My Memories Of New Road, Chatham

A Memory of Chatham.

I was 4 years old when my parents moved to 17 New Road, Chatham. It was 1937 - my father had a Radio and Electrical Business (Wholesale) he had been a traveller previously and wanted to have a more settled existance - he was still delivering but locally around Kent, instead of all around the South of England! It was a grand house quite a museum with knockers on all the (7) bedroom doors - we had 14 rooms in all. My father used the ground floor for business - we had a huge coal cellar and wine cellar which had hanging hooks for game. Dad did a bit of shooting, so often there was a hare hanging on a hook which quite upset me but during the war came in handy for the pot when the rations ran out! There was a little Private School (Berkeley) across the road at No 24 which I attended, we had very smart uniforms and a good early education. From there I went to Rochester Grammar School until I was 15. In 1947 very sadly my father died aged 41 of a heart attack - my mother felt she could not continue to run his business, so decided to sell up. We moved into No.24 and took over the School and the existing staff until 1948 when she and I sailed to New Zealand; spending a number of years in Christchurch (happy ones too) before returning to UK permanently! I think Mother and I saw the best of New Road Chatham when the lovely houses
were occupied by families enjoying the grandour of the late Georgian era! It left a lasting happy memory and a History lesson in my young life in New Road.