🏏 Age 13 to 60+ years
🏏 Everyone welcome
🏏 No experience necessary
James Longhurst
Upchurch Cricket Club
Tuesday, 13 December 2022
Upchurch Cricket Club - Winter Nets
Temporary Road Closure - Susans Lane, Upchurch
Susans Lane, Upchurch will be closed between the junctions with Wetham Green and Twinney Lane, to the extent indicated by signs and barriers on site.
The alternative route is Wetham Green, The Street, Forge Lane, Halstow Lane, Twinney Lane and vice versa.
The closure is required for the safety of the public and workforce while cable renewal works are undertaken by Openreach.
For information regarding this closure, please contact Openreach on: 0800 023 2023, who will be able to assist with the scope of these works.
KCC 24hr Contact Centre: 03000 418181
For details of roadworks see: https://one.network
Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste
Temporary Road Closure - Horsham Lane, Upchurch
Horsham Lane, Upchurch will be closed from outside number 60 to outside number 68, to the extent indicated by signs and barriers on site.
The alternative route is Horsham Lane, Otterham Quay Lane, Lower Rainham Road, A2 Moor Street, London Road, Hartlip Hill, Breach Lane, The Street, Halstow Lane, Forge Lane and vice versa.
The closure is required for the safety of the public and workforce while pole replacement works are undertaken by Openreach.
For information regarding this closure, please contact Openreach on: 0800 023 2023, who will be able to assist with the scope of these works.
KCC 24hr Contact Centre: 03000 418181
For details of roadworks see: https://one.network
Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste
Monday, 12 December 2022
Chalkwell 326/327 Bus Services Timetable for Christmas and New Year
Passengers are advised that during Christmas and New Year, Chalkwell bus services will operate as follows:
Monday 19th December 2022 - Normal services
Tuesday 20th December 2022 - Normal services
Wednesday 21st December 2022 - Normal services
Thursday 22nd December 2022 - Normal services
Friday 23rd December 2022 - Normal services
Saturday 24th December 2022 - Normal services
Sunday 25th December 2022 - No services
Monday 26th December 2022 - No services
Tuesday 27th December 2022 - No services
Wednesday 28th December 2022 - Saturday services
Thursday 29th December 2022 - Saturday services
Friday 30th December 2022 - Saturday services
Saturday 31st December 2022 - Saturday services
Sunday 1st January 2023 - Sunday services only
Monday 2nd January 2023 - Sunday services only
Normal bus services timetable will resume on Tuesday 3rd January 2023
For further information on bus times, Call: 01795 423982 or Email: coachhire@chalkwell.co.uk
For travel information on routes, times, tickets and fares, visit: www.chalkwell.co.uk/bus-services
Upchurch Matters
Upchurch Fifty Years Ago in December 1972 by David Wood
While watching TV in the living room with his younger brother Anton, eleven year old Mark Oliver noticed smoke coming from under the kitchen door. Mark opened the door to see flames and smoke belching from the oven. The two boys immediately vacated the house, but Mark then realised that his baby sister Cheryl was still inside. Without hesitation, Mark rushed back into the house through a wall of fire and smoke, found his baby sister, tucked her inside the front of his pullover and rushed back through the burning inferno in the kitchen until they were safely outside. Amazingly, the two children did not suffer any serious burns, and Mark instantly became an Upchurch hero.
The fire had been caused by Mark’s mother, Christine Oliver, leaving a pan of boiling potatoes on the oven and then departing to do some shopping without turning off the switch. The potatoes were burnt as flames, and smoke rose higher from the oven.
A neighbour who had heard Anton screaming came to the house to investigate and upon finding the fire in the kitchen, threw a wet cloth over the oven, which caused the fire to subside. The fire service was then called but when they arrived, the fire had already finished.
The firemen praised Mark for his bravery, and then a shocked Mrs Oliver arrived with her shopping. She realized her mistake of leaving the boiling potatoes on the oven and then leaving the house, but she also praised Mark for his brave actions.
Because of his courageous act, Mark was nominated for the ‘Charlie Chester Award of the Month’ and invited to the BBC’s Paris Studio in Regent Street, London. Accompanied by his proud parents Stuart and Christine Oliver and his brother Anton, Mark received his award in the form of an inscribed scroll from the comedian Charlie Chester who felt that Mark deserved more and so he gave him a £1 note. The presentation formed part of a radio show to be broadcast on New Year’s Eve.
At the monthly parish council meeting chairman, Bryan Veale expressed his anger regarding the delay of the Department of the Environment’s inquiry date for the compulsory purchase of land in Forge Lane for a new Holywell School. A date for the inquiry had not been set. In the meantime, the existing Infant’s School in the Street had become seriously overcrowded. The situation became so serious that Mrs M Barton contacted local Conservative MP Roger Moate to see if he could use his influence to make the Department of the Environment set a date for the Inquiry. The problem dragged on, and the new school did not become reality until 1975.
In village sporting affairs, Upchurch United, who played in the Medway Sunday League Premier Division, were struggling, second from bottom in the table. In early December, they did manage a 1-1 draw with Twydall Engineers, and they were on the losing end of a very good game against Berry Wiggins. After going three goals down, Steve Davies and Ian Daniel pulled two goals back but then Berry Wiggins scored three more goals to claim victory.
All was not bad news as Steve Davies from Horsham Lane, one of the leading village table tennis players along with brothers Peter and Brian Boakes, saw the table tennis club’s first team go top of Division Three and the fifth team top Division Five in the Sittingbourne and District Table Tennis League during the Christmas period. The table tennis club, organised by Rich Boakes from Chaffes Lane, met every Monday evening in the village hall.
Village superstar sportsman Derek Hales who had scored a large number of goals for Upchurch United Boys in 1967, had become a full time professional footballer with Luton Town in the Second Division (now the Championship) of the English Football League, while his two brothers Richard and Ray were regularly banging in the goals for Sittingbourne Football Club.
Hempstead United 1970-71 - New Brompton League Champions and
Kent Junior Cup Winners. Taken at Bowaters Sittingbourne.
Derek Hales pictured, second from left in the bottom row,
and Rod Diddams, second from right.
The goalkeeper is writer David Wood from Upchurch.
Derek Hales, son of village butcher Dick Hales, also proved to be an exceptional cricketer with Upchurch Cricket Club and in December, he won the East Kent Gazette and North Kent Times Cricket Bat Award for the highest individual score of 166 against Bredgar Cricket Club. He also scored 128 against Rodmersham, 123 against Lenham and he made 1,000 runs for the season. As a bowler, he took 45 wickets to contribute to the best season for Upchurch Cricket Club in eighteen years. These were the early years which saw Upchurch Cricket Club gradually transform from being a very average Swale village club to being a major force in Kent cricket with a first class ground and facilities.
In other village club affairs, the Women’s Institute were shown a film in which pop star Cliff Richard discussed the activities of the Physically Handicapped and Able Bodied organisation (PHAB). After the film, the result of the Competition of the Month was announced. The competition involved the ladies knitting a square. Mrs Cox won the competition with Mrs Gilbert and Mrs Skinner joint second.
The Women’s Institute also held its annual meeting in December to elect officials and form a new committee. Mrs Gilbert was elected president, Mrs Mitchell secretary and Mrs Goodson treasurer. The new committee consisted of Mrs Ambers, Mrs Dickenson, Mrs Lepinier, Mrs New, Mrs Smith, Mrs Thompson, Mrs Skinner and Mrs Bridger.
As always, some people hoped for a white Christmas, and in the week before Christmas Day, a cold spell saw the temperature drop to -13 degrees for one night, but mild weather soon returned, and a white Christmas failed to materialise.
During the weeks leading up to Christmas, parties were held by the two village schools and clubs, such as the Darby and Joan Club. A torchlight procession also took place. It started from the Crown pub and proceeded to Bishop Lane. It then turned and continued back to the village centre.
A Christmas Sale took place in the village hall, which had Christmas decorations, a Christmas tree and a variety of stalls selling different products. The Brass Band of the Medway RAF Association played music, and Santa Claus sat in a grotto waiting for children to visit him. The sale raised about £40 for the Village Hall Extension Fund.
When Christmas Day arrived, the church opened for a Christmas morning service led by Father Bradshaw while most people stayed at home, eating, drinking and watching television. Jimmy Osmond topped the pop charts with his song ‘Long Haired Lover from Liverpool’, and The BBC showed a variety of attractive programmes. These included ‘The Morecombe and Wise Christmas Show’ with guest stars actress Glenda Jackson, singer Vera Lynn and Kenny Ball and his jazzmen. The televised pantomime ‘Dick Wittington’ starred Dick Emery, ‘Christmas Night with the Stars’ featured the Two Ronnies, Cilla Black, the Goodies Mike Yarwood and Dad’s Army. Jimmy Saville and Ed Stewart presented ‘Top of the Pops’, Rolf Harris presented ‘Disney Time’, and of course, the Queen’s Christmas Message to the people of the UK and the Commonwealth appeared during the afternoon.
On Boxing Day, some people went for walks while others attended sports events. During the evening, the local pubs were packed, as people celebrated, and some village youths attended the Central Hotel Christmas Disco in Gillingham. It was time for people to party.
When Christmas Day and Boxing Day had passed, residents prepared themselves for the New Year celebrations and December passed as an interesting month with a variety of memorable incidents, successes and activities.
David Wood
About David
David was born and raised at Ham Green and still lives there today.
He writes from personal experience about Upchurch village life and the changes that have taken place over the years.
Saturday, 10 December 2022
Latest POLICE.UK Crime Data for Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch Ward - October 2022
A brief summary of crime information for the past 2 months.
31 crimes are shown on the map in October 2022 including:
2 Anti-social Behaviour
2 Anti-social Behaviour
1 Burglary
2 Criminal Damage and Arson
3 Other Theft
4 Public Order
1 Shoplifting
2 Vehicle crime
15 Violence and Sexual Offences
1 Other Crime
28 crimes were shown on the map in September 2022.
Not all crime that occurs is shown on the map.
Please visit: www.police.uk for more information including outcomes for these crimes and contact information for your local policing team.
Upchurch Matters
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