The Coop Hall Harmer Street Gravesend

A Memory of Northfleet.

I was a war baby and born in Dartford but moved to Gravesend when I was about 4. Moved to Kingsfarm area when about 7. Sadly my mother died when I was 9 and I was taken in by my great uncle and aunt in Denton. I actually walked out of the Gordon school gates when I was 14 at the Christmas holidays of 1957. I was 15 at the beginning of January 1958 and started work the day after my birthday. I started to go to the Coop Hall in Harmer Street about a year later. The hall was always packed with teenagers with a few older people pretending to be teens. Dancing was every Monday night and it cost one shilling to get in. I thought it was the high light of the week! No alcohol was allowed and they only sold Peardrax and Cidrax. The cost went up to two shillings and sixpence if they had Pop Stars performing. I was lucky enough to see the likes of Gene Vincent, Joe Brown, Bruce Chanell, Jet Harris and Marty Wild. If I hear them on the radio now it always takes me back to Monday nights at the Coop! The DJ was a portly man who looked ancient then and was always smoking a big fat cigar. The only time that the hall was not available was at Christmas due to the hall being used as a Christmas Grotto. Those were days! They were good days. I wished I had a time machine!