The attached photo is 6 Station Road about 1920/25. You may be able to read the name over the shop which was JACOBS, it is tucked behind the produce on display. My Dad, Percy Gladstone Jacobs, was born at that address and he can be seen in the photo. It is amazing to see how much produce was on display.

I am researching the family tree and this photo I found in with some old papers. Please feel free to dispaly this photo and also if anyone has any comment I would be pleased to hear.

Brian Jacobs

This is the same shop taken in 2013 now occupied by Medway Audio. You can see the detail above the shop canopy has gone and the wall to the left of the shop has been removed.

History Articles

My family lived in Wigmore from 1955 to 1966. Our house was No 27 Wigmore Road (Holmwood), which still seems to be there from Google
Earth, although what was the orchard now seems occupied by 'Leafy Glade'. 

I remember arriving there one freezing January morning in 1955 at about 2am after a horrendous drive from where we previously lived in North Lancashire - no motorways then! Our furniture took another 3 days after getting stuck in the snow, so meanwhile we had to sit and sleep on the floor! The house had an ancient coke boiler which took about 5 hours to get any heat into the cast iron radiators. 

The electric wiring was installed in the late 1920s by a previous occupant who had 'liberated' most of the switchgear from ships in the dockyard, the cables were lead sheathed! There were two other houses of the same design in Wigmore, one was not far from the road to Hempstead (now a tunnel under the link road I think.) I can't locate these on Google.The dairy leapt into action about 3am daily and the noise, including the fleet of electric floats setting out with bottles clinking, was something we hadn't bargained for. After a week we scarcely noticed it! 

I cycled to school in Gillingham every day, sometimes coming back over Darland Banks. I can't see many parents allowing their kids to cycle along the A2 these days, but traffic was much less then. I often cycled to see my Aunt in Wye, going via the A20 and back along the A2. Of course this was the 'Never-had-it-so-good' time.

I still think it was the best time of my life, but I suppose everybody looks back at their teens like that.

Robin Dawes (Abbotts Ann, Hampshire)

Additional info following this message

The dairy was the one that became Unigate and was between Bredhurst Rd and Wigmore Rd. That site has also been built on now. If you came back you would notice a lot of differences - many of the old houses are being demolished to build larger detatched houses or gardens used for additional houses.

The following article was written by Tony Gutteridge, current owner of Holmwood

Holmwood, 27 Wigmore Road, Gillingham.

History Articles

Terry's Dairy was on Wigmore Road, Wigmore, Gillingham adjacent to Holmwood. The dairy was sold to United Dairies which later became Unigate.

The site has now been developed for housing.

These photos of milk bottles from Terry's dairy were kindly provided by Jeff Williams.

The labels on the bottle say "Terry's Better Milk" and on the other side "Rainham 81319"

History Articles

The Manor Farm Pub and Beefeater restaurant in High Street Rainham Kent used to be the Gas Showrooms for the area. The gas showrooms were built around 1928 and converted to Manor Farm Beefeater Pub Restaurant in the 1980s. The Premier Inn was added to the site in 2011 covering part of the Manor Farm pub car park.

Former Gas showrooms High Street Rainham Kent now Manor Farm Beefeater Pub Restaurant. The photo below was taken in 2001 before the outside of the building was painted

Manor Farm Beefeater Pub Restaurant High Street Rainham Kent in 2003 prior to construction of Premier Inn hotel in the car park to the right of this picture.

This photo was taken shortly after the Manor farm was repainted with the current yellow over the original lattice brickwork as part of their refurbishment

The photos below are from 2010 during the winter snow

History Articles

The old police station in Rainham Kent closed in 2007. The site remained derelict for some years with the building boarded up and advertised for sale. Presumably the recession affected the company looking to redevelop the site.

As of 2013 the site of the Rainham police station has now been cleared and the former police station building demolished. In late 2013 the construction of a new block of flats has now begun.

The photo below would have been taken in the 1960s or 1970s when the station was in full use. Interestingly it appears that the building to the right was still being constructed from the debris in front of it - the windows in the later photo alsio seem to be missing so presumably were added at a later date.

The same site in 2013

History Articles

Some Well-Known Rainham Street Names

Longley Road: Named after headmaster John Longley who served as headmaster at the old council school located in Station Road on the site of Rainham shopping centre. He became a major figure in local Rainham politics and played for Rainham Cricket Club during the 1860s and 1870s as a batsman.

Solomon Road: Named after Solomon Brice who lived in the big old house at the end of Webster Road. He resided in Rainham during the second half of the 19th century and became involved in the family clay and brick making business. The family later moved to Higham where they bought Mockbeggar Farm.

Seymour Road: Named after Seymour Wakeley of Wakeley Brothers fruit and hop business. He started the Upchurch Pottery in Canterbury Lane and later became a Justice of the Peace. He also played cricket for Rainham Cricket Club during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Wakeley Road, William Street and Henry Street: Named after William Henry Wakeley of the well-known farming family. He became famous in Rainham as a local and national prize rose grower and was a member of Rainham Horticultural Society.

Webster Road: Named after Dr Irby Webster who worked and lived in Rainham during the first part of the 20th century. He became President of Rainham Cricket Club in 1929.

Tufton Road: Probably named after Sir Nicholas Tufton who later became the Earl of Thanet and owned Sileham Court, Bloor’s Place and other possessions in Rainham.

Marshall Road/Edwin Road: named after Marshall Harvey & Edwin Jelly who sold the land for the Rainham Mark Building estate in the 1920s.

History Articles

A History of Berengrove Park

Originally Berengrove Park had been part of the Manor of Queencourt comprising 485 acres of arable, pastureland, picturesque woodland and ponds situated on either side of Berengrave Lane and stretching as far as the present day Rainham railway station. It was part of the possessions of the Crown until Queen Eleanor, widow of Henry 111 gave it to St Katherine's Hospital in 1273.

Over the centuries Berengrove Park was mainly used as a paddock for sheep or cattle grazing until other uses were found. During the second half of the 19th century fetes and the Rainham Flower Show took place there.

A special new cricket match involving Rainham Cricket Club was arranged to coincide with the Rainham Flower Show and this became an annual match for the club, designed as a sideshow for the crowds. This became known as the ‘Rainham Flower Show Match.’ The first of these matches was played at Berengrove Park against Newington in 1889 and proved to be successful. The club originally hoped to arrange a match against the Philadelphians, a well-known touring side from America but it fell through. The ‘East Kent Gazette’ set the scene perfectly in the summer of 1889:

The fourth annual show of fruit, flowers and vegetables, in connection with the Rainham and District Horticultural, Poultry and Rabbit Society took place on Wednesday at Berengrove, Rainham, the pleasantly situated grounds of this residence having been kindly placed at the disposal of the committee by the Rev J.A. and the Misses Walter. The weather, an all-important factor in open-air gatherings at this season of the year, was magnificent, and made ample amends for the heavy downpour of rain with which the show of 1888 will always be associated. An additional attraction had been arranged this year by way of a cricket match, and something special was announced to be in store for lovers of the great national game of cricket. It was rumoured, in fact, that the Philadelphians might make their appearance at Berengrave, and challenge the redoubtable champions of Rainham to mortal combat, with weapons of willow and leather; but the visitors were spared the painful infliction of witnessing such a sanguinary encounter as a match of that description must produce, and instead of the Philadelphians we had the champions of Newington doing battle on behalf of their village, and after an interesting match the home team came off victorious. The game was witnessed by many spectators, who could recline at their ease on the green award, and sheltered from the sun by the shade of those fine old trees at Berengrave watch the cricket, and also enjoy the music so excellently discoursed by the band of the Metropolitan Police from Chatham, while away in the distance a view of the winding Medway formed a picture pleasing to contemplate

Rainham Cricket Club played occasional matches at the ground as early as 1883 with permission from the owner Reverend J. A. Walter. They went on to use it as a permanent venue from 1923 with permission from owner Lt. Colonel H. E. Day who resided in Berengrove House adjacent to the ground.

Lt. Colonel Day of the Royal Engineers had bought Berengrove along with Berengrove House in 1921 for £3,330 from the Walter family who had owned it for many years. Berengrove consisted of 18 acres with a house, outbuildings, a garden, an orchard, and a park. The house, which adjoined the park, later became a nursing home but during the 1920s Elizabeth, the Queen Mother regularly stayed there for an annual holiday as a guest of Lt Colonel Day.

The cricket club rented the ground from Lt Colonel Day for £15 a year but by letting it out to Mr Longley, a local farmer for grazing at a cost of £25 they were able to cover their costs and make a profit. However, hurdle gates had to be placed around the cricket square to protect it from the livestock that grazed on the outfield. These had to be removed and returned at the beginning and end of each game.

From 1937 Colonel Iremonger owned Berengrove Park, allowed Rainham Cricket Club to continue playing there and held the position of club president. He even had a tree grubbed that was situated next to the cricket square and had an indoor net constructed in the long room of Berengrove House so that the cricketers could practice there during the winter months.

During World War Two the Ministry of Defence took over the ground for food production and the cricket club had to play matches at the Langton Playing Fields until the war ended in 1945.

In 1957 the new owner builder George Ward of Caldew House in Rainham gave Berengrove Park to the people of Rainham as a gift but still allowed Rainham Cricket Club to play there on a lease. Mr.Ward had bought the ground from Colonel Iremonger. The ground was given over to the Charities Commission for the people of Rainham and to be looked after by Gillingham Council with a clause that Rainham Cricket Club should always be allowed to play there.

Rainham Cricket Club who play in the Shepherd-Neame Kent County League continue to use the ground and maintain it at their own expense while various Rainham based organisations use the clubhouse on a regular basis for their meetings.

History Articles

Otterham Quay in 1900

For centuries Otterham Quay had served as an important port on the Rainham side of the parish of Upchurch. Agricultural produce from the area had been shipped to different locations in the south-east while small boats journeyed as far as the European coastline. It’s believed that a young Sir Francis Drake may have learnt to sail from here on a small vessel that regularly sailed to the Belgian coast. With the construction of the brickfields during the mid 19^th century, barges transported finished bricks to other locations and delivered dung for local farms.

The brickfields brought more work to the area so that in 1900 the majority of men living in the Otterham Quay area were employed there. In Caroline Row situated near ‘The Three Sisters’ pub the occupants were mainly brickfield workers who included Jim Styles, Jessie Tyler, Ted Ansted, Tom Anderson, Robert Denness, Walter Kitney, Bill Martin and their families.

The demand for brickfield workers in the area led to the construction of several pubs. In 1900 there were three in Otterham Quay. ‘The Three Sisters’ which is the only one surviving had been constructed in 1863 at about the same time as the brickfield. In 1900 Bill Edmonds served as landlord with his wife Rose and gained fame as an organiser of the popular Rainham Cycle Club. In 1900 brickfield workers Richard Parr and Fred Whikman lodged at the pub along with a servant named Edith Wills who worked there. At the bottom of Windmill Hill stood ‘The Lord Stanley Tavern’ run by Edward Holman and his son Joe. The building had been constructed in the late 19^th century and was named after Thomas Stanley Wakeley a partner in Wakeley Brothers fruit business and a local evangelical preacher who held prayer meetings in ‘The Old Granary’ in Otterham Quay. ‘The Lord Stanley Tavern’ building was converted into a grocer’s store in 1918 by Mr Barnes. Opposite and close to the wharf stood ‘The Anchor and Hope Tavern’ managed by Tom and Georgina Russell. This pub got trade mainly from visiting bargemen and boat crews.

George and Caroline Richens ran the only shop in Otterham Quay, a grocer’s and pork butcher’s store situated close to ‘The Three Sisters’ public house. A slaughterhouse existed at the back of the shop. The shop operated for the first part of the 20^th century.

Athough Wakeley Brothers owned most land in the area there were resident farmers like Tom Denness, his wife Ellen and their five children lived at Natal Cottage located on Natal Farm. Farm workers lived at Amelia Cottages nearby. In 1900 workers included a horseman named Edward Preston, his wife Lavinia and their three children. Next door lived a waggoner named Robert Cripps with his son, daughter and a lodger named Robert Loft.

During 1900 a row of thatched cottages belonging to Wakeley Brothers known as ‘White Huts Cottages’ burnt down after a spark from one of the chimneys caught the thatch alight.  According to a contemporary ‘East Kent Gazette’ report the buildings were razed to the ground within 45 minutes before the fire brigade arrived from Rainham.

Some of the buildings that existed at Otterham Quay in 1900 remain today while ‘The Anchor and Hope,’ the ‘The Lord Stanley Tavern’ and Caroline Row have disappeared, a private housing estate exists where the brickfields once stood and development has taken place at Four Gun Field situated between Canterbury Lane and ‘The Three Sisters.’

History Articles

The problem of a recreation ground was finally solved in 1888-89 when Lord Hothfield who owned a large part of Rainham presented the village with a seven acre field between the present Station Road and Scott Avenue in celebration of Queen Victoria’s Jubilee. This became known as Rainham Recreation Ground. Before this the land had been rented to a Rainham based tenant farmer named Mr Prentis for agricultural use.

On March 27th 1887 the Rainham Parish Council appointed a committee to find a suitable site for a recreation ground. The search lasted for almost a year then they accepted Lord Hothfield’s offer on a site between the present Station Road and Scott Avenue.

On April 26th 1888 Lord Hothfield sent a letter to the parish council giving them the option of the ground on a 21 year lease or to purchase the ground directly from Mr Prentis the tenant farmer. This resulted in Mr J. Quinnel, a member of the parish council, offering to buy the area consisting of 21 acres then let the Parish Council have the seven acres required for the recreation ground.

Although the field was valued at £1,700 Lord Hothfield accepted £1,550 and offered to donate the difference of £150 as a subscription to the Rainham Football & Cricket Club. However, a problem then arose as Mr Prentis, the tenant farmer, demanded £5 per acre. Mr Quinnel would only offer £2/10/0 or come to an agreement based upon a valuation of the ground. Mr Prentis wouldn't accept this so Mr Quinnel backed out of the deal.

Marshall Harvey, accountant for Wakeley Brothers then took over the matter and established a company on behalf of the parish for the purchase of 21 acres. After the purchase seven acres were then handed over to the parish council and the remainder sold. The ground was then vested in the trustees, consisting of the vicar Reverend Charles Cobb, the overseers and the Guardians of the Parish.

The deeds gave the parish the seven acres in perpetuity, to be fenced off and vested in the trustee’s name. The parish council proposed that the ground should be used for general recreation but the cricket club was reserved one acre of ground at the Scott Avenue end of the field while the football club used the other end. Firstly clover was planted on the ground then the bottom half was turfed for cricket. Trees were later planted, flower beds were laid and a bicycle track established around the playing area.

A committee oversaw the ground and this became known as the Rainham Recreation Ground Committee. This consisted of Mr R.M. Wakeley, Mr Jelly, Mr Charlesworth, Mr Brice, Mr Filmer, Mr Hunt and Mr Morgan who were all members of the cricket club.

After more than a decade without their own ground and a series of short-term arrangements Rainham Cricket club began the new decade with their first season at their new venue in 1890. The football club started playing football there the following winter.

The Cricket Square, situated at the Scott Avenue end of the recreation ground was laid and prepared during the winter months of 1889-1890. The Reverend J A Walter, Mr. J Stewart, Mr. J Quinnel, Mr. S Brice and Mr. R.M. Wakeley contributed turf and Ernie Morgan, the landlord of the White Horse Inn, carted it to the ground. Meanwhile, the recreation ground was fenced in at a cost of £130/2/8d and paid by the Rainham Recreation Ground Committee.

According to a report in the “East Kent Gazette,” dated November 1890 turfing was completed in the early part of 1890. The Rainham Football & Cricket Club believed that they had a good ground and it would be properly looked after. Therefore, the problem of a permanent ground was finally resolved.

During the early twentieth century a caretaker looked after playing area, a water pipe was installed so that the cricket square could be watered in 1904 and public toilets were erected at the Scott Avenue end of the ground. A wooden structure was also built on the Wakeley road side of the ground with a central open space for the storage of equipment. This structure remained on the ground until the 1980s.

Although a caretaker oversaw the ground boys playing football on the cricket square became problematic. In 1906 two boys named Silas Apps and Henry Wills were repeatedly caught playing there after several warnings. The caretaker reported them to the Rainham Recreation Ground Committee who then wrote letters warning their parents and threatening prosecution unless it stopped.

Finally, with the recreation ground set up a permanent venue for football, cricket, general recreation, fetes and the Rainham Flower Show existed. Rainham Cricket Club moved permanently away to Berengrove Park in 1923 but Rainham Football Club continued to play there until the 1980s. Today the area continues to exist for recreational purposes although changes with a children’s play area, a brick built pavilion, basketball facilities and a footpath that stretches across the area have become established since the 1980s.

History Articles

Providence Chapel was built in 1884 in Orchard Street Rainham Kent. At the time the street would have been very short with only a very small number of houses on it but within very close view of Rainham Church.

 Providence Chapel is said to have been built for the workers of Mr William Henry Wakeley in 1884. William Wakeley must have been one of the largest emp!oyers of labour at that time as he also had three roads named after him, William Street, Henry Street and Wakeley Road. 

2014

The chapel was derelict for a while and planned to be converted to flats but was taken over by Gerald Lukehurst furnishers as their bed showroom.

Houses on Orchard Street have similar date plates on them - one shows Reads Terrace 1887

2003

From 1908 extract

Baptist Church: The Providence Baptist Church is situated in Orchard Street, and contains about 100 sittings. The pulpit is filled by supply. Deacons: Messrs. William Wakeley, Alfred Harnett, Percy Wakeley, and T. Roper. Services are held on Sundays at 11 a.m. and 6.30 p.m., and on Thurs­days at 7 o’clock.

History Articles

When I find them I'm trying to add photos of local Rainham and Kent people that may be of interest or of use to anyone searching family tree records.  

My great grandfather was Arthur Percy Light of Rock Avenue Gillingham Kent and who died in 1914 in the First World War. His wife was Marion Light nee Marion Hudson and he was son of Richard and May Light, of Walmer, Kent. There is also a mystery about his son Richard Arthur Onyx/Owyn Light and his Mysterious Disappearance in 1919

Since this was originally posted I've found that his death is commemorated on the Chatham Naval war memorial at Great Lines park Gillingham http://www.everymanremembered.org/profiles/soldier/3049489/ and that he died age 40 on 22 September 1914 and was Ship's Steward assistant on HMS Hogue. Three ships were attacked and sunk in the North sea that day, HMS Cressy, HMS Hogue and HMS Aboukir.

I'd previously researched but as of 2017 there seems to be a lot more information available online to find details of service and rolls of honour along with crew lists for different ships that were lost in the war. 

His SERVICE NO. was 148076

Navy Records

HOGUE, cruiser – see 22 September 1914, Sinking of Cruisers Aboukir, Hogue, Cressy by U.9, North Sea. Built 1900, Pendant No. N.59, Capt Wilmot Nicholson. Ordered Cressy to look out for submarines, stopped and sent off boats to rescue Aboukir survivors, almost immediately hit portside by two torpedoes, started to sink by stern, quarterdeck awash in 5min, submarine broached to and fired on, Hogue rolled over on her side within 10min, abandon ship ordered and sank, her boats now headed for Cressy with Aboukir's survivors; 376 lives lost - 11 officers, 1 more DOW, and 361 ratings, and 1 canteen staff.

 LIGHT, Arthur P, Ship's Steward Assistant (Pens), 148076 (Ch)

Photo taken by Geo Hillsdon (George?),  Lyttelton Photo studios, 17 London Street, Lyttelton, New Zealand

More info on George Henry James Hillsdon, photographer of Lyttelton New Zealand is below. It appears he took over the photography studios on 25th May 1896 and my great grandfather, Arthur Percy Light would have attended the studio when on duty in the Royal Navy between then and his death in 1914. I'm trying to work out which year he may have visited New Zealand by checking his military records.

https://canterburyphotography.blogspot.com/2008/09/geo-hillsden.html?m=0

History Articles

Memories of ‘The Railway’ pub during the early 1970s

The Railway pub thrived during the early 1970s as a popular venue for Rainham residents wanting a good night out. Very lively and always crowded on a weekend with a mixed clientele, the customers, the landlord Bob and his wife Doris made it a friendly and enjoyable place for people to socialize.

A wide range of Rainham characters gathered in ‘The Railway’ on a Friday evening. In the saloon bar Dartford football manager Ernie Morgan, identified by his broad Yorkshire accent, became a regular and would speak to anyone, normally about football. During the daytime Ernie cleaned the windows of shops and businesses in the centre of Rainham as he owned a window cleaning business that lasted for many years. He also became a local football legend after taking Dartford to the Southern League championship and an FA Trophy cup final appearance at Wembley. Later he became involved in local youth football and this made him very well-known in the area. Ernie often drank with Chatham Town footballer Brian Laws and a tall, friendly, retired man dressed in a dark brown suit and matching trilby hat named Jim.

Billy Hales who worked in the butcher’s shop halfway down Station Road usually sat at the bar, sometimes with friends or with his wife. He usually had good stories to tell while Ernie Nicholls who owned a well-known haulage company and lived at the bottom of Station Road was also good for a chat, usually about cricket as he played for Bapchild Cricket Club. Peter Foster, a well-known local footballer also became a regular, usually accompanied by his blond haired girlfriend Janet Smith whose father owned a sweet shop in Station Road

Old Sid Clout who lived in Webster Road would buy a pint and sit alone in a corner for about an hour then go home while a former bus conductor named Ralph who had a high pitched voice and always dressed in a navy blue blazer with an Old Anchorians tie would talk the night away. He supported Kent Cricket Club and once went to the West Indies to watch England play a test series.

 Rainham cricketers who socialized in the pub on a Friday night included George Phillips from Scott Avenue, Denis Chambers from Pump Lane, Peter and Alan Heath from Childscroft Road, Bill Balderston from Berengrave Lane and Terry Glazier from Maidstone Road. Former Rainham cricketer Roger Varley and a well-spoken man named Max mixed with them. Max was easily identifiable by his black rimmed glasses and social skills as he spoke at length with almost anyone. The pub became so popular with the Rainham cricketers that it served as the club headquarters for a short period during the mid-1970s.

The saloon bar also became a popular meeting place for well-known Gillingham footballers with David Peach and Alan Wilks being regulars at one time. Steve Bruce and Tony Cascarino also periodically socialized there during the mid-1970s. In 1976 David Peach who had played in the FA Cup Final for Southampton against Manchester United during the afternoon turned up in the saloon bar on the same evening with his FA Cup medal hanging around his neck to socialize with his old friends which caused a sensation.

The famous ‘Keg Boys’ usually drank in the public bar with Stan Peace sitting quietly drinking, smiling and staring at people without much conversation. He became a regular at the pub for years and was sometimes accompanied by Neville Huggins and a variety of other people. Others regularly socializing there included Billy Huggins and Maurice Mills who were both well-known local footballers. I sometimes accompanied them late on a Saturday evening to the Thomas A Beckett pub in the Old Kent Road where we would drink and see famous boxers like Henry Cooper and his twin brother George. In the days when drivers could drink, drive and get away with it we drove from ‘The Railway’ to London and back in Billy Huggins’s mini.

Bob and Doris served behind the bar for most of the time and they were assisted by Phil Austin from Station Road, a compulsive talker and joker and he worked alongside a lady named Linda who Rainham cricketer Alan Heath later married. Two other ladies also assisted at different times.

The evening entertainment only included recorded music with Dean Martin’s ‘Gentle on my Mind’ being played regularly while periodic social functions took place. I once remember playing in goal for the Saloon bar against the public bar on Rainham Recreation Ground in a special challenge match with about fifteen players a side and crates of free beer being provided at the end of the match. I also remember a day trip being arranged to Royal Ascot when everyone journeyed from the pub to the racecourse on a coach organised by Bob the landlord.

‘The Railway’ may have a very different clientele today but it thrived as one of the most popular social and drinking venues in Rainham during the 1970s.

Railway pub in 2003

History Articles