Nostalgic memories of Isle of Grain's local history

Share your own memories of Isle of Grain and read what others have said

For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our web site to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was when the photographs in our archive were taken. From brief one-liners explaining a little bit more about the image depicted, to great, in-depth accounts of a childhood when things were rather different than today (and everything inbetween!). We've had many contributors recognising themselves or loved ones in our photographs.

Why not add your memory today and become part of our Memories Community to help others in the future delve back into their past.

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It's easy to add your own memories and reconnect with your shared local history. Search for your favourite places and look for the 'Add Your Memory' buttons to begin

Displaying all 5 Memories

I grew up in 26 Grayne Avenue, Isle of Grain. was there from 1972 to 1990. My family and I then moved to Australia. I found this site when looking up to see what my old house looks like now as its being sold. I was very disappointed to see the front garden was now all paved, the back garden looks like an over grown disgrace. My grand-parents took such pride in their garden and kept it so nice. I loved ...see more
I lived at number 14 from 1952 until about 1961. I used to walk to the post office, run by a Mr Green, to get my Mum's cigarettes and sometimes in the summer an homemade ice lolly, a square of lemon ice on a stick. As a brownie we visited the local farm and picked cherries. My parents were founder members of the Amateur Dramatics, plays were staged in the village hall. I went to the village school and I had my ...see more
I used to live in 33 St James road as a child and was looking for friends from my old school, St. James Primary, when I stumbled across this site. I have fond memories of Grain, the Cat and Cracker and also the Hogarth Inn. It used to have a walnut tree in the grounds. I remember sledging down the fort in the snow and swimming in swannie lake during the summer. My dad worked at Thamesport and my mum was a strawberry picker. Good times.
After WW2 my father was posted to the firing range at Yantlet , Grain. When he left the army he was a caretaker at Grain Fort before working at the new oil refinery. My brother and I spent our pre teen years at Grain. It was a wonderful place for kids - forts, watch towers, the beach, ships on the Thames and Medway, the window shattering boom of the big guns firing at Yantlet, the marshes, strawberry picking. ...see more
After the war in 1946 my father, a sergeant in the MPSC, was transfered to Darland camp in Gillingham but as there were no married quarters available there we, as a family, were billeted in the Coastguards quarters on the Isle of Grain. These were a row of houses with a bedroom in the attic from which we could see across the Medway to the Isle of Sheppy. I went to the village school briefly for a year, and was also ...see more