''The Kentish Note Book'' was a 19th-century magazine about the English county

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

. It had two issues per year. The magazine had notes, queries and replies on subjects connected to Kent. An example of a note featured in the note books is given in a May 2000 issue of the ''

New Scientist ''New Scientist'' is a magazine covering all aspects of science and technology. Based in London, it publishes weekly English-language editions in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia. An editorially separate organisation publish ...

'' magazine, in relationship to the suspected psychological effect of

nominative determinism Nominative determinism is the hypothesis that people tend to gravitate towards areas of work that fit their names. The term was first used in the magazine ''New Scientist'' in 1994, after the magazine's humorous "Feedback" column noted several ...

, the

hypothesis A hypothesis (plural hypotheses) is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon. For a hypothesis to be a scientific hypothesis, the scientific method requires that one can test it. Scientists generally base scientific hypotheses on previous obse ...

that people gravitate towards areas of work that fit their name. In the Feedback column it refers to a “Note” addressed to the editor of the ''Kentish Note Book'', dated 29 December 1888 and entitled “What’s in a name?”. "In many cases the name admirably agrees with the occupation or calling of the individual who bears it." The note then goes on to cite examples culled from the Shooters Hill district in the county of Kent: "There are several carriers by the name of Carter; a

hosier Hosiery, also referred to as legwear, describes garments worn directly on the feet and legs. The term originated as the collective term for products of which a maker or seller is termed a hosier; and those products are also known generically as h ...

named Hosegood; an

auctioneer An auction is usually a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bids, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder or buying the item from the lowest bidder. Some exceptions to this definition exi ...

named Sales; and a

draper Draper was originally a term for a retailer or wholesaler of cloth that was mainly for clothing. A draper may additionally operate as a cloth merchant or a haberdasher. History Drapers were an important trade guild during the medieval period, ...

named Cuff . . ."

References

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Bibliography

* ''The Kentish Note Book'': A half-yearly magazine of notes, queries, and replies on subjects connected with the County of Kent. Volume I (November, 1888 – December, 1890). eprinted with additions and corrections from The Gravesend and Dartford Reporter.Paperback – 1891 by George O. Howell * ''The Kentish Notebook'': A Collection of Notes, Queries, and Replies on Subjects Connected with the County of Kent Volume II Hardcover – 1894 by George O. Howell. Publisher: Henry Gray Defunct magazines published in the United Kingdom History of Kent