Home   Gravesend   News   Article

Heritage arts project

Between 1932 and 1935, Clays dismantled the old Christ Church in Parrock Street, seen here, and rebuilt it piece by piece in Old Road East.
Between 1932 and 1935, Clays dismantled the old Christ Church in Parrock Street, seen here, and rebuilt it piece by piece in Old Road East.

Between 1932 and 1935, Clays dismantled the old Christ Church in Parrock Street, seen here, and rebuilt it piece by piece in Old Road East.

A heritage arts project is asking people to share their memories of Gravesham buildings over the last 100 years.

Kent Architecture Centre has been given £45,000 by the Heritage Lottery Fund to work with award-winning Gravesend practice Clay Architecture on Making Places, Changing People.

Project organisers are hoping to meet past employees of the firm, people who remember the changes that have taken place in the area and have stories to share and anyone with photographs, documents or drawings they are willing to donate to the project or let organisers make copies of.

Chris Lamb, of the Kent Architecture Centre, Chatham, said: "We are delighted to receive the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund. We want to hear people’s memories.

"Do you remember going to the Majestic with your friends and always sitting in a particular seat? Can you remember when Christ Church was moved, did you have a favourite pub that’s no longer there or has changed a lot?"

Clay Architecture will add items from its own archives to the project and donate the results of Making Places, Changing People to Gravesend Library.

The project will concentrate mainly, but not exclusively, on three themes – leisure, mostly involving pubs, work, including industrial buildings and the moving of Christ Church in the 1930s.

A website will gradually emerge as the project develops and the work will culminate in workshops with schools and colleges, a DVD, a roving pop-up history exhibition in early summer and the finished website.

Kasan Goh took over Clay Architecture with his wife and fellow director Camilla Prizeman in 2000.

He said: "In 2011 we decided to get in contact with ex-partners and employees of the practice. We had a dinner and all the old guys started telling stories and bringing us old drawings and photos.

"It gave us the idea to do a history project. It’s about the history of the buildings but also the human stories connected to them."

Clay Architecture has been working in Medway and Gravesham since 1904, originally as the George Clay Partnership when George Edward Clay opened the office in King Street, Gravesend.

His sons later joined him and the family business – which also had offices in Rochester from the 1950s until a few years ago – built banks, pubs, churches, houses, schools and industrial buildings throughout the 20th Century.

Between 1932 and 1935, Clays dismantled the old Christ Church in Parrock Street and rebuilt it piece by piece in Old Road East, seen below.

Between 1932 and 1935, Clays dismantled the old Christ Church in Parrock Street and rebuilt it piece by piece in Old Road East.
Between 1932 and 1935, Clays dismantled the old Christ Church in Parrock Street and rebuilt it piece by piece in Old Road East.

The company also built the Majestic Cinema in King Street, which was destroyed by fire in 2006, and Capital County Bank in New Road, which later became Lloyds.

To volunteer to share stories or materials email ireneseijo@live.co.uk, call Irene on 07827 859269 or write to, or visit, Clay Architecture Ltd, Fourth Floor, 129-130 Windmill Street, Gravesend, DA12 1BL.

Close This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies.Learn More