Many years before the appearance of the ‘Upchurch Festival of Music’ the village experienced a musical month which generated plenty of local interest in February 1964.
The football club began the monthly social events with a lively dance to the music of Dave Champion and the Strangers. This was followed up with a ‘Musical Fanfare’ in the village hall with fifty people participating in a concert. The Church Choir, The Women Institute’s choir, Jane Scott, Myra Duncalf, Peter Brightman and Bryan Veale all performed. Parish clerk Aubrey Smith organised the event which turned out to be very successful and about £12 was raised and donated to inter-church aid. Later in the month a concert took place in the village hall with brass quartets, soloists and a light orchestra which attracted a big audience.
Down at Otterham Quay the annual ‘Miss Otterham’ event took place with lots of twisting and shaking to Dan Barcott’s Band with girls dressed in mini skirts and men wearing smart suits and ties. Twenty eight year old Yvonne Baker won the event with Julie Sims and Jean Martin runners up.
The Upchurch Horticultural Society Dinner turned out to be the most significant social affair of the month. Opened by society president Albert Clemons from Suffield Cottages, 120 guests sat down to dinner after chairman Cliff Wanstall had given a summary of the year. Royal Society medals were awarded to Les Stevens and A Hinge & Son while Charlie Stokes won the vegetable award and George Friend the flower award.
At the Women’s Institute Mrs Johnson gave a lecture about the history of drama. She spoke about the origins of drama in ancient Greece and finished by giving tips on choosing and casting a play. At the same meeting Mrs Court resigned because of ill health and Mrs. Wright won the competition for growing a hyacinth in a jar.
The parish council decided not to enter Upchurch in the ‘Best Kept Village Competition’ but good news arrived with the announcement that a letter had been received from the Divisional Education Officer stating that additional accommodation would be provided for the Infant’s School at the end of the year. At the same time the council announced that more Royal Mail post boxes and a new telephone box were still needed in the village. Permission was also given for the recreation ground to be used for the judging of floats and used as a car park in the forthcoming August carnival.
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David Wood. |
A wedding with a difference took place in Upchurch when Peter Boakes from Chaffes Lane married Janet West from Iwade at the village church. After the ceremony the bridegroom presented dolls to the bridesmaids and identical models of the Jaguar car to the pages that had brought them to the church. The couple then went to Devon for their honeymoon.
In the village centre daily life continued as usual where Mr and Mrs Jaggers ran the Upchurch Stores, Dick Hales managed W.H. Hales butcher’s with his assistant Barry Madden, Mr and Mrs Huggins ran the grocery shop opposite the church, Cliff and Fay Wanstall managed the post office, Fred Clemons organised the delivery of newspapers while Marj Davies served petrol at her family run garage in Horsham Lane.
Finally, birthdays for the month included Jill Hitchen from Horsham Lane aged seven, Paula Maxted from The Street aged one and Pamela Edmonds from Drakes Close aged twelve. Although there weren’t any recorded baptisms for February Lucy Gransden from Oak Lane aged 70 was buried in the churchyard. A long term resident in the village, Mrs. Gransden had been a regular member of the Mother’s Union and had done a lot of work for the church along with her husband Charles who had served as a churchwarden during the 1960s. This ended a month mainly remembered for music, entertainment and social gatherings.
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 or from us here at Upchurch Matters.
price £12 + p+p £2.
David Wood.
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