General Chat

My husbands grandfather was born in Sandwich, Kent and he used to say that if you were born on one side of the river you were a man from Kent and if you were born on the other side of the river you were a Kentish man! As I am from South Wales I had never heard this saying until my husband told me - any idea which one his grandfather would be as my husband didn't know?

Thank you! I'll let my husband know

Just had a look at the website - it's really interesting - Thank you!

And I am a Kentish Maid, born Beckenham.

Joy

My mother always said she was a Kentish Maid, until she got married. Helen

Hello everyone, I was born in Ashford and therefore I am a Man Of Kent. (East of the river Medway). I now live in Staffs but I am still proud of my Kent heritage. In Ashford there used to be a pub called the Man of Kent, (don't know if its still there), and the pub sign showed a man holding an olive branch in one hand and a sword in the other. I was always led to believe that this referred to the Men of Kent meeting William the Conquerer after the battle of Hastings and offering him peace if he left them alone and war if he did not. William is supposed to have left them alone and several laws from the old Kingdom of Kent were still in force until the 20th century, e.g., Gavelkind, which meant that all heirs inherited equal shares and not just the eldest. Bernie.

Hi Bernard, there was a Man of Kent pub near Tenterden until a few yeares back, then it became a Florists and now it seems to be converting into a restaurant. Either way, we are miles SOUTH of the Medway!!!