Concern also grew about the increasing numbers of children attending the Infant’s School causing a severe shortage of space. Kent County Council Education Department stated that they had limited funds and could not invest more money to solve the problem. After pressure from residents and the parish council a temporary classroom was erected in the playground. This created a short term solution but it reduced the size of the children’s play area. The County Council announced plans for a new village school in 1969/1970 but this did not materialise until 1976 with the construction of the new Holywell School in Forge Lane for both primary and infant pupils.
The residents Association stressed their disappointment at the Village Hall Management Committee’s decision not to investigate the proposal to have a children’s playground established next to the village hall. With about 400 children of 5-12 years old in the village a pilot opinion poll showed that 95% of the village population supported the proposal. Eventually, a play area was established in The Paddock during the early 1980s.
In church affairs Sister-Superior Katherine Mary from Cambridge visited Upchurch. Reverend Bradshaw periodically invited monks and nuns from the Church of England to visit and help with religious affairs in the village. Meanwhile, with sufficient children available Sunday School began in the church on September 10th. Later, on Saturday 30th September the Harvest Supper took place in the village hall. The only other significant social event of the month involved Upchurch Playgroup which held a garden party on the lawn of ‘Avondale’ in The Street.
In village sporting affairs a very average season for Upchurch Cricket Club had almost ended but a match took place in early September when the club played Ethelbert Road Old Boys from Faversham. Batting first the Old Boys were dismissed for 70 with bowler Frank Cook taking 5-24. In reply Upchurch reached their target with the loss of six wickets. George Snashfold scored 17 not out.
The football club had a good start after pre-season training on the recreation ground with the First XI securing a win and a draw while the Reserves lost 2-0. Reserves captain Tony Peers from Forge Lane successfully appealed for new players which improved the Reserves results as the season progressed.
The horticultural society considered their September exhibition the best ever with 450 entries, sixty more than the previous year. Les Stevens from Lower Halstow had most success winning the Blue Ribbon Award for the best exhibit of six plates of apples. He also won the L & H Starnes Cup, the E C Neame Cup and the Chrysanthemum Cup. Charlie Langford won the Belnor Trophy while Mrs Johnson won the A J Town Cup with the best vase of dahlias, George Friend got first prize for the best chrysanthemum exhibit and R Sewell won the Dahlia Shield.
The parish registers for the month recorded the burial of Emma Castle aged 88 from The Street and baptisms of Edwina Lloyd from Horsham Cottages, Mandy Busbridge from Forge Lane, Alison Maxted from Chaffes Lane, Sarah Thornton from Church Farm Road and Stuart Nicholls from The Poles. This ended a busy month in Upchurch village affairs.
Memories of Upchurch by David Wood
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.
Memories of Upchurch is available direct from David
Email: david3702001@yahoo.co.uk or from us here at
Upchurch Matters. Price £12 + £3.50 postage and packing.
Space
