Upchurch Fifty Years Ago in December 1961

Memories of Upchurch.

The East Kent Gazette reported Christmas 1961 as the coldest for seventeen years with bitterly cold winds, frost and burst water pipes. To make matters worse tragedy struck on Funton Marshes when a group of Upchurch and Halstow boys went duck shooting. Using rubber dinghies they split into two pairs but after 90 minutes the second pair consisting of Graham Daniel from Oak Lane Upchurch and Peter McKenzie from Lower Halstow watched a hat float past and an upturned dingy floating on the water. After searching for their friends they called for help and the drowned bodies of Peter Shrub and John Gooding were recovered from the river. Because of their waders, heavy clothing and cartridge belts the boys had been pulled under the water after their dingy had capsized. The tragedy caused great sadness for local people.

With a surge in building there were many requests to Swale Rural Council and Kent County Council for planning permission in Upchurch. An attempt to have a site for 100 caravans constructed on a 5½ acre field next to the brickfield in Otterham Quay and another in Poot Lane were both rejected. There was also an application to put the defunct slaughterhouse in W. H. Hales butchers yard in Forge Lane back into use. Swale Rural Council refused fearing that residents would complain and that the building was not in good repair.

In social affairs the Darby and Joan Club held a Christmas party in the village hall where members were presented with gifts of biscuits and small parcels of groceries. The horticultural society held its annual dance in the village hall and raised £12 for a local charity, while Mr and Mrs Stevens from Holywell Farm presented the church with a Christmas tree. Rich Boakes of Chaffes Lane continued organising the weekly village youth club. Acting as doorman and DJ he spent much of his time playing loud musical hits. He even organised a football match between the youth club boys and girls on the recreation ground which the boys just won 3-2. Meanwhile, the village football team was performing very well and scored their 50th goal of the season when they defeated East End 6-1. Les Woolley scored four goals. Two weeks earlier he had scored four in an exciting 5-4 victory over Medway United.

While the village footballers were banging in the goals members of the Women’s Institute spent their December meeting listening to Mr Cooper talking about wine then after some sherry tasting elected their new officers for the year. Mrs Smith was elected president, Mrs Watson secretary, Mrs Gore treasurer and Mrs Tress auditor. A competition for the most articles in a jar was won by Mrs Tress.

Finally, only one funeral took place when Florence Robinson aged 75 of The Street was buried in the churchyard while birthdays were celebrated by Leonard Sketchley aged 13 from Chaffes Lane, Elaine Stokes aged 10 from Holywell Farm Cottages, Cristine Cripps aged 13 from Twinney Cottages, and Anne Clemons aged 11 from Gore Bank.

David Wood, who was born and raised in Upchurch, is able to write from personal experience about many people and aspects of the village and of changes that have taken place over the years making ‘Memories of Upchurch’ a very readable book and a detailed historical study of the village.

David Wood's book ‘Memories of Upchurch’ is available direct from David on:  david3702001@yahoo.co.uk  price £12 + p+p £2.

David Wood
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