[royston2000]

I moved from Chatham to live in number 28 Twydall Lane, first house on the right coming down from Watling St, in 1952 just before my 10th birthday. The Shopping Centre and the Beechings Estate was not built and Twydall Lane from where the shopping centre is now was still a country lane down to the Lower Rainham Road.

I can remember the shopping centre being built and also enjoyed cakes from the copper kettle. The hardware store, which i think was Rix`s, was where I headed for my cycle accessories and some of my toys. The pharmacy at the top end of the shops provided me with my first camera, a Kodak.

I attended the opening of the Nye Bevan Hall just above the shopping centre and used it for my 21st birthday in 1963

[Ashley]

When Twydall was developed it was not envisaged that there would be much car ownership amongst the residents. What is now the car park at the Twydall shops was originally planned to be the site of a cinema which was never built due to the increase of television ownership.

[Sad Git]

One of the staff members who worked there later worked at the Savacentre when it opened, Pat her name was.

Pat was one of several older teenage girls who worked at International Stores in the late sixties. Mister Sullens was the manager and a proper gentleman he was too. He always adressed the girls as Miss Croft, Miss Yapp, Miss Hayward, Miss Knight etc.


Correction - In an earlier post I incorrectly stated that I'd paid eight shillings and sixpence when buying my first 45 at Skinners/Meyers. I should have said six shillings and eight pence.

[carpetsteve]

I have a couple of pictures of Twydall Green and have seen one recently without the church in it.
I now own the carpet shop and remember a lot of the old shops as I grew up in Twydall.
Rix's hardware shop, the Home Decorators, Cross butchers, Rumbelows, where two of my friends were managers, Brookers Greengrocers, Bryants Greengrocers, Bowketts, and how we miss Woolies.
Still we have been there since 1974

[colin haggart]

Silkenrobe, please note that in guidelines, it says not to use text speak.

[silkenrobe]

LOL, whoops

[BygoneMedway]

My parents moved form Canadian Avenue to Doddington Rd, Twydall in 1667, when I was 2.  My sister was born in the same year.

Wow!. You and your sister are doing well for 348 and 346. 

[silkenrobe]

Came across this thread looking for old photos of Twydall on google 
My parents moved form Canadian Avenue to Doddington Rd, Twydall in 1667, when I was 2.  My sister was born in the same year.
Once my younger sister came along, we moved again to the house next door 
I have always known Twydall Green with a car park and it's lovely to see that it was actually green at one point.
I certainly remember the Copper Kettle and their cakes - the elephants feet were lush.
I worked in the Engineers for a short time in my very early twenties and before the murder inside.
My cousin now works in the one pharmacy left.
There used to be 3 butchers and I remember my mum trawling to all 3 
Was the Co-op called International? One of the staff members who worked there later worked at the Savacentre when it opened, Pat her name was.

[JohnWalker]

Blimey Sad Git - Eight Shilling and Sixpence - a fortune in those days - no wonder you still remember it 

Just looking back at the brilliant photos on the thread an excellent social record.  Many cars that I remember.  All those bikes too - they were the days where in most cases you could just leave your bike outside while you shopped and it would still be there when you came back out.  Mind you, most bikes in those days weren't worth stealing unlike the hi-tech bikes of today.

JW

[Sad Git]

Dear all, there's a brilliant photo at the beginning of this thread that shows these particular shops clearly.

Hey Sad Git - that's not you over on the left is it?  Reliving your past      

Yes that's me... wistfully gazing into the window with a tear in my eye, still lamenting the loss of a wasted eight and six.

[Jason]

Thanks John. Thanks Colin. What a sorry sight. In another incarnation I'm sure that shop was a Rumbelows at some time. I bought my first single there in 1968 (In a wonderful decade for music I wasted eight and six on an Ester and Abi Ofarim record). A year later I stood on that same step and watched a rugby international through the window. It was the first time I'd seen a colour telly.

Wasn't it Timothy White's for a while too?  I remember the strangely-shaped step outside it.

Was Rumbelows next to Woolworth's ?

I think it was always Forbouys the newsagents.

[colin haggart]

Was Rumbelows next to Woolworth's ?

Not showing  in any of the photos on here. Janetlinda56.

[Janetlinda56]

Was Rumbelows next to Woolworth's ?

[JohnWalker]

Thanks John. Thanks Colin. What a sorry sight. In another incarnation I'm sure that shop was a Rumbelows at some time. I bought my first single there in 1968 (In a wonderful decade for music I wasted eight and six on an Ester and Abi Ofarim record). A year later I stood on that same step and watched a rugby international through the window. It was the first time I'd seen a colour telly.

Hey Sad Git - that's not you over on the left is it?  Reliving your past      

[Sad Git]

Thanks John. Thanks Colin. What a sorry sight. In another incarnation I'm sure that shop was a Rumbelows at some time. I bought my first single there in 1968 (In a wonderful decade for music I wasted eight and six on an Ester and Abi Ofarim record). A year later I stood on that same step and watched a rugby international through the window. It was the first time I'd seen a colour telly.