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
