Addington, Kent

Birling School.

The Headmistress of Birling School was Miss Bragger who lived in the schoolhouse a few steps from the porched door of the school.  Miss Bragger taught the 7-11 year mixed classes. Mrs Dyke had charge of the 5-7 year olds, she had the most deadly aim with small pieces of chalk which came your way if you misbehaved. Each year we danced around the Maypole in the grounds of Birling Manor where a fete was held, we also had a ceremony for Empire Day, 24th May.  I managed to be dressed up as Britannia on 2 occasions. We also had a service at the war memorial on November 11th each year, even in a snow storm we would be there. We always had to put a concert at Christmas. We held our Brownie meetings in a hut which was quite near the pub (was it the Bull?). I seem to remember the W.I. held jumble sales in the same place.
I remember the village shop cum Post Office with the kettles, pots and pans hanging from the ceiling, and rows of sweets in jars on the shelves. I remember the garden had beautiful peonies. As I couldn't go home for lunch, I would spend time talking to the blacksmith just opposite the school. Sometimes he would let us children swing on the bellows to get the flames high for heating up the horseshoes, thankyou Mr Blackman for that and also for mending my iron hoop for free. I think there was a chestnut tree near the forge.
To get into West Malling, we could catch a small bus near the Post Office at 7am, 1pm, and 5pm. I think the last bus came back about 8pm to Birling and then went on to finish its run in Ryarsh.
What a happy childhood I got from Birling.
Margaret

Trips to Wrotham

I was born in London in 1940. Our flat was demolished by the first flying bomb so my parents moved to West Kingsdown when I was three months old. From an early age I remember being taken quite regularly by my mother along the A20 hitching a ride to Wrotham. When arriving in Wrotham and after walking along the High Street we turned left down a hill and a short distance down on the right was a butcher. I believe his name was Mr. Hoppe. It was there that we bought meat, using our food coupons. Once again for our return journey we hitched a free ride from a sympathetic lorry driver. Much later and after the war we travelled by Greenline coach until pertol rationing was eased and Mr. Hoppe could drive his van to deliver meat to residents in West Kingsdown.

The Coronation

In 1953 very few households had television. I remember going along to the Fourways cafe on Coronation Day with my parents so that we could watch the Coronation on the television. My sister was only 3 and I was 5. The cafe was run by Mr and Mrs King. My now step mother worked there as a cook. Years later the cafe became the Fourways Furnishings, though I forget the exact name. That was run by Cyril & Hazel Knight.
The fish & chip shop on the corner, run by the Swinburnes, sold the most delicious ice lollies with real ice cream inside which we would buy on our way to Brownies which was held at the Church Hall on Quarry Hill.

Memory of Snodland

I remember the Brick and Terry. Ted worked with my dad in the paper mill. I remember Mr Dodd as well. He was my woodwork teacher and a very nice man, unlike a lot of the other teachers at that establishment. I was in the Bull pub a few months ago, on one of my rare visits to the UK. I met a lot of my old pals from my childhood. They are still there, ageing like fine wine. I have a lot of fond memories of Snodland. Sadly it's not the same now. Nowhere is. I would love to hear from anyone who grew up there in  the 1950s and 1960s - unless I owe them money, that is!