The late Win Wraight’s memories of Upchurch
Win Wraight from The Street died in her mid
nineties about six years ago as one of the oldest residents in Upchurch. In her
later years she enjoyed recalling her life in the village which began in 1918.
Born in 1910, Win didn’t come to Upchurch
until she was eight years old. She remembered those early years clearly,
particularly at Holywell School where she walked from her home at Gore Farm
dressed in a white starched pinafore and dress. She once turned up in other
clothes and was immediately sent home for being improperly dressed. She
recalled first writing with a slate and chalk, attending the school assembly
given by Revd Dicker and having her plaits dipped in the inkwells by the boys.
She described her school days as happy times.
Win’s three teachers at Holywell were Mrs.
Wraight who later became her mother-in-law, Mrs. Witherden and most of all Mr.
J. E. Maltravers, the school headmaster. She described him as being very strict
but generally well liked and respected. He regularly administered the cane and
if a child who was told to remain for detention after school failed to attend
he would go outside, ring a bell and every child on the way home had to stand
still until the guilty culprit returned. Mr. Maltravers gained the respect of
parents because he worked hard on behalf of Upchurch residents in many aspects
of village affairs. A stained glass window is dedicated to him in the church.
Of her experiences at school Win remembered
the crowning of the May Queen ceremony which took place in The Paddock on
Ascension Day every year when children had the day free from lessons. She
remembered being marched from school to the church where Revd Dicker took a
service followed by hymns. From church the children were marched into The
Paddock in the presence of waiting parents where they sang patriotic songs like
‘Rule Britannia’ and watched the raising of the Union Jack on a flagpole
followed by the singing of the national anthem. After this the crowning
ceremony began when the appointed ‘Best Boy’ in the school presented a crown to
the May Queen. The May Queen maids dressed in white then performed the ‘Dance
of the Babes’ and children from the Infants school danced around the Maypole
followed by a display of bell ringing. In her first three years at Holywell
Edith Robinson, Ella Tress and Winifred Hollands were May Queens while Ted
Tress became the first ‘Best Boy.’
Win also suffered her share of tragedy as a
child beginning with her father being gored to death by a bull at Gore Farm
where he worked as a shepherd and stockman. The following day Win and her
mother were forced out of their house at the farm to make way for a new
stockman. Soon after this her mother died committing fifteen year old Win to go
into domestic service in order to obtain accommodation.
When Win returned to Upchurch she met her
future husband Cyril while attending a sports event on Rainham Recreation
Ground and they soon got married. Win was sixteen and Cyril seventeen. "It
was the thing to do at the time", she said. They went on to celebrate
their Golden Wedding Anniversary in 1985 and their Diamond Anniversary in 1995.
How was village life in Upchurch during the
early days? Win recalled that everybody knew each other because the village was
much smaller with more community spirit, there wasn't a village policeman,
public transport still didn't exist and many people walked to and from Rainham.
Motor cars were rarely seen and Win’s husband became the first person in the
village to obtain a vehicle when he purchased a bread van for the family bakery
business in Forge Lane.
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| David Wood. |
Many women went fruit picking during the
summer months and Win recalled falling out of a tree while cherry picking at
Street Farm. She rested for several days then returned. While in her eighties
she had a scan on the leg bone which she had injured years earlier and the bone
was found to be cracked in several places. Win had lived with this for decades.
Win also remembered well known village
characters like milkman Joe Durrant who lived in Forge Lane and became known as
‘Milky Bill’ while her neighbour Ellen Boast became known as ‘Old Ellen.’ A
craggy faced old woman who wore a beret and glasses, ‘Old Ellen’ spent much of
her time standing in The Street directing traffic. Emily Wigley from Chaffes
Lane, also remembered by Win, was often transported home to Chaffes Lane in a
baby’s pram by members of her family after an evening out in The Crown pub.
Emily gained her moment of fame when she won first prize as Lady Docker; the
best dressed woman in Upchurch at the 1956 village carnival fancy dress
competition.
Win always had a connection with the church
which played an important part in her life and she took Holy Communion with
Revd John Lefroy once a month right up to her death when housebound. In the
early days she attended Sunday school with her friend Winifred Shipp, she got
confirmed as a teenager and regularly decorated the church with flowers until
her later years when she was physically unable to continue the job.
Win belonged to many village organisations,
including the Girl Guides and Girl’s Friendly Society held in the vicarage
rooms when she was a young girl. Later, she became a member of the Women’s
Institute where she served as president during the 1940s, the WVS during World
War Two then the Darby and Joan Club where she remained a member until her
death. She also regularly participated in events like village fetes organising
the tea tent and in the carnival on various floats.
What did Win like about Upchurch? She felt
that better facilities had become available during her later adult years with
more things for people to do than in the past, she was also happy that the
church continued to flourish and that a village hall eventually became reality.
On the other hand, she felt that the community spirit had declined. She
recalled that when she once fell ill her neighbour Ellen Boast, who was
sometimes ridiculed because of her peculiarities, had no hesitation about
looking after her and her three boys at a time of crisis, an act which Win
remembers as one of unselfish kindness.
Win had a long and rich experience of
Upchurch village life and just before her death she was the last resident who
could recall village life as far back as World War One.
David Wood, who 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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