A brief back-story pre my arrival in this world.
The Medway area was a prime target for attack during both the First and Second World Wars due to its importance as a naval base and as it could be flown over by the German Luftwaffe en-route to London; the river Medway would have been easy to follow from the air.
The air raid siren and wardens post network was enlarged, with greater provision of purpose- built premises, typically the ubiquitous concrete or brick rectangular and flat roofed blockhouses. Hospitals and public services were required to provide their own air raid shelters. Electrically operated air raid sirens in urban areas and sometimes hand-operated ones in rural areas warned people of an impending attack. Two communal air raid shelters are recorded spaced approximately 250 metres [273 yards] apart in the Brompton Great Lines area to the north-west of the Royal Naval hospital, Gillingham but there would have been many more at the time.
An aerial birds eye view picture 1934 of the Royal Naval Hospital viewed from Chatham Luton. The vast expanse of the Great Lines [on left side] and Lower Lines [top left corner].
I believe this 1938 emergency revised map was used for wartime air raid precautions planning. It indicates a Royal Naval Hospital football ground and an A.R.P. site that closely matches with the post war aerial reconnaissance mapping.
During the Second World War, millions of air photos were captured, by the Royal Air Force, for military reconnaissance and topographic surveying. Likewise, the Luftwaffe had been operating their own wartime air photo reconnaissance over Britain for targeting bombing missions. Then in 1945 the Air Photo Division was established in Ordnance Survey, utilising the surplus aircraft and personnel from the RAF.
An enlarged section of a Luftwaffe aerial reconnaissance photo of Chatham and Gillingham taken September 1940. The Great lines clearly visible [top leftside] has various new structures showing as small dot circular ground patches as well the Naval war memorial and the well trodden footpaths.
It was in the last year of the second world war, January 1945, my brother Raymond was born, which would time label him a "war baby." He was my parents first child and the start of our family.
A British movie film documentary, titled "A Diary For Timothy", was filmed between late 1944 and the early months of 1945. It shows Britain and life under wartime conditions just before it was clear the war was near ending. Timothy is the subject and the real baby born during that year and explains to him the world he is now in and its possible future and hopes for the next generations to come.
An extensive RAF aerial photographic survey of Great Britain (1944-1950), called Operation Revue, was undertaken to assist town planning and road building. Due to post-war budgetary constraints, high-speed wartime aeroplanes such as Spitfires and Mosquitos had to be used, rather than the slower Ansons that were more suited to peacetime aerial survey. The aircraft were specially modified to take two cameras – for stereoscopic capture – beneath each wing. It was not until the 1950s, that the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation increasingly took over aerial survey work from the RAF.
The two photo's of a section of a post war [1946] RAF aerial photographic survey showing the Royal Naval Hospital Great Lines area with some new developments. The Great Lines with a six sided enclosure with structures within, an electricity sub station installed on ground near the Marlborough road - York avenue road junction and a large rectangular structure with a flat roof nearby on the Great lines [top right in each photo].
The next few years our family unit of three lived in cramped, shared, rented accommodation in 56 Rock Avenue Gillingham, Kent, along with grandmother. The year 1948, a saved cash deposit and a pooled family loan enabled the family unit to buy and move into a small Victorian terraced house, number 35 Marlborough road. It being quite near the Army, Navy & Air Force Veterans social club and the car parking area off the junction with Gillingham high street. That left grandmother living alone until one of my uncles, after being de-mobbed from wartime British Army service in the Netherlands, Europe, moved in with her at a rented house 27 Britton Street. He was a great help and support for her, otherwise she would have remained alone, struggling with rent payments, most of the time, as a pensionless elderly widow. Another uncle was de-mobbed later on from British Army service and he took over the tenancy at 56 Rock Avenue.
March 1950 saw the arrival in the birth of my parent's 2nd child. He was named Anthony, which time labels him one of the post war "baby boomer" generation.
March 1950 saw the arrival in the birth of my parent's 2nd child. He was named Anthony, which time labels him one of the post war "baby boomer" generation.
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A view of the Marlborough road end near the High street, circa 1950
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My two elder brothers outside the house,
circa 1952, just before I was born
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8th December 1950 Post war land planning
When the Gillingham borough council was asked to inform the County planning officer that the Darland Banks and the Great Lines should be preserved as open air spaces for recreation, Councilor H. Smith asked whether this would not conflict with the Gillingham Education Committee's attempt to secure 30 acres of land on the Lines for school building. He pointed out that a deputation, on which he would probably be serving, was shortly to put the committee's case in London in an attempt to get the War Office to give up the land for this purpose. The Town Clerk (Mr. J. C. Nelson) agreed. "You cannot have it both ways," he said. It was unanimously decided to refer the matter back for further consideration. During the discussion Councilor A. J. A. Woodcock said that the Darland Banks came within a reservation area and would not be built upon.
15th October 1952 report
Duke at Naval Ceremony
Into the Medway towns early to-day there arrived from all parts of the country, relatives of the men of the Chatham Division of the Royal Navy who lost their lives at sea during the war. H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh unveiled the 1939-45 extension to the World War 1 Naval War Memorial in the Great Lines, Gillingham. The extension contains 50 new Bronze plaques bearing the names of 9,946 men and women of the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, W.R.N.S. and the Maritime Regiments who lost their lives at sea in World War II. It is in the form of a semi-circular wall of Portland stone surrounding the memorial obelisk, and finishing in two pavilions in which the seven volumes of the Memorial Register will be kept.
NEW SCHOOLS FOR KENT
Projects likely to start 1953-54
Projects in the 1953-54 list are:-
Bexley Grammar: instalment (estimated cost, £115,000).
Broadstairs Secondary: accommodation for 16 forms (£130,672).
Bromley, Bickley and Widmore C. of E. (controlled) Primary: new premises, 240 places (£36,960).
Chislehurst, Red Hill County Primary: Assembly Hall, 80 places (£8,000)
Crayford, Slades Green County Primary: two-form entry instalment of three-form entry infants' school,
240 places (£37,000).
Dartford Technical Girls: accommodation to supplement Wilmington Manor premises (£100,000).
Dover, Archer's Court Secondary: accommodation for 16 forms (£132,000).
Folkestone, Christchurch C. of E. (controlled) Primary: instalment of new premises, 240 places (£30,000).
Gravesend Grammar Boys: restoration of war damage (£35,000).
Hoo Secondary: accommodation for 16 forms (£132,000).
Hythe, Brockhill Secondary Boys: dining/class accommodation and scullery (£10,000).
Maidstone, East Borough Secondary: additional accommodation (£14,000).
Maidstone, Shepway County Primary: second junior department, 480 places (£72,336).
Minster-in-Sheppey County Primary: infants' department, 240 places (£48,940).
Orpington, Ramsden County Primary: 240 places (£37,000).
Rochester, Strood Elaine County Primary: infants' department, 240 places (£37,000).
Sevenoaks County Secondary Boys: additional accommodation (£25,000).
Sidcup, Blackfen Secondary Boys: to bring accommodation up to 24 forms (£60,000).
Southborough Secondary: accommodation for 12 forms (£95,455).
Swanley Secondary: additional accommodation on new site (£40,000).
West Malling C. of E. (controlled) Primary: 120 places, instalment (£12,000).
Reserve List
A reserve list has been provisionally approved by the Minister. It is understood that other projects are to be considered for inclusion. As it stands at the moment, the provisional reserve list consists of five secondary school projects estimated to cost £409,000.
These are:-
Bexleyheath Secondary Boys: rebuilding of fire damage and additional accommodation (£25,000).
Crayford, Slades Green Secondary: accommodation for 12 forms (£90,000).
Deal Secondary Boys: accommodation for 16 forms (£132,000).
Gillingham, Great Lines Secondary: accommodation for 16 forms (£132,000).
Gillingham Technical Boys: adaptation of Gardiner Street premises (£30,000).
The Minister has authorised the following projects in the current year (1952-53) programme:-
Tunbridge Wells Technical College: adoption of Caffyn's premises.
Erith Technical College: workshops.
As a result of the inclusion of those projects in the current year's programme, it is understood that there will be no Further Education schemes in the (1953-54) programme.
The Minister has authorised the following projects in principle:-
Main List- Halstead Place: residential school for educationally sub-normal boys
(instalment, stage 1), estmated cost £60,000.
Reserve List- Broomhill Bank, Tunbridge Wells: residential school for educationally sub-normal girls
(instalment, stage III), estmated cost £60,000.
27th May 1955 report
In his mayoral speech, he said that the corporation had begun to get down to applying their resources over a wider field after having concentrated their energies on housing and education - the immediate post-war needs.
They were also mindful of the need to assist those of small means who wished to buy their own houses - during this year 78 houses would be built for that purpose. The mayor also said that in his opinion it would be a distinct step forward if a scheme could be instituted to enable intending purchases to avoid the fairly heavy initial payment which they now had to make to cover the deposit and legal charges.
For education, "Side by side with the provision of new schools we have been mindful of the wants of those of older date, and a great deal of work has been done to provide these older schools with a higher and more modern standard of amenity. The earliest post-war emphasis was upon the accommodation to be provided for younger children. Latterly, however, the emphasis has tended more to the provision of secondary school accommodation."
"In this year we should see substantial progress with a new school on the Great Lines, the first instalment of which will provide for over 500 pupils. The removal at last of the Medway College of Technology to Fort Horsted has enabled us to establish a boys' technical school in the premisis thereby vacated in Gardiner Street." Further improvements to other schools were in hand.
"As each year comes round we find it increasingly possible to include in our programme for that year some projects that will give to the people of the town those facilities and amenities they are entitled to expect. One such project is the extension of the Strand, visible evidence of which will be apparent before the end of the coming year, and another is the projected branch library for Rainham."
Duke at Naval Ceremony
Into the Medway towns early to-day there arrived from all parts of the country, relatives of the men of the Chatham Division of the Royal Navy who lost their lives at sea during the war. H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh unveiled the 1939-45 extension to the World War 1 Naval War Memorial in the Great Lines, Gillingham. The extension contains 50 new Bronze plaques bearing the names of 9,946 men and women of the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, W.R.N.S. and the Maritime Regiments who lost their lives at sea in World War II. It is in the form of a semi-circular wall of Portland stone surrounding the memorial obelisk, and finishing in two pavilions in which the seven volumes of the Memorial Register will be kept.
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Scene of Chatham Naval War Memorial WW 1
the unveiling ceremony 26th April 1924
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| Chatham Naval War Memorial the mid 1950's |
Post-war education plans were beginning to emerge into the public domain, as revealed on 17th October 1952 Friday;
Projects likely to start 1953-54
The Minister of Education has signified her approval to the Kent Education Committee of a primary and secondary school major building programme for 1953-54 which, it is estimated, will cost about £1,208,363. Of that amount, £319,236 is for primary schools and £889,127 for secondary.
If no change in policy occurs, these schools should be ready for use at a time when pressure on primary school places will have reached its peak and a rapid increase in the number of secondary scholars is about to take place.Bexley Grammar: instalment (estimated cost, £115,000).
Broadstairs Secondary: accommodation for 16 forms (£130,672).
Bromley, Bickley and Widmore C. of E. (controlled) Primary: new premises, 240 places (£36,960).
Chislehurst, Red Hill County Primary: Assembly Hall, 80 places (£8,000)
Crayford, Slades Green County Primary: two-form entry instalment of three-form entry infants' school,
240 places (£37,000).
Dartford Technical Girls: accommodation to supplement Wilmington Manor premises (£100,000).
Dover, Archer's Court Secondary: accommodation for 16 forms (£132,000).
Folkestone, Christchurch C. of E. (controlled) Primary: instalment of new premises, 240 places (£30,000).
Gravesend Grammar Boys: restoration of war damage (£35,000).
Hoo Secondary: accommodation for 16 forms (£132,000).
Hythe, Brockhill Secondary Boys: dining/class accommodation and scullery (£10,000).
Maidstone, East Borough Secondary: additional accommodation (£14,000).
Maidstone, Shepway County Primary: second junior department, 480 places (£72,336).
Minster-in-Sheppey County Primary: infants' department, 240 places (£48,940).
Orpington, Ramsden County Primary: 240 places (£37,000).
Rochester, Strood Elaine County Primary: infants' department, 240 places (£37,000).
Sevenoaks County Secondary Boys: additional accommodation (£25,000).
Sidcup, Blackfen Secondary Boys: to bring accommodation up to 24 forms (£60,000).
Southborough Secondary: accommodation for 12 forms (£95,455).
Swanley Secondary: additional accommodation on new site (£40,000).
West Malling C. of E. (controlled) Primary: 120 places, instalment (£12,000).
Reserve List
A reserve list has been provisionally approved by the Minister. It is understood that other projects are to be considered for inclusion. As it stands at the moment, the provisional reserve list consists of five secondary school projects estimated to cost £409,000.
These are:-
Bexleyheath Secondary Boys: rebuilding of fire damage and additional accommodation (£25,000).
Crayford, Slades Green Secondary: accommodation for 12 forms (£90,000).
Deal Secondary Boys: accommodation for 16 forms (£132,000).
Gillingham, Great Lines Secondary: accommodation for 16 forms (£132,000).
Gillingham Technical Boys: adaptation of Gardiner Street premises (£30,000).
The Minister has authorised the following projects in the current year (1952-53) programme:-
Tunbridge Wells Technical College: adoption of Caffyn's premises.
As a result of the inclusion of those projects in the current year's programme, it is understood that there will be no Further Education schemes in the (1953-54) programme.
The Minister has authorised the following projects in principle:-
Main List- Halstead Place: residential school for educationally sub-normal boys
(instalment, stage 1), estmated cost £60,000.
Reserve List- Broomhill Bank, Tunbridge Wells: residential school for educationally sub-normal girls
(instalment, stage III), estmated cost £60,000.
On the Great Lines, a six sided enclosure containing small single storey structures, shown on the aerial photographs and [year 1953] map lying in the south of the land allocated for the Great Lines Secondary School, is rumoured to have a stairwell entrance to a tunnel partly underlying the site and would be close to the railway tunnel [excavated year 1856]. This can only be confirmed or disproved through any future archaeological investigations.
There are a number of bricked up or blocked tunnel entrances in and around the Great Lines area which could indicate the presence of a network of tunnels underlying this area. Of particular note are several covered entrances carved into the bottom of the chalk bank, beside the Luton arches railway viaduct and close to the Mount Pleasant area on Chatham Hill. This excavated storage space in the chalk is believed to have been used in the wartime local garaging for civil defence vehicles and rescue equipment.
GILLINGHAM BOROUGH'S 26th MAYORAL ELECTION
Alderman A. J. A. Woodcock has been elected mayor at Gillingham
In his mayoral speech, he said that the corporation had begun to get down to applying their resources over a wider field after having concentrated their energies on housing and education - the immediate post-war needs.
"Last year we completed 314 houses - we anticipate that this year will bring us very close to completion of the Twydall estate." The borough's houses that had fallen below the standards required for human habitation. "We confidently anticipate that in the coming year many of these dying properties will be removed and new homes will arise in their place."
They were also mindful of the need to assist those of small means who wished to buy their own houses - during this year 78 houses would be built for that purpose. The mayor also said that in his opinion it would be a distinct step forward if a scheme could be instituted to enable intending purchases to avoid the fairly heavy initial payment which they now had to make to cover the deposit and legal charges.
For education, "Side by side with the provision of new schools we have been mindful of the wants of those of older date, and a great deal of work has been done to provide these older schools with a higher and more modern standard of amenity. The earliest post-war emphasis was upon the accommodation to be provided for younger children. Latterly, however, the emphasis has tended more to the provision of secondary school accommodation."
"In this year we should see substantial progress with a new school on the Great Lines, the first instalment of which will provide for over 500 pupils. The removal at last of the Medway College of Technology to Fort Horsted has enabled us to establish a boys' technical school in the premisis thereby vacated in Gardiner Street." Further improvements to other schools were in hand.
"As each year comes round we find it increasingly possible to include in our programme for that year some projects that will give to the people of the town those facilities and amenities they are entitled to expect. One such project is the extension of the Strand, visible evidence of which will be apparent before the end of the coming year, and another is the projected branch library for Rainham."
12th August 1955 The Bomb site in the town report
Gillingham Borough Council have decided to reconsider their decision to build a three-storey block of flats on one of Gillingham's "ugly spots." For over 10 years people travelling through the borough by way of Canterbury Street have commented on the eyesore at the junction of Rock Avenue and Windmill Road.
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| Early 20th century shops of Rock Avenue |
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| Shops blown apart near the air raid shelter block |
Once a thriving residential shopping site, the area of houses numbered 1,3,5,7 Rock Avenue was badly damaged by bombs during a wartime air raid in the last days of August 1940 and is now littered with rubbish and overgrown grass. The council have had the re-development of the site constantly under review, and last month the Housing Committee agreed that a three-storey block of flats should be built there. The borough engineer (Mr. J. K. Urwin) was authorised to prepare the necessary working plans and to invite tenders for the building work. Now Councilor P. F. Cooper (chairman of the Housing Committee) has the permission of the council to have the decision to build flats reconsidered. He said there was a feeling about the possible cost of the proposed scheme, and various objections which might have to be considered.
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| 1940 Aerial reconnaissance shows the damage area near the air raid shelter block |
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| Windmill Manor flats eventually built end of 1950's on the site where shops with flats once stood |
Friday October 7th 1955. 'Kent may change Grammar school selection system'.
This report in the Kentish Express newspaper.
Changes in the system for selection of children for grammar and technical school places, which are to affect the future of thousands of young Kent pupils, are to be considered by Kent Education Committee.
The main proposals are:
- To abolish the grammar and technical school one-day entrance examination, held each November, for most children.
- To resort to the old type entrance examination only for children regarded as "border line" cases.
- To introduce a new system of selection, based on the merits of course work done during the late stages of their primary school education.
- To hold tests during routine teaching periods unknown to the children themselves, thus avoiding failures by the nervous.
Next year, if these changes are approved, the change-over may be taken a stage further. Under the name of the "Kent Junior Examination 1956" the new scheme will affect all children born since 1945. The Secondary Education Committee feel that after a series of "routine schooling" tests during January there will be clear evidence for them to allot most pupils to their new school without further examination. For the minority whose work has not revealed whether they would be best suited for modern, grammar or technical school education, there will be another test. Only a very few will have to be interviewed by a panel of head teachers before a choice is made.
In the private schools, when school children take the entrance examination and most of those who pass never take up their option on a grammar school place. They are already destined for a public school education, the 11 plus selection is "as insurance."
4th January 1956 a report in the East Kent Times newspaper, giving some guidance to parents about the new
Kent Junior Examination. This new system now being introduced into county primary schools throughout Kent.
My environs..
From the 1st floor front bedroom window, there was a fantastic view overlooking the Garrison cricket ground. My dad used to watch the matches, whilst relaxing in the bedroom, on a Summer day. In those times along with my elder brother Anthony, there were endless summer days of childhood in exploration of the neighbourhood and in play with the other children hanging about the street.
Our playground was vast and so easily accessible, covering the Great lines and Brompton. The gateway to reaching Brompton was via a narrow private unmade road that joined with Marlborough road near the junction with Paget street. You had to open a heavy wooden farm gate to gain vehicle entry to the road which led to the newly developing Sally Port Gardens housing estate and into the rest of Brompton. People usually closed the gate behind them, following the advice given in the old public information film "The country code". When I was not much older than 3 years of age in 1956, Upbury Manor school was being built on the Great Lines, but I was not aware of it yet. I once escaped from my mothers' attention and managed to sneak through that gate, after it had been left open, to have a day of misadventure in the Sally Port.
It was at the time that part of Brompton was being developed for new housing for the Army personnel. The area being called Sallyport gardens. At that young age, I must of been impulsive, irrepressibly driven to adventure and of exploring my surroundings. The story began when my mother left me, at play with my wooden toys in the rear garden, so she could get on with doing the laundry washing in the kitchen. My father, I assume was at work in the Chatham dockyard, my brothers were at school for the day.
Wandering about the garden, I opened the side gate to the link access alley between our and the neighbouring house in the terrace. The "Fosters" were our immediate neighbour, I opened their gate and entered their yard. I spotted a large scooter that had pneumatic tyres fitted, it belonged to 11 year old Billy Foster. I had seen other children riding on scooters, and myself had never had a chance to try it because Mum could not afford to buy one. So I stepped up onto it, then started playing on it, handling it and moving around, but the yard was too small and restricting to get going at any speed. After a while, I took it out into the alleyway, pushed open the street door and then out onto the pavement of Marlborough road.
Having mastered the art of balance and whoosh! I was scooting along the pavement in the direction of Lock street. It was a very smooth ride despite the slab pavement, I continued on, to the Falcon Inn, where I stopped and paused to decide my next move. I had yet to be schooled and be taught the "Kerb drill". I managed the crossing over to the other side of Marlborough road for to ride on the smooth tarmac pavement. From there, wheeee! onwards scoot, reaching the big farm gates that blocked access to the Sally Port road and the Great Lines. Another pause, looking all around, I could see Paget street and further along Marlborough road up towards the Naval hospital. This gate and the narrow road beyond looked inviting to ride along because there wasn't any traffic on it. The road gate had been left unsecured, ajar. I learned when I was much older that this gate was usually shut after each person with vehicle had accessed the road to and from Sallyport. To one side of the gate there was a narrow pedestrian gateway entrance arrangement where you had to walk around a barrier in a right then left direction to pass through onto the roadway. A public drinking water fountain was sited on the left in front of this gate. There wasn't any pavement to walk on along this road until it reached Sallyport gardens. Holding onto the scooter, then pushing my way through the gap left open at the gate, my sense of excitement and wonder of what was up ahead launched my first journey into Brompton.
One side of the road was the Great lines wild grassland, fenced off by old rusty iron square shaped design railings, approximately four feet in height. I believe there was also a large farm gate entrance in the fence for vehicle access to the lines for the use of special events, such a military show displays, steam fairs, travelling funfairs and circuses etc. The other side of this road was tree lined and with a wire fence bordering the perimeter of the Garrison sports ground. Scooting along near to reaching the new housing of Singapore drive, one could see the sports pavilion buildings right next to the fencing within the sports grounds. There was also another fence gate for pedestrian access to the Great lines with a well trodden footpath leading back across the grassland in the direction towards Marlborough road lines fence gate, near the Stafford street end junction.
Well now, at the location of Singapore drive, the Sallyport road and beyond was in the process of being developed into a proper road with pavements on either side to cater for the future expansion of garrison service personnel and the housing estate. Something new to me was a sticky black road, I scooted onto it and all a sudden could not scoot easily any further. The scooter wheels sinking a fraction into the soft surface as was my little sandals when I tried to push my way along this road. It was warm tarmacadam, I'd never seen this material before and I laid the scooter to one side to explore the black stuff. On the nearby paving I found a discarded ice lolly stick. Kneeling down in the road, I prodded the stick into the surface, popping tar air bubbles. This was fun and fascinating testing its responses. I then pushed my fingers in to feel the stuff. My bare knees, hands and shoes now covered with a sticky black residue.
Meanwhile at home the alarm had been raised on the discovery of my vanishing from the neighbourhood. My mum and Mrs Foster had been fearfully walking about, searching the area, finding no trace of me or the missing scooter. The police were called and a policewoman was sent out to look. My mother had told me this many years later, that the policewoman had found me when I was seen wandering back through the farm gate from the Sallyport road into Marlborough road. The scooter wasn't with me, but was found later and retrieved from where I had left it in the road of sticky tarmac.
25th May 1956 report
Alderman Woodcock has been unanimously re-elected mayor of Gillingham
On Tuesday at the Municipal Buildings, Gillingham, in his speech he stated: "Each year sees of course, a development of the order of things established in previous years, and even in 1956 we cannot divorce our minds from the immediate post-war years. During that period - confronted with the difficulties of capital restriction and of material in short supply - our energies and resources were largely confined to housing needs and educational requirements."
"As these restrictions were eased we were able - without retarding our housing and educational programmes - to apply our resources over a wider field. Unfortunately, but quite necessarily, capital restrictions have again been introduced and consequently many desirable projects - some of which have been started - must be delayed and others will have to be deferred. Nevertheless we have been able to continue those services essential to a healthy and useful life. We have continued to build houses for those inadequately housed but, in the order of things, our schemes have been smaller - comparable with the smaller size of the problem which confronts us. And we shall continue this policy in the months ahead."
"Our educational record is good. Last year we saw the commencement of a new school on the Great Lines and this year we should see it completed. Further projects for the coming year include improvements to the Grammar School for Boys, the completion of extensions to the Featherby School and the new school at Fairview Avenue to replace the Camp School at Maidstone Road."
25th May 1956 report
Alderman Woodcock has been unanimously re-elected mayor of Gillingham
On Tuesday at the Municipal Buildings, Gillingham, in his speech he stated: "Each year sees of course, a development of the order of things established in previous years, and even in 1956 we cannot divorce our minds from the immediate post-war years. During that period - confronted with the difficulties of capital restriction and of material in short supply - our energies and resources were largely confined to housing needs and educational requirements."
"As these restrictions were eased we were able - without retarding our housing and educational programmes - to apply our resources over a wider field. Unfortunately, but quite necessarily, capital restrictions have again been introduced and consequently many desirable projects - some of which have been started - must be delayed and others will have to be deferred. Nevertheless we have been able to continue those services essential to a healthy and useful life. We have continued to build houses for those inadequately housed but, in the order of things, our schemes have been smaller - comparable with the smaller size of the problem which confronts us. And we shall continue this policy in the months ahead."
"Our educational record is good. Last year we saw the commencement of a new school on the Great Lines and this year we should see it completed. Further projects for the coming year include improvements to the Grammar School for Boys, the completion of extensions to the Featherby School and the new school at Fairview Avenue to replace the Camp School at Maidstone Road."
12th June 1956 In a House of Commons speech about 'Secondary Modern Schools'
Dr. Horace King M.P. (Southampton. Itchen)
"Britain ought to be proud of what has been done in secondary education so far. It all began under grave handicaps—the established status and prestige of the grammar school; inadequate buildings, most of them, at first, only the old elementary schools, manned by the old teaching staffs; the new problems confronting teachers who faced for the first time in 1947 youngsters of 15, and were perhaps a little afraid of the new task and of the adolescent; the battle to persuade local education authorities to give the equipment, laboratories, workshops, textbooks, playing fields, even school prizes.
Moreover, with an increasing demand for grammar school education, teachers in secondary modern schools encountered parents who had cruelly discouraged their children because they had failed to win special places; parents who regarded the secondary modern school as a disappointment, and who were unkind and unwise enough to let their children and the staff know it. The children left school at 15 instead of the grammar school leaving age of 16 and later.
What has been achieved so far? A successful battle against the illiteracy which had grown, perhaps not surprisingly, during the war. We have not abolished illiteracy. There will always be a few children who cannot be taught to read, but work in small classes for backward children, with teachers today volunteering for such work, and specially training for it, is having its effect.
At the other end of the scale is what is being done for bright children. In 1955, 5,550 secondary modern school children entered for the General Certificate of Education. In a single county in 1953, 102 children passed in 115, and in 1955, 440 children passed in 679, subjects.
Last year, a girl in a secondary modern school of which I am a governor passed in six subjects—most grammar school children would be happy to do as well as this. Some children in Hampshire who began in a secondary modern school are now at the university. In 1949, 13,000 secondary modern schoolchildren stayed on after 15, and 1,500 after 16. In 1954, the numbers were 21,000 and 3,000. Secondary modern school education has proved really worth while for these children, most of them victims of the 11-plus selection system.
The reaching out to types of work traditionally associated with grammar and technical schools; the beginning of the seeping away, which I believe inevitable, of the clumsy tripartite system which still fetters us, and faltering though unconscious moves towards comprehensive secondary education. Able children from fifth forms of secondary modern schools are transferring to sixth forms of grammar schools and are doing well there; and all this apart from the deliberate setting up of comprehensive secondary schools by some forward-looking local education authorities.
All that has been won so far is in danger. One and a quarter million more children are now coming into our secondary schools. Some of the newest buildings can take the extra children, but senior schools built between 1931 and 1939, good as they were, will not be adequate and cannot cope with the bulge. Perhaps one third of our children are in neither new schools nor in "senior" schools, but in old, cramped buildings, which are already full to capacity before the bulge hits them.
The position is worse than many imagine. By law, secondary school classes ought to be a maximum of 30. Yet in 1948 nearly 70 per cent. of the classes were over 30. By 1954 the percentage had dropped to 54, but it will now rise again unless speedy action is taken. In January, 1955, there were 22.000 over-large secondary modern school classes, 1 million children in classes over 30, and even 120,000 in classes over 40.
If we are to extend the ablest pupils—and everyone who believes in secondary modern education believes that that is one of its most important tasks—and I believe the ability is there; if we are to feed the new demands of a technical age with new cadres of ability which can only be drawn from the 75 per cent. of our children now in secondary modern schools; if we are to develop what is being done for backward and delicate children, all this demands smaller classes. Yet at the moment they are getting larger. One and a quarter million more children means that at the height of the bulge, in 1961, we ought to have another 40,000 secondary teachers for classes of 30, or 30,000 more if only to keep classes below 40.
We have not solved yet the problem of the 11-plus selection; and I do not think that we ever shall, under the tripartite system. I welcome the advance made by Kent and similar local education authorities in their attempts to break down the nightmare of the examination at 11 plus, but some local education authorities are moving backwards, not forwards. The evils of coaching for selection still remain."
19th October 1956 report
Head teacher wanted
Gillingham Education Committee is to advertise shortly for a head teacher for the new Great Lines Secondary school, which will be the borough's first co-educational school. Members of the committee agreed on Monday that equal chance should be given to men and women to apply for headship.
30th November 1956 report
Gillingham schools hit by 'bulge'
Gillingham will be seriously affected by the "bulge" within the next few years, when existing schools will not be able to cope with the increasing number of pupils. One of the solutions might be the building of new schools at Rainham.
A report on the anticipated school population of the town, submitted to Gillingham Committee for Education, estimates that the peak number of children at county secondary schools (not including grammar and technical) will be reached in 1960, when there will be 550 more pupils than at present.
Already there are nearly 300 more children than there are places available, so that by 1960 the number will be around 850. The Great Lines co-educational secondary school will take care of 510, and to remedy the need for the other 345 places, the educational committee feel that the second instalment of the Great Lines school should immediately be included in the building programme and that consideration should be given to a new county secondary school at Rainham.
Primary education also presents problems - by 1959 nearly 100 extra places will have to be found. The committee have recommended the building of nursery accommodation at Twydall Infants School.
With the building of a new primary school at Fairview, Wigmore, work on which is due to start early next year, it is expected that primary schools at Rainham, Wigmore and Hempstead will be adequate, but the committee will review the position in three months, when further information on house building progress is available.
Present estimates from private builders are that 322 houses will be built in the whole of the Rainham area next year and 416 in the following year. Between 200 and 250 private houses are being built at the present time, and the committee feels that it is unlikely the builders' estimates will be reached.
1st February 1957 report
A comprehensive schools programme
New grammar schools for boys and girls at Rainham Mark are among the future plans of Gillingham Committee for Education, it is revealed in a special 55-page document prepared by the Borough Education Officer
(Miss D. Howard).
The document shows what has been achieved in the field of education in the past, as well as detailing the future programme.
It shows the vast plans for new school buildings that have been carried out in Gillingham since the war, and makes interesting comments on the changing outlook towards education.
"The building requirements have become so widely known that it causes none of the astonishment produced in the general public in 1945 to learn that all secondary schools should have school halls, separate gymnasia, large sizeable classrooms, adequate staff common rooms, ample sanitary and washing accommodation with hot and cold water, drying facilities for childrens clothes, medical inspection rooms, good playing fields and wholly adequate sites," says the report.
"These requirements, described in 1945 as starry-eyed, are the accepted standards of the present-day self-respecting community."
The report discloses that all secondary schools proposed for Gillingham are to be new buildings in order that full opportunity may be given to develop a wide form of secondary education.
Grammar schools for both boys and girls are to be built on the large educational reservation of about 88 acres near Rainham Mark, while it is hoped to aquire a 35 acres site at Pump Lane for the building of new technical schools for boys and girls.
The Napier Secondary School will cease to be housed in their present buildings, part of the schools being transferred to the existing grammar school buildings in Third Avenue and part to the Great Lines School now being erected.
Both the present Woodlands and Rainham Secondary Schools are also to be discontinued for their existing purposes, and new secondary schools to replace them will go up at Cornwallis Avenue, where a 45 acre site has been reserved for education and on the Rainham Mark site.
The result of providing new buildings for the secondary schools is to make the buildings redundant and, since these cannot be abandoned, they have been proposed as the future schools for children under 11.
The present Napier, Richmond, Rainham and Woodlands Secondary Schools and Chatham Girls Grammar School will become schools for younger children. In addition, more new primary schools are to be built - at Hillyfields, Brompton, Fairview and Rainham Mark.
In the opinion of the report, very little of the 1946 plan itself has come into being. Of the 12 proposed new primary schools, four have been built and two are to be erected in the next year. Of the 10 new secondary schools, the first section of one is nearing completion (on the Great Lines).
"None of the proposed adaptation or reorganizations of schools have been or can be undertaken for some time to come, and none of the schools to be discontinued are yet out of use, though one was condemned by the Minister 20 years ago," continues the report.
Schools that are to be closed include Rainham Church of England which will be transferred to the present Rainham Secondary School, Brompton Church of England, Byron Road, Arden Street and St. Aloysius Roman Catholic School.
It is also proposed in the future to build two special nursery schools for the under fives in Gillingham, while nursery classes will be provided at many of the primary schools.
The estimated cost of carrying out all these plans in the town is £1,486,200.
Head teacher wanted
Gillingham Education Committee is to advertise shortly for a head teacher for the new Great Lines Secondary school, which will be the borough's first co-educational school. Members of the committee agreed on Monday that equal chance should be given to men and women to apply for headship.
30th November 1956 report
Gillingham schools hit by 'bulge'
Gillingham will be seriously affected by the "bulge" within the next few years, when existing schools will not be able to cope with the increasing number of pupils. One of the solutions might be the building of new schools at Rainham.
A report on the anticipated school population of the town, submitted to Gillingham Committee for Education, estimates that the peak number of children at county secondary schools (not including grammar and technical) will be reached in 1960, when there will be 550 more pupils than at present.
Already there are nearly 300 more children than there are places available, so that by 1960 the number will be around 850. The Great Lines co-educational secondary school will take care of 510, and to remedy the need for the other 345 places, the educational committee feel that the second instalment of the Great Lines school should immediately be included in the building programme and that consideration should be given to a new county secondary school at Rainham.
Primary education also presents problems - by 1959 nearly 100 extra places will have to be found. The committee have recommended the building of nursery accommodation at Twydall Infants School.
With the building of a new primary school at Fairview, Wigmore, work on which is due to start early next year, it is expected that primary schools at Rainham, Wigmore and Hempstead will be adequate, but the committee will review the position in three months, when further information on house building progress is available.
Present estimates from private builders are that 322 houses will be built in the whole of the Rainham area next year and 416 in the following year. Between 200 and 250 private houses are being built at the present time, and the committee feels that it is unlikely the builders' estimates will be reached.
1st February 1957 report
A comprehensive schools programme
New grammar schools for boys and girls at Rainham Mark are among the future plans of Gillingham Committee for Education, it is revealed in a special 55-page document prepared by the Borough Education Officer
(Miss D. Howard).
The document shows what has been achieved in the field of education in the past, as well as detailing the future programme.
It shows the vast plans for new school buildings that have been carried out in Gillingham since the war, and makes interesting comments on the changing outlook towards education.
"The building requirements have become so widely known that it causes none of the astonishment produced in the general public in 1945 to learn that all secondary schools should have school halls, separate gymnasia, large sizeable classrooms, adequate staff common rooms, ample sanitary and washing accommodation with hot and cold water, drying facilities for childrens clothes, medical inspection rooms, good playing fields and wholly adequate sites," says the report.
"These requirements, described in 1945 as starry-eyed, are the accepted standards of the present-day self-respecting community."
The report discloses that all secondary schools proposed for Gillingham are to be new buildings in order that full opportunity may be given to develop a wide form of secondary education.
Grammar schools for both boys and girls are to be built on the large educational reservation of about 88 acres near Rainham Mark, while it is hoped to aquire a 35 acres site at Pump Lane for the building of new technical schools for boys and girls.
The Napier Secondary School will cease to be housed in their present buildings, part of the schools being transferred to the existing grammar school buildings in Third Avenue and part to the Great Lines School now being erected.
Both the present Woodlands and Rainham Secondary Schools are also to be discontinued for their existing purposes, and new secondary schools to replace them will go up at Cornwallis Avenue, where a 45 acre site has been reserved for education and on the Rainham Mark site.
The result of providing new buildings for the secondary schools is to make the buildings redundant and, since these cannot be abandoned, they have been proposed as the future schools for children under 11.
The present Napier, Richmond, Rainham and Woodlands Secondary Schools and Chatham Girls Grammar School will become schools for younger children. In addition, more new primary schools are to be built - at Hillyfields, Brompton, Fairview and Rainham Mark.
In the opinion of the report, very little of the 1946 plan itself has come into being. Of the 12 proposed new primary schools, four have been built and two are to be erected in the next year. Of the 10 new secondary schools, the first section of one is nearing completion (on the Great Lines).
"None of the proposed adaptation or reorganizations of schools have been or can be undertaken for some time to come, and none of the schools to be discontinued are yet out of use, though one was condemned by the Minister 20 years ago," continues the report.
Schools that are to be closed include Rainham Church of England which will be transferred to the present Rainham Secondary School, Brompton Church of England, Byron Road, Arden Street and St. Aloysius Roman Catholic School.
It is also proposed in the future to build two special nursery schools for the under fives in Gillingham, while nursery classes will be provided at many of the primary schools.
The estimated cost of carrying out all these plans in the town is £1,486,200.
BAYKO BUILDING SET
Bayko was an English building model construction toy invented by Charles Plimpton, an early plastics engineer and entrepreneur in Liverpool. First marketed in Britain it was soon exported throughout the British Commonwealth and became a world wide brand between 1934 and 1967. The name derived from Bakelite, one of the world's first commercial plastics that was originally used to manufacture many of the parts. Bayko was one of the world's earliest plastic toys to be marketed.
The main advantage of Bayko over its rivals is generally regarded as the high standard of realism of the models constructed with it. The main disadvantage often quoted is the fragility of Bakelite which frequently led to bases and window parts breaking.
1952 - 1962 Building soap box wagons or carts. Dad had built one of these sometime before I was born in 1953.
It was a simple box cart for my eldest brother Raymond to play with.
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| The barrow Mk.1 |
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| Landing at Sun Pier, Chatham |
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| Leaving Sun Pier, Chatham |
It was sometime during the school end of term summer holiday months of July/August 1958, we moved to a larger late Victorian terraced house in Rock Avenue. My parents remained in ownership of the Marlborough road house, but looking to let it out to tenants.
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| Rock Avenue 1950's |
During the dark evening of Friday 5th September, I was a child of 5 years of age, this was a terrifying few hours in our new home in Rock Avenue, Gillingham. All the sash windows in the house, rattling in the howling wind, rain and hail, all backed up by the rumbling, thunderous bangs and heavy thuds like that of artillery fire going on outside. But that was not all, there being seemingly almost continuous intense flashes in the sky and of long streaks of deadly electric lightning branching in all directions. I'd never experienced weather such as this before. The next day after a sleepless night for all, my dad ventured out to the 'Honnor' newsagents shop on the corner of Shakespeare/Byron road, to buy a newspaper. Whilst walking there and on his return journey, he was observing the damages to the buildings and in the streets. Most were of minor disturbances, loosening and stripping of roof slates and chimney pots blown away, broken fencing, trees and gardens with debris of flotsam and jetsam littering the roads.
I don't know if any of the trees in the avenue were toppled, though in Marlborough road, some trees were blown over, damaging cars parked on the roadside adjacent to the Byron infant school annexe and the RAF air cadet training corps HQ near the High street junction end. Situated opposite on the facing side of the road was the Viscount Hardinge pub, Wallis Motors garage and its car accessories shop at number 1. This shop, before Wallis Ltd had incorporated it, used to be Mrs Joiner's sweet shop.
The aftermath and the storm wreckage inspection in Marlborough road
6th September 1958 reports from an evening edition newspaper
Southern England took stock today of, the havoc left by last night's sensational electric storm and faced the prospect of further rain and thunder later today. Flood ravaged homes, farms, roads, and railways, and damage from gale, landslides, and lightning show the storm's path like a scar across several counties.
Train services in the Southern and Eastern regions are dislocated, British Railways announced today. Troops are assisting engineers to clear the lines. No direct train service will be available between London and the Kent coast, long distance services to and from East Anglian towns and coastal resorts beyond Chelmsford will be curtailed and subject to delay, and there may also be delay on some branch line services in Sussex. Soldiers from Chelmsford Barracks were helping railway engineers to clear an earth slip near Chelmsford, and the Eastern region don't expect that part of the line to be cleared until later today.
Hundreds of people were stranded at London's Victoria Station throughout the night. About 30 slept on the floor of the booking office. Others sat on suitcases.
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In London too, flash flooding,
but taxi's kept going.
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The British Railways office in Calais announced today that the Calais-Folkestone and Dover-Calais passenger service had been interrupted indefinitely as a result of storm damaged railway tracks in England. The car/ferry service would not be affected.
While engineers and troops toiled today to help beat the rail chaos brought about by last night's storms, these grim words about today's prospects came from an Air Ministry spokesman. "It is possible that we may have a repetition of last night's weather."
In Kent, one of the worst hit counties, railway lines were blocked or partly out of action through subsidences, floods, landfalls, or signal breakdowns at 13 separate points today. Appeals went out to passengers to avoid travelling on the storm hit lines if possible.
A 20 year old soldier on an exercise with the Royal Artillery at Otterburn, Northumberland, was killed by lightning early today. His name was not being disclosed until relatives were informed. The soldier was sleeping in a tent at The Raw, near Elsdon.
Grain crops in many fields were flattened and a National Farmers' Union spokesman commented. "This coming on top of the already bad harvest weather, has meant ruin for many farmers although farmers are eternally hopeful."
The Automobile Association stated at 10:45 a.m. that although most parts of Southern England were now comparatively clear of floods, conditions in Essex were still chaotic.
British Railways Eastern region stated that engineering work to clear the main line between Fenchurch Street and Southend, via Upminster, which was blocked by a severe landslide between Pitsea and Laindon, would continue throughout the weekend.
Because of the rail dislocation, Folkestone harbour was closed today and services between the port and Boulogne and Calais were diverted to Newhaven or Dover. The hold up could not have come at a worst time, for the Channel ports this weekend are dealing with many thousands of holidaymakers returning home.
The storm put 30,000 telephone lines out of action in the SouthEast, East and the SouthWest sections of the London telecommunications region, which cover Surrey and some parts of Kent. By 10 a.m. all telephone exchanges had been restored to normal working, but work continued outside to rectify cable faults.
While engineers and troops toiled today to help beat the rail chaos brought about by last night's storms, these grim words about today's prospects came from an Air Ministry spokesman. "It is possible that we may have a repetition of last night's weather."
In Kent, one of the worst hit counties, railway lines were blocked or partly out of action through subsidences, floods, landfalls, or signal breakdowns at 13 separate points today. Appeals went out to passengers to avoid travelling on the storm hit lines if possible.
A 20 year old soldier on an exercise with the Royal Artillery at Otterburn, Northumberland, was killed by lightning early today. His name was not being disclosed until relatives were informed. The soldier was sleeping in a tent at The Raw, near Elsdon.
Grain crops in many fields were flattened and a National Farmers' Union spokesman commented. "This coming on top of the already bad harvest weather, has meant ruin for many farmers although farmers are eternally hopeful."
The Automobile Association stated at 10:45 a.m. that although most parts of Southern England were now comparatively clear of floods, conditions in Essex were still chaotic.
British Railways Eastern region stated that engineering work to clear the main line between Fenchurch Street and Southend, via Upminster, which was blocked by a severe landslide between Pitsea and Laindon, would continue throughout the weekend.
Because of the rail dislocation, Folkestone harbour was closed today and services between the port and Boulogne and Calais were diverted to Newhaven or Dover. The hold up could not have come at a worst time, for the Channel ports this weekend are dealing with many thousands of holidaymakers returning home.
The storm put 30,000 telephone lines out of action in the SouthEast, East and the SouthWest sections of the London telecommunications region, which cover Surrey and some parts of Kent. By 10 a.m. all telephone exchanges had been restored to normal working, but work continued outside to rectify cable faults.
There were some exceptionally severe thunderstorms following a hot spell at the start of the month. The remarkable storms that affected south-east England on the evening of 5th September 1958 were amongst the most severe ever known in that area and extensive damage was caused by hailstones, tornado winds and extremely heavy rainfall.
The day of the 5th began with a bright early morning, with very high humidity. The temperature widely reached 26C in the south on the 5th, with 27.2C at Whitstable and Mildenhall; the humid air was however very unstable, with temperatures decreasing rapidly with height, enabling some prodigious thunderclouds to develop. There were two main thunderstorm tracts: from Isle of Wight at 3pm to Colchester at 9.30pm; and Brighton from 7 pm moving north. The two tracts merged around 8 pm, giving the most severe weather, where a light easterly breeze met a light northerly. There were some exceptional downpours: 63.5 mm of rain fell in 20 minutes at Sidcup on the 5th (equal to 191 mm per hour, the third highest rainfall rate of the twentieth century), and 131 mm in 2 hours at Knockholt (Kent), along with destructive, large hailstones and tornadoes. At Swanley (Kent) 57 mm of rain fell in 20 minutes. 1690 flashes of lightning in one hour were recorded in one of these storms. A gust of wind of 85 mph was recorded at Gatwick with one of the accompanying tornadoes. The heaviest recorded hailstone in the UK was caught at Horsham (Sussex) during this storm: it weighed 141g (6.75 oz), with a diameter of approximately 70 mm. They were almost the size of a tennis ball. When they hit the ground, they were travelling at speeds in excess of 100 mph. The ground was pitted to a depth of 50 mm. Needless to say there was substantial destruction of trees and property across a substantial area. This famous storm is known as the "Horsham hailstorm". There were more severe thunderstorms in the SE on the 6th, with gales, hail, and flash-flooding. 130 mm of rain fell in one storm at Sevenoaks.
The main storms of September 5th in more detail..
Two major storm-tracks were apparent.
1. The first storm approached the Isle of Wight about 1300 GMT and moved north-eastwards. Heavy rain began at Portsmouth about 1530, Petersfield about 1600, Guildford about 1700, south London about 1800, Chelmsford after 1900, Colchester at 2030 and over the Stour estuary at 2100 GMT.
2. The second storm brought heavy rain to the hinterland of Brighton at about 1800 GMT and moved in a more northerly direction, reaching Rochester about 1900 and east Essex about 2000 GMT.
Over north-west Kent and nearby parts of Surrey and Sussex and also over Essex the two storms seemed to merge and large areas had more than three inches of rain, much of which fell within a period of two hours.
The Horsham area, in the heart of the storm the weather was frightening. It became very dark with the approach of the cloud mass, and although it was practically calm at the ground the unusual and even conflicting movements of the lowering clouds and the extremely oppressive atmosphere impressed many witnesses with a sense of impending disaster.
In most places shortly before the onset of the hail and rain there was a sudden squall from between west and north-west, strong enough to break down tree branches and sometimes to uproot trees. People hastening to close windows were driven back to shelter by a bombardment of hailstones, which arriving at a shallow angle broke many window panes with such violence that glass splinters were flung against the opposite walls. The larger stones broke roof tiles and carried away the lead frames of small window panes.
Car drivers were brought to a standstill by road-flooding, loss of vision in the torrential rain and swirling foliage, and by the felling of large trees across the road; some cars were covered with dents from the impacts of the hailstones. On the south-western flank of the storm, a tornado occurred, causing much tree damage along a practically continuous path passing just east of Horsham to near Gatwick and beyond.
The largest hailstones were reported to be like tennis or cricket balls, or half grapefruits. Not all were spherical; many were dimpled on one side, like a doughnut but without a hole, while some were flattened discs, rather like half-crowns, and others again were irregular and even "jagged" lumps of ice. One man reported to have picked up from his lawn a stone which was "5 to 6 inches long and like a piece of glass ... I did not like the look of it and dropped it back on the ground." Many people measured the diameters and the circumferences of the large stones, or weighed them; several weights of 4 ounces were recorded while even heavier stones were found and measured up to almost 7 ounces. Several people tried to preserve stones in household refrigerators, but because of a power-cut in the area only those stones placed in deep-freeze boxes remained about the same size after a few days. On examination, all the large stones were hard and evidently had a density close to that of pure ice: they bounced high from paths and road surfaces, and buried themselves in lawns so that their tops were about level with the undisturbed surface; pits were left in the lawns when the stones had melted.
Of the further group of storms formed between Petersfield and Farnham about 1745 GMT, and another north of Brighton somewhat later, and these probably amalgamated with the Horsham storm and its northern extensions to form the large complex group which the radar stations reported at 2000 GMT to be straddled across the London area from Suffolk to north Sussex. The most active part of the storm continued to move north-eastwards, and according to the last of the day's observations was centred a little north-east of Ipswich at 2100 GMT ; it was not located over the North Sea at 0430 GMT the following morning, and so presumably had died out some time after crossing the coastline of East Anglia.
Although the storm produced very heavy rainfall and unusually impressive displays of lightning during the evening, it nowhere gave hail-falls of the severity of those in the Horsham area. The largest stones which fell east and north-east of London were about the size of marbles.
The next month or two after, must have been a boom time for the building trade contractors in house and garden repair jobs and on the insurance claims.
3rd October 1958 report
Co-education in junior schools
Plans that would allow the sexes to mix more freely, both at work and play, from the time they start school until they leave are to be considered by Gillingham Education Committee. The committee has already made a start by making the new Upbury Manor School on the Great Lines a co-educational secondary school, and by merging the Napier Boys' and Girls' Schools into one school with mixed classes.
Now it is thinking of making all its junior schools - those for children between seven and 11 - co-educational. A letter it has received from the Napier Secondary Schools Parents' Association has made the committee think of this important principle of education.
The association members frankly point out that they believe it is illogical to segregate the sexes at junior schools after the children have attended mixed infant schools and will, at the age of 11, go to mixed secondary schools.
They are particularly concerned with the position arising in the Central Gillingham area, where separate schools exist at Barnsole Road and Byron Road for children between seven and 11. But in the same area are mixed infants' schools and now the Napier co-educational secondary school.
The committee decided at its meeting last week to consider at a future meeting their policy "on the types of junior schools to be maintained in the borough."
The committee is certainly co-educationally minded these days. In July it decided to press for a revolutionary step to be taken in education in Kent by asking Kent Education Committee to allow a new technical school to be built at Rainham to be co-educational.
A deputation, consisting of Gillingham councilor's and officials, was appointed to go to Maidstone in an effort to persuade the K.E.C. to agree to the idea.
The school, at present planned exclusively for boys, is to be built on an area of farmland between Pump Lane and Bloors Lane, and it is hoped a start on the building will be made next year.
The deputation will be going to Maidstone on 8th October, but it will be some time before it is known whether or not Gillingham Education Committee's plan will be adopted.
The drive to a new age of co-education schools.
Upbury Manor Secondary Modern school in Gillingham was now set to model itself and further develop its own style and identity under the leadership of pioneering headmaster J. D. R. McVie.
This short film shows just some of the non academic activities available in these new schools.
28th October 1958 newspaper report
Last week I had the privilege of visiting what must be one of the Medway Towns' go-ahead schools - it is certainly the most unusual. An "experimental" school it is Upbury Manor Secondary Mixed school - Gillingham's first secondary "co-ed."
And Upbury Manor is co-educational in the fullest sense of the word. For when they are not studying the most important of subjects, the "three Rs" the girls and boys are hard at work side by side in the metalwork and woodwork classes, in the domestic science room or in the folk dancing class.
How do the boys feel about this? "They take their duties with even more seriousness than the girls," the headmaster, Mr. J. D .R. McVie, told me, pointing to an earnest young boy busily making "Queen cakes" for his tea! Mr. McVie was for 15 years headmaster of Woodlands Secondary School for Boys before taking over the senior position at Upbury Manor.
Downstairs in the woodwork and metalwork rooms I found the atmosphere the same, with girls and boys working side by side.
Margaret Beaty (13), of Lennox Road, Brompton. was busily engaged on an exercise which involved the cutting of a wooden joint with a chisel, while, on the same bench, Sidney Oldfield (13), of Grange Road, Gillingham. was making a clothes-horse.
In the adjoining classroom 14-year-old Carol Charlton, from Higham, was turning metal on the lathe.
One of the few "girls only" lessons in the school is dressmaking and in these periods the girls are allowed and encouraged to design and make their own dresses, "shorty" pyjamas, blouses and skirts.
But in almost every other aspect the co-educational side of the school is prominent. When the school stops for lunch, for instance, there is no "barrack room" queuing for meals. The 300 or so pupils who dine at the school sit eight around each table. There is a senior girl at each and also a "server" and meals are brought and served in family style. An unusual aspect here is that members of the 28-strong teaching staff sit among the children to have their meals instead of dining by themselves.
A feature of the school is its magnificent 500-seater hall and stage. Better equipped than that belonging to many repertory companies it was first used for theatrical performances when the Medway schools' Drama Festival, of which the headmaster is secretary, was held there this year. It is to be the venue of the Festival in future years.
A surprising fact about the school which incidentally is one of the first six schools in Kent to be equipped with television, is that it successfully operates more than 15 out-of-school hours clubs and societies, ranging from metalwork to ballroom dancing. Girls as well as boys belong to almost all these clubs as well as members of the staff. Indeed, it is no uncommon sight to see one of the senior boys at the school instructing one of his own woman teachers in the intricacies of lathe-work or cabinet making! A choir, two drama groups, a geography club and a model-making club are among the activities that go on after school hours.
Although opened in April of last year, when children from as many as 12 different Gillingham schools came to Upbury Manor, the school has yet to be officially opened. At the moment 678 children - 306 boys and 372 girls - attend. New buildings, now being erected, will allow for an intake of up to 850 children.
So far the co-educational "experiment" at Gillingham is proving a great success, and Mr. McVie has every reason to be proud of his smartly turned-out youngsters as well as the airy, well-lit and tastefully decorated buildings in which they study.
Last days for us at number 35. What happened?
Our Marlborough road house was then let out to tenants until it was compulsory purchased by Gillingham municipal borough council along with a few other properties in the terrace (north of the Army & Navy club). This area of old housing, together with some others in the west side terraces of Britton street was earmarked for redevelopment and new housing. In the mid 1960's, the council had demolished and cleared sites in Britton street, then built four blocks of flats there. Each block had 10 flats. By 1969 or soon after, the site in Marlborough road had been demolished and cleared, and a three storey block of flats built there. All during this time, frequent journeys were made from Rock Avenue to Marlborough road, mainly to get to the Great Lines, Brompton and Chatham. Taking shortcuts through a network of back alleyways, the walking time to Marlborough road was reduced to about 10 minutes. This was useful knowledge for when I eventually went for secondary education at Upbury Manor school from September 1964.
3rd October 1958 report
Co-education in junior schools
Plans that would allow the sexes to mix more freely, both at work and play, from the time they start school until they leave are to be considered by Gillingham Education Committee. The committee has already made a start by making the new Upbury Manor School on the Great Lines a co-educational secondary school, and by merging the Napier Boys' and Girls' Schools into one school with mixed classes.
Now it is thinking of making all its junior schools - those for children between seven and 11 - co-educational. A letter it has received from the Napier Secondary Schools Parents' Association has made the committee think of this important principle of education.
The association members frankly point out that they believe it is illogical to segregate the sexes at junior schools after the children have attended mixed infant schools and will, at the age of 11, go to mixed secondary schools.
They are particularly concerned with the position arising in the Central Gillingham area, where separate schools exist at Barnsole Road and Byron Road for children between seven and 11. But in the same area are mixed infants' schools and now the Napier co-educational secondary school.
The committee decided at its meeting last week to consider at a future meeting their policy "on the types of junior schools to be maintained in the borough."
The committee is certainly co-educationally minded these days. In July it decided to press for a revolutionary step to be taken in education in Kent by asking Kent Education Committee to allow a new technical school to be built at Rainham to be co-educational.
A deputation, consisting of Gillingham councilor's and officials, was appointed to go to Maidstone in an effort to persuade the K.E.C. to agree to the idea.
The school, at present planned exclusively for boys, is to be built on an area of farmland between Pump Lane and Bloors Lane, and it is hoped a start on the building will be made next year.
The deputation will be going to Maidstone on 8th October, but it will be some time before it is known whether or not Gillingham Education Committee's plan will be adopted.
Upbury Manor Secondary Modern school in Gillingham was now set to model itself and further develop its own style and identity under the leadership of pioneering headmaster J. D. R. McVie.
This short film shows just some of the non academic activities available in these new schools.
28th October 1958 newspaper report
Last week I had the privilege of visiting what must be one of the Medway Towns' go-ahead schools - it is certainly the most unusual. An "experimental" school it is Upbury Manor Secondary Mixed school - Gillingham's first secondary "co-ed."
And Upbury Manor is co-educational in the fullest sense of the word. For when they are not studying the most important of subjects, the "three Rs" the girls and boys are hard at work side by side in the metalwork and woodwork classes, in the domestic science room or in the folk dancing class.
It is a common sight at Upbury Manor to see a slim, 14 year-old girl hard at work on a large metal-work lathe, or a robust lad busily mixing up the ingredients for a cake. For homecraft is a subject not taken lightly at this school and in the near future it is planned to extend these "father and motherhood" lessons to include setting up house and - quite literally - bathing the baby! Off the well-equipped domestic science room, with its bays of kitchens so up to date that any housewife would be glad to own on, is a two-roomed flat. This consists of a lounge, kitchen, bathroom and toilet, and it is here that, separately, senior boys and girls will spend time decorating, placing furniture and doing the household chores. And to make it even more realistic, young children mainly the infants of former teachers will be cared for, bathed and dressed by the fourth year boys and girls.
How do the boys feel about this? "They take their duties with even more seriousness than the girls," the headmaster, Mr. J. D .R. McVie, told me, pointing to an earnest young boy busily making "Queen cakes" for his tea! Mr. McVie was for 15 years headmaster of Woodlands Secondary School for Boys before taking over the senior position at Upbury Manor.
Downstairs in the woodwork and metalwork rooms I found the atmosphere the same, with girls and boys working side by side.
In the adjoining classroom 14-year-old Carol Charlton, from Higham, was turning metal on the lathe.
One of the few "girls only" lessons in the school is dressmaking and in these periods the girls are allowed and encouraged to design and make their own dresses, "shorty" pyjamas, blouses and skirts.
But in almost every other aspect the co-educational side of the school is prominent. When the school stops for lunch, for instance, there is no "barrack room" queuing for meals. The 300 or so pupils who dine at the school sit eight around each table. There is a senior girl at each and also a "server" and meals are brought and served in family style. An unusual aspect here is that members of the 28-strong teaching staff sit among the children to have their meals instead of dining by themselves.
A feature of the school is its magnificent 500-seater hall and stage. Better equipped than that belonging to many repertory companies it was first used for theatrical performances when the Medway schools' Drama Festival, of which the headmaster is secretary, was held there this year. It is to be the venue of the Festival in future years.
A surprising fact about the school which incidentally is one of the first six schools in Kent to be equipped with television, is that it successfully operates more than 15 out-of-school hours clubs and societies, ranging from metalwork to ballroom dancing. Girls as well as boys belong to almost all these clubs as well as members of the staff. Indeed, it is no uncommon sight to see one of the senior boys at the school instructing one of his own woman teachers in the intricacies of lathe-work or cabinet making! A choir, two drama groups, a geography club and a model-making club are among the activities that go on after school hours.
Although opened in April of last year, when children from as many as 12 different Gillingham schools came to Upbury Manor, the school has yet to be officially opened. At the moment 678 children - 306 boys and 372 girls - attend. New buildings, now being erected, will allow for an intake of up to 850 children.
So far the co-educational "experiment" at Gillingham is proving a great success, and Mr. McVie has every reason to be proud of his smartly turned-out youngsters as well as the airy, well-lit and tastefully decorated buildings in which they study.
An artist impression, in scale, showing the first phase construction completion of the Upbury Manor Secondary School buildings and grounds within the allocated land boundary area on the Great Lines, Gillingham - Autumn 1958.
(base photo aerial landscape view 2013)
Our Marlborough road house was then let out to tenants until it was compulsory purchased by Gillingham municipal borough council along with a few other properties in the terrace (north of the Army & Navy club). This area of old housing, together with some others in the west side terraces of Britton street was earmarked for redevelopment and new housing. In the mid 1960's, the council had demolished and cleared sites in Britton street, then built four blocks of flats there. Each block had 10 flats. By 1969 or soon after, the site in Marlborough road had been demolished and cleared, and a three storey block of flats built there. All during this time, frequent journeys were made from Rock Avenue to Marlborough road, mainly to get to the Great Lines, Brompton and Chatham. Taking shortcuts through a network of back alleyways, the walking time to Marlborough road was reduced to about 10 minutes. This was useful knowledge for when I eventually went for secondary education at Upbury Manor school from September 1964.
Having then moved to Rock Avenue, our playground's area of exploration, immediately expanded to include Gillingham Park, Darland banks, and Luton recreation ground. A year or two later, when my father made bikes for us, we could then ride out to the Strand, Lower Rainham, Sharps Green, Berengrave chalk pits and Hoath woods.
