DVD Release for Jessie Matthews Film Shot on Location in Upchurch

A film from 1938 starring Jessie Matthews and Sonny Hall is to be released on DVD in October by the Rank Organisation.

Sailing Along, a musical set around the love life of the star, used locations at Otterham and Lower Halstow.

The real star was the Thames Sailing Barge, Wiltshire.

Dance Clip  from Sailing Along - 1938 with Jessie Matthews.

Pictured below is the front cover of the DVD, a film still featuring Jessie Matthews singing to a group of bargemen with a London background and a still inside the wheel house with Jessie Matthews & Barry MacKay.

You can read more about Sailing Along here at:  Screenonline.org

Upchurch Matters

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Upchurch 50 Years Ago in August 1963 by David Wood

The Street, Upchurch taken later in 1967.

After excessive rainfall the month began with complaints to the parish council about the flooding of Chaffes Lane at the bend near The Paddock, but attention soon turned to the annual village carnival, the highlight of the month, with some colourful features which attracted a big turnout, despite the threat of showers. 

As usual the main event was preceded by a slow moving procession which began at the recreation ground and circled the village with a collection of floats with participants dressed in a variety of colourful costumes. A float with Carnival Queen Kay Latter from Drakes Close and attendants Maureen Clark and Muriel Clemons from Chaffes Lane became the main focus. Other floats which captured attention included ‘Holiday in Holland’ by Upchurch Youth Club which won the best tableaux, ‘Beauty Parlour’, ‘Cleopatra’, ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ and a Fremlins lorry which won ‘The Best Decorated Vehicle Competition.’ ‘Steptoe and Son’ with Derek Wraight and Colin Tress leading a horse won the best equestrian entry in a varied and attractive procession.

Entertainment in The Paddock followed the procession with the annual dog show organised by Bert Millen from Jasmil Kennels. This remained popular throughout the 1960s although nobody from Upchurch won any of the major events at the 1963 show. A coconut shy, a bran tub, a roundabout, swings, a punch and judy show and loud recorded pop music provided by Rich Boakes from Chaffes Lane kept the large crowds entertained as the afternoon progressed.

In the fancy dress parade Malcolm Swift as ‘Cassius Clay’ won the most original entry, Ian Donald and Richard Woolley came second in their version of ‘Steptoe and Son’, while Jennifer and Rosemary Apps from Chaffes Lane won the most topical theme with ‘Witch and Cat.’

In the week leading up to the carnival several fun events took place. On the Wednesday evening a five a side football competition took place in The Paddock with various teams representing different parts of the village. These included Horsham Hotspur, The Street Albion, Crosier Courtiers, Caravan Otters, Drakes Close Ducklings and Oak Lane Acorns. Each game lasted for ten minutes and at the end of a hard fought competition Drakes Close Ducklings defeated Oak Lane Acorns 2-1 in the final. A crowd of over 200 people attended the competition which ended in almost complete darkness but beer was presented to the finalists and referee after the competition. Other activities included a ‘Glamorous Grandmother Competition’ won by Edith Colven from Horsham Lane, a ‘Dress the Doll Competition’ won by Barbara Trice from Drakes Close. Stan Gilbert from Drakes Close won the ‘Knobbly Knees Competition’ and Roger Hepton and Maureen Clark from Gore Bank won the dance competition performing ‘The Twist.’

David Wood.

On the Friday before the carnival the village marathon took place with a three mile race for the Pepperill Challenge Shield. M. Somers won the men’s race in 19 minutes 56 seconds while Christine Cripps from Poot Lane won the women’s event and Lawrence Duncalf from Oak Lane won the boy’s event in a series of hard fought races. 

The cricket club playing at their Poot Lane ground experienced a month of mixed results but had good victories against Murston, Boat House, Riverside and Plumbers and Coppersmiths. Successful batsmen included Peter Porter with 58 against Murston, Don Diffey with 51 against Plumbers and Coppermiths and 48 against Boat House. Bowler Frank Cook took 6-23 against Riverside and Alan Auger followed this up with 5-30 against Plumbers and Coppersmiths.

Finally, the only recorded burial in August involved Louisa Jane Still aged 70 from Otterham Cottages while birthdays were celebrated by Carol Button from Drakes Close aged eleven, Gordon Frost from The Street aged nine, Tina Harris from Twinney aged four and Roy Kemsley from Otterham Quay Cottages aged five which ended a busy and entertaining month in Upchurch.

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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SBC - Community Governance Review

Click Poster to Enlarge.

Swale Borough Council is consulting on how communities across the Borough are represented and governed at a local level, known as a community governance review.

The review will focus on the unparished areas of Swale, the arrangements for the existing parish councils that border the unparished areas of Swale and will also respond to any requests from existing town or parish councils who ask for their arrangements to be reviewed.

From Thursday the 1st August 2013, a document entitled ‘Have your say…local arrangements for your area today’ outlining details of the review, and possible options available to communities, will be available at:  www.swale.gov.uk/cgr

We are holding Community Governance Review drop-in sessions:

• Sittingbourne on  Wednesday the 7th August 2013 from 10:00am to 12:00pm Swale House, East Street, Sittingbourne.

• Sheppey on Thursday the 8th August 2013 from 10:00am to 12:00pm The Sheppey Gateway, High Street, Sheerness.

There are a number of ways in which you can respond to the consultation:

 • Complete the on-line form on the website:  www.swale.gov.uk/cgr

 • Email:  cgrconsultation@swale.gov.uk

 • Follow the council on Twitter:  @SwaleCouncil

 • Follow the council on:  Facebook  and comment

 • Attend one of the public meetings being held across the Borough - further details on location and timings will be available on:  www.swale.gov.uk/cgr

The aim of this review is to improve community engagement, improve local democracy and ensure that electors have a say in how local services are delivered. Responses from this consultation will be summarised and form a draft proposal document which will then be published for consultation early in 2014.

The overall review will be completed by June 2014. We would welcome your views on the arrangements for your local area to help shape how Swale’s communities will be governed at a local level.

Louise Matthews

Head of Corporate Strategy and Communications, Swale Borough Council

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Upchurch Twinning Group - Sports Day

Upchurch Twinning Group

From 10:00am 

Sunday 1st September at

Upchurch Cricket Club, Holywell Lane

Join us for a fun time!

Barbecue lunch available £5

Sue Rossiter

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Rocking Horse Stolen - Chaffes Lane

Message 514 from Neighbourhood Watch.

A Rocking Horse hand-made from dark brown Ash wood with varnished finish and black mane was stolen from inside a van in Chaffes Lane, Upchurch.

This happened sometime between the 26th and 27th of July.
If you have any information that could help investigators please contact Kent police on telephone number: 101 quoting Crime Number: XY/023309/13. 

For more information on crime prevention visit:  kent.police.uk

Kent Police Neighbourhood Watch
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Upchurch Farmers Market - Sunday 28th July

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Dave Candy
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