Libraries & Archives A bite sized piece of history BLACK FRIDAY 27 th September 1940 Foster Street then and now

 At the height of the Battle of Britain, on Friday 27 th September 1940, Maidstone suffered its worst single air raid.  The raid began at 11.55am with very little warning.  Over 50 high explosive, oil and incendiary bombs blasted a line across Maidstone, stretching from Sandling to the Loose Road. ‘Forrester’s Arms’ Knightrider Street

Bombs fell on, or near, Monckton Avenue, Springfield Avenue, Springfield House, Hope Street, Calder Road, Lushington Road, Sandling Road, Maidstone East station, Brenchley Gardens, Week Street, Rose Yard, High Street, Foster Street, Brunswick Street, George Street, Orchard Street, Rawdon Road, Woodville Road, Square Hill Road, Mote Road and Loose Road. Civil Defence war diary.

 The picturesque gatehouse to Brenchley Gardens was badly damaged and the adjoining gardener’s cottage reduced to rubble. Fortunately the gardener's wife was rescued some hours later.  A bomb which fell at the foot of St. Faith’s church split the clock tower from top to bottom, uprooted shrubs and twisted the iron railings into fantastic shapes.  The Week Street business premises of ‘Hills and Steele’ was hit by an incendiary bomb which set fire to clothing, hats, and toys. Brenchley Gardens gatehouse

Maidstone Police report Md/Hp/C  A large bomb fell on Walls ice cream depot in Hope Street, which was next door to the temporary fire station occupied by the Auxiliary Fire Service. Mr. Larkin, who kept a boot-repairing shop opposite, was killed by the blast. Normally he took cover in the public air raid shelter but on this occasion he had a customer in his shop.  Mrs. Payne, landlady of the Dragoon public house, had a lucky escape. She had just left her bedroom when it was destroyed by a bomb.  A delayed action bomb crashed through the roof of the Forrester's, Arms public house in Knightrider Street. It later exploded, claiming the lives of those attempting to defuse it.

 In total, Black Friday brought casualties and 22 deaths to Maidstone. The youngest fatality was just 9 months old.  Although Black Friday was the heaviest it was not the only raid on Maidstone during the Battle of Britain. 53 people were killed in just 2 months.  Incidents like these were taking place in every town and city across Kent as our nation battled for its very survival. 4 staff were killed when a high explosive bomb struck the Eastgate and Chamberlain factory on Sandling Road. A memorial plaque to remember the victims hung in the old factory until the building was demolished. Today the plaque can be seen at Maidstone museum.

 We hope you have enjoyed this ‘History Bite’.  If you would like to discover more please go to: /history_collections/history_bites.aspx /history_collections/history_bites.aspx