Canvey Island's Kynochs Club in Hartfield Parade

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.

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.

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.

Unbelievably you can still see some of the original 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 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.

Kynochs Club: Remains of old Wallpaper & Shelving

(c) David Bullock

Kynochs Club: Remains of old Toilets

(c) David Bullock