Sergeant Thomas Harris VC MM blue plaque project

Sergeant Thomas Harris VC MM blue plaque project

Halling Historical Society is delighted to have raised the necessary funds to instal an historic blue plaque on 79 High Street, Lower Halling, which is the house from which our village World War One hero, Sergeant Thomas Harris VC MM enlisted in the army aged 22 in 1914.

Most of the money has come from Harris family members. The plaque is now in draft design, after discussions with the manufacturer. The Society will arrange a Saturday afternoon unveiling. However, of course this unveiling is in limbo during the current lockdown and has to be put off until at least into the spring of 2021.

The plan is to invite Harris family members to the unveiling, and all contributors, plus the Mayor of Medway, representatives of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (successor to Thomas’s regiment The Royal West Kent Regiment), the VC/MM Association, the Parish Council, our Medway Council member, Medway Archives Centre, Snodland Museum, Halling Gardening Society as a contributor, MCL, and the WI.

There will be a small tea party in the Community Centre to commemorate the unveiling. Halling Sapphires WI has kindly offered to help arrange this. The local builders MCL, have kindly agreed to fit the plaque without charge.

Unfortunately, the Society got it wrong in the original information about the appeal. Many of the several historical records, including military, refer to 79 High Street as Thomas’s birthplace - some even say Malling or Snodland. This put the Society on the wrong track. It’s now known from family members, and the Society has also got a copy of Thomas’s birth certificate from Medway Records Office, that Thomas was actually born at 5 Monarch Hill Terrace, Upper Halling, which was off the top of Browndens Road. The whole road is long demolished. By the 1901 census, Thomas had moved to 4 Malvern Terrace, which it’s thought was along Essex Road, but not known exactly where (can someone can help with more information?). Then by age 18 in 1910 (but not known exactly which year?), Thomas had moved to 6 Manor Terrace, which in the late 1900s became 79 High Street, from where Thomas enlisted in 1914, aged 22.

The Historical Society will still welcome learning of Harris family members who can be invited to the unveiling gathering, so if you know of some who have not made contact with HHS please encourage them to contact hallinghistorical@gmail.com .