The month began with a wave of vandalism which hit the village and this had to be dealt with by the parish council who reported smashed street lights in Forge Lane caused by vandals thought to be from outside the village.
At their monthly meeting the parish council announced the approval of street lighting for The Poles estate and reported that responsibility for field and fence management at the recreation ground had been given to the football club in return for free use of the ground. Both the football club and the parish council appealed to the public to stop dumping litter on the recreation ground explaining that it hampered the mowing of the grass. Meanwhile, at the same meeting Edith Colven and Cliff Wanstall were re-elected school managers of the Infant’s School.
The parish council continued to search for a suitable location to be converted into a children’s recreation area while parish clerk Aubrey Smith reported that progress had been made for a new burial ground to adjoin the old one which had become full, a problem that has recently re-emerged in the village.
The biggest event of the month took place on the last Saturday of October with celebrations in the village hall for the building’s second birthday. A variety concert raised money and many village organisations participated. These included the Women’s Volunteer Service, Young Wives, the church choir, the Brownies and The Upstarts theatrical group. Entertainment consisted of musical melodies, comical sketches and village rock star George Chaney gyrating with his guitar in front of large numbers of screaming teenage girls in the audience.
A popular sketch that caused great amusement involved Aubrey Smith as a school headmaster trying to keep order with naughty children. As a school teacher in real life he played the part very well. This was followed by The Upstarts who performed a one act play called ‘Orange Blossom’ with actors Dee Eastwood, Christine Wright, Jayne Batchelor, Louie Parker and Mike Brady while at the end of the evening The Women’s Institute choir sang ‘Birthday Candles.’
The Women’s Institute had an interesting monthly meeting with a talk by Mrs. Griffiths about Staffordshire China. She showed examples of the items and told a series of fascinating stories from legends and fairy tales that the china represented. After the talk Mrs. Thompson won the monthly competition.
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David Wood. |
In sporting affairs the football club became involved in some high scoring and exciting games with a 4-4 draw against Walderslade, a 4-3 defeat against Hoo and an 8-5 defeat against Elliotts Reserves in the Kent Junior Cup. In a remarkable match in which Upchurch led 3-1 at half time, Elliotts staged a remarkable second half comeback to win the game. The matches involved well- known Upchurch players like Ken Wildish, ‘Nippy’ Edmonds, Basil Barden, ‘Trotter’ Horsnell, Wilf Busbridge and Brian Stephens.
The scout group suffered a blow when Peter Bowden and his wife from Oak Lane announced that they were going to leave Upchurch and would not be able to continue running the scout and cub troops. Cyril Robinson from Drakes Close took over the scouts while Reverend Bradshaw and Kay Donald re-started the cubs. Mrs. Slight and Mrs. Cooling took over the guides and Mrs. Bradshaw took control of the brownies with the assistance of her daughter Jenny.
Finally, baptisms for October included Joanne Liston from Kent Terrace, Stephen and Lorraine Clark from Otterham Quay and Carl Bowden from Oak Lane in a month of varied activities in the village.
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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