Travel and Transport > Roads, Tracks and Paths
Watts' Place, Chatham
grandarog:
There were 107 people recorded as living at Watts Place on the 1841 Census.
Couple of Pubs there over the years
1. Forster's Arms ,12 Watts Place. Chatham.
The Licensing Directory of 1872 says this was called the "Forester's Restaurant," operating under a beer license and was owned by Benjamin Gilbert of Burnt Oak Terrace in Gillingham.
In the 1882 and 1891 directories the address is given as being Medway Street.
2. Sultan, 10, Watts Place, Chatham
(At 20 Watts Place in 1882, 1901 and 1911)
Mike Gunnill, mentions, Watts Avenue, Rochester in read no 9 .
Do we know who "Watt" was?
Smiffy:
I have no information as to when this interesting little thoroughfare connecting the High street with Medway street first came into being, the earliest mention I can find comes from the 1858 Melvilles Directory of Kent. By then it appears to have already become well established and fully occupied, with tradespeople of all descriptions present, including the following:
A confectioner and lemonade manufacturer, a greengrocer, a beer house, an egg merchant, a Watch and clock maker, 2 boot and shoe makers, 2 tobacconists, an artist, a builder, a cabinet maker, 2 milliners plus a dressmaker, 2 hat and cap makers, a rate collector, a tailor, a baker and a pawnbroker.
A general view towards the High street dating from the 1940's:
For more than a century following this period, it seems to have continued to be the home of many small businesses, probably catering for a clientele belonging to a somewhat lower wage bracket. I'm pretty sure that I can remember it being referred to as "Broad Pavement", although I can find no written proof of this. There maybe a reader or two able to confirm this from their own personal memories of the area.
1953 Kelly's entry showing the variety of shops and services provided:
Watts' Place and some of the other properties fronting the High street were earmarked for demolition in 1961. This was in order to make way for a new development that was to house Bates department store (later Bentalls) and a Sainsbury's supermarket. The modern building remains and is now occupied by Argos.
High street entrance from 1961, with vacant premises to either side:
No doubt by this time it had become somewhat run-down and ramshackle in appearance. But with its passing, yet another piece of Chatham's own particular and unique character, that which once endeared it to so many of its inhabitants - was gone forever.
Map showing the location of Watts' Place for reference:
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