Catching Up....
Re-establishing the Chat Column has been
something of a task.... and it has become a bit embarrassing!
I have been trawling back through Visitors Book
entries and email.... and I have discovered a fair bit of
unpublished material. Gradually, I will catch up with the
backlog. In the meantime, I would like to apologise for the
delays.
Bonny Archer....
Football enthusiasts may wish to note an
addition to our "Whitstable
Town FC - The Golden Years" feature. This is
an article by Ian Johnson on the subject of one of the town's
most popular players..... 1950s goalkeeper John 'Bonny' Archer.
You can view the item by clicking here.
Oxford Street
Boys School....
In our Chat Column for w/c 22/10/07, we featured
some 'Boys School' memorabilia on the subject of a school trip
to the Guernsey in 1963. They were kindly forwarded by Peter
Simpson.
Since then, I have been trawling back through my
email and discovered a message from Graham Ruck on a similar
subject. - a trip to the Channel Islands in 1962! Graham had
attached a photograph containing a couple of faces that may be
familiar to many of our readers....
"Pssst.... I know your mum knitted it...
but couldn't you just leave it on the beach"
The guy on the left is a very young looking Mr
Queen (headmaster) and the chap on the right is his Deputy, Mr
Hime. Mr Queen replaced long-serving head, Frank
Newsome, in 1960 and Graham straddled the two eras by attending
the school 1958-1962.
I was a wholly 'Newsome underbeing' (ie
1955-1959) and never knew Mr Queen.... BUT Mr Hime was my class
teacher from Years 2- 4. He took over my class in year 2 -
replacing Mr Len
Hake who I think moved on to Herne Bay.
I liked Mr Hime.... but, oh boy.... I never knew that
he had a
pullover and shorts like that! I am surprised that the Channel
Island authorities allowed the school back the following year!
Graham also mentioned another Oxford Street
memento - an unofficial red and black scarf knitted by his aunt.
After 40 years, it is still going strong in New England, USA and
it is worn by Mrs Ruck..... when feeding the horses in winter!
Seasalter Camp... Help Needed
Back in September 2005, Peter Lapper wrote from Ireland asking
if anyone could spot the precise location of the following photographs....
They show Peter in the 1950s..... at a Seasalter holiday camp
for disabled children.
As you may know, we were fairly confident that it was a camp
located alongside the railway bridge in the South West angle created by the
railway line and Faversham Road.
| Above: Faversham Road with the
Bridge Country & Lesure Park on the left and the entrance to Lucerne
Drive on the right |
| Below: Some evidence of the
corrugated iron huts remain |
At that time, we managed to speak to the manageress of the
property. She told us that, back in November 1982, the camp had been purchased
from The Church Army by her parents (Margaret & Robert Whiting). It is
now a site for permanent caravans and trades as the Bridge Country &
Leisure Park.
Recently, Peter has emailed another photograph that may just
enable confirm this conclusion...
This shot includes a fairly distinctive house in the background.
Can anyone place it? Is it one of the porperties featured in our 'Faversham Road
shot above? Perhaps our Seasalter readers can help.
Comments on Church Army
Camp....
Our article on the Church Army Camp has prompted some lovely
anecdotes and memories from Dennis in West Wickham...
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Re: The Church Army Camp at Seasalter (See Chat
Column Article for w/c 5/11/07)
Lots of happy memories of the Church Army camp. As Choirmaster of a
church on a huge council estate in Carshalton, Surrey way back in the
1960` and 70`s. I found that many of our youngsters had never had a
seaside holiday so for three years we rented a couple of the static
caravans, cadged a minibus, and brought a crowd of youngsters to
Seasalter.
I remember one eight year old sent a post card to his family saying "we
are next to a railway line in an old caravan and it is raining".
I think he enjoyed it really though.
There were several static caravans each sleeping about 8 I think. A
toilet and shower block and a large tin hall that doubled as a dining
room during the day and theatre in the evening. While we were staying,
there was also a group of Boys Brigade lads and some cubs and Scouts
from Elstree.
The lady and gent who were in charge (Hesselwoods) eventually moved
to a church near Bromley, Kent, but have both now retired. Great fun and
happy days. Thanks for the memory!
Dennis Moor
West Wickham
28/3/08
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Many thanks, Dennis. As adults in 2008, I think it is so easy to
forget what a trip to the seaside could mean for some children in the past. Your
message is a timely and poignant reminder.
As our story was published some time ago, I have teaken the
liberty of replicating your message in the site Visitors Book. We may yet be able to collect enough
information to produce a permanent article on our Days Gone By menu.
Remember...
Remember....
This Chat Column is going out on November 5th and, so, we are
about to enter a firework season that now seems to last an entire month rather
than one night.
So, for all those idiots who want to scare the
fur off my cat (George) for the next 30 days, here is a
message....
"Knock
it off, guys. The real one only tried to blow the bloody place up
once"
I'd hate to have to hang, draw and quarter someone several times
before we hit the solace of December.
Best Endeavours...
I will try to publish all the other material received in the
next few Chat Columns!
Final Word...
I just love this sign on a post in Old Bridge Road...
Bad news if you have a greyhound! However, if you only have a
labrador.... try the 20 mph zone in the High Street. Several people seem to!
Your Comments...
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My Comments...
Please remember that Simply Whitstable is an amateur site and
has NO OFFICIAL status. As such, it does not represent or act on
behalf of any organisation.
Please also note that views expressed in the Chat Column are
merely my own personal comments and not those of any member of the family! Often
my nearest and dearest don't agree with me... so please don't have a go at them
for my personal views and hobby horses!
The best way to regard my comments is to treat them like any
letter sent to a local newspaper by a resident.
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