The Higham-Strood tunnel showing the Strood entrance to the combined canal/rail tunnel. North Kent Railway. Date of drawing 1845. [Click on image to enlarge it.]
Rob Poole who provided the image of unknown provenance above points out that “The station at Higham has a number of literary connections, firstly with Charles Dickens who had his home at nearby Gads Hill place and was a frequent visitor. In 1864 the Swiss chalet he received as a Christmas present was delivered here in crates for erection at his home. The station was also used by Dickens literary friends, including Hans Christian Anderson when he stayed at Gads Hill for 5 weeks, 3 weeks over his invitation. The station was also the scene of a special train for his daughter Kate’s marriage in 1860, and was the start of Dickens funeral journey to Westminster Abbey in 1870.” In addition, “Higham was woven into one of the Sherlock Holmes short stories by that other literary giant, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In his 1894 short story “The Adventure of the Golden Pince Nez” he has Holmes alight at Higham on his way to see Professor Coram at the fictitious Yoxley Old Place.”
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Last modified 23 December 2015