This is the index page for the period 1870-1879 in Whitstable. It connects to events in this period in the History, People and Genealogy sections. A single page or group of pages might inform you about that specific topic but by viewing all of the pages we hope that you come away with the feeling that you were actually there at the time, that you can relate to these people and understand what life and work was like for them. Then, when you visit the town, you can see for yourself these places as they are today and cast your mind back to the pictures we painted of the way it was then for our townspeople.

1870	In August, the Married Women's Property Act was passed by Parliament. It included the right of a married woman to keep her own money, changing the previous ruling which accepted all a married women's possessions were the property of her husband.
1870	British Parliament passed the first of the Irish Land Acts. The Acts were designed to pacify Irish tenants calling for more rights, laying down rules for compensation to tenants if evicted and compensation for work done by the tenant to improve the home.
1871	Charles Darwin published The Descent of Man. The work expanded his theory of evolution to apply to people. There was a public outcry about the concept but Darwin's thorough research gained acceptance.
1871	Explorer David Livingstone's African expeditions took him to Lake Tanganyika. Welsh-born journalist and explorer Henry Stanley of the New York Herald was sent to find Livingstone in 1869. In November, Stanley found his target at the lakeside. Stanley is said to have greeted Livingstone with the words "Dr Livingstone, I presume?". Stanley gave Livingstone supplies and his expedition continued. However Livingstone was in poor health and died the following year.
1874	During the 1860s, many European settlers arrived in Fiji. The next decades were dominated by land disputes as the original inhabitants were displaced. Fijian chiefs negotiated with the British. On Oct.10th Fiji became a British Crown Colony.
1875	The Public Health Act was passed by Parliament. It laid down comprehensive rules for both the public and industry. It brought together a range of Acts regarding sewers, housing, water supply and disease prevention.
1875	Captain Matthew Webb became the first person to swim unaided across the English Channel - a distance of 22 miles. His swim lasted 21 hours and 45 minutes, starting at Dover on Aug.24, and arriving at Cape Gris Nez the following day.
1876	Scottish-born inventor Alexander Graham Bell patented his communications device - the telephone. Bell, who lived in America, demonstrated the telephone across the States.
1877	On January I, Queen Victoria was declared Empress of India. Conservative Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli organised the Royal Titles Act which gave Victoria the Empress title.
1877	In July, The first All England Lawn Tennis Championships were held at Wimbledon. Spencer Gore won the contest.

The Gazette of England and Wales 1870. Although not very extensive in its detail, this publication does show us how the town was perceived in this year.

As we re-discover more about this period in the town's history and about the people who lived in it we will add to this collection. Hopefully, if you have anything to add you will let us know. In trying to recreate these times the picture will never be complete, but if we leave it too late the stories from this period that have been passed down through the generations might be lost forever.