The enlarged urban district was divided into three wards: Christ Church (returning 8 councillors), St Mary's (5) and East Wickham (2).

[6][7][8] The urban district council ran its own tram services until they became the responsibility of the London Passenger Transport Board in 1933.

The royal charter was presented by the Lord Lieutenant of Kent in a ceremony held in Danson Park on 30 September.

[17] The green and gold colouring of the arms represented the cornfields and grasslands which covered the area before the town grew up.

Gold apples stood for traditional fruit-growing and the eagle came from the arms of Nicholas Vansittart, 1st Baron Bexley, one time chancellor of the exchequer.

The crown was included in the crest as the arms were granted in the year of the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.