Horton Kirby In The 1960's

A Memory of Horton Kirby.

I was born and brought up in Dartford but my aunt, Nora Hall, was housekeeper to Sir Edward Bligh and they had moved to Horton Kirby in 1961 from Swanley Village. Sir Edward took a ten-year lease upon the house that was then called "Holmesdale". The front gates were upon the corner of Horton Road and Bull Hill. This house is now known as "Rashleigh Lodge". (Sir Edward and my aunt moved to Fairlight, near Hastings in 1971 where Sir Edward passed away in 1976.) Sir Edward was always very amenable to my staying at the house and I had the most wonderful holidays there during my childhood. My Auntie Nora regularly held art classes at "Holmesdale" over many years. One class was for adult ladies and connected with the W.I. and the other was for local young people (several of whom have contacted me - thank you!). The old mill, down by the river meadows was still open, working and produced wire lampshade frames at around this time. Two London Transport bus routes served the village (467 from Sidcup and 491 from Belvedere) giving the community a half-hourly service to Dartford until into the evening when the 491 continued an hourly service until the last departure at 23:00 These buses turned by the mill and stood by the single-story, terraced, cobblestone cottages in The Street before returning. The adjacent farm was owned by a family named, Reynalds. There had been a butcher's shop in the village until c. 1965 until it burned down but the general stores continued throughout the time that my aunt lived here. It was owned and run by a Mr. Adams. The "Fighting Cocks" P.H. was, of course, open for business but the large field to the side which extends down to the River Darent was not open to the public in those days. It was the pub's private garden. Virtually opposite the pub there was also a village Post Office. This was run by a retired Colonel Best. He combined the P.O. with a tobacconist's and sweet shop. I'd love to hear from anyone else who remembers Horton Kirby from this time, please.

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