Nonington, Kent

The Pantomime at the Welfare Hall

My mum was called Jill Drake and my dad was Bob Drake and he worked down the pit.  We lived in St Johns Road and I remember that I was about 7 when the Elvington Players was first launched.  The Pantomime was Mother Goose and somewhere I have a photo of it which I will try and find it. It was... [more]

Family History

My family history reveals that the name of Piddock was once known in Knowlton and the family name linked with the Church. Piddocks were also to be found at Nortbourne in the 1500s - do such facts have interest for anyone?

Lamberts Laundry

I called on many customers in Adisham village before the popularity of the automatic washing machine affected the laundry trade. I served all the main traders: Hosking Post Office, Best Bakery, Colmans Farm, and numerous private households. The generosity of the customers in providing tea and cakes added pleasant hours to my journey and I sometimes took the Sunday service at... [more]

Great grand parents lived in Barhamn "Black" Mill

my ancestoers richard walter and family lived in Barham mill. The mill is also the "location" for the movie Raising a Riot.

Through the Kitchen window

I was born in my Grandparents house - "Wimbourne" - in the valley below the Mill. Many pleasant hours have I spent sitting in the kitchen with my grandmother shelling peas that granddad had grown in the garden. The Mill could be seen from the kitchen window high on the downs. When travelling through Bridge on the Canterbury Road, we would... [more]

The Toll House

I am looking into my ancestry, and find relatives on the 1861 census living at the Toll House, Eastry, can any one tell me if it still stands today and are there any pictures of it?
Thank-you
Elspeth

'Tewkesbury c.1750'

We are just about to move hopefully into Tewkesbury, Mill Lane, Eastry, it sits in front of the Smock Mill up the lane directly opposite the newer houses. The house itself has a white picket fence around the front it is detached and painted cream with black surround to the front door and windowsills. There is a plaque on the front... [more]

1950s

I have three connections with Eastry - when I worked with Lamberts Laundries we served the Clarks of Eastry. I also visited the chapel as lay-preacher, and a forebear of my family was one time resident shoemaker at The Union.

In the days before washing machines we had numerous customers in Eastry and it was all day round. A... [more]