In the early 50s – without the parked cars and builder’s shed and materials – the green was uniformly covered with fairly long grass and it looked like a larger area than in the photo.
A few young Crow Hill and Maidstone Road boys would lie unnoticed in the middle of the green. They would give light tugs to lengths of cotton, the other end of which they had attached to house door knockers.
The had to muffle their laughs at times and not overdo this – sometimes there were 2 or 3 puzzled residents opening their front doors at the same time.
I recollect Donald Bennett being the mastermind of this – with Eric and Ralph Gill and Keith Acott also being skilled operatives.
Am wondering if the statue of limitations applies and if I should contact the relevant bodies to bring these miscreants to heel. A few ASBOSs among some pensioners might get BG featured in the Daily Schmail
So was that Miss Riley, the former BG Primary School Infants teacher who took these photos?
She and Transition teacher, Miss Bamford, were my 2 all-time favourite teachers.
The last time I saw them was one evening during 1954 or 55 – they were attending Mr Himbest’s Woodwork evening class at Wrotham Road School.
I wish now that I’d taken them more polished-up apples while attending their classes.
Ian :
I continue to be highly appreciative of your humour and intellect.
It’s great that it remains Kentish – without being influenced by ‘Last of the Summer Wine’.
Have you ever met the Brownlee brothers?
And four-leaved clovers for luck.
I seemed to find quite a few in the BG area.
I also sent them to famous personalities, with stamped/addressed return envelopes, asking for their autograph.
A few annual events were productive for local autograph hunters.
Richard Hearn’s Garden Party in Platt had attendees from the entertainment world, such as film star Jean Kent.
And the Head of BBC, who lived in Trottiscliffe, would arrange a charity cricket match there. Arsenal footballers and Middlesex cricketers would be among those participating.
I draw your attention to a comment on the basted page which is not in reply to your comment so may not have hit your inbox in any way. As that post includes a link to a blog I’ll leave you to follow the trail wherever it may lead. Bonne chance!
I have been asked to mention that the previous language is Czech (June 11).
I will also mention 2 people from that country with BG connections :
(a) Mrs Hoadley owned the grocery store at the top of Quarry Hill [at the north end of that short row of residences/ east side of road].
Following WW2, her daughter married a Czech former serviceman (I believe he had been in the RAF?).
He then formed a successful BG-based handyman business.
(b) Within the last 5 or 6 seasons, David Hicl was a popular, speedy Potters FC winger.
During the first few months of 2013, he met an untimely death while skiing in France.
He continues to be sorely missed.
Re : Crow Hill green.
In the early 50s – without the parked cars and builder’s shed and materials – the green was uniformly covered with fairly long grass and it looked like a larger area than in the photo.
A few young Crow Hill and Maidstone Road boys would lie unnoticed in the middle of the green. They would give light tugs to lengths of cotton, the other end of which they had attached to house door knockers.
The had to muffle their laughs at times and not overdo this – sometimes there were 2 or 3 puzzled residents opening their front doors at the same time.
I recollect Donald Bennett being the mastermind of this – with Eric and Ralph Gill and Keith Acott also being skilled operatives.
Am wondering if the statue of limitations applies and if I should contact the relevant bodies to bring these miscreants to heel. A few ASBOSs among some pensioners might get BG featured in the Daily Schmail
So was that Miss Riley, the former BG Primary School Infants teacher who took these photos?
She and Transition teacher, Miss Bamford, were my 2 all-time favourite teachers.
The last time I saw them was one evening during 1954 or 55 – they were attending Mr Himbest’s Woodwork evening class at Wrotham Road School.
I wish now that I’d taken them more polished-up apples while attending their classes.
Yep.
Actually, I took them quite a lot of flowers come to think of it.
Ian :
I continue to be highly appreciative of your humour and intellect.
It’s great that it remains Kentish – without being influenced by ‘Last of the Summer Wine’.
Have you ever met the Brownlee brothers?
And four-leaved clovers for luck.
I seemed to find quite a few in the BG area.
I also sent them to famous personalities, with stamped/addressed return envelopes, asking for their autograph.
A few annual events were productive for local autograph hunters.
Richard Hearn’s Garden Party in Platt had attendees from the entertainment world, such as film star Jean Kent.
And the Head of BBC, who lived in Trottiscliffe, would arrange a charity cricket match there. Arsenal footballers and Middlesex cricketers would be among those participating.
I draw your attention to a comment on the basted page which is not in reply to your comment so may not have hit your inbox in any way. As that post includes a link to a blog I’ll leave you to follow the trail wherever it may lead. Bonne chance!
Dekujeme moc.
I have been asked to mention that the previous language is Czech (June 11).
I will also mention 2 people from that country with BG connections :
(a) Mrs Hoadley owned the grocery store at the top of Quarry Hill [at the north end of that short row of residences/ east side of road].
Following WW2, her daughter married a Czech former serviceman (I believe he had been in the RAF?).
He then formed a successful BG-based handyman business.
(b) Within the last 5 or 6 seasons, David Hicl was a popular, speedy Potters FC winger.
During the first few months of 2013, he met an untimely death while skiing in France.
He continues to be sorely missed.