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".