Upchurch Bellringers - Outing to ring the Bells in the Charing area

Eight Bellringers from Upchurch joined up with four Newnham ringers last Saturday (29th September) to go on an outing to ring bells in the Charing area. The churches we visited were: Egerton, Pluckley and Little Chart. All were 6 bell towers and nine of us undertook the trip on bikes - a ten mile round trip approximately. Lunch was taken after ringing at Pluckley in the Black Horse, a very handy pub right next door to the church. The ringing deteriorated slightly after lunch but, nevertheless, a wonderful day was had by all in beautiful weather.

If you are interested in learning to ring Church Bells then we practise on Wednesday nights (you may have heard us !) from 7:30pm. Contact either Ralph Liddell on: 01634 375481 or Norman Easterbrook on: 01634 371230 or just turn up on a Wednesday.

Ralph Liddell

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Downloads from the Kent Police

A series of themed advice guides are now available as easy-to-read downloads from the Kent Police website.

The link is:  www.kent.police.uk/yourguide

Current titles: Home and garden security, Property marking, Anti-social behaviour, Contacting Kent Police, Safe cycling, Bike security, Motorbike safety, Vehicle security, Restorative practice, Bogus callers, Rural crime, Metal theft,Plant theft, Internet safety, Personal safety, Drug dealing and use (spotting/reporting).

Helen Marshall 57873

Public Information/New Media Officer
Corporate Communications
Headquarters, Sutton Road, Maidstone, ME15 9BZ.
Telephone: 01622 652162
Mobile: 07807 340356

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Upchurch Twinning Group - Anniversary Event

Visit to the Historic Dockyard at Chatham on Sunday the 7th of October

Don’t forget the above event – time is running out! It is happening this coming Sunday, 7th October.

We will meet in the Wheelwright’s Restaurant at 11:00am for coffee and pastries and to meet our friends from Ferques. Then we will look around, lunch at 1:00pm and then enjoy a tour of the Ropery in the afternoon.

Contact us NOW if you would like to join in.

Jim Harman (Chairman) 01634 235420 & Sue Rossiter (Secretary) 01634 234780

Sue Rossiter

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Scrap Metal Stolen

This is a joint message from Swale Neighbourhood Watch and Kent Police.

On the 26th of September 2012, between 12:00 and 2:30pm, scrap metal was taken from a property in Wallbridge Lane, Upchurch. The metal was being used to block the side access of the house to keep dogs in.

If you have any information please contact Kent Police on telephone number 101 and state you are a member of Neighbourhood Watch.

Thank you that was message: 1159.

Kent Police Neighbourhood Watch
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Upchurch Local Needs Housing - Drop In Event

Upchurch Parish Council 

Upchurch Local Needs Housing

Drop In Event

Friday 12^th Oct 2012

3pm to 8pm

Upchurch Village Hall

The purpose of this ‘drop-in’ is for residents to find out more information on the proposed Local Needs Housing Scheme in Upchurch. A ‘Public Forum’ will be held between 6.30pm
and 7.30pm.

New Voting forms will be distributed to all residents during
the week of 13^th Oct- 20^th Oct.

Claire Attaway, Clerk to the Parish Council

Tel: 01634 363906 Email: clerk@upchurchpc.kentparishes.gov.uk
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Upchurch 50 Years Ago in October 1962

October 1962 began with a resurgence of interest in the theatre which led to the forming of the ‘Upchurch Players’ drama group, the first of its kind in ten years. Parish council clerk Aubrey Smith from Oak Lane thought up the idea and had discussions with Terry Ray from Horsham Lane who organised the group. Using the village hall as a base, the actors had to perform on the floor as a stage did not exist, but undeterred the group rehearsed hard and performed a series of one act plays with the first being ‘Home is the Hunted’ on October 26th.

In parish council affairs discussions continued about more recreational space for the community, complaints were made about the carelessness of refuse collectors and the mess they left around the village while permission was given for new street lighting in Marstan Close and Chaffes Lane. Mr R F Beckenham failed to obtain permission to construct a caravan site on the Wetham Green side of Poot Lane and the recurring problem of indiscriminate car parking on the recreation ground and in the bus stop lay by opposite the church was referred to the police.

Memories of Upchurch.

The cricket club annual dinner and dance turned out to be the most significant village social event of the month. Held in the village hall and presided over by Chairman Ted Tress from Wallbridge Lane, Sussex county cricketer Ian Thompson attended as the principal guest of honour. Ted Tress announced that the club had experienced a successful season winning eighteen, losing nine and drawing three of its scheduled matches with three abandoned due to bad weather. Peter Smith and Don Diffey scored most of the runs while Alan Auger and Basil Barden took most wickets. After the dinner the club presented Eric Gransden with a barometer in appreciation for the work he had done over the years.

In other village club affairs Mrs Smith presided over the Women’s Institute’s meeting in the village hall and guest Mrs Pilcher from Rough Common spoke about ‘corn dollies’ after which members were given a handful of corn and challenged to make their own dollies with help from Mrs Pilcher. A competition for members to make a miniature scarecrow followed won by Mrs Cox.

Sad news revealed that former Upchurch vicar Reverend Hugh Clark had died in St George’s hospital Tooting after a long illness. Reverend Clark had served as vicar from 1951 to 1958. He had entered the clergy late in life after working as a bank manager for Barclays for more than 40 years and had had long term connections with the church having served as a church warden, a reader and a vicar. His funeral took place in Upchurch and he was buried in the churchyard. The only other funeral in October involved Susannah Hilburn aged 78 from ‘The Crown.’ Happier news concerned the marriage of Celia Clemons from Suffield House Cottages in The Street to Alec Hayward from Iwade and Janet Latter from Drake’s Close to Harry Fordham from Gillingham which brought October to a cheerful end.

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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