Wateringbury
Wateringbury maps (2 available)
Map of Kent
Beautifully hand-drawn and coloured, dating from around 1840
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Wateringbury books (30 available)
- 1 photos on Wateringbury appear in 1 Frith books - View photos of Wateringbury
- Read extracts and see photos from these books on Wateringbury and Kent
Wateringbury memories
Read and share memories of Wateringbury and Kent inspired by Frith photos
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Kent memories
Evacuation
I was evacuated to Yalding during the war, this was to be my childhood days and as I was with a family who had a son about my age. It was fantastic and those 4 years I will never forget. My dream is to return and relive my childhood, travel to the places I remember so well, and to meet those who are still with us. I would love to have a friend from Yalding that I can stay in contact with, by email or letter. My email address is : teddybear82472000@yahoo.com so if there is anyone who may remember me or was around about 1940/45 please contact me. Thank you Ted
A memory of Yalding contributed by Edward Downes
The Barming Boys
The Barming Boys hang around at clair park they are very nice people. Alot say they are the toughest around because they are if they get in to a fight they will always win. The Best one Is Matt he is cool, he cheers people up when they are down.
A memory of Barming contributed by Christina Aidinyantz
Brook Family
I know this is not a memory, however I am looking for any Brook family members, namely Edward and Ann Brook who moved there in the early 1800s.
Their son Benjamin emigrated to Australia in 1837 with his wife Mary Craddock, then their son James emigrated to Australia in 1850, and Edward emigrated to Australia in 1853. If anyone has any information please contact harttoheart@bigpond.com.
A memory of East Farleigh contributed by Phyllis Hart
Cream Puff
I remember the"Loco" that took you up the drive. Seeing my first elephant plus seeing and eating my first cream puff in the "Cafe". Mother and I had the last one and I remember seeing the cream ooze out of the pores. That is all I remember of the Zoo. I was born 1936, the war finished 1945. I presume the Zoo closed for the duration so when did I visit?
A memory of Maidstone contributed by Graham Vidler
Extracts From Wateringbury & Kent books
By Victorian times there were orchards, hop gardens and two sizeable breweries in the village. Here we see an excellent example of the Kentish oast house, which was used for storing the hops picked from local fields. Wateringbury suffered a remarkable freak storm in August 1763. Hailstones said to be ten inches across fell, and lay in heaps for up to a month, attracting visitors to the village. Travellers still come by boat and tie up at the riverside here.
An extract from from"Villages of Kent Photographic Memories".
In 1933, 70 acres of chalk
downland were acquired by
Chatham and Gillingham
councils to create this
beautiful open countryside
nature reserve between the
two towns. The local wildlife
includes several species of
orchids and butterflies. At
the centre of this picture,
we can see the horses of
travellers whose mobile
homes are among the trees.
An extract from from"Chatham and the Medway Towns Photographic Memories".
The bus advertises Fremlins’
ales outside the Red Lion,
a Style & Winch house of
flamboyant grandeur, but
now no more, sad to say.
There are now traffic lights
and a great deal more
traffic where this policeman
stands on point duty at the
junction of High Street with
Corporation Street (left) and
Star Hill (right).
An extract from from"Chatham and the Medway Towns Photographic Memories".
The virtual absence of
motor traffic suggests that
this photograph may have
been taken in 1956, during
the Suez Crisis petrol
rationing, which did not
end until the following year.
The restrained architecture
of The Eagle Tavern
contrasts with that of both
the Town Hall and the
Chatham Constitution Club
on the right of this picture.
An extract from from"Chatham and the Medway Towns Photographic Memories".
This part of the High Street is very different today, with The Sun Hotel gone from its Medway
Street corner site. The dome further down the street was on the old Empire Theatre, which
could seat 2,500 people. It specialised in music hall-style entertainment before it closed
during the 1960s.
An extract from from"Chatham and the Medway Towns Photographic Memories".