People - Kemnal Road, Chislehurst

People who lived here

Hutton Family group outside Westerland — Hutton family outside Westerland

During the 140 years or so that Kemnal Road has been a residential road, a great many people have come to live here.

The longest continuous life on the road that we have found appears to be Mrs Sheila Harding, who lived at Woodheath Cottage for 54 years. Frank Tiarks lived here from 1877 until 1937, but spent considerable time between 1913 and 1923 living in other parts of Chislehurst or in London.

There will have been many very short stays. Servants would come and go at very short notice, and at any one time between 1880 and 1914 there would have been more than 100 servants, often numbering more than the members of the family they were serving and many of the houses had estate workers working their grounds. An analysis of the numbers and costs of domestic servants in Kemnal Road in 1890 can be found here.

Given the nature and the location of the road, and especially the grandness of most of the original properties, it is not surprising that the road has seen its fair share of interesting people who are featured in the description of their properties. We have researched the lives of a number of these residents in more detail, and you can find out more about them by clicking on their names. They include:

Major John Lawrence Benthall, Holly Bowers

Bishop Harold Bilbrough, Nizels

Harold Clifton, South Lodge

Sir Hugh Fraser, Selwood

Peter Harding, Woodheath Cottage

Sir Gerald Berkeley Hurst KC, Hoblands

Sir James Kemnal, Kemnal Manor

Cyril Hugh Kinder, Hoblands

Sir Archibald McDonald, Kemnal Manor

Major Sir Philip Margetson, Meadowcroft

Harold Molins, Mulbarton Court

Sir Walter Murton, Meadowcroft