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Birling
Birling maps
Historic maps of Birling and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Birling maps
Birling photos
We have no photos of Birling, although we do have photos of these nearby places:
Snodland| West Malling| Offham| Halling| Burham| Aylesford| Wrotham Heath| Meopham| St Marys Platt| Cuxton| Wrotham| Allington| Wateringbury| Teston| Barming| Borough Green| Cobham| West Peckham| Longfield Hill| Rochester| Boxley| Chatham| East Farleigh| Ightham| Maidstone| Plaxtol| Hartley| Strood| Fawkham| Frindsbury
Birling area books
Displaying 1 of 23 books about Birling and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Birling
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Birling.
Add your memory of Birling
or of a photo of Birling.
Birling School.
The Headmistress of Birling School was Miss Bragger who lived in the schoolhouse a few steps from the porched door of the school. Miss Bragger taught the 7-11 year mixed classes. Mrs Dyke had charge of the 5-7 year olds, she had the most deadly aim with small pieces of chalk which came your way if you misbehaved. Each year we danced around the Maypole in the grounds of Birling Manor where a fete was held, we also had a ceremony for Empire Day, 24th May. I managed to be dressed up as Britannia on 2 occasions. We also had a service at the war memorial on November 11th each year, even in a snow storm we would be there. We always had to put a concert at Christmas. We held our Brownie meetings in a hut which was quite near the pub (was it the Bull?). I seem to remember the W.I. held jumble sales in the same place.
I remember the village shop cum Post Office with the... Read more
Kent memories
Where I Lived in 1960
We moved into the flat above Snodland station on 9th January 1960 (my 8th birthday) and the extreme left upstairs window was the view from our lounge (or, rather - sitting room). I attended Brook Street CoE Primary school from then until 1963, when I moved to the "top school", known then as Snodland County Secondary School. The name change to Holmesdale was fairly soon after that as I recollect.
The lamps on Snodland station in 1960 were gas lit, with a pole to pull down the chain which in turn fired the gas onto the pilot light. Each lamp had to be lit individually - and took a fair time. My father was the Station Master, so I used to get to help the porters on the station.
Teacher Mr Charles Dodd
My grandad was a Mr Charles Robert Dodd who taught woodwork up till 1967 at the school from about 1948 till he died in 1967, can anyone remember him?
The Bricklayers Arms
The Brick was my home from 1954-1972. My parents Ted and Doris Simmonds were the publicans and maybe there are people out there who still remember them. My Aunt Ethel used to entertain everyone on the piano which she loved to play and was a big attraction. Dad used to make such enormous fires throughout the winter, which were so hot everyone had to stand in the middle of the room as far away as possible!! My bedroom was above the bar with the jukebox and so I used to listen to all the top 20. My brother Terry would let me keep all the old singles when they came off the jukebox. It was the end of an era for me when the brick was pulled down in the 1970s.
Memory of Snodland
I remember the Brick and Terry. Ted worked with my dad in the paper mill. I remember Mr Dodd as well. He was my woodwork teacher and a very nice man, unlike a lot of the other teachers at that establishment. I was in the Bull pub a few months ago, on one of my rare visits to the UK. I met a lot of my old pals from my childhood. They are still there, ageing like fine wine. I have a lot of fond memories of Snodland. Sadly it's not the same now. Nowhere is. I would love to hear from anyone who grew up there in the 1950s and 1960s - unless I owe them money, that is!
Jim Iles
My husband Jime Iles was at Holmesdale School from 1956 to 1960. He won many awards for his metalwork and wood work with Mr Dodds. He lived in Tomlins Cottages in Snodland which have now been demolished. He worked at Holborough Cement works for a few years as his father Jim Iles (snr) who is 90 this year. We all now live in Perth Western Australia.
Childhood
I was born in May Street and then moved to Brook Street where I went to school. It was very handy as I only lived across the road. I then went to the secondary school where I played hockey for the 2nd Eleven. I still live here now. Sadly my parents are no longer here and my brother lives in Wales. This place has changed so much in recent years.
