Expert: Mark Smith - 2/26/2005

Question
An excellent programme, wasn't it. Too bad I didn't catch more of the series.

Can you think, offhand, of any notably identifying incidents that point to Gravesend in respect of anti-crown forces or activities--up to and including the turmoil of 1816-20?

I am also looking at the Attack on the Medway. The contemporary Duke of Albermarle's account is nearly incomprehensible. Poor fellow didn't know wat a Full Stop was. --But it does give the impression that the Attack was repelled as far up the Thames as Gravesend.

Also, in that particular respect, do you know that the "Chain" or "Chayne" was? Some rort of Thames landmark, it appears.

Thanks,
Danny

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Followup To
Question -
Hello, Mark.

How are you on the Restoration?

The other day, I caught a bit of "The English Civil War" on the BBC (or was it C4?). Anyway, this particular episode centerd around the "regicide" trials, and the bit I saw was on the fate of one "John Cooke", the lawyer who, I think, prosecuuted Charles I.

A particular statement caught my ear, to wit: "...John Cooke... Gravesend, where lawyers like him were known to congregate."

This seemingly innocuous statement has other separate implications for me and my research in another area and era--which I do not want to get into here.

What I need to know is, something about the implication in that staement that Gravesend of that time of the regicide trials at least was and as it were, a hotbed of republican/Parlianemtarian/Roundhead thoughts and sentimets.

I was wondering if you could elaborate on this?
Specifically, was there any incident or incidents that you may recall that happened at or near Gravesend around the time of the Regicide Trials which would have precipitated that remark? (It seems there must have been.)

I know that in the "early part" of the nineteenth century and up until about 1860-75, a "tradition" of boat-burning occurred at Gravesend--and which may have been in celebratory recollection of the Dutch surprise attack on the Medway, in 1667. I also know that a mysterious fire burned down the Custom House there in 1814 (the period which interests me.)

In short, does Gravesend share something of the traditional historical reputation of Clerkenwell for radicalism?

Anything--or anyone else--you could suggest to me would be a great help.

Regards,
Danny O'Hanlon



Answer -
Hello Danny.
I also saw that programme (Thomas Harrison is the local traitor/hero in these parts depending on your point of view).
I cannot find any particular references to militant radicalism in Gravesend other than that it was staunchly for Parliament, as was most of Kent, during the Civil War.   
What you may have done is misheard "Gray's Inn" for "Gravesend" as being a lawyer that was where John Cook learnt his profession.
Mark

Answer
Hello again. I think I've misled you a bit about my knowledge of Gravesend. I'm not an expert on that town, the "local" traitor Thomas Harrison was local to my own area of north Staffordshire.
The Dutch attack on the Medway in 1667 was never intended to be an invasion fleet as the Londoners thought. The Dutch only got as far as Chatham and either destroyed or towed away several English ships. The chain could refer to the chain stretched across the entrance to the Chatham docks intended to protect them from attack, but the Dutch broke through.
Mark