The origins of the Rainham Theatrical Society (RaTS) were in the Rainham, Kent branch of Toc-H (see footnote). Calling themselves The Toc-H Players, they performed their first play, 'Husbands Are A Problem', in 1946 followed, in 1947, by 'Quiet Weekend'.

By this time several new members had joined the group who were not Toc-H members, so it was decided to find a new name and the Rainham Amateur Theatrical Society was born. The first production under this new name was 'Great Day' by Leslie Storm. It was performed in the Co-operative Hall, Rainham on 1st and 3rd December 1948.

They used to meet in the Toc-H rooms over the bakery that used to be just past the bottom of Church Path. When that closed, they rehearsed in an old barn at Upchurch, a few miles away. This often resulted in a long walk home since, at that time, there was only one bus per hour and it rarely coincided with the end of rehearsals. Scenery was also made and stored in the barn. Wallpaper was unobtainable so they made their own, each member being given a stencil to use.

Plays were performed in a variety of venues in the area including St Margaret's Church Hall, Rainham. Proceeds from plays, after deduction of expenses, were donated to charities - the Rainham Darby and Joan club No. 1 (long since closed) was established as a result of donations.

As a group of actors, however, the dream was to have their own theatre. There was an old forge in Upchurch which members cleaned up and built a stage at one end. They rehearsed there but never put on any productions for the public because it was so out of the way that it would not have been viable. Eventually the barn and forge were demolished and an estate was built on the site.

As the years passed, the original members went their own ways but new members joined the society and it continued putting on plays in different venues. Then, in 1961, one of the original members, May Hopkins, saw an advertisement in a local paper that part of an oasthouse complex was for sale in Rainham - suggested use, 'storage space'.

The society formed itself into a limited company and obtained a mortgage to purchase the building that was to become their home. Many long hours were spent converting the building and, on 8th November 1963, the Oasthouse Theatre was officially opened by Irene Weller. The first production was 'Billy Liar' - the dream had become reality.

Since then many improvements have been made for the benefit of our patrons. In addition to the licensed bar, tea bar, and club room (the Green Room), the Society has installed air-conditioning and a stair-lift to the first-floor auditorium. 1999 saw the Society refurbish the seats in the auditorium and several projects have been undertaken each year since. 1999 also saw the removal of the word 'Amateur' from the Society's name with the intention of averting the public's subconscious interpretation of amateur as sub-standard. The seats were completely refurbished again in the summer of 2019, along with a complete overhaul and redecoration of the upstairs foyer and auditorium.

After all, we have a duty to that dedicated band of members who converted the working oasthouse into the first Oasthouse theatre in the world, the intimate and charming Theatre that we have today. We must ensure that their dream remains a reality well into the 21st century.

The Oasthouse Theatre is situated close to the centre of Rainham and is one of several theatres that can be found in the area controlled by the Medway Unitary Authority in North Kent.

The Theatre is one of a complex of oasthouses in Stratford Lane that was purchased by the Rainham Amateur Theatrical Society (as it was then known) in the early 1960s. The oasthouse had been lying dormant for several years and was on sale with a suggested use as a storage area. As a result of the neglect, many long hours were spent converting the building and, on 9th November 1963, the Oasthouse Theatre was officially opened by Irene Weller. The first production was "Billy Liar".

For those outside of Kent (though many English counties had them in the past), an oasthouse was designed for drying mature hops to be used in the brewing of beer. The name derives from the Latin word 'aestus' meaning heat and the buildings were introduced to Kent in the sixteenth century by Flemish weavers who brought new varieties of hops with them when they arrived to work in the prosperous wool industry.

The adjoining oasthouses continued in their work for about another 20 years and the wonderful, soporific smell of hops drying in the adjacent building used to permeate the auditorium during productions of late Summer and Autumn. The remaining oasthouses were eventually converted into private residences in the late 1980s.

An added difficulty in maintaining the Oasthouse is that it is a Grade 2 listed building. In essence, this means that we can modify the interior but the exterior must retain the style of its original features. This can be particularly expensive when, for example, the roof needs repairing or the cowls need servicing to allow them to turn freely and prevent water ingress.

Another interesting feature of the Oasthouse is our resident ghost. The ghost dates back to 1897 when a gentleman named Mortimer Squires discovered the liaison his young and beautiful wife was having with a thresher who worked at the Oasthouse. As the young lovers eloped, Squires followed them on horseback and caught up with them at Upchurch where he killed them both. Frightened by this deed, he returned and hid in the Oasthouse where his body was later discovered, dangling on the end of a rope in one of the drying rooms. Despite knowing his real name, the ghost is affectionately known as 'Fred'. Although nobody has actually seen the ghost, several members have reported strange noises and other spooky happenings, especially when working in the building alone. One former member, who could be described as a hardened sceptic, was working alone when he heard the piano playing downstairs. He would never enter the building by himself again. Additionally, members of local Psychic societies have visited and have independently pointed to a 'presence' in the same place in the theatre.