shows :
‘ The schoolchildren spend hours gathering wild flowers to compete for the prize given that little one who shall show the greatest variety arranged with the best taste.’
from ‘Among English Inns’ by American Josephine Tozier writing in 1904
This confirms that the prizewinner at the fateful flower show was a child:one of the younger Garlinges, Doug, Fred or Henry
At some shows species count alone won.Alternatively, a competitor reminiscing from the 1850’s said “He (his rival)generally beat me in tasteful arrangement while I had the pull in my knowledge of the botanical names and the power to arrange them in scientific order. “) But this maybe unusual – upper class speaker (Sir James Murray), and flower shows were very much working class. (But local dignatories judged- his Dad, maybe?)
Usually sponsored by the gentry- perhaps as a method of encouraging the worthy poor (patronage didn’t stop at wild flower appreciation!)-

See the Keevil village Site

“To the Cottager living within the Parish of Keevil, whose cottage shall be kept in the neatest and cleanest manner during the past year, the number of the family and state of the building being considered.
First Prize 15.0 shillings
Second Prize 10.0 shillings”

Plus prizes for darning, knitting, hemming and such like

Back to the Garlinge boys who would have hard searching for wild flowers in August; most shows were in June or early July. I wonder if there was a reason for the lateness of the show that year?Further, they would have had to avoid the gamekeepers, armed farmers, constables, pea and potato rustlers, drinkers, poachers, hayrick burners, sheep molesters and homicidal dogs that ran amok in Kent that week.


Finally,
Josephine Tozier (her Among English Inns can be found at books online here) is a scream

How about

“The mantel ornaments are frankly from Birmingham, and bear the stamp of the peddler's pack; all ugly and useless.”
Or
"The sweet simplicity of English cooking probably had its origin when salt was highly taxed,”

Gentrification of Aylesham

Old news but Jen has just told me that the Mission hall was up to sale, looking far more comfortable , then in Pop Carters day.

The historical links from e-bay are to my site!

More miserable yet

Jen Garlinge says:

Just revisiting your blog site, which is brill. Was interested in how the farm got its current name. One of my ancestors, Henry Garlinge, was pictured in your article about the miners mission, and in the brass band, (but I can no longer find them on your site, and would be ever so grateful if you still have the article.) A Garlinge also won a prize in your infamous flower show, and I think this must be my Henry's father, Frederick John.

His grandfather, Frederick Garlinge, was a well-sinker at Snowden colliery, and dug most wells in the area. On one occasion in about 1908-1920 a child fell down a well on Ackholt Farm, and Frederick was summoned by the police - he shone mirrors down the well to see if the child had survived. (He hadn't). The child's name was Alderman. I wonder if this has any bearing on the farm being known as Misery - perhaps this, plus your family tragedy, gave it a reputation? Perhaps there were other events at the farm as well over time which added to the view of the farm as "jinxed" place.

(the flower show is here,the article interviewing the Garlinges is here)


Thanks to Jen for this story- since I first heard that Ackholt farm is now called Misery farm- I have been told versions of how the farm got its new name. Always involved: a father, a son, a shotgun, an accident, and seem to be much retold versions of the Reggie story, which I assumed to be the case, rather then there being lots of shotgun deaths leading to grisly cursed house scenarios.

But this is different, timed before Reggie’s death, and the child has a name.
The Aldermans, at one time, lived in keepers cottage, opposite the farm, and backdoor to the fredville estate. (scroll down to see the keepers cottage and the Trees of Wonder)Harold Alderman is a renowned boxing historian, and I really must speak to him.