Canvey Island Archive | History | 21st Century Canvey | The Noughties | Canvey Island's Kynochs Club in Hartfield Parade | A look at what remains of this historical building in 2008

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Canvey Island's Kynochs Club in Hartfield Parade

A look at what remains of this historical building in 2008

Investigation by Stephen & David Bullock

Hartfield Parade in Feb 2008 taken from the War Memorial Hall

Opposite Canvey's War Memorial Hall is an old parade of shops that was once known as Hartfield Parade. It was named after an early Canvey Island Urban District Councillor Morris Hartfield. The CIUDC used to meet in this building before new Council Offices were constructed in Long Road.

Hartfield Parade - Kynochs Club Sign & Door (Click photo for larger image & use your BACK button to return to this page)

A keen eye will spot an old faded sign above the shops in the centre of the Parade (Click Photo left). It looks like it originaly said 'COSY CLUB' but the last coat of paint still proudly announces KYNOCH'S CLUB. Below the sign there is a pair of old blue painted doors that were once the entrance to the club. Now the short corridor ends in a more recently constructed wall as the rear of the building is now derelict.

Behind Hartfield Parade where the ruins of the Kynochs club can still be found

Kynoch's club was probably named after the Kynoch's dynamite works that was located where the Coryton Oil Refinery (Kynoch Town) now stands. The Kynoch company originally had a Hotel near the Lobstersmack. I understand Bill 'Nigger' Adams owned Kynochs Club, also being the owner the the Canvey Club which remains at Smallgains corner to this day.

Through the double doors and looking left, the old Toilets are to the right

Thanks to the current shop owners we explored the rear of the parade. As it will be completely overgrown in the summer we made use of a cold winter Sunday to examine what remains amongst the undergrowth.

Kynochs Club: Remains of old Toilets

Most of the original wooden floor that would have been around 2ft off the ground has gone but parts of its brick support pillars & foundations remain. We also found the remains of two toilet cubicals as seen in the adjacent Photographs.

Kynochs Club: Remains of old Wallpaper & Shelving

The rear of Hartfield Parade has been bricked up including what were internal doors and windows, leaving a few feet of the remains of the original wooden roof and walls stranded outside. This is illustrated in the adjacent photographs.

Unbelieveably you can still see some of the origional fading wallpaper on what remains of the wall as well as the remains of shelving, light fittings etc.

* * *

Maureen Buckmaster recently sent in the following memories of the club (my comments in italics) ....

Rear wall of Hartfield Parade inc bricked up entrance

"The Kynochs had two bars, you went through the front doors [Double Blue?] then in through more double doors into a large room with a bar counter, which continued round into a smaller bar in the left hand corner by the door. At the far end of the room was a stage which I seem to remember had a door on the right that led outside [where the concrete steps are?]. In this large bar were also a couple of billiards tables. The second, much smaller bar had a a couple of doors leading to toilets in it. I was only ever allowed to go into that bar if I needed the toilet, otherwise I stayed in the large room. There was a piano by the door that led into the smaller bar and my mother often used to play and sing there (I think that's where I also first sang when I was about five or six!)"

Old Concrete Steps perhaps marking the rear exit

A section with a few older Photographs I have of this Parade are in the History section under Clubs & Schools HERE. Here I hope to include more information about this building and club.

If you have any information on Hartfield Parade, Clr Morris Hartfield or Kynoch's club, please leave a message below, on the Forum , or email this website.

This page was added by David Bullock on 15/02/2008.

Comments about this page

I remember the place well. It was owned by Nigger Adams. We used the hall for training as boxers. Myself, Marcus Maybanks and a few others. On occasions Pat Thain, who boxed as a proffessional also trained there. Nigger the owner was a great character, a one of. A book could be filled with stories about him. More later. regards to all

By Canvey Joe
On 21/04/2008

Hello
My name is Alan Thain and I am the son of Pat Thain, dad passed away in Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada in 1997 at he age of 79. I would love to converse with anyone who remembers my dad. I have plenty of information about Dad after we left Canvey in 1953 for Canada. Thank you.

By Alan Thain
On 29/08/2009

I remember coming into the kynochs with my nan Mrs Dowler they had a full size billiard table in the big hall, I can remember the men used to put the poker into the big open fire, and then into there beer when it was red hot, as there was no central heating in them days, I remember Rosa that used to sing in the bar the song went as follows/ LETS ALL BE HAPPY, LETS ALL BE GAY, also some of the people, Mrs Dent.,Mrs Buckmaster and her husband, Nigger bought the club from Charlie Neal the bookmaker, I am now 76 so I am going back a lot of years, I remember the steps at the back the doors would be open in the summer, I think Niggers sister used to run it but cant remember her name I think it was Lil, I remember we used to walk home from the club to the Point in the middle of the road with a torch picking out the white line in the middle of the road, there was no lamp lights in those days, as there was a black out.

By John Cousins
On 08/12/2012