Edward Hasted facts for kids

Edward Hasted (born December 31, 1732 – died January 14, 1812) was an English historian. He is famous for writing a very detailed history of his home county, Kent, in England. His big book was called The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent.

Edward Hasted's Life Story

Edward Hasted was born in Lombard Street, London, in 1732. His father, also named Edward, was a wealthy lawyer from Sutton-at-Hone, a village near Dartford, Kent. Edward's grandfather, Joseph Hasted, worked at the Royal Navy's Chatham Dockyard. He was also good with money and built up a large family fortune.

Early Education and Family

Young Edward Hasted went to several schools. He studied at Darent from 1737 to 1740. Then he attended The King's School, Rochester from 1740 to 1744. After that, he went to Eton College from 1744 to 1748. He finished his schooling at a place in Esher from 1748 to 1750. For a short time, he studied law at Lincoln's Inn, but he did not become a lawyer.

Hasted returned to his family home in Sutton-at-Hone. In July 1755, he married Anne Dorman, who lived nearby. In May 1766, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a group of important scientists.

Writing His Big Book

Hasted bought a historic house called St. John's Jerusalem. This house used to belong to the Knights Hospitaller, a famous old order. It was here that he wrote his most important work, his huge history of Kent. He also regularly went to his local church. He served as a judge on the West Kent Quarter Sessions bench in Maidstone.

Edward and Anne Hasted had seven children: two daughters and five sons. One of their sons was also named Edward. In 1770, the family moved to Canterbury. They lived there until 1789.

Later Years and Challenges

As he got older, Edward Hasted faced serious financial problems. He sold some of his land, but he still fell deeper into debt. In 1790, he left his home and went to France. He stayed there until the war with Napoleon made him return to England. When he came back, he was sent to a special prison for people who couldn't pay their debts. He stayed there for almost seven years.

After being released in 1802, Hasted lived in poverty for five years. Then, a friend named William Bouverie, 1st Earl of Radnor helped him. Hasted was given a job as the Master of Lady Hungerford's Almshouse in Corsham, Wiltshire. An almshouse was a place that provided housing for poor people. Hasted worked there from 1807 until he died in 1812, at the age of 79.

Edward Hasted's Writings

Edward Hasted is best known for his major work, The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent. This book was first published in four large volumes between 1778 and 1799.

Different Editions of His Work

A second edition of his Kent history came out in 12 smaller volumes between 1797 and 1801. This new edition included a lot of fresh information. However, it also left out some details from the first edition. Other people had changed and updated it, so it's not clear how much Hasted himself was involved in this second version. A modern copy of the second edition was printed again in 1972.

Hasted also wrote another book. It was called History of the Antient and Metropolitical City of Canterbury Civil and Ecclesiastical and was published in 1799.