EPW060957 ENGLAND (1939). Rochester Bridge, Gashouse Point and the River Medway, Strood, from the west, 1939

Site of Strood's first station, 1845 to 1856. This was the terminus of the line from Gravesend which the South Eastern Railway (SER) took over in 1846. The SER filled in the waterway through the canal tunnel to widen the single line to double. The station was named 'Rochester' to 1849, 'Strood, Rochester and Chatham' to 1852 and then just 'Strood' until 1856 when it was replaced by the new Strood station that linked the North Kent Line from Gravesend with the Medway Valley Line to Maidstone. Source: Wikipedia.

Strood High Street

Temple Manor, the stone hall of the manor house of the Knights Templar. Per English Heritage: ‘The manor of Strood was given to the Knights Templar by Henry II in 1159. The Knights Templar was a military and religious order that was established at the time of the Crusades to protect pilgrims travelling to the Holy Land and to defend the holy places there. It acquired extensive possessions in Europe and became rich and powerful. Probably no more than two knights of the order would have lived permanently at Temple Manor. A bailiff may have run the estate. The hall was built about 70 years after the Templars had acquired the estate and was designed to provide suitable lodging for dignitaries travelling between Dover and London. A kitchen range and other service buildings would have been part of the complex. The manor house became derelict and was restored by the Ministry of Works after the Second World War.’

Wing Commander N.F. Usborne perished when his aircraft crashed in Strood Station goods yard on the 21st February 1916. Squadron Commander Ireland was thrown out of the aircraft, fell into the Medway and also died. Wing Commander Usborne was the commanding officer of RNAS Kingsnorth, about 5 miles East North East of here. To counter the threat of German Zeppelin raids, he had developed the idea of an aircraft slung under an airship balloon; if a Zeppelin was spotted, the aircraft would already be at an altitude to intercept, thus saving significant time. The aircraft would detach from the balloon and fly to attack. Initial tests in August 1915 worked but further development continued, leading to the fatal accident. The work was then discontinued. Source: 'Kingsnorth Airship Station - In Defence of the Nation' by Tina Bilbe, published by The History Press, 2013, ISBN 978 0 7524 9153 0

Strood Union Workhouse, Gun Lane.

The old Rochester out door swimming pool. Now demolished.

Budden & Biggs Brewery, 118 High Street, Strood

Budden & Biggs Brewery, 118 High Street, Strood

Paddle Steamer on Strood Pier.

Rochester Pier

The Shorts Sports Ground; the football team had a good grandstand on the right hand side of this field in later years. No photos seem to have survived of it though... unless someone knows otherwise?

Canal Basin. The Canal Tunnel is now used by the railway.

Cory's coal wharf

Wingets works, formerly Aveling and Porter's Invicta Works. Wingets made concrete mixers.

British Oil and Cake Mills, formerly Stewart Bros and Spencer, refining cotton, rape, hemp seed and using residues for cattle cake.

Empire flying boat

Empire Flying Boat

Rochester Cathedral

Rochester Castle

Naval Dockyard (HMS Pembrook)

Chatham Pier with the Paddle Steamer Medway Queen moored alongside

Crown & Quarry cement works