Harrietsham Road Names

HARRIETSHAM HISTORY SOCIETY

A number of people have asked me and I am sure people who have moved in to the new houses will be interested to know why certain names have been used for the road names on the two new developments in the village. In both cases the History Society were approached by the Parish Council to suggest some local/historical names which might be used and after some research we put forward some suggestions which included some of the names of those who had served and lost their lives in WW1.  

Firstly the old CTRL site on the A20

SOUTHFIELDS WAY – WAS TAKEN FROM THE ALEXANDER BOTTLE MAP DATED 1728 AS MOST OF THE LAND HAD A SOUTHFIELDS CONNECTION (LITTLE SOUTHFIELD, LONG SOUTHFIELD & GREAT SOUTHFIELD).

FIELD CLOSE – AFTER PRIVATE HERBERT FRANK FIELD WHO DIED IN 1914 HIS PARENTS WERE PUBLICANS OF THE BANK HOUSE, WEST STREET.

BUCKINGHAM DRIVE – AFTER MAJOR AUBREY WEBSTER BUCKINGHAM WHO DIED IN 1914 HE LIVED AT STEDE COURT

MILLS COURT – AFTER SERGEANT EDWARD THOMAS MILLS WHO DIED IN 1918 HE LIVED IN WEST STREET

MATHEWS AVENUE – AFTER CAPTAIN JOHN BRICE MATHEWS WHO DIED IN 1917 HE LIVED AT THE SCHOOL HOUSE AND WAS SON OF JOHN MATHEWS HEAD MASTER OF HARRIETSHAM SCHOOL.

Church Road/East Street site

ARMISTICE WAY – ARMISTICE WAS SUGGESTED AS THE PEACE CELEBRATIONS IN 1919 WERE CELEBRATED IN ALMSHOUSE MEADOW BEHING THE ALMSHOUSES.

SEAL DRIVE – AFTEER PRIVATE GEORGE SEAL WHO DIED IN 1918 HE LIVED IN FORGE MEADOW

TUPPER CLOSE – AFTER LIEUTENANT HAROLD TUPPER WHO DIED IN 1918 HIS PARENTS WERE PUBLICANS AT THE ROEBUCK

PARKS ROAD –AFTER PRIVATE GEORGE PARKS WHO DIED IN 1915 HE LIVED IN EAST STREET

YOUNG LANE – AFTER PRIVATE DANIEL HERBERT YOUNG WHO DIED IN 1917 HE LIVED IN WEST STREET.

BRUNGER CLOSE – AFTER PRIVATE ARTHUR WILLIAM BRUNGER WHO DIED IN 1915 HE LIVED IN EAST STREET

NORRIS WALK – AFTER PRIVATE WALTER WILLIAM NORRIS WHO DIED IN 1915 HE LIVED IN FORGE MEADOW

MAIDSTONE BOROUGH COUNCIL DECIDED CHURCH ROAD WOULD NO LONGER BE USED ON THIS DEVELOPMENT AS THERE TENDS TO BE CONFUSION WITH THE A20 CUTTING THE ROAD IN TWO & DECIDED THE TOP HALF WOULD BE ARMISTICE WAY AND THE BOTTOM HALF AN EXTENSION TO EAST STREET.

ALL OF THE MEN LISTED ABOVE DIED DURING THE FIRST WORLD WAR AND FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING THEM CAN BE FOUND IN OUR 2ND BOOK ‘THE LOST LIVES OF HARRIETSHAM 1914 -1918’