Photograph above taken on Saturday 25th July 1914
and below 92 years later - same location 2006

FUN AND FROLIC

LET LOOSE

"A lady in male attire representing the Town Crier went round the Maypole Estate at midday . . . . . . . . . proclaiming 'the day of (days?)' to the residents who had been looking forward with great interest to what has now become an annual institution. With a powerful bell and a loud voice she warned all and sundry of the penalties that they would incur 'by order' unless they turned up alive and ready to share in the merriment. It was the fourth anniversary of the masquerade and sports and proved a great success, thanks to the active spirits who made the arrangements. Everybody concerned entered with zest into the fun and frolic, the children enjoying themselves, of course, most of all. Mr and Mrs J SAUNDERS . . . . . . as chairman of the committee . . . . . . . . . . . secretary and Mrs C Parker, treasurer. The committee, divided into two sections, had charge of the sports and superintended the tea which was provided by Dartford Co-operative Society in the Hall of 'Broomhills' by kind permission of Mr Lewis E GLYNN, a field being reserved for the gala. Members of the general committee were Messrs, Lockyer, McDonald, G Rose, Tucker, Waterman, F Piper, Parker, Saunders, Speck, Lucas, Oakley, Lynn, Dearsley, Wellspring, Burt, Row, F Parker, Spittles, Fielder, Taylor, and Loveland. Mr F Piper was chairman of the sports committee, Messrs. Piper and Tucker ...ing the handicappers, and their assistants Messrs. Rose, Lucas, Oakley and Taylor.

Mrs Gray as "Town Crier" preceded the parade, which introduced singularly grotesque as well as artistic contrivances in fancy dress. No fewer than thirty-one prizes were given of the value of £12, the Misses Glynn judging . . . . . . . The successful competitors were:-

Fancy dress, home made --- 1, Girlie Baxter, Irish Colleen; 2, Norah Thomson, powder puff; 3 Elsie Partridge, flower girl; Nellie Springall, calceolarias; D. Sharman, Marjorie Jibb, Kitty Rowe, Nellie Partridge, and Mabel Welch.

Advertisements --- 1, Nellie Warr, Reckitt's Blue; Ivy James, Cadburys Chocolate; 4 Jack Room, cherry blossom; 6, Polly Skevington, Neaves Food; Dolly Colgate, Winnie Elliman, and T Elliman

Comic dresses --- 1, Frank Piper, Mephistopheles; 2, Colegate and Bush, prehistoric men; 3, Freddie Piper, soldier; 4, Mary Rowe, bricklayers labourer; 5, Harold James, John Bull; 6, Arthur Springate, pierrott; 7, Bobby Waterman, organ grinder; 8, Sidney Burke, red, white and blue.

Cycles --- 1, Ronnie Wellspring; 2, Norah Clark, rickshaw; 3, Lily Burke, decorated perambulator; 4, Willie Saunders, Sunlight Soap; 5, D Winchcombe, perambulator; 6, Ivy Gray, jockey on donkey.

Among others Mr W. J. Gray as a Scotsman in kilts, was prominent.Miss F Phil. . . . . Mr. F. Dearsley as the Mad Hatter; Mrs Burke, a nurse with perambulator; Miss Cataline Gray, Zebra grate polish; Mrs Russell, Bryant and Mays matches; Mr Spittles, horse and jockey; Elsie Burke, patchwork; Phyllis Elliman, Maypole Tea; . . . . Elliman, soap; Miss Elliman, monk; . . . . . . . . . . . . .Clark in an elaborate cycle device representing harvest; Geo Lennox, canary; Ilma ? Room, fairy; Kitty and May Room, bride and bridegroom; Lillie Partridge, Father Christmas; B. Waterman, organ grinder; Queenie Baxter, Irish Girl; and Miss Jibb representing "black and white" a famous. . .s Whisky. It should be borne in mind that . . . .(ald?) made a rollicking clown and kept the youngsters in constant amusement.

Swings, Maypole dances, and a variety of sports were the attractions in the field, and music was supplied by a miniature orchestra consisting of a piano and violins on a gaily painted stage under the direction of Mr Lennox. The committee made a point of giving a prize to every child, including absentees from illness or any other cause. Mrs Glynn distributed the prizes, and, in response. . . . . . . . . . Mr. Glynn expressed his pleasure that they were all friends and neighbours in his grounds on that happy occasion, the success was entirely due to their energetic committee. He hoped to see them all again another year. The committee express their thanks to the donors of prizes. The winners at the sports were as follow:-

Marathon race - - 1, F Dearsley; 2, Fielder; 3 Lynn.

440 yards boys,-- 1, C. Rose; 2, R Baxter; 3, Jibb; 4 W Oakley; 5, W Proudfoot; 6, R Fielders; 7, W Saunders.

100 yards girls, 1, Connie George; 2, E Sherman; 3, N Warr; 4, N. Partridge.

80 yards boys, 1, A. Elliman; 2, Stan George; 3, G. Colegate; 4. P. Skevington.

80 yards girls, 1, Winnie Speck; 2, Mabel Welsh; 3, Alice Blackman; 4, Ruby wellspring

70 yards boys, 1, A Taylor; 2, L. Marsh; 3, F. Piper; 4, L. Partridge.

70 yards girls, 1, . . . . . . . 2, Ivy James; 3, Alice Wood; 4, Mabel Burt.

High jump, 1, C. Jibb; 2, W. Proudfoot; 3, C. Rose; 4, C. Burt

Balloon race, 1, Nellie Warr; 2, Elsie Marsh; 3, Marjorie Jibb; 4, Elsie Barber.

45 yards boys, 1, Tommy Warr; 2, W. Taylor; 3, A Lockyer; 4, H James.

45 yards girls, 1, J. Mason; 2, E. Smith; 3, N. Sprighall; 4, N. Wood

25 yards boys, 1, P Ivy; 2, S. Burt; 3, L. Colegate; 4, J. Hogan.

25 yards girls, 1, C. Elliman; 2, N. Thompson; 3, Jessie Taylor; 4, D. Barber.

Three legged race, 1. Cliff. Rose and Clem. Burt;2, F. Hogan and P. Skevington; 3, C. Jibb and Rex Baxter.

Egg and spoon, 1, B. Taylor; 2, Elsie Sherman; 3, Nellie Partridge; 4, D. Henn.

Potato race, 1, Sydney George; 2, H. Lennox; 3, .Stanley George; 4, Frank Piper.

Skipping race, 1, Winnie Speck; 2, Mabel Welsh; 3, C. McKean; 4, Alice Blackman.

Sack Race, 1, C. Jibb; 2, W. Bush; 3, Stanley George; 4, Rex Baxter.

Needle and thread, 1, Connie George; 2, Elsie Sherman; 3, Ethel Colegate; 4, Winnie Speck.

Boat race, 1, D. Taylor; 2, C. Parker; 3, J. Proudfoot; 4, H. Proudfoot; 5, E. Dolton; 6, W. Sherman; 7, Fred Piper; 8, P. Lynn and C. Ivy (tie).

Obstacle race, 1, H. McKean; 2, F. Smith; 3, G. Speck; 4, F. Cutler.

. . . . . (Cardea's Special ?) 100yards, girls over 14 -- 1, Olive Jibb; 2, O. Baxter; 3, F. Hambling.

Tug of war -- Boys, T.Dolton, C. Dolton, C. Burt, S. Parker, R. English, J. Lynn, J. Mandy, G. Lennox, R. Woods, T. Ford, C Chantry, H. Ringrose, J. McDonald.

Tug of war --Girls, E. Sandford, W. Elliman, E. Burt, D. Burt, L. Burt, E. Longley, J. Webb, A. Woods, M. Clark, V. James, A. Dolton, Mary Parker, J. Wickins, Q. Wickins, B. Ford, V. Mason, A. Sherring, M. Wood, G. Winchcombe, F. Winchcombe, M.Row, W. Blackman, E. Stevens, H. Shaw, K. Russell, E. Chantry, M. Parker, A. Ford.

Maypole Dancers -- May Parker, Nellie Warr, Elsie Barber, Alice Blackman, Connie George, Elsie March, Emma Sandford, Nellie Partridge, Florrie Baxter, Marjorie Jibb, Rosie Bush, Minnie Colgate, Gladys Ivy, Elsie Partridge



Maypole dancers - possibly from same year (1918) photo above

Fancy Dress competition 1935 Broomhills - Gordon Lennox in the boat.

Courtesy of the late Gordon Lennox

and below - same location / trees 53 years later.




Below - procession Baldwyns Road 1950s. Mr Cruickshank far left and Mrs Potter (nurses uniform), Courtesy of Penny Smith




Below - as it is 50 years on






Same procession as above but outside the cafe - note the conscripted soldier in uniform
Photograph courtesy of Penny Smith

Below as it is now . . . . 50 years on







Sportsday Broomhills 1950s - Gordon Lennox high jump ? Buster tall man, Wendy Saunders to the left of him. 'Dickie' Balcombe (possibly Johnny Seymour ?) to the left of Wendy (hands in pockets) ?

Photo courtesy of Wendy Saunders




Three legged race sportsday Broomhills 1950s
Photo courtesy of Wendy Saunders

Below - Video of same location 2002





and below as it looks in 2008