DARTFORD

Green Street, Green Lane, Dartford, Kent

(Location was first identified as on The Oakfield Park Estate)

For non-local residents, it is sometimes suggested that when the town of Dartford is mentioned, our thoughts are immediately triggered towards the Dartford crossing, a huge structure spanning the River Thames, which links the M25 Orbital motorway roughly twenty miles east of London city centre.

The town of Dartford itself lies within the boundaries of the orbital motorway, although the A282 which links the M25 together in that area is roughly one mile to the east of the town. It is common knowledge that Dartford is classed as a town in the county of Kent, but due to its location found within the boundaries of the M25, the venue has been classed as London venue due to the website’s border cut off point.

It is researching through old archive newspaper that reports confirm that greyhound racing once took place in the Borough of Dartford during the early 1930’s. Further investigation finds that the sport may have taken place at a location closer to the village of Wilmington located about a mile south of Dartford.

The location was known as The Oakfield Park Estate, which appears to be a vast sportsfield which was home to a cricket pitch, tennis courts and also adaptable to host other sports. This venue seemingly presently still exists, and lies adjacent to the A2, and is clearly visible to the north of the busy link road (see below).

However, the exact positioning of the track according to the betting license application made on 18th March 1935, the venue was situated “on Green Street, Green Road, Dartford…. bounded on the north side by Dartford Rugby Football Ground on the east side of Green Street, Green Road… and bounded by a pig farm on the south side… and by a farm on the west side”.

A press cutting printed in the Daily Mirror of June 1930 suggests the venue would be ready to stage events at the end of August 1930.

No official opening date has yet been found, although further press cuttings suggest that events were still taking place during 1935 and maybe after.

Two recent aerial pictures of the area shows Green Street Green Road (the AB260) but does little to give a clear indication where the 1930s Dartford greyhound racing track was situated. It appears the Dartford Rugby ground has also long gone.