Changes Since 1969 - Published in May 1978
I would hazard a guess that Rainham has changed more in the last nine years when Action Forum began than it did in the previous 100. Most dramatic has been the most recent — the final demolition of the old Church School at the top of Station Road. This has stirred many memories in older inhabitants who spent all their school life in that building and has also opened up views that have not been seen before and will not be seen again when the shopping centre is built. Continuously over the nine years houses have been built. Some, individual homes infilling in the older established roads, but also complete developments. The largest cul de sac and private housing estate in Europe was for many years the proud boast Deanwood Drive has at last provided a second entry. Other new estates include Tilbury, Moor Park, Maryland, Oastview, Farthing Corner, Wakeley, Mierscourt Valley, Banky Fields and Macklands. Cozenton Park has come into existence complete with public conveniences.
Map showing the Rainham area in around 1965 - showing changes mentioned in this article
Rainham Recreation Ground has also had a facelift, new pavilion, new toilets and new climbing apparatus. The church allotments between Station Road and the Rec have given way to modern life and have become a commuter car park. Traffic lights have been installed although some which didn’t help much have already been removed. The top of Berengrave lane has become a flower bed, forcing all vehicles to pass the enlarged Police Headquarters for Rainham and Gillingham. A new Railway Station and forecourt speeds the rush hour travellers on their way but British Rail have closed two level crossings at Twydall and Bloors Lane and have made repeated attempts at smoothing out Station Road — all to no avail — can anyone explain to me just why we have to have a free switchback ride in order to cross the line.
To accommodate the children moving to Rainham, new schools have been provided. The Howard School and Campus Sports Hall complex cater not only for school children but also provide excellent Adult Education facilities. Primary education has four new schools, Parkwood, Deanwood, Thamesview and Mierscourt. The new shopping centre on Parkwood has had the recent addition of a Medical Centre, unfortunately rather belatedly. Let us hope ‘the planners‘ are absorbing all the lessons they are learning in Rainham. Two Public Houses have been opened, Concord and The Cherry Orchard. The only other places for evening entertainment to open are Parkwood Community Centre and Station Oasts Community Centre. After a long struggle against rising costs and a very great deal of hard work the later finally opened just before Christmas.
Rainhain is essentially a residential area. Little industry is attracted,however Bloors Wharf, Otterham Quay and Hoath Way have all grown recently. All this has changed Rainham — yet we can still imagine the village as it was even one hundred years ago.
Rainham Station in 1966 around the time this article refers to. You can see the allotments still on the right hand side of the photo which became the commuter car park mentioned in 1972.
