Original: Publishing Letters Patent dated 25 January 1982 , text also available from Medway Council archives website On 1 April 1998 , the existing local-government districts of Rochester-upon-Medway and Gillingham were abolished and became the new unitary authority of Medway .
Simplified: Letters Patent dated January 25 , 1982 , text retrieved from Medway Council archives website On April 1 , 1998 , Rochester-upon-Medway and Gillingham joined together to became the new unitary authority of Medway .