Month: January 2013

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Town Hill

Town Hill was part of Ducks Court Road going down from High Halstow to Dux Court. The town referred to in the name is Rochester. (Going to town)
The top part of Cooling Road was known as Station Hill. Stations were at Cliffe, High Halstow Halt Sharnal Street and Beluncle. Mr. Plewis remembers seeing King George and the Kaiser go past – the Kaiser with his back to the engine and King George facing the other way. The coal on the tender was whitewashed, black coal underneath actually being used. Port Victoria boasted an hotel and a yacht club. Before the advent of Anglo- Iranian there were plans to make port Victoria a royal yacht club, similar to Cowes The ground floor of the yacht club was of Italian mosaic.

The Lane from Deangate to High Halstow

In Mr Plewis’s opinion, Cooling Road was in ancient times the riverside, the path of the road being solid ground the animals would walk along. The square ness of the shape formed by Cooling Road might have been due to the way the Romans had set things out.

Before you get to Eastborough Farm bungalow, Lipwell is down in the valley. The area from Lipwell to the marshes is known as The Moors. The tide used to come up there – Buckhole Wharf and Dalham Wharf bear witness. Could the Kentish rag used for High Halstow church come up this way? Borough Green and Plaxtol are the nearest places where Kentish rag can be obtained

February 2011

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There are no “Frogs”

The North wall of the church was sinking in TW Lonfields time. There were no foundations to the local churches. Mr. Plewis uncovered an inch-deep black layer beneath the base of the walls, made of rotten flora over the centuries. Mr. Plewis’s father said that it was the growth in the topsoil which had held such a building together, and it should be left undisturbed. The wall are four feet thick, with inner and outer stone facing, the middle filled up with lime rubble, and here and there jointed up. Mr Plewis undertook the job of underpinning the North wall. The foundations given to it were six foot slabs of stone long ways.

There are no frogs (indents) in the bricks buttressing the tower, which dates them to some extent. There was a brick field at Dalham before Mr. Plewis’s time. Brickfield Cottages were opposite the brickworks, built of black tarred bricks. (The road from Cliffe to Strood passed through smoking brickfields, especially at the back of Bingham Road)

Lime mortar joints were used on the tower brickwork. Lime is live matter – cement is dead; lime mortar lasts longer, absorbs atmosphere, and is stronger than cement; in the war, the lime mortar with stood the shocks.

On Saturday a groom with a horse and cart would go to Higham Lime works for half a ton of hot (or live) lime in rock form. It was immersed in water (eggs could be boiled in it in no time) and was then left for a week, water being added as necessary. Then an old Larry (a big handled hoe) was used to maker a ton of mortar. This was left for a fortnight before used. Its consistency was like butter.

February 2011

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“The War Years”

Mr. Plewis knows of no war damage at all to the church. The nearest bombs to fall were on the marshes and beside the Britannia Inn. The Britannia Inn was near the Bungalow, but nearer the corner of the road than the bungalow. It was damaged in the war when a bomb dropped in the field opposite. Incendiaries dropped one night causing the area from Marsh Gate farm to High Halstow to look like fairy lights.

The Red Dog

Mr Topley was foreman at Lodge Hill. There was a battery in the cricket meadow at Cooling. A framework was constructed at Lodge Hill, with six rockets, their barrels filled with Mills Bombs (36 Bombs). Rangefinders were fired by pushbutton, which was operated by a pocket torch battery. The rockets exploded at a certain height, grenades bursting out which then exploded. The next time enemy aircraft appeared, they were firing twelve rockets instead of six.

Kingsnorth was the centre of airships. There was a royal Air station at Grain. The airships were used for submarine spotting. Grain Fort dates from the time of General Gordon – there was also Shorne Fort and Cliffe Fort. Admiralty oil tanks at Grain were used for refuelling battleships in the First World War. The Thames was often a mass of battleships

February 2011

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Boyhood Memories of High Halstow

Further to the request for memories of High Halstow, I would like to offer some of my memories. I lived in Harrison Drive from 1956 to 1967, when we moved to West Sussex, when I was 12 years old.

I loved my childhood in the village, and have lots of good memories. One that stands out for me is when a few of us were using some straw bales to make a camp (We didn’t damage any I hasten to add). We were just finishing when a Jaguar Mark 10 appeared over the crest of the field containing assorted Osentons, who were not best pleased with us! They took names and addresses and sent us away with a flea in our ears. They reported us to PC Bob Haskins, who paid the parents of the “offenders” a visit. We were terrified, needless to say!

I also remember “hordes” of helpers hanging off or sitting in the milkman’s van – no such thing as Health & Safety then of course, mind you he used to get the round done much quicker

Other memories are attending ‘Jock” Lacey’s club in the Memorial Hall (neither he or we ever knew why he was referred to as Jock, but he didn’t like it), “newting” in Dead Man’s Pond, which was said to be bottomless. Us kids believed this to be true, even though you could clearly see the bottom!

Scrumping from the orchard, sadly all gone apart from a few cherry trees. We also “raided” Bill Rayner’s orchard and strawberry field at the top of Town Hill.

We also built countless camps and “created” new paths in the woods – much to the annoyance of Mr Hudson and Mr Fletcher the RSPB wardens. Strangely enough I am a Volunteer Warden at Northward Hill now.

I have to say that it was a fantastic place for kids and we never had “nothing to do and nowhere to go”. The village looks bigger every time I go there but I suppose that’s called “progress”

Mark Owen February 2012

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Memorial Hall

Most Memorial Halls are erected to remember those who have died, but High Halstow was fortunate to have most of the men return safely, from World War 1. So it was decided to build a Hall to acknowledge this, which makes this hall rather special.

The people of the village wasted no time so in 1919 plans were made. First they had to get the land, and Mr Bill Osenton (known to his friends as Buckhole Billy as he owned Buckhole farm) kindly gave the ground to the village, and Mr Arnold of Arnold Day and Tuff gave his services free.

In February 1920 the Hall was opened, with a party and a glass or two of ale, and on 26 April 1920 the first committee meeting was held, the committee consisted of Mrs G Snowden, Miss M Harryman Mrs J Hogben, Mr W Baskin, Mr A Osenton, Mr S Osenton, Mr J Maylem and Mr A Drayton.

Trustees Messrs W.J. Osenton, B. Osenton and D.Harryman drew up rules for guidance and information of the committee, these were accepted and agreed by the committee.

Extract from the rules
Rule 1 – The Annual subscription shall be 2/6 for those over 17 years of age and 1/6 for those under that age.
Rule 4 – It will be considered a breach of the rules for members or their friends to spit or drop lighted cigarette ends on the floor.

On September 6th 1920, The committee decided to have 4 concerts to remove the remaining debt of £63 that was incurred when building the hall. Charges for admission to be 2/- 1/- and 9p, with persons under 14 half price. There would also be a “draw” and the following sundries were donated Gent’s Bicycle, a Pig, a bag of Potatoes, a sack of coke, Several Fowls, Rabbits, and goods to the value of several pounds. This almost cleared the debt to the Hall. The balance sheet was signed by the Rev Longfield, who audited the books.

The first year concluded with their AGM and election of new officers, it was decided there would be three ladies and six gentlemen forming the committee. Thanks were given to Mr & Mrs Topley for conducting the Dancing classes, and to the Pianists Mrs Ingleton, Mrs B Osenton and Mrs Hogben , to Mr Hogben for supplying the coke for the winter and to Mr A Osenton for providing the stoves and outbuildings (toilets).

On November 96h 1923 it was decided that an extra room be built behind the existing Hall, and that it should be large enough to hold a billiard table, and that it should be in memory of Mr Ingleton and Mr Alfred Osenton, who had both done so much for the young men of the village when they were alive. By December 1923 plans had been drawn up and it was agreed that the new room would be build during the coming year.

The new room was officially opened on January 7th 1925. With Mrs Harrison performing the opening ceremony.

In October 1929 A letter was received from the football club asking if they could use the back room as a dressing room, this was agreed, and they have used this facility ever since.
In July 1935 a decision to purchase a clock for the main Hall was passed at committee. Also it was suggested that electricity should be laid to the hall, and after much discussion Messrs Cable and Hortons estimate was accepted.

The roof of the back room was recovered during November 1953 as it was leaking badly. (this has lasted until now and is to be completely renewed in April 2004). May Holmes was elected onto the Hall committee on 20 July 1967, and remained on the committee until shortly before she died.

During 1962 the affect of the new Recreation Hall was having a very bad effect on the Memorial Hall, bookings had dropped and income was low, and the committee had to use up most of their reserves, but a directive from the Charities Commission instructed the Memorial Hall to “carry on the work for which it was intended”, by reasons of the activities for which the hall was used, the Memorial Hall was able to enjoy full rating relief under section 8 of the Rating and Valuation Act”. Within a year things had improved, and bookings were being made and the cash balance had risen from £8 to £21.17s.and the hall was flourishing again.

So now we come to 1997 when sadly May Holmes died, May had for many years been secretary and treasurer of the Memorial Hall. Vic and Jackie Godding, took on the task, but in May 2000 decided to give it up. So now, we have the Hall under new management, an AGM held on 6 June 2000 requesting a representative from all the clubs who use the hall to attend and a new committee was formed. Since that day, funds have been raised by various activities, and the hall has been improved in many ways, but always keeping the style of the original Hall.
The Memorial board, with all the names of the men who returned has pride of place; photographs of those men surround it, which makes it easy to put a face to a name.

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Road Names

The history behind the naming of our roads can be found here

Britannia Road
This was named after a public house situated near the junction of Clinch Street and what for many years was known as Fenn Road. The public house, was a coaching inn and the buildings nearby were the stables for the change horses. Unfortunately it was burned down in the early fifties. It had been a private house from the early nineteen hundreds.

Christmas Lane
This was thought to come from “Christmas Mass”, the road leading to St Margaret’s Church

Clinch Street
Named after the hamlet

Cooling Road
Being the only road from High Halstow to Cooling Village. Local inhabitants sometimes called Cooling Road Dalham Hill.

Decoy Road
The road leading to Decoy Farm which in the early days was much larger and had a large manor type house. The road continues on to Swigshole, which again had a number of houses. Here the road ends and the footpaths to the sea wall begins as footpath RS5

Drayton Close
Named after a local farmer and dairyman who had a farm where the school playing field is now. His family delivered milk to the local villages with the dairy being at Beech Croft, Sharnal Street.

Dux Court Road
Named after Dux Court farm. Old maps have shown this sometimes as “Ducks Court”

Eden Road
Was named after Anthony Eden, Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1955 to 1957 who was later to become Lord Avon.

Goodwood Close
Named after the previous landowner’s enthusiasm for horse racing

Harrison Drive
This road was named after the local farmer from Dux Court Farm, who was also Chairman of the Parish Council and benefactor to the village in a very large way, one of his many gifts being the recreation ground.

Holmes Close
Named after May Holmes who lived in the village area all her life. A great collector for charity with the Red Cross, Cancer Relief and the Air Ambulance being just three of the recipients. In her later years she was Treasurer, Secretary and Caretaker of the Memorial Hall. As a schoolgirl she and her sister walked to and from Hoo School every day.

Leaman Close
Named after the local nurse and midwife who lived in the village for a number of years. On leaving the village she opened Mill House Nursing Home at Lower Stoke.

Longfield Avenue
Named after the Reverend Longfield, Rector of St Margaret’s for a number of years

Marsh Crescent
Was named after Mr Jim Marsh, a local farmer. Living in the village, he farmed Brick House Farm on the road to Allhallows. He was a long serving member of the Parish Council being Chairman for his last term in office. In addition he was also a founder member of the Recreation Hall.

Medway Avenue
Named after the River Medway

Northwood Avenue
The Northwood comes from the name of the woods on the hill, Northwood Hill, known to some local people as the Norrad, now owned by the RSPB

Ruggles Drive
Named after the doctor who lived in the village for a number of years. He was the doctor who started the surgery in the Recreation Hall shortly after it was built.

Sharnal Street Road
Was named after the hamlet of Sharnal Street. The road is now part of the Ratcliffe Highway. It was also access to Sharnal Street Railway Station, which was closed in 1962.

Sharnal Street
The name is a little insulting to the people living there as the name is derived from the old English “Scean Welle” which quite simply means the stream running near the rubbish tip.

Thames Avenue 
Named as such because the site overlooked the River Thames

The Street
This road name originated from then village itself, which was known as High Halstow Street. This was one of four hamlets in the area, the other three being Fenn Street, Clinch Street and Sharnal Street. Fenn Street was later transferred to St Mary’s Hoo during a boundary change.

Topley Drive
Named after Bert Topley who lived in High Halstow all his life. An early member of the Memorial Hall Committee until near his death. He was a long-standing member of the Parish Council being Chairman for part of his time.

Valentine Drive
Named after the former Kent County Cricket Club Captain, Brian Valentine, who lived in what was known as the Old Vicarage for a number of years.

Willowbank Drive
So named because a number of willow trees had to be removed from the end of the field on which the estate was built.

Roads in Heron Fields
The names of the roads within the heron field area were all named by the contractor following advice from Medway Council and are all based on nautical terms