Gravesend is situated on a declivity leading to the Thames; and is partly in the parish of Milton, which adjoins to that of Gravesend on the east side. Gravesend is written Graves-ham in the Doomsday book, and Gravesatnde in the Textus Roffensis; Lambard supposes the place to have derived its name from the Saxon word Gerefa, a ruler or portreve, signifying the end or limit of his jurisdiction; or, more probably, the Ham, or Dwelling of the Greve, or Reve. Others have derived it from the Saxon Graf, implying a coppice, or small wood, which, compounded with ænde, forms Graef'scende, and thus signifies the place at the Woodend.

The abbot of St. Mary-le-Grace, of Tower-Hill, having the manor of Gravesend in his possession, obtained of King Richard II. a grant to the men of Gravesend and Milton, of the exclusive privilege of conveying passengers from thence to London, on the conditions that they should provide boats on purpose, and carry all persons, either at twopence per head with their farthells, or baggage, or the whole boat's fare should be four shillings. This charter has been confirmed by succeeding kings, and is still enjoyed under proper regulations. Most of the boats are now large and commodious, and the sum paid by each person is one shilling and sixpence. Five tilt-boats, on a mailer scale, are licensed by the mayor. The whole sail regularly to and from London with every tide. There is, besides this passage between Gravesend and the metropolis, which is called the Long Ferry, a second Ferry to Tilbury, in Essex, which place lies opposite to Gravesend.

In the teth year of Queen Elizabeth, the parishes of Gravesend and Milton were incorporated by letters patent, dated at East Greenwich; but Charles I. in 1632, granted the principal charter: Before, the chief officer had been called the Portreve, but by this charter he was styled Mayor; and in him, twelve jurats, 24 common councilmen, a seneschal, or high steward, and other inferior officers, the government of the town is now vested. At the same time the liberty of holding two additional markets weekly, and a four days’ annual fair was granted, together with a full confirmation of the privilege the inhabitants enjoy, exclusively, of conveying passengers and goods by water to London.

A field to the left of Gravesend was the site of the ancient church of that parish; but the inhabitants residing near the Thames, finding the church was placed at a very inconvenient distance, obtained a licence from the official of the bishop of Rochester to build, at their own expence, a chapel, or oratory, dedicated to St. George the Martyr.

The ancient church afterwards becoming dilapidated by neglect, was taken down, and the chapel of St. George became the parochial church, which was likewise destroyed, together with the greatest part of the town, by a fire which happened in August, 1727. Between the years, 1731 and 1733, the present church, which is dedicated to St. George, was erected on the old site, under an act of the fourth of George II. which granted for the purpose 5000l. from the duties on coals and culm, levied under the acts of the ninth and tenth of Queen Anne, for building fifty new churches in and near London. It is a plain brick structure, with stone quoins, cornices, &c. And has the following inscription on a fascia proceeding round the tower: "Hanc aedem incendio lugubri deletam Georgiusll. Rex munificentissimus senatus consultoinstaurandam decrevit." The interior consists of a spacious nave and chancel; on the north side is a large gallery, and at the west end an organ-loft, furnished with a good organ.

A strong battery, or platform, was erected at Gravesend by Henry VIII. to repel any desultory attack from the French, at the same time that he erected a Blockhouse at Tilbury for a similar end : the latter is now improved into an important fortress; but the battery at Gravesend has been suffered to go totally to ruin, so that its exact situation cannot now he known. A small embrasure, mounting a few guns, appears, however, to have been kept up for the defence of Gravesend till the year 1778, when a new battery of sixteen guns was raised on the east side of the town, near the New Tavern, which had been formed from the buildings of an ancient chantry, belonging to the parish of Milton, and which was then converted into apartments for the ordnance and artillery officers. Another battery of sixteen guns has been raised since that time, rather nearer to the town.

In the year 1764, a new Town Hall was erected by the corporation, having an open space beneath, where the poultry market is kept; in the front it is supported by six columns, and by three arches at the back. A new wharf, crane, and causeway, were made in 1767; the expense of keeping which in repair is reimbursed by small tolls for cranage and wharfage. An act was passed in 1773, for paving, cleansing, and lighting the principal streets, &c. Under the operation of this act very material improvements have been effected. The town has likewise experienced an increase in its traffic, and in the number of its buildings, from the circumstance of a, new road having been made, a few years back, forming a continuation, by a shorter track, leading through this place, of the road between Northfleet and Rochester. The numbers of shipping that usually lie at anchor in the adjacent parts of the channel, occasion a continual influx of strangers and seamen, greatly beneficial to the trade of this town.

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GRAVESEND is a parliamentary and municipal borough on the south bank of the Thames, with stations on the South Eastern & Chatham railway, and is 24 miles from London by rail, with access to the London and Southend railway at New Tilbury, on the Essex shore, by steam ferry boats from the Town Pier; by the latter line there is a direct communication to every part of the east, north and west of London, by the Great Eastern, London and Tilbury and Southend, and the North London railways. A branch of the South Eastern and Chatham railway, from Famingham road to this place, was opened 10 May, 1886.

Gravesend is 22 miles from London by the Dover road and 26 by the Thames, 7 east from Dartford, 7 north-west from Strood and Rochester and 10 from Erith and is a union and market town and head of a county court district, in the Mid division of the county, lathe of Aylesford, hundred of Toltingtrough and rural deanery of Gravesend and archdeaconry and diocese of Rochester.

“Graves-ham” was its ancient designation and it is so written in “Domesday Book;” some modern authorities, however, deduce its name from the A. S. Graef, a trench or moat, thus giving the meaning of the name as “the town at the end of the moat,” but it has also been suggested that the word “Gravesend” is merely a phonetic change from “Gravesham.”

Gravesend was made a parliamentary borough by the” Representation of the People Act, 1867” (30 & 31 Vict, c. 102), and includes within its boundary the parishes of Gravesend and Milton, and so much of the parish of Northfleet (not including its detached portion) as lies to the north of the old Roman road, called “Watling Street;” it returns one member to Parliament.

The municipal borough includes only the towns of Gravesend and Milton, which were incorporated by charter, 10 Eliz. (1567—8), and this charter was confirmed and extended by Charles I. Under the provisions of the “Municipal Corporations Act, 1835” (5 & 6 William IV. c. 76), the municipal body was reconstituted, and now consists of a mayor, six aldermen and eighteen councillors, the mayor being selected out of the twenty-four. The borough has a Commission of the Peace and Court of Quarter Sessions. Water is supplied from works at Windmill Hill, the property of a company; and gas from works at the Canal Basin, also the property of a company.

The town is situated at the foot of the hills, which extend for about two miles along the river Thames, and the views are very picturesque from most points, the numerous towers and spires varying the long line of houses, Windmill hill rising steeply in the midst and Northfleet Comb closing the prospect to the west; the upper town commands a view over 40 miles of the river from east to west and across the chalk hills of Essex; on the south side is a table land, inclosed to the east and west by the dividing ranges of the Medway and Dart. The south landscape is very extensive and the seaward view reaches far over the northern shores of the Thames mouth The country around is richly cultivated and covered with villages and mansions.

The Town Pier, a structure of cast iron, with a wrought iron lighthouse, was built in 1834, and in 1854 the pier was covered in and altered for the purposes of the Tilbury railway, and has since been purchased by that company; further alterations were made in 1885.

The Royal Terrace Pier, opened in 1845, and erected at a cost of £9,200, is in extreme length 250 feet, with a width of 30 feet, the underside being 8 feet above the level of high water at spring tides; it is covered in, and since 1893 it has been the property of the Royal Terrace Pier Estate Co. Limited.

Rosherville Pier is about half a mile to the westward of the town, in the parish of Northfleet; steamboats to and from the metropolis and the Tilbury railway call here frequently during the day in the summer season.

The steam ferry established between Gravesend and Tilbury Fort, leaves the Town pier for the landing stage of the Tilbury railway at frequent intervals. There are other small piers for the Ordnance wharf and the taverns.

Electric Trams run to the east and south and west of the town.

Gravesend is within the port of London, where all vessels arriving from foreign countries take on board the revenue officers and discharge the same when outward bound. The trade formerly consisted in the supply of shipping, and it was also the chief station for East Indiamen; the stores taken by ships are now few, but emigrant and other ships here take their passengers on board. Collier ships also report themselves at this point to the city officer and the larger vessels take a pilot for the river. The Lower Hope maintains a number of coal hulks for the supply of steam shipping, and when the wind interferes with the free passage of vessels, it is crowded with ships, like the port of London, and at night is lighted up like a street. Gravesend is also a great yacht station. The New Thames Yacht Club house is on the Clifton Marine parade.

The town imports coal and timber and the fishing, craft chiefly engaged in fishing for shrimps; cod, turbot and mackerel are also caught; it is a principal pilot station and has a Custom House.

The parish church of St. George, burned down in 1727, was subsequently rebuilt by King George II. and Queen Caroline in 1731, at a cost of £5,000, and is a plain edifice of brick, with stone quoins and cornices, and consists of chancel, spacious nave, west porch and a western tower containing a clock and a musical peal of 8 bells; in 1764 an organ and loft were erected in the church, pursuant to the will of John Ison, of this parish, who left £400 for that purpose; the stained east window was effected in 1867, and eight others were placed in 1894; there are 984 sittings. The register of burials dates from the year 1547; baptisms, 1651; marriages, 1653. The living is a rectory, net yearly value £425, with 22 ½ acres of glebe, and held since 1899 by the Rev. Edward Lionel Gedge B.A. of London University and chaplain of Gravesend and Milton Union. The advowson came to the Crown by the attainder of Henry (Brooke), 3rd baron Cobham, of that family, in the first year of James I. and continued in the gift of the Lord Chancellor till 1892, when the patronage was transferred to the Bishop of the diocese.

St. James’ ecclesiastical parish was formed from the parish of St. George, August 20, 1852; the church, in the London road, was erected in 1851, on a site presented by the Earl of Darnley, and has one bell: there are sittings for 500 persons, of which a large number are free. The register dates from the year 1852. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value, chiefly from pew rents, £278, in the gift of the rector of Gravesend, and held since 1900 by the Rev. Ernest Mort M.A. of Christ Church, Oxford.

MILTON parish church of SS. Peter and Paul, on the old Dover road, is an ancient fabric of the 13th century, in the Decorated and Perpendicular styles, and has 6 bells: the church was restored in 1852 and the chancel in 1862: the stained east window was inserted in 1858 by Charles John Pinching esq.: there are 350 sittings. By an Order in Council, 1879, Denton was annexed ecclesiastically to Milton. The register of baptisms and burials dates from the year 1538; marriages from 1662. The living is a rectory, net yearly value £250, with glebe, value £25, and residence, in the gift of the Lord Chancellor, who has two turns, and the Bishop of Rochester, who has one, and held since 1900 by the Rev. George Walter Mennie M.A. of Aberdeen University.

Christ Church ecclesiastical parish was formed from that of Milton, 9 Jan. 1857. The church, erected in 1856, and enlarged in 1870 at a cost, of £400, is in the Gothic style, and has one bell; it was restored in 1883 at a cost of £210, and affords 650 sittings, 293 being free. The register dates from the year 1855. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £300, in the gift of the rector of Milton, and held since 1856 by the Rev. Felix Augustus Marsh M.A. of St. John’s College, Cambridge.

Holy Trinity, MILTON, is an ecclesiastical parish formed in 1845; the church, built in 1845, at a cost of £4,539, is in the Decorated style, and has one bell and several stained windows: the church will seat 1,000 persons, and has 600 free sittings. The register dates from the year 1845. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £200, with residence, in the gift of the Crown and the Bishop of Rochester alternately, and held since 1897 by the Rev. Francis Clement Naish, of Queen’s College, Birmingham. The vicarage house was built at a cost of £4,000, of which £900 was given by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. Connected with the same parish is St. Andrew’s Waterside Church and Mission, which orignated in Gravesend, and was established in 1864: the church is in the Gothic style, and has 4 bells. The clergy of the Mission visit the ships anchoring off the town, and provide them gratuitously with Bibles, prayer-books and libraries, this being the only point on the Thames where ships with their crews on board can be visited when outward bound.

The Catholic church in Milton road, dedicated to St. John the Evangelist, was erected in 1834 at a cost of £7,000, and a tower was subsequently added at a cost of £1,800: there are several stained windows and 700 sittings. Adjoining the church and school is the convent of the Sisters of Mercy.

There is a Jewish synagogue at Tivoli House, erected in 1880, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church of England, The Grove, was erected in 1870, and has 620 sittings; there are Congregational, Baptist, Primitive Methodist and Wesleyan chapels.

The Cemetery of 9 acres, in the Old road, and about 1 mile from the town, was opened in 1839, and has two mortuary chapels and a considerable extent of catacombs; the property is vested in the trustees of the late J. R. Hall esq.

The Town Hall, in High street, erected in 1836, at a cost of £3,000, from designs by Mr. A. H. Wilde, architect, is an edifice in the Doric style, and includes a hall holding 200 persons; considerable alterations and additions were effected in 1882, at a cost of £6,000, under the direction of Mr. Parr, architect, and it was re-opened in November, 1883: in 1898 police and fire engine stations and other offices were added.

The county court is held in the County Court House, in King street, erected in 1871; here also is the Town Clerk’s office.

Gravesend Municipal Technical School in the Darnley road, erected in 1892-3, at a cost of £6,480, was opened July 19Th 1893, by H.R.H. Princess Henry of Battenberg: in 1902 new class rooms, a carpenters’ shop, chemical laboratory and assembly rooms were added, the total cost being thus nearly £20,000. The Public Library occupies two rooms in the south wing of the Technical School and had in 1898 upwards of 5,500 volumes. The Public Hall, in the New road, built 1891, and the property of a company, will hold 1,300 persons.

The Jubilee clock tower at the top of Harmer street erected in 1887 by public subscription, at a cost of upwards of £1,000, is a building of stone 80 feet in height from designs by Mr. J. Johnson, architect, of London, and contains 4 bells, presented by Alfred Tolhurst esq. in 1890.

The Borough of Gravesend Conservative Club is in Parrock street.

The Old Falcon and Clarendon hotels are beautifully situated, and the latter has a lawn extending to the river and facing the anchorage of all ocean steamers.

There is a branch here of the London and County Banking Co. Limited in King street, another of the London and Provincial Bank Limited in High street, and a Savings Bank in Hanover street: three newspapers are published; the town maintains several breweries and iron foundries, and there are brickfields and barge and boat builders.

Saturday is the market day, the market being held in the Market House, which in 1800 was entirely rebuilt. There is no separate fish market, but the sale of fish forms part of the main business in the neighbourhood of West street and High street; the fishing Docks and piers are in West street. A fair is held on the 24th of October.

The hop cultivation begins near here and the market gardens in this locality are celebrated for asparagus and rhubarb; on either side the town is a rich fruit district, with orchards of cherries, apples, pears, damsons and strawberries; watercress is also cultivated in the neighbourhood.

Gravesend is within the Thames military district, and has military establishments at Tilbury Fort, New Tavern Fort at Gravesend, East Tilbury and at Shorne battery; the forts, since 1852, have been repaired and the embrasures mounted with heavy guns. The Gravesend barracks in Wellington street are occupied by detachments of troops, and naval detachments temporarily stationed here for practice with the Lee Metford rifle. There is a rifle range in Denton Marsh.

In Windmill street is the head quarters of the 1st Kent Royal Garrison Artillery (Volunteers).

The branch of the Sailors’ Home here was opened in 1886, at a cost, including site, of about £6,000, and is available for over 145 seamen.

The charitable bequests for the relief of the poor amount to about £200 yearly, principally derived from Varchell’s Charity. The almshouses, originally in King street, now removed to Old road east, were founded by Henry Pinnock, for thirty aged persons of both sexes and have a small endowment, raised by subscription in memory of H.R.H. Prince Consort.

The Gravesend Hospital, in Bath street was established in 1850, with the object of furnishing gratuitous medical treatment and advice to the destitute poor of Gravesend and Milton and their vicinities, and is entirely supported by voluntary contributions; in 1887 two isolating wards, containing 4 beds each, were built at the sole expense of the late Mrs. John Russell. The new wing, built in 1894 at a cost of £6,000, will give 60 beds; during 1901 the number of in-patients was 486 and out-patients 5,792.

The Corporation of Gravesend Sanatorium, locally in Cobham parish, was erected in 1886, and has 10 wards for infectious cases only.

Windmill Hill, consisting of about eight acres, was in May, 1902, opened by the Lord Mayor of London as a park and recreation ground. It is the property of the Corporation, and was acquired and laid out at a cost of about £12,000..

Milton Hall, the seat of George Matthews Arnold esq. J.P. was built by the present owner in 1875, and includes an oratory, all the windows of which are stained: in the grounds are two museums containing a good collection of antiquities. The whole stands in a well-wooded park of 100 acres.

Springhead, 2 miles south-west, and a favourite resort of Gravesend visitors, is well known for its watercress plantations.

At the time of Domesday Survey there were, as now, three manors-the manor of Gravesend is at present held by the Earl of Darnley; that of Milton, by Joseph Harvey esq.; and Parrock by the Corporation of Gravesend, who purchased it in 1694 from George Edkin esq.; the ferry from Gravesend to Tilbury and the site of the Town Hall, with the market place and Free school, being parcels of the manor.

The population of the ecclesiastical parishes in 1901 in as:-St. George (parish church), 5,960; St. James, 5.702; St. Peter and St. Paul with Denton, Milton (parish church), 5,603; Christ Church, Milton, 6,244; Holy Trinity, Milton, 4,353.

The union comprises the parishes of Gravesend & Milton. The population in 1901 was 27,196; area, 1,259 acres; rateable value in 1902, £122,487.

Workhouse, Trafalgar road, a building of brick, built in 1847, enlarged 1863, to hold 302 inmates.

PLACES OF WORSHIP, with times of service.

St. George’s Church, Gravesend, Rev. Edward Lionel Gedge B.A. rector; Rev. James W. Boden, curate; 11 a.m. & 3 & 6.30 p.m.; wed. 11.30 a.m. & fri. 12 noon.

SS. Peter & Paul Church, Milton, Rev. George Walter Mennie M.A. rector; Charles Castley B.A, curate; 8 & 11 a.m. & 3 & 6.30 p.m.; wed. 11 a.m.. & 7.30 p.m.; fri. 11 a.m.

Holy Trinity Church, Milton place, Rev. Fras. Clement Naish, vicar; Rev. Norman Pritchett B.A. curate; 8 & 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; daily, 7.45 & 10.30 a.m. & 4.30 p.m.; fri. 3.30 & 8 p.m.

St. James’ Church, New road, Rev. Ernest Mort M.A. vicar; Rev. Henry Siddall B.A. & George Godfrey Ashwin Bullock B.A. curates; 11 a.m. & 3.15 & 6.30 p.m.; fri. 7 p.m.; St. Luke’s Mission Church, Wrothana road, 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; thurs. 7.30 p.m.

Christ Church, Parrock street, Rev. Felix Augustus Marsh M.A. vicar; Rev. Charles Fillan Bellot B.A. curate; 9.30 & 11 a.m. & 3 & 6.30 p.m.; wed. 7.30 p.m.

St Andrew’s Waterside Mission Church, Clergy of Holy Trinity, Rev. Francis Clement Naish, vicar; Rev. Norman Pritchett B.A. curate; 8 alternate & 10.30 a.m. & 3.30 & 6.30 p.m.; thurs. 7.30 p.m.

Thames Church Mission, Rev. Thomas John Price Assoc K.C.L, assist, chaplain.

Jews’ Synagogue, Tivoli house, 91 Windmill street, Isidore Baron Berkowitz.

St. John the Evangelist Catholic, Milton road, Rev. Joseph Wyatt, priest; Rev. William Kilmartin, assist, priest; mass, 8.30 & 11 a.m.; vespers, sermon & benediction, 7 p.m.; holidays of obligation, mass, 8 & 10 a.m.; vespers & benediction, 8 & 10.30 a.m. & 8 p.m.; thurs, devotions & benedictions, 8 p.m.

St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church of England, The Grove, Rev. William W. D. Campbell M.A.; 11 a.m.. & 6.30 p.m.; thurs. 7.30 p.m.

Primitive Methodist, Damley street, 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m. mon. tues. & fri. 7 p.m.

Baptist, Windmill street (erected 1845; seats 750), Rev. George Duncan D.D.; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; mon. & wed. 7 p.m.

Baptist (Zoar), Peacock street (erected 1847; seats 750), Rev. Charles Abraham Guy; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; mon. wed. & fri. 7 p.m.

Congregational, Clarence place, Milton (erected 1874; seats 750), Rev. Peter Husband Davies; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; wed. 7 p.m.

Congregational, Princes street (founded 1662; seats 1,000),; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; mon. & tues. 7 p.m.

Wesleyan, Milton road (Gravesend & Dartford Circuit), Rev. Elisha Robert Eslick; 11 a.m.. & 6.30 p.m.; fri. 7 p.m.

SCHOOLS

The School Board of 9 members was formed 12 Nov. 1875 for Gravesend & Denton United District; Edward Lovell, clerk to the board, 77 New road; John C. H. Saunders, 9 Park terrace, chief attendance officer; George Lambert, Church street & Daniel Mobbs, 29 Raphael road, assistant attendance officers.

Gravesend Municipal Technical School, Damley road, built in 1892, J. A. Stirton, sec.

Gravesend United District Board School, Church street, built 1876, erected at a cost of £7,000, for 154 boys, 154 girls, & 200 infants; average attendance, 150 boys, 140 girls & 150 infants.

Milton Road, Board School, built in 1884, enlarged 1896, for 190 boys, 160 girls & 200 infants; average attendance, 172 boys, 157 girls & 160 infants.

Wrotham Road Board School, built in 1894, for 200 boys, 200 girls & 288 infants; average attendance, 203 boys, 200 girls & 272 infants.

National & Free, King street, founded in 1580, & as regards the free school, in 1850 was re-endowed by Mr. David Varchell, the two schools being united in 1835; there are now about 29 boys on the foundation, who are clothed, 8 being educated from a charity left by James Fry; £20 from Varchell’s charity is annually paid to the school funds.

Christ Church National, Russell street, for 170 boys, 120 girls & 100 infants; average attendance, 165 boys, 95 girls & 70 infants.

St. James’ National (boys, girls & infants), New road, erected in 1855, on a site given by Lord Darnley, for 180 boys, 140 girls & 80 infants; average attendance, 177 boys, 127 girls & 69 infants.

Holy Trinity Church Schools (mixed), Milton place, built in 1866 & enlarged 1874, for 330 boys, 297 girls & 61 infants; average attendance, 300 boys, 291 girls & 61 infants.

St. Peter & St. Paul’s National (mixed), East Milton, built in 1859, for 168 children; average attendance, 159.

Catholic, adjoining St. John’s Church (mixed), built in 1858, enlarged 1889, for 260 children; average attendance, 226.

Higher Grade, Kempthorne street, built in 1845, for 300 children; average attendance, 160 boys & 90 girls.

Higher Grade, Princes’ Street Chapel (infants), for 100 children; average attendance, 100.

Higher Grade, Wakefield street, for 200 infants; Miss Walker, infants’ mistress.

WATER CONVEYANCE

London-Steam packets from the South Eastern & Chatham, Town & Roserville piers in the summer months; Margate, Ramsgate, Clacton, Harwich & Boulogne-From Tilbury daily during summer.

Sheerness to Southend-Steam packets from London bridge call at Roserville pier & the South Eastern & Chatham piers daily during the summer.

London & Gravesend Steam Trader (Beresford & Co. owners & G. Masters & Co. managers), West street, leaves St. Olave’s wharf, Tooley street, London, every tues, thurs. & sat. returning from wharf, West street, every mon. wed. & fri.