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
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.
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
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.
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.
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
2010
2011
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