Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

anniexf wrote:I was born in Brenchley, Paddock Wood, in a house called Moatlands. Sounds posh but pregnant mums from Sarf Lundern were evacuated to the country to give birth in those days because of the bombing. This house was, I believe, requisitioned by the Ministry of Whatever; I don't know whose it was. Anyone got any clues?

Extraordinary, so was I.

Moatlands is a golf club! Out in the country between Brenchley and PW.

Website says course is now closed - I think it happened just before we moved, c. 2008/9. Not sure what has happened to it.

http://www.aim25.ac.uk/cgi-bin/vcdf/det ... nst_id=118 has the history of the hospital. http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/174386 has a photo of the house. http://www.geograph.org.uk/snippet/5120 has more pics.
All three of my children were born about 3 miles away in Pembury Hospital.

Sally, thank you so much for all your research! Now I can add those vital background details & pics to my Ancestry profile. I assume it was because we came under Lewisham that my mother was evacuated to Moatlands. I remember her describing the house, in particular having to climb the stairs to get to the labour ward - it seemed such a long way and she had to stop for breath during contractions; now I can see what she meant! She also said it was in the middle of nowhere and she only had one visitor, her sister, for the entire fortnight. My father was abroad with the Army.

jhopgood wrote:

anniexf wrote:I was born in Brenchley, Paddock Wood, in a house called Moatlands.

Extraordinary, so was I.

Small world, John - or do I mean spooky?!

Glad to be of service!

anniexf wrote: I assume it was because we came under Lewisham that my mother was evacuated to Moatlands. I remember her describing the house, in particular having to climb the stairs to get to the labour ward - it seemed such a long way and she had to stop for breath during contractions; now I can see what she meant!

jhopgood wrote:

anniexf wrote:I was born in Brenchley, Paddock Wood, in a house called Moatlands.

Extraordinary, so was I.

Small world, John - or do I mean spooky?!

I have always found it strange that on passport applications etc, I always put "Tonbridge" as place of birth, when I have never been back. My mother never said much about the place, although it was probably luxury compared to the two rooms that they rented on Woolwich Road.
What has intrigued me, from a coincidence point of view, is that I have traced my ancestors (1784) back to Boughton Monchelsea, which is only about 10 miles from Paddock Wood.
Small world indeed.

jhopgood wrote: I have always found it strange that on passport applications etc, I always put "Tonbridge" as place of birth, when I have never been back. My mother never said much about the place, although it was probably luxury compared to the two rooms that they rented on Woolwich Road.
What has intrigued me, from a coincidence point of view, is that I have traced my ancestors (1784) back to Boughton Monchelsea, which is only about 10 miles from Paddock Wood.
Small world indeed.

John, your post made strange reading for me, as I was born in Woolwich, and now live in the next village along from Boughton Monchelsea - it's about a 1-minute drive from me! Paddock Wood is about a 10-minute drive

Which village are you in? We nearly bought a pub in Chart Sutton about 7 years ago.

Coxheath

My twin Aunts were fostered out to Lenham before WWII and never returned. (My grandmother died, hence the fostering). One aunt married and lived in Harrietsham and now lives in Bearsted.
My ancestors left the area for Plumstead around 1820.