Beekeeping at Goldhanger
There are indications of significant beekeeping activity and honey production in the past at Goldhanger. This was, and still is, associated our micro-climate close to the Estuary and the past local fruit growing (see the 1960s Local Map). The relatively warm, dry and frost-free climate close to the Estuary, together with many early flowering fruit trees, lime and walnut trees, etc., is all unusually good for year-long bee foraging and honey production. This postcard, which is undated, shows Ralph Page’s Apiary at Old Rectory Farm...
The Page family farmed Old Rectory Farm from 1906 to the 1960s. They cultivated substantial fruit tree orchards on the east side of the village producing apples, plums, greengages, jam and honey. The bees would have had the important role of pollinating the fruit tree blossom. Some of their trees have “gone native” and still remain in the hedgerows around the village. _____________________________
This Illustrated London News article of 1851 and two local reports describe Mr Ponder’s special beehive design on display in the Great Exhibition in London’s Crystal Palace, however no pictures were included...
				Mr Ponder lived opposite Beehive Cottages in the Bird-in-Hand and next door to the Allotments. We can’t be sure, but one of the hives on Ralph Page’s Apiary postcard looks very different to the other hives shown that otherwise look like the conventional hive design, so this may well have been one of Mr Ponder’s glass topped versions.
_____________________________ The Revd John Christopher Atkinson (1814-1900) who was born at Goldhanger, became an ornithologist and a famous antiquary author, wrote in Forty Years in a Moorland Parish : “One tradition involved the humble honey bee. A local practice was to put bee-hives into mourning after the death of their owner. Often the widow would go to the hive and inform the bees that one master was dead and tell them who their new master was, whilst offering them food and drink”. When he was a schoolboy, his father [also named Revd John Atkinson (1787-1828) and a Goldhanger curate, and also a recognised ornithologist] being the curate of a country parish near Colchester, the news came that the Rector had died. A large stock of bees belonged to the rectory, and nothing remained on his mind so much as the 'putting of the bees into mourning'. Strips of black material were folded round each hive, and as each strip was knotted, three taps with the house key were given and each hive severally informed that the master was dead. [ note by DWN: Revd Atkinson senior held several curate posts in Essex, so the rectory referred to here by his son may or may not have been what is now the Old Rectory at Goldhanger, see... Revd Atkinson - Vikings ] Here is a much more recent article about the ritual in the Independent newspaper in Sept 2022... The royal beekeeper has informed the hives at Buckingham Palace of the Queen’s death. The Palace beekeeper, said that he travelled to the palace and Clarence House on Friday (9 September) to carry out a formality. The ritual is based on an old superstition which claims that not telling the bees about a change of owner can lead to them not producing any honey. He placed black ribbon bow-ties on the hives, before informing them, in hushed tones, of the Queen’s passing. He then told the bees that the new master King Charles III would be in charge. “You knock on each hive and say, ‘The mistress is dead, but don’t go. Your master will be a good master to you’. " _____________________________
The Essex Beekeepers Association has existed for well over 100 years and local beekeepers would have been members and could well have used their labels...
_____________________________
This local newspaper cutting from 1926 describes a meeting of beekeepers in the New Rectory grounds, which suggests that the Rector of the day, the Revd. Frederick Gardner and his daughter Cynthia had an interest in beekeeping. We know that this wealthy family had a strong interest in supporting village activities...
_____________________________ Stanley Wilkin (1874-1946) kept many hives at Bounds Farm where substantial soft fruits and fruit tree orchards were (and are) grown in the south of the village. This is an extract from the 1933 edition of Bee Matters and Beemasters... _____________________________
			The Beehive Cottages in Fish Street clearly have a past association with beekeeping. For many years the cottages belonged to the Johnson Family who also owned the Allotments opposite, so they would have undoubtedly kept their beehive in there, but they would also have moved them around the many orchards surrounding the village at that time.
_____________________________ Beekeeping goes back thousands of years to the Chinese, the Greeks and the Romans and was prolific in the UK in medieval times. The activity has always involved not just honey production but also many other bee related products:
Beeswax	for candles & timekeeping at night when clocks weren’t available >>> for polishing: furniture & floors, and wood, brass, copper, silver, steels & glass and it’s also used in many ancient and modern cosmetic products									Roman Alarm Clock when the candle burnt down to the nail it dropped on to the metal based of the chamber stick ringing the alarm!
Mead	also called hydromel and honey wine is an ancient alcoholic drink
Apitherapy	alternative medicine practices using these bee products...
Royal Jelly	or Gelée royale said to have many health benefits
Propolis	or Bee Glue is a resinous mixture collected from buds by bees used in dermatology, cosmetics & health foods
Perga	or Bee Bread food for the Queen Bee containing every vitamin
Apitoxin	or Bee Venom powerful anti-inflammatory & anti-bacterial effects
Honey	is also used to treat wounds and allergies
_____________________________ honey is still harvested around Goldhanger and is available locally...
the hives are kept in various North Maldon Growers fields and processed in Tollesbury		the hives and processing is at a property on the edge of the village							hives are kept at various Wilkin sites including Bounds Farm
_____________________________ Finally, honey is also known as “Liquid Gold” not only due to its golden appearance but because of its antibacterial and antifungal health benefits, so this could perhaps be seen as another connection to the village of Goldhanger. see... Maldon & Dengie 100 Beekeepers Association
Goldhanger Lost Did you know about? Climate at Goldhanger home