Corkes Meadow
Corkes Meadow (aka Corkes Pit) was a gypsy camp behind the gas works along Sevenoaks Way near the bottom of Leeson Hill. Said to be the largest gypsy camp in Europe, it was owned by Bill Corke who rented it out to the gypsies who provided seasonal workers for hop and soft fruit farms in Kent.
By the 1950’s there were 300 travellers living there full time.
It was closed (I think in the 1970’s) and the community moved to Star Lane.
In 1951 Picture Post photographer visited the site and Bert Hardy captured his black and white photos were published in an article entitled The Unromantic Gypsies (see below).
I have other photographs taken at about the same time (1952 – 54) and they can be seen via the second link below.
