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 statue of Thomas Fletcher Waghorn was raised on Railway Street, Chatham in 1888. Image:Christopher Tipping](http://christophertipping.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2015-09-03-16.34.51-768x1024.jpg)
![Old Post Office, Railway Street, Chatham. Image: Christopher Tipping](http://christophertipping.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/2016-03-07-08.09.15-1024x768.jpg)
The work has now started to transform the building once again into a Public House !
![Old Post Office, Railway Street, Chatham. Image: Christopher Tipping](http://christophertipping.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/2016-03-07-08.08.27-768x1024.jpg)
![Window Tracery and Waving Man at the Old Post Office, Railway Street, Chatham. Image: Christopher Tipping](http://christophertipping.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/2016-03-07-08.09.21-1024x768.jpg)
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 !
![Handsome facade of the former Post Office Building on Railway Street, Chatham. Image: Christopher Tipping](http://christophertipping.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/2015-08-25-10.24.59-767x1024.jpg)