Maidstone Rd And Other Memories

A Memory of Paddock Wood.

I remember visiting the mill many years ago as my mother had an uncle who worked there, and often went into the house on the right which then was the mill´s offices. Everyone used to buy Viv Wood's fish and chips wrapped up in newspaper, they were really delicious. I was at school with Margaret the daughter, and we used to tease her, saying she always smelled of fish and chips. (childish pranks)
We also used to buy our sweets in Mrs Pilbeam´s sweet shop which was where Paddock Wood garage is now.
We started school in the Parrochial Hall at the beginning of Commercial Rd where there were 3 classes, then moved up to the school in Old Kent Rd. What a shame the old buildings have been pulled down. I think we all remember Mr Harford in the top class who used to scare the hell out of us all! We went to brownies in the old church next to Hall´s wood factory opposite the John Brunt. I remember going to Hack´s little grocery shop in Church rd opposite the wood factory with the little red book where Mum wrote out her shopping order for the week like everyone else, which was paid off bit by bit. If we had pocket money we could buy 4 black jack or 4 fruit salad chews for 1p or a cartwheel (much bigger than they are now) for 3p.
In those days most people worked in the wood factory, Insulator´s plastic factory or on the railway.