This is the index page for the period 1910 - 1919 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.
This was a traumatic period in respect to the First World War. Many men left the town to defend their way of life. Those who returned had shared experiences with men from all over the country. Their outlook on life would never be the same again and as a result nor would the simple life that they had enjoyed during their upbringing in the town.
| 1910 | Edward VII died on May 10 from pneumonia. His funeral, held on May 21, was attended by dignitaries from around the world. He was buried at St George's Chapel, Windsor. |
| 1910 | Edward VII was succeeded by his second eldest son, George V. Edward VII's eldest son, Albert Victor, died in 1892. |
| 1910 | Dr Hawley Harvey Crippen was arrested on board a ship in Canadian waters in July. The Doctor was wanted in London for questioning about the murder of his wife. He fled the country with his mistress but was caught thanks to radio. The ship's captain knew of the case and recognised two of his passengers as the wanted suspects. He radioed back to London and a police inspector was sent to arrest Crippen, who was given the death penalty the following year. |
| 1911 | Following the death of his father Edward VII the previous year, George V was crowned at Westminster on June 23. |
| 1911 | A nationwide strike of transport workers caused chaos across the country as goods and food were not delivered to many cities. Petrol shortages brought the country to a standstill. Labourers in Liverpool rioted and troops were called in to quell the trouble in August. During the protests for better treatment of labour workers, two men were shot dead by the troops. |
| More to come... | |
War Memorial WW1 1914-1918. This is the listing of the men from Whitstable who lost their lives in the Great War and appear on the town's Memorial. We have recorded them on this site as a tribute to them and so that their ancestors, who may now be scattered around the world, will know that we do indeed remember them. This page also links to the names on the memorial for WW2 1939-1945 which you can go to directly from here if you wish.
1917 - Snippets from the Whitstable Times. Letters from the Front and the listing, at that date, of the Roll of Honour. The death of the current 'Father' of the Oyster Company.
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.