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| About our town | Questions on Sittingbourne in WWI 1914 - 1918 | ||
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On
this page - your enquiries and some of your answers on
WWI
Australian Billets Whitehall Hospital Munitions workers? Zeppelin Raid see also our personal histories pages
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Australian Billets - enq 133 I’m trying to trace my great grandfather who was an Australian Serviceman billeted in Sittingbourne during World War One. Do you know how I might find out which regiments were stationed in the area and even which soldiers were billeted in which houses ? Matt Hewitt
AA gun at Conyer |
Whitehall Hospital - enq 184
I have in my possession a photograph of the
staff of the Whitehall Hospital circa approximately 1914-1920. I believe
this to have been taken in Kent and would be very grateful if you could
shed any light on this hospital. If you wish, I can scan the photograph
and forward it to you.
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enq 177 - Extract (see Buildings & Streets) "I was born in Deal (Kent) until 1918 I lived at Sittingbourne where I can remember many incidents mostly about World War 1. This is because there was an Army Camp nearby called Gore Court Park and the soldiers passed through on their way to France, starting with the Dublin Fusiliers. We had air raids by huge cigar shaped balloons called Zeppelins and one night I watched a street where I had lived previously blown down like a pack of cards. In 1916 we purchased a business in the High St consisting of a sweet and confectionery shop and a Cafe above. The cafe was one very large room where I used to sit outside in my pyjamas and listen to the various army performers singing, (I was supposed to be in bed). The first school I can remember was Ufton Lane Infants, where I played with trays of sand and small shells and wrote on a slate with pencils. The next school was Pembury Street where I remember dancing to the piano and the tune at the time was Irving Berlins 'Everybody's doing it'."  Unity Street, after raid night of 4 June 1915 |
Munitions ? Workers - enq 220 My relations came from Sittingbourne - The Milgates, and I have a picture of my grandmother as a young girl in a uniform of some sort, and wondered whether this could be identified, as I was told that it was clothing used in the ammunition industry, but do not know if there was such a factory in Sittingbourne. It was taken just before or during WW1.  My grandfather worked as a brickmaker, according to the 1901 census, so I was very interested in your article on brickmaking industry. What a wealth of information can be found on the internet, due to your dedicated work. Any help in identifying the clothing worn in the photo would be much appreciated. Rosemarie Broad
Rosemarie:
Ref the above I have managed to identify the uniform worn by your grandmother and possible place of work.
There is a picture on
www.sittingbournemill.co.uk
showing girls at work wearing uniforms that match the clothing worn in
the photo.
Shirley, SHM  |
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