Wateringbury band plays in Teston(1869)

Post date: Jul 16, 2012 4:36:58 PM

Extract from Kentish Gazette, 21st September 1869

TESTON. Welcoming the Lord of the Manor.—On Saturday week, Roger Leigh, Esq., arrived in this parish to take possession of Barham Court and an inheritance of 400 acres, and the whole of the inhabitants assembled to give him a hearty reception. Triumphal arches were elected, and bunting displayed from every available point. ' Welcome "Welcome home," " Hourly joys be still upon you, "God bless them," and " Health and prosperity" were amongst the mottoes and devices which caught the eye on the way upto the mansion. On the arrival of Mr. Leigh, Mrs. Leigh, and their two children, in the village, they were met by the Rev. F. W. Cobb, rector of Nettlestead, the Rev. C Harbin (vicar of Teston), F. B. Elvy, Esq., Dr. Bray, Messrs. A. White, R. Warde, J. Fremlin, Goodwin, R. Gibbs, Eward, H. White, Fry, J. Welby, Harris, Mrs. A. White, the Misses Allwork, and large number of the tenantry on the estate. The horses were taken from the carriage, which was drawn by a number of parishioners to the mansion, accompanied by a band from Wateringbury, playing " The Old English Gentleman," followed by eight carriages, a number of horsemen, the village school children, and vast concourse of people.

Arrived in front of the mansion, Mr. Elvy, of Bowhiil stepped forward, and addressing the occupants of the carriage, said, " As the oldest tenant on the Barham Court Estate, I am deputed by the clergy, tenants, and neighbours here assembled to welcome you, Mrs. Leigh, and family to your home. (Cheers.) We congratulate you on the possession this beautiful property, which George IV., when here years ago, described as one of the most beautiful estates in England. Having been for years a tenant, and my ancestors for more than a century, we have ever found the Lords of Barham kind, good landlords, friendly to all around them, and charitable to the poor, and we have no fear that these virtues will decline in the person of yourself, but have every confidence that we shall find you treading in their steps, and that mutual confidence and good feeling will spring up between us. (Cheers.) We pray that upon you, Mrs. Leigh, and family, Providence will shower its choicest blessings ; that you may long live to enjoy the blessings of this lovely spot, and hand it down to your descendants. (Cheers).

Mr. Leigh, in responding, thanked his friend Mr. Elvy, and those who participated in giving him the hearty and cordial reception he had just received, both on his own and his family's behalf. Such a warm reception was quite unexpected. It was with the greatest pleasure he should make his stay at Teston, and they should learn to know more of each other; and to promote each others interests in every respect. (Cheers.) Mrs. Leigh also thanked the assembled company, after which a bouquet of flowers was presented to her by one of the school children, the band played "There's no place like home," and " God save the Queen." Salutes were fired in an adjoining meadow, and the church bells sent forth a merry peal. 'The tenantry were invited into the house to take wine, and the health of the esteemed successor to Lord Kingsdown having been drunk, the company separated.

Roger Leigh (1840-1924) had inherited the estate in 1867. At 400 acres the Barham estate he inherited was much reduced in size from the 2,000+ acres it had recently been. Roger was the adopted son of of Sir Robert Holt Leigh, who had died in 1843 leaving a lifetime's interest to Thomas Pemberton. Roger was only to live there to 1875 and then again from 1879 t0 1886. During his second period of residence he rebuilt the oil mill (linseed oil) at Tutsham in West Farleigh only to see it burn down in 1885. . He was the Conservative M.P. for Rochester from 1880 to 1885.