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Barming memories

Here are memories of Barming and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Barming or a Barming photo.

Sad Days

Unfortunately Barming doesn't go down well in my memories, I was only a child but I remember going with my dad and brother to what I thought was a hospital but it wasn't, my mother was locked up there several times and I found out much later she is a manic depressive and it was an asylum she was in called Oakwood, does anyone else remember this place?

The Barming Boys

The Barming Boys hang around at clair park they are very nice people. Alot say they are the toughest around because they are if they get in to a fight they will always win. The Best one Is Matt he is cool, he cheers people up when they are down.

Memories of Kent

Brook Family

I know this is not a memory, however I am looking for any Brook family members, namely Edward and Ann Brook who moved there in the early 1800s.
Their son Benjamin emigrated to Australia in 1837 with his wife Mary Craddock, then their son James emigrated to Australia in 1850, and Edward emigrated to Australia in 1853. If anyone has any information please contact harttoheart@bigpond.com.

Lone Cottage East Farleigh

Does anyone have any information regarding Robert Horace Chilton or Nora Gwendoline Ashlee who lived at Lone Cottage in 1953. They had a young daughter (Linda) and a baby ( Robin). Robin was later adopted. We only lived there a very short time. I am trying to research my family tree. Please help.

You are so lucky to live in a beautiful part of the country

1970s Allington

I moved to 71 Hildenborough Crescent, Allington, Maidstone, Kent in 1973 aged 10 years old.
In the nine years I lived there I saw many changes. Parts of Allington were still being built. There were no houses built in between the frontage of the Mid Kent shopping centre ... it was just waste land later to become Foyle Close. There were no houses built lower than than Lullistone Road down Castle Road. The Quarry was there but still easily accessable down the path behind Fordwich Close. I collected many fossils there. Before the Community Centre was built during the 70s it was just an orchard we used to play in. I remember the swimming pool being built at Allington County primary school and the sadness we all felt when told by Mr Williams the Headmaster of the school that one of the soldiers helping to build the pool was killed in an accident there.
Allington Castle was still open to the public then between 2pm and 4pm and there was... Read more

Notes From The Frith Files.

High Street c1955
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Ashby's was a grocery business started by Stephen Ashby in the 1920s. It was then run by his son Aubrey Ashby until the late 1950s when it was sold.

Mote Park. Our Backyard.

Mote Park The Lake c1955
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From the age of seven Mote Park was almost our backyard.  We lived in Plains Avenue, just a few houses from the park keeper's lodge. We could also get to Mote Park by climbing over the fence at the bottom of our garden which led across allotments to Mote Park. I spent weeks wandering there and playing by the lake and later when I was working and had the time I would walk from my house to work at John Collier's menswear and back again in the evening. My partner and I have returned to Maidstone a lot recently and spent a great deal of time in Mote Park. So much has changed now though. The road in Plains Avenue used to be beautiful, lined with cherry blossom trees and with each front garden lovingly tended but now Car is King and most of the front gardens have been concreted over for car parking. It's the same all through Shepway Estate.

Mote Park seems to have improved in many... Read more

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