The Kent History Forum
Members Only Area => General Discussion => Topic started by: Quasatron on October 16, 2022, 06:20:56 PM
-
Does anyone at the Kent History Forum remember the Medway Games Centre? The shop address was Medway Games Centre, 1 Church Street, Chatham, Kent, ME4 4BS. The phone number was 0634 814750. The shop was based on the first floor at that address, and on the ground floor was a knitwear and embroidery shop. To get access to the Medway Games Centre, you had to walk through the ground floor shop and up the staircase at the back of the premises.
The owners of the Medway Games Centre sold role playing games such as Dungeon & Dragons, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Tunnels & Trolls, and many of the Games Workshop board games such as The Warlock Of Firetop Mountain, Kings & Things, Golden Heroes, Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000. Additionally, the Medway Games Centre stocked Citadel Miniatures, and model making kits produced by Airfix, and the Tamiya remote controlled boats and dune buggies. The shop was located opposite Zenith Windows and the fish and chip shop, to the left of the Medway Games Centre, was called Bells of Chatham.
Does anyone here also remember the shops called Videotheque and Bargain Junction? Both those shops exists around 1983 to 1987. They were located along Chatham High Street, near to the junction of Medway Street and Sun Pier. On the opposite side of the road to Videotheque and Bargain Junction, was LIA Amusements and Music Land. Then there was the House of Holland, which existed in the area on Chatham High Street, before it was demolished to make way for the construction of the Sir John Hawkins Flyover.
-
I remember that shop, yes. They also used to sell Airfix model kits too and at the time, I was collecting and building 1/72 scale model aircraft. They used to stock kits for the weird and wonderful German rocket and jet-powered aircraft which began to appear towards the end of the Second World War.
There was a military surplus shop across and up the road a little - the Sergeants Mess.
-
I remember that shop called the Sergeants Mess. Because the business owner of the Medway Games Centre smoked in the premises, he would use an air freshener to try and disguise the smell of the cigarettes, and also used to leave the windows open to let the fresh air in. I think he must have been concerned with the nicotine sulphate smoke possibly yellowing the books, magazines, journals, modules, role playing games, board games in the shop and model kits. They sold the TSR Endless Quest of 1-On-1 Adventure Gamebooks there, and fantastic board games such as Rune Quest and Dragon Quest. I always found it odd, that to get to the shop upstairs, the customers had to walk through the ground floor knitwear and embroidery shop. The two old ladies that ran the ground floor shop must have watched customers coming and going all day, because they wanted to visit the Medway Games Centre.
-
Bought my Weirauch 80 Rifle and scope at n Gray's gun shop back in 1986.
-
When I think of old Chatham shops the American Bookstall always comes to mind, situated between the Ritz cinema and Union St. All the magazines, comics and so many different kinds of cigarettes that was sold there.
-
I remember that one, smiler. Pretty sure the name was more like the "Anglo-American Bookstore", and that it was quite narrow. I believe that was where my brother used to get his comic books, including the occasional "Classics Illustrated". Anyone remember those?
-
That’s right Smiffy long and narrow,books, magazines and comics at the back. Cigarettes, cigars, lighters and pipes at the front half.
-
If I am remembering correctly, didn't you have to take a step down when you entered? Can't recall the pipes and cigs though as I would have been to young to notice, it's only the comics I was interested in!
I think I might have a photo showing where it was somewhere.
-
Yes step down into long narrow shop like a front room and a back room where the comics magazines where.
-
I worked (one of my first jobs at 14 ) at W H Smiths in the High Street - near Manor Road in Chatham - I used to go to Chatham Station ( 6am) to collect
the bundle of newspapers - take them to the rear of the shop in Medway Street - sort them - then deliver them to houses & shops in the High Street, &
New Road. Finished at 8am - then visit a shop in Ordnance Street buy 6 newly baked soft rolls - then home to my mother - ( we eat them with cheese )
Back to the shop for 9pm - for a few hours then - at 11am take the periodicals - all along the to the High Street shops & houses.
The one place I loved to visit - was the Veglio`s Restaurant - all plush velvet - where the Tanning Parlour is now - opposite the Theatre Royal - they were
such nice people. they had several magazines - like `Life` - which I used to look at the pictures - as I walked along. ( I had three jobs at 14 ) - while
waiting to be a Telegram Boy - then to be a G P O Engineer - hopefully. That was in 1941 - at W H Smiths.
-
There was Halfords - situated at the bottom of Manor Road in the High Street - then it moved into the Theatre Royal for a while.
I also worked for George Carters - the clothes shop next to Woolworth - Fair Row was opposite - now the entrance to the Pentagon.
-
I Think there was at one time a shoe shop Mansfields at the bottom of Manor Road, probably near or where WH Smiths were.
-
This shows the Theatre Royal when it was being used by Halfords, now located on the Brook, with W H Smiths visible in the foreground. Picture taken around 1970.
-
Manfield's is visible here with Smiths next door behind the lorry. The Kings Head is also visible, but looks like it's already closed in this picture from1962.
-
Looks like they're removing a lamp post - and not a hi-viz or hard hat in sight....
-
Not a shop exactly, but fond memories of the indoor market that was tucked away just off the High Street. The entrance to the market was along an alleyway along the side of Woolworths. It was a lively place that offered much to entice everyone through its entrance. The market stalls were piled high with meat, vegetables and household necessities as well as plants, cakes and jewelry. The smell on entering was unique.
It was just the place to go for a young pre teen that only had pennies for pocket money, to look for family gifts.
-
Remember the market as a child. Stalls lining the wide alleyway and then the indoor part. Which I assume was in the Invicta Ballroom?
-
Can you imagine the risk assessment and safety rules to use a Gas Axe to cut a lamppost off at the base in this day and age. Doubt if it would even be allowed.
-
The building mentioned - at the side of Woolworths was the Invicta Picture House - " The Bug Hutch " as known by us -`Saturday morning Kids - in 1938
-
Jean, can you tell us when this was - I can't remember it myself, could be I was too young to take notice. This was once, and is now again, known as Fullager's Yard. The name goes back to at least the middle of the 19th century and probably beyond, although who Fullager was is unknown to me.
Post war the Invicta Cinema is shown as a clothing factory - can anyone remember this? Later on of course, it became Invicta Bingo, frequented regularly by my parents :)
There was another market much further down the High street, opposite the Regent/ABC/Canon cinema and next to The Little Crown, known as "Medway Markets". Once again, I have no memory of this, perhaps someone else does?
A picture taken of one of the markets, not sure which one - probably Medway Markets. No date, likely pre-1950 by the look of it.