Guess the Place

[johnfilmer]

The railway was marked as South Eastern and Chatham, SE&CR, or as my grand father put it - Slow, Easy & Comfortable - but I suspect he was not a frequent user!
The Vicarage and Church Farm both pre-date the railway, which cuts between them and the Church.

[MartinR]

I suspect you are right John, the windows would be for needlework.  I've seen similar upper stories which were weavers' cottages for the same reason.  The windows are north facing, so the light is more even and better for working with compared to direct glaring sunshine.

Just in case anyone is looking: ME13 9BH - TR 05690 59420 - 51°17'48"N 0°56'56"E

[johnfilmer]

The listing for the old hotel says C17 cottage with C19 shop. It also says that the interior was of an early C19 shop. With the drapery connection, could it have been built as a workroom needle work of all sorts requires good light?
Anyway, back at the quiz...

Another one of my old maps, a 25inch OS from 1908. But where?

[John Walker]

You have it JohnFilmer.  Interesting information.  You found more about it than I managed.   Still not sure why the multiple windows are there on the first floor though.  I wonder if it doubled up as a greenhouse to start off crops for their business?


Over to you ...

[johnfilmer]

I wondered if the Garden Hotel was licensed, and if so was it on a dead pubs database. Afraid not.
However, the George, across the road and towards Canterbury has a 1910 photo that has "File & Sons" just about visible on the side of "our" building.
1881 Census has a William File (51) and his two sons Edwin (22) and William (20) as Grocers and Drapers.  William snr died 29th March 1882, Probate was for £1452-11s-10d. The two brothers are still grocers and drapers in 1891, with adjacent households.
William is on the 1911 Census, still a grocer and draper, but Edwin disappears, reappearing in the 1939 Register in Folkestone as a retired Grocer. He died on 6th Feb 1947, leaving probate at £17440-18s-11d.
The problem for all such Census returns is that no house numbers were in use, and very few houses named. Some times a pub can be a useful reference to count properties between it and your target, but we do not know if the emunerator actually went along one side then back, or just dodged to and fro so it becomes guess work.

[johnfilmer]

Looks to be the old Garden Hotel, 167-169 Boughton Street. Grade 2 listed. I found a tantalising Frith Photo with indecipherable writing on the side weatherboarding.

[John Walker]

On the side of a previously busy 'A' road that has been by-passed.

[John Walker]

So far, I haven't found a lot of its earlier history but I can say that the windows are unlikely to have been for the view.  Village location.

[johnfilmer]

Lots of glass, is it for the view, or light to work?

[John Walker]

Good info JohnFilmer.  Good luck with your searching.

Next one.

[johnfilmer]

Otterden it is!


They conduct lots of educational days for children. In the 1930s there was a school for refugee Jewish children at nearby Bunce Court.


I hope to establish a connection to various people in the 1700s from the then parish based around the estate church of St Lawrence, now a private chapel.


A very historic and deeply interesting place.

[John Walker]

Now I've read the clues properly    Otterden Place, Throwley ?

[grandarog]

I'le guess it's Belmont House. Throwley.

[John Walker]

I completely missed that clue 🙄

[johnfilmer]

JW, you forgot that it is between M2 and M20, the house at Chilston is just south of M20.