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Hartley
Hartley maps
Historic maps of Hartley and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Hartley maps
Hartley area books
Displaying 1 of 24 books about Hartley and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Hartley
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Kent memories
Time For A Rest
We used to go on bike rides from Meopham and always went through Longfield Hill on our way. I do remember my brother entering in to a pool contest there with adults and winning the contest and getting a new two piece cue. It was a great resting place and a chance to get some liquid refreshments after riding/walking up the hill to the village. We would spend all day riding our bikes out to New Ash Green, Hartley, even out to Brands Hatch, and we could hear the motor racing going on from Meopham it was so loud. I know my way around my village because of all the times we went out riding on those weekends from school and the summer holidays.
Howe's Garage, Longfield
Rather than Longfield Hill, this looks more like Longfield itself with Howe's Garage in the centre foreground. My Dad worked here from the late 1930s to when he retired in 1973; it was run by his uncle Frank Howe and his son David (now living in Herne Bay) joined the garage from about 1960. I remember the old petrol pumps for Shell, BP, National Benzole and Power. Later taken over by the Co-op as Cascade Garage. Now car showrooms trading as Farrins. To the left would be the semi-detached bungalow built for Frank and his wife Florrie to move into from Pepper Hill, Northfleet around 1955. To the right is a telephone exhange and the village extends beyond up a slope to Longfield Station near the horizon top left (formerly called Fawkham Station). The village was visible from the Gallops, a favourite place for us children to run and play with good views down to Main Road where we lived and over the ridge northwards to Southfleet... Read more
Grandma's House
I grew up in and around London as a young girl. When my parents divorced it was the hardest thing for me to get over. But I had the best nan in the world who lived in 6 Acre Cottages. This house and the surrounding area was a haven for any child. She worked in the school and used to work at the big house on the hill, when I stayed with my gran, it was lovely to go the big house to see Mrs Lemet. She was so friendly and so were her children. I remember walking down the path to the village in the summer and was enthralled at the wildlife within the area. The path started just opposite the school and carried on to the village, where my nan would take me to the shops to buy the daily things we needed and of course the sweets that I needed for the day. My grandad had an old old farm building at the bottom of the garden... Read more
Station Road, Meopham
My parents moved into Station Rd in 1963, as a newly married couple. There was a terrace of new houses built in Station Rd in 1962/63 & theirs was the furthest house down the road, the end of the terrace, I think No.28? I was born there in 1965.
I used to go to playgroup at the old Scout Hut at the other end of the village & remember one very embarrassing event when I was about 4..... My mum was collecting me from playgroup & the bus was just at the bus stop as we came round the corner of the drive. My mum didn't want us to miss the bus, & ran to catch it, dragging me across the road behind her...but she couldn't understand why I was holding back so hard, until she went to lift me up onto the bus & realised that my knicker elastic had broken & my knickers were around my ankles (as they had been since half way across the road!!),... Read more
Children's Home.
I have been researching my family tree and have found from the 1901 Census that my great-uncle Frederick J Voller was an inmate at the 'Home for Homeless Little Boys'. This was in the parish of Horton Kirby St. Mary, South Darenth. He was sent here alone at the age of twelve despite having eight siblings, following the death of his father aged just thirty-eight years. I wonder what kind of life Frederick had at Horton Kirby and if he was taught a trade so that he could make his own way in the world. Does anyone else recall stories about the 'Home for Homeless Little Boys? It must have played a large part in the local community at that time.
Farningham Home For Little Boys
Hello, my name is Fred Clarke. I was at the boys' home in the middle 1940s, also my brother Daniel Clarke was there at the same time. The house I lived in was run by a lady we called Nana Crane. I went to the school at the home and I also was a member of the choir in the chapel. I became head choir boy. My brother did an apprenticeship in the tailor's shop, I used to attend classes in the printing shop. We used to go to Dover in the summer to a boys' camp on the southern heights, and play in the underground tunnels. It was very scary. If you have memories of these times please contact me, you can email to: frederick.clarke1@btopenworld.com
I look forward to sharing these times with you.
Thank you,
NOBBY CLARKE. TEL 01252314668
South Darenth Home For Homeless Boys
My grandfather was registered at the South Darenth Home for Homeless Boys in 1911. His name was Eric Joseph Ormiston. Does anyone know if there are records for the home that would tell me why he was there and when he arrived and left?
Simon.
