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Mayors of Faversham 1850 to 1899

Queen Victoria was on the throne until 1901

1850 Charles Jones Hilton See also 1846
Charles was buried in the parish church in 1866.

He is commemorated by a brass plate below the stained-glass window, south wall, south aisle.

This window is erected in Memory of CHARLES JONES HILTON who died August 19th 1866 Aged 56 by his sons PHILIP and ERNEST.

There is also a gravestone in Preston church, “Rejoicing in hope" round the edge.

John Bate and Walter Holmes

In memory of Charles Jones HILTON, third son of Giles Hilton Esq. of Preston House born 15th December 1809 died 19th July 1866.

1851 John Bate See also 1853

1852 Walter Holmes See also 1868 and 1869
Three generations of this grocery family became mayors. Walter is the second and was mayor three times, he was also a hoyman and member of the Faversham Club.

1853 John Bate See also 1851
At the Faversham Porter Club, Mr Thomas Kingsnorth lost a bet he made with Mr Thomas Buss that Mr Walter Holmes would re-elected mayor for the council elected Mr John Bate. There is no note as to what the wager involved, but it was usually a bowl of punch!

Plaintiffs: The Mayor Aldermen and Burgesses of the borough of Faversham. Defendants: Edward Ryder.Provincial solicitor employed in Kent, Gloucstershire

Cause number: 1853 F49. Short title: Mayor and Corporation of Faversham v Ryder.... | The National Archives

Edward Garraway, Richard Goodfellow Stone, Frederick Francis Giraud, Richard Jones Hilton and John Bunyer Sharp

1854 Edward Garraway
Only mayor once, but Edward appears on the shield of the mayoral chain. He was the proud owner of particularly spectacular sideburns! 

1855 Richard Goodfellow Stone
Richard was a timber merchant and lived at 23 Stone Street. He led the town's rejoicing at the end of the Crimean war. 

During the construction of the railway, an extensive Jutish cemetery was uncovered in Kings Field and a great quantity of beautiful ornaments and other relics were found. Most of these are now in the British Museum.

1856 Frederick Francis Giraud
Frederick was a friend and the doctor of Henry Wreight who gifted him his house in 1851. Frederick himself died in 1866.   

Peace with Russia following the Crimean War was proclaimed in the Market Square, there were treats given out to school children, a mayoral banquet and fireworks.

1857 Richard Jones Hilton
Only mayor once, another son of Giles Hilton, mayor in 1836. Richard appears on the shield of the mayoral chain. Richard read the Riot Act of 1714 following a protest over suppression of 5 November celebrations, when a troop of Horse Guards was called in.

1858 John Bunyer Sharp
There is an entry for John, taken from Pigots directory of 1840, 

POST OFFICE, Market Parade, Faversham. John Bunyer SHARP, Postmaster, Letters from London arrive (by Dover mail), every morning at two, and are despatched every night at half past twelve. The box closes at nine at night, but letters are received until ten upon payment of twopence with each. 

He was a busy man, as he's also registered as Brazier or Tin Plate worker and Ironmonger of Market Parade and Fire and Office Agents for the Sun Company in Market Place.  The extension of the main line from Chatham to Faversham was completed and the railway station was opened.

Samuel George Johnson

1859 to 1860 Samuel George Johnson
Samuel appears on the shield of the mayoral chain. He was a solicitor at 12 West Street. He also served as town clerk from 1864 - 1870 when he left Faversham to become town clerk of Nottingham. In 1897 he was knighted for his municipal services and his brother Frederic was also mayor, in 1879 and 1883.

In 1860, the recreation ground was opened. It covers 20 acres and subscribed by townspeople and Henry Wreight's charity.

Plaintiffs: Richard Wyles. Defendants: Charles Collins, The Mayor Alderman and Burgesses of Faversham and George Baines.

Cause number: 1859 W71. Short title: Wyles v Collins. Documents: Bill only. Plaintiffs:... | The National Archives

1861 William Nash Spong
William was a surgeon and died in 1877.

1862 to 1863 Frederick William Monk
Frederick was mayor for two consecutive years. He was the builder of some of the more imposing buildings in the town, including the block at the junction at the end of Market Street and Preston Street. Also, some of the residences in Albion Terrace and South Road, one of which he lived in. He was prominently associated with the Institute in East Street and was its first managing director.

In 1863 the Almshouses were built in South Road; these are the only original almshouses still standing.

1864 Charles Bryant See also 1871
Charles appears on the shield of the mayoral chain.

Faversham Water Company was founded, with wells and pumping plant at Copton. For many years, they were supplemented by a windmill.

1865      Hafford Fielding   See also 1870
Hafford appears on the shield of the mayoral chain.

Left to right: William Nash Spong, Frederick William Monk, Charles Bryant and Hafford Fielding

1866 John Andrew Anderson junior See also 1876 and 1882
John appears on the shield of the mayoral chain. He was a partner in the firm of Hilton, Anderson & Co, proprietors of the former Faversham Cement works which covered a large area in Belvedere Road.

He built Hillside House in South Road, in which he resided for many years. When the County Councils were brought into being in 1889, he was elected Faversham's first representative and when the Council held its first meeting, he was one of those who were elected Aldermen. His benefactions were to Faversham Parish Church. The inner doors at the west entrance and the oak and glazed screen were his gifts, and in 1902, as a thank offering for 'fifty years of happy married life', he gave £2000 for the augmentation.

Samuel Higham

1867 Samuel Higham
Only mayor once, Samuel appears on the shield of the mayoral chain. He was a linen draper of 10 and 11 Market Place. He was a member of the Faversham Porter Club and placed a bowl of punch on the table to celebrate becoming mayor. He had previously been mayor of Sandwich in 1854 and died in 1886 at the age of 69.

1868 to 1869 Walter Holmes See also 1852
Walter died in 1874 aged 56.

1870 Hafford Fielding See also 1865

1871 Charles Bryant See also 1864

1872 Richard Watson Smith
Only mayor once, Richard appears on the shield of the mayoral chain. He was Principal in gunpowder company.

1873 Lewis Shrubsole See also1877, 1878, 1880, 1884 and 1885
Lewis was mayor six times and appears on the shield of the mayoral chain. He was a builder and resided at 5 Abbey Street

1874 John Payn
Faversham Co-Operative Society was formed, with a small shop at 72 West Street. The founders were mostly men employed at the gunpowder works.

1875 John Matthew Goldfinch See also 1886 and 1887
John appears on the shield of the mayoral chain. He was Faversham's most famous shipbuilder and owner at Standard Quay. His largest ship was 'Goldfinch' (1894) at 98ft and 144 tons.

Left to right: Richard Watson Smith, Lewis Shrubsole, John Payn and John Matthew Goldfinch

Frederic Johnson

1876 John Andrew Anderson junior See also 1866 and 1882

1877 to 1878 Lewis Shrubsole See also 1873, 1880, 1884 and 1885

1879 Frederic Johnson See also 1883
Frederic was mayor twice and appears on the shield of the mayoral chain. He was a solicitor who, like his brother Samuel, also served as town clerk in 1902. However, Samuel only held the position for two weeks when he resigned.

1880 Lewis Shrubsole See also 1873, 1877, 1878, 1884 and 1885
In the 1881 census, Lewis was declared as a builder, employing 70 men and 4 boys.

Charles Smith

1881 Charles Smith See also 1892
Charles was Justice of the Peace from 1866 and appears on the shield of the mayoral chain

1882 John Andrew Anderson junior See also 1866 and 1876

1883 Frederic Johnson See 1879
"Faversham News" was established by Frederick Austin, printer and stationer.

1884 to 1885 Lewis Shrubsole See also 1873, 1877, 1878, 1880
Faversham Bank of Hilton, Rigden and Rigden was transferred from small premises at 10 Court Street to 13 Market Place. 

1886 to 1887 John Matthew Goldfinch See also 1875
He died in 1905 at age 85.

The Cottage Hospital was built in Stone Street.

1888 Thomas Gillett See also 1895 and 1896
Thomas was mayor three times and appears on the shield of the mayoral chain. He was the head of a corn milling firm and a barge owner. Thomas was the last Porter Club chairman before the two clubs merged. So, therefore, the first chairman of the Faversham Club, founded in 1884.

Telephones were first installed, by a small company operating from Canterbury. The first exchange was located in a small room at the rear of a tobacconist’s shop at 120 West Street

1889 Henry Ross Child See also 1894
Henry was mayor twice and the owner of the town’s department store

1890 Benjamin Gough Berry
Benjamin was a fruit, vegetable and grain wholesale merchant. His family had been farming in the area since the early 1800s and is based at Gushmere Farm. He set up Berry Bros Jam with his half-brother, Sir Walter Wheeler Berry. In 1880 he had set sail on an epic journey, and he wrote a diary called 'Diary of my Journey around the world in Africa, Australia and America in 1880 - 1881'

1891 Charles Holmes See also 1904
Charles appears on the shield of the mayoral chain and is the third generation of this grocery family to be mayor. His father Walter was mayor in 1852, 1868 and 1869.

Left to right: Thomas Gillett, Henry Ross Child, Benjamin Gough Berry and Charles Holmes

Jabez Smith

1892 Charles Smith See also 1881
Charles died in 1918 at the age of 84.  

1893 Jabez Smith See also 1902
Jabez appears on the shield of the mayoral chain. He was an Ironmonger, with a shop in Market Square

1894 Henry Ross Child See also 1889
Henry died in 1919.  

1895 to 1896 Thomas Gillett See also 1888
Thomas died in 1907 aged 72.

There were record frosts. Faversham and Oare Creeks were choked with huge blocks of ice.

1897 to 1898 Ebenezer Chambers See also 1905 and 1906
Ebenezer was the Managing director of Writtle & Co, timber merchants.

The Post Office relocated to 6 East Street, opposite to where the existing post office is today.

The present railway station was built and the level crossing in Preston Street was closed.

1899 Charles Cremer See also 1907 and 1908
Charles was a brick manufacturer and barge builder and owner. His sites at Ham and Lady Dane produced 10 million bricks a year.

Left to right: Ebenezer Chambers and Charles Cremer


Opening Times

VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE
12 Market Place, ME13 7AE
10am to 4pm - Monday to Saturday
10am to 1pm - Sunday (opening hours may vary)

FLEUR MUSEUM - FREE ENTRY
12-13 Preston Street, ME13 8NS
Open Fridays & Saturdays 11:00 to 15:00

SECOND-HAND BOOKSHOP
11 Preston Street, ME13 8NS
10am to 3.30pm - Monday to Saturday

CHART MILLS
Off Stonebridge Way, ME13 7SE

Open Saturday and Sunday from 2-5pm

Registered Charity  Number 1135262 - Company No 07112241
The Faversham Society - Registered Address: 10-13 Preston Street, Faversham, Kent ME13 8NS
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