Dartford Heath

Sorry I never saw this earlier. I was in Adelaide last year.
Visiting my friend Eddy Lavender in Whyalla. Eddy also lived in Dartford before he emigrated in th mix 60s. I lived in Dartford from 1939 until 1961. The Nissan huts you mention on the Heath were the remains of an AA battery stationed there.

In Whyalla

Hello Brian. Good to hear from you and thanks for the info on the Nissan Huts. Can you explain the AA battery please. I had a message some time ago from a Jimmy Couchman and I think it was him that told me the Huts were used to make Teddy bears. His Aunt worked there and he still has one of the bears. I know Whyalla very well. My late husband and I used to go through the town quite often. It's about 4 hours from Adelaide. You must be around my age. All the best Barb Lucey.

Do keep in touch.

Hi Barbara
Good to hear from you. We lived in Savoy Road, not a million miles from Backmans Close. The AA stands for Anti Aircraft. They did make teddy bears there for a while. I think that it was factory that employed disabled people. Maybe Remploy.I remember a guy called Chunky Latter broke in and robbed it just before one exms and it closed shortly after.

Sorry,I cut myself off. Do stay in touch.

Hi Brian, Good to hear from you and thanks for the info.
Here's a few names you might remember.
John Manning, Rosalie Cocup, Della Jordan, Bobby Salmon.
Keep in touch. Barb.

Hello Babara I lived at heathclose road and played on the heath ,the nissen huts were used by remploy , my school was the Maypole and then Dartford west secondary for boys and then j c beadles the coach builders had good memories of Dartford , all the best Dave Parslow

Hello Dave. Good to hear from you and thanks for the info. I went to Dartford West secondary for girls. I am still in the dark re the cartoons painted on the Nissan hut walls. I did hear from a Brian Wotton and he told me about the teddy bears. Interesting. Maybe you know Brian.
I left Dartford in the early 50's and live in Adelaide Sth Australia. I was born in 1938. Bye for now. Do keep in touch Barb

The Nissan huts that german prisoners lived in were on the heath at the top of oakfield lane next to the golf course I lived in maple road and used to walk to the heath through the alley between the golf course and madame ostenburgs girl muscle farm (joke) One of the huts was moved in the sixties to the site at the end of the Glentwoorth old soldiers club. the council lmoved it and Toc H used it as did the WI until it finally collapsed and was pulled down

Hi George. Thank you for getting in touch and for all the news about the Nissan Huts, I've had response from other Dartfordian's.
Thank you again. All the best barb

I lived the other side of Dartford heath , Crayford Corner ,we called it My mother worked in a wooden nissan hut on Dartford Heath It was by Leyton Cross roundabout ( not there then ) just an old concrete road into the Gun emplacement , I remember it very well going into the hut with my Mother,,
in 1946-7 it was full of rolls of golden fur , stuffing etc all the things needed to make the Teddy Bears,
The concrete Road led to a figure of eight road where the guns were , we used to ride our bikes round them , Later i taught my wife to drive going round and round , Brought back memories from long ago ,

Good to hear from you. I do remember German POW's were in the Nissan huts. My Dad used to chat with them when they went passed our prefab. Bye for now. Keep in touch Barb