Have Premier Inn had a change of heart over the name of the new Premier Inn hotel in Rainham?
The hoardings outside the building work had proudly announced that the new Gillingham East A2 Premier Inn would be opening shortly. This caused a lot of local anger as the hotel is in the centre of Rainham and would undoubtedly cause massive confusion for guests that didn't know the area and travelling to Gillingham expecting to be able to stay at the Premier Inn.
This evening we noticed that the sign stating Gillingham East has now been covered over with only A2 still visible. So will the new Premier Inn be known as Rainham A2 recording its actual location? We wait and see!!
Thursday, 9 September 2010
Sunday, 15 August 2010
Greens of Rainham Vauxhall Dealer - New Photos of closed site
There still seem to be a lot of Google searches for Greens of Rainham, but the Vauxhall dealer shut back in early 2009.
We took some recent photos to record the site before it is sold or redeveloped.
http://www.rainham-history.co.uk/articles/Greens-of-Rainham.html
We took some recent photos to record the site before it is sold or redeveloped.
http://www.rainham-history.co.uk/articles/Greens-of-Rainham.html
Wednesday, 14 July 2010
Kent Reliance Takeover (Kent Reliance Building Society) KRBS Gillingham FC Sponsor
UPDATE: 23 October 2010, the proposals for the transfer of Kent Reliance KRBS to the new KRPS have now been published. Click here to read why we will be voting against the proposals.
http://www.rainham-history.co.uk/html/KRBS-Kent-Reliance-Building-Society-takeover.html
It has been reported that the Kent Reliance Building Society, KRBS, sponsor of the Gills and Priestfields stadium, is in takeover talks with the US company JC Flowers. It is suggested that JC Flowers will invest £50million for a 49% stake in the business but that as this is not a full takeover it will not generate windfall payments to members.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10594824
In its stock exchange announcement, the building society said the proposed deal with Flowers would "create a new corporate structure for the Kent Reliance business."
This follows the controversial policies pursued by Chief Exec Mike Lazenby involving outsourcing admin processing to India and closing almost all the Kent Reliance branches.
The Daily Telegraph reports "As the boss of a mutual, , chief executive of Kent Reliance, is charged with running the company entirely for the benefit of its customers, with no external shareholders. Yet together they have devised the first private equity investment in a British mutual lender. The deal is being watched across the City and the regions since it could trigger a transformative impact on reform of the building society and banking sectors. "
One commentator said: "Flowers has been lucky with Lazenby who is not the standard mutual boss. He might find the others harder to convince."
The official announcement by KRBS says:
Kent Reliance Building Society today announces that it is in talks with J.C. Flowers & Co. to create a new corporate structure for the Kent Reliance business. If the new structure proceeds, it would allow for substantial new capital investment to support the business and would provide a means for the Society’s members to remain members of a mutual organisation.
http://www.rainham-history.co.uk/html/KRBS-Kent-Reliance-Building-Society-takeover.html
It has been reported that the Kent Reliance Building Society, KRBS, sponsor of the Gills and Priestfields stadium, is in takeover talks with the US company JC Flowers. It is suggested that JC Flowers will invest £50million for a 49% stake in the business but that as this is not a full takeover it will not generate windfall payments to members.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10594824
In its stock exchange announcement, the building society said the proposed deal with Flowers would "create a new corporate structure for the Kent Reliance business."
This follows the controversial policies pursued by Chief Exec Mike Lazenby involving outsourcing admin processing to India and closing almost all the Kent Reliance branches.
The Daily Telegraph reports "As the boss of a mutual, , chief executive of Kent Reliance, is charged with running the company entirely for the benefit of its customers, with no external shareholders. Yet together they have devised the first private equity investment in a British mutual lender. The deal is being watched across the City and the regions since it could trigger a transformative impact on reform of the building society and banking sectors. "
One commentator said: "Flowers has been lucky with Lazenby who is not the standard mutual boss. He might find the others harder to convince."
The official announcement by KRBS says:
Kent Reliance Building Society today announces that it is in talks with J.C. Flowers & Co. to create a new corporate structure for the Kent Reliance business. If the new structure proceeds, it would allow for substantial new capital investment to support the business and would provide a means for the Society’s members to remain members of a mutual organisation.
Tuesday, 6 July 2010
Ann Castle's Book with details about the people of Rainham,
I recently received a message about a book by Ann Castle. It has lots of snippets about the people of Rainham, Halstow & Upchurch.
Ann Castle's Book on Rainham Halstow Upchurch
There are also some recipes, accounts and other articles that have been transcribed to a different page.
Most pages are dedicated to a particular family but occasionally, they spill over to an adjacent page.
Original grammar and spelling have been retained but some letters and words are illegible.
Ann Castle's Book on Rainham Halstow Upchurch
There are also some recipes, accounts and other articles that have been transcribed to a different page.
Most pages are dedicated to a particular family but occasionally, they spill over to an adjacent page.
Original grammar and spelling have been retained but some letters and words are illegible.
Thursday, 1 July 2010
How old is my house?
I am often asked by people who want to find out how old their house is. There are several methods depending on the approximate age of your property.
In the Medway Towns there are books called Kelly's directory that are held at local libraries. These detail all the properties and owners in particular areas and can show when new houses appear in the records. For example many houses around Maidstone Road in Rainham sprung up in the late 1920s and early 1930s and can be seen from the volumes of Kelly's Directory from each year.
If you property is much older than this then parish records or census returns could be a good starting point. For newer properties local councils may hold records that show when the house was built.
If you have any more suggestions for ways to determine how old your house is then please leave them as comments.
In the Medway Towns there are books called Kelly's directory that are held at local libraries. These detail all the properties and owners in particular areas and can show when new houses appear in the records. For example many houses around Maidstone Road in Rainham sprung up in the late 1920s and early 1930s and can be seen from the volumes of Kelly's Directory from each year.
If you property is much older than this then parish records or census returns could be a good starting point. For newer properties local councils may hold records that show when the house was built.
If you have any more suggestions for ways to determine how old your house is then please leave them as comments.
Wednesday, 24 February 2010
The Lord Stanley Pub, Upchurch
I received this email today which I hope follow up very soon.
A friend of our's contacted me about The Lord Stanley.
Well we bought 'The Lord Stanley Bungalow ' March1996 I was asked when The Public House got burnt down, we are not sure as when we bought The bungalow it was all under probate so it was difficult to find out all about it. I'm not sure if you are interested but we have the deeds from 1865 ? you are most welcome to look at them. This was when it was bought by Barnes, my sister-in-laws Parents lived in Horsham Lane and she can remember going to Barnes' shop, my husbands parents had a fish round and he can remember as a small boy buying sweets from the shop while helping on the fish round with his Step mother. We have a photo taken in 1965 of The Pub and land, it was taken by a photographer in a Tiger Moth flying over head.
A friend of our's contacted me about The Lord Stanley.
Well we bought 'The Lord Stanley Bungalow ' March1996 I was asked when The Public House got burnt down, we are not sure as when we bought The bungalow it was all under probate so it was difficult to find out all about it. I'm not sure if you are interested but we have the deeds from 1865 ? you are most welcome to look at them. This was when it was bought by Barnes, my sister-in-laws Parents lived in Horsham Lane and she can remember going to Barnes' shop, my husbands parents had a fish round and he can remember as a small boy buying sweets from the shop while helping on the fish round with his Step mother. We have a photo taken in 1965 of The Pub and land, it was taken by a photographer in a Tiger Moth flying over head.
Sunday, 21 February 2010
Picture Book of Old Rainham - Issue 3 Now Available
A new Picture Book of Old Rainham is now available. Click on the Amazon link below to order for delivery worldwide.
This book follows on from Volume 1 and 2 of the Picture Book of Old Rainham which are now out of print.
This book follows on from Volume 1 and 2 of the Picture Book of Old Rainham which are now out of print.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)