Stone Street, Primrose and Len and other landmarks

Opposite Miles was the dairy Primrose and Len, there was a continuous noise of bottles being loaded into crates and then onto lorries and milk floats (why were they called floats?). They had a milk bar come coffee shop right on the corner, which was always busy with workers and a good stopping off place if you wanted a cup of tea or a small bottle of milk.

I remember Knightrider Street where Hitches sold motor bikes. I also remember buying a motor bike from Mr. Hitch, he took me into his office and told me that the bike I was buying was like a pair of shoes that he was wearing, well used but still having plenty of sole left on it.

What a mug, I believed him and two months later needed a complete re-bore, still you can’t blame him, it was me doing the buying.

There was a model shop for many years in Stone Street just up from Mote Avenue, can’t recall the name but do remember buying models here which I never completed. It was put down to the fact that I was left-handed and therefore a little lacking in manual skills; probably right.

I remember further up on the right hand side several roads turned off Stone Street, which were no-go areas at night even for the police unless they were mob handed.

About where Lashing is today, stood a doss house, my parents told me on many occasions that if I did not mend my ways this would be my permanent address in future years. Unfortunately, they pulled it down and I have had to look for other suitable accommodation.

Max

Canada

Maidstone I remember it well: Walking down Stone street from MGS there were 3 fish and chip shops you passed by where you could buy as little as 3d. worth of chips. School rules decreed that you weren't to be seen eating them in school uniform! Ha. There was a fourth shop on the other side of the road in lower Stone St. I was intrigued by the Cavernous Beehive Store in Mill St. (?) and around the corner a little Herbalists called Sprunts. I loved Mote Park, in the late 50's there were still loads of cylindrical and conical concrete anti tank castings with nettles growing around them that were fun to jump around on. Sometimes I would cross the through the park coming home from Shepway Primary School, past the mysterious fenced in "Cow cave".

Peter Grant

Maidstone I remember it well: Anyone remember `Bishes` Teashop in Stone Street next door to the `Pilot`Public House. Run by Lottie Bishop and her son George.Photographs around the walls of customers from the 2nd World War. I wonder what happened to them when the shop closed.If you were a customer you became part of Bishes family of friends. Happy Days

ENID SHARP

Maidstone I remember it well: We lived in Brunswick street just of Stone Street my cousins, sister and myself were playing in the back yard @ no 47 we looked up into a clear blue sky and saw a squadron of aircraft coming over us no sirens as yet had gone off but as we looked bombs started to fall. Then the sirens started it was bedlam, the noise as the bombs hit was horrific. When it was over there was dirt and dust everywhere, windows broken and doors hanging off. When we went upstairs to our bedrooms we found machine gun bullets all round the walls just above our beds, it was the worst day of my life.

Ken Allen

Country: Australia

Maidstone I remember it well: Mum was born in George St just off of Stone St, which was known as a 'rough area in it's day. Dad was born at Tovil - next to the toffee mine. He was a War Reserve Policeman and coincidentally Stone St was his regular beat. I remember numerous stories re 'The Bloodhouse' ie The Duke of Brunswick' pub on the corner of Old Tovil Rd. In later years I used to accompany Dad to what seemed every pub in the southern part of Maidstone - including as far away as the 'Bockingford Arms'. When young we walked everywhere. dad used to meet up with his old WW1 shipmates - another source of tall & terrible tales. I must say that it was always a great thing to walk down Stone St with him because everyone called him 'Mr Allen' Now if anyone calls me that I lookaround for Dad.

Was the toffee mine next to the treacle mine?

Richard Emery

Country: Australia Maidstone I remember it well: Hi Peter Have copied Johns memories on page 6 below. My father owned the forge (J. Emery & Son)in Brunsick St East. The O.K. Cafe was on the corner of Upper Stone Street and Mote Rd and you could get the best fried breakfast there 7 days a week. Just up the road on the same side was Baldocks where we used to get our work cloths. On the opersite corner (Knightrider St.)was Hitch & Co and behind Hitch & Co with the entrance off Upper Stone St was the old KCC Library before it moved out to Springfield. The cross roads and the area around Mote Rd/Upper/Lower Stone St/Knightrider St was know as Wrens Cross. I never heard Bishops called the OK Cafe but I did hear a lot of swear words when people hit their heads on the door frame entering Bishops.