Chartham memories
Here are memories of Chartham and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Chartham or a Chartham photo.
Wartime Camp at Horton Chapel
I was a child living in a large house next to the river at Horton Chapel adjacent to a bridge. In the Second World War in 1944 prior to Normandy, a squadron of Canadian Engineers camped next to the river and built a Baily Bridge next to the existing bridge. As kids we hung around the cookhouse and were given some ggod food. Many years later in Canberra I played golf with the Canadian High Commissioner and thanked him for the hospitality all those years ago. It is a ling way from Tuross Head in New South Wales.
Hop Picking
I have good memorys of Chartham. My family used to go hopping every year. We were on a Mr Finn's farm untill the late 1950s when he stopped the hand-picking. I would like to get some photos of the hopping huts we stayed in for 6 weeks. When Mr Finn ceased picking we went down the road to another farm, it was called Robson Farm but later it became Hulmes Farm. I still go back to re-live the good old times, allthough it has changed so much. We stopped hand-picking on Hulmes Farm in the late 1970s.
Don.
Asylum
My ancestor Jecoliah Coleman (nee Roberts) was admitted to the Chartham asylum in the late 1800's, and died here in 1915. She had a husband and 2 sons still alive so I wonder why she needed to be admitted, poor woman.
Beech House
Beech House was the school attached to St. Augustines,which used to be the County Asylum. I was there from 1964-66. I always found the people of Chartham top be lovely and kind. I remember walks down to the church and mill,and waiting on the station to go home for the holidays. I have only fond memories of Chartham and it's people
The Old Mill
The mill bridge shown in the photograph was washed away in a flood in the 1960's. Unfortunately the mill pond was a favourite place for some children to swim in then. We lost one of the children on the hospital estate by drowning there in the pond, whose name was Billy Johnson, whose parents worked as nurses at St Augustine's in 1963. He is buried in Chartham cemetery.
Staff Chartham
My grandparents Charles Butcher and Nellie Florence Baldock worked at the Asylum and my Great Grandfather was a waggoner there. He resided with his family at Asylum Cottages. I would be pleased to have any information relating to this period at the hospital and in what capacity Charles and Nellie were employed. They married in about 1915. I am trying to trace the birth place and parents of Charles Butcher but keep drawing a blank. Can anyone help?
Beech House
I was sent to beech House at St Augustine's in 1964 to 1966. I always found the people in the village very friendly. I remember long walks down to the church and mill,and waiting on the station for the train home for the holidays. I have only good memories of Chartham,St Augustine's and Beech House. Any others out there who went to or remember Beech House
Memories of Kent
Service
In the early 1940s Mystole House was one of the first places my Regiment used as a billet for one of the Batteries of Artillery as part of the defence of the South Coast Defence scheme on stand by in the event of invasion by the German forces in the Second World War. I do in fact have a photograph of the Battery in front of the House. Memories of the area are still very vivid in my mind.
Oh Happy Days
1st white house on left was the 2nd post office where I had to go every morning to collect and deliver all the Chilham newspapers around the village for the grand sum of £2 per week. Post master then was a Ken Parker, I had to finish by 8am to catch Herbi Arnold's school bus to get to Chartham Secondary School.
My First Flat
No I'm not joking, when we first got married we lived in a flat in Chilham Castle which was at the time above the Battle of Britain museum at the rear of the castle, yes it was cold there in the winter. We were allowed to walk around the lakes and gardens, whenever we wished. My father was the local village policeman, PC Bill Bishop. who managed to persuade a certain Lord Mazzerin to rent it out to us. Mice, yes, they were in abundance, the record then was 21 in two days, what did I do with them all you may ask? My wife would throw them out of the window in disgust of condition of the castle. Just beneath our flat there was also a small cafe, they sweep up all the bodies and wonder where they kept coming from!
Many A Beer Here
Many a beer here I have downed, served by the landlady who was then locally known as Brandy Lil, I can't imagine why though?
Don't Get Caught!
The Rev Lawson caught three of us smoking in the graveyard here, he then said he would tell my dad unless we all swept up the leaves around the main church door, which we all did. My dad was the local copper then, and a clout round the ear I would have got!!
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