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| Memories of Upchurch. |
Before the carnival procession started a two mile route around the village, Swale council chairman Mr. D W Morgan-Kirby and farmer William Wakeley and his wife from Hartlip judged the competitions. The Youth Club won the best float competition with a nautical scene in which Miss Youth Club Pauline Ward posed with a lighthouse, rocks, sea and sailors. The Fremlin’s Brewery vehicle won the best decorated vehicle competition and Laurel Clegg from Horsham Lane dressed as Eliza Doolittle with baskets of flowers won the best decorated bicycle competition. Meanwhile, the annual fancy dress competition had a variety of entrants. Mandy Dawson won the ‘Up to Five’ competition, Steve Parker the Up to Seven competition and Janice Todd the ‘Up to Eleven’ competition.
The carnival procession led by the St John’s Ambulance Brigade Band took off from the recreation ground with Carnival Queen Barbara Webb from Drakes Close and her attendants on the first float. Miss Upchurch Muriel Clemons followed on the second float and the Youth Club Queen Pauline Ward on the third. Other floats depicting different scenes followed including the Women’s Institute entry ‘Brewers and Boozers’ which showed a raucous scene from a medieval tavern. On a two mile route the procession moved along Oak Lane, Horsham Lane, Windmill Hill then up Wallbridge Lane and into Chaffes Lane.
After the procession a fete and dog show took place in The Paddock. The Dog show, organised by Bert Millen from Jasmil Kennels, proved particularly successful with entries from all over Kent. With a punch and judy show, a variety of games such as throwing the sponge, a coconut shy, handicrafts and darts, a lot of activities kept people amused and interested. Overall, the event raised £220 for the Village Hall Fund while Revd Bradshaw writing in the village magazine several weeks later praised the effort and also urged parishioners to send in envelopes with contributions to help maintain the church.
The cricket club had several good victories with the highlight being a surprising crushing defeat of Torry Hill which contained Gore Court First XI players. Alan Auger took 6-8 off only eight overs as Torry Hill were dismissed for 18 allowing Upchurch to cruise to a nine wicket victory. Meanwhile, the scouts led by Scoutmaster Peter Bowden suffered rain on their one week summer camp at Lyndhurst in the New Forest but managed to last the distance.
During August birthdays were celebrated by Tina Harris aged three from Twinney Cottages, Carol Button aged 10 from Drakes Close, Adrian Wood aged 13 from Wallbridge Lane and Keith Vole aged 12 from Breach Lane. Marriages included Jean Elizabeth Bodley Scott from Wallbridge Lane with Brian Lindsey and Anna Diddams from Oak Lane with Mr G Foster from Rainham. The only recorded burial was that of Jessie Bissell of Alfred Cottages aged 70 but as in previous years the carnival stood out as the main highlight of the month.
About David:
David Wood was born and raised in Upchurch and 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'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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