1951 News - Hartley-Kent: Covering Hartley, Longfield & District

05 Jan 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

No footpath yet

"The county council has decided that Dartford RDC's suggestion that a footpath should be provided from Pondowne Villas to Woodview, Main Road, should be deferred for the time being…. The scheme would involve the acquisition of land and the excavation of a bank six feet hight, and would alos provide for the realigning of the carriageway, it was reported.  Estimated cost was £3,125 plus the cost of the land and the county council thought that it was unlikely that any grant would be forthcoming from the Ministry of Transport until the money situation improved."

These will take some beating

"As part of the festival of Britain celebrations next year, Longfield schoolchildre, supervised by adults, will beat the bounds of th 605 acre parish.  Although it is the smallest parish in Dartford rural district, it is expected the beating will take all day.  Last time the ceremony was carried out was about 15 years ago.  Other Festival suggestions at Longfield PC meeting on Monday were walking of all the footpaths, and a sports meeting."

Fruit Marketing

(Advert) "If in doubt as to whom to entrust the sales of your cherries etc this season, why not follow the lead of many well-known Kent growers who have for years been satisfied with the services of D Hemesley Ltd ..... Woodlands, Hartley, Longfield Tel Longfield 2174 or Hemesley Covent Garden.  Tel Temple Bar 9372."

12 Jan 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Membership Trebled

Thanks to a canvas of the area, Hartley Conservative membership has grown from 106 in 1950 to 313.  They had sent £100 in 1950 to Orpington HQ.

Awkward for Passengers

Hartley Parish Council meeting.  (1) Sunken kerb at bus stop near St John's Lane and Fairby Lane, when it rains it is not possible to use the stop without standing in water.  (2) Unlikely Hartley will need to levy a rate next year.

Longfield Civil Defence

Volunteers have finished basic training and are being issued with uniforms.  Next they are doing a course in First Aid.

Staff wanted

"Farm Worker, must be good tractor driver - Lewis, Gorsewood Farm, Hartley, Dartford."

19 Jan 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Longfield Miniature Railway

"During the Boer war someone gave young Arthur Lunn a model armoured train and made a big impression on him.  As a result, Mr Lunn, now a retired works manager, living at Littleholme, The Drive, Longfield, has a complete miniature railway with 350 feet of permament way which he has made himself in his garden.

Mr Lunn has been building trains and railways as a hobby since he was a lad and still gives pride of place in his collection to the first railway truck he ever made.  The locomotives are about a foot long and the other rolling stock is to scale. He began laying the foundations of the Longfield Miniature Railway - each truck and coach has LMR on the sides - as soon as he started spending weekends in the village in 1928.  It took him 2 years to lay the track, which has 19,000 tiny 'chairs' in it.  Since then he has built tunnels, water tanks, signals and complete stations along it.

The system is used by 11 locomotives - 4 steam and 7 electric - and 65 goods trucks and corridor coaches, all of which Mr Lunn has made in his workshop.  The coaches are fitted with electric lights, the dining cars being meticulously fitted out with tiny chairs and tables.  The power is supplied by a 50 volt generator in the workshop.  There are 56 levers in the signal box and 93 levers in the control box.

Mr Lunn not only makes the trains and the equipment; he also makes the tools with which the individual parts are made and his workshop is packed with them.  When it is remembered that there are 2,500 separate pieces in a coal fire engine for instance, the amount of patient work is enormous.

To carry on his hobby, Mr Lunn collects every bit of old metal or junk that he can lay his hands on.  Small boys in the district know this and take him along any scraps they find.  They know that it will be a passport to an enjoyable hour or so watching the trains in action.

Article includes pictures of Mr Lunn and the railway.

Late Mr E Harry

"The death occurred at The Mount Wilmington on Sunday of Mr Edward Harry, a former resident for many years and a staunch worker for the Hospital Savings Assocation.  He was 86."

22 Jan 1951 Daily Herald

Town Runs Short of Nurses

"Dartford, with more hospital beds than any other town in Britain, is running short of nurses.  So many of them have influenza at West Hill Hospital, largest in the area, that the management is planning emergency running today.  One fifth of the staff at two other large hospitals at Dartford have flu.  Dulwich Hospital and St Giles Hospital, Camberwell have many nurses on the sick lists, but Acton Hospital has not had a case.  A quarter of the workers at some Reading factories are ill, and in one large store more than half the staff is away.  One chemist's shop has had to close.  Three MPs are to ask questions about the flu epidemic in the Commons on Thursday.  Bright Spot: fewer London policemen than usual are off duty through illness."

26 Jan 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Agricultural Contractors

(Adverts) "Spraying of orchards & ground crops by hand or auto delivery - latest type machines & experienced staff.  Also ploughing, cultivations & general farm work undertaken by C & G Willmot Ltd, Hartley, Longfield 3236 and 2257.

C M Ellerby, Agricultural Contractor, Hartley.  Ploughing, cultivating, discing, drilling, subsoiling, harrowing, rolling, bulldozing, pick up & stack baling, mowing, binding, combine harvesting, tree and hedge grubbing (Fishleigh winch), pipe laying, deep s f ploughing, mole draining with caterpillar.  International, Marshall & Fordson Tractors.  Longfield 3195."

02 Feb 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Band Leader in Car Accident

Maurice Cole, 41, leader of a Gravesend dance band taken to West Hill Hospital with concussion after his car overturned on hitting bank on Hoselands Hill.

09 Feb 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Helping Hand

"The Rector (the Rev J W Henderson) collected 400 garments for the British Red Cross Arab Refugee appeal."

Divided Opinions

"Of 50 residents written to, 9 object to the continuing of a private greyhound training track at Clifton Kennels, the Rural Council was told on Tuesday.  Altogether 26 residents replied.  11 supported the project, 2 were in favour provided it was kept on temporary licence, and 4 replied that the track was incomplete and no mechanical hare had been installed.  The surveyor's recommendation that the licence be renewed until December 31st 1951 was approved."

New houses named

The 6 new two bedroom houses nearing completion in Fawkham Road are to be known as 3-8 Clovelly Villas." [32-40 Fawkham Road]

16 Feb 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Flare Path was bright entertainment at Hartley

Favourable review of play by Hartley Young Concervatives at Country Club (picture)

23 Feb 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Obituary of J Hembley

Aged 88 of Crawden Bank, Hoselands Hill.  Came to live in Hartley 20 years ago when he retired from farming in Staffordshire.  Leaves widow and 3 step children, one of whom is Mrs Hemesley of Woodlands.

02 Mar 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Rent Reduced

"NW Kent Rent Tribunal reduced the rent of the Hut, Fairby Lane from £1 per week to 12s…. Mr W Bryer the tenant, who applied for the rent to be reduced, was granted security of tenure for 3 months.  Mr Bryer stated that the premises had been condemned by Dartford RDC.  He added that two previous tenants of the Hut had been allotted council houses and the Rural Council had now removed his name from the housing list, as it felt that people were moving into The Hut only as a lever to obtain a council house.  The lessor, Mr J R Mawson, Leslie Cottage, Fairby Lane, was unable to attend and stated his case by letter."

09 Mar 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Met by candlelight

Longfield Parish Council meeting.  First part of the meeting lit by four candles due to power cut.  (1) Main Road.  Ministry considering imposing a spreed limit.  (2) Streetlighting.  Additional lights for Longfield Hill and Longfield Siding cancelled due to cost.  (3) Footpaths.  Complaint about cyclists ridingon Fawkham Road - Station footpath.  (4) Longfield Post Office.  To close on Sundays.

New use for tip

"The former gravel pit at Whitehill, which has been used as a refuse tip, is to be levelled off and the lower part surfaced with soil for use as a recreation ground for the parish.  The upper part near the railway line will be planted with trees and become an open space for residents.  At Tuesday's meeting of the Rural Council, it was agreed to lease the land to the Parish Council for the nominal rent of £1 a year."  // [paper of 4/5/1951 says PC declined gift because of the cost of preparing the site]

Rates

Dartford RDC rate for 1951-2 to rise by 1s 1d to 17s 6d in the pound.  Parishes: Longfield 18s 6d (17s 5d); Ash 17s 9d (16s 9d); Hartley 17s 6d (16s 6d)

30 Mar 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Obituary of Elizabeth Boucher

Of Kirkham, Church Road, aged 81.  Widow of W T Boucher, architect and surveyor.  Leaves 4 daughters.

For sale

BMB Plowmate, 6hp, plough tool carriage, cultivators, potato  ridgers and lifter.  Little used.  New 1950.  Cost £193, nearest to £150.   Morton, Bayonne [now Marsworth], Church Road, Hartley, Dartford."

06 Apr 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Footpath likely

County council likely to contruct footpath fronting council  houses in Fawkham Road.

13 Apr 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Bigger sales, smaller profit

Hartley Agricultural Cooperative Society.  Sales up £2,423 over previous year but proifit down by £236.  Dividend of £545 paid to members.

Obituary of Mis Elizabeth Barter

Died at Southern Hospital aged 75.  Born in Chelsea she was a short time housekeeper at Hartley Old Rectory, and has been housekeeper at Melbourne, Main Road for last 10 years.

04 May 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

No support

Longfield PC want the Southwark Tip removed from the district plan, but RDC refuses because it has been used for that purpose for at least 50 years.

45 years a postman

Obituary of Edmund Crouch of Hill View, Fawkham, aged 73.  Keen gardener.  Leaves widow.  Funeral attended by Mr A Humphrey former sub-postmaster at Longfield, and Mr F Smith, representing the staff of Longfield Post Office.

The play saved the players

Generally poor review of Hartley Players 'The Chiltern Hundreds'.  Audience enjoyed the jokes but "from an acting point of view 'The Chiltern Hundreds' would be pretty well at the bottom of the poll.  Reviewer said people at the back had trouble hearing what was said.

09 May 1951 Evening News

Sparks Started Blaze

"Engine sparks started a railway embankment fire at Longfield Hill, Longfield, near Dartford, Kent and flames spread to a nearby shed and damaged a car."

11 May 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Tories hold seats in Dartford Rural

Longfield: A Adams (Cons) 291; E G W Grant (Lab) 167.  Poll 55.8 per cent.  Conservatives win at Lullingstone and Ridley (unopposed) and Horton Kirby and Southfleet.

01 Jun 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Unpaid Fare

"Grenville Arthur Barlow [1930-2005], Merton Avenue, was fined £1 with 2 guineas costs … for travelling on the railway without paying his fare.  Mr J Tuffee, for the Railway Executive, said that at Fawkham Station, Barlow was asked to produce a ticket on alighting from a train.  He produced 2 both of which were out of date.  Later on the same evening his wife bought a ticket between Fawkham and Meopham.  So far as the executive knew no-one used the ticket that day.  In a statement, Barlow said his wife got the ticket so that he could hand it in next morning, thinking it would be alright."

Bright pupils may suffer through shortage of materials

Headmaster of Longfield Primary School highlighted the increasing cost of materials, some by as much as 93 per cent.  He might have to reduce annual exercise book use from 10 to 7.  He has a budget of £5 3s for a class of 32.  The Thamesside executive agreed to pass on request to Kent Education Committee.

Nearly blind, he made carpet which gained special prize

"One of the exhibits most closely examined by the 2,000 people who went to the Gravesend Cooperative Arts and Crafts exhibition .... was made by a man who had only vaguely seen what he has created.  He is Mr A W Fletcher, Bertha Villa, Haverstock Drive, Hartley, who, although nearly blind and unable to go about much much, has made a magnificent carpet 12 feet by 10 feet, each stitch of which is meticulously correct.  It took him 9 months to make, working 5 to 7 hours a day.  He used 60lb of wool.  Unfortunately, the carpet was too big to find a place in any of the classes prescribed, but Sir Richard Acland MP for Gravesend, who gave away the prizes, was impressed by the handiwork that he gave it a special prize himself....."

08 Jun 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Hartley's unique thatched oratory in need of repair

Brief history of Hartley's RC church, which is expecting visitors from Festival of Britain.  Need rethatching, new chairs and harmonium.  Picture of garden party which raised £200 to be split between RC School and Oratory.

Longfield Parish Council

(1) Whitehill Children's playing field.  Electricity council say overhead cables are not dangerous.  (2) Main Road.  No-one knows who owns overgrown hedge blocking view of traffic there.

29 Jun 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

KH [Kent House] Club

AGM.  67 members.  Satisfactory balance considering they have paid £50 to re-erect their club hut.  They thanked Mr Hickmott for allowing use of his tennis court.

Gravesend Telephone Exchange

Picture of open day with visitors looking at switchboards.

Flower Sunday

"Children decorated the [Hartley] parish church for a flower service on Sunday.  They brought bunches of blooms which were received by the rector and were later distributed among local hospitals."

Stage Stars at Hartley

"Nan Kenway and Douglas Young, stars of stage and radio, came to Hartley Country Club to open the second annual Country Fair...  (Picture, Wikipedia article)

06 Jul 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Villagers beat the bounds

Pictured - "Led by the Rector (the Rev S H Broughton) and the choir of the parish church, councillors and about 40 schoolchildren of Longfield observed the ancient custom of walking the footpaths and beating the bounds.  During the day the Rector blessed a field of standing corn, hop gardens and orchards."

12 Jul 1951 Registrar General's Quarterly Return

Rain

Pictured -  "Among heavy falls of rain in 24 hours were 2.31 inches at Longfield Kent on the 12th [July]"

13 Jul 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Best Ever

"Hartley's church fete in the grounds of the rectory, on Saturday, to raise money for the church fabric restoration fund had a record result.  Over £330 was collected.  Number of entries in the fruit, flower and vegetable show - 155 - was a record too...... Members of the Girls Friendly Society gave a dancing display, and District Nurse White organised a baby show, which sister Stratton of Gravesend and North Kent Hospital, was the judged.  The fete was opened by Miss Iris King of Chislehurst, patroness of the living...."

Golden Years

Golden wedding of Mr and Mrs Edgar Glidewell of Yew Cottage, Hartley Green.  He is a retired gardener.  They have 3 sons and 4 daughters.

20 Jul 1951 Bucks Herald

Prompt Replies to a Broadcast Appeal

"The subject of a broadcast appeal for witnesses - an accident on the Chesham Chenies Road on Saturday - has resulted in the death of 68 year old Gustavus Bramwell Ehrenborg of Little Gables, Bois Lane, Chesham Bois, in Amersham General Hospital on Monday morning.  Professor Ehrenborg was walking at the time when he was involved in a collision with a motor cyclist, Frederick Albert Tomes of Hartley House Cottage, Hartley, Longfield, Kent [1923-2002].  At an inquest opened on Monday afternoon and adjourned until August 23rd the deceased was identified, and following the police message, broadcast immediately before the 8am news on Tuesday morning, 3 replies were received within 1¾ hours."

Sad Death of an Aged Professor  Bucks Examiner 31.8.1951

Report of inquest on Gustavus Ehrenborg.... "Telling his story of the accident, the motorcyclist, Frederick Albert Tomes, a 28 year old gardener, of Hartley House Cottage, Hartley, Longfield, Kent, said he was riding towards Chesham on his brother's machine, which was in perfect order, and was travelling at a speed of about 35mph before the accident occurred.  As he rounded a bend he saw a man walking to the edge of the road from the gateway of a field on his nearside.   The man stopped at the edge.  Witness sounded his horn, but when he was 6 or 8 yards away the man walked straight across the road, at an angle towards him.  The man was looking down at his walking stick.  He walked quickly but not at all hurriedly.   Witness applied his brakes hard, and swerved to avoid him.  In so doing his front wheel went onto the verge and into the hedge, and his rear wheel swung round.  It must, he said, have been the rear wheel which hit deceased.  He could not at this time have been going at more than 5mph."  Police said there was a skid 21 yards long, but Tomes said it was not his vehicle.  Both police and deceased's brother said Prof Ehrenborg blamed himself because he was hard of hearing.  Jury agree with coroner with verdict of misadventure.

27 Jul 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Village Goes Gay

"Longfield was in gay mood on Saturday when the Festival fete and sports organised by the Home Guard Association, which proved to be one of the most successful events staged in the village, was held in the rectory meadow.  There was a procession to the ground from Kent Road and the fete was opened by Col O H Moseley, formerly commanding 19th Batt Kent Home Guard......  There were 13 entries for the 'Miss Longfield' competition which was won by Mrs Margaret Smith, Essex Road, mother of a small child..... The model railway, loaned by Messrs J and E Hall's social Club had over 500 passengers.... In the evening Dartford RAF Association's 'Gagbusters' concert party gave a show in the large marquee."

03 Aug 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Shop for Sale

House and double fronted shop premises at Longfield; spacious accommodation.  Price £3,250 with vacant possession."

Hartley woman fined £20

When inspector [NAME] RSPCA visited Keston Nurseries, Hartley recently, he saw 20 fowls in a small enclosure with noting to eat or drink.  On another part of the premises he noted 4 rabbits unable to move about in 3 boxes. One goat was lying in the heat of the sun and when he picked it up he found it was unable to stand.  Other goats in poor condition wee also to be seen.  On a fire he found 3 dead goats, 2 geese, and a number of goslings.  These llegations were made at Dartford on Friday, when the owner of the animals, Dora Alice Stokes [prob 1895-1972], Keston Nurseries [Church Road], was summoned for causing unnecessary suffering to a dog, fowls, rabbits, geese and a number goats.

The inspector said that when he asked her the cause of the deaths of the animals on the fire, she said 'someone has been poisoning them.'  Later she said 'I am far too busy to look after them.  I have too much to do.'  Mrs Stokes said she was very fond of animals.   She gave the goats a normal amount of food, such as she was allowed by the Ministry. A veterinary surgeon, for the defence, said that goats he saw after the inspector had visited the place had worms.  Worms would cause emaciation, such as that existing among the goats.  Mrs Stokes was fined £20 with £10 10s costs."

Two killed in Wrotham road crashes

"..... John Norton Free, aged 60, of Perseverence [Brianne], Castle Hill, Hartley near Dartford was killed instantly when the car he was driving overturned after a collision with a lorry at Wrotham cross roads at midday on Tuesday....." Three passengers extricated and taken to Sevenoaks Hospital in a serious condition.  One was his wife Daisy.

[Sevenoaks Chronicle of 10/8/1951 added further details.  Fire brigade had to jack up lorry to release car passengers, sadly one of them died in hospital too.

10 Aug 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Popular Resident's Death

Obituary of John Sale of Broomfield, Ash Road, who died suddenly aged 62.  Had been police sergeant in Peckham and Lewisham, on ill health retirement 20 years ago came to live in Hartley.  In war he was QMS of the Home Guard at Longfield.  Leaves widow and 3 daughters.

Paper of 17/8/1951 reported on funeral, the path to All Saints' Church flanked by 23 fellow members of the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes.

Upcoming Auctions

Geering & Colyer advert.  Pescot House.  "Gentleman's country residence with cottage, entrance lodge and grounds 3 acres.  For Maj-Gen D M Hogg CBE MC"

17 Aug 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Best kept gardens

Winner of annual council house garden competition for Longfield area was G E Outrram of 1 Clovelly Villas, Longfield [44 Fawkham Road]

24 Aug 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Obituary of Edith Kate Wise

Aged 78 of Appledore, Ash Road.  Came from London to Hartley 30 years ago.  Leaves husband of 49 years.  Funeral at All Saints.

Longfield Postman injured

"Mr W T Bennett, the village's 70 years old cycling postman was in collision with another cyclist outside Hartley Country Club... He was detained in Southern Hospital with a dislocated hip.  Mr Bennett lives in Essex Road [37A]."

Auction Sale

Porter Putt & Fletcher to auction at Masonic Hall, Gravesend on 5 September, detached freehold house known as Kirkham, Church Road.  "Accommodation comprises: Entrance Hall, 2 reception rooms, kitchen, scullery, conservatory, 4 bedrooms, bathroom.  Garage."  Vacant possession, rateable value £30.

[Auction result in paper of 14/9/1951 - Kirkham sold for  £2,900.]

Farmer and cricketer

Sudden death of Donald Leslie Woodward of Manor Farm, Longfield Hill, which he farmed in partnership with his brothers, aged 54.  Son of late J W Woodward of Haydon Cross farm, Southfleet.  Good fast bowler, he captained Longfield Hill CC for many years.  In WW1 he was an officer in the QO Royal West Kent Regiment, serving in France and Mesopotamia.  In WW2 he was second in command of A company, 19th (Farningham) Batt, Home Guard.  Leaves widow.  //

Kept season ticket money

 [NAME], Valley Villas [Main Road], Longfield, who pleaded guilty to three charges of stealing a total of £25 0s 6d while employed as a senior porter at Fawkham Railway Station, was sent to prison for 6 months.  He asked for 6 similar offences concerning £17 16s 9d to be taken into consideration.

He admitted obtaining part of the money by not stamping insurance cards and keeping the money. The rest he obtained by issuing season tickets to travellers.  He had a stock of these tickets numbered consecutively, but instead of taking the first number he took a ticket with a later number.  This meant that the issue of the ticket was not immediately obvious and did not feature in his daily returns.  He kept the money for the tickets.  [NAME] said he had stolen the money because of the increased expense due to the recent birth of his 3rd child."

31 Aug 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Flat to Let

"Furnished flat to let, 3-6 months, poss longer, S/C ground floor, 1 double bedroom, sep beds, small lounge, kitchen/dining froom, scullery, bath, inside WC, electric cooker, ideal boiler, 2 mins Fawkham Station….. JMH 4 Court Villas, Longfield  [20 Hartley], 3½ guineas weekly

07 Sep 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Neglected cat

[NAME], Tin Hut, Fairby Lane, summoned at Dartford … for causing unnecessary suffering to a cat by unreasonably omitting to provide it with proper care and attention when in a suffering state, was fined £5......"

Longfield Parish Council

(1) County council include cost of landing stage for bus passengers near Pescot House in county estimates.  (2) Ministry of Transport to visit to see about a speed limit for Main Road.

Kent Long Distance swimmers race in Medway floods

"..... the races proved a triumph for the championship holders, 21 years old [NAME] of Gravesend SC ...... Both retained their championships.  [NAME] has won the itlte 3 times in the last 4 years (he did not enter in 1949).... [NAME] who lives at St Adwen, Church Road, Hartley, Near Dartford, whose only complaint was the low temperature of the water, has taken part in competitive swimming since he was 16 and is a member of both Gravesend SC and the Otter SC in London...."  The course was 2 miles downstream from East Farleigh, the current being too strong to include any upstream swimming.

14 Sep 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Conservative Fete

"A fete in the grounds of the Old Downs on Saturday, organised by the local Conservative Association, raised £79.  It was opened by Miss Margaret Roberts, prospective Conservative candidate for Dartford….." [better known of course as Mrs Thatcher!]

21 Sep 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Repairs to Church

"Work on the repair and preservation of the parish church has begun."

Loss to Music and Hartley - Death of Mr W H Chisholm

"A man who did much to encourage the appreciation of music in Hartley, Mr Whitridge Houghton Chisholm, had died, aged 79.  At the funeral serivce at the parish church on Monday, friends led the singing of the hymns and psalm in a fitting farewell.

Mr Chisholm, who lived at Restharrow, Hartley Hill [Church Road], interested himself in the parish church choir and the Choral Society as soon as he moved to the village in 1923.  Under his baton, many ambitious works, ranging from Hiawatha's Wedding Feast to excerpts from Handel's Messiah were given.

As a young man he studies singing, becoming interested in the school of sinus tone production.  He was a qualified teacher of voice production.  A native of Birkenhead, Mr Chisholm began his business career in the White Star Line offices in Liverpool.  In 1898 he went to the Klondike and managed the distribution of supplies to the prospectors in the Gold Rush of that year.  On his return he married and took up an appointment in the London office of the Illinois Central Railway, where he remained until his retirement in 1942.

Mr Chisholm was a parish councillor and on the committee of the Hartley Agricultural Cooperative Society....."  Leaves widow, son and daughter.  Service conducted by his brother Rev Thomas Chisholm, rector of Stanbridge, Essex.

19 Oct 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

General Election 1951

(Advert) "Hear the Conservative Candidate Sir Waldron Smithers - Mon 22nd Oct: 7.45 Country Club Hartley; 8.15 Village Hall, Eynsford; Wed 24th Oct: 8.15 Village Hall Farningham….

26 Oct 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Bride of 6 months

Obituary of Mrs Patricia Gladdish of Le Stocks Farm, who died in Southern Hospital after being ill for 5 months.  She was daughter of Capt Bignell of Saratoga, Church Road.  Leaves husband of 6 months.

23 Oct 1951 Lewisham Borough News

Crofton Park Secondary School Prizegiving

Review of year mentions "the third forms visited a most industrious small organisation, the Fawkham Valley Apiaries, where there are over 200 beehives.  'A few volunteers deliberately collected stings to study under a microscope.  A few more wree collected involuntarily - they didn't get as far as the microscope."

09 Nov 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Longfield Parish Council

(1) Oliver S Cole [1912-1999] of Main Road coopted to council.  (2) Council has withdrawn its objection to high voltage electricity line over Whitehill Recreation Ground.  (3) No action yet by KCC over flooding at Whitehill Crossroads.

Call for More Buses

Complaints from Southfleet that locals can't get on board because they are full on leaving Longfield.

16 Nov 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Hartley Parish Council

(1) William Ball becomes chairman after F E Todd left the parish [He would remain chairman for 25 years].  (2) Village signs to be erected at Hoselands Hill and near the Black Lion.  (3) London Transport turn down request for bus to Hartley Hill on Sunday mornings.

23 Nov 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Dog caused fatality

"A jury heard the tragic story of how 22 years old Mr Albert Simes, coalman, 4 Victoria Terrace [32 Essex Road] Longfield, and recently of Six Acre Cottages, Fawkham, was pinned under a lorry which mounted the pavement in Wellington Street, Gravesend, and received fatal injuries on Thursday last week, returned a verdict of accidental death at the inquest on Tuesday.

Mr Simes, a coalman employed by the Gravesend Cooperative Society, was about to take a sack of coal into a house, when the lorry, owned by the Kent River Board, swerved to avoid a dog in the road and crashed into the fron of no. 44 [pictured], ending up with the bonnet in the front room, witnesses said.  The dog, which appeared to be following the coalman, was in the middle of the road when the lorry driver applied his brakes, aid [NAME], 98 Salisbury Road, Gravesend.  The animal ran toward the side of the road and then turned back into the middle again.  The vehicle swerved to the side and took Mr Simes with it.

The driver, [NAME] 211 Lowfield Street, Dartford, said in turning up Wellington Street he had taken the wrong road.  He turned round at the top when he realised it.  On the way back he was parallel with a stationary coal lorry opposite no 44 when the dog jumped out from behind the vehicle.  He braked and pulled the lorry to the right.  It struck the kerb and the steering wheel jumped out of his hand so that he lost control.  // Mr Simes, formerly employed as a porter at Fawkham Railway Station, was married at Fawkham Parish Church 14 months ago.  He was born at St John's Cottage, [32] Station Road, Longfield, where his parents are still living.  Four brothers and four sisters are also bereaved.

The funeral at Fawkham parish church yesterday was conducted by the rector (the Rev A C Ford), who officiated at Mr Simes' wedding."

07 Dec 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Families live in sheds

//  "It was reported to Dartford RDC …. That a man, his wife and 10 months old child are living in a timber and asbestos shed, formerly an apple store, at Church Road, Hartley.  The building in 20 feet by 10 feet.  The water supply is 200 feet away.  The rent is 15 shillings a week, and the owner informat the council that during the summer he let the shed as holiday accommodation at 25 shillings a week.  The council is to take action under the Public Health and Country Planning Acts."

Longfield Parish Council Meeting

(1) Whitehill Road, KCC can't repair footpath at present.  (2) Whitehill Crossroads flooding. KCC suggest reopening static tank filled in by Dartford RDC.  PC want a sump in the old gravel pit.  (3) PC to apply for erection of stop sign at Hartley Road / Main Road junction

21 Dec 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Care of orchards

"For years Hartley Parish Council has been concerned about the number of derelict orchards in the parish.  They have been the subject of much correspondence between the council and the Kent Agricultural Committee.  On Saturday demonstrations of modern methods of bush culvivation for the small grower were given in Mr A E Edward's orchard in Fairby Lane [Sevenoaks Chronicle says it was at the back of Ambleside, Ash Road].  Mr Edward is a crusader in the campaign to bring new life to Hartley's orchards.

The demonstration, which helped to show how orchards can be kept in order at fairly low cost, were given under the auspices of the Kent Agricultural Association and the Kent branch of the British Agricultural Contractors Association, whose secretary, the Hon F N W Cornwallis was present.  Spectators saw pre-grubbin, ploughing, spraying, clearing and cultivation by means of machinery which can be hired from contractors for a comparatively small outlay."

Children entertain

"The pupils of Steephill gave an enchanting entertainment on Friday in Longfield Village Hall, which was beautifully decorated.  The children, mostly in costume, sang, mimed, danced and acted fairy stories.  Several small pupils played piano solos and duets with their teacher [NAME].  The rector (the Rev A F Ford) congratulated Miss Bignold and her staff on their excellent teaching and introduced Lady Shaw, who distributed the prizes........"

28 Dec 1951 KM (Maidstone Telegraph)

Girls prepare at school for nursing career

(Picture feature)  "Educationalists and hospital authorities in the south of England have their eyes on a Kent School - Northfleet Secondary School fro Girls.  There, an unusual and bold experiment has been going on for a little over 2 years which may have an important bearing on recruiting for the nursing profession.  The idean emanated from the headmistress Miss G M Dennis, and a member of her staff, Mrs H M King, who was a nurse trained at St Thomas's hospital.

Urged on by the need for more nurses, the two ladies worked out a shceme whereby girls can stay at school for an extra year, thus bridging the gap between school leaving age and the minimum age at which a potential nurse can begin any sort of training.  In the first year, 7 girls took part, 6 of whom stayed the court.  The second year all 9 kept at it.  Today there are 11 in the special class.  And the first sign of fruition is appearing.  One of the first year students [NAME], a Longfield girl, who will be 18 in February has just begun her full nursing training at Queen's Hospital, Shadwell E1.  Other girls are at pre-training centres awaiting their turn......"

Details of syllabus.  Lessons include a lot of the practical skills they will need - writing letters, filling out forms, weighing people, how to tell bedtime stories,history of medicine, diet, biology.  They listen and summarise the BBC news every day to learn how to take notes.