Selson Farm near Eastry

[Lindsay Smith]

In 1841 my gg grandfather, John Marklew Smith, was a farmer at Selson near Eastry. He had a servant and 2 agricultural labourers. Is there any way of knowing if he owned the land? I would like to know what type of farming would he have carried out -can anyone point me in the right direction?

Lindsay Smith - Australia

[Barry Miller]

Hello Lindsay. My uncle, Thomas Chetyl Miller, owned and farmed Selson from before WW2 until his death in the early 90's. It is predominantly a fruit farm (Kent being "The Garden of England") with some cereal as well.

I don't know the history of the farm before he acquired it - I'll ask around my family and see if I can find out anything else.

Barry Miller
Northamptonshire

[Peter Goodey]

A2A throws up some references at East Kent Archives

Business Records of G. C. Solley & Company, Estate Agents of Sandwich
Eastry
FILE - Selson Farm - ref. EK/U1507/E296 - date: 1919
FILE - Selson Farm with adjoining Land - ref. EK/U1507/E299 - date: 1921

also

North Manuscripts
Eastry
FILE - Capital messuage called Selson and land called Long Tighe - ref. EK-U471/T61 - date: 1705-1727
Leases (various parishes)
FILE - Selson Farm in Eastry - ref. EK-U471/T103 - date: 1740-1809
FILE - Minacre Farm in Northbourne, Selson Farm in Eastry - ref. EK-U471/T105 - date: 1823-1841
FILE - Little Hay Farm in Eastry - ref. EK-U471/T106 - date: 1751-1773

also

Margate Brewery
Brewery correspondence - ref. EK-U1453/B2/40

Supplementary letters found subsequently
FILE - J.M. Smith, Selson - ref. EK-U1453/B2/40/671 - date: 1845
That last one might be of particular interest!!!

[Val Wicks]

Hi Barry,
My father, Dick Wicks, was related to the Miller's from Selson farm. My mother, Cecily visited them there as did my cousin Robert. Susan Miller stayed with my folks in Durban, South Africa, many years ago. Robert, who now lives in Australia, and I, are trying to put together the 'threads'. I live in the UK. Who and how can we make contact?
Val Forbes (Wicks)

[helachau]

There are several adverts in the Kentish Gazette, June 1846 advertising the sale by auction at Selson Farm of "The growing crops .... the Live Stock and Farming Implements, on Selson Farm, the property of J M Smith, leaving the neighbourhood".

No mention of the farm being auctioned.

[helachau]

A similar advert appeared in the same paper in Sep 1850, advertising the sale by auction of crops, live stock, farm implements and house contents "... the property of Mr Isaac Sladden, leaving business". Again, no mention of the farm being auctioned