Westerham Literary Institution was formed in 1853. The reading room for many years was a restored former builders store and office situated adjacent to Stratton House off the High Street beside the Public Hall.
Reference: 0066
Dec 9 1872 saw the opening of a reading room ‘for the free use of working men’ at the Public Hall in the High Street, initiated by the patroness, Mrs Lucy Deane Streatfeild. By the following year, ‘The Westerham Recreation and Sports Club’ was held there most evenings from 7 until 10 whenever the Hall ...
Reference: 0067
Dec 9 1872 saw the opening of a reading room ‘for the free use of working men’ at the Public Hall in the High Street, initiated by the patroness, Mrs Lucy Deane Streatfeild. By the following year, ‘The Westerham Recreation and Sports Club’ was held there most evenings from 7 until 10 whenever the Hall ...
Reference: 0072
From the outset, the Constitution and Rules of the Men’s Club was very clear about its objects and purposes: The Club is established to afford its members the opportunity of social intercourse and recreation, and with this view the Club is supplied with literature, billiards tables, chess and draughts boards, dominoes and cards, etc. All monies ...
Reference: 0068
This view up the track from Elm View Mill dates to around 1900. The two mill cottages on the right were then occupied by William Sage, the mill attendant at what had become the waterworks pumping station, and James Perrin, a local policeman. The house beyond was then known as ‘Roselyn’ but is now (2018) ...
Reference: WH1061
Goodbye to the Nurseries Bob Combley “…in South Bank there were no houses on the left side there, just the little stream. That area was completely empty – we used to play in there and you could see there had been rows of shrubs and rows of bushes – we always called it ‘Newtons’ and I was ...
Reference: WH1062
Odd fellows and Foresters were two ‘Friendly Societies’ workers could save with. By joining a Friendly Society, workers could protect themselves and their families against financial ruin and destitution brought about by illness, injury or death. The government initially declared Friendly Societies to be illegal organisations. They went ‘underground’ but continued to grow and offer the provision ...
Reference: 0069
With more than a nod to the Women’s Suffrage movement in the UK, Female Branches (Lodges) were introduced to the Friendly Societies in 1893 as this 1912 poster reveals. P.P.G.M. stands for ‘Past Provincial Grand Master’ which was the post Edward Evenden held until he stood down to take the position of Secretary which would ...
Reference: 0070
Harriet and Thomas Newton pose outside number 9 The Green which was the Post and Telegraph Office until 1912, when a dedicated building was erected in what became ‘Post Office yard’ in London Rd (as of 2018 this building now houses Moorenergy fitness centre). The Newtons are seen with their postmen and telegram boys outside ...
Reference: WH0975
The white painted Post Office is instantly recognisable on London Road. Today the home of Moorenergy fitness centre, the building dates from 1912 when it was built as a dedicated Postal sorting office. On February 4th 1930 a new subscriber telephone exchange was opened on the first floor. The little Fire Engine hut can be seen on the left ...
Reference: WH0980
J. S. Charlton of Sevenoaks opened a branch in Westerham in what is currently (2019) Nisa convenience store. Commonly referred to as ‘Corn Stores’, they would sell anything to do with gardening, smallholdings and allotments – from seed sold in ounce and half-pint measures, to bean canes, spades, forks, dibbers, string and twine – anything ...
Reference: 0052
An earlier business than ‘Charltons’, E. J. Hollingworth had taken over a fruiterer, florist and seedmen’s business started by E. F. Crabb in the 1890s in what is today (2019) the Post Office. Hollingworth grew fruit, flowers and vegetables on his own nursery beside the market field (now Quebec Avenue) and is immortalised in the ...
Reference: WH0465
1897 was the year that Ben Bushell bought and closed the Swan Brewery at the bottom of Hosey Hill, so this compliment slip will date from before that time. At that point the Black Eagle Brewery took on the trading style of Bushell, Watkins and Co., though William Watkins did not stay very long. On ...
Reference: WH0242
Ellen King enjoys the sunshine with her daughters Eva and Ethel outside ‘The Cottage’ next door to ‘Roseville’ in the High Street. All the houses on this section of the High Street were owned by the Black Eagle Brewery in the early 1900s.
Reference: WH1055
Built and opened with share capital in 1865, Westerham’s Public Hall (or Town Hall as it was often called) enjoyed a chequered existence as a public meeting place, never quite achieving the profit dreamed of by the shareholders. User groups would suddenly find themselves financially embarrassed and unable to pay their rent, and the charges ...
Reference: WH1079
This photograph, taken around 1908, shows the hall’s close proximity to the kerb-edge. When the road was ‘metallised’ in the 1920s, as much width as could be provided was used, hence it was not surprising that the porch canopy had to be removed along with the gas lamp on the other side of the road. ...
Reference: WH1077
From the South Eastern Gazette, Monday July 11 1881: OPENING OF THE WESTERHAM VALLEY RAILWAY. “…This new line of railway which connects the small market town of Westerham with the South Eastern system, was formally opened on Wednesday afternoon amidst demonstrations of great rejoicing. For upwards of 30 years a rail communication with London has been ...
Reference: WH1078