Chatham, New Road c.1955

Photo ref: C69009

I went to the Court with friends between 1966 and 1970. We would meet up in the Two Brothers opposite. I met my wife there at a Halloween Party night, October 1969. The manager was Derek White, with his wife Jill. As the business was expanding , Jill managed a branch adjoining the Granada Cinema, in Maidstone. With my friends, over this period we also visited other branches at Tunbridge Wells and Welling. Happy days.

My Dad worked for the Chatham observer, whose office was nearby...and I would go into town with him and mum...park in the old Empire car park and walk into town....but he always went into Smiths...so the folks in that picture look very familiar....could be my mum, me in middle and my Dad...can't be sure....but looks like him and me!!

I was born at Luton Chatham as was my Dad and Grandparents. I used to sat around the cafe with my mates in the paddock watching the Pentagon being built. After going to Fort Pitt my first job in 1976 was working as an office junior at Brown Brothers in Clover Street. I rented a bedsit in Rochester Street up by Chatham station the following year for £4 a week, half of my £8 wages and had a slot meter TV that ...see more

How well I remember the camp fires at Buckmore Park although the pictures shown were taken a liitle more than 10 years after I went there. It was there we sang songs and shanties and the one that stuck in my mind the most was Ging Gang Gooly Gooly Gotcha. I recently taught my 2 year old granddaughter part of this as she likes singing so much. I never really thought much more about this until my daughter-in-law told ...see more