The Gospel Hall was the pitch-roofed building next to the lamp post on the left of the High Street, beyond the horse and cart. It is not known why it ceased to be used as a place of non-conformist worship, but by about 1928 it was gone. This may have coincided with an expansion of ...
Reference: WH1073
Bright Gospel Services are (D.V.) held… In Brethren parlance D.V. stands for ‘Deo Volente’ meaning ‘God Willing’
Reference: WH1074
Very few pictures of St. Mary’s Hall in London Road have surfaced, so this watercolour by Gwen Smith is especially good to have a copy of, and is an unusual topic for an artist to paint. Gwen had a good eye for the little elements of the social scene that were rather taken for granted ...
Reference: WH1075
The Architect’s impression by Habershon & Pite of Queensbury Square, London is true and faithful in the original design, but a tad fanciful and romantic about the setting…
Reference: WH1076
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
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
Rebuilt from a former cordite storage hut purchased from Faversham Gunpowder Mills, this building was always referred to as the W.I. ‘hut’. It was in fact, quite sizeable, measuring 45 feet deep x 35 feet wide x 11 feet high, exclusive of a 9 foot-wide annex for kitchen, classroom etc. It was thought it would be ...
Reference: WH1080
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
Following a lot of emotion and heartache the Westerham Hall renovation Committee finally called it a day for the London Road site in favour of starting again with a brand new hall on the site of the Women’s Institute hall on Costell’s meadow, Quebec Avenue. The memory is that the opportunity for more parking swung ...
Reference: WH1071
Throughout the inter-war years and beyond, Westerham has had several establishments that would provide for that very British suggestion – ...
