History & Awards

The Franklin Road Dental Practice in the Twentieth Century.

Practice Ethos and our Rich History

A continuous ownership of the surgery, now called the Franklin Road Dental Practice, has
existed since Frederick Joseph Bloor (Freddy) started attending dental patients at the bungalow
at the very top of Barnsole Road Gillingham in 1935.

Our Values

Freddy Bloor was, as were almost all dental surgeons in those days, a single handed dentist who employed one nurse/receptionist and a technician.

At the outset of World War Two he closed the surgery to volunteer for the Royal Army Medical Corps (Dental Branch) and served till Victory when he was demobilised and returned to Gillingham and picked up from where he had been rudely interrupted by Mr. Hitler.

As he and his family had also lived in the bungalow, Freddy decided to move to other premises in Derby Road opposite, on the south side of the A2. Here he continued to operate alone until 1961 when he expanded the practice by taking a junior partner. By this time he employed two nurses, two technicians and two receptionists, one of them being Eileen, his wife.

The partner, Thomas James Wallace, (Tom), was one of two dental sons of Surgeon Commander Arthur William Wallace RN. (Toothy) who, in retirement, also practiced in Gillingham (45 Mill Road).

On the retirement of Freddy Bloor, the practice was moved to the present address, where a medium sized old fashioned residence fronted by an overgrown but charming cottage garden was converted to the magnificent professional establishment you see now. The business was further expanded by the merging with another, very local, dental practice, that of Marcus Spry, formerly of St Barnabas House, Duncan Road, and Robert Henry King (Rod) also of that address.

2002 witnessed Marcus Spry to leave and Hardeep Walia join and lead the team, who was soon joined by his brother Sandeep Walia in 2007.

2018 saw the retirement of Robert Henry King (Rod) to his hometown in Portrush, Ireland. Rumors are he can be seen tour guiding on the “Giant’s Causeway”.

In its 85th year, 2020 saw lots of changes in the world and also Franklin House Dental Practice now guided and led by the Walia family, who in pursuit of excellence are transforming the practice into the new decade.

The rest, as they say, is history!