Gillingham Tech

High Street c1960
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I lived in Wigmore - the prefabs - and after passing the 11+ went to the Tech. I believe this was once Rochester Tech but had now started up in Gardener Street. We were the first year to attend in Gillingham and it was also the first time you could go to a Technical school at 11 (used to be 13). As the first group we had the school to ourselves. 90 pupils split into 3 classes G, T & S. the next year another 90 came and some time after the rest of Rochester Tech joined us. Some classes were held upstairs in the Odeon cinema which was right next door. I used to travel back and forth on the No. 45 or the No. 8 bus caught in the High Street and terminating in Fairview Ave Wigmore (45) or Queen's Head/Spyglass & Kettle (alternate) for the No. 8.
Those were also the days of SMOG and I remember that one day after school I tried to go to a cinema in Chatham (Ritz or Regent) by walking across the Lines and after walking for about 1/2 an hour ended up back where I started - the end of Gillingham High Street. My nearest Cinema was the Royal (fleapit) in Rainham but I was a member of the Saturday club at the Gaumont on the "Top Road" which became a 20 lane bowling alley then a DIY shop. I don't know what it is now. After 13 years with the RAF I did return to Rainham to live for a further 14 years but then moved North to Lancashire and now Staffordshire so do not return often to Medway towns. Old habits die hard as I still support the Gills albeit mainly from my armchair rather than Priestfield. This current attack of nostalgia was triggered by my memories of the naval cadets (24) killed in Chatham in 1951 by a bus which mowed them down as they marched in the road one dark winter evening.
All my school years were spent in Wigmore which is much changed as then we were boarded on three sides by woods. At the top of Wigmore Road was what was known as the Scout's wood (Hazlenut and Oak) - at the end of Fairview Avenue and through Gough's Farm was the Pines and at the other end of Fairview Avenue was the Chestnut woods which stretched down to the Queen's head. The more I write the more the memories flood back so I better stop now before I get too boring.
Sherry