In the 1910s Sittingbourne Urban District Council agreed on the need for a southern by-pass to the congested High Street, which they planned to run from Albany Road up to Rectory Road to the east of town.
At the same time a decision was made to extend the town’s cemetery.
The road was only partially completed from Albany Road to the junction with Bell Road.
On 23th October 1923 the council proposed planting one tree for each name on the town’s war memorial in Albany Park alongside the new road and the road leading to the Cemetery, so as to form avenues.
6th November 1923 – Council committee recommended copper beech trees be planted in the new road from the Recreation Ground to the new road and lime trees be planted in the new road from Bell Road to Albany Road. The total cost was £116, which included additional trees and shrubs for the Cemetery extension.
The council meeting held on 20th November 1923 agreed to name the new roads as “Avenue of Remembrance.”
4th December 1923 – Council meeting informed the planting of the trees had commenced.
19th and 26th January 1924 and 2nd February 1924 – East Kent Gazette publishes Council Public Notice requesting Service Rank for a list of men to complete Name Tablets to be placed on the Trees in the Avenue of Remembrance.
23rd September 1924 – Council approved obtaining the name tablets.
23rd December 1924 – Council meeting reported 162 name tablets had been fixed to 162 trees and were awaiting Service Rank for the remaining 19.
26th September 1925 – Reported that facsimiles of proposed larger bronze name plates had been accepted by the Council.
Early 1929 – Avenue of Remembrance pathways and kerb stones installed.
11th January 1930 – Reported all memorial tablets and kerb mounts had been replaced for 181 names.
Central Avenue
On 22nd May 1921, Sittingbourne’s War Memorial was unveiled in Albany Park. By the late 1980s it was suggested the memorial should be renovated due to wear and vandalism.
In 1990 a new Cenotaph was created in Central Avenue next to the Post Office, to commemorate World War One.
On 19th July 1992 plaques and trees in Central Avenue were dedicated to commemorate the fallen of World War Two. 15 trees were planted from the Avenue of Remembrance junction up to the Cenotaph and 76 plaques were installed in the benches around the Cenotaph. At a later date 7 names were added to the Cenotaph.