The tinted colour photos of Upchurch Pottery shop and Tudor Cafe in Rainham Kent are commercial postcards. My parents had done them as 'publicity' for the Tudor Cafe. I do not know if the postcard company, Rafael Tuck, still exists.
The newspaper cutting of Edward Baker would likewise have been the copyright of the local newspaper (I think, the "Kent Messenger"), which printed it, but since that was also mid 1930s, must also be free of copyright.
The black and white photo of the cafe was probably taken in the mid 1930s by a local professional photographer on commission by my parents, since it looks rather good for a 'snap' by someone in my family.
The address was 333 High Street Rainham. The Potter, Edward Baker, originally worked at Upchurch Pottery, and was part of the Baker family who owned it and had brought it to Upchurch from Hoo many years before. When my parents bought it, they set up a pottery and kiln on the 333 High Street site, and they employed Edward Baker, who came to work there. This was named the Roeginga Pottery, after the Roman name of the area.
My mother was a talented pottery decorator, and many of the pots made there had floral decorations which she had painted.
As far as I can understand they then sold the original Upchurch Pottery, with the intention of maintaining pottery manufacture at the High Street site, until the ambitions of Adolf Hitler put a stop to all that.
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Ward Homes Sales Brochures and Promo Leaflets from the 1960s For Rainham Park Housing Estate - now know as Parkwood
These Parkwood homes brochures have been kindly scanned and provided by Craig Blum.
The photos show many of the designs of Ward Homes houses that can still be seen across Parkwood estate from Cherry Tree Road to Lonsdale Drive and around the roads off Long Catlis Drive. This was originally known as Rainham Park estate and was at one time the largest private housing estate in Europe which was built on ancient woodland outside Wigmore and Rainham Kent.
A PDF of the complete brochure can be viewed here.
The achievement of the huge scale of the development is even more significant when you consider that the entire area was developed by a single company, Ward Homes.
The Wards development was Rainham Park, started c.1960 at Kenilworth Drive , this house is corner of Windermere Drive/ Sandown Drive, c.1967. We moved to 103, Lonsdale Drive, July 1965 when it was new, happy days. Parkwood was just starting with Deanwood Drive, top of Lonsdale and south side of Tanker Hill developed by Property Estates Developments, eventually taken over by Sunley Estates
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Dene Holes found in Rainham, Kent
A number of 'Dene Holes' have been discovered in different locations in the Rainham area. Their true origins are not known, but there is speculation that they may have been chalk mines, underground storage for grain or for shelter from Danish invaders, hence 'Dane holes'. The basic design consists of a narrow shaft cut straight down until it widens into a larger chamber. Their age is uncertain, but some were still being dug around a hundred years ago, while some apparently show marks indicating that they were dug with picks made of bone, supporting the view that in some cases their origin may pre-date the Romans.
A dene hole was discovered in Twydall Lane in 1931 by Mr Harlow. He excavated the site and produced plan of the dene hole shown here. Niches were found at points A and B which were about 9 feet in height but not reaching the surface. These shafts were blackened with smoke so it may be that they were chimneys for torches or fires.
There is still a dene hole that you can see at Capstone Country Park near Hempstead.
In 1980, several dene holes were discovered during the construction of the Platters Farm estate off Marshall Road. The pictures show the dene hole at the junction of The Goldings and The Platters. This was excavated by the builders and refilled prior to construction of the houses, but after the road had been built.
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| Dene Hole discovered in Rainham Kent, July 1980 | Trench that discovered Dene hole running parallel to road | Dene Hole After Excavation |
The same Dene Hole location
The Goldings/Platters junction facing towards Marshall Road 2004 |
See the following links for more information.
http://47.1911encyclopedia.org/D/DE/DENE_HOLES.htm
http://www.glias.org.uk/news/167news.html#O
http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Dene-Holes
Details of Dene Holes from "Off The Beaten Track-A Short History of Bredhurst, Wigmore and Hempstead" by Geoffrey Hutton. Published by Meresborough Books 1993, available from Rainham Bookshop.
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Rainham Mark, Belisha Beacon, Hop and Vine pub, Kent Photos & Information
The Ever Changing Face of Rainham
Change in our Environment is a continual process. Even in the short time that this site has been running many changes have been seen. An example is from some shots taken in Rainham Mark in 2003 for use with the Time Machine pages. Since they were taken the Hop & Vine has been refurbished, the petrol station, Post Office and newsagents have closed.
This area is a perfect example of how change in the urban environment is a never ending process. Since the article originally written in 2005 the aread has changed further. As of November 2010 the Hop and Vine pub has closed down and the site of the former Shell/Texaco petrol station remains derelict despite various attempts to obtain planning permission for alternative uses. The former Rainham Mark post office remains empty and the newsagent has now been converted to an Osteopath surgery.
Hop and Vine pub Rainham Mark, now boarded up with former Rainham Mark post office and Shell/Texaco petrol station in distance
Belisha Beacon pub, Rainham Mark in 1950s - note the saloon bar and public bar door signs
Jonathan Lawson, managing director at pub chain Greene King, confirmed it no longer owned the Hop & Vine building.
He said: "We can confirm that the Hop & Vine has been sold to London-based development company Zaan.
"Community pubs are very much at the heart of our business. Sadly, the Hop & Vine is restricted by its size and therefore has limited development potential as a pub.
"After careful consideration, we reluctantly concluded that it is in the best interests of the community to accept an offer for the premises.
"We would like to reassure the people of Rainham that we are committed to the area and continue to welcome customers at our nearest local pub, The Cricketers on the High Street."
The Hop and Vine was originally known as the Belisha Becon pub. More info about the origins of Rainham Mark can be found on the website below
http://www.medwaymemories.co.uk/men_of_kent.htm
2003
2005
2010
2011
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THE CHANGING FACE OF RAINHAM Kent
By Freddie Cooper, from Action Forum, December 2002
Mr William Henry Barling (late W. Rush) was in Manchester House, next to Ivy Street, and sold ‘up to date drapery goods of every description, with a splendid selection of dress materials and curtains’. He was the agent for Frister & Rossmann’s sewing machines and Mortimer Brothers High Class Dyers and Cleaners.
Old photo of Ivy Street, Rainham Kent
George Whayman was on The Banks, almost opposite Ivy Street, an 'Outfitter and Boot Merchant' who sold men’s clothing of every description, ready made or gentlemen’s suits to measure for 24/6d (£1 22 ½p) or trousers for 7/lid (40p). Edwin Jelley nearly opposite at Cheapside on the eastern corner of Pudding Lane also boasted the most up to date stock of reliable clothing with gentlemen’s ready to wear suits at £1. He gave 5% discount for cash and was agent for six stated brands of footwear.
Glass and Son, the family Bakers, were two doors east of Marlborough House and were very popular as pastry cooks and cake manufacturers beside being corn, flour and seed factors with van deliveries to all parts daily. They had their name painted high up on the side wall and I remember buying 2d of stale buns when an aunt told me to wait for lunch.
THE GREEN LION PUBLIC HOUSE was a very busy hostelry being headquarters to The Cycling, Cricket and Football Clubs, The Cottage Gardeners Society, Ancient Order of Foresters and The Court of Anglo Saxons. Like all pubs they had their own Benefit Society which paid members during sickness or upon death with a share out in December. Phil Curling, mine host, was ‘handicapper to all the principal Club and Race meetings in the District’. Professional running and cycling were popular even in the 20s and 30s and I remember seeing Sam Ferris the Olympic long distance runner who had been challenged to compete against a man named Walters from Upchurch.
The Rainham and District Co-operative Society Ltd, with all departments in Station Road, had only recently been formed at the turn of the century but its turnover in 1907 was £16,000 with profit of £1,500 and a membership of 505. Its telephone number is not quoted but I believe it was number 4. There were no multiples except perhaps the Co-op which was owned by the members so the proprietors would know most of their customers and become important personalities within the village. A majority of the shops listed in 1908 were still within the same family ownership 20 or 30 years later.
A business which needed no advertisement locally was that of George Longley, Nurseryman and Florist, then operating from Mardale Nursery in Chapel Lane (now Miers Court Road) and Pond House just west of the present Durland House. Numbers 29 and 31 Miers Court Road still have the name Mardale Nursery 1905 high up on the front. I understand that the family came from Sheldwich in 1819, were founder members of the original English Rose Society in the 1890s and were the only Rainham firm to be granted the Royal Warrant which was exhibited on the front of Pond House. The rose gardens were a wonderful sight adjacent to the railway line between Station Road and Berengrave Lane and later on both sides of the lane below the railway arch. Although some members of the family branched out into farming the present Berengrave Nursery is operated by a direct descendant of those who came to Rainham nearly 200 years ago and I hope to write a separate story in a future issue as the history of the Longley family is very typical of the history of Rainham over the last two centuries.
Freddie Cooper
You can view a list of the businesses with telephones in Rainham in 1908 here
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Subcategories
Historical tales Article Count: 3
Historical tales
Rainham Life Article Count: 10
Rainham Life
Local Events Article Count: 48
Local Events
Photos Article Count: 143
Photos
Action Forum Article Count: 231
Action Forum is a free monthly magazine that is distributed to the Rainham area covering Wigmore, Parkwood and Hempstead as well. This archive covers old copies of the magazine dating back to its initial publication in 1969 and give a fascinating glimpse into life in Rainham over the last 50 years.
Link to Article Index - Action Forum Index - Photos and Articles from 1969 onwards
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