Photos

This photo of Liptons Rainham was taken around 1972. This was the site of the old cinema known as the Bug Hutch. Harris and Bone estate agents were next door. Look atthe prices in the shop window, whisky and gin were both £2.55 a bottle!

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It's slightly out of area but when I was walking today I noticed the Little Crown pub in Chatham High Street which had a sign showing 1892. I wonder if it has been covered up previously as I don't recall spotting it before. The pub appears long closed but hopefully the building will be restored. Little Crown Pub Chatham

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These are photos taken of the M2 motorway being widened during 2002-2004 and show the bridges at Bluebill hill before, during and after demolition and construction.

M2 motorway widening, bluebell hill a229 photos

This photo shows the A229/M2 junction 3 while the roadworks to widen the M2 were in progress

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This aerial photo of Maidstone Road was taken in 2016 showing the view towards Gillingham. Maidstone Road crosses the photo from left to right with Herbert Road in the bottom left corner, Broadview Avenue in bottom right leading towards Nursery Road. In the distance you can see the playing fields of the Howard School and Rainham Girls

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The snow in Medway in 1987 was some of the worst for many years, possibly since the severe winter of 1962/63. Due to the snow areas of the towns were cut off and some supplies needed to be airlifted in as lorries were unable to deliver by road.

Pictures of the Winter 1987/88 Huge Snowfall in Medway & Kent. Below photo of Ford Capri stuck in snow in Chatham

Snow in Chatham Kent 1987

Chatham/Gillingham/Rainham and Kent in general were hit particularly badly by snow in 1987 and for some days were cut off completely. I recall milk being flown in by army helicopter due to roads being impassable and major roads being blocked for many days. As outlined below the weather station recorded 22 INCHES of snow in Jan 1987 in Gillingham (in 2010 the roads were brought to a standstill with less than 20cm!!)

At the time I was working at Rainham Co-op as saturday staff, the shop now occupied by Wilkinsons. As school was closed due to the snow and being one of the staff that could walk to the shop I worked many extra hours during the snow building up my savings! Later on in the year the great Hurricane hit Kent during October 1987 leaving many trees blown down.

A quote from the netweather website below " The cold spell of January 1987 was exceptional and was probably one of the coldest spells since 1740. The intense cold and heavy snowfalls hit the SE the hardest. Transport was gridlocked and the cold even affected Big Ben's chiming hammer. "

Rainham Snow 1987 Frozen sea Rainham Kent 1987