My Secret Dartford

Charles Newman Kidd was born in 1844, West Sussex. He  learnt the brewing trade at the Holmes and Styles Medway brewery.  Some time before 1870 he bought the Oak Brewery on Hythe Street from William Miskin. In 1890 the brewery was expanded and renamed the Steam Brewery.  From February 1920 the business was known as C N Kidds & Sons Ltd.  In 1937 the brewery was bought and sold by Courage and brewing ceased.  The brewery was demolished in 1937. C.N. Kidd Esq., Steam Brewery, Dartford, Kent. Brewers’ Journal 15th October 1890 Source: Brewery History Society Another business that Kidd was involved in was brick making.  He had two brick earth pits, one of which in Shepherds Lane.    It is thought the mine closed in around 1912 and subsequently the brick earth pits were used as two rubbish dumps for Kids brewery in town.  In 1920  council workers entered the mines  and made a small tunnel to intercept a well shaft.  A drain connecting the surface water sewers of Shepherds Lane was let i

Lt-Col Charles Newman Kidd J.P   In 1903 Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Newman Kidd offered five acres of land to be developed by the town into recreational grounds with the condition that it be used 'in perpetuity as a public recreation ground and for no other purpose whatsoever'. Dartford Council  consequently  opened the area as  'Central Recreational Ground' to the public in June 1905. Ceremonially, there was a procession from outside the council offices to the park entrance at Lowfield street  and Kidd was presented with a silver key to unlock the gates. Dartford Volunteer Silver Band performed on the original bandstand in celebration. In 1910 the park grew when Bank House on the high street was converted into council offices.  A large part of its garden was added to the park.  In 1915 the council expanded the grounds further purchasing 16 acres of meadows bordering the river Darent.  It opened to the public in May 1916 but closed shortly after due to a lack of staff r