Rainham History - History of Rainham Kent, Old Photos and Life in Bygone Times
FROM PUMP TO RUSSETT(sic)
The pushchair was tantalisingly out of reach, hanging, draped in coal dust - covered cobwebs, from the rafters of the outhouse. Despite standing on the unstable mound of a couple of hundredweight of nutty slack the boy could not touch this object of desire. "Mum, can I have the pushchair that's in the coal shed?" "Why?" "Because I want the wheels". "What for?" "To make a barrow. Can I Mum?" "No, it may be needed again some day". What could it be wanted for? After all, I had long been able to get around on my own two feet. It took some years for the penny to drop! And it never was needed again. A four-wheeled soap-box, with rope steering and a wooden block hand brake which pressed onto a rear Wheel tyre, and based on two planks and a box was the dream of many a lad. But it took a lot of searching to find a couple of pram axles complete with wheels. We convinced ourselves it was better to have small wheels at the front, large at the rear, because finding two axles with same size wheels was highly unlikely. My friends Ivan and Brian Baldock's dad was a good bet for the planks, as he always had a good supply of timber to be sawn and split for fire lighting. We would help with this chore to remain in his good books. All that then remained was to get Father to part with a decent fruit box. This was almost impossible. Every bushel box had stencilled upon it the name of the London market commission agents who sold our produce. They loaned the boxes free, but this was on the understanding that any not eventually returned would have to be paid for, to the tune of 4 or 5 shillings, so the best we could hope for was a broken one.
Once we had a barrow up and running we felt we had moved on from the worn -out motorcycle tyre and a 15-inch baton with which to bowl it along. Now we Could have fun. Except that for every free ride one person had, another had to do the pushing.
Pump Lane, Cutters Lane bridle path and the orchards of Bloors and Pump Farms were our playground. It was perfectly safe to play football at the junction of these lanes, which formed a sizeable triangle, because so few vehicles passed, and we knew when the regulars would be along. The arrivals of milkman, baker, coal merchant, grocer, hardware van, even the bicycle - mounted insurance agent were never a surprise, so predictable were they. This was not so with the lorries, but we could hear them coming from a long way off. The Pump Farm buildings were an unattractive lot, to put it mildly. The only ones with any character (a single rounded oast, some cart sheds and a fairly large single storey store) were in a neglected and dilapidated state. The rest were of metal framed and corrugated sheet construction. The largest was of almost aircraft hanger size and appearance, dominating the site, with smaller lean-to additions, and a small separate building used as an office. This was no longer a farmyard. It was, from I believe the 1930's, a road haulage depot, an out-post of Mr Greenwood's transport company of Ramsey in Huntingdonshire (now Cambridgeshire).
The locally based lorries, running under the name Medway Transport were A.E.C. 6 and 8 wheeled flatbeds; a lorry and trailer, and several ex--army Bedford 5 tonners. Maintenance man and Jack-of-all-trades Austin Clark, a member of the family who have owned this farm and its surrounding land for many years, had converted these in house. He removed the original metal drop-side bodies and built on wooden platform ones. Frank: Rose tells me that when delivering groceries he would sometimes see Austin repairing the lorries' tarpaulin sheets by hand. The comings and goings of these vehicles, resplendent in their dark brown livery with orange sign writing were of great interest to us boys, as some of the drivers, including the late Don Clark, who wrote several pieces for A.F., and the late Alfred Smith, elder son of "Pop" and Sue Smith who I have mentioned in a previous article, were well known to us.
We found it fascinating to think: that when we heard Alf s 15 former groaning up the lane late on a Friday afternoon, this was the end of a return trip to Scotland that began on Monday morning. Bear in mind that the speed limit for that class of vehicle at that time was 20 mph, and the speed achieved on a long uphill drag when loaded was little more than walking pace. Alf served in the R.A.F. during WW2, and with his hgv experience was given the job of driving a "Queen Mary", the articulated 60 foot long aircraft recovery vehicle in, I believe, North Africa. Back to Medway Transport when demobbed, he was kind enough to take me on a couple of trips during school holidays, a practice which of course would be frowned upon today by all and sundry, but which I enjoyed enormously. Every summer two beautiful sky blue A,E.C. coaches would call in at the depot on their way down from Ramsey to pick up the local drivers for the works outing to Margate.
From Pump to Russett (sic)? Well in the last few years the buildings have been demolished, every last trace of Pump Farm's agricultural and industrial history swept away, and a housing estate of 25 units has arisen, their brick and timber construction paying, I suppose, some lip service to "tradition". And if the developers thought it appropriate to use the name Russet (t) Farm in acknowledgement to the apple orchards which Surround the site, and a particular variety to be found therein, then surely they could have got the spelling correct.
Stan Randall
Things Aren't Always What They Seem - Tudor Farmhouse Twydall Lane
THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS WHAT THEY SEEM by Freddie Cooper
Originally published in Action Forum, Aug 2005
One of my neighbours sent me the photo of the pseudo Tudor farmhouse which appears on the cover which she had found in her album, asking if I knew where it was located and when it was demolished. I immediately thought that I knew its location but when I studied it I wondered if, in the circumstances, it would have had a chimney and I didn't remember the wall. I satisfied my doubts when I realised that there were no outbuildings, any farmhouse from Tudor times would have needed ancillary outbuildings.
Many older residents will recall that this building appeared in the late 1950s or early 1960s in the field at the top of Twydall Lane in which the Mormon Church now stands. I was on Gillingham Council at the time and remember Mr Frank Thomas, a farmer who lived at Mill House, Windmill Road, above where that road used to join Chatham Hill, submitting a planning application for a residential farmhouse on the Twydall Lane site.
Mr Thomas became very irate when the application was refused and became involved in various much publicised protests which included exhibiting and painting large signs on the high wall facing Chatham Hill which so many saw on their journeys to and from work. Eventually he erected the structure as shown in the photograph which was very realistic but used solely for storing hay, straw and other agricultural purposes which required no planning permission.
The building was probably about 100 yards beyond the western boundary of Rainham but it became a feature for many years until it was eventually demolished when the site was developed.
Freddie Cooper
Christmas in Rainham in the 1950s
Christmas in Rainham in the 1950s
Sadly Christmas in Rainham appears to be much quieter these days with only the dull street decorations and in contrast the colourful lights in the houses to remind us of this special time.
Christmas in the 1950s, for those involved in the Church, was always a time of organised carol singing round the village behind the Vicar's elderly Austin 7, towing a trailer upon which was tied an old piano. Choir boys and girls in their surpluses followed the trailer with the Sunday School Staff making up the rear including Miss List and Mr Dennis accompanying the piano on his squeezebox accordion. Some would carry improvised lanterns. It was I recall a very festive sight.
Another annual event at this time of year was the Sunday School Christmas parties at the Church Hall in Orchard Street. The Vicar, the late Rev Jordan, nearly always played the part of Father Christmas. One year I remember he wasn't able to do it. Miss List who always organised such events with military precision asked me to be Father Christmas. Dressed in the time honoured way, Miss List said make a lot of noise as you enter the stage by the back door, then she continued 'I can tell the little ones that Father Christmas is coming'. After being duly announced by Miss List I began to hand out the presents. The remarks of those little children, who must be in their 60s now, as to who Father Christmas really was still make me smile. 'It's the Vicar' 'No it's not, it's Mr Cumberworth from Ivy Street' 61 think it's Mr Dennis from Station Road' said one little girl, 'No it's not said another 'He's too tall.' One little girl, I recall said it all 'it really is Father Christmas.'
Happy memories of old Rainham
John K Austin School Master (retired).
PARLIAMENTARY RECOGNITION FOR RAINHAM
PARLIAMENTARY RECOGNITION FOR RAINHAM
by Freddie Cooper Aug 2004
The announcement that the Boundary Commission has recommended that the Parliamentary Constituency of Rainham will, after the next General Election, be known as Gillingham and Rainham will give Rainham its long overdue recognition and be welcomed by many residents.
Gillingham Borough Council embraced the area administered previously by Rainham Parish Council from 1st April 1929 under an extension of the Boundary Act 1928. That covered an area from the River to Bredhurst and from South Bush Lane to the back garden fences of the houses on the western side of Edwin Road, up through Springvale towards Bredhurst on a line which now would pass through the Church land in Drewery Drive.
Rainham had previously been on the extremity of the western boundary of Milton Regis Urban District Council and part of the Parliamentary Division of attachments were to the east and Rainham news was reported in the 'East Kent Gazette' and 'Kent Messenger'. From 1906 until 1926 we had tram connections to the Medway Towns but through history we had been Men and Maids of Kent whereas Gillingham residents were Kentish Men. It is clear to me that the Municipal and Parliamentary boundary previously referred to, rather than the River Medway, was the actual boundary between the ancient Kingdoms of East and West Kent.
Seventy-five years ago Gillingham wanted room to expand now it is estimated that Rainham has half the population of its previous parent borough.
Mr Clark says that he hopes that the ancient enmity between the two halves of the borough will now cease but I fear that this is unlikely to be realised whilst those on the eastern extremity feel that, despite all the endeavours of their representatives, they are `the forgotten outpost of the new Empire'. It was always thus even when Gillingham Council were our masters except when two of its most senior officers lived with us, we got quite a lot done in those few years, including Cozenton Park! Although I accept that members determine the level of rate income I believe that Officers mainly decide the priority of expenditure and I can only hope that with Parliamentary recognition, they will now realise that a very significant number of ratepayers live in the `Outpost'.
I am sure that Mr Paul Clark, MP, had parental encouragement to include Rainham within the Constituency's name for many of his ancestors rest within the Parish. I knew all those back until his maternal great grandparents, Mr and Mrs Alfred Thomas Warner, who lived in Lime Kiln Cottage, an old bungalow adjacent to his wood yard in Maidstone Road (then Bredhurst Lane) between Harvey and Nursery Roads.
Freddie Cooper
THE BARGAIN HOUSE Rainham Kent
The Bargain House came to Rainham in 1924. In the photo below of Rainham High Street in 1925 The Bargain House can be seen on the left hand side opposite the White Horse pub.
Mr Bays, the grandfather of Jonathan Baynes who now manages the Gillingham shop in King Street, came to Gillingham in 1910 and opened his first shop in Burnt Oak Terrace. The move to Rainham expanded the business and replaced a similar shop on this site owned by G. Hooker. The Bargain House was quite a feature in pre-war Rainham having a prominent position in the centre of the village. The building was far from attractive – the roof was corrugated iron – but it was one of the most useful places. The shop stocked a whole range of hardware, it had wicker baskets hanging outside and tin buckets and baths full of blocks of soap and packets inside. One Rainham girl, Miss Betty Fullager, started as an assistant in the shop at the top of Station Road on leaving school in 1926 aged 14 and stayed with the same business all her working life transferring to Gillingham when The Bargain House closed and only retiring from the King Street shop in the late 1970s. Betty Fullager was better known to her contemporaries as Sugar Fullager, the nickname given to her when she first joined I st Rainham Guides. The shop prospered in Rainham, only closing when the land was purchased by Barclays Bank to build their grand new building in 1936.
Greens of Rainham/Medway Mercedes - Photos of Site in 2010
Greens of Rainham/Medway Mercedes
Greens of Rainham was one of the main car dealers in Rainham located on the A2 at Moor Street on the same site as Medway Mercedes and Texaco garage. It closed in December 2008 and the site has been empty since then.
It has been announced that Greens of Rainham, the Vauxhall car dealer has been placed in administration. The Greens Vauxhall showrooms in Rainham and Snodland have been empty for several months so the confirmation was no great surprise locally. Sadly some 70 Greens of Rainham employees lost their jobs having been left in limbo since December when they were last paid but without being given any information until now about the fate of the company.
As of 2021 the showroom side of the site has been taken over by Medway Hyundai car dealers, the petrol station is still closed but now selling second hand cars and the former Medway Mercedes building is showing signs that it will become a wedding venue.
Medway Mercedes/Medway Autos/Texaco Garage Rainham
Greens of Rainham Vauxhall Dealer
Photo of Greens of Rainham, former Vauxhall Dealer on A2 London Road, July 2010
Price of Petrol when Greens of Rainham closed in 2008 was £1.139 per litre - surprisingly little different to recent prices in 2021
Greens of Rainham showroom interior, July 2010
Medway Mercedes/Medway Autos
This news would appear to confirm the depth and severity of the current recession by claiming a dealership that has successfully survived many previous recessions and downturns.
[information from Medway Messenger]
Savacentre/Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre 30th Anniversary
Hempstead Valley Shopping centre (aka Savacentre) near Gillingham Kent was constructed in the late 1970s just outside the village of Hempstead. It opened on 17th October 1978 so has celebrated its 30th Anniversary in 2008. These photos showing the construction of Hempstead Valley were kindly sent by Chris Shade. You can see the large sign showing the original name of Savacentre. A current photo of Savacentre is shown on the Hempstead Valley website
There is currently (2010) a proposal to redevelop the Hempstead Valley shopping centre to modernise areas of it. You can view the proposal on the Hempstead Valley website here When it is completed in 2015 it will make a huge difference to the appeal of the centre as a shopping destination.
What may seem commonplace now was groundbreaking in 1978 as there were very few other out of town shopping centres of this size at the time. Hempstead Valley was the second Savacentre (Washington Tyne & Wear opened in 1977). At the time of opening Savacentre was one of the largest out of town shopping centres in the South East. The original Picnic Parlour was the first Food Court in the UK. You can see more info about Sainsburys Savacentre here
When originally opened the main shop was Sainsburys Savacentre, the brand they originally created for their large hypermarkets. At the time Sainsburys was by far the largest supermarket in the UK with Tesco trailing far behind – a far cry from the current situation with Tesco leading the field. The originally Hempstead Valley offered 250,000 square feet of shopping space but when the centre was redeveloped in the early 1990s with an extension and new shops like M&S being added, this was increased to 330,000 square feet.
The challenge is to remember all the original shops that were there when the centre opens….Sainsburys, Presto (which then became Safeway) - but which others?
So far the following shops have been suggested for the original opening
NSS (Newsagents) then became Forbuoys
Our Price
Post Office (not one of the original shops)
Sainsburys Savacentre
Boots
Thomas Cook
Presto Supermarket
Wimpy Burger Bar
Spud-U-Like
Later additions when the extension was added in early 1990s were WHSmith, Marks & Spencer.
Notice in the aerial shot the area to the bottom right which was developed for large housing estates shortly after the shot was taken.
Photos on this page are clickable to view higher resolution versions.
Above: Looking towards Savacentre Hempstead Valley from roundabout. Petrol station would be to middle right of photo
Above: Looking towards Hempstead Valley from Sharsted Way, Underground car park to right of shot, Abbey to left of shot
Above: Looking towards Hempstead Valley from roundabout. Petrol station would be to middle right of photo
Above: Looking towards Hempstead Valley from Sharsted Way. Underground car park to right of shot, Abbey to left of shot
Above: Aerial photo of Hempstead Valley Savacentre 1980. Sharsted Way runs along left hand side of photo
Jezreel's Tower, Gillingham, Kent
The Story of Jezreel's Tower, Watling Street/Canterbury Street in Gillingham, Kent
Picture postcard view of Jezreel's Tower, Gillingham also known as Jezreel's Folly. The tower was built along Watling Street (A2) at Gillingham and the bus stop there is still named after the tower. You can find out more about the Jezreel's Tower here
Interior view of Jezreels Tower
This structure, started in 1886 was the home of the Jezreelite sect (founded in 1875 by James White or Jezreel) remained unfinished and was demolished in 1961. Photo from Medway Council. (Couchman collection DE402, Medway Council)
Photo from Martin Smith.
LCP Autoparts on Canterbury Street
One of the remaining Jezreel's buildings at the top of Canterbury Street, Gillingham was demolished in 2008. LCP Autoparts occupied the building that was previously the Jezreel's Hall on Canterbury Street. The site remains empty as of 2017.
Below you can see the similarity of the brickwork at the top of the roofline compared to the original tower. Photo from Mark at Medway Lines of Jezreels building LCP Autoparts Canterbury Street Gillingham.
This is an article about the Jezreels Tower printed c1920 in the Chatham Rochester and Gillingham News, the local paper of the time. Unfortunately the paper is quite faded so it not possible to easily convert to text using OCR but these are high quality scans on the pages. Click on each section to view a high resolution version.
Map to show location of site of Jezreels Tower in Gillingham
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