Paddock Wood Huts
A Memory of Paddock Wood.
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 bales of straw and getting scratched which stung like blazes when we went to the communal showers every night. We used to walk through the back of the common to the Medway with our fishing sticks. I remember the canteen where of a night everyone would congregate and buy a cuppa from Sid and his wife (I'm not sure of his wife's name, it could be Hazel) and talk about what they picked that day. Our 'kitchens' where we cooked in iron pots hanging from a steel rod in a big fireplace over a fire which was fed by 'faggots' that were pitchforked off a cart that came round. Even now when I smell wood burning I immediately go back to those days. I can remember a pub, I think the Bluebell Pub, low doorways, low ceiling and trestle table and benches out front.
I have two books of the hopfields which I think must have been handed out to the hop pickers every year.
Names that come to mind, Dukes, Durant, Fearn, Fullsham, Rogers.
I went back to the UK for a holiday in 1993 and went to look at the hopfields, what a disappointment, all gone. There is a good museum though, with some of the huts being replicated, they also have film of the hopfields when they were up and running with many of the faces I remember.
I just loved this web site and now I have found it I know I will come back to it many times and get all nostalgic!
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near Catford. Our neighbour spent alot of time in the Blue Bell Inn.
There used to be a couple of small Oasts behind the pub which turned into living spaces. Our neighbour was allowed to build a double wooden hut in the Bean field in front of the Oasts. I was only about 8 when I first stayed in their hut, everyweekendd through the summer months, we would fish the Medway down on the towpath free of charge, good fishing at that time. The hop
farm was a working farm, not like now.I went to the Last Hoppers Party which was held in a small hall next to the pub.
First time at the age of 12 I was drunk as a lord as they only had Bitter for the men to drink. Some one in those days could always play the piano so a good time was had by all.Odd Saturdays I stayed with a Farm( Ben Street )just up the road next to Skinners Farm, with no television , not great time for a young lad.Our fishing later moved to Arnolds Timber Yard just the right hand side of the bridge crossing the Medway. You can still see a
small area there just enough to hide away for the afternoon.
so from the late fifties to the mid sixties I will always have fon memories on The Old Bluebell Inn, The Medway and wake up in that bean field. Shame its gone now replaced by new houses.