Upchurch Gabriel - Distribution Help Urgently Required

David Candy
Telephone: 01634 361040

Mobile: 07710 443948

E-mail: upchurchgabriel@gmail.com

Following in the Footsteps of Sir Francis Drake by David Wood

Before I visited Cartagena on the Caribbean coast of Colombia, I had no idea that another man connected with Upchurch had been there centuries earlier.

Incredibly atmospheric and romantic, the old city of Cartagena with its Spanish style mansions and palaces, colonial churches and vibrant plazas has always made the city an attractive tourist destination, although in recent decades the country’s reputation as a dangerous venue of drug related violence and murder has made international tourists wary.

On street corners I watched Afro-Caribbean women perform rhythmic dances with vibrating bodies to African drums. Decorated horse drawn carriages clattered along the narrow cobbled streets while the sounds of vallenato music and songs by famous Colombian singer Shakira filled the air. The whole area pulsed with Caribbean culture from a combination of Spanish, African and native Indian roots. It resembled something straight from a novel by renowned Colombian writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Sir Francis Drake whose father Edmond served as vicar of Upchurch from 1560 to 1567, attacked Cartagena with a force of 3,200 men from 30 ships in February 1586. They burnt about 200 houses and destroyed part of the city’s cathedral with cannon fire. After defeating the Spanish defenders Drake secured a ransom of 107,000 gold Ducats along with jewels, artillery pieces and other goods. Drake and his men occupied the city for two months and even considered establishing an English settlement there before vacating the area.

Sir Francis Drake.

Drake did not cease his violent actions in Cartagena. He also attacked the port of Santa Marta a bit farther along the coast five times and he remained a serious problem for the Spanish throughout the Caribbean region with support from Queen Elizabeth 1st. Drake’s attacks on the Spanish Main caused chaos and this ultimately led to the Spanish Armada when the Spanish tried to invade England in 1588.

It isn’t definitely known if Drake ever lived in Upchurch or even visited the village while his father served as vicar. He would have been about twelve years old when his father came to the village in 1560 and could have already been at sea. However, he became a very significant figure in English history and has a connection with Upchurch.

These days the only reminder of Sir Francis Drake in Cartagena is Drake’s House which is a mansion of four levels with pictures and artefacts from the period. Located in the old city opposite the cathedral, it’s named Casa de Alba, one of the first buildings in the city to be made of stone, Drake stayed there as Governor of Cartagena. Nowadays, the building is rented to wealthy tourists with facilities such as Jacuzzis, a swimming pool and seven bedrooms.

I continued my vacation visiting the Gold Museum, the Inquisition Museum, the old Spanish fortress and the cathedral. I went sunbathing on a beautiful sun drenched beach called La Playa Blanca, I visited the delightful Rosario islands and socialised in La Boca Grande, a district full of restaurants and nightclubs where I drank and danced the nights away to pulsating Latino music in the hot and steamy atmosphere of Cartagena, a city once attacked and occupied by the seafaring son of an Upchurch vicar.

David Wood

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 and detailed historical study of the village.

David's book is available from David at david3702001@yahoo.co.uk or from us here at Upchurch Matters. Price £12 + postage and packing.

February News from Upchurch Horticultural Society - From the Potting Shed

Sponsored by Upchurch River Valley Golf Course Ltd

That time of year is coming round again to start giving some thought to the garden. February is only the beginning and still a quiet month, but things get going in earnest in March. In the end Boris pooped the party at Christmas and hopefully you were all able to make something of it. We were planning to visit family and they had the food and we had the wine, so you can guess what our Christmas was like. The Duchess shot off in search of Christmas Dinner but we decided against the “last turkey in the shop” and settled for a pork joint and a long walk... oh, and I did rake up some leaves.

It’s roughly a year since Wuflu struck and we appear to be in a more difficult position than back then, although vaccines offer hope for the year ahead. For those of you who are struggling to find things to do, why not turn to the garden and grow your own. It gets you out in the fresh air, is good exercise, it can become an absorbing hobby, the garden compliments the house and you can eat well.

Aquadulce Claudia Broad Beans can be planted in February and can cope with winter conditions to get ahead a bit, but I will plant in March and go for a variety that produces a bigger crop albeit later in the year. Longbow is the Leek of choice this year and apparently has a long blanch length. This is the white section of the Leek which is best for cooking although all the leaf can be eaten. It’s just that through the winter months the green leaf on the plant starts to deteriorate and is normally cut off and put in the compost. They have been sowed in a tray of compost, placed in a warm spot and have just started to germinate. Leeks take a long time to grow to a decent size and they will be ready to eat, or exhibit if we get the chance, in October. The old maxim is “40 weeks from sow to show” This is also a good time to get onion seed going and after they germinate they like a lot of light and warmth.

Exhibition Leeks - “really serious stuff”.

Personally, I will hold off until March before really sowing seeds. If you have cold frames and can get the seedlings hardened off, then it is not too early to start, if not they can get too leggy before they can be hardened off outdoors. You can also purchase seed potatoes this month and encourage them to start sprouting (chitting) by placing them in egg trays in a warm sunny spot. B&Q do a good range and I get my Rocket (Early) and Picasso (Maincrop) from there.

Hopefully you have now pruned all your fruit trees and bare root fruit can go in this month. Also give the borders a good tidy up to show off the spring bulbs which will be showing soon. Otherwise that’s it for me, a gentle start in preparation for what comes next month. I will sharpen the hatchet and keep cutting kindling and enjoy some more time by the fire.

Now, I still have one bottle of Alborino left over from Christmas and some parsnips in the garden that have been well frosted. So it looks like a casserole and a cook’s glass. Somebody once asked “How much should you spend on a bottle of wine?” the answer, of course, is about half an hour.

We are always looking for new members and try to encourage a fun attitude towards friendly competition. So if you want to grow your own fruit, vegetables and flowers or even enter any of the 3 shows we hold each year, then please get in touch, we would be happy to hear from you.

If you are interested in becoming a new member, (all ages are welcome), please contact Rosey on: 01634 377812 (evenings) or Email: rosemary@ringwoodaccounting.co.uk

Sean Barry - Upchurch Horticultural Society

Swale Borough Council - Local Plan Review Going to Consultation

Councillors have this week (Wednesday, 3rd February) agreed to go out to consultation on the draft Local Plan Review.

The review of the existing Local Plan Bearing Fruits will help guide the development of the borough until 2038 and, if adopted, will set the basis for future planning decisions.

The local plan creates a blueprint for when and where major developments can take place, and where they shouldn’t.

It takes account of the feedback from earlier consultations that have taken place since 2018, including the “Looking Ahead” consultation on proposals for garden communities, which had the largest response of any Local Plan consultation in the borough.

Cllr Mike Baldock, cabinet member for planning at the council, said:

“Many people - myself included - disagree with the excessive housing targets the Government continues to impose on us.

“Unfortunately, we have to make sure we have a local plan that can meet these targets, or we risk losing the ability to decide what is built in the borough for ourselves.

“Previous consultations raised concerns about new garden communities, traffic congestion, air quality, our town centres, the lack of infrastructure and affordable housing and the need for quality jobs.

“We’ve listened to these, removed the contentious garden communities, and worked to put together proposals that I believe makes the best out of the impositions made by government.

“This is a package of ambitious and innovative policies reflecting the priorities of this council towards climate change, bio-diversity, affordable housing and regenerating our town centres.

“We will now go to the public to get their views on the draft, take stock of the comments submitted and consider our submissions to the inspector. This will then become the focus of the independent examination, the next stage in the process, which is expected to take place in 2022.”

The plan will be available for public viewing on the council’s website from Monday 8th February until Tuesday 23rd March 2021.

With libraries and council offices closed due to the pandemic, it won’t be possible to provide physical copies of the plans at these locations. Hard copies, or extracts from documents, may be made available at cost on request from: LPcomments@swale.gov.uk or by calling: 01795 417 014.

The meeting agenda and full report including the proposed local plan can be viewed here

Swale Borough Council

Free Virtual Training For New Flood Wardens

For more information on being a Flood Warden, visit: www.kentprepared.org.uk/flood-wardens

To register for training, visit: https://bit.ly/2LohGar

The training will be delivered via Zoom and is free to access via smartphone, tablet or computer. Full guidance for easy access provided.

Kent Community Messaging

Swale Borough Council - Transport to Covid-19 Vaccinations for the Clinically Extremely Vulnerable

Swale Borough Council is working with local volunteers to provide free essential transport to covid-19 vaccination sites in the borough.

Working with Swale Community and Voluntary Services (Swale CVS), Swale council can help the clinically extremely vulnerable in the community to access their vital vaccinations.

Anyone who is clinically extremely vulnerable simply needs to call the council’s helpline and they will then make a referral on their behalf to Swale CVS. They will then match them up with a volunteer driver who will take them to and from their vaccination appointment for free.

Cllr Angela Harrison, cabinet member for health and wellbeing at the council, said:

“We know that many people in Swale are greatly anticipating their coronavirus vaccinations, but something as essential as transport can potentially be a barrier for some in the borough.

“That is why we are working with Swale CVS to provide free essential transportation to and from the vaccination sites so that we can help ensure as many people as possible are getting their vaccine.

“The NHS is working hard on the fast roll out of the vaccine, and we want to ensure that those who are unable to travel still have a way to get their vaccine safely. This vaccine is the first step towards us moving back to some form of normality.”

Transportation will be covid secure to ensure the safety of both the passenger and the driver. It is being fully funded by Swale council and is being supplied by volunteer drivers from Swale CVS.

To arrange transportation, please call the Swale council community support line on: 01795 417525, for a referral to Swale CVS.

Swale Borough Council