Talk:Maidstone

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is the talk page for discussing improvements to the Maidstone article.
Article policies
This article is within the scope of the following WikiProjects:
This article has an assessment summary page.
To-do list for Maidstone: edit · history · watch · refresh

Here are some tasks you can do:


    Contents

    [edit] Areas constituting the town

    A list of the various parts of the now built-up area, many once separate villages etc: examples: Penenden Heath, Tovil, Allington Peter Shearan 06:46, 12 November 2007 (UTC)

    [edit] History of Maidstone

    This part of the article took up almost 18% of the total length of the article. I am therefore transferring it to a new article History of Maidstone where it can be extended if necessary, leaving the main article with a much shortened summary, which then gives that similar space. Peter Shearan (talk) 08:03, 1 February 2008 (UTC)
    Priority 1 (top) 
    Peer review Maidstone has had a peer review by Wikipedia editors which is now archived. It may contain ideas you can use to improve this article.

    [edit] Maidstone Prison

    This article states that "the last person in Britain to be publicly hanged was Frances Kidder" but this disagrees with http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment_in_the_United_Kingdom which says that "the last public hanging in Britain takes place at Newgate Prison as Michael Barrett is executed". Which is correct? --80.177.27.175 06:20, 31 December 2006 (UTC)

    the quoted article now includes: 1964: On 13 August at 8 a.m. Peter Anthony Allen, at Walton Prison in Liverpool, and Gwynne Owen Evans, at Strangeways Prison in Manchester, are both executed for the murder of John Alan West becoming the last people executed in Britain [4]. They can't all have been the last! regards, Lynbarn 09:57, 6 March 2007 (UTC)

    [edit] Sport

    Is the advertising for players (The Mote cricket club) allowed in an encyclopedia entry?

    [edit] Schools

    Why is there an edit that has changed Maidstone Girls' Grammar to Invicta Girls' Grammar? Is MGGS not the original Girls' Grammar school in the town? There's maybe a great deal of merit including both schools, if we are going to list important seats of learning in Maidstone. After all, both Boys' Grammars are listed. I'm going to add MGGS to the list. Darren Rowe 20:41, 16 October 2006 (UTC)

    The correct name for MGGS is actualy Maidstone Grammar School for Girls, Invicta is Invicta Grammar School, and Oakwood is Oakwood Park Grammar School, but I agree this part of the article is a little confusing. Although notionally single-sex schools, all four admit both boys and girls at sixth form, and in certain subject at lower levels, there are mixed courses. Regards, Lynbarn 10:52, 6 March 2007 (UTC)

    Cornwallis Academy is part of New Line Learning, i.e. it's associated with Senacre and Oldborough. I'll get stuck in and change that unless anyone has any problems Nogbad (talk) 12:10, 1 June 2008 (UTC)

    [edit] Maidstone pronounciation

    The correct way to pronounce Maidstone is Maidsten. This is not due to accent. Check these links: http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/world/A0831238.html

    Another example is Holborn in London which is pronounced "hoe-burn" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holborn

    Nonsense, there is no particular way to say it. I personally live nearby and say maid-stone. I've removed this from the article because it is a load of tosh! 88.109.249.70 22:45, 25 July 2006 (UTC)

    Yeah it's nonsense. It just depends where you come from, I personally say maidSTONE as well. But I'm not going to get drawn into a long debate about something so whimsical (You can tell the person who so vehemently reverts anyone who dares to disagree has a huge chip on his/her shoulder). 109.109.249.70 13:11, 5 August 2006 (UTC)

    I've only ever heard people from Maidstone say maidSTONE. Maidsten is rarely said by people from the town. 86.139.133.10 (talk) 12:37, 22 February 2008 (UTC)

    [edit] Folkstone

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folkstone

    Is this town not pronounced the same way? Folk-STEN not Folk-STONE.


    Oh come on now, that's ludicrous. Just because one town is said a certain way, should we apply that rule to all towns? Please can you sign your comments as well. 88.111.110.26 17:12, 17 August 2006 (UTC)
    Vote to change pronounciation to Mægthan stan, because apparently pronounciations can't change over time :p --iamajpeg 22:14, 17 August 2006 (UTC)
    There's no timeframe in this, I don't know why you threw that argument in. I say it is maid-stone too, sorry. JD UK 21:14, 19 August 2006 (UTC)
    Sorry, it didn't come over quite as intended. Oh well. --iamajpeg 22:31, 20 August 2006 (UTC)

    I live in maidstone and pronounce it maidSTONE.

    [edit] Origin of Name

    The origin 'Stone of the maidens' seems unlikely. Surely it comes from 'Meeds-toun' - town on the Medway? I'll look into this...

    [edit] Status Dates

    The dates under Status need changing. Currently they show dates in the 21st century. I don't know for certain the actual dates. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 83.105.80.171 (talk) 11:16, 29 January 2007 (UTC).

    [edit] Introduction

    The introduction to this article is far too long and reads like a tourist information brochure. It needs a total re-write, could someone please have a look at this before someone like myself who has never been to the town has to do it. Thanks. KevinCarmody 02:16, 31 January 2007 (UTC)

    I'll start. --Cunningham 16:45, 9 February 2007 (UTC)

    [edit] Rewrite

    This article is way off the mark in terms of where it should be. Even a cursory look at WP:CITIES indicates a huge way to go. As it's the County Town of Kent it should be a high priority for WP:KENT participants. Thankfully there is heaps of info out there on Maidstone as it has been lovingly researched by historians for several hundred years. I have dipped my toe in the water, would be grateful if others would join me...Dick G (talk) 04:38, 23 November 2007 (UTC)

    [edit] Geography

    I've just completed a rewrite on this section, using well-tried "geography exam" headings - site, situation etc. I am sure there is more to add (there always is!) ... Peter Shearan (talk) 10:17, 23 January 2008 (UTC)

    [edit] Museums

    Mention should be made of the museums in Maidstone - Maidstone Museum and Art Gallery and the Tyrwhitt-Drake carriage museum spring to mind. The Museum of Kent Life has its own page - assistance in expansion welcome. Mjroots (talk) 07:44, 30 January 2008 (UTC)

    [edit] Toponymy

    I have reduced this para by using just the local reference. I know Nottingham University has clout, but could not find the exact reference to the derivation. I have also left out the sentence Another possible meaning is town of the Medway which might be derived from other versions ... since I can find no authority for that assertion Peter Shearan (talk) 07:21, 1 February 2008 (UTC)

    [edit] Transport

    The River Medway had, until the coming of better roads and the railways, long been one of the principal means of transporting goods to and from Maidatone, Improvements had been made in about 1730 to the River Medway, so that barges of 40 tons could get upriver to East Farleigh, Yalding and even Tonbridge. This meant that a good deal of trade, including corn, hops, fodder, fruit, stone and timber passed through the town, where there were several wharfs.
    I am unhappy about the phrase- until the coming..., even with a turnpike I wouldn't want to haul 40 tons of pig iron up Blue Bell Hill- then the supposition that the river was bringing goods to Maidstone- I think through Maidstone was more accurate, and the poor rail connection shows how unimportant it was as a destination. I don't have many references for Maidstone so I'll leave it to others to do the rephrasing-- then take the photographs. I know my place. ClemRutter (talk) 18:38, 1 February 2008 (UTC)