Wheeler Street its people and shops

At the top of Brewer Street Wheeler Street runs from Union Street all the way past Holland Road and eventually it meets Park Avenue. From here, we would walk up the hedges, over Heathfield Road, and down to Penenden Heath.

At the two corners of Brewer Street and Wheeler Street the two public houses the Ancient Druids (now a Chinese restaurant) and the Eagle. On the other side of the road were Mrs. Beautridge the greengrocer, I was sent here on many occasions to bring back vegetables, always forgetting by the time I made the top of the street what I had been sent out for. Mrs. Beautridge would say was it beetroot you wanted love. I always replied yes please and go home with completely the wrong thing, I would be sent back with instructions of what mum needed written down, and to return the unwanted beetroot. You would think that I would learn but I never did. Any purchases wrapped up in newspaper.

Mr. Shippey our local newsagent employing countless numbers of newspaper boys to deliver morning and evening papers and magazines. We, my brother and I, not allowed to apply for such jobs, mum thinking it was wrong for children of our tender age to be working.

Mr Clarke had a sweet shop next to the newsagents, not that he seemed to sell much however I remember that he had a large glass globe approximately eighteen inches across that contained water. He would use this to make posh cordial drinks, price 1d.

Gran Wade ran a sweet shop further up Wheeler Street, another entrepreneur selling homemade ice-lollies at 1d. while all the other ice-lolly vendors were charging 3d. per lolly. I remember Gran Wade so clearly quite a short person with a twisted smile I think she may have suffered a stroke at some time.

Mum and Dad took us to visit a dying person in Wheeler Street, they were lying in the front room or parlour on a made up bed. I cannot remember why we were summoned to the deathbed or even who it was doing the dying.

Towards the top of Wheeler Street just before you reach Grecian Street was a firm called Serck Radiators. I imagine that they rebuilt car and lorry radiators, I wonder if they’re still in business.

Just below this was a bombsite dating back to the war years, just wasteland and rubble, the strange thing is that I grew so used to seeing it that I never even questioned when it, or how it, had happened; no fence just the front wall of the houses stood to keep out trespassers. Still thinking back there were many sites like this around Maidstone.

Colin Mason

Maidstone I remember it well: regarding the memories of Wheeler St., Serck Radiators are still in business and are now called Serck Intertruck part of Unipart the depot is now in Aylesford. regards Colin

phillip wood

Maidstone I remember it well: wheeler street there was a shop run by an italian lady she had a son called ken further up there was a pie and peas/mash shop the greyhound pub sharp`s fish and chip shop 1p for old potatoes 2p for new otterways corner of wheeler street and james street up a bit more was a shop we called cockoo`s right name or not don`t know then the danish bacon yard oppersite james street. there was a rag and bone man who used to come round and you could swap a bundle of rags for a chick they were all cocks and used to be fattened up for chrisrmas dinner

patricia small Maidstone I remember it well: I was born in hatherall road,my dad use to take me to mr shipeys to buy fireworks.when I went eastboroug I use to go to ma wades to get 1p lollies.My friend chris lived in union st at the newsagents,hoods.we still see each other.we started eastborough 1957.when I left school I went and worked at sercks.

Max Matthews

Maidstone I remember it well: Eastborough School walking down Union St to The Old National School in Wheeler Street for woodwork lessons and during the break running up to the little shop along the road for 1d ice-lollies at 'Ma Wades'

Andrew Dimarco

Maidstone I remember it well: Goodness! I to can remember many of the things mentioned in the posts! My Father ran a Ice cream parlor and cafe almost next to St Francis, next door to Gilberts bike and toy shop on one side and Millers gent hairdressers on the other. For many years he also ran the little cafe on Penenden Heath, that a number of people have remembered. I went to St Francis, and was taught by Harry, Miss Stroud, and the others. I remember the playground accross the road from county hall, I think its the church car park now. Oppisite were the KM offices and printing press, that had a huge window facing the East station, and it was possible to watch the press (nicknamed 'Gertie' i think) printing the papers. At that end of Week St, there was also a row of shops with a coin laundry,Rawlings office supplies, and I think a little tobbaco and sweet shop also Currys was in this row. My brother Tony went to Westbrough, and my sisters to the convent in Boxly Rd Its so nice to remember! cheers everyone

Jim Yarwood

Maidstone I remember it well: Sorry Terry, the Greyhound has closed down, it's all boarded up with metal grilles over the windows and doors, very sad indeed. And yes, I remember Gus Harris, I used to train at his boxing gym when he moved it up to the London Road, it was situated just where the "Chat" (signing-on) office currently is. Happy times! Enid Sharp mentioned the Granada restaurant, but who can ever forget the Fiesta coffee bar on the ground floor of Granada with its huge glass windows and seating, unbelievable that you could make a froffy coffee last all afternoon! Hamburger for 1s 3d or if you were really flush a cheeseburger for an extra 6d - 1s 9d! And then there was motorcycle/scooter bay across the road where currently the First Choice carpet shop is - we'd all watch the mods/rockers pull up (cos we were under 16 so couldn't ride) and then across the road was the site of the old bus station, pretty slippery on a wet day on 2 wheels if one of the old buses had pulled out leaving a trail of derv (diesel) across the road, that was always guaranteed to make it interesting!

Jim Yarwood

Maidstone I remember it well: I first moved to Maidstone in 1952 and my mum rented two rooms at the top of the house at 36 Boxley Road, (sadly it's since been demolished. It used to have metal railings outside where the local kids and myself used to swing round on them. After a few years we moved to 175 Wheeler Street (again, that's been demolished) it's where the now-defunct tyre depot used to be - virtually opposite James Street. Anyone remember the fish and chip shop on the corner of James Street/Wheeler Street run by Mr Sharp (I think - stand to be corrected!) Used to buy 3d worth of batter and to think nowadays that would be tantamount to a serious, serious health hazard! How times change!

Alan Hale

Maidstone I remember it well: My grandfather Joseph Hale lived at 134, Wheeler Street and had a builders yard and bungalow next door. There used to be a sign J and S Hale and Sons on the corner of the yard.

Barbara Neill

Maidstone I remember it well: Great idea to have a reunion. I was brought up in Maidstone and still live locally.

Terry McKenna; I remember your Mum and Dad very well, as I used to live in St Luke's Road, (for 40 years). My Dad was Bob Neill, the hypnotherapist.

I noticed the remark about the Greyhound closing and it's even worse than that now it has been demolished. The George is boarded up too and the Rose, in Wheeler Street is a private residence but at least it's still standing.