Rainham History - History of Rainham Kent, Old Photos and Life in Bygone Times
Rainham Telephone Numbers
Rainham Telephone Numbers
List compiled by David Auger from British Phone Books. These show the local Rainham businesses in the early 20th Century and the growth of the telephone between 1908 and 1925.
July 1908
Rainham 1 PUBLIC CALL OFFICE E. Cozens
Rainham 10 ADIE Charles , Jobmaster “White Horse”
Rainham 15 ASSOCIATED Portland Cement Manufacturers
(1900) Ltd ( Clay Manager ) Newport villas
Rainham 2 BARRON & Co. Ltd, Portland Cement Manfrs Falcon Cement wks
Rainham 12 BRICE S.J. & Sons Clay Merchants Tufton rd
Rainham 8 BRICE W. & G., Clay Merchants Station rd
Rainham 4 CO-OPERATIVE Society Rainham
Rainham 9 CURLING Walter Philip , Handicapper Lion hotel
Rainham 5 KEMP Bros, Builders & Contractors Rainham
Rainham 14 KNIGHT Alfred Joseph , Brick Manufr Otterham quay
Rainham 11 MARTIN, Earle & Co. Ltd., Cement Mnfrs Wickhm Rchstr
Rainham 6 PENFOLD Fred W. H., Surgeon Maidale house
Rainham 3 POLES H. N. Cement Manufacturer Rainham
Rainham 13 SCOTT Fred , Farmer Rainham
Rainham 7 WAKELEY Bros, Corn, Brick Mrchnts Rainham
Rainham 16 WAKELEY Joseph Moor st ho
July 1909
Rainham 1 PUBLIC CALL OFFICE Cozens, E.
Rainham 10 ADIE Charles , Jobmaster “White Horse”
Rainham 2 BARRON & Co. Ltd, Portland Cement Manfrs Falcon Cement wks
Rainham 12 BRICE S.J. & Sons, Clay Merchants Tufton rd
Rainham 8 BRICE W. & G., Clay Merchants Station rd
Rainham 4 CO-OPERATIVE Society Rainham
Rainham 9 CURLING Walter Philip , Handicapper Lion hotel
Rainham 5 KEMP Bros, Builders & Contractors Rainham
Rainham 14 KNIGHT Alfred Joseph , Brick Manufr Otterham quay
Rainham 11 MARTIN, Earle & Co. Ltd., Cement Mnfrs Wickhm Rchstr
Rainham 6 PENFOLD Fred W. H., Surgeon Maidale house
Rainham 3 POLES H. N. Cement Manufacturer Rainham
Rainham 1 POST Office (for Postal facilities ONLY) High st
Rainham 13 SCOTT Fred , Farmer Rainham
Rainham 16 WAKELEY Joseph Moor st ho
Rainham 7 WAKELEY Bros, Corn, Brick Merchants Rainham
January 1910
Rainham 1 RAINHAM High Street Cozens, E.
Rainham 10 ADIE Charles , Jobmaster “White Horse”
Rainham 2 BARRON & Co. Ltd., Portland Cement Manfrs Falcon Cement wks
Rainham 12 BRICE S.J. & Sons, Clay Merchants Tufton rd
Rainham 8 BRICE W. & G., Clay Merchants Station rd
Rainham 4 CO-OPERATIVE Society Rainham
Rainham 9 CURLING Walter Philip , Handicapper Lion hotel
Rainham 5 KEMP Bros, Builders & Contractors Rainham
Rainham 14 KNIGHT Alfred Joseph , Brick Manufr Otterham quay
Rainham 11 MARTIN, Earle & Co. Ltd., Cmnt Mnfrs Wickhm Rchstr
Rainham 6 PENFOLD Fred W. H., Surgeon Maidale house
Rainham 3 POLES H. N. Cement Manufacturer Rainham
Rainham 1 POST Office (for Postal facilities ONLY) High st
Rainham 13 SCOTT Fred , Farmer Rainham
Rainham 15 WADE Arthur C. , “Alindene” Century rd
Rainham 16 WAKELEY Joseph Moor st ho
Rainham 7 WAKELEY Bros, Corn, Brick Merchants Rainham
September 1924
Rainham 10 ADIE Charles , Jobmaster “White Horse”
Rainham 35 ANDREWS C. E., Estate Agent, Buses Wigmore ho
Rainham 19 Barclays Bank Ltd. Rainham
Rainham 2 BARTLETT A., Motor Engineer 4 High st
Rainham 23 BATES Edward Macklands
Rainham 12 British Standard Cement Co. Wharf rd
Rainham 15 CLARK W. A., Farmer Pump fm Lr Rainham
Rainham 37 COLYER W. E., Stores, Estate Agent Rainham mark
Rainham 4 Co-operative Society Rainham
Rainham 24x3 DICKER Rev. A. G. H. Upchurch Rctry
Rainham 22 DURRELL W. & R. Genl. Engrs., Mlwrghs London rd
Rainham 11 Eastwoods Ltd., Brickmakers Lwr Halstow Nwngtn
Rainham 42 FILMER A. E. Waverley Lwr Rainham
Rainham 33y3 FINCH Rev. J. A. The Vicarage Brht
Rainham 17y3 FOX L. J. St Josephs Maidstone rd
Rainham 31 GILLHAM E. R. York rd Wigmore
Rainham 24y3 GRAY Major M. K. East Moor
Rainham 28 GROVE F. E., Irnmngr, Hrdwre Dmstc Rainham market
Rainham 32y HALES W., Butcher Upchurch S’borne
Rainham 24x1 HARVEY Leonard , Estate Agent Ottenham farm
Rainham 18 HERROD L. M. Horticultural Chemist Rainham
Rainham 24y2 HINGE A., Farmer Horsham fm Upch
Rainham 33y2 HOGG W. H. , Farmer Bredhurst
Rainham 26 HOLLANDS Helena Maria P.O. Hartlip
Rainham 20 The International Tea Co.’s Stores Ltd. 92 Station rd
Rainham 29 JONES J. T. , Florist & Fruiterer 10 London rd
Rainham 5 KEMP Bros, Builders & Contractors Rainham
Rainham 33x1 KING Edward , Builder, Haulge Cntrctr King’s Lanley
Rainham 34 LACK W., Builder Heathfld Wigmore
Rainham 33y1 LEWIS G. I. W. , Commander R.N. Greencrt Bredhrst
Rainham 3 MATTOCKS F. T. Architect & Surveyor 111 Station rd
Rainham 36 MOAKES Charles Watling ho London rd
Rainham 33x2 MONDAY J., Licensed Victualler The Bell Bredhurst
Rainham 9 MOORE James Wm., Licensed Victuallr Lion Hotel
Rainham 24y1 O’CONNELL T. B., Brickworks Otterham quay
Rainham 38 PACKER Fred , Motor Haulage Cntrctr 33 High st
Rainham 8 POPE H. C. , Major R.M. Meresborough ho
Rainham 32x PRESLAND G. E. , Grocer & Draper Upchurch
Rainham 13 SCOTT Mrs. Fred. , Hop, Fruit Grower Rainham
Rainham 14 SIEMS & Son, Turf accountants Milton ho
Rainham 24x5 SOUTH Bert , Butcher & Grocer Halstow Sittingbourne
Rainham 21 STEWART James, Farmer Bloors pl Lr Rainham
Rainham 25 STINTON A. V. , Builder & Contractor Rainham
Rainham 17y2 SWAIN G. C. , Builder & Decorator Wigmore G’ham
Rainham 6 SYMONS Percival Washington , Medical
Practitioner Mardale ho
Rainham 43 TADMAN J. & Son, Wholesale Fruiterers Cntrctr High st
Rainham 17y1 TAYLOR Clifford John , Surgeon Karnak Woodside Wigmore
Rainham 17x3 TICKNER Mrs. K. , Tea, Tennis Grounds St Elmo Wigmore
Rainham 17y4 TURNER Edmund, Cooper Wigmore
Rainham 33x4 VELLA & Sons, Pig Breeders The Victory, Matts hill
Rainham 17x4 WAGNER J. J., Lieut. R.N. Talavera Wigmore
Rainham 7 WAKELEY Bros. (Rainham Kent Ltd.) Rainham
Rainham 16 WAKELEY Joseph Moor St ho
Rainham 27 WAKELEY Sydney Church ho
Rainham 30 WERNETT A. J. Hamilton av
Rainham 41 Wigmore & District Smallholders Club Springvale
Rainham 17x1 Window Cleaning & Carpet Beating Co. (The
Competent) Oakdene Springvale Wigmore
Rainham 24y4 WRAIGHT T. J. , Baker & Confectioner Upchurch S’brne
Upchurch Pottery & Tudor Cafe Rainham
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.
Thai Chilli Restaurant at the Green Lion
The Thai Chilli Restaurant at the Green Lion has closed. As of 2020 The Green Lion pub has also closed and has been sold
Local Documents about Rainham
Local Documents about Rainham
These documents are not historical records but show more about everyday life in Rainham Kent over the years.
Programme for Rainham Horticultural Society Show 1957
Fairview School Oral History Project - video and transcripts of interviews including Freddie Cooper
Costs of Building in Woodside,Wigmore 1939
Rainham Jubilee Parade, June 2002 (2.5Mb WMV video file, fast connection recommended)
Costs of Building in Woodside,Wigmore 1939
What was the cost of Building a New House in Woodside,Wigmore in 1939?
My grandparents purchased a plot of land in Woodside in 1939 to build their own property when the whole area was being sold as individual plots for people to build on. The construction began in July 1939 and was completed in March 1940 despite the war starting and my grandfather being called up.
The invoice from the builder for constructing their bungalow is shown below. There are not many houses that you could build for £430 now! Bear in mind this was just the house building and the plot was purchased separately. You can read about the sale of plots across the area here Wigmore Estate Plans from 1912
Click on the image for a detailed version
The builder was SC Leadbetter & Co of 105 Bedhurst Road, Wigmore, Builders, Decorators and General Repairs.
Tudor Cafe - Menu 1938
This is a copy of a menu card from the Tudor Cafe, date is probably about 1938 - shows the prices that were charged for tea, coffee, cakes, etc.
Even allowing for inflation they seem very low to me - but the cost of labour was far lower in proportion to other costs than than it is now (and my impression has always been that my parents were not very good 'business people' - e.g. would charge very low prices so as to be 'fair' and not aim for reasonable profits by putting up costs to a higher level!)
Friends of St Margaret's Church, Rainham, Kent
Friends of St Margaret's Church, Rainham, Kent
There will soon be information about the Friends of St Margaret's Church, Rainham here.
To visit the St Margaret's Church, Rainham web site, please click here.
Water Saving Ideas to Beat The Drought and Rainwater Harvesting Systems
Rain water Harvesting,Water Storage/Conservation for Beating the Drought
Water Saving Ideas to Beat The Drought and Rainwater Harvesting Systems
With the current drought situation in Kent (2012) and the rest of South East England due to the lack of rain since 2010 it is becoming more essential to find ways to conserve water and to provide sources for storing additional water to beat the drought if you need to water your garden etc.
The photo below shows water butts connected to a gutter downpipe and connected together to allow all three water butts to be filled directly from the downpipe when it rains. This allows a total of 600 litres (3x200 litres) of water to be stored in these water butts. The IBC tanks are also connected directly to the gutter down pipe and store a combined 2000 litres of rainwater.
If you have any comments or suggestions about this article please use the contact page
With the current drought situation in Kent and the rest of South East England due to the lack of rain it is becoming more essential to find ways to conserve water and to provide sources for storing additional water to beat the drought if you need to water your garden etc.
Using water tanks to capture or harvest rainwater can also help to reduce your water bill if you are on a water meter. By 2015 Southern Water propose to meter all properties in their supply area and South East Water by 2020 so very soon it will be worth investing in water saving devices. Standard water butts can be used but normally will only hold around 200 litres of rainwater which can easily be used up in a day or two to water a large garden.
I have investigated various methods to store additional volumes of water in the most cost effective way.
Large volume water tanks are ideal unless you have sufficient space to store large numbers of small water butts or rainwater tanks. A cheap water butt can be made from reused juice tanks holding around 200 litres which cost around £10 compared to £30-£35 for a purpose built water butt. Another efficient way to save water would be by installing flow meters in your home to control the amount of water being used.
Integrated Bulk Containers (IBC) are used for transport of various liquids either foodstuffs or chemicals and normally hold 1000 litres.
If you can get hold of IBCs that have been used for transporting foodstuffs then they make ideal water storage tanks. It is best to avoid ones used for chemical transport to avoid contamination unless the tanks can be cleaned.
IBCs are usually supplied in a metal cage as per the photo which allows for easy stacking on pallets for transport but also allows them to be stacked for connection to guttering down pipes for maximum rain water collection efficiency. Large juice tanks can also be used and can hold approx 1500 litres of rainwater but are very high – about 1.8 metres tall.
You should also bear in mind the weight that these rainwater tanks will be when full. Each litre of water weighs 1kg so a full 1500 litre water tank will weigh over one and a half tonnes (1500kg)! It is therefore essential to make sure the ground beneath the tank is able to support such a weight.
Use of IBC containers for storage of 1000 litres of rainwater means the equivalent of 5 water butts can be stored in a tank 1 metre square. 1500 litre rainwater containers. Rainwater harvesting is increasingly being promoted as an environmentally friendly way of reducing the impact of water usage and also a way of reducing your water bills if your water supply is metered.
Once in a tank water pumps can be used to move the water around. These pumps can be purchased from as little as £30 which can be a cost effective way to pump water.
Suppliers of IBC Tanks
http://www.rainharvesting.co.uk/products/pumps.htm
http://www.smithsofthedean.co.uk/Recycled%20Containers.htm
If you can get hold of IBCs that have been used for transporting foodstuffs then they make ideal water storage tanks. It is best to avoid ones used for chemical transport to avoid contamination unless the tanks can be cleaned.
IBCs are usually supplied in a metal cage which allows for easy stacking on pallets for transport but also allows them to be stacked for connection to guttering down pipes for maximum rain water collection efficiency. Large juice tanks can also be used and can hold approx 1500 litres of rainwater but are very high – about 1.8 metres tall.
You should also bear in mind the weight that these rainwater tanks will be when full. Each litre of water weighs 1kg so a full 1500 litre water tank will weigh over one and a half tonnes (1500kg)!
It is therefore essential to make sure the ground beneath the tank is able to support such a weight. Use of IBC containers for storage of 1000 litres of rainwater means the equivalent of 5 water butts can be stored in a tank 1 metre square.
1500 litre rainwater containers are also available which have previously been used for orange juice transport.
Rainwater harvesting is increasingly being promoted as an environmentally friendly way of reducing the impact of water usage and also a way of reducing your water bills if your water supply is metered.
Once in a tank water pumps can be used to move the water around. These pumps can be purchased from as little as £30 which can be a cost effective way to pump water.
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: 234
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