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Note left by brickies 66 years ago is unearthed as shop in Twydall, near Gillingham, undergoes transformation into homes

A note left by brickies more than 60 years ago has been unearthed at a shop that is being turned into homes.

The scrawl was discovered on a piece of plasterboard that had been ripped out from The Six O'Clock Shop in Beechings Way, Twydall, near Gillingham.

A note left by brickies more than 60 years ago has been unearthed as a shop in Twydall undergoes a renovation. Picture: Jamie Elwin
A note left by brickies more than 60 years ago has been unearthed as a shop in Twydall undergoes a renovation. Picture: Jamie Elwin

The note, found last week, read: "Greetings, from the brickies of 1954 to the demolishers of this shop – if it doesn’t fall down in the meantime."

Clearly legible, it continued with a list of names.

"Built in 1954 by K. Hawkes, of Birchington, Charlie Hancock, Jock Brown, Dave Russell, Dave Wickenden, Albert Ingram and Bernard Bracken," it said.

"The roughest crowd of trowel hands that ever lived!"

Sharing the discovery on Facebook – in an attempt to find those who pencilled it – Jamie Elwin, from Twydall, said: "Well it’s been found – 66 years later.

"Please share this piece of history – it may reach them or at least their families."

"You never know, this post may reach those brickies. It would be a great story to hear if it does.

"Please share this piece of history – it may reach them or at least their families."

Jamie shared a picture of the note and the post has since been shared more than 500 times.

Speaking afterwards, the 42-year-old said: "My dad, Malcolm, was on the job with two guys – a bricklayer and his brother. The brother was taking down the chimney breast and found the plasterboard with the writing on it.

"They thought it was a brilliant, interesting find and said it would be good to track these fellas or their families down to let them know."

The Six O'Clock Shop in Beechings Way. Picture: Google
The Six O'Clock Shop in Beechings Way. Picture: Google

She added: "My dad told me and I went to the place they were working and took the photo. I put it on Facebook and it has been shared so many times.

"It would be lovely to hear if any of those brickies are still alive to tell the tale or their families to say 'oh that was my dad or my grandad'."

Planning permission was granted by Medway Council in October last year to transform the building into homes.

Do you know any of the brickies named on the scrawl? If so, email news@thekmgroup.co.uk

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