Tag Archives: social history

A Cobham gentleman of the 1700s: Mr Hayes Diary

Posted on 5th February 2021 by Ruiha Smalley

One of our volunteers, Don Blackburn, has transcribed the diary entries of Mr Hayes, of Cobham, Kent. As a boy Richard Hayes (1725-1790), lived with his uncle, Richard Hayes senior, at Owletts (now owned by the National Trust) in the … Continue reading →

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Betty Bicker-Robinson: memories of WW2

Posted on 20th January 2021 by Ruiha Smalley

At the beginning of the war I was in my early teens, and each year we used to go hop picking on My Pye’s farm for about seven weeks. Whenever the air raid siren went off, and the German planes … Continue reading →

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Early footage of village life in Cobham

Posted on 16th April 2020 by Ruiha Smalley

We’ve recently been alerted to footage of Cobham from 1944. The film can be found on Screen Archive South East’s website and shows village life in Cobham. The film follows villagers as they walk through the quiet streets and lanes, … Continue reading →

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Alan Hills: Shorne Woods clay pit operation

Posted on 23rd March 2020 by Ruiha Smalley

Some notes taken in discussion with Alan Hills about the workings of the clay pits at Shorne Woods. Alan worked in the Clay Pit from 1959 – 1963. Navvy Driver load clay into hopper which had a screw blades rotating, … Continue reading →

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Several injured in crash near Cobham

Posted on 15th March 2020 by Ruiha Smalley

Chatham Observer – Friday July 30th 1943 PLANE RIPS TOPS OFF FARM COTTAGES: Several Injured in Crash Near Cobham Three of crew killed OCCUPANTS of two farm cottages at Henhurst were injured-three seriously – when a plane crashed into the … Continue reading →

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