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The Earls of Darnley ran the estates using income from:
- rental from tenants, both in Kent and Ireland;
- farming;
- borrowing, using the lands as collateral;
- timber and underwood businesses;
- shooting and fishing rights.
In the 20th century, they made attempts to make the estate financially viable by running a commercial plant nursery business, property speculation and by opening the hall and grounds as a leisure attraction.
These images are from the Darnley Archive and Local Studies collections. To see the originals, contact Medway Archives and Local Studies Centre.
Select an image for a larger version
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Left. Illuminated address presented by his agricultural tenants to the Earl of Darnley on his marriage. 1899 [U565_F018]. Right. List of carriages and menservants. 1896 [U565_H040]. Below left. Valuation of timber and underwood at Cobham Hall and Park. 18th century. [U565_E651].
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Right. Extract from the rental for the Estate, showing some of the tenants in the Parish of Cuxton, the farm or property and yearly rental. 1864 [U565_E274].
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Left. Part of some instructions on tree planting, detailing species, distance between each tree, depth of hole and cost. 19th century [U565_E652]. Below. The Darnleys were involved with the Cobham Yeomanry, which was set up in 1794 and existed as a unit within the West Kent Yeomanry Cavalry from 1838. In 1907, the Territorial Army (TA) was formed and the system of yeomanry ended.
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The Cobham Yeomanry was then fully absorbed into the West Kent Yeomanry. This photo shows the cavalry in Cobham Park. c.1905 [U565_O25].
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Photos from a series by Miss Gertrude Rogers, Sevenoaks, Kent, entitled Scenes from Rural Life. Original 1861. Couchman Collection [DE402_23_59]. Left. Girl at the Well, Cobham Farmyard. Right. The College, Cobham.
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