Some shops and businesses on Military Road, Chatham –
Blueberry Park Sandwich Bar has recently closed down after 25 years. This heartfelt goodbye to customers on the window is a poignant reminder of community and the fact that it is people and not buildings, which make places.
Some shops and businesses on Railway Street, Chatham, Kent.
Kelly’s Directories have listed all trades and businesses throughout the UK since around 1835. They are now an invaluable source of local history, information and insight into local business life. Medway Archives and Local Studies Centre have a collection on microfilm. In the 1961 edition, the businesses along Railway Street and Military Road, make for interesting reading. Here is a selection –
Military Road
Nos 1 & 3 – Burton Montague, Tailors
No 4a – The Salad Bowl – High Class Fruiterers
No 9 – Bliss and Lawrence – Auctioneers
No 13 – Gieve’s Ltd, Royal Naval, RAF & Civilian Tailors
No 20 – Greenburgh Bros. Ltd, Outfitters
No 26 – Naval & Military Arms, Public House
No 27 – Imperial Forces Public House and Paddock Restaurant
No 28 – E.J Whitaker & Sons, Tailors
No 40 – Unifit, Outfitters
No 50 – Chatham Constitutional Club
No 56 – W. Cooper, Outfitters
Railway Street
Nos 1 & 3 – Prince of Wales Hotel
No 5 – F&H Newcombe Ltd, Gowns
No 17 – Titcumbs, Mrs D. Rogers, Ladies hairdressers, specialist & beauticians
Nos 14 & 16 – Scott’s Timber Yard
No 26 – Frank Bannister & Son Ltd. Motor & Motor Cycle engineers.
No 31 – Cameron Thomas, Physician and Surgeon
Station Yard – Newsagent – Elders & Fyffe’s Ltd Banana Importers – St John’s Ambulance
Every visit to Chatham throws up more detail and insight to add to the Chatham Placemaking Project –
The open yard seen through the bridge / viaduct is the former Scott’s timber yard site.
There is some real potential for change of pace here if the arches could be opened up to new local businesses – coffee / food / cyclists –
Railway Street, Chatham has been home to some longstanding businesses. One of them was Scott’s Timber Yard, established in 1864 and owned by Roy and Keith Scott.
The business had been bought out from the brothers on retirement by Sandell, Smythe and Drayson of Maidstone (Travis Perkins). The buildings on Railway Street burned down in the early 1980’s I understand. The Sir John Hawkins Flyover made use of the site. Railway Street was cleaved in two. More details about the business and a lovely image of the Railway Street facade can be seen on the Kent History Forum site (click this link). Scott’s also had an entrance on the High Street. Local maps show the enormous footprint of the business behind the facades. Many local people I have talked to remember the business. It would be brilliant to hear more stories about it.
Medway Archives and Local Studies Centre have a wonderful series of GOAD maps, which contain the most detailed plans and annotations of building along Railway Street and Military Road. Each building is described via a detailed key reference. Scott’s Timber Yard is drawn is great detail and the scale of it’s site becomes very clear. The maps were produced originally for fire insurance purposes – hence the level of detail.
The statue of Thomas Waghorn on Railway Street in Chatham points conveniently along the route of our Chatham Placemaking Project – from Chatham Station / Railway Street / New Cut / St Johns’ Church / Military Road / The Paddock / Waterfront. He is our biggest fan ! He was also a postal pioneer, who developed a new route from India to Great Britain. Can’t be certain that he is pointing to India – but he is certainly pointing to the Old Post Office on Railway Street, soon to become a Wetherspoon’s Pub and named conveniently – The Thomas Waghorn ! Click on the name and you can see the report from Kent Online 28th Feb. 2016, which announced the start of works on site to refurbish the building.
The work has now started to transform the building once again into a Public House !
I am very keen to get inside the building for a look around. How much of the original interiors remain is unknown. The building has twice before been transformed into pubs – first the Francis and Firkin & then The Old Post Office !
Thursday 10th March 2016
The guiding principles for the Chatham Placemaking Project, as outlined in the proposals developed by LDA Design, Francis Knight and myself as Lead Artist can be summed up in the following brief statements –
Getting Around – To create an easier journey for commuters and visitors from the Station to the Town Centre and Waterfront, with more shared space for pedestrians and cyclists.
Identity – Chatham is a great destination. Use the collective experience of the local community to tell this story. Use the Maritime and Military History of Chatham to tell this story. Chatham’s Historic Dockyard starts as you step off the train! How is this made obvious?
Destination – What is the experience of visitors to Chatham who arrive by train? This visitor experience is critical, so too is the daily experience of commuters and residents. We hope to deliver bold, attractive and contemporary changes which welcomes and enhances this journey.
This process clearly starts at the Station. Click on this link to Vimeo for a short film –
At peak times – and throughout the day, pedestrians have to navigate a series of crossing points and narrow pavements with poor way finding to reach the Station. This is also the same experience coming from the Station. An adjacent bus hub stop and heavy traffic flow, make this a demanding environment for pedestrians and cyclists alike. A much more sympathetic environment is being proposed within this regeneration programme.
“The Daniel Monday night Community show is aired on BR FM 95.6 every Monday interviewing a wide range of guests focusing the arts in Swale”.
Daniel came into one of our creative consultation sessions on 5th February at Sun Pier House and interviewed Francis Knight, the project art consultants and myself – the result can be heard here ! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aldxBF0udI&feature=youtu.be
I find it hard to listen to myself – but some of the content of the project comes through here !