Paddock Wood, Measuring The Hops c.1950

Photo ref: P220008

Not sure how long I went with my grandparents, then when they passed away my parents, but I was born in 1941 and I know we were still going there until we migrated to Australia in 1961. We 'lived' in the first hut on the right as we walked over a small bridge onto the common, double storey, and mattresses of straw which I think was provided to fill the 'ticks'. I can remember 'The Brown Brothers', jumping into ...see more

I too remember as a child visiting Paddock Wood with my nan, every year we would all pile into the back of a lorry and set of to the hop field. What wonderful memories, days I will never forget. We all came from Chiswick. Is there anybody else out there from the Chiswick area who went hop picking? If so, get in touch, thanks.

Paddock Wood, in particular Beltring, the home of the famous Whitebread Oasts, was the centre of the Hop Gardens of Kent. The Gardens were set out with rows of elevated wire tressles which were supported at intervals by poles. In the spring, from each hop plant, which was cut back to ground level every year, the shoots were trained up, known as "twiddling". A new hop twine which was tied to a metal hook in the ground ...see more