Copyright Swanley History Group and Marion Williams and should not be copied or shared without permission
Marion Williams has contacted us as looking for information about Hop Kiln Cottages she discovered our website on line.
She writes:
I have been looking on the internet to see if I could find photos or information about Hop Kiln Cottages in Swanley. I came upon your website and noticed that during your meeting in January 2017, there was a photo of the cottages shown. I am interested in them since my grandmother as a young woman lived in No. 5. She was Jessie Lambkin and her parents were George and Mary Ann Lambkin. They or other members of the family lived there from some time before 1901 (census) and at least 1929 when my mother took my father to visit on his 21st birthday. My mother grew up in the middle of London and she always remembered her visits to Swanley with pleasure. She described No. 5: Hop Kiln Cottages were set back from the road, only a rough pathway leading through orchards to the old oast houses and cottages for the workers. No. 5 Hop Kiln Cottages had only two rooms up and two rooms down and no running water. There was a well outside, shared by all living nearby, with a capstan helping to bring up the rather milky water. A bucket of water was kept indoors. The floor was of stone flags and cooking was done on a range. The garden was large and plenty of vegetables were grown and there was an orchard behind it. It was necessary to go through the garden to the back to reach the toilet. Jessie subsequently worked in a convalescent hospital in Swanley where she met her husband, Henry Spencer, who was recuperating after an operation.
I also notice that you published a book about the men who died during World War One. My grandmother's brother, William Lambkin, was killed in 1915 and his name is on your War Memorial. I was told that he was expected to come home on leave in July 1915 and the family went to the railway station to greet him, only to find out that he had been killed.
We were able to supply her with these 2 photos and a copy of our Book on the Swanley War Memorial WW1 featuring William Lambkin.
Marion Williams has contacted us as looking for information about Hop Kiln Cottages she discovered our website on line.
She writes:
I have been looking on the internet to see if I could find photos or information about Hop Kiln Cottages in Swanley. I came upon your website and noticed that during your meeting in January 2017, there was a photo of the cottages shown. I am interested in them since my grandmother as a young woman lived in No. 5. She was Jessie Lambkin and her parents were George and Mary Ann Lambkin. They or other members of the family lived there from some time before 1901 (census) and at least 1929 when my mother took my father to visit on his 21st birthday. My mother grew up in the middle of London and she always remembered her visits to Swanley with pleasure. She described No. 5: Hop Kiln Cottages were set back from the road, only a rough pathway leading through orchards to the old oast houses and cottages for the workers. No. 5 Hop Kiln Cottages had only two rooms up and two rooms down and no running water. There was a well outside, shared by all living nearby, with a capstan helping to bring up the rather milky water. A bucket of water was kept indoors. The floor was of stone flags and cooking was done on a range. The garden was large and plenty of vegetables were grown and there was an orchard behind it. It was necessary to go through the garden to the back to reach the toilet. Jessie subsequently worked in a convalescent hospital in Swanley where she met her husband, Henry Spencer, who was recuperating after an operation.
I also notice that you published a book about the men who died during World War One. My grandmother's brother, William Lambkin, was killed in 1915 and his name is on your War Memorial. I was told that he was expected to come home on leave in July 1915 and the family went to the railway station to greet him, only to find out that he had been killed.
We were able to supply her with these 2 photos and a copy of our Book on the Swanley War Memorial WW1 featuring William Lambkin.