Right ... here we are again. Having, apparently, neglected my blogs for a while (due to my attention being required elsewhere) I thought I had better add something meaningful to get back into the habit.

The redevelopment of Chatham town centre is still progressing and, at last, the old library 'shed' has been demolished. The Globe Lane car park is being extended near to the riverside and it seems that a clever game of combining private vehicle parking and heavy plant working in the same area could produce some large insurance claims at some point.

For those who remember the library building (see earlier photo), I have taken another one today from the same spot ... give or take a few miles!

OK! A funny thing happened to me in Chatham today. As you may remember, I am interested in 'over the shop-window' architecture. I am hoping to raise the awareness and eyes of the general public by publishing photographs of examples of 'extras' on the faces of buildings. I also want to provide a little bit of the history of the area and the buildings. I am concentrating on Chatham because the town (part of the city) is going through a 'renaissance' at present and there is always a chance that something important will disappear overnight. I have already missed some unique features in, or near, Gillingham High Street.
Next door to Woolworth in Chatham is a bookshop which has recently lost its own identity and become part of the Waterstone chain. I looked to see if they had any books in their local section which might help with my research, secretly suspecting that I really need to go to the historical archives in Strood. There were a couple of books that might have been useful but I considered £15.99-ish to possess two or three photographs was a bit exorbitant.
An assistant, for want of a better description, was standing quite close to me but behind a desk. I asked if there were any books on the subject of local shop buildings and decorations. I felt as though I had addressed him in Chinese-Arabic. I've always had a feeling that if someone worked in a book shop, they would have a passing interest in most subjects and would show a bit of interest if an unusual request came their way. How many people have asked about architectural detail and shop-history in one day? His reply was along the lines of "No, we don't have anything like that! I don't think we would carry it anyway!'
I explained that if people raised their eyes above the window-level they ... he interrupted my discourse with "I don't raise my eyes in Chatham ... it's so depressing!"
I asked if he knew where the art-deco elephants were in Chatham (about 100 metres from the shop). "No and I don't think I'm that interested!"
I left the shop with a determination to write an article or book on this very subject so all was not lost.
My thoughts as I left the shop were unprintable so I shall stop now.

A great piece of detailing on the face of the Old Post Office in Chatham. In heraldic terms, it would be called a 'supporter'... (I think!)

A magnificent building in Chatham which used to be the Post Office. Now it serves a different kind customer as it has been converted into a pub.

The preserved 'skeleton' of another former workshop in the Dockyard. As far as I know, I believe this is the only Listed Framework in the country ... but I may be wrong. It wouldn't be the first time!

Dockside Factory Outlet ... based in one of the converted workshops of Chatham Dockyard. This is part of the re-development of Chatham Maritime.

The remains of Chatham Library after it's closure due to fire.
It has been transferred to a building about a hundred yards away on the site of the Gun Wharf, formerly part of the Dockyard.

Holy Trinity Church, Twydall, Gillingham, Kent
...
In 1948 most of the Twydall area was orchards and farmland. Now it is a large housing estate stretching from (as far as I'm concerned) Featherby Road to Pump Lane. From there it becomes known as Rainham ... but these are 'moveable feasts' .
This church was the subject of a lot of discussion and seems to have been designed to echo the shape of an oast house. Oast houses were used for drying hops for the brewing industry. The phrase 'Thirst after righteousness' springs to mind!

This is an example of what I call 'architectural graffiti'.

This particular piece can be found within the Chatham Historic Dockyard and was probably executed during the latter half of the nineteenth century. John Shirley was taking a bit of a risk by 'defacing a building in one of Her Majesty's Dockyards' .

You may see this one on the wall of the ropery. Warning, the ropery is a quarter of a mile long ... happy hunting!

Art Deco elephant heads on the Halifax Bank in Chatham. The building was originally Burton's tailoring which had a snooker hall over top (as most of them did). It was also the venue for National Service medicals ... " bend over, cough" ...
Ask local people where they can see elephants in Chatham and most of them don't know. If only they would look upwards! There is a nice deco frieze up there as well.

A section of the frieze which adorns the two sides of the building. Simple in design but very effective.

How to turn a design through ninety degees and still retain its integrity!
"The elephants went in two-by-two".
What a wonderful piece of masonry high above Military Road in Chatham.