Nostalgic memories of Westerham's local history

Share your own memories of Westerham and read what others have said

For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our web site to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was when the photographs in our archive were taken. From brief one-liners explaining a little bit more about the image depicted, to great, in-depth accounts of a childhood when things were rather different than today (and everything inbetween!). We've had many contributors recognising themselves or loved ones in our photographs.

Why not add your memory today and become part of our Memories Community to help others in the future delve back into their past.

Add a Memory!

It's easy to add your own memories and reconnect with your shared local history. Search for your favourite places and look for the 'Add Your Memory' buttons to begin

Displaying Memories 1 - 10 of 17 in total

I am 86 but still remember the time at Farley Croft during WWII. My siblings and I were evacuated to Westerham in 1939. Around 1942/46 my sisters Rose, Sylvia and I were taken from the billet we were in and put in Farley Croft which was being used as a children's hospital. We were treated well. The nurses were so kind and taught us how to play card games. It had been a private house and there was still a big ...see more
The left hand shop of the pair on the right of this photo was still called London House when I was a young lad in the late 1960's, going to Hosey school. I recall it had large glass jars with sweets in them but also sold things like "toothbrush sticks" which were twigs of what I later thought were Yarrow twigs but it seems were more likely "Miswak" (Salvadora Persica) twigs commonly used in the Arabic world for ...see more
The bike outside no3 where my Nan and Granddad lived, belonged to my uncle he won a schoolarship to Sevenoaks School it would have been the only way to get to school. My other uncle worked in what was Fred Wood the grocers next to the old forge at the turning down to the old mill, my mother and aunt lived at no 3 as well.
My nan Eliza Geal or Jelly as she was known, worked at Pitts Cottage doing the cooking in the 50-60s she lived at Park Cottages just down the road and her husband Sunny worked on the Squerrys Estate which was run by a Major Warde, his son John took over and I remember Nan and Sunny doffing their hat's and half bowing when they went by. I lived in Moorhouse just over the border and my parents ran the youth club in St Marys ...see more
To everyone who spent some time at Farleycroft. I was there from approx 1948. I remember Mrs Gunn, I remember a nurse Lemon and a nurse Baldry. I met Nurse Baldry’s parents one day when they were visiting their daughter. It’s quite a long story but later it turned out that they fostered me out, I think I was about 4 or getting on 5. On one visit back to see Mrs Gunn she asked if I’d like a little dog, I ...see more
I should have said it was "Over the Way" that was the boarding house opposite Pitts Cottage that belonged to the same people. "The Old Way" was a tea house at the Croydon Road end of the High Street - there was a "co-op" grocery store opposite.
I travelled with my father on the Westerham branch-line in the summer of 1959, and as we were the only passengers boarding the empty train at Dunton Green, we were invited by the driver to accompany him and his fireman in the cab for the journey - what a treat! Suffice to say that no-one else joined the train at Chevening Halt or Brasted, and on our return journey that evening, there was only one other passenger for the train out of Westerham. What a quiet and peaceful journey...
My father, Ian Thomas, grew up in the George and Dragon which was owned by his parents. My dad told us many stories, particularly of the WW2 era, when he would climb out of his bedroom window (I believe the first or second window on the roof from the right) onto the roof to watch the war planes leave. He would have been about nine years old at the time and he would then count the number of ...see more
Born in Westerham in 1964 in Maden Road and lived there till I was 8.Tthen we moved to Ash Road to a new house, then I moved to Leybourne when I got married. Westerham is a very nice place to grow up, I went to St Marys then on to Churchill School
Further to my initial comment:- I was at Valance in 1949 and was there as a delicate child, having been transfered from another such school "Wrens Warren Camp School" which closed down. The head teacher in 1949 was a Miss Hoad who was very fair but strict. Mr Punch ad been the headmaster at Wrens Warren and possibly still had a connection with Valance. When I left Valance (about 1 year there), my ...see more