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Romney Street memories

Here are memories of Romney Street and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Romney Street or a Romney Street photo.

My Subsequent Visit 29.10.2008

c1955
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My wife and I had pre-arranged to meet my sister and her entourage in the Fox and Hounds at midday yesterday. The long and winding lane from Eynsford became muddier and narrower with each passing mile and we were suddenly confronted with a large lorry coming in the opposite direction. The driver couldn't back up because he was being closely followed by a white-van-man so we had to reverse for about 50 yards into what passed as a layby which tested my wife's driving skill to the utmost. However that little episode quickly passed and we continued uphill until we saw the sign for the Fox and Hounds, I swear that particular sign was the one that I first saw in 1955. On entering the pub I noticed that it was much larger than before and according to Jeff the publican it had been merged with a former cottage that once stood there. There were some of the features from my first visit, for example the pews and the fireplace.... Read more

A memory of Romney Street, shared by Peter Collihole.

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Romney Street

c1955
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This photo shows in the foreground the rather substantial house lived in during the 1950s by the Barkus family, who owned the adjoining caravan site (to the right of the photo) and who served teas and refreshments for the benefit of the regular rambling and cycling passers-by; for my brothers and me it was the nearest place to buy sweets, lemonade and ice cream. The Fox and Hounds pub (just beyond the further cottage and set back from the road) also benefited from the passing trade as well as the local trade and (allegedly!) late-night customers from near-by Eynsford. The Barkuses' house was later demolished after they sold it and it made way for the two rather disappointing self-built bungalows that now occupy the site.

In the right-hand foreground of the picture the figure of my younger brother can just be made out. He was born in 1949 and I believe he must have been around three or four when this picture was taken. He was a close... Read more

A memory of Romney Street, shared by Edgar Lukes.

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The Fox And Hounds

I remember when my first racing bike was bought for me. I bought a survey map of north west Kent and decided that I would go to Eynsford as I had been there many times by bus and now I had independant means and no limit as to where I could travel. After arriving at Eynsford I looked at my map and decided to go to Cotmans Ash and on the way passed Romney Street with its pub and collection of houses and caravans. I liked the area because it was a backwater with little or no traffic and I could cycle without the fear of heavy lorries and other large vehicles. I logged Romney Street in my mind and a few years later on New Year's Eve with a few friends we decided to call in at the Fox and Hounds. I could not believe that in the early sixties such a place could exist, there was no electricity, there were oil lamps on the bar, candles on the... Read more

A memory of Romney Street, shared by Peter Collihole.

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Memories of Kent

Re Meddicks in Knatts Valley

My parents bought land and built a house in Knatts Valley named Holmwood in 1926. My mother was the first postmistress in the valley. My brother and I both attended Kingsdown Primary School from 1932-42. We grew up knowing the valley like the back of our hand. We left the valley in 1942 and have lived in Australia for the last 58 yrs My grandparents are buried in Woodlands Cemetery. My grandfather Meddick was the chief air raid warden in the first part of the war and died in 1942.

A memory of Knatts Valley, shared by Ronald Meddick.

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Knatts Valley And Woodlands

I was brought up in Woodlands. My parents owned the Holiday Camp which they retired from in 1968. They built it up from 1927, the year they were married and gradually increased the size of it (on 7 acres) until it accommodated around 70 campers. My sister and I helped and worked in the camp from our early teens but as it was only a seasonal committment we also carried on with our own careers.
We knew the fields and woods around Woodlands in a 2-3 mile radius. We were avid blackberry pickers and we also had a pony which I used to ride everywhere including Knatts Valley and the footpath up past the poplars onto Heart's Delight (a name given to the hills above the golf-course by a camper). I remember Mr Milner, the vicar, and his wife who lived in the huge vicarage, which I believe has now been divided into appartments, no doubt needing a lot of restoration. The camp is no more as the person... Read more

A memory of Knatts Valley, shared by Barbara Benedict Nee Mellor.

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Carol Singing

I too rememeber Rev Milner and his wife also going carol singing down Knatts valley before the war. Does anyone remember Mr Rudd who looked after the greens at Woodlands golf course, a little short chap he was? Also any memories of Mr Booker who use to cut the grass etc in the valley and surrounds? I was back in the UK 6 years ago and found the graves of Milner and the Jupps, also some others I knew as a boy in the late 1930s - early 1940s. Regards to all in that time, Ron Meddick from Australia

A memory of Knatts Valley, shared by Ronald Meddick.

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Fond Childhood Memories.

I remember back in the late 50's, as kids, we used to swim at the Woodlands camp swimming pool. We lived at East Hill and used to either walk or cycle to the pool. I remember we then used to play in the club house. We have very fond memories of those days.
We attended sunday school at Woodlands church and i can remember being collected and driven to the church by Mr Lukes and his family who lived down past Romney Street. They had an old minibus type vehicle at the time. Further down the lane was the vicarage and i can remember many a fete we attended.
In the mid sixties, we used to frequent the rising sun pub, although not legally of age. The landlord at the time was a guy called Jack , i think.
I can still remember very clearly our many trips up and down the 91 steps which took us from East Hill down to Knatts Valley. Also the motor bike... Read more

A memory of Knatts Valley, shared by Keith Oakes.

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Wedding Bells

My mum and dad, Alf and Enid Myers, met at Woodlands in 1948. My mum was introduced to Woodlands by my aunt Renee. They were married on 5 September 1948, and I was born in September 1949, and my brother Barry in October 1951. We spent many extremely happy weekends at Woodlands over the next 10 or 12 years. I remember playing mini-golf, watching tennis and swimming. We rambled, picked blackberries, ate picnics and danced on Saturday nights. If it rained, we played bingo or watched a film. I say a film, because I only remember seeing 'The Mark of Zorro', I've lost count of the number of times. I'm sure that in this day and age, Woodlands would have been closed down by Health and Safety, but I loved it. It spoilt me really as I always found other Holiday Camps to be too plastic and contrived. Woodlands was raw and honest and I absolutely adored it.

A memory of Woodlands, shared by Carole Myers.

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