Nostalgic memories of Paddock Wood's local history

Share your own memories of Paddock Wood 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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Displaying all 7 Memories

while hop picking with my parents at a farm in paddock wood in the early 1950s i was badley burnt when a petrol stove exploded farm name not rememberd spent 6 months in the burns unit at a hospital in east grinstead i wonder if anybody remembers this event roy furze
I remember visiting the mill many years ago as my mother had an uncle who worked there, and often went into the house on the right which then was the mill´s offices. Everyone used to buy Viv Wood's fish and chips wrapped up in newspaper, they were really delicious. I was at school with Margaret the daughter, and we used to tease her, saying she always smelled of fish and chips. (childish ...see more
I remember going to Wood's Fish & Chip shop on our way home from Mascalls School and getting 4d (old pennies) of chips and eating them whilst walking to catch the train to Marden. Does anyone know where the Piggery was behind Mascalls?? I think it was in Chantlers Hill and may have been owned by the Smitherman's. I often walk round that lane but cannot find it. I seem to remember the waste from the school dinners was collected by them.
Not sure how long I went with my grandparents, then when they passed away my parents, but I was born in 1941 and I know we were still going there until we migrated to Australia in 1961. We 'lived' in the first hut on the right as we walked over a small bridge onto the common, double storey, and mattresses of straw which I think was provided to fill the 'ticks'. I can remember 'The Brown Brothers', jumping into ...see more
I too remember as a child visiting Paddock Wood with my nan, every year we would all pile into the back of a lorry and set of to the hop field. What wonderful memories, days I will never forget. We all came from Chiswick. Is there anybody else out there from the Chiswick area who went hop picking? If so, get in touch, thanks.
The year i was born in this road. 119 Maidstone Road, the Woods residence. Side by side next to my granparents fish & chip shop. I always remember that the house to right of the phone box was always deralicet? Did something happen in that house?
Paddock Wood, in particular Beltring, the home of the famous Whitebread Oasts, was the centre of the Hop Gardens of Kent. The Gardens were set out with rows of elevated wire tressles which were supported at intervals by poles. In the spring, from each hop plant, which was cut back to ground level every year, the shoots were trained up, known as "twiddling". A new hop twine which was tied to a metal hook in the ground ...see more