Chatham In The Early 1960's

A Memory of Chatham.

I was born and bred in Chatham until moving away in September 1966,following my late Father's posting to to a MoD London job. My siblings were all born and bred in Chatham, with nearly all of us growing up there until we left. Dad and Mum met in the Dockyard in the late 1940's, and got married shortly after. I still have family in the area although I don't see much of them unfortunately. Mum and Dad have both passed away now; Mum died in 2009 and Dad passed last November. They were well known in Chatham and Gillingham (Bill and Cath Brattle). Dad had a Barber's shop on the New Road for years which has long since gone. My brothers and sisters and I all had our hair cut by him there. Dad was in the RAF during the war but was invalided out towards the end of this conflict on ill health grounds. Mum worked in the Dockyard during and after WW2, and one of her jobs was to ferry orders from the Admiral's office to the ships coming in from battle at sea. My Uncle Arthur Brattle saw action in the Navy and was on board the Belfast I understand, although I believe this was after the war. dad worked in may jobs in the Dockyard after the war, and I have been back to Chatham Dockyard to do the Tour, and have seen where Dad and Mum used to work. As youngsters my siblings and I attended many ship launches, one of which was the launching of the Atomic Submarine Ojibwa in 1964 if memory serves. Ojibwa ended her life with the Canadian Navy. My brothers and sisters are Tony, Barbara, Susan and David Brattle. I hope someone reads my memory and remembers us. Please message me here if you do. Love to hear from you.