Dail Whiting with her extreme knowledge of the village once again kindly sends us a very interesting note as below:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRpEZOMVyAY&list=RDWRpEZOMVyAY&index=1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BvBcHQz4sw
I thought you might be interested in the connection between
the composer Thomas Case Sterndale Bennett to Wateringbury. The top YouTube
Video is the song Leanin', written and sung by the composer Thomas Case
Sterndale Bennett. The second YouTube video is another version sung by Stanley
Holloway. There were also other versions sung by various singers as It was
quite popular in the early 1950's, would you believe. Thomas was inspired to
write the song on one of his many visits to Wateringbury to see his brother,
John Sterndale Bennett, who lived at Oakenwood on Red Hill, as well as his
relatives the Flints, who lived in the Thatched Cottage at the top of Mill
Lane. It seems likely that he also visited, or at least knew very well, Richard
Fremlin who lived at May Lodge by the
upper mill pond. The brewer and hop farmer Richard Fremlin was a brother of
Frances Flint.
The words to the song 'Leanin':
Sewin's pretty good
Reapin' ain't so bad
Scarin' off the crows
Suits a farmer's lad
But if you ask's me
The thing that suits a fellow
Is a little bit of straw to suck
To keep your fancies mellow
When you're leanin' on the gate beside
The pond that lies beside the side
Of farmer's stacks of new mown hay
It's just atwix the ricks
Beside the barn where farmers sticks inside
The chicks he only hatch'd today
Leanin', leanin'
I'm champion down our way, they say
At leanin' on the gate beside the pond that lies beside
The side of farmer's stacks of new mown hay
That he's been gleanin'
While I've been leanin' ..... all day
Had a lurcher once
Better than a gal
Poacher? Well, a bit
But 'e was a pal
Now there's just a mound
Underneath the el-lum
Reckon folks would laugh at I
If I was to tell 'em...
Why I'm leanin' on the gate beside the pond that lies beside
The side the hedge where my old dog would play
It's just a'cos from there I see the sunlight
Glintin' through the tree
Upon the grave where 'e do lie
Sleepin', sleepin'
Goodbye is hard to say
That's why
I'm leanin' on the gate beside the pond that lies beside
The side of farmer's stacks of new-mown hay
And at the gleanin'
He'll find me leanin' ..... all day
It is said that the gate on which Thomas was leaning was on
the farm track towards the Warden House
end, and the pond was the lower mill pond which was clear and free running back
then. The field with the hay stacks was apparently what is now the Glebe Meadow
housing estate.
One of the Sterndale Bennetts, of course, owned land which
is now the pear orchard in that area.
Thomas Case Sterndale Bennett was the grandson of the
composer Sir William Sterndale Bennett, who was born in Sheffield in1816 and
educated at the Royal Academy of Music from 1826 to1836. From 1856 to 1875 he
was a Professor of Music at Cambridge University, and from 1866 to 1875 he was
the Principal of the Royal Academy of music in London. He died on 1st Feb, 1875
at St Johns Wood Road, London, aged 58, and was buried 6th Feb 1875 in the
north aisle of Westminster Abbey. He was recognised as one of the great British
composers of the 19th century, and was knighted 24th March 1871. His wife was Mary Anne, formerly Wood, who he had
married in Apr 1844 in Southampton.
Sir William Sterndale Bennett had a number of children. His
second child, was James Robert Sterndale Bennett. who was born
in 1847 in London and educated at Kensington School and St Johns, Cambridge. He later became
Mathematics Lecturer at Kings College, and from 1889 to 1898 he was the Headmaster of Derby School. He died on 4th
June 1928 in Dymchurch Kent, aged 80, and was
buried 7th June 1928 in Dymchurch.
His wife was Mabel Agnes, formerly Gaskell, who he had
married in June 1876 in Hampstead.
James Robert Sterndale Bennettt also had a number of
children. His third child was John
Sterndale Bennett who lived in Wateringbury.
John Sterndale Bennett, titled Colonel, was born 10th Sep 1879
in Highgate, Middlesex, and educated at Derby School and St John's, Cambridge.
In 1901 he was a Second Lieutenant, Infantry - Worcester Regt., served in
Somaliland 1902 to 1904. In 1912 he was Captain 107th Pioneers, Indian Army -
Instructor, School of Musketry, Satara, and promoted to Major 1915, awarded OBE
in 1919,and retired in 1923. He was JP
for Kent in 1930. John Sterndale Bennett lived
at Oaken Wood, on Red Hill, Wateringbury.
He died on 16th June 1962.
His wife was Honor Fremlin, formerly Flint, who he had
married in the district of Malling in 1913.
The Flints lived in the Thatched Cottage. Honor Fremlin
Flint was the daughter of George Gilham Flint and Frances, nee Fremlin. Frances
Fremlin was the sister of Richard Fremlin from May Lodge/Broomsdown.
Thomas Case Sterndale Bennett was the fifth child of James
Robert Sterndale Bennett and a younger brother of John Sterndale Bennett above,
who lived at Oaken Wood on Red Hill. Wateringbury.
It was Thomas Case Sterndale Bennett, the composer, who wrote
the song 'Leanin'.
Thomas was born 10 Aug 1882 in Highgate Middlesex and
educated at Derby School. In 1901 he was living in Fulham an described as a
Music Student. He later became a
composer and entertainer.
He died in London on 16th May, 1944, and was cremated
privately.
Thomas had married twice. First to Christine Bywater and
second to Mary Maskelyne.
Two early postcards of the lower mill
pond. The pond was really quite lovely in the early 1900's. The postcards show the pond looking north. Note
the grazing cows.
The little wall is right in the foreground so the photo
was taken looking north. These early
coloured postcards were published in about 1905 by Young and Cooper of
Maidstone.