Thomas Stanley Wakeley, Evangelist Preacher and Businessman 1832-1897

Born at Moor Street Farm on September 1^st 1832, one of seven children which included four brothers and three sisters, Thomas had a strict moral upbringing mainly at the hands of his mother. She had a big influence on him, particularly after the death of his father when he was aged seventeen. She gave him his early training in the evangelical religion and instilled in him a strict moral code.

As a boy Thomas liked hunting, shooting and cricket and continued participating until four years after his marriage. In 1856 he became a founder member of the newly formed Rainham Cricket Club along with his brother Richard Mansfield Wakeley and his future father-in-law Thomas Dodd. He was a bit wild as a teenager with an impetuous nature, stubborn with a lot of determination and became well-known as a shrewd and straightforward businessman with an enterprising and energetic mind in the Wakeley Brothers hop, fruit and brick making business after starting off as a corn merchant.

Thomas got involved in several incidents during his teenage years including one while driving his horse and cart from Rochester to Gillingham. As he approached a drawbridge at New Brompton a brewer’s dray came from the opposite direction. The driver and accompanying mate demanded that he turn back but when he refused they threatened him with violence. Thomas took them on, refused to back down and passed into Gillingham.

Richard Wakeley wrote of his brother in his book ‘Gathered Fragments:’

He had one day been playing in a cricket match about sixteen miles from home, and staying later than most of his eleven who had previously left in a coach and taking more stimulant than was good for him, he became excited, and having a very fast horse, determined to overtake them. To do this he drove at such a furious pace for about eight miles that a friend who was with him became greatly alarmed; then overtaking the coach, he threw the reins into the hands of his companion saying, ‘Now you drive,’ and sitting down in the cart went to sleep…’

Richard Wakeley goes on to describe his brother’s attitude when hunting.

And here I might name that during the very time when my brother was labouring under strong convictions of sin, he went one day to the hunting field to follow the hounds as usual. Always a bold and fearless rider, he surpassed himself in hardihood on that last and memorable occasion; and going quite against his conscience, and urged on, no doubt, by the power of Satan, he rode in such a desperate manner that when he reached home at the close of the day his horse had not a single shoe left to his feet…’

In 1855 Thomas married Marianne Dodd, daughter of Rainham farmer Thomas Dodd and went on to have several children. In 1859 he had a serious accident when he badly cut his wrist in an accident. After this he became concerned about his sins and dedicated himself to religion which dominated the remainder of his life. 

Photo of Thomas Stanley Wakeley, Evangelist Preacher and Businessman

During the late 1850s he viewed himself as a sinner in a letter written to his brothers.

‘I have been a dreadful sinner, but I feel that His mercies are greater than my sins.’

In his early days as a preacher Thomas Wakeley held prayer meetings in the Old Granary at Otterham Quay and in the school room in Rainham but moved to Borstal near Rochester in 1862 where he attended an evangelical church and learnt the doctrine. He eventually became dissatisfied with it and left. He moved back to Rainham in 1864 and remained there until his death.

During the mid-19^th century Thomas and his brothers started Wakeley Brothers Fruit and Hop business in Rainham and a brick making business in Poot Lane Upchurch where they had the bricks transported by rail to Twinney Creek then on to different locations along the coast by barge. However, Thomas regarded religion as being more important than business stating in his diary dated March 5^th 1860:

‘May I be no speculator as regards religion. No, I cannot; religion is a reality, not a speculation. Religion, with Christ for its basis, is beyond a worldling’s ideas; beyond his farthest thoughts of happiness, little though I can speak about it.’

 After becoming ill in Brighton in 1864 he survived after fears for his life then from 1865 he studied religion more seriously. He read intensively including the work of John Bunyon and John Wesley and began preaching at meetings in both Upchurch and Rainham with a range of hymns and readings. He also became involved with the Temperance Movement and collected £75 to build a reading room in Rainham. After this in 1865 he stopped preaching in Upchurch and began meetings in the new Rainham reading room which had been recently built. Meetings continued there until October 1884 when Providence Chapel opened after being constructed in Orchard Street. Thomas Wakeley regularly preached there until his death.

During the 1870s and 1880s Thomas attended church meetings in other parts of the country such as Rotherfield, Wimbledon, Brighton, Hastings and Leicester but on November 8^th 1874 he wrote that he felt like giving up preaching, a feeling that recurred at different times along with periods of self-doubt and depression. In 1876 he fell ill again and went to Margate for a change of air. He returned after a week feeling better and wrote to his sons urging them to follow the correct religious path.

During the 1880s he remained active in the family business and was instrumental in selling land at Wakeley’s Church Farm for the construction of the Infant’s School in Upchurch.

In 1897, towards the end of his life, Thomas Wakeley continued to have periods of illness and depression then in August 1897 he announced that he would never preach again. He gradually recovered then preached for the last time in Brighton over the Easter weekend but he fell ill and couldn’t continue. He went to Ticehurst in Sussex to recover but deteriorated and died there on May 27^th 1897. His body was brought back to Rainham where he was laid to rest in the churchyard and a tablet was placed over the pulpit of Providence Chapel in his memory.

David Wood

History Articles

The Cricketing Tufton Brothers of Rainham

In the Tufton family vault of St Margaret’s church lay the remains of John and Henry Tufton who gained fame as first class cricketers over 200 years ago.

Son of Sackville Tufton, the 8^th Earl of Thanet and Mary Sackville, Henry Tufton succeeded his older brother Charles as the 8^th Earl of Thanet in 1832. Educated at Westminster public school, he joined the army and became Ensign in the 26^th (Cameronian) Regiment of Foot. Later promoted to Captain, he also became a Whig MP for Rochester and then Appleby in Westmorland and Lord Lieutenant of Kent. The Tufton family owned estates in Kent, Yorkshire, Westmorland and Cumberland. Henry and John Tufton never lived permanently in Rainham they only stayed periodically.

As a cricketer Henry Tufton performed as a wicket-keeper and right handed batsman. He made his first appearance in first class cricket for a Surrey and Sussex XI against an England XI at the original Lord’s ground in 1793. Cricket historian Arthur Haygarth mentions in his ‘Scores and Biographies’ that Tufton was a successful batsman and wicket-keeper during his short career which ended when he reached the age of 26. His most memorable performance took place against Thursday and Montpelier on July 13^th, 1796 when he stumped six and caught two batsmen. He played in 77 first class matches up to 1801. His final match took place against Homerton for the MCC at the original Lord’s ground. After this match he retired from the game aged only 26. A few years after this he got captured by Napoleon’s army while travelling in France but he eventually got released.

Picture of Earl of Thanet, Henry Tufton

Because Henry Tufton remained single he became the last Earl of Thanet. He died on June 12th 1849 aged 75.

The honourable John Tufton, Henry’s younger brother also excelled at cricket. Educated at Westminster public school like his older brother, John Tufton played cricket at a high level from 1793 to 1799. He is recorded in 74 matches of which 48 were first class games according to ‘Cricket Archive.’ He played for several clubs but mainly for Marylebone Cricket Club for whom he performed mainly as a batsman and as a fast underarm bowler.

He made his first class debut for Marylebone Cricket Club against a Kent XI at Dartford Brent on 27^th and 28^th June 1793. He scored nought and one in the two innings game.

Arthur Haygarth in his ‘Scores and Biographies’ records Tufton as the first player ever to be given out leg before wicket (lbw) in a first class match. This happened at Moulsey Hurst in August 1795 when Tufton played for an England XI against a Surrey XI. Bowler John Wells trapped him leg before wicket. Before this players were recorded as being bowled if they were given out hit on the leg.

In his most successful season John Tufton scored 428 runs in 1797 which included two half centuries with a best performance against a London XI at Lord’s old ground on 10^th and 12^th July 1797 when he scored 48 and 59 which the MCC won by 109 runs. He made a highest recorded score of 61 for the MCC against a Hampshire XI at Itchen Stoke Down in a game which the MCC won by 113 runs.

Tufton’s final first class match took place against a Surrey XI at Lord’s old ground in which he scored one and four. He only had a short cricketing career which spanned 1793 to 1799. He scored 1,049 runs and took 14 wickets.

After he finished playing cricket aged 25 Tufton became MP for Appleby in Westmorland, a seat he held until he died of suspected tuberculosis in 1799. Described as a ‘gentleman of extensive abilities,’ in ‘Memorials of the Family Tufton,’ he was laid to rest in the Tufton family vault in St Margaret’s church and the only visible reminder of him and his brother Henry today is Tufton Road which bears their surname.

David Wood.

History Articles

 Burntwick Island, Smuggling Base in River Medway 

Situated between the Isle of Grain and Upchurch on the River Medway is the desolate island of Burntwick, part of the Parish of Upchurch until the second part of the 19^th century. It had originally become separated from the mainland due to erosion of land by the sea during the mid 18^th century. In the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries it became a base for smuggling and part of a quarantine base for ships with disease infected crews. Dead Man’s Island which is situated nearby became the main burial ground for deceased sailors from infected ships.

With a rise in customs duty smuggling became increasingly worthwhile and was rife on the Medway during the 1780s. Tea, spirits and owls were the main items smuggled out, usually by boat at night. Upchurch village folklore has suggested that a tunnel extended from the ‘The Crown’ public house to the river from where contraband was brought ashore. Hard evidence for this in contemporary documents is lacking so it remains village folklore, passed down the generations by word of mouth.

In the early 19^th century Burntwick Island became a base for the North Kent Gang, an infamous group of smugglers who operated at different locations along the Kent coast. They were generally ignored until 1820 when a group of them were confronted by two blockade men while unloading contraband in Stangate Creek. In the resulting conflict one of the blockade men was seriously wounded then the culprits escaped. Believed to have about fifty members the North Kent Gang were involved in several incidents along the Kent coast. Eventually they were caught, three were executed at Penenden Heath near Maidstone and fifteen transported to Tasmania. In 1831 with the abolition of import duties smuggling effectively ended.

Later in 1845 a ship’s surgeon named Sidney Bernard who served on H.M.S Rollo just off the coast of Sierra Leone in West Africa became associated with the island. The crew of another ship, H.M.S Éclair, contracted yellow fever and some of them died. Bernard’s ship was sent by the Royal Navy to assist and Bernard was appointed assistant surgeon on H.M.S Eclair to treat the sailors. The ship returned to England but the naval authorities, worried that the disease might spread to the general population, ordered the captain to moor the ship in Stangate Creek just off the Ham Green peninsular. The cargo was then transferred to one of two hulks permanently moored there and a naval cutter guarded the infected ship to prevent anyone going ashore. Sidney Bernard continued treating the crew but was unable to save them until he also contracted the disease and died aged 27 on October 9^th 1845. He was buried on the island and his grave remains there today, maintained by the Royal Navy.

During the 19^th century the island became a dumping ground for refuse from London and even today the ground is covered with Victorian glass and crockery.

Sheep had grazed on Burntwick Island for years and during the 1840s a shepherd named James Woolley and his wife Sarah lived there in a solitary house. The remains of the house still exist there today. A track ran from Shoregate Lane at Ham Green out to the island and traces of it can still be seen. Later, In the 1860s, the famous ‘Great Eastern’ ship which laid the first cable line between England and the United States was temporarily moored nearby. After that, during the 1870s, a shepherd named Thomas Hoare and his housekeeper Emma Castleton lived there and tended farmer Richard Sands sheep but during the early 20^th century the tide flooded the island making it unsuitable for grazing so from that time livestock only grazed on the mainland.

Burntwick Island eventually became the property of the Ministry of Defense. During the early years of the 20^th century a battery was constructed there which included two 12 pounder guns, machine gun emplacements and three searchlights. A torpedo school later became established with a barracks building and ammunition depots with target practice taking place during World War Two. The island then fell into disuse and is now just a desolate haven for seabirds and is completely under water for several hours at high tide.

David Wood.

View over the River Medway towards Grain. Burntwick Island in the distance

Another similar island in the River Medway is called Dead Man's Island. This was were various quarantined sailors who died from infectious diseases were buried. BBC South East report on Deadman's Island was broadcast on 30 January 2017. This is nearer Sheppey than Burntwick Island but had a similar function and lots of burials.

History Articles

Rainham War Memorials for the Fallen 1914-1918

Several war memorials took form in Rainham soon after the ending of the Great War in 1918 to remember those men who had fought and died in the conflict.

A public meeting chaired by Dr Penfold held in the church hall in January 1919 discussed a permanent war memorial for Rainham. George Quinnell from Broad Walk offered some land next to the Free Library for the construction of this. Suggestions included cottage homes, a cottage hospital, an extension to the library, baths, a public hall, a stained glass window, a memorial tablet in the church and an illuminated church clock tower. Eventually the committee decided on a monumental cross with the names of fallen Rainham men inscribed on it. The committee proposed to have it erected outside the church wall facing Station Road.

After preparation of the ground for the proposed war memorial in November, the dedication and unveiling of the monument went ahead on Sunday December 12^th 1920. The memorial cross, a replica of the Cross of Iona from the Isle of Iona in Scotland made of Cornish granite stood 18½ feet in height with 100 names of fallen Rainham servicemen inscribed on it.

The dedication service was supposed to have taken place outside but because of freezing conditions and snow most of it took take place in St Margaret’s church. About 1,000 people packed into the church for the service conducted by Reverend Tamplin then Dr Penfold, chairman of the parish council, read out the names of the fallen soldiers and sailors. After this boy buglers from the Royal Engineers played the Last Post. Finally, Major-General Thuillier, General officer commanding the Thames and Medway area gave a speech.

After the service about 2,000 people gathered at the memorial and watched as Major-General Thuillier pulled the cord which caused the Union Jack enveloping the cross to fall away. Relatives placed floral tributes at the base of the memorial as they remembered the dead. Finally, the hoisting of the Union Jack from a half mast position on the church tower and the ringing of the church bells ended the event. An annual remembrance service and laying of wreaths at the memorial has taken place every year since the construction of the memorial.

Rainham Congregational Church decided to have a war memorial in the form of a tablet placed on the church wall with names of soldiers and sailors inscribed on it. To do this they needed to raise up to £150 which they succeeded in doing and the tablet was placed on the church wall at a special service in August 1920. With 15 names inscribed on a brass tablet mounted on teak wood by courtesy of the Admiralty, a special` service conducted by Reverend E Scott-Wilkinson in front of about 100 people took place on Sunday February 13^th 1921 and the tablet unveiled. Silent prayers followed the unveiling and the service ended with the playing of the National Anthem. When the church closed the memorial tablet was removed and its whereabouts became unclear.

British Standard Cement Works situated in Lower Rainham also remembered the war dead with a wooden panel inscribed with 14 names of former workers who died in the Great War. It originally hung on the gatekeeper’s bungalow at the main entrance to the cement works but when the works closed down the company gave it to Gravesham Council who placed it in the New Tavern Fort Storage Centre in Gravesend. ‘Friends of Berengrave’ later brought it back to Rainham and had it hung in the visitor centre in Riverside Country Park, Lower Rainham, close to its original location. The mayors of Gravesham unveiled the memorial in the presence of relatives of the war dead on August 18^th 2008 and it’s now on permanent display. 

David Wood.

History Articles

The Last Will and Testament of Edmund Drake

Vicar of Upchurch 1560-1567

Edmund Drake became vicar of Upchurch in 1560 during the reign of Elizabeth 1^st and is famous mainly because of his son Sir Francis Drake who became a famous seaman and helped defeat the Spanish Armada.

Edmund’s last will and testament dated December 25^th 1566 was written the day before he died in Upchurch. He opens the will with the words that he is redeemed by the blood of Christ and commits his soul into the hands of God. He then states that he wishes to be buried in Upchurch churchyard beside his son Edward who died in infancy and next to the graves of the Blechenden family. A marked grave does not exist in the churchyard today so the exact location remains unknown.

With regard to Edmund’s immediate family the will only mentions Thomas who was the youngest of several brothers. There were twelve children in total but some died in infancy while others were away at sea like Francis, John and Joseph. Thomas was probably the only son still living nearby during Edmund Drake’s last days. Because of the bequests given to him Edmund may have wanted Thomas to follow him into the clergy.

In the will a wide range of items are bequeathed to Thomas including two chests of books, a new basin, an old platter, a collection of pewter dishes, a French pewter pot, Edmund’s best bible, four of his best candlesticks, his best kettles, his best feather bed, two pillows and five shirts. Edmund’s friend Mr Baker who is named overseer of the will is bequeathed one cock and seven hens while a relative named Richard Mylwaye is left Edmund’s chair and best cushion. All other items are left to Edmund’s nurse which indicates she had been looking after him for some time.

While Thomas Drake is designated the sole executor of the will, Clemente Mylwaye, another relative and Richard Sawell, a contemporary Upchurch resident witness it. Mr Baker who is mentioned is an old friend who lived in London and served as Clerk and Keeper of the Stores to the Admiralty and was looking after Edmund’s son Thomas.

Although Francis is not mentioned in the will, the date of Edmund Drake’s death indicates that he was a teenager at the time and probably already away at sea although evidence from the 16^th century chronicler Edmund Howes indicates that he lived with the family of a relative named William Hawkins for a while in Plymouth but the exact date and length of time is not recorded. During the 16^th century it wasn’t uncommon for children of families of lesser means to send their children to live with wealthier relatives.

Concrete evidence is not available about whether Francis went to sea while residing in Upchurch or in Devon or whether he went before Edmund became vicar of the village. Information that has passed down the generations by word of mouth in Upchurch is that Francis learnt seamanship on a small vessel based at the small village port of Otterham Quay and regularly sailed to the coast of Belgium while living in Upchurch and was also educated at home by his father but this cannot be proven with hard written evidence.

The Drake family accept that their ancestor is buried in the village churchyard and have had an association with Upchurch since Edmund’s death. This is shown in a letter dated November 4^th 1935 sent to Reverend Lightburne, vicar of Upchurch from the Drake home at Buckland Abbey in Devon. The letter was written by Mrs. Seaton, daughter of Lady Eliot Drake, presenting her mother’s book ‘The Family and Heirs of Sir Francis Drake’ to the people of Upchurch. David Wood.

History Articles

Rainham Cricket Club’s First League Championship Successes of

1905 and 1906

At the beginning of the 20^th century Rainham Cricket Club became re-established after breaking up for several years. The club played its home matches at Rainham Recreation Ground and the Lion Hotel in the High Street served as its headquarters. Patronised by the Wakeley family, Richard Mansfield Wakeley junior captained the team, Dr Tippett served as club president, Walter Finness, a Rainham butcher treasurer and Charlie Clark who owned a Rainham men’s outfitters store served as secretary. To be an adult member of Rainham Cricket Club in 1905 an annual subscription of 2/6d had to be paid.

In 1903 the club amalgamated with Rainham Co-operative Cricket Club who also played at the Recreation Ground. This strengthened Rainham Cricket Club allowing them to compete with the best teams in the area. The team had a quick opening bowling attack of Charlie Clark and Albert Gooding and were backed up by Walter Hunt. Spin bowler Sid Holmes, familiar to many residents in Rainham as manager of the Rainham branch of the London & Provincial Bank, added variety to the attack. The batting was almost entirely dominated by farmer Richard Wakeley who had played for Kent during the 1890s and he was backed up by George Kitney and wicket-keeper Cuckow. Overall, Rainham had a strong and well balanced team.

During the winter of 1905 Rainham decided to join the Sittingbourne & District Cricket League in the first year of the league’s formation. This wasn’t the club’s first taste of league cricket as they had competed in the Chatham & District League for one season in 1896. After only one defeat in the Sittingbourne & District League the championship was finally decided in the last match of the league season between Rainham and Bobbing, the two top placed teams.

With both teams needing victory Rainham batted first and made 116. Richard Wakeley scored 52 and Stuart Jelly 19. After this bowler Albert Gooding took six wickets and Sid Holmes three wickets as Bobbing were bowled out for 45 leaving Rainham league champions. Rainham won five, lost two and drew one of their eight league matches.

As a result of Rainham’s success a special match was arranged in May 1906 between the Rest of the League and Rainham before the next league campaign got underway. This was played at Gore Court's former ground in Bell Road Sittingbourne but Rainham disappointingly fielded a weak side and lost by 17 runs.

Rainham celebrated their second successive league championship in 1906 and had a good start to their new league campaign. Apart from a draw against newcomers Newington in late May the remainder of the games proved to be easy. Rainham progressed undefeated through the 1906 league campaign and stormed to their second successive league championship with a crushing 198 run victory over Tunstall. In this match Rainham scored a club record 244 runs.

 With easy victories against Bapchild who were bowled out for only 9 in reply to a score of 92 and Bobbing who were routed for 26 in reply to a score of 200-8, Rainham showed their strength and superiority in their second season of Sittingbourne League cricket.

The East Kent Gazette reported:

The championship of the league goes again to Rainham who have done even better this season than they did last. Rainham played nine matches of which eight were won and one drawn, giving them an aggregate of 17 points. The champions have gone through the season without a defeat.

In reviewing the season's work the one striking feature is the remarkable success of Rainham. In all their fixtures with league teams they have won with comparative ease. In R. M. Wakeley junior they possess a captain knows the game thoroughly, who is a first class bat and fine field, and the success of the team must be attributed in a great measure to his influence and help. He is backed up by some useful bats, who are usually capable of putting on a hundred or two between them.

In Holmes and Gooding Rainham have two bowlers whose different styles never fail to get the opposing batsmen into difficulties, the former being exceptionally tricky. C. Clark, the Rainham secretary is also a bowler who knows how to take wickets. The club also has in Cuckow one of the best wicketkeepers in the neighbourhood. Add to this the general keenness in the field and the secret of Rainham's success is manifest.

In the Sittingbourne and District League averages for 1906 Richard Wakeley came top of the batting with 371 runs in eight innings at an average of 53 while George Kitney, came second after scoring 186 runs in nine innings at an average of 23.25.

In the league bowling averages Sid Holmes came second with 50 wickets at an average of 4.22. He was the League's leading wicket taker. Albert Gooding came fourth with 35 wickets at an average of 5.17.

As a result of their league successes and strength Rainham were invited to take on leading Sittingbourne club Gore Court in a special match billed Gore Court v The League Champions in June 1907. Gore Court were favourites but Rainham rose to the occasion and tied in a fantastic match. ‘The East Kent Gazette’ reported:

Gore Court received a visit from Rainham, the champions of the (at present) defunct local cricket league on Saturday, and the home team seemed to have a good win in store. But the Rainham team rose to the occasion and, amid much excitement, the scores were level-88 all. Had it not been for the excellent batting of L. Bowes Gore Court would have been defeated. He was joined by the tenth batsman when every run was precious. The Rainham men bowled and fielded keenly, and the batsmen were fully on their mettle. As the score crept closer to the Rainham total the excitement increased. With a single the scores were level and Bowes called for a short run, in the excitement, overlooking the fact that there was a fieldsman in the way, and the Milton cricketer, after so nearly winning the match with a score of 33 (the highest in the game) was run out, leaving the match a tie.

R.M Wakeley junior, the Rainham captain, batted stylishly for 23, although short of practice. He fell at length to a brilliant, one handed slip catch by Burley. Captain Wakeley also handled his men with rare judgement. For Gore Court, Burley took 4 wickets for 47 and Stagg 4-21. Holmes proved a difficult man to play, the wicket evidently suiting him to a nicety; and Hunt and Gooding also bowled well for Rainham.

The fielding on both sides was good, and mention should be made of a smart catch with which G. Springate was dismissed by Andrews.

With the end of the Sittingbourne & District League in 1906 due to several clubs dropping out and no alternative to join, Rainham had to be content with friendly matches and it wasn’t until the early 1970s that they had another opportunity to play league cricket. Today Rainham Cricket Club First and Second XIs compete in the Shepherd & Neame Kent County League and play home matches at Berengrove Park. 

David Wood.

History Articles

Gillingham Grammar School 1934, "Grange House" swimming, cricket, athletics teams.

My dad Maurice Nancollas 1919-1982. athletics team is third row, 5th in from left and lived at 20 Locano Avenue at the time. Dad was also capped for rugby team.

I believe Dr Barnard was the head Master at the time. 
i believe there were some Rainham boys in this pic but sadly don't have any names. Maybe someone will recognise family members.

I remember dad had friends at school but dont know if they are in photo:-
G.J. (Micky) Bryant died during war lost in a sunderland over the north sea
Geoff Moon died in a training accident with his instructor at RAF flying school near Salisbury Wiltshire.
Stan Eldridge
Les Phillips who owned an electrical shop on the top road Watling Street

Michael Nancollas

History Articles

There have been lots of posts and requests for information and photos of the Camp School in Maidstone Road Rainham, Kent.

This photo of The Camp School was dated 1953 and was sent in by Mary Hunt from Harvey Road

You can click the photo to see a larger version

Further photos from John Clements here

History Articles

The Early Years of Cinema in Rainham

Although a cinema no longer exists in Rainham two once flourished as regular locations for entertainment from 1914 to 1966.

The first cinema to be established in Rainham known as the Empire Theatre operated in the High Street during the war years from 1914 to 1918. Although small and basic the Empire Theatre showed regular films to the public with seats varying in price from 2d to 6d. Charlie Chaplin films like ‘The Million Dollar Mystery’ proved to be very popular and long running although other films were also shown with a piano accompaniment and were well attended. Mrs Sayer performed as regular pianist and Mr Cheeseman provided a small orchestra. Films shown included ‘The Siege of Troy,’ ‘Henry VIII’ and ‘David Garrick.’ These film shows also raised money for the war effort.

Immediately after the war in 1919 demand for the cinema was such that plans were drawn up for the establishment of a bigger, more modern and fully equipped cinema in Rainham.

Originally constructed as a Salvation Army hall, the Royal cinema could officially seat 395 people and it opened on Monday October 25^th 1920 in Rainham High Street in the building now occupied by Martin Lukehurst’s furniture store. In the early years it showed black and white films with a basic but powerful lantern and a recessed screen located at the High Street end of the building and proved popular at a time when TV didn’t exist. At a later date the Royal became generally known to locals as the ‘Bug hutch.’

The East Kent Gazette reported in October 1920,

‘Inside the hall is beautifully decorated and furnished, making a handsome modern cinema.’

Marshall Harvey from Sittingbourne designed the cinema building and Kemp Brothers from Station Road in Rainham constructed it. Mr W Baldock became the first manager, Mr W Thompsett caretaker and Mr Will George the pianist.

Nearly 500 people attended the first show according to the East Kent Gazette and Mr W Furness-Maxwell, the managing director gave a speech and said that the finest films on the market would be shown.

‘Romany Rye’ became the first film to be screened with a programme of short comedies and a topical events news programme. In following weeks ‘Billeted’ with Billie Burke and ‘The Warrior Strain,’ a comedy in which the Prince of Wales appeared were also shown. Continuous performances took place every evening from 6-15 pm to 10-30 pm with a children’s matinee at 2-30 pm every Saturday afternoon.

The Royal cinema later proved to be unique in the area with its double seats and became very popular during the inter-war years with high attendances. On Boxing Day in December 1921 The East Kent Gazette reported that nearly 2,000 people attended the day’s performances. The cinema’s popularity continued for over forty years and efforts to improve it took place until it came under financial pressure due to dwindling audiences and eventually closed after the screening of ‘Cat Ballou’ with Lee Marvin on March 5^th 1966.

David Wood.

Building previously used as The Royal Cinema Rainham, now Lukehursts Furnishing.

History Articles

Working in the Brickfields

From the mid-19^th until the mid-20^th century many local men were employed in either the Otterham or Lower Halstow brickfields. Cliff Wanstall worked there before he became a well known and long serving Upchurch village postmaster.

“I worked in the Lower Halstow brickfields for five during the 1930s. My father had worked there as a moulder and setter and I used to travel to London on one of the brickfield trucks and helped the driver unload. I also ran errands in the brickfield during the school holidays. My first full time job as a ‘crowder’ was physically hard. I had to push a barrow full of bricks along a rail which was then loaded on to a lorry. I also worked as a ‘flatty’ making bricks by hand in the brick shed.

Men usually worked  full time in the brickfield and women worked there as barrow loaders during the summer months but sometimes many were laid off during winter because of wet weather which made brick making difficult. Work usually began at 6 a.m.and finished at 5 p.m.with a one hour lunch break. Workers were paid on a peace work basis per thousand bricks. If rain came after working hours a whistle sounded and workers had to return to the field to cover the bricks, even late at night. Work was hard but relations between employees good.

Local Upchurch men who were employed in the Lower Halstow brickfield included Bert Smitherman and Wally Edmonds from The Street and Bert and Ashley Edmonds from Twinney.

Safety precautions were quite good but occasionally I would see a man running with his barrow on rails downhill only to let go when losing control causing the barrow to crash and scatter its contents on the ground. The older workers looked after the younger ones. Work was difficult to obtain during the 1930s and the brickfields allowed a regular income. Many men were employed there all their working lives.

After the war I worked at Eastwood’s Otterham brickfield for two years and my first job was in the chalk pit just off Canterbury Lane. The work was easier than at Lower Halstowbecause you didn’t have to run so far with the bricks.

Most of the workers cycled to the brickfield from around the locality and many took a bottle of cold tea to drink. I got laid off for a month after I crashed my bike into the back of a lorry at the bottom of Windmill Hill on my way to work and got injured but I recovered.

On Saturday evenings some brickfield workers returned to The Three Sisters public house where they would pay their bills that they had run up during the week. The greatest benefit of working at the Eastwood’s brickfield was that if you were a member of a gang that produced one million bricks the company would provide each man with a new pair of boots. The work was very hard but I enjoyed it and worked there until the late 1940s.”

The brickfields closed down during the 1970s and the Otterham site is now occupied by a private housing estate that stretches up Otterham Quay Lane.

David Wood.

History Articles

Rainham station has changed substantially over the years and has recently had an upgrade to add a third platform allowing trains to start from Rainham.

In the early 1990s a new station ticket office was added, the red building that is currently in place.

Rainham station in 2006

Rainham Kent station in 1958

Rainham station in 1987

History Articles

The HMS Princess Irene Disaster of May 1915

The centenary of the destruction of HMS Princess Irene in a massive explosion on the River Medway during World War 1 takes place on May 27th. The disaster followed the destruction of HMS Bulwark which also exploded on the river in November 1914.

Constructed in Scotland and launched on October 20th 1914, the Canadian owned ‘HMS Princess Irene’ started as a commercial liner until requisitioned by the Royal Navy and converted into a minelayer along with its sister ship ‘HMS Princess Margaret.’ It made two mine laying trips before being moored at Saltpan Reach between Port Victoria and Sheerness and loaded with a new consignment of 500 mines, that’s about 150 tons of high explosives.

At 1114 in the morning of May 27th 1915 the vessel blew up without warning. Firstly, a column of orange flame shot up into the sky, seconds later a second column rose up to about 300 feet. A deafening explosion followed which blew the vessel to pieces. It rocked the area for miles around and could be heard in Maidstone.

The force of the explosion hurled debris to Sittingbourne where windows were shattered and people injured, severed heads fell in Hartlip and a boot, collar, tie and a case of butter landed in Rainham where, according to eye-witnesses, tiny fragments and soot from the explosion covered part of the village. Alfred Gulvin a bargeman from Henry Street got struck on the head by flying debris while working on the river and required stitches. A farm worker on the Isle of Grain died of a heart attack, a young girl was killed by a metal fragment while a man working on the Admiralty Fuel Depot at Port Victoria died after being hit by debris.

The dead included 273 officers and men and 76 dockyard workers who were on board ship at the time of the explosion. In total 352 people perished in the disaster. Three crew members who had gone ashore escaped while stoker David Wills got blown off the vessel and into the sea. He became the only survivor when he got pulled out of the water badly burned and covered in black oil by William Rider, a crew member aboard the tug ‘Bruno.’

A small harbour launch and two barges lying alongside ‘Irene’ were destroyed and the Admiralty Fuel Depot at Port Victoria got badly damaged when debris pierced the fuel tanks and the pumping station. Part of one of ‘Irene’s’ boilers landed on a collier about half a mile away knocking a crane off its bearings.

After the disaster recovered bodies were buried in the Naval Burial Ground of Woodlands Road cemetery in Gillingham and a memorial to the dead constructed there and opposite Sheerness Railway Station. A memorial plaque was also placed on the wall of Sheerness Holy Trinity Church.

Rumours spread that saboteurs had caused the disaster and a dockyard worker called John Harston was named as a suspect but the Special Branch released him after an investigation.

A Court of Inquiry set up after the incident concluded that a faulty primer on one of the mines hurriedly fitted by poorly trained personnel had caused the explosion. Therefore a verdict of accidental explosion ended the inquiry into one of the biggest naval disasters witnessed on the River Medway during World War 1.

Written by David Wood

Further to the article above, Ricki Wenn kindly got in touch with some more information about survivor David Wills and his rescuer, William Rider.

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