Barbara Jerram, who died at Harrington House on 31st August 2024, aged 92, lived for over a third of her life in Badsey, the longest she had lived anywhere in the world.  Most people in Badsey will remember Barbara as the elegant wife of retired Army colonel and first Chairman of The Badsey Society, Tony Jerram – someone who enjoyed creating a beautiful home, making magnificent floral displays, walking her beloved greyhounds and going on many exciting holidays.

Did you know that Aldington once had a baronetcy?  It didn’t last long, though (two years to be precise), as Peter Courten was the 1st and last Baronet of Aldington.  The following are the few details that are known about his life.

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Peter Courten was born in 1598, the son of William Courten, a wealthy merchant, and his wife, Margaret.  His mother died when he was young and his father married again, to Esther Tryon on 17th July 1604.  He had one half-brother, William, and half-sisters, Hester, Margaret, Mary and Anne.

In the late 17th century, a man appears in the Wickhamford records who had lasting significance but about whom almost nothing is now known.  He was Thomas Akers and his only connection to the village, in the local history records, was his time as a Churchwarden at the Church of St John the Baptist. His surname was spelled as either ‘Akers’ or Ackers’, but the former is used here.

Historical Background

Historical Background

William de Wickwane’s background is unknown, but he was referred to as "magister", so he probably attended university.   Wikewane/Wykewane was the name of Wickhamford in the Middle Ages, so it is feasible that he was born in that village, but see Footnote. 

George Higgins Hardiman was one of many men working in horticulture in Wickhamford in the period from around 1900 until the 1930s. He attempted to join the Army in 1902, married in 1905 and had three children. He later owned a greengrocery shop in Broadway. There are many places where information on his life can be found and, rather than writing an article about events in his life, these are presented in date order below. His case is an example of how people can do research into relatives or people of interest in their community.

Parish Registers were kept from about 1536, by order of Queen Elizabeth.  In two entries in the Wickhamford Marriage Register, in 1597 and 1603, the groom’s names included the abbreviation ‘Domus’, short for ‘Dominus’.  This meant that the two gentlemen had Bachelor of Arts degrees and such men were often Vicars.