The year 1953 is remembered for the Queen’s coronation and The Great Flood. In Upchurch different events celebrated the coronation while The Great Flood of February 1st devastated the Ham Green peninsular, Twinney and Frog Farm. The year also marked the formation of Upchurch Horticultural Society.
Organised horticultural shows in Upchurch date back to at least 1890. According to contemporary copies of the East Kent Gazette, fruit, flower and vegetable shows took place at the King Edward 1st pub in Horsham Lane, from 1890 to 1893. The pub closed but was re-opened at the building that is now the Co-op. Horticultural shows took place there throughout from 1893 and into the first decade of the twentieth century.
The first recorded village horticultural society known as the Halstow and Upchurch Cottage Gardeners Society appeared in 1898. The society held three shows a year at the King Edward 1st pub. These were well supported and takings were donated to St Bart’s Hospital in Rochester. Amongst those who exhibited were members of the local farming community such as fruit farmer William Wood, farm bailiff James Holloway from Ham Green and Wakeley Brothers fruit foreman Bill Hyland from Wetham Green Farm. The society continued up until to around 1911. When the pub closed, the shows ceased and the society became defunct. During this period and into the 1920s James Holloway exhibited fruit on behalf of farmer Lieutenant-Colonel Lumley-Webb at the Royal Horticultural Show in London and achieved great success winning one gold medal, fourteen silver medals and a silver cup. This is the only evidence of exhibits from Upchurch at horticultural shows until the formation of Upchurch Horticultural Society in 1953.
Upchurch Horticultural Society came into existence after Rich Boakes from Chaffes Lane and Charles Gransden from Oak Lane had organised a successful flower show at the Infant’s School. Upchurch vicar Reverend Clark opened the event and Mrs Neame from The Upchurch Stores presented prizes. The show generated great interest and attracted many visitors. As a result of this village gardening enthusiasts decided to call a meeting at The Crown pub with the intention of forming Upchurch Horticultural Society.
At the meeting attended by around forty people, officials were elected which included Rich Boakes from Chaffes Lane who became chairman, cliff Wanstall from Chaffes Lane vice-chairman, the village postmaster vice-chairman, George Friend, a gardener from Ham Green treasurer, Kathy Gorman from Chaffes Lane secretary and Teddy Neame from The Upchurch Stores in The Street president. The society became a member of the Royal Horticultural Society and the National Chrysanthemum and Dahlia Societies.
To raise money for the society members paid subscriptions, regular whist drives were held in the Labour Hall in Horsham Lane, the bellringers contributed £15 and from 1955 an annual dinner and dance took place in the Infant’s School. Old age pensioners were given honorary membership.
Membership began and remained steady at about sixty members until 1958 when it rose sharply to 120 then peaked at about 150 in 1959. This reflected the popularity of the society during the early years.
Trophies were established soon after the formation of the society. Most of these were donated by Upchurch residents such as the E.G Neame Cup, the L & H Starnes Cup, The Rose Bowl and the Crysanthemum Cup. As the years passed more trophies were established and today 47 trophies and awards are competed for at the society.
Three shows a year took place at the Infant’s School but in 1958 there were so many show entries that the entire ladies section had to be moved from the Infant’s School to the Labour Hall due to lack of space. This became the most successful show to date, so the society decided that they would have to try and find some land on which to have their own premises constructed. They applied for a plot of land at the vicarage but this failed so they next applied to the parish council for land at the village allotments but a problem arose over the lease. They finally found a location when the village hall was constructed in 1961 and they were given permission to hold horticultural shows and their annual dinner and dance in the building.
From the 1960s the horticultural society held three dances a year in the village hall. These included the Easter Bonnet Dance, the May Queen Dance and the Charity Dance. The society also held a Spring Market and visited numerous places of interest such as Doddington Place Gardens, Wakehurst Place, Wisley, Savill Garden, Bournemouth and Hampton Court. They also invited guest speakers such as Rainham nurseryman and expert rose grower, George Longley.
Of the early society winners George Friend regularly won in the flower and vegetable section, He won the Crysanthemum Cup nine times in a twelve year period. Lower Halstow farmer Les Stevens regularly won awards for his cherries in the fruit section and Charlie Stokes often won with his vegetables. Ken Baldock from Ham Green became and remains the longest serving member in the society.
During the 1970s Denis Allen from Drakes Close emerged as a successful winner. In 1974 he recorded eleven first and two second place awards at horticultural society shows. In 1982 he obtained nine out of ten awards in the chrysanthemum section of the Sittingbourne Crysanthemum and Dhalia Society Show, a great achievement for the Upchurch man. Charlie Langford and Philip Johnson succeeded Denis Allen as regular winners. After this the awards were much more evenly distributed.
A further development took place in 1988 when the society allowed children from Holywell School to compete in society shows. This encouraged youngsters into the society. At about the same time regular question/answer sessions were established with gardening experts like Bill Bailey speaking about different aspects of gardening and answering questions. A Christmas party also took place during this period although this has now ceased.
Society meetings now take place in Peter Boakes’s snooker room and the horticultural shows are held in his barn in Chaffes Lane. The society still flourishes with a hardcore group of gardening enthusiasts attending regular monthly meetings with guest speakers, shows, plant sales, social events and visits to various places during the summer months.
About David
David Wood was born, raised and still lives in Upchurch today. He is able to write from personal experience about village life and the changes that have taken place over the years, making ‘Memories of Upchurch’ a very readable book and detailed historical study of the village.
David's book, ‘Memories of Upchurch’ is available direct from David at: david3702001@yahoo.co.uk or from us here at Upchurch Matters.
Price £12 + £3.50 postage and packing.
David Wood
