A siege with hostages in Chaffes Lane, pigeons bombing residents and arguments raging about the Maplin Development plan, March 1973 turned into a month of action in Upchurch.
Two criminals had broken into a Chatham gun shop and had stolen a shotgun and cartridges. One of the men had later sprayed ammonia into the face of a police constable leading to a police chase for the two criminals. The police caught and arrested one of the men, but the other escaped, which led to a manhunt.
The armed criminal trying to evade the police reached and wandered the streets of Upchurch during the night, then posing as a policeman, managed to get entry into the Rahman household at 90 Chaffes Lane, where Mr and Mrs Rahman, their three children and mother of Mrs Rahman, Mrs Clemons resided. The criminal forced the family from their bedrooms and into the living room, where they were held hostage. Mr Rahman was later allowed to use the outside toilet when he was able to escape and alert a policeman living nearby, believed to have been part-time constable Fred Wilson who lived at Gore Bank in Chaffes Lane. More police then arrived, and an armed police cordon was set up around the house, and the neighbours were evacuated. The Deputy Chief Constable of Kent named Mr Haslam, not in uniform and posing as a Council Welfare Officer, then negotiated with the criminal. During the negotiations, Mrs Clemons was sent out to bring a car for the criminal’s escape and the youngest child freed. When Mr Haslam persuaded the criminal to let him enter the house to check the children, the police moved in, and after a scuffle, they arrested the criminal, which ended the siege.
When the criminal appeared in court with his partner, the judge sentenced both men to fourteen years imprisonment for a wide variety of crimes and described them as the ‘enemies of society.’
The proposed plan for the Maplin development, which would mean an airport and a seaport on the banks of the River Medway and would take the islands in the river and the lower part of Upchurch on the Ham Green peninsular, was discussed at a select committee in the Houses of Parliament and a decision for or against the development, was expected in the Spring. For farmers in the Ham Green and Poot Lane areas, it would mean the sale of their land or the compulsory purchase of it. People interested attended an open meeting chaired by TV presenter Raymond Baxter in Chatham Town Hall. Mr Baxter outlined the proposal, and then a representative of Maplin answered questions from the audience that included Bayford and Ham Green farmers Charles and Philip Barling and Jack Wood.
Complaints from Upchurch residents were made to Swale Rural Council about pigeons bombing them with droppings. Mr G Gilbert, clerk to the parish council, said, ‘I don’t think anything will happen to the pigeons. They may well get destroyed, but although the villagers may want to get rid of the pigeons, I don’t think they want them to be killed.’
In village sporting affairs, Derek Hales was selected to play his second First Team game for Luton Town against Sunderland in the F A Cup quarter-finals. Meanwhile, scouts from Luton Town and Gillingham watched his younger brother Ray, who was scoring lots of goals for Sittingbourne. But Ray had misgivings about becoming a professional footballer because he felt that unless he was offered a big salary, he would prefer to continue working in his present job and play for Sittingbourne at weekends.
In other sporting affairs, Upchurch Table Tennis Club First Team continued to top Division Three of the Sittingbourne and District Table Tennis League even after suffering defeat against Wyvern. The other teams were holding their own in their respective divisions, and the Monday evening practice sessions organised by Rich Boakes were well attended.
In a fairly busy month for the village, the Chaffes Lane siege became the main talking point, the council dealt with the bombing pigeons and the Maplin development was finally shelved and did not take place, meaning that Ham Green and Bayford farmers would not lose their land to compulsory purchase and could continue farming.
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.
David's book, Memories of Upchurch, is a very readable and detailed historical study of the village and is available direct from David at: david3702001@yahoo.co.uk price £12 + postage and packing.
