I was recently asked to assist a student from a Teachers Training College with her project. She had chosen ‘A Trail of Rainham High Street at the turn of the Century’ but had little background knowledge. I started by giving her an extract on Rainham from Hasted’s ‘History of Kent’ written in 1798 which is still the definitive work from which many have subsequently quoted. I also produced a typed copy of the late W.J. Smith’s short articles which appeared in the Church Magazine during the 1920s. His knowledge of the ancient history of Rainham far exceeded that of any other person I’ve known. Many will still remember him as Headmaster of the Council School and later the Senior Boys School when it opened in Orchard Street. He later subsequently married Miss Hare who was the Headmistress of the Senior Girls School.
I’ve found that the old Kelly’s Directories bring a locality to life when read in conjunction with the Ordnance Survey Map of the time. It was a pity that Kelly’s ceased publication in the 1970s but they were mainly bought and used by business people and I suppose by then they had been superceded by the telephone directory and with so much movement, a road directory would have been out of date by publication. When I first worked for the Kent Electric Power Co. Ltd. we had to ascertain the correct initials for all customers when sending our out hand written accounts for purchases or contracting work and Kelly’s was most valuable as it listed all residents both alphabetically and in road order. Fortunately I have copies of the 1887, 1908 and 1924 sections of Kelly’s relating to Rainham so these, together with the Ordnance Survey Map give a picture of a very different Rainham as it was at the turn of the century around the birthdate of some of the more elderly residents.
Many of the pictures in Barbara Mackay Miller’s books of Rainham are relevant to that period so the student has copied these and we’ve reconstructed the High Street on a long sheet. I hope soon to walk with her showing the buildings which remain and where others now lost were located and perhaps tell her something about those of particular interest. I hope to take readers down ‘Memory Lane’ in a future article but first perhaps we should see what we can glean from Kelly’s about our area around 1900, and the social conditions.
To start with Rainham was included in the Sittingbourne and Milton District directory as we had no connection with Gillingham until 1928. The Parish had a land acreage of 3,562 acres, with 51 acres of tidal water and 414 acres of foreshore. There were 16 1/2 miles of roads. The population in 1901 was 3,693 but it had grown to around 7 years later. The principal land owners were Lord of the Manor Lord Hothfield, Mr E.J. Wingham Stratford and the Governors of St Katherine Hospital. Sir Henry Nevill Dering Bart was collector of tithes. The Vicarage (now the Sorting Office site) had three acres attached and the Rev. Charles Cobb MA had by 1908 been Vicar for 32 years. The Parish was in the Rural Deanery of Sittingbourne and the Diocese of Canterbury.
The Parish Council was the largest in this part of the County being entitled to 13 members, it held its meetings on the first Wednesday of each month. The Councillors were all prominent people who would have been personally known to almost all residents. The Chairman was Dr F.W.H. Penfold who lived at the Parsonage before Dr Irby Webster. In 1907 an application was made by members of the Parish Council and other gentlemen for Urban District powers, this was unfortunately refused — the history of the area might have been very different had it been granted! The Recreation Ground, given by Lord Hothfield in 1887 in honour of the Jubilee of H.M. Queen Victoria had beautiful flower beds and prepared cycle track and cricket pitch with water laid. The large shelter on the northern side was used as a cover for the horse drawn fire engine.
Rainham Cycling Club, with 160 members, had its HQ at the Lion Hotel and Club runs were held twice a week on Wednesday and Saturday from April to September. It held monthly race meetings at the Recreation Ground and larger invitation meetings twice yearly. Rainham Cricket Club also held its meetings at the Lion Hotel and played matches on Wednesday and Saturday at Siloam Farm in Chapel Lane (now Mierscourt Road) and Mr R.M. Wakeley was Captain, he owned Meresborough Farm. The United Methodist Chapel teams played both cricket and football at the Recreation Ground and were in the New Brompton Free Church league. The Pastor, Rev. J .S. Treweeke was Captain of the soccer team and incidentally lived in Henry Street. Remember that many of the leading soccer clubs in the country started as Church teams. St Margaret’s had two very good teams in the 1930s. Rainham FC played at White Hill (I must find out where) and in 1908 were the current holders of the Kent Junior Cup. They had teams in the lst and 2nd divisions of the New Brompton and District League and the Sittingbourne and District League.
Freddie Cooper
