Petrol Garden Tools Stolen - Forge Lane, Upchurch

Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch Ward

Crime Number: XY/005275/18

Between Friday the 26th and Saturday the 27th of January, a Strimmer, Blower and a Honda Lawnmower were all stolen from a work van parked in Forge Lane, Upchurch.

If you have any information that could help investigators please contact Kent Police on telephone number 101 and quote the relevant crime number above.

For more information on crime prevention visit: www.kent.police.uk

Kent Community Messaging

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An Urgent Message from Upchurch Brownies

It is with sadness that I have to announce that Grey Owl, Tawny Owl and myself, Brown Owl will all be leaving as Brownie leaders at Easter 2018.

After all of us doing Brownies for the past 22 years, we feel it is time to go, and for new blood to take up the reins! Snowy Owl will be staying on for support.

Guiding is fun and challenging, so if anyone would like to accept the challenge of becoming a leader, there is help, guidance and support within the Guiding Organisation - you are not alone!

Running a Brownie Pack is not as daunting as you might think, it is fun and a challenging opportunity.

You need a good sense of adventure, imagination and the desire to see girls grow and achieve things they never dreamed they could do.

Watch the video

The video may not be visible in your Email version of this post.

If not, you can watch it here: youtube.com

If you are interested, or would like to come along and help to see how we do things, then please let me know.

After nearly 50 years of a Brownie Unit in Upchurch Village, it would be a great shame to see it fold!

Thank you

Judy Hine - Brown Owl

Telephone: 01634 388624

Email: Judy.hine34@gmail.com

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Urgent Road Closure - Bull Lane, Newington

AMENDMENT - THESE WORKS HAVE NOW BEEN EXTENDED BY A FURTHER 2 DAYS.

For details of roadworks, please see: www.roadworks.org

Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste

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Urgent Road Closure - Parsonage Lane, Bobbing

Due to additional works this closure will be extended until Thursday the 1st of February 2018.

For details of roadworks, please see: www.roadworks.org

Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste

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Temporary Road Closure - The Street, Hartlip

To maintain access to the school the closure will be in place between 9:30am and 2:30pm each day.

For details of roadworks, please see: www.kenttraffic.info

Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste

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Overnight Roadworks - M2 Stockbury Viaduct

We now have a new programme for works taking place on the M2 at Stockbury Viaduct, please see below for full details:

Saturday 27th January 2018 8:00pm - 6:00am

M2 J4-6 Coast bound Closure

• Installation of Centre Movement Joint - Hard Shoulder/Accelerator.

Sunday 28th January 2018  8:00pm - 6:00am

M2 J4-6 Coast bound Closure

• Installation of Centre Movement Joint - Lanes 1&2.

Saturday 3rd February 2018 8:00pm - 6:00am

M2 J4-6 Coast & London bound Closure

• Installation of Centre Movement Joint - Installation of Rubber Throughout & Connect Through Central Reservation.

Sunday 4th February 2018 8:00pm - 6:00am

M2 J6-4 London bound Closure

• Installation of Centre Movement Joint - Installation of Anti-skid to previously installed London side joint.

There will be a full closure of the M2 between Junctions 4 and 6 in both directions on

Monday 19th and Tuesday 20th February 2018 8:00pm - 6:00am

each night as the bearing replacement will still be required.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you require any further information regarding these works.

Email: Area4enquiries@aone.uk.com

Telephone: 01732 446800

A-one+ Integrated Highway Services

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Upchurch at War 100 Years Ago in 1918 by David Wood

The final year of the war began with Intercession Day in the church on the first Sunday of the New Year. Large numbers of parishioners gathered to pray in a congregation that included special village constables led by chief constable Len Harvey from Otterham Farm and members of the Upchurch Branch of the Anglo-Saxons wearing their official scarves and badges.

News from the battle front arrived about Private William Sharp from Wetham Green who had joined the Buffs in 1916. The Germans had captured him and set him to work on the Belgian railways then interned him in a prisoner-of -war camp until the end of the war. Edward Muggeridge, reported missing for ten months, was finally presumed dead and Percy Betts perished when a German submarine sank his ship HMS Kale. A special memorial service for these men took place in the church on April 14th. In August Fred Paige and William Lamb were killed then soon after this Lamb’s ten year old son William drowned while bathing in the river at Shoregate. George Banfield, Albert Stapleton and Wilfred Baker all died in the conflict while Stuart Mercer tragically got killed soon after the announcement of the Armistice.

Better news involved William Woodley who had worked as a butcher’s assistant for W H Hales in Upchurch before the war. He received the Military Medal and an additional silver bar for bravery. He later visited his former school at Holywell to cheers and congratulations from pupils.

Money raising activities continued throughout the year. The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel raised a total of £9/11/6d for the war to assist the Honduras Church Association, while in May an operetta took place at the Infant’s School in aid of the Soldiers and Sailors Fund. A concert which included dancing by infants was followed by an operetta ‘The Court Card.’ The cast included twenty two youngsters from Newington’ with admission on the night costing 6d. The concert raised £8 for the Memorial Fund.

The annual Empire Day event took place in The Paddock during May. Edith Robinson served as May Queen and Ted Tress as her consort. After the May Queen ceremony Nellie Cheeseman performed an old country dance followed by the Infant’s School pupils performing maypole dancing. Rosa Smitherman recited Rudyard Kipling’s poetry then Mrs Webster, the wife of local doctor Irby Webster presented gifts and education awards to children from the village schools.

On Wednesday August 21st a garden party and sale of work was held in The Paddock. Various goods were sold at stalls and entertainment included Upchurch Junior Handbell Ringers, a cricket match between ladies and gentlemen, a tug of war competition and pony and donkey rides. The takings were donated to the Upchurch Prisoners of War Fund, the Memorial Fund and for making comforts for wounded servicemen.

Jars of jam continued to be produced at the vicarage with a final sale in late 1918. The jam factory had made a big contribution to the war effort. Parishes throughout the country had been urged to start jam factories by the government earlier in the war. In Upchurch money from the sale of jam contributed to the establishment of a marble memorial tablet and a memorial stained glass window in the church.

During the war two savings associations operated in the village. Len Harvey from Otterham Farm conducted a coupon system while Holywell School ran a savings association. In total £133/6/5d was deposited and 172 savings certificates purchased.

The year finally ended with Christmas decorations being hung in the church. On Christmas Eve children from the choir accompanied by Reverend Dicker and sexton Mr Giles went carol singing around the village to raise money for the Kitchener Home for War Orphans. They raised £1/2/6d. On Christmas Day 60 people attended the church service then Upchurch Girl’s Friendly Society staged a drama in the Infant’s School. A short concert including humorous songs by Fred Wyles and Bert Cox served as a cheerful ending to the war years in Upchurch.

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.

Memories of Upchurch is available direct from David

Email: david3702001@yahoo.co.uk or from us here at

Upchurch Matters. Price £12 + £3.50 postage and packing.

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