With the schools returning for the new School Year these pictures of Byron Road Infants' School taken in 1918 show how school life used to be 100 years ago.

The 2 photos show the same classroom but with group IVA (4A) and Group VI (6) so are probably taken 2 years apart. The pictures on the wall are slightly different although what looks like a painting of Humpty Dumpty is present in both.

The children in the IV A photo holding the board are Harold Hudson Light and Marion Grace Light. There are 24 children and 1 teacher showing. 

Harold appears to be in the below photo to the left of the Humpty Dumpty picture standing against the wall at the back of the classroom. In this picture there are 48 children so is it 2 classes together or just much larger class sizes?

 

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These photos were kindly provided by Derek Cutts and show a variety of locations around Rainham station from October 1966 before the old station buildings were demolished and the new station built.

Photo 1

This is a view of the main Rainham station building taken from the coastbound platform. The large Rainham sign is fixed to the toilet wall and there are maps of the railway shown on the station building wall. It shows the Nelson Confectionery kiosk which is closed at the time. There is a stationmaster standing next to a pile of sacks by the station window but the platform is otherwise deserted. The adverts on the wall promote Carnaby Street shirts and Cockburns port along with “Chatham News for all your local news”. There is an old footbridge going out of shot to the coastbound platform.

view of the main Rainham station building 1966 taken from the coastbound platform

 Photo 2 shows the London bound platform with a solitary passenger waiting in the somewhat shabby looking shelter on the platform. You can see the new looking houses on Tufton Road in the distance. The tracks showing have 3 rails so it suggests that the electric rail was already installed at this stage.

London bound platform with a solitary passenger waiting in the somewhat shabby looking shelter on the platform. You can see the new looking houses on Tufton Road in the distance

Photo 3

View of the station building from Station Road showing phone box on the corner. Multiple cars are visible in the picture, Austin A40 Farina registration 402DOD, Bedford CA van number plate 152 JKP. Over the railings is a Vauxhall Victor. The sign warns it is a private road which leads through to the station car park passing directly in front of the station entrance. 

View of the station building from Station Road showing phone box on the corner. Multiple cars are visible in the picture, Austin A40 Farina registration 402DOD, Bedford CA van number plate 152 JKP. Over the railings is a Vauxhall Victor.

Photo 4

This photo is of Rainham station car park and storage building. There is a canopy with motorbikes parked underneath it. Cars visible include a Ford Cortina MK1 facelift model, C plate registration (1965), Austin Mini saloon and beyond the fence a Mini van and another Cortina. There is another white car Vauxhall Velox PB or Cresta PB with number plate 5213D with GB plates on it parked in front of the motorbikes.

 

Rainham station car park and storage building. There is a canopy with motorbikes parked underneath it. Cars visible include a Ford Cortina MK1 facelift model, C plate registration (1965), Austin Mini saloon and beyond the fence a Mini van and another Cortina. There is another white car Vauxhall Velox PB or Cresta PB with number plate 5213D

Photo 5

View of the Signal Box control room from Station Road showing the telephone box and sign for British Railways Rainham Station. There is a poster urging you to “Go by ship and train to the Continent and see more on your journey” The station buildings are out of shot to the left of the picture.

Signal Box control room from Station Road showing the telephone box and sign for British Railways Rainham Station

Photo 6

This is the key photo for dating the series. It shows the coastbound platform with the Wakeley’s Oast in the background before it became the RWCA Community centre in the early 1970s. The shelter for waiting passengers looks quite tatty and run down but the posters give a great view of 1960s life. One of the posters has the name Eric Lawson, Station Road Rainham which was an estate agent advertising property in the Medway Towns Area. There is an advert for the Woolwich Building society (bought up by Barclays Bank in the 2000s) and Coronet Real Fruit yoghurt – taste the real fruit!

Football at Priestfield Stadium Gillingham is advertised showing matches against Swindon on 12th November 1966, Bristol Rovers on 16th Nov, Grimsby (Town) on 10th December 1966 and Scunthorpe (United) on 17th December.

Medway College of Art is advertising their Session for 1966-67 and below that is another advert for Cockburns port. In the background to the left of the photo the new houses of Parkfield Road are visible.

 

It shows the coastbound platform with the Wakeley’s Oast in the background before it became the RWCA Community centre in the early 1970s. The shelter for waiting passengers looks quite tatty and run down but the posters give a great view of 1960s life. One of the posters has the name Eric Lawson, Station Road Rainham

Photo 7

One of the most interesting pictures of the set shows the front of the main Rainham Station building with a Renault 4 car registration 8853 KO parked outside near a No Parking sign! The Renault 4 was only introduced in 1961 so the photo must be later than this. The station car park and cars from photo 4 are also visible in the background but this picture gives the wider picture and context of the buildings in relation to the station car park. There are various boards on the wall of the building with British Railways headings. One hoarding promotes Cut Price Off Peak Travel so much the same promotions as today!

front of the main Rainham Station building with a Renault 4 car registration 8853 KO parked outside near a No Parking sign

Photo 8

This shows a view of the Station buildings from the coastbound platform with the footbridge over the tracks and a passenger waiting on the platform. There is a poster for Chatham Reliance Building Society.

view of the Station buildings from the coastbound platform with the footbridge over the tracks and a passenger waiting on the platform. There is a poster for Chatham Reliance Building Society.

Photo 9

This shows a view looking down Station Road with the Rainham signal box on the left hand side of the picture. In the distance you can see a Ford Cortina and the allotments on the right hand side that became the new station car park in 1969.

view looking down Station Road with the Rainham signal box on the left hand side of the picture. In the distance you can see a Ford Cortina and the allotments on the right hand sid

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This photo of Hempstead Valley was taken in 1981 showing the amount of woodland still left at the time and the huge size of the shopping centre in the middle of what was woodland. In the distance you can see that the Hungry Fox pub isn't yet built and no access via the rear of the centre from Hempstead Valley drive.

 

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The Gillingham (Kent) branch of Barclays Bank was opened in 1898/99 by the London & Provincial Bank and it was amalgamated with Barclays in 1918. The branch was originally called “New Brompton” until 1902. It was based at 77 High Street from 1920. 

These old photographs of the Barclays Bank Gillingham branch are from the 1970s and one earlier c.1957

It's interesting to see the development of the building next to Barclays Bank on Canterbury Street over the years. In 1957 it's a very ornate building with bay window upstairs and part of the bank. By the early 1970s the roofline has been changed and the downstairs windows replaced. By the late 1970s the building has been demolished and replaced by a modern brick built 3 storey structure although still part of the Barclays branch from the logos on the front of the building.

The pictures also show the Oxfam shop, Design Boutique, Eric Lawson Estate agent and Highfields. It appears from the photos that Highfields moved next door when Oxfam moved into their old shop. You can also see the Truman's British Queen pub in the background of one photo.

Barclays Gillingham branch closed on 6 February 2015 and the business transferred to Chatham, High Street.

Photos and info courtesy of Barclays Group Archives

 Photo of Barclays Bank Gillingham branch from 1957

Photo of Barclays Bank Gillingham branch from the 1970s, British Queen pub in background

Barclays Bank Gillingham branch Canterbury Street from the 1970s

These old photographs of the Barclays Bank Gillingham branch are from the 1970s

Interior photo of the Barclays Bank Gillingham branch from the 1970s

old photographs of the Barclays Bank Gillingham branch are from the 1970s

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This photo is of the Mr Rochester competitors at the 1981 Dicken's Festival, do you recognise anyone?

 

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  1. 1977 Queen's Silver Jubilee Celebrations in Rainham
  2. Rainham High Street Coop Co-operative Store Demolition
  3. St Margarets Church Hall Orchard Street 1937-2000
  4. Rainham Rangerettes Photo from 1970s

Subcategories

Rainham Roads Article Count:  22

Roads around the Rainham - old photos of how roads used to look in days gone by

Rainham People Article Count:  22

Decades - Old Photos Article Count:  10

Old photos by decade