Rainham Station was developed when the railway line was built in the mid 1800s and the first station was built around 1850. It has been redeveloped several times since then, most recently in the early 1990s

Rainham Station around 1972

Rainham Station around 1972 - area in the distance to the right is undeveloped at this time

Rainham Station around 1972

Above: Rainham station a few years earlier, around 1950

Below: Rainham station in the late 1800s, probably around 1890

Below: Rainham station 1987 during the snow

The White Horse pub is central to Rainham located on the A2 junction with Station Road and was sometimes known locally as the Wonky Donkey. Sadly it seems to be going downhill having closed last year, reopened again for almost a year and now is closed and boarded up (June 2017)

In previous years it was much more vibrant with many happy memories over the years.

1910 approx

1972

2001

The Temperance Hotel was located at 113 Station Road in Rainham opposite the train station. It became the Railway hotel and then Railway pub that closed in 2012 and as of 2017 is subject to a planning application to become a Wetherspoons pub.

The Parish Free Library and Reading Room became established at the end of the 19th century and could be found on the ground floor of the Temperance Hotel in Station Road. With a wide choice of reading material, over 2,000 books, daily newspapers and journals were available to read. A reference library could also be found. The lending library was only open from 7 pm to 9 pm. Mr Barrell from Milton Road (now Webster Road) served as the librarian in 1908.

The construction of Rainham Social Club took place at the rear of the Temperance Hotel around 1904. Although much smaller than the present club in Station Road, it had a full sized billiard table and a membership of about seventy. Mr Child served as the steward and the club stayed open from 10 am to 10-30 pm.

The Temperance Hotel became the Railway Pub which subsequently closed around 2012. It was reopening in 2019 as a JD Wetherspoon pub after major refurbishment and extension. The Railway photo below was taken in 1981

The information below is found on http://pubshistory.com/KentPubs/Rainham/RailwayHotel.shtml

1901/Stephen Mitchell/Inn Keeper/43/Kingsdown, Kent/Census ****
1901/Kate Mitchell/Wife/41/Wateringbury, Kent/Census
1901/Archibald Mitchell/Son/9/Maidstone, Kent/Census
1901/Albert Mitchell/Son/4/Maidstone, Kent/Census
1901/Dorothy Mitchell/Daughter/3/Rainham, Kent/Census
1901/Rosa Mitchell/Daughter/7 months/Rainham, Kent/Census
1901/Sarah Nye/Sister, Widow/51/East Malling, Kent/Census
1901/Alice Oben/Sister/43/East Malling, Kent/Census
1903/Stephen Mitchell/../../../Kellys Directory ***
1912-13/James Castle/../../../Kellys Directory ***
1913/James Castle/../../../Post Office Directory ****
1918/Mrs A Castle/../../../Post Office Directory ****
Charles Young Brown had the Railway Hotel, Rainham / Gillingham in 1919 for 14 years. I don't know if that is from 1919. *
1922/Charles Y Brown/../../../Post Office Directory ****
1930/Charles Y Brown/../../../Post Office Directory ****
1938/Hy A W Brown/../../../Post Office Directory ****

• station road
• railway pub