Maidstone memories
Here are memories of Maidstone and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Maidstone or a Maidstone photo.
Maidstone High Street
My first job was at G H Laveys 65 High Street (corner of Mill Street). The store sold clothing for men, women, children's school wear, also an equestrian dept. It covered four floors and even had a lift. I was 15 years old. My job was to polish the brass counter edges, clean mirrors, sweep the pavement around the shop, and stoke the boiler during the winter months! I was not allowed to speak to customers, my only contact with them was wrapping their purchases in brown paper (no bags) even shirts were wrapped as parcels. My wages were £4 10 shillings a week. Some time during the 1960s (about 1968) I rember the High Street flooding and the water came up through the drains and flooded the basement to ceiling level. Next door was the Queens Head public house, opposite was Stuffings the pork butchers, further along was Chiesmans Department Store where at Christmas you went downstairs to see Father Christmas. I've still got the original photos. The cannon pictured above was actually... Read more
Newsvendor
This isn't my memory, I want to know if anybody remembers my uncle Jack. He died in Maidstone hospital in 1985 aged 74 (I didn't know of him then) he was described as a retired newsvendor, so, I was wondering if anybody remembers him. I know that newsvendors can be quite characters so if you think you remember Jack I would be very interested to know. He was born in Texas and was about 7 when the family returned to the UK, so he may have had an unusual accent.
The Cannon, High Street, Maidstone
During the late 1940s and early 1950s my brothers and I were Scouts and each summer we went to Scout Camp at Westgate on Sea. There was no M20 in those days so our journey by lorry took us through Maidstone High Street and we were all excited to be the first to spot the cannon which I believe was captured at Sebastopol during the Crimean War. In high summer it could take half an hour to pass through the town! Great days. Ken Cook
Enterprise Cafe, East Farleigh.
Does anybody remember Harry Smart and family who ran and owned the cafe at East Farleigh? It was a bikers' cafe and riders used to come from all over Kent to sit and talk bikes etc. His son Paul was a successful rider with a works team and his brother in law I believe was Barry Sheene. You could even hire a boat from Harry if you fancied a trip on the River Medway that ran past the door of the cafe. Harry, an engineer, was always happy to lend a hand if you had a problem with your car or bike, nice family all round. The Victory pub back then was only very small, if 10 people were in the bar it was full. A young couple, Wendy and Farouk who owned a large house called Half Yoke House opposite the Victory, used to let out bedsit rooms, I often stayed there at weekends with a friend. On the other side of the river to the cafe were the... Read more
Visit to Maidstone Zoo
I remember the train that ran by the side of the approach drive when I visited the zoo as a young child with my parents. I wanted to go on it, but my parents made me walk. I was just learning to read and asked my Mum what a 'dangeroo' was. On the way out, I felt unaccountably embarrassed because my father helped a man who couldn't walk well to get back onto his coach. I remember that my mother told me that the tiger (or lion I can't remember which), was eyeing me up for a meal.
BUTTERFLIES
I believe my great uncle Edward Goodwin of Canon Court, Wateringbury, donated his Butterfly and Moth Collection to the Maidstone Museum on his death in 1934. Since that time I think the museum was burnt down, and of course, the butterfly collection too.
Ashby's
I remember there being an Ashby's in Tonbridge Road down the road from the old trolley bus depot. My grandfather worked there as a cashier.
Cream Puff
I remember the"Loco" that took you up the drive. Seeing my first elephant plus seeing and eating my first cream puff in the "Cafe". Mother and I had the last one and I remember seeing the cream ooze out of the pores. That is all I remember of the Zoo. I was born 1936, the war finished 1945. I presume the Zoo closed for the duration so when did I visit?
Great Great Grandfather
Actually previous to 1860's. My Great Grandfather was born Under-the-Cliffe, Maidstone in 1845. His name was Thomas Ackworth Parker and his parents were Thomas Edward Parker and Susanna Elizabeth Parker, formally Ackworth. I assume this is what is now known as the Undercliffe.
Mote Park. Our Backyard.
From the age of seven Mote Park was almost our backyard. We lived in Plains Avenue, just a few houses from the park keeper's lodge. We could also get to Mote Park by climbing over the fence at the bottom of our garden which led across allotments to Mote Park. I spent weeks wandering there and playing by the lake and later when I was working and had the time I would walk from my house to work at John Collier's menswear and back again in the evening. My partner and I have returned to Maidstone a lot recently and spent a great deal of time in Mote Park. So much has changed now though. The road in Plains Avenue used to be beautiful, lined with cherry blossom trees and with each front garden lovingly tended but now Car is King and most of the front gardens have been concreted over for car parking. It's the same all through Shepway Estate.
Mote Park seems to have improved in many... Read more
Notes From The Frith Files.
Ashby's was a grocery business started by Stephen Ashby in the 1920s. It was then run by his son Aubrey Ashby until the late 1950s when it was sold.
Maidstone Zoo
I remember going to Maidstone Zoo, I believe it's location was Detling Hill, the old road going downhill from what is now the Kent showground. If I remember rightly there was a lift system in which was pulled up and down by elephants, I think I must have been 7 or 8 at the time. I lived on the Isle of Sheepy, born 1950.
Maidstone Zoo
I remember as a child going to Maidstone Zoo on the bus from Sittingbourne with my parents. We did this about once a year - I think it was always on a Sunday. I was born in 1951 so don't remember the early 1950s. What I'm having trouble with is trying to locate where it was, and also what is there now in its place. I also remembered the smell of it, which was not very nice, especially in the long hot summers. The trouble is that people I speak to about it don't seem to know anything about there ever being a zoo there. So maybe there is someone out there who can enlighten me as to what stands in place of it now, and is there a plaque to say it once stood there?
Thomson Darge, Nurseryman, Seedsman & Florist
From around 1906 to 1969 my grandfather - Thomson Darge - ran his business at Borough Nurseries, 8 Tonbridge Road (opposite the Council offices) with my late father George(Cecil) Thomson Darge - I carry my Grandfathers only christian name(Scottish origin) Thomson as my middle name - anyone with any similar memories??
Memories of Kent
1970s Allington
I moved to 71 Hildenborough Crescent, Allington, Maidstone, Kent in 1973 aged 10 years old.
In the nine years I lived there I saw many changes. Parts of Allington were still being built. There were no houses built in between the frontage of the Mid Kent shopping centre ... it was just waste land later to become Foyle Close. There were no houses built lower than than Lullistone Road down Castle Road. The Quarry was there but still easily accessable down the path behind Fordwich Close. I collected many fossils there. Before the Community Centre was built during the 70s it was just an orchard we used to play in. I remember the swimming pool being built at Allington County primary school and the sadness we all felt when told by Mr Williams the Headmaster of the school that one of the soldiers helping to build the pool was killed in an accident there.
Allington Castle was still open to the public then between 2pm and 4pm and there was... Read more
Brook Family
I know this is not a memory, however I am looking for any Brook family members, namely Edward and Ann Brook who moved there in the early 1800s.
Their son Benjamin emigrated to Australia in 1837 with his wife Mary Craddock, then their son James emigrated to Australia in 1850, and Edward emigrated to Australia in 1853. If anyone has any information please contact harttoheart@bigpond.com.
Lone Cottage East Farleigh
Does anyone have any information regarding Robert Horace Chilton or Nora Gwendoline Ashlee who lived at Lone Cottage in 1953. They had a young daughter (Linda) and a baby ( Robin). Robin was later adopted. We only lived there a very short time. I am trying to research my family tree. Please help.
You are so lucky to live in a beautiful part of the country
The Barming Boys
The Barming Boys hang around at clair park they are very nice people. Alot say they are the toughest around because they are if they get in to a fight they will always win. The Best one Is Matt he is cool, he cheers people up when they are down.
Sad Days
Unfortunately Barming doesn't go down well in my memories, I was only a child but I remember going with my dad and brother to what I thought was a hospital but it wasn't, my mother was locked up there several times and I found out much later she is a manic depressive and it was an asylum she was in called Oakwood, does anyone else remember this place?
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