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Old Brook Pumping Station, was a water pumping station operating in Chatham, Kent from 1929 until 1980. It now survives as a working museum. ==History== In the 16th century, due to an earth dam (between Rochester and Chatham Dockyard), called the 'Land wall'. The ''Old River Bourne'' and its surrounding marshlands were cut off from the River Medway. Between 1575-1610, a tide mill was built on the Brook (the renamed Old River Bourne),close to the River Medway.〔 By 1765, the town of Chatham had increased dramatically and the Brook was now covered by a road. The former marshland was used as area for low-class housing and alleyways.〔 During 1821 and 1823, No.18 The Brook was lived in by Charles Dickens (aged 9).〔 The old river had been changed into culverts, which with cesspits were used to dispose of waste.〔 In 1801, the population of Chatham was 10,505, then by 1901 it had grown to 36,944.〔 But the current drainage culverts had not been updated and they were beginning to fail and the health of the towns people was dropping. Including bouts of Cholera. Also within the River Medway, fish stocks and oyster beds were also failing, according to court leet papers.〔 In 1852, Edward Gotto was employed to carry out the national General Board of Health Survey for the 'General Board of Health' (under the Public Health Act 1848).〔 The survey highlighted the diseases and poor sanitation in the town. This then prompted work to improve the drainage and sewerage of the town. Including brick built sewers and covered culverts.〔 In 1909, a tramway line was running along the course of the old Brook River. In 1920, the 'Rochester and Chatham Joint Sewerage board' was formed and given a seal from the Minister of Heath. The 'Rochester and Chatham Joint Main Drainage scheme' was then developed at a cost (in total) of £650,000.〔 The drainage scheme was officially opened on 4 December 1928. This included a main sewer pipe running under New Road (in Chatham), up to Gillingham and onwards to Motney Hill on the Rainham Marshes (now within the Riverside Country Park). The function of the Old Brook Pumping Station was to lift foul water from the lowest part of Chatham to the main sewer. It was opened in September 1929.〔 The function of the pumping station was taken over in 1979 by a new, fully automatic station (using electric pumps) on the opposite side of the Brook. Which is still in existence. The old Pumping Station is now listed as an ancient monument.(Monument number ME321). It is protected under part 1 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. It is also classified as a Zone 1 Urban Archaeological Zone under the Medway Council planning zones.〔 After being disconnected in 1979, it was sold by the Southern Water Authority to Medway Council for £1. It is now a sister project of the Rochester Guildhall Museum. In 1984, the Medway Industrial Archaeology Group carried out restoration and improvement work on the station and then started opening to the public.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Old Brook Pumping Station」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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