Gillingham, High Street c.1960

Photo ref: G144065

I was born and bred in Gillingham spent most of my childhood at the pier. This all started when I was about six or seven year old. My grandfather William Smith worked as a coxswain on one of the two NAFFI boats that worked out from the Admiralty Pier. The Admiralty Pier was situated on the eastern arm of Gillingham pier. They would load up with vitals on the end of the dummy pier. This dummy Pier had two ...see more

I lived in Wigmore - the prefabs - and after passing the 11+ went to the Tech. I believe this was once Rochester Tech but had now started up in Gardener Street. We were the first year to attend in Gillingham and it was also the first time you could go to a Technical school at 11 (used to be 13). As the first group we had the school to ourselves. 90 pupils split into 3 classes G, T & S. the next year another ...see more

My first job when I left school in 1961 was at the Co-op shoe shop. I worked in the men's dept, and on my first day I had to open every box of shoes, dust them, and the box, and put them back on the shelf. After 2 days I reported I had finished, only to be told "go back and do it again". But whenever a customer asked for a size ,colour, or style, I knew exactly where the shoes were. We ...see more

I went to the Tech as well, in the 1960s before they moved to Pump Lane. Down from the school to the High Street, turn left and stood outside the Co-op, opposite Debenhams? OK I admit I did not learn much there but surely you had to turn right at the High Street to be standing outside the Co-op, looking at the station opposite Debenhams?