Cliffe memories
Here are memories of Cliffe and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Cliffe or a Cliffe photo.
The Black Bull
I was allowed into the pub with my grandfather, Clarence Batchelor, as long as I sat in the corner and kept quiet! I was eventually taught to play darts.
Parkers, Better Than
I remember this shop very well, there was still sweet rationing then. Georgeous smells. Mr Parker called on Wednesday to take the order and delivered them on Friday even after we moved to Wainscott. What price Tesco Home Delivery!
Tina Carrol
Hi Tina. I also have good memories of Cliffe, I can remember going to your house for one of your birthday parties and I think at one time you were my girlfriend!
I was always down the marshes on old motorbikes and scooters, and I used to hang about with Kevin Edwards, Martin Boardman, Michael Smith, and Paul Musselwhite.
When I moved to Cliffe we lived next door to the Co-op in the middle house.
Keith Beagley.
Longford House
Yes Tina, I, Averil Baillie, remember those days well. Didn't we have a good childhood in Cliffe. I remember your beautiful house and your family.
Longford House
Around this time I Tina Corrall lived in Longford House (the Tudor house) and have many happy memories of it. I went to school nearby and every year we had a medieval fancy dress party where all the village were involved. Anyone remember. My close friend from the village was Avril Bailey.
The Black Bull Pub
The Black bull pub has sadly been changed into two houses and a house has been built in what was the Black bull car park.
Memories of Kent
Cooling Castle Farm
To the right of the photograph is a driveway into the interior of the original castle that was the entrance to Castle Farm operated by F.Elms & Sons and in particular my uncle Harry Elms.
He bought the Farm in about 1930 having moved down from Bexley/Eltham area where the family farmed an area from Sidcup to Dansen Park. My main memory was of being able to boast to my school classmates that we "owned a castle". A less pleasant memory of the late 50's early 60's was when a large imported labour force of women and children had been ferried in for pea picking. This was generally a pleasant midsummer treat promising a little extra cash for Mum being able to take the children along as well. The children often tended to wander off and play and the potential danger of the water in the moat was not appreciated. Sadly one of these children unfortunately drowned in the moat. I recall the incident because of the shock felt... Read more
Gadshill Place
I lived in Higham for 2 years before moving to Canada. I had 4 children who attended a school in Vancouver BC named Charles Dickens School. After 6 years I took a trip back to the UK with my wife and kids. I went to Higham and we were kindly invited to Gashill Place where of course Charles Dickens did most of his writing. We found it quite enjoyable. Thanks for the memory, Higham. Clive Jeffrey
My Happy Days as A Child When I Was Born in The Village
I spent many happy years with my nanny and grandad, Rossa and Phillip Munn of Hill View Cottages, during the long summer school holidays. Over the years since they have both passed away I still drive though the village to look at my nan's house and think of the happy days we spent together, and long for those days to come back again. My mum Janetta Munn was also born at High Halstow, aged 72 now, and she has had many happy years there. To anyone that reads this and remembers our family, please email me at my email address. Thank you for reading this.
P.S Rest in peace, Nan and Grandad x love u and always will x
Jane
Gads Hill
I can vividly remember this was a school, back in the 1960s, Gads Hill Place, used to fit the children for their uniforms! I was told that there was a tunnel under the road to the other side.. would have to have been deep, as the main road goes past!
Gads Hill Place School
Adele you are correct, there was (still is?) a tunnel from the main house under the main road to the garden where the "Swiss Chalet" used to be in the garden there. I believe the chalet has long-sice been moved to Rochester Museum as I believe Charles Dickens used it as a summer house writing room. We used to be taken through the tunnel on Nature Study lessons. My memory is of it being quite deep with rusty old iron gates that had to be creaked open to let our crocodile of two's hand in hand to pass through.
Being just post-war, boy's prep schools were few and far between and as a concession, boys with elder sisters attending the school were allowed to attend up until they were about seven years old and could transfer to a big school. Miss Burt was the headmistress and my class teacher was a Miss Hewlitt.
My academic life started as a single lad in a class of 24 girls which... Read more
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Places this week
Here are some of the places you've shared memories of this week:
- Kingsdown, Wiltshire
- St Asaph, Clwyd
- Whitby, North Yorkshire
- Ipswich, Suffolk
- Nantyffyllon, Mid Glamorgan
- Harrow On The Hill, Greater London
- Margam, West Glamorgan
- Penrhiwceiber, Mid Glamorgan
- Savernake, Wiltshire
- Bonnyrigg, Midlothian
- Hounslow, Middlesex
- Kirkham Abbey, North Yorkshire
- Aveley, Essex
- Portsmouth, Hampshire
- Diss, Norfolk
- Bowness-On-Windermere, Cumbria
- Greenock, Renfrewshire
- Frodsham, Cheshire
- Harrow Weald, Middlesex
- Dartford, Kent
- ... and lots more - Browse this week's memories now.
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I Remember When...
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A colourful treasure trove of memories, "I Remember When" is an
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