THE SCHOOL.

As most of our readers will perhaps know, when our School was founded by the late Mrs. Gibbon, two hundred and fifty-nine years ago, a clause in her will provided for a Bible being given to the scholars who finished their education here. The child was to be examined by the Vicar to see if he or she could find their way about the Sacred Book, and read aloud a selected passage. This practice began, but fell into abeyance for many years, because the money from the endowment was never sufficient to maintain the school. When the Government came to the help of our National Schools the Trustees were able to afford money to resume the practice, and so Bibles were again presented. Now, owing to the action of the Government in taking away the scholars over eleven years, and finishing their education in the Rainham Central School, the clause in the will cannot be carried out in the terms stipulated. But the Trustees have a number of Bibles in hand and are prepared to give one to a Hartlip scholar who has finished his schooling elsewhere. Any former scholar who desires a Bible should apply to the Vicar, and be prepared to come to the School or a Church service, and then read aloud a selected passage, when the Bible would be presented.

The Trustees are having the interior of the Schools thoroughly renovated, so that when the children return after the holidays all will be spick and span, clean and sweet.

Mrs. Hales has had to go into a London Hospital for an operation, and at the time of writing was progressing towards recovery. It will probably mean she will not be able to resume duties for a few months, but we hope then she will have completely recovered and enjoy renewed, health and vigour. Meanwhile Miss Pilcher, from Doddington, is in charge of the junior department.

Baptism.

Aug. lst - Jean Elizabeth, daughter of James Lewis and Bertha Elizabeth Tomlinson.

MOTHERS' UNION.

The summer Service was held on August the 18th, followed by a garden party at the Vicarage, when the members were entertained by the Vicar and Mrs. Mutter. It was a perfect afternoon, and all thoroughly enjoyed themselves. The winter session starts in October.

The Dedication Festival will be held on Wednesday, September 29th. Holy Communion will be celebrated at 7 a.m., and at 10 a.m. Children's service at 9 a.m., Evensong and sermon at 7.30 p.m.

The Harvest Thanksgiving Services will be held on October 3rd, the day on which Summer Time ends. Holy Communion at 7, 8, and 11 a.m. Children's gift service for the Hospital at 3 p.m. Evensong at 6.30 p.m.

A Jumble Sale will be held in October and the proceeds given towards building up an electric light fund for the Church. The fund is already started, and Capt Marks is prepared to receive donations.

Mr. R. J. Standing, of Rainham, has transferred his business to Mr. Long, who is well-known in Hartlip. We draw attention to his advertisement on the cover.

A CENTURY AGO.

Many changes come in a hundred years. Our village population in 1801 was 256. In 1831 it had dropped to 217. In 1841 it had risen to 341, whereas at the present time it is about 425. Now there are fewer children than in former days.

In looking back over ancient records it is interesting to find that this village for centuries was very much split up as regards ownership of the land, and the chief owners seem in many cases to have been non-resident. There was no Squire who possessed most of the land as is found in so many English villages. The Pope family, who named Pope's Hall, disappeared. The Searles of Paradise, are unknown. The Graveney's are forgetten and their name remains in an altered form on the property called Grainey. An Osborne family held land in Hartlip for some centuries. Mary Gibbon was an Osborne, who lived at Pope's Hall, and married a vicar here, named Gabriel Salesbury or Salisbury. The last direct descendant of that Osborne family to reside in Hartlip was a John Osborne, who built a large house N.W. of the Church, which he called Dane House, but on account of a daring robbery committed while he was resident in it, he removed to Maidstone, and his house was pulled down. The present Dane House on a different site was built afterwards.

A century ago the Rev. Thomas Pearce owned the living of Hartlip, but appears to have been non-resident. He had curates living in the old vicarage - a Rev. Thomas Bowyer and a Rev. William Fisher. Mr. Fisher was afterwards Vicar. He pulled down the old vicarage and built the present one in 1854, and added considerable land to the new vicarage. The schoolmaster in his day was a Mr. John Henty. Names in the district have changed with the passage of time. Meresborough, which one might think meant the Lake-town, was originally Maresbarrow, which might have meant a place where a mare was buried - perhaps a favourite steed of some far distant owner. Chesley appears on an old map as Chelsey.

Nunfield Farm is the site of an ancient Priory of Nuns, but the Prioress having been strangled in her bed, the King seized on this manor and kept it in his own hands and removed the remaining Nuns to the Isle of Sheppy, after which King Henry the II placed here seven priests as secular canons and gave them the whole of the Manor. At length one of the Canons having been murdered, four of his brethren were found guilty of the crime and two others acquitted. None of the religious buildings remain.

A hundred years ago amongst the landowners in Hartlip was All Souls' College, Oxford, having as tenants John Stunt, Richard Goord, John Jordan, George Webb and William Kitchenham.

Mr. William Bland was a resident owner, and let his Yaugher Farm to a Richard Hogben.

Mr. Henry Barrow; St. Catherine's Hospital; the Dean and Chapter of Rochester; the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury; Wm. Dodd; the Rev. Wm. Drawbridge; Richard Goord; John Lake; Merton College Oxford; Richard Ruck; John Stunt; the Hon. Wingfield Stratford; the Earl of Thanet (Lord Hothfield); and George Webb were other landowners, some never residing here.