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 &  A brief look back at Sheerness as it was in the 1950's including pictures of the time.  | ||||
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Last change: July 2003 - 1958 pictures added The closure of HM DOCKYARD SHEERNESS & WILDFIRE (it lost its HMS in 1950) was set in train in 1958 and brought to an end the town's and the Isle of Sheppey's association with the RN that started in the times of Henry VIII.  This is 1 of 4 pictures taken in 1958 that Janet Franklin has sent me. You can see them - with a note from Gordon Hamer - on the picture page. (Button at bottom of page) We used to drip about the long road journey out to Sheerness and/or the boat trip from Gillingham Pier to there but it was a place of unique buildings within the establishments and some decent pubs outside. Who could forget the covered parade square in 'WILDFIRE' or the compactness of the Dockyard where the work of the day was so often, but not solely, concentrated on submarines and survey vessels. There also were the Rifle Ranges synonymous with the name 'Trickett'.  WILDFIRE - Christmas 1958 ? (Pic from Janet Franklin) I was there at the time they were demolishing the CinC's house and remember seeing bathroom suites, containing the finest paintings of flowers within their glazing, being removed. What price now in a building materials salvage yard?  Garrison Point at twilight Today the area is a commercial port operated by Medway Port Authority with little left of the RN days except perhaps the familiar Garrison Point buildings - where we tide-watched for surveys - on the Medway/Thames corner.  Site of pedestrian entrance to Dockyard Outside the wall, which remains in total down Blue Town High Street, there is still the 'Red Lion' and round the corner at the bottom the 'Jolly Sailor' is still open for business but gone is the Crown & Anchor and much else including any sight of the river from there.
 Dockyard Church
The approach road to the dockyard is still the entrance to the docks and just outside their barrier on the left lies the Church and 'Naval Terrace' The latter dwellings are occupied but the Church appears unused and overgrown as the pictures above and below show.
 'Naval Terrace' For those who arrived and departed by train the station remains almost the same but would you believe the Railway Hotel outside is now called 'The Fiddler's Cat'. Ah well times change but the Clock Tower is still there in the middle of town showing the time ticking away. A notable event in my time in 'WILDFIRE' came one night when a ruckus amongst a group woke up the mess to see one member in some 'distress'. He was soon removed and we later heard he had expired. His demise was attributed to the consumption of a liberal amount of 'Thawpit' a well known cleaning fluid of those days and perhaps cheaper than the more popular and normal spirits! A sad end indeed to a run ashore. Sadly time erases names but another 'oppo' left on his motor bike for a long weekend at home in Norfolk and never came back on Monday morning having been killed in a road accident.
There were always plusses and minuses!
The Royal Navy departed Sheerness on the 31st of March 1960. Another five years would have seen its three hundredth anniversary. Ah well!
 8/00-(100)  
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