History of Maypole, Dartford Heath - Recently Updated Pages

Maypole Estate - welcome

Maypoleman — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:39:06 CST

Welcome to the Homepage for those interested in the history of the area known as Maypole Estate, Dartford Heath, Kent, England and the immediate surrounding area - Baldwyns Park, Joydens Wood, Coldblow, Wansunt, Leyton Cross etc.

Some pages now contain video footage.

The originator of this site sadly announces that his father Gordon BUTTON passed away on 18th October and was buried on 3rd November. If Gordon had not moved to the estate all those years ago then the originator would not have had all the wonderful memories to inspire it's creation . . . . . . .

Something we planned for the Spring of 2009 - click here updated 15/07//09 It was Sat 11th April 1400hrs Denton Road nr Rolex. It turned out really well - pictures are now on that page. Everyone had a good time. We were all well behaved and no one was naughty.

Something we planned for the Spring of 2009 - click here updated 15/07//09
It was
Sat 11th April 1400hrs Denton Road nr Rolex.
It turned out really well - pictures are now on that page.
Everyone had a good time. We were all well behaved and no one was naughty.

Another feature - if you wish to add your E Mail address so any interested parties can contact you just E Mail us at our E Mail address maypoleontheweb@aol.com

Another feature - if you wish to add your E Mail address so any interested parties can contact you just E Mail us at our E Mail address
maypoleontheweb@aol.com

Site last updated 08/11//2009 01:37hrs
Over 5300 visits since November 2007

and another feature - the Maypole Team can see members are talking to each other - fantastic ! That's what it's all about. . . . .

and another feature - the Maypole Team can see members are talking to each other - fantastic ! That's what it's all about. . . . .

Adverts. Something to sell / wanted ? Click here.

Adverts. Something to sell / wanted ? Click here.

'Nostalgia ain't what it used to be . . . . . .'

If you live here, once lived here or just want to know about the local history / inhabitants / the old Maypole School etc then this is for you.

The History of Maypole Team believe they have the most comprehensive records of this area held to date and stored in one place.

Looking towards Hospital Gates c1910. Denton Terrace visible but school not yet built.

Contact us at

maypoleontheweb@aol.com

Looking towards Bexley Hospital Gates 1946 in direction of Bexley.
See some very precious memories which may jog yours !

The most beautiful discovery two friends can make is that they can grow separately without growing apart.

Memories of Kim Button
Memories of Susan Kirby
Memories of Audrey Jackson
More memories of Audrey Jackson
Memories of Tony Helyar
Memories of Ann Martin
Memories of Pat Richardson
Memories of Sheila Houlton
More memories of Sheila Houlton
Memories of Perran Newman
Memories of Barbara Houlton
Wheels - Perran Newman
Memories of Frankie Gemmell
Information from Janet Lee
Memories of Bernard Lodge
Memories of Stuart Grieve
The Tea Stall on the heath - Sheila Houlton
Memories of Steven Parker
David Bainbridge
Peter Walker
Memories of Tony Helyar - Baldwyns Park Pavillion
Memories of Barbara Thomas (Now Joss)
Memories of Margaret Cadman
Memories of Michael Jennings
Memories of the late Alfred Peters
Memories of Barbara Ireland

Above - Ordnance Survey c1869

This site is constantly under review with additions being actioned / planned all the time. If you have any anecdotal memories you wish to share or you wish to contact old friends / neighbours etc from the area just contact us. Now you have found the website please tell your friends and spread the word. We look forward to hearing from you. Although we enter information which we believe is accurate - we could be wrong or misinformed. Let us know if you see any discrepencies or have additional information. The success of this site is dependent upon YOU. We hope you enjoy the visit.

More Updates - more images are being added - please check pages you have already visited and Maypole of the 1950s page, 'Random Photographs' section. More memories are coming in - visit memories section

Contact us:

If you wish to add to the site with any of your memories / requests then please E Mail us on maypoleontheweb@aol.com or enter the wetpaint domain.

Our sitemeter shows over 5300 'visits' since 5th November 2007. You are all welcome to join in and contribute - it's easy ! Take the plunge. You may be able to find old friends and acquaintances. Don't keep your memories to yourself. Contact us.

Aerial view of the Maypole Estate c1925 - note that Beaconsfield Road was yet to be completed

We reserve the right to remove any inappropriate comments which may cause upset or offence without notice. Nothing contained in this website will be tolerated which may cause any offence whatsoever to anyone alive or to the memory of anyone who is dead. Maypolehistory Team.

"Goodbye, children, wherever you are" as Uncle Mac used to once say on the 'Light Programme' all those years ago.

Useful links

Specifically growing up in the 60s . . . . . . . . . and
If you like the Beach Boys and Brian Wilson - just click here and enjoy a marvellous tribute

http://www.bexleyhospital.co.uk/memories.html

http://www.dartfordarchive.org.uk/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/kent/discover_kent/history/changing_places/dartford_west_hill.shtml

Bexley Local Studies & Archive Centre

Toffee Sunday Smash - music from the 'British Psychedilic era'

(You will need to download Quicktime if you haven't got it already - it will ask you when you click on the above hyperlink and, if you want it will download it for free and lead you all the way - it's simple and the site can be trusted)

Nostalgia of retail WOOLWORTHS through the ages Strangely enough this site no longer connects - goodbye Woollies !

Nostalgia of retail - KAYS catalogue through the ages

Coldblow / Wansunt

Bexley Archives

Baldwyns Freeholders

If you are interested in Classic Cars and wish to view / join our sister local Wetpaint site click below Classic Car South East

If you are interested in Classic Cars and wish to view / join our sister local Wetpaint site click below
Classic Car South East

Random Photographs - persons

Maypoleman — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:05:22 CST

The below (donated by William Beck) was taken around 1953/54.

From left to right: don't know, Nancy Beck, Denise Flett, Edwin Flett.

Nancy dressed in mother's silk dressing gown with chrysanthemums in her hair, Denise wearing a pillow-case labeled 'Lavender bag'

and Edwin, with the best available sign of: Good old Maypole ~ nothing changes, we are still celebrating, Good old Maypole.

Hi Kim,

Have been looking through the updates and seen the picture sent in by Will Beck, the unknown girl is my neice Carole Smith.

Four little girls in carnival dress. I really enjoyed the reunion on the heath and look forward to the next one.

The history of the Maypole is so interesting and very special to all of the "old timers" Thank you.

Best wishes, Pat Page nee Davies

Below photo (courtesy of 'William') showing the Institute Hut, Baldwyns Road - 1922.

Below - William and Nancy Beck in Girls Life Boat and Boys Life Boat uniforms at the Baptist Church

Above - we are informed that, sadly, Gordon Lennox and George Stockford (Jnr) are now deceased.

The late Jack Roome c 1922 in Scout outfit
Image courtesy of the late Kitty Roome

Above the late Kitty Roome (sister of Jack) in Dartford Girls Grammar school uniform c 1920s - first day at school - doesn't she look proud ! Taken in rear garden of Denton Terrace - near location and same aspect as Frank Blackman photo and looking towards Rolex / what was Maypole House property ( the Daisy Meadow)

Below is her father - image courtesy Bexley Archives

Title John H E Roome, R.F.R Date c.1900 Description John Hector Edward Roome, father of Miss Kitty Roome, local Bexley historian. Her father first joined the Royal Navy in 1896; he was born at Sidcup in August 1880 and died in Bexley in December 1945.

The late Frank Blackman (Son of Edwin and brother of Winnie) c 1930 in his rear garden in Denton Terrace wearing a Seascout uniform ? - rear towards where the Rolex watch factory now stands.

Courtesy of the late Winnie Blackman

The late Gordon Lennox wearing the Cameron 'Tartan' Scout uniform c early 1940s ? This special scarf was authorised by the Scouting Movement at the request of Mr Cameron of Broomhills.
Courtesy of the late Gordon Lennox

The late George Stockford (Snr) Caretaker c1960-1965 Maypole School

The late Charlie Lawrence - a black boy - (born 28/4/1919) taken in rear garden of George Stockford's house in Baldwyns Road c1937. He was a pupil at Maypole School. Has been described by the late George Stockford (Jnr) as a great friend and convivial boy. He lived at 14 Ivy Villas (Next to the Post Office) with his widowed mother. Her husband was killed in WWI when HMS Hogue was sunk by the Germans (20/09/1914).

Archives from the HMS Hogue Roll of Honour - LAWRENCE, Leading Stoker, WILLIAM, 297574. (RFR/CH/B/9794). Royal Navy. . Age 31. Son of John Lawrence; husband of Elizabeth Lawrence, of 14, Ivy Villas, Maypole Estate, Bexley, Kent.

During WWII it was believed that Charlie joined the RAF. Records now show he was a soldier in the Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment. He later became a German POW. George Stockford (Jnr) proudly remembered collecting food for red cross parcels for him. After all, his dear mate was safe. Not for long.
In November 1941 Charlie died. There were two stories floating around as to his death 1) he was shot - we are told whilst trying to escape - that was the usual reason, wasn't it - mmmmmm ? and 2) died of pneumonia after being worked down salt mines. Either way, we suppose this was nothing to do with his colour ?
He is buried in Poland. Two generations lost to enemy fire.

Below - grave of Charlie Lawrence in Poland

Above . . . . .
All dressed up and nowhere to go . . . . .

Happier times - Alice Blackman (Sister of Winne and Frank and daughter of Edwin) and friend outside front of 12 Denton Terrace c 1920s

Courtesy of the late Winnie Blackman

. . . . and duplicated from the transport page below is Callices greengrocers lorry

Above

From Sheila Lusher nee Houlton - she suspects the above culprits to be

"We concluded that the chap on the bike is David Cruikshank. (He appears in photo second from top of this page some 40 years on !) Left to right, we think they are: Ernie Gosling, Mosie Challice, Rose Challice (wife), Jackie Challice and David C. I am happy to be corrected by another reader, as this input is from my brother, although he seems very certain. Not many of 'em left, I don't suppose?

Had a lovely afternoon, reminiscing with Den".

Regards,

Sheila (16th. December 2007)

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Above - and for the special memories of Sheila Lusher - Mr Pope and his horse, Heath End Road. We thought it was beaconsfield Road but Steve Parker put us right ! The other photo is of Mr Smith - Penny Smiths dad in Fancy Dress in Baldwyns Road, for one of the procession 1950s. Standing next to him is Mrs Potter - already featured in another photograph of the same procession.

Photo courtesy of Penny Smith

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Below (Courtesy of Steve Parker - Bill & Lou Proudfoot having just received trophies for indoor sports, Bexley Hosp. Sports & Social Club, mid 1970s

Below left to right - David Richardson (West Lodge, Bexley Hospital) Alan MacLean (East Lodge, Bexley Hospital) and Kim Button - see photo of him at top of page taken some 30 years on. Photo taken in rear garden of house in Beaconsfield Road 1967. Army surplus was all the rage then. Fashion was nowhere to be seen !

Top of page . . . .

Some Pupils 1950-1957

Maypoleman — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 05:53:24 CST

1913-1919 1920-1929 1930-1939 1940-1949 1958-1968

* Where there is a 'Mrs' 'Miss' in first name - this person is a teacher / staff

1950/01/10TH CLARKE ANTHONY

1950/02/28TH	COWARD	PETER
1950/04/25TH	FOWLE	WILLIAM
1950/04/25TH	MILES	CHRISTINE
1950/06/05th	BALCOMBE	PHILLIP
1950/06/05TH	SMITH	LEE
1950/09/05TH	APPLEGATE	ROGER
1950/09/05TH	DYSON	DOREEN
1950/09/05TH	CRUICKSHANK	LOUISE
1950/09/05TH	MOSSES	ANTHONY
1950/09/05TH	GRANT	JANET
1950/09/05TH	HENDERSON	LESLEY
1950/09/05TH	DYSON	ROGER
1950/10/01ST	POTTER	ANTOINETTE
1950/10/01ST	POTTER	CHRISTINE
1951	GRANGER	PHILLIP
1951/01/09TH	MOSSES	CHRISTINE
1951/01/09TH	TAYLOR	PETER
1951/01/09TH	TAYLOR	DAVID
1951/01/09TH	LIBBERT ( SIBBERT ? )	RICHARD
1951/01/15TH	PARKER	JEAN
1951/01/15TH	PARKER	JOHN
1951/01/23RD	POTTER	ELAINE
1951/03/12TH	CRADDOCK	PETER
1951/04/11TH	CONNELLY	SUSAN
1951/05/22ND	ZAMBRA	MICHAEL
1951/06/04TH	SMITHSON	JEAN
1951/09/06TH	PAYNE	EDWARD
1951/09/06TH	PORTER	GRAHAM
1951/09/06TH	BALCOMBE	FREDERICK
1951/09/06TH	PAYNE	JOHN
1951/09/06TH	HENDERSON	JILL
1951/09/06TH	RADZAR RADZAN ?	HELEN
1951/09/06TH	WINTER	JANET
1952/04/09TH	REYNOLDS	ANGELA
1952/04/29TH	ASHMAN	JACQUELINE
1952/04/29TH	DUNN	JACQUELINE
1952/05/05TH	ELLIMAN	PAUL
1952/05/05th	KNIGHTSBRIDGE	GAIL
1952/06/09TH	READ	EARLE
1952/06/09TH	READ	ROGER ?? BROTHER TO EARLE NAME UNKNOWN
1952/06/09TH	SHAW	DOROTHY
1952/06/09TH	BABIAK	CLIVE
1952/09/04th	DAVIES	DIANA
1952/09/04TH	NEALE	BEVERLEY
1952/09/04TH	HUNT	DONALD
1952/09/09TH	COOPER	JOHN
1952/11/26TH	BUTCHER	CHRISTOPHER
1952/11/26TH	BUTCHER	DAVID
1953/01/06TH	SCOTT	JANET
1953/01/06TH	COOPER	WILLIAM
1953/01/06TH	PETERKEN	MARGARET
1953/01/06TH	RADZAR	LINDA
1953/01/06TH	REEVES	JOHN
1953/02/03RD	ELLIOTT	JANET
1953/04/21ST	CADMAN	MARGARET
1953/04/21ST	WINTER	MICHAEL
1953/04/21ST	DENNIS	TIMOTHY
1953/04/21ST	DENNIS	MICHAEL
1953/04/24TH	BALL	SYLVIA
1953/06/04TH	WILLIAMS	LYNN
1953/06/04TH	WHIBLEY	BERYL
1953/09/09TH	ARMILL - ARNULL ?	ANNA
1953/09/09TH	KNIGHTBRIDGE	VICKI
1953/09/09TH	PULLEN	CHRISTINE
1953/10/06TH	COWAN	BEVERLEY
1953/10/06TH	WARNER	SANDRA
1953/10/12TH	HARRISON	SUSAN
1954/01/07TH	MOSSES	SUSAN
1954/01/07TH	MCKEOUGH	DAVID
1954/02/08TH	HUTCHISON	DIANE
1954/03/29TH	BARRETT	RONALD
1954/04/28TH	MOSSES	GILLIAN
1954/06/29th	BABIAK	CLIVE
1954/09/03RD	TURNER	LYNNE
1954/09/13TH	WITNEY	THOMAS
1955/01/06TH	POTTER	RONALD
1955/01/06TH	WILLIAMS	LESLEY
1955/02/14th	READ	LAURENCE
1955/04/26TH	PIPER	DOROTHY
1955/04/26TH	BUTTON	RAYMOND
1955/04/26TH	GEMMELL	ROBERT
1955/09/07TH	MACDONALD	MELVYN
1955/09/07TH	HUNT	DAVID
1955/09/07TH	FERRARI	SIMON
1955/09/07TH	WIGHT	RICHARD
1955/09/12TH	LEFEUVRE	JANE
1955/09/12TH	LEFEUVRE	ELIZABETH
1955/10/03RD	MCLEAN	IANN
1955/10/03RD	MCLEAN	STUART
1955/11/02ND	WHITTLE	LAWRENCE
1956/01/10TH	ELLIMAN	JOHN
1956/05/28TH	CONBOY	KEVIN
1956/05/28TH	CONBOY	RICHARD
1956/05/29TH	REEVES	MICHAEL
1956/09/06TH	HUTCHISON	CHARLES
1956/10/16TH	GRAY	MARGARET
1957//06/17th	PENDERGAST	HELEN
1957/01/10TH	GARMAN	PETER
1957/01/14TH	WINTER	MARIE
1957/01/14TH	VIAGAPPAN	ANNAMANI
1957/03/04TH	HAWKES	KEITH
1957/04/08TH	HUNT	DAVID
1957/07/16TH	PARNELL	BARRY
1957/07/16TH	PARNELL	ALAN
1957/09/10TH	PATTERSON	JEREMY
1957/9/10TH	STERN	ANDREW
1957/9/10TH	AUSTEN	ALAN
1957/9/10TH	REEVES	RAYMOND
1957/9/10TH	READ	PHILLIP
1957/9/10TH	SMITH	KAREN
1957/9/11TH	PENDEGAST	MICHAEL
1957/9/11TH	PATTERSON	MELISSA
1957	THOMAS	BARBARA

1913 - 1919 1920 - 1929 1930 - 1939 1940 - 1949 1958 - 1968

Top of page . . . . . .

Random photographs - transport

Maypoleman — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:06:09 CDT

This page contains Video Footage

The AFS fire engine. It was housed on land belonging to the Institute Hut and heath End Road between the wars.

and below video from 1950 Colonial Film Unit showing (somewhat patronisingly) people new to the country how the system works
What a green and pleasant land this was through the eyes of LT !! We sort of remember the dignity and politeness of public transport from that by-gone age !

Steam Train Bexley Station c 1910 taken from Bexley Archives website - they have copyright

Anyone remember the 'Double Decker' trains on the Loop Line ?

Below - inside.

The above are
Courtesy of
Bulleid Double decker Society

Below the 401 Bus - plying the route c1940s-1970s

Image taken Farningham courtesy of Ians Bus Stop

http://freespace.virgin.net/ian.smith/buses/index.htm#stop

Below (possibly mother of Wendy Saunders on motorcycle combination) - in rear alley of Baldwyns Road c1920s
Courtesy of Wendy Saunders

Above 'Wally of the week' Maypoleman on his Excelsior 250cc Talisman Summer 1968

Below what an Excelsior Talisman should have looked like prior to being butchered

Below 'Poser' Perran Newman on his 'lookalike' Goldstar mid 1960s

Above
From Sheila Lusher nee Houlton - she suspects the above culprits to be
"We concluded that the chap on the bike is David Cruikshank. Left to right, we think they are: Ernie Gosling, Mosie Challice, Rose Challice (wife), Jackie Challice and David C. I am happy to be corrected by another reader, as this input is from my brother, although he seems very certain. Not many of 'em left, I don't suppose?

Had a lovely afternoon, reminiscing with Den".

Regards,

Sheila (16th. December 2007)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Below type of fire engines from the Kent Fire Brigade attending heath fires c 50s/60s

Some Pupils 1920-1929

Maypoleman — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:35:31 CDT

1913 - 1919 1930 - 1939 1940 - 1949 1950 - 1957 1958 - 1968

Where there is a 'Mrs' 'Miss' in first name - this person is a teacher / staff

Date of Admission

1920/01/05TH	LUCAS	BETTY
1920/01/121TH	BROOKS	BEATRICE
1920/01/26TH	GREEN	WILLIAM
1920/01/26TH	GREEN	ERNEST
1920/02/02ND	CASSELTON	GWENDOLINE
1920/03/08TH	MUNDY	ROBERT
1920/03/08TH	BEARCROFT	SIDNEY
1920/03/15TH	BARRETT	ALBERT
1920/04/?	KING	FLORENCE
1920/04/20TH	BURKE	SIDNEY
1920/07/13TH	HENN	CYRIL
1920/09/06TH	WINTER	SYBIL
1920/09/06TH	PENFOLD	WALTER
1920/09/06TH	COLGATE	EDITH M
1920/09/06TH	ROSE	BERYL
1920/09/06TH	KING	JESSIE
1920/10/12TH	READ	ALICE
1920/10/12TH	READ	LENA
1920/10/18TH	BARRETT	ALBERT
1920/11/30TH	BROOKS	ROSE
1921/01/10TH	EVEREST	ALICE
1921/01/10TH	EVEREST	HERBERT
1921/01/17TH	HAMPSHIRE	IVY
1921/01/24TH	GOSLING	THOMAS
1921/01/24TH	GOSLING	HERBERT
1921/01/24TH	WICKENS	FREDERICK
1921/01/24TH	FORD	EDITH
1921/01/31ST	DYSON	CYRIL
1921/05/02ND	WALLER	IVYLENE
1921/05/02ND	SMITH	EDWARD
1921/05/10TH	FIELDER	WILLIAM
1921/05/18TH	KENNERSON	IRIS
1921/06/14TH	CLIFFE
1921/07/11TH	PENFOLD	WALTER
1921/08/30TH	TREADWELL	RONALD
1921/09/05TH	FACKRELL	CHRISTIAN
1921/09/06TH	TUCKER	KATE
1921/10/10TH	FINCH	KATHLEEN
1921/11/07TH	GRIMSHAW	KATHLEEN M
1921/11/07TH	LAWFORD	DORIS IVY
1922/01/09TH	SCHILLING	ALFRED
1922/01/11TH	SUTTON	EDITH
1922/04/05TH	WELLINGTON	WILLIAM
1922/04/25TH	PEARSON	FREDERICK
1922/04/25TH	WINTER	BASIL
1922/05/15TH	BEARCROFT	SIDNEY
1922/09/05TH	KING	ROBERT
1922/10/09TH	BROOKS	ROSE
1922/10/16TH	WOOLDRIDGE	HAROLD K
1922/11/13TH	JUPP	BLANCHE
1923/01/09TH	LUCAS	IAN
1923/01/10TH	LONGDEN	JESSIE
1923/01/15TH	MCCONNELL	MARY
1923/01/22ND	HUGGETT	LILIAN MAY
1923/03/01ST	CAPPS	MRS MILDRED
1923/03/05TH	HIBBERT	GEORGE
1923/03/05TH	HIBBERT	WALTER
1923/03/05TH	HIBBERT	CATHERINE
1923/05/23RD	JONES	MARY
1923/05/28TH	THROPP	FRANK
1923/09/04TH	WALLIS	JOAN
1923/10/08th	ALLMAN	FREDERICK
1923/10/22ND	MENDAY	MARY
1924/01/08TH	FOX	COLIN
1924/01/08TH	FOX	IAN
1924/01/10TH	HAMPSHIRE	GLADYS
1924/01/14TH	BEARCROFT	SIDNEY
1924/01/17TH	SMITH	JOAN
1924/01/21ST	WALLIS	GRAHAM
1924/01/21ST	COLGATE	THOMAS
1924/01/BETWEEN 14TH AND 17TH ?	LENNOX	RUTH
1924/02/19TH	JUPP	BLANCHE
1924/03/24TH	MEACHAM	SYBIL
1924/03/24TH	LAWRENCE	CHARLES
1924/03/25TH	RIPPER	JENNIE
1924/04/01ST	SPRINGATE	ROYCE
1924/04/10TH	JUPP	BLANCHE
1924/04/29TH	RUSSELL	BENJAMIN
1924/05/01ST	ALLMAN	WILLIAM
1924/05/01ST	ROOME	KITTY
1924/05/05TH	MORGAN	VIOLET
1924/05/12TH	WINCHCOMBE	MABEL
1924/05/20TH	JUPP	BLANCHE
1924/06/11TH	BEARCROFT	WILLIAM
1924/06/16TH	WALLIS	ROSIE
1924/07/07TH	WALLIS	STANLEY
1924/07/07TH	HEATH	GLADYS
1924/09/02ND	WEBBER	DOROTHY
1924/09/02ND	HEATH	WINIFRED
1924/09/02ND	WAIN	WILLIAM
1924/09/02ND	FROST	DENNIS
1924/09/02ND	WICKENS	LEONARD
1924/09/02ND	WICK	WILLIAM G B
1924/09/03RD	JAMES	WILLIAM
1924/09/08TH	HUNTINGTON	EILEEN
1924/09/15TH	BRYANT	WINIFRED
1924/09/16TH	JONES	LAURA
1924/09/22ND	WILLIAMS	DOROTHY
1924/09/23RD	BEARCROFT	RICHARD W
1925/01/06TH	EASTWOOD	HARVEY
1925/01/06TH	GEORGE	RAYMOND
1925/04/21ST	WALLIS	KENNETH
1925/04/21ST	FORD	THOMAS
1925/04/21ST	TUCKER	RONALD
1925/04/21ST	SHIPP	ARTHUR
1925/04/21ST	BROOKS	MARGARET
1925/04/27TH	WALLER	BERNARD
1925/05/04TH	HUGHES	JOSEPH
1925/06/22ND	OAKES	EMILY ANNIE
1925/09/01ST	MENGE	JOAN MAUD
1925/09/01ST	BALL	IRENE
1925/09/01ST	SMITH	PHYLLIS
1925/09/01ST	HAMPSHIRE	RAYMOND
1925/09/01ST	LUCAS	COLIN
1925/09/07TH	RUSSELL	MARGARET
1925/11/11TH	MAY	MARJORIE
1926/01/06TH	KING	VIOLET
1926/01/26TH	PARKER	ROSALINE
1926/02/02ND	FIELDER	BARNARD
1926/03/02ND	PEARCE	KENNETH
1926/03/02ND	PEARCE	RONALD
1926/04/13TH	BORASH	DORIS
1926/04/13TH	HOBBS	NELLIE
1926/04/13TH	LEMMING	BERYL
1926/04/19TH	WALLIS	VERA
1926/04/26TH	COOPER	VINCENT
1926/04/26TH	HAMPSHIRE	RAYMOND
1926/04/27TH	FRENCH	MARION
1926/05/10TH	PETERS	ALFRED
1926/06/17TH	SONNEX	AUDREY
1926/06/28TH	DALE	LESLIE
1926/09/07TH	HOLLAND	FRANCES
1926/09/07TH	COLES	QUEENIE
1926/09/07TH	BEARCROFT	DENNIS
1926/09/07TH	BLOOMFIELD	SIDNEY
1926/09/07TH	COLGATE	NELLIE
1926/09/07TH	TUCKER	IRENE
1926/09/07TH	BEARCROFT	RICHARD
1926/09/13TH	BROTHERHOOD	LESLIE
1926/09/20TH	TURNER	RONALD
1926/09/27TH	ALLMAN	MAY
1926/10/04TH	BROOMFIELD	EUGENIA E
1926/10/18TH	PALMER	PERCY
1926/11/01ST	ROBINSON	JOHN
1926/11/23RD	WOODINGTON	LOTTIE
1926/12/13TH	BROTHERHOOD	WILLIAM
1927/01/11TH	BOWEN	PAUL
1927/01/11TH	EDWARDS	EILEEN
1927/01/12TH	TURNER	FRANK
1927/01/24TH	MALONEY	JOSEPHINE
1927/02/04TH	GROUT	MRS RUTH
1927/04/26TH	BORASH	DENNIS
1927/04/26TH	WICKENS	MYRTLE
1927/04/26TH	SHIPP	DORIS
1927/05/23RD	WYATT	ETHEL
1927/05/24TH	HOLLIER	HETTIE
1927/06/13TH	MAY	BARBARA
1927/06/20TH	WHITE	DOUGLAS
1927/06/20TH	WHITE	FRANCES
1927/09/06TG	WRIGHT	JEAN
1927/09/06TH	SMITH	COLIN
1927/09/06TH	PETERS	RONALD
1927/09/06TH	CURD	ERIC
1927/09/07TH	HENN	RUBY
1927/10/17TH	NORBURY	EDNA
1927/10/31ST	BEDWELL	WILLIAM
1927/10/31ST	BEDWELL	LESLIE
1927/10/31ST	OAKES	EMILY
1928/01/10TH	BESSANT	JOAN
1928/01/10TH	HUMPHRIES	EDMUND
1928/01/10TH	TURNER	HAZEL
1928/01/30TH	PETERKEN	HAROLD
1928/0110TH	BEARCROFT	JOYCE
1928/03/05TH	HANNAH	BEATRICE
1928/04/17TH	WAIN	MURIEL
1928/04/17TH	MEACHAM	NORMAN
1928/04/17TH	COLGATE	WINIFRED
1928/04/23RD	WRIGHT	JEAN
1928/06/27TH	WEBB	KENNETH
1928/06/27TH	WEBB	MAUREEN
1928/06/27TH	BEVAN	KATHLEEN
1928/06/27TH	BEVAN	GWENDOLIN
1928/07/09TH	HEYWOOD	FLORENCE
1928/09/04TH	WALLIS	JOYCE
1928/09/04TH	TULETT	JOAN
1928/09/04TH	EDWORTHY	MARGARET
1928/09/04TH	PEARCE	STANLEY
1928/11/15TH	NORMAN	IDA
1929/01/07TH	GOSLING	RONALD
1929/02/04TH	HARRIS	RAYMOND
1929/02/20TH	CLOUGH	MRS M G
1929/02/20TH	SUMPNER	MISS E J
1929/04/15TH	EDEN	HILDA
1929/04/22ND	CANDLER	JOAN
1929/04/22ND	PEEL	EDNA
1929/04/29TH	ALBERTINI	ANTHONY V
1929/05/27TH	BRIGGS	GILIAN
1929/06/11TH	VAIL	ERNEST
1929/07/15TH	MILLER	VIRGINIA
1929/07/15TH	MILLER	CHARLES
1929/09/02ND	HOBBS	MARY
1929/09/02ND	PETERS	JOAN
1929/09/02ND	TURNER	ERIC
1929/09/11TH	MAY	AUDREY
1929/10/28TH	BARRATT	LANCE
1929/11/11TH	NANKIVELL	PAMELA
1929/11/11TH	NANKIVELL	ROY
1929/11/11TH ?	WEBB	KENNETH
1929/11/11TH ?	WEBB	MAUREEN

Top of page

Napoleonic Army Camp

Maypoleman — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:13:19 CDT

DARTFORD CAMP

Above - plate showing Regiments of Camp c 1778-1780 on Dartford Heath

Below showing proximety of where Maypole Estate was to be built

With regards to the Heath it is interesting to note that in 1780, whilst Great Britain was under fear of attack from France and Spain, there was a large temporary encampment of soldiersbased upon it. This camp lasted for a few years and the local neighbourhood benefited, hugely, in trade with the soldiers. This camp eventually swelled in numbers to approximately 8,000 soldiers. Remember, these weren't soldiers in camouflage - they would have presented any observer with a blaze of colour. The soldiers would have been under canvas and these tents would have been in neat rows. A contemporary plate, published by T BISH, showed that the Camp was situated between what is now Heath Lane and the vicinity of the gates of Baldwyns Manor (Bexley Hospital). At the height of the camp and situated towards the centre of the heath there was a shop for supplying the troops with stationery and small stores - T. BISH. (The contemporary map of the heath showing the camp also showed their 'shop') The 'Suttling' House - a merchant who follows army camps - stood near Bowmans Lodge and was kept by Mr POWELL of the Granby, Dartford.

The Magazine was situated near the end of Oakfield Lane. There were similar camps at Coxheath, Kent and at Warley Common in Essex. All three camps were uprooted at daybreak on 27th July 1780 and there was then performed a grand review of these troops held by their commanders. These included Lieutenant - General PIERSON, Lord AMHERST, Colonel St. LEGER, other commanders and their respective military attendants. After detailing their :-

'manual exercise, platoon, grand and subdivision street and bush firing'

the entire army comprising 4 divisions and their artillery then marched off the heath and made their way to Gravesend.

Typical uniform of British Soldier at the time of the camp on Dartford Heath

The other two aforementioned camps also made their way, respectively, to Gravesend and Tilbury. As a show of force the entire strength was conveyed across the Thames and back within 8 hours. Reports at the time indicate this huge spectacle was witnessed by many people. The 4 divisions then marched back to Dartford Heath and were dismissed at 8.15 p.m. to great applause. "The nobility and gentry who attended (this return) were afterwards entertained by a play called 'The Recruiting Serjeant', performed by the officers and their ladies, in a large marquee; after which, the general entertained them with a supper , and some of the noble visitors did not leave the camp until Sunday".

It was on Sunday evening, 6th August 1780 that there developed a violent quarrel at the camp between a soldier of the 52nd regiment and one of the Northamptonshire militia which 'occasioned a battle in front lines'. Colonel STRAUBENZIE of the 52nd endeavoured to quell the disturbance and was 'exceedingly ill treated'. It was with difficulty that the two regiments were prevented from 'making common cause with the combatants'. One man had his ear cut off; another lost two fingers and some had several 'very dangerous wounds from swords, bayonets etc.' This was the end for the camp. The location must have made it difficult to impose strict military discipline and in September 1780, the camp broke up - to the 'infinite regret of the belles of the neighbourhood'. It is reported that their trade was greatly missed and that 'Desolation reigned around' when they had gone.

Below - British Army tent from Napoleonic era.

On the evening preceding the break up of the camp a select party of Officers were invited to take a farewell supper with the Ladies of the neighbourhood. One of the attending ladies - a Miss THORPE - reported that "they broke not the bread of cheerfulness, it was but the ghost of gaiety;- for what availed the attendance beaux, to whom our 'Good night' might be forever! and their morning salute accompanied with the groan of (moving) forges - and - still more dismal sound that of departing regiments!" It has been said that traces of this once colourful encampment could still be made out by persons walking on the heath right up until 1840 or so - some 60 years after it's demise. Holes and craters on the heath where tents, marquees and earthworks etc. once were, could still be seen.

I can certainly remember, as a boy, playing in the once abundant heather on the heath in the late 1950s / early 60s and of rolling around in the small circular indentations in evidence at the time. Presumably some of these were the remains of the above described encampments. At the time we imaginative boys thought that they were bomb craters - a relic of more recent military action. Several of the older residents from the estate, however, confirm that they were there before the last war. For generations, a favourite playing place for local children living on Maypole Estate was a hollow on the heath. This is situated on the opposite side of Denton Road to where the Rolex Watch Company is and where Maypole House once stood. As children, we always knew it as 'THE CAMP HOLE'. The late Winnie BLACKMAN stated that children in the 1920s also used this name for the hollow. Does it have some connection with the Napoleonic military encampment of 1780 ?

Bonfire Night

Maypoleman — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 06:42:06 CDT

E Mail from Steve Parker has started this new page . . . . . .

Talking to my Grandchildren about Guy Fawkes night, got thinking about the great nights we used to have just after the war 1946,47,48,49,50.

The kids on the Maypole (of which I was one), used to start collecting rubbish for the bonfire weeks before the fifth, the fire was situated on the edge of the heath at the top of Heathend Rd. All the Maypole residents would be involved & save their rubbish,by the time of the big night everyone would turn out for the lighting & fireworks, of which there were plenty & bangers were bangers in those days & I'm not talking sausages!! One person who needs a mention was Herbie Richardson who always had some big rockets & Roman candles, ( or were they redundant flares?). Whatever they were he always put on a good show. When the adults started to wander home we kids would start our midnight feast of baked spuds, they always tasted better than any other time.

I must also mention Mr. Pope who would give rides to the kids on his pony. Great times & I can't recall anyone getting hurt, just a few minor burns. Anyone else remember these nights. Steve Parker

From Kim Button - Well, Steve - these are my memories of the time around Guy Fawkes night . . . . .

My ‘window of time’ as a kid was between c1963 and 1968. We would start collecting for the bonfire a couple of weeks prior to the 5th. After school and at weekends we would knock on doors of the houses on the estate and ask if they had anything to burn. It wasn’t seen so much of a danger then - especially when we knew most of the residents, anyway. We would use all sorts of trolleys, contraptions and old prams to ferry the stuff over to the heath. We would always go around in little groups as some of the stuff could turn out to be quite bulky or heavy. My little gang at that time were David Richardson, Philip Read, Peter Walker, Mike Moran, Tony Smith, John Barrett, Robert Hogan, Alan and Barry Booth, Terry Warner, Michael Mckeough, Edward Ginn, Penny Smith, Alan MacLean and Philip Hayward. Most of us lived on the estate but some came from Baldwyns Park and Coldblow.

The main reason we youngsters laboured so hard was for the money we could earn ! Some residents took every opportunity to rid themselves of anything burnable (and not so burnable) and there were times when we would take complete demolished sheds, entire privet hedges, bushes, shrubs, furniture, doors, fences etc. If they were generous, the resident would give us three or four bob or thereabouts (15-20 pence in today’s money). Doesn’t seem a lot but this was more than our individual weekly pocket money - well worth it. This money would be shared out equally at the end of the day among the kids doing the job. A good Saturdays work could earn each of us about 5 shillings each (25 pence). Therefore, this was about two weeks pocket money in one day. At that time a packet of 20 cigarettes was about 3/9d - three shillings and nine pence (about 17 pence) so we felt very lucky. Sadly, some of us started smoking at 14. We felt it made us look so much older and was a really ‘trendy’ thing to do in those days. I wish I had never started.

As the bonfire grew and grew in height and girth so we would actually ‘sculpture’ it. Our ambitions normally exceeded the reality and most of the bonfires I remember had large circumference bases - in anticipation for a really high monster. So, as the 5th neared we would then gather up the looser stuff and create a thinner and higher fire. One of the greatest pleasures for us was to build little ‘camps’ in the fire. We would use all sorts of imagination and items to build our little ‘dens’. We would use wood, lino, carpet, rugs, plywood, old doors, hardboard, motor cycle sidecars - anything. Some of these habitats were quite ‘roomy’ and when lit, added to the burning process by creating open pockets allowing flames to accelerate. Some people would take advantage of the opportunity and throw old mattresses on to it - these were filled with wire springs so were not really suitable - however . . . . . put two or three on top of each other and - hey presto - you have a fantastic trampoline !

As the 5th came nearer and nearer so our collections of small fireworks grew as well. Us boys weren’t interested in the pretty stuff - we wanted bangs. Bangers were usually 1d each.

Better ones were the 2d or 3d ‘Cannons’. These were just larger bangers. The best bangs came from ‘Aerial Bombshells’. They were about 1/6d each. (7 and1/2 pence in today’s money). They were fat, dumpy bangers. Some of us crazier kids would put them into sawn off scaffold poles and ‘fire’ them. Elf and safety would have had a field day.

Below 1930s poster

The actual night of the bonfire we just couldn’t wait for it to get dark. It always seemed the ritual that ‘Buster’ from Denton Terrace had the privilege of lighting the bonfire. It would burn and burn furiously for hours, surrounded by many families all going ‘ooh and aah’ as people would light their fireworks. As Steve has said the best part was putting spuds or chestnuts in the embers.

The following day it would still be smoking and we would pile up the leftovers to make yet another fire. Great days. This practice of the bonfire on the heath ceased c1970 when Maypole School started to use the heath as their sports field. Several attempts were made to build more bonfires but they were quickly dismantled and taken away by the Council. End of an era.
　

If anyone else has any memories of this annual event please E Mail us at the site.

Memories of Steven Parker

Maypoleman — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 06:23:58 CDT

Bexley Hospital outing to Margate 1964 - courtesy of Steven Parker

This has shrunk as it has come from New Zealand ! Actually it is only 42kbites so enlargement won't help.

Most of the people in this photo have lived on the Maypole at some time or other.Back row L to R---- Mrs. Barrett Snr. with one of her grandchildren, Jessie Barrett (now in U.S.A.) Ray Wheeler, Louis Cruickshank, ( owned a pub in Eynsford but not now ) Steve Parker,Bill Barrett in shadow, Morris Bridges, lived where Houltons used to live, moved to Leyton Cross. John Borrell, ran the butcher shop down the dip for a while, now in Erith. Bill Proudfoot, Vic Mcdonald, lady on the end ?

Front row L to R--- Lou Proudfoot, two girls with children not sure, Ailene Parker, Joan Mcdonald (nee Barrett ) her daughter Mary standing behind her, Netta Wheeler (nee Cruickshank). behind her my son Neville, girl next to him not sure,Mavis Barrett (nee Proudfoot ) the boy not sure, my wife Valerie, & then ? ?. not bad after 44 yrs. Regards Steve

Above top of this pair - Maypole School and below that Steve's daughter Aileen at the gates of Bexley Hospital

and below - 2008

I was born in 1935 in Bexley, my parents moved with my sister & I in tow to Heathend Rd. 6 months after I was born, my grandparents having lived in Beaconsfield Rd. since before WW1. My great Aunt (my G/Ms sister) lived in Baldwyns Rd. in the house I bought after my marriage & lived until we emigrated to N.Z. in 1967. So had quite a long history of the Maypole & its people. We still live in N.Z. where we celebrated our 50th anniversary in April 2008.

I also was a member of the St. Barnabas choir as was my sister Marian(nee Parker) the thing we liked most about it was the threepence (3d.old money) that we got each time we attended but was saved for us & given out at Chritmas, if you attended all services & practices you could get the grand total of 13/6d. Do you remember? or was I the only mercenary. A few names I remember, you may know more! David, Betty & Roberta ( Cruickshank) Joan, Audrey & Barbara (Houlton) Marian & Stephen (Parker) Wendy & David (Saunders) Gordon Lennox, Micky Masters, Kenny Purkiss, Jean Peacock, Pat Flett, Pat & Hazel (Richardson) Angela Pope, Joyce Stockford, memory fails me for the rest. The girls in red & white the boys in black & white, how angelic we looked.

The church was @ the rear of Broomhills, churchgoers would enter the Cameron estate through a gate in the alley @ the back of Baldwyns Rd. & walk straight ahead for about 50 yds. The church hall was to the right running @ right angles from the church where we used to attend Sunday school. I don't remember much about Mr. Cameron except he was a little round man who wore wire framed specs, he had a short walk from the back of the house to the church where he played the organ. He must have been Dorothys grandfather? That can be confirmed by Dorothy, who by the way was in the choir & her mother was always @ church. My wife Valerie remembers a ladies church group being held in the hall once a month & Mrs. Cameron being a prime facilitator. After the church & hall were moved my daughter Ailene used to attend ballet classes at the hall, can't remember the teachers name but she lived in Baldwyns Park. Apart from organising a wedding reception for some friends of ours thats about all I remember.

Before we left for N.Z. 40yrs. ago Mrs. Cameron invited my wife & I & 3 children for afternoon tea, quite a delight, One room was a treasure trove of chiming clocks -- table , grandfather, cuckoo, the whole range. The kids were thrilled to bits when she set off the chimes of many, this was followed by the playing of a pianola?

The two photos of Mr. Pope (above) with his horse & cart, the one on the left is Beaconsfield Rd. But the photo bottom right was taken outside my family home 14 Heathend Rd. the name of the house was Homefield & can just be seen above the porch far right.

I used to deliver the paper to Maypole house, the houses in the Dell Rd. also the big house & cottage on the heath to the right of the Dell. During the war there was a unexploded bomb sticking out of the ground ( about where the people are standing in photo 1) I think it was an incendiery, can anyone else remember this??

See Steve's recollection of Bonfire Night

E Mail addresses of interested parties

Maypoleman — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:14:43 CDT

If any of you wish to add your E Mail addresses to this site so you may be contacted by anyone out there just E Mail the Maypole History Team at maypoleontheweb@aol.com - they will be added and / or deleted at your request . This means people can contact you without having to actually sign up to Wetpaint and will widen the ability for readers to get in touch with each other. The Maypole Team already have a list of about 25 E Mail addresses but will only add them with consent.

List of new contacts being added in due course below

1. Kim Button - Maypoleman - maypoleontheweb@aol.com

2. Sheila Houlton - sheila-a.lusher@sky.com

3. Steve Parker - svparau@xtra.co.nz

4. Paul Underwood - undart@mac.com

5. Peter Walker - peterwalker4@hotmail.com

6. William Beck - williamedward42@googlemail.com

7. ANGIE ASHDOWN - angie.ashdown@ntlworld.com

8. Frankie Gemmell - franreg05@btinternet.com I would be very pleased to have my e-mail address added to the as I would like very much to hear from anyone that remembers me!!!

9. Perran Newman - Pvlnewman@aol.com

10. Yvonne Kerrisk - bpsmiles43@hotmail.com

11. Tony and Marie Helyar - ahelyar@tiscali.co.uk

12. John Burton (Maypole School c1943-1948) anjburton@hotmail.co.uk

Places - the journey from Bexley

Maypoleman — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 15:01:08 CDT

Most of the below images are from the Bexley Archive and the copyright belongs to them.

Notes from Audrey HUGHES nee JACKSON

Bexley Local Studies & Archive Centre

Above - the path from Wansunt / St Marys Roads towards Bexley Village

below as it looked c 1994

and how it looks today . . . . . .

Above - the path from St Marys Road where it joined the path from Wansunt Road - looking towards Bexley. This has been known as 'The Snicket' (Perran Newman) and the 'Chicken Run' (Local name c 1950s)

and how it looks today . . . . . . .

Above - Date c.1936 Description Hill Crescent is at the top of Vicarage Road, Bexley where it meets the Dartford Road

Below - Dartford Road c1900 junction with St Marys and Wansunt. We are informed that the odd looking construction to the left was to do with gas regulation and was a type of 'sub station / valve'.
Also, enlarging the new Wansunt / St Marys development sign doesn't really make the content any clearer - sadly.

and below c1994

Below c1906

Above - Date 1906 Description Dartford Road, Bexley. 'Mount Eagle' behind the gates ? The area is known as Cold Blow. The view is taken from Wansunt Road (immediately on the left) looking along Dartford Road towards Baldwyns and Dartford Mental Hospital. Children and pony and trap in the road. Correspondence and stamp on reverse of coloured copy postcard. The wall facing the road in the above is the same wall as seen in the below two pictures.

Below how it looked c 1994

Above - Date 1906 Description Dartford Road, Bexley. The area is known as Cold Blow. The view is looking towards Baldwyns and Bexley Mental Hospital. Correspondence and stamp on reverse of both copies.

Above - same view as below.

Below -

Date 1908 Description Dartford Road, Bexley. The area is known as Cold Blow. The view is taken looking towards Bexley Village. Two small children, policeman and pony and trap in the road. Correspondence and stamp on reverse of postcard.

Below c 1994 . . . . .

Below - the 'Dip' c early 1950s

Below - the 'Dip' towards Bexley Hospital
Date 1913 Description The Dip, Near Bexley.

and as it looks now . . . . .

Below - Title Dartford Road, Bexley Date c.1950 Description Dartford Road looking towards Cold Blow and Bexley village. Baldwyns Park is the road to the left.

Coal Tax Posts - as seen in the above three images . . . .
Courtesy of Wikipedia . . . . . .

Coal sold in the City of London had been taxed since mediaeval times and, as it was all brought in by sea to one or two riverside wharfs, the collection of the duty had been relatively easy. A similar duty was collected on all wine landed in London. By the nineteenth century, however, there was increasing trade by canal and rail, and various acts of parliament extended the catchment area to a radius of about twenty miles from London. The City is a small (one square mile) but influential part of London and in 1851 an Act was passed specifying the points, far beyond its boundaries, where the collections could be made. Marker posts, inscribed with this legal authority, were erected. About two hundred have survived. Following enlargement of the Metropolitan Police District (which, paradoxically, did not include the City of London) in 1861 a further Act was passed and new marker posts were set to show the boundary inside which the duty was payable. Most of these later posts survive.
Not all of the points were staffed by tax collectors but on well-used routes with a heavy coal traffic, such as on the Grand Union Canal at Grove Park, Hertfordshire, permanent toll houses were built. [1][2] In other cases local coal merchants or, after the bulk of the traffic had passed to the railway, the railway companies calculated the sums due and passed the money to the Corporation. The railway companies were allowed to offset the coal they used for their engines, but only when employed on coal trains.
The erection of these posts was very much a last ditch attempt to retain the tax in the face of growing opposition. The tax had been running for at least two hundred years but within twenty years of the posts going up it was abolished. The Industrial Revolution was in full swing, London was expanding rapidly. The outer suburbs were becoming towns and their residents beginning to resent paying a tax which had very little direct benefit for them. One extreme case is Caterham which lay (and still lies) outside the Metropolitan Police District (MPD) but if coals were to be brought there by rail they had to pass through the MPD and presumably were subject to the tax.
The powers to extract these taxes were abolished in 1889, notwithstanding the City had fought against the abolition moves with some underhand tactics: a parliamentary select committee sitting in 1887 found that signatures on a petition in support of keeping the tax had been forged.[3]

Maypole of the 1950s

Maypoleman — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 03:24:00 CDT

This page has been constructed from donations by Maypolechippy - real name to follow in the near future we hope !

The below images can be seen a little more clearly in their original pdf format if you go to the bottom of the page and click on the relevant underlined title

In an E Mail from Maypolechippy "Having left the Maypole in my early twenties (when I got married) and having lived in Canada for the past 42 years, I had naturally lost touch with most things Maypole. My recently widowed sister (who still lives in the Bexley area) visited my wife and me this summer and we had a good time reminiscing about life on the Maypole in the 40’s and 50’s. We had great fun trying to name the other children living on the Maypole at that time, which led to us to develop a list of names and best guesses of their addresses. The result is a sketch of the Maypole as we remember it from that time and an accompanying list of names. We were also interested to see Stephen Parker’s Sunday School Outing photo of which I also have a copy. We tried to fill in the missing names in Stephen’s photo and made a record of them. I would like to share these memories with you in the hope that in their small way they add another snippet the ever evolving recorded history of the Maypole".

In an E Mail from Maypolechippy

"Having left the Maypole in my early twenties (when I got married) and having lived in Canada for the past 42 years, I had naturally lost touch with most things Maypole.

My recently widowed sister (who still lives in the Bexley area) visited my wife and me this summer and we had a good time reminiscing about life on the Maypole in the 40’s and 50’s. We had great fun trying to name the other children living on the Maypole at that time, which led to us to develop a list of names and best guesses of their addresses. The result is a sketch of the Maypole as we remember it from that time and an accompanying list of names.

We were also interested to see Stephen Parker’s Sunday School Outing photo of which I also have a copy. We tried to fill in the missing names in Stephen’s photo and made a record of them. I would like to share these memories with you in the hope that in their small way they add another snippet the ever evolving recorded history of the Maypole".

Kindly donated by 'Maypolechippy' are three attachments - and very well produced they are too, we might add !

Click on any of them below and you will be able to see their content in the original PDF image format. As you will see they have been created in great detail and are invaluable to those who wish to recall or discover.

We look forward with great relish to further contributions from Maypolechippy.

Plan of the Maypole Housing Estate c1950

Names of residents living on the housing estate

Sunday School Outing with coach in the background - photo with names

Memories of the late Mr Alfred Peters

Maypoleman — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:29:33 CDT

Alfred Peters

If you have the time please read Alfreds story - it is both amusing and touching

Mr Alfred Peters was interviewed in 1998. He agreed to write down his memoirs and, at last, it can now be published on the website. He was a kind and generous man who was very enthusiastic about telling his story from his years on the estate - for the benefit of other younger residents. We are grateful for his contribution. Sadly, Alfred has died, but we hope his abbreviated story will bring smiles to those who never knew him or were not around in his day, whilst at the same time, enhancing his memory to those who did / were. An 11 year old spent many hours transcribing this for the site and she now knows nearly as much as her father does about the estate !

My name is Alfred John Peters. Born 3-12-1914 so I am in my eighty fourth year.

My birthplace – Southall Middx, my father was a regular army man fighting the Great War, to be demobbed in 1919-20. He joined the L.F.B. Stationed in Kensington and in 1926 took up an appointment as fire officer at Bexley LCC Mental Hospital where the family occuppied West Lodge.

West Lodge is the lodge to the right in the below picture.

The family consisting of Father Charles, Mother Ethel, Brother Ronald, aged 3, and sister Joan, aged 18 months, and me. The hospital was an important teaching hospital until its demise so shamefully, hundreds of doctors and nurses and thousands of patients. Almost self supporting with its hundreds of pigs, herd of cattle, a resident farm bailiff and cowman, many acres of fruit and vegetables grown, and poultry, by the hundred with outside supervision. The patients supplied the labour, and were very jealous of their occupation. I was eleven years as a boy, with my friend Len Sandford the head cowmans son, we used the farm, cricket pitch and all aspects of the hospital as a wonderful and private play area. In those days 1926 into the 30’s the hospital produced many operas and plays by their own Amateur Drama Soc run jointly by the doctors and nurses. The annual ball in the lovely hall was an event of the year and tickets were in great demand.

Patients of course had their weekly film shows and dances also their sports days. It would take a very large book to tell all of Bexley hospital in its Hey Day.

In spring of 1926 I was enrolled at the Maypole Council School and so started a period that I can look back on and say “It was smashing”.

A quick educational check placed me in standard six under Mr Wellington. There was five classes, starting with the infants, then two junior classes, taken by lady teachers, Miss Pinkney was one, I forget the other names.
Standard six was taken by Mister Wellington and Standard 7 and 7x by the headmaster Mr Snell, five really 1st class teachers. School hours were nine until 12.0 o’clock 2.0 PM until 4.0 PM with a break of 15 minutes playtime morning and afternoon.

The school day started at nine o’clock sharp when a teacher blew a whistle and everyone in the playground stood still, on the second blast we smartly moved into the hall (made by sliding a divider across two classrooms).
Mr Snell officiated, he was a deep breathing fanatic and with windows open we would on the count breathe in till about to burst, hold it and expel rapidly. Then with a pupil (Vera Saunders) on the piano he would sing the scales in two or three keys, we were now ready for the hymn and prayers by Mr Snell. Afterwards he would make any announcements affecting us. We were then marched quietly to our classrooms.
My class standard 6 under Mr Wellington comprised about 45 pupils, he was a very strict disciplinarian dealing out a vicious six of the best and impositions, “I must talk only when necessary”, to be written 100 or 200 times in your own time and to present it to him next day. I had more than my share and deserved it. He was a fine teacher of many subjects. The Bible, maths and English, drawing, drama, literature, singing, he was a good pianist, he also took gardening, geography etc.

On Monday afternoons with all the gardening tools held at the correct and safe angles we would march to the school allotments. All the boys from standard 6, 7 and 7x took part and the girls did needle work and cookery. The lots were divided into small individual lots under a pupil who would grow and experiment fruit and veg and to compare results and treatment plot by plot. A very useful and enjoyable lesson, to finish with a thorough cleaning of equipment. How those spades and forks shone!

Talking in class was forbidden and punished, Mr Snell would visit the class and say “Good morning class” the class would stand without of any noise of desks and seats say “Good morning Sir” and very quietly sit with straight backs and folded arms. At a certain age you moved to standard 7 with Mr Snell who took woodwork on Monday mornings and maths moved up to algebra etc. Mr Snell took great interest in all school activities which in those days included Empire Day (May 24th I believe), chairs would be borrowed from the hospital placed all around the play ground, the maypole was erected and ‘tilt the bucket’ frame put up. Children were dressed in National costume so there were Welsh, Scots, Irish, English (John Bull), Canadian, Zulu’s, African’s, Australians etc. We would march, sing the National songs, various tableau would be performed, the Maypole danced , Jack O the Green and a clown (me) performed, hymns suitable and the National anthems sung to end the proceedings.

Armistice day was observed by the whole school with all the sad hymns to be sung, Christmas time was so special, a play was put on or a series of sketches, chairs again borrowed and the hall filled with parents, evenings and afternoon performance.

Mr Snell was a good artist and would paint all the very large backcloths. The last I remember was a Dutch canal or sailing barge, windmills in the background, for a cantata “Jan of windmill land”.

It was a very friendly school. I never saw any bullying, play times were filled with the current seasonal games; Tops, Cigarette cards, marbles, conkers, five stones – all in their special time of year.

Football and cricket played with a tennis ball took up a lot of time and many players could join in “Seven + seven x against the rest” was the war cry. Girls of course did all the things that girls do, skipping etc and mostly seemed to be in little groups one of the most unusual customs was the use of nicknames all of which had a reason for their existence:

Bogey ELLIMAN ****** BLACKMAN Massa PETERS (me) Manny ELLIMAN Gump HENN Diddy HENN Taffy WELLSPRINGS Bessy WOOD Fatty MEACHAM Bunter MEACHAM Tiptoe FORD Glarni HOGAN Skinner BEDWELL Dinah DYSON Tongy THOMPSON (captain) Smut SMITH Eno SMITH Spadger BARRETT Sanny SANDFORD Many more which I have forgotten. Christian names were never used. In fact my best friends mother asked my mother how her “MASSA” was thinking it was my name as I had been poorly at that time.

AFTER THOUGHTS

Mr Wellington was Dooky (DUKE) Mr Snell .P.C. or Peecy He promised to track down wrongdoers like a policeman hence P.C.

I must not forget Charlie Lawrence. A Negro boy who lived with his white mother next to Vines. His father was killed in the Great War at Sea. (HMS Hogue) Charlie was the happiest lad I ever knew, a great friend of my brother and often in our house. He was conscripted in 1939.

Below - photograph of Charlie LAWRENCE taken in rear garden of Baldwyns Road (Backing on to Beaconsfield)

He died in a salt mine in Germany after capture I believe at Dunkirk.

He made the mistake of being black. We heard he died of pneumonia.

Other Names Remembered

F. James R. TuckerK. Lucas F T. Gordon D. Lucas F M. Gordon F E. Lucas F E. Smith F T. Gosling (Imbecile) E. Smith R. Gosling (cripple) R. Munday E. Gosling Q. Cole F A. Murray R. Wallis F F. Johnson R. Wallis M. Seal W. Meacham A. Elliman L. Bedwell S. Elliman L. Sandford M. Brooks F E. Thompson Captain D. King F M. Young F J. King F Ted Smith R. Cosselton F
Most of these names plus those on the previous page were from one class. Class have 45 pupils

Outside School Activities

Winter with a good snowfall meant sledging. If you walk by road towards Crayford, on your left is the valley, the Dell, where we sledged. Seventy five years ago the valley was just grass, heather and some bracken. You could sledge down the end slope along the bottom to the style that is on the footpath to Bexley. Perhaps 1/3 of a mile, and people came from all over to enjoy this till quite late in the evening, some times.

The valley is now thick woodland with just a trodden path that runs through to the stile. In the summer sledging on the dry grass gave lots of fun. We were never bored, school holidays meant scrumping, stealing fruit from gardens and orchards to bake on a fire whilst we smoked “monkey chaff” a dried herb found in the Heath, rolled in newspaper, it was awful. Bows and arrows were popular also tracking games where one or two people would run off into the blue, the remainder on a given time to try to catch them. Various trees, mostly Hawthorn had names, the “Home Tree”, where games started and finished, was a very large tree the branches and foliage touched the ground to make it a big green tent. The “Action Tree” another Hawthorn whose spreading branches allowed us to jump and swing about in all sorts of action. “Slippery Jack” also a very hard tree to climb, it had a long slippery trunk with no grips. A scout group 4th Dartford was founded, a hall supplied (by the church) by Mr Cameron, a great benefactor of the Maypole Estate, he also gave us all the instruments for a drum and fife band and thus supplied a good many lads with useful pursuits.

I seem to remember girl guides being started too. Christmas time meant carol singing.

I had a very special friend John Palmer (we remained close friends all our lives) and he and I would go carolling and at the end would adjourn to the Maypole Café for hot pineapple drinks and share our takings, several shillings a lot of money in those days, it bought our Christmas presents etc.

Mr Bert Vine owned the Paper, Sweet and Tobacco shop and employed three paper boys, this job was much wanted and always had a taker ready as one boy left, my turn came, I suppose I was about 12 years old. I had to be at the shop by seven am. to mark up and sort my papers, magazines etc. When the bag was loaded it was extremely heavy and chaffed your bare knees (boys wore shorts until school leaving at fourteen). Then you had “Longuns”.

AFTER THOUGHTS

John Palmer lived in Summerhouse Drive, his house was called “In a Wood” and was the only house on the left hand side of Summerhouse Drive. I remember three large houses (one – Eltham Lodge) on the right, all the rest was virgin woodland in 1926.

My Round – Baldwyns Park, Summerhouse Drive, Tile Kiln Lane and Cold Blow. To return to shop and then do Baldwyns Rd. Seven days a week. Nobody had bicycles. Dinner Time (two hours off school 1-2pm) report to shop to do errands (1 hour)

Evening Walk to Bexley Station to collect evening papers, mark them and deliver them around Maypole Estate.

Saturday After morning round to collect paper money from that round, and if on checking the cash Bert Vine found you short it would be stopped from your wages. In the afternoon you would sit in the shop to errands until time to go to Bexley to collect and deliver evening papers (also to measure our paraffin).

Sunday Easy day just the morning delivery. s p My wages 3/6 a week and a dozen toffees.

AFTER THOUGHT

Vines also sold paraffin and petrol, two hand pumps in Beaconsfield Road (petrol 11 ½ d per gal) the petrol was drawn from the main tank by hand operated pump into a marked glass container, then gravity fed to your tank.

I was well pleased when in the summer holidays I was able to give my notice and take a job in Bexley at Mr Scotts High Class Grocer Delivery boy with a trade bike 15/- a week just for the holidays. I perhaps should mention that of my paper boys salary I gave my mother 2/6. and 10/- of my holiday job each week. Cricket and football has not been mentioned but played a large part in our free time activities played on the Daisy Green (where the watch factory now stands) and the Asylum Green a long wide grassy area between hospital fence and Wilmington Rd, now all trees and shrub. Girls – of course there were childish sweetheart relationships that bloomed and died all the time, nothing more. They were a pest.

AFTER THOUGHTS

I must mention “Mum” I forget her name, a mature lady who kept the classrooms clean and looked after the large coal fired boiler that heated the school a much loved and friendly lady.

The Heath in those days was a safe place for kids to play and wander only once did a scare run through the neighbourhood, a murder was committed by the golf links 1928 I believe, the man was caught and I seem to remember he was found to have a mental history. There was a full time heath keeper who lived in a cottage with his family. The donkey pond in those days was never empty and in summer two feet deep, full of newts, frogs, tadpoles and it was there we sailed our boats. Most of the Heath was heath land. Open grass areas were plentiful, and Hills Dairy herd were taken to graze all day every day, in charge of a chap named Wickens who lived on the Maypole (Hills Dairy was in Wilmington on the Swanley Rd by Wallis’s Nursery).

The only other pond was the Penny Royal a small swampy area where the flower of that name grew.
At the end of Baldwyns Road stands the hut “The Maypole Hut” wedding receptions, whist drives, concerts and dancing all took place here. One of the major attractions was the Princesses Theatre where for 4 pence or 6 pence on a Saturday evening you could watch films which would provide a talking point for long afterwards.

At thirteen I had my first bike, in Bexley Village Bert Hall had a bicycle repair business and when he died all his bicycle bits and pieces (a lorry load) was dumped down a denehole in Joydens Wood, it was a treasure trove and I managed to get all I wanted to build a bike including a 3 speed Hub and a bundle of spokes. I assembled the lot and had a bike. I left the Maypole School in 1928 Dec, to start work, aged 14.

AFTER THOUGHTS

Ted Smith and I would go with Bill Hooks to cut the bracken for bedding for the donkeys that his father kept. The donkeys roamed the Heath, would be used for rides on fete days, so much ago.

The nature of the Heath has changed enormously, in 1926 one could stand opposite Maypole House and see nothing but bracken 4ft high right to Crawford corner. A solitary birch here and there and a clump or two of gorse, now it’s mostly covered with shrub and trees.

Joydens Wood also was still 80% virgin woodland full of wild flowers. Bluebells, primroses, violets, lily of the valley, thick forest areas with many deneholes, and a flint lined roman well (on Brinkhurst’s land). Chestnut hazel and cobs were plentiful. Also crab apple it was a wonderful place for boys to roam and play bracken 5’ high.

Bessie wood (I’ve mentioned him earlier) would pick bunches of these woodland flowers and sell at the hospital gate to visitors on Sunday. Also bunches of home-grown pinks, he never missed a chance and was a tough handful and works as a farm labourer. In Bexley.

AFTER THOUGHTS

The old shoemaker taught a young man (name forgotten) to repair boots and shoes and on the cobblers death made a good living doing repairs in a shed in his Badwyns Rd Garden.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

Mr Edgeworth was the village bobby and had a quiet, peaceful existence. Crime on the Maypole never came to light to my knowlegde. Mrs Whibley was a person who lived in Denton Terrace, worked hard in all sorts of good causes, Sunday school, scouts and guides, it was she who arranged with a clothier shop in Bexleyheath to supply scout uniforms at a few coppers a week per person over a period. Mr Blackman also lived in Denton Terrace and was the Mayor of Dartford.
The Maypole Café has always been there, the shop next door was a boot and shoe repairers and the owner and elderly man did a good job and was well patronized on Maypole and in the hospital (1927). He was knocked down and killed by a motorcycle outside Westlodge in the hospital. The driver W.Boyce of Bexley was not to blame and the shop was taken over by the Cooperative Stores, Mr Bedwell manager.

AFTER THOUGHTS

Mr CURDLING (General Store) He would allow nurses to run up monthly bills for stockings, etc and very often was the loser by his kindness as the nurses would leave unpaid bills many times. Their work was hard and they were poorly paid. Mr Curdlings Shop was a special feature of the Estate. It was the biggest building on the estate embodied shop and two flats above.

The shop was long, dark, supporting pillars along it’s length – and sold everything tobacco and cigs, clothes, lengths of cloth, cold meats and grocery etc, etc. He, Mr Curdling, also run a car hire service.

He was the reincarnation of Mr Pickwick, stout, red-faced, jovial, a very special Maypole character. He held his 50th wedding anniversary in the Maypole hut. I remember him singing “My Old Dutch”.

He lived in a big old house that lays back from the Denton Rd, right opposite Crayford Corner football area, his daughter Joan still lives there, she must be in her advanced eighties and still very active.

These jottings take me from 1926 to 1929 when I left school donned ‘longens’ and went to work.
My intimate connections with the Maypole started to decline as new horizons beckoned but the Maypole Estate and its environs will always be very special to me. I got married from West Lodge in 1938, to a wonderful girl from Yorkshire, Anne.

Fin. Not quite! He said carry on.

JAN 1929 – JULY 1938

In Jan 1929 aged 14 I started work in engineering and tool room dept. of the Siluminate Insulating Company. My uncle was works manager so I started at an enhanced salary of 17/6 per week of 47 hours(3/6 for me 10/. Mum).
I had my first new bicycle an Armstrong paid for weekly by my parents(cost around £3.10) so I rode to the factory at Erith alongside the Thames five miles. I was of course the shop boy, sweeping, cleaning, and making tea, several tin tea cans on a long pole, each with its screw of tea sugar and condensed milk, to be filled with hot water at the canteen.
Invitation to the industry consisting of an assault by several and the application of black grease to the private parts this was common place in those days.

AFTER THOUGHTS

A favourite past time in the 1920’s to 30’s was on a Sunday afternoon in the summer to walk the crossroad made by Princes Rd and Denton Rd and to sit on the grass and watch an almost endless stream of activities on the road. A column of hikers 50 strong striding along packs upon their backs and often singing away. Cycling clubs 50-100 strong, 2 deep wheeling away to coast or where ever. Motorcyclists on so many different British made bikes – Norton, BSA, Ariel, Vellocette, Matchless, New Hudson, Francis Barnet, Scot, Ascot Pullin, to name just a few, Rudge Whitworth.
Coaches packed with outings and cars of many makes all British used to give us pleasure to just sit and watch. I eventually graduated to the operation of simple jobs on radial drill, milling machines, etc.

Finally bandsaw doctor, responsible for the sharpening setting and the brazing of broken saw bands. At 14 this was quite a responsibilty as saws were soon broken cutting 1” thick asbestos sheet, and a badly brazed join would play havoc.

In March 1930 this firm closed and moved to Manchester, I was unemployed. I applied to Hall’s and I obtain a job on inspection and burring benches, where I believe my talents were noted and I was transferred to the fitting shop, there to serve an indentured apprenticeship.

J and E Halls was a world famous engineering firm specialising in refridgeration, lifts, escalators, and much more.

AFTER THOUGHTS Bicyles were the transport in my young days and one chap S. Ogilvy, cycled everyday to J and E Halls (where he was apprenticed) from Catford. Others from Farningham, Sidcup, Woolwich, were common place.
I should mention that at this period I bought for £3.10s my friends fathers motor cycle 250cc BSA Circa 1926 rode it for six months and bought a racing bike from the proceeds of its sale.

My starting wage at 16 was 11 shillings a week, I got half a crown pocket money or 1/6 I forget. My best friend John Palmer also started in apprenticeship as a plumber with OM Keevil of Dartford.
So we were both tied with little cash for five long years. With night school, three nights 7-9pm and one full day at Dartford Tech College. Never the less we saved up and bought a small tent, cycled with all our gear for a fortnight at Leysdown Isle of Sheppy. We did this in 1930 or 31 our annual holidays.

We decided at 17 to join the territorial army 5 Batt Queens own royal West Kents. C. Coy stationed at Dartford drill hall now council offices by park entrance in Lowfield St. The termination of this would coincide with our apprenticeship finishing.

This solved our cash shortage and catered for our annual holiday. In camp or Barracks we were paid 14/- a week (full army pay for a private 2/- per day) and our firm also gave us full pay for army camp. We were millionaires. You signed for four years.

We were both crack shots with the 303 short Lee Enfield, a marvellous rifle, a possible at a 1000 yrds quite often. We were battalion champions in turn and this fetched a few more bob in weekend shoots.
We were both keen fisherman and cycled to Yalding many times on a Saturday cycling home to have an evening st the Princesses. We also belonged to Dartford Harriers Cross Country and track, more to keep fit than break records. Cycling was second nature Hastings and back one Sunday.

The Terriers had a boxing club and so began an additional interest I was Battalion and Division Champion for my four yrs service boxing at 9.9 and 10.7 lightweight and welter. Halls also started a boxing club and became well known as one of the best around. As a leading light I was then boxing six rounds, not done now.

As you can see our time was full and we were happy with our lot. Dressed to kill in our Sunday best made to measure 37/6, 47/4 with waistcoat, we were content until. –

We had three months to go to the completion of apprenticeship and army service and John Palmer said when I was arranging our Saturday, “Oh, by the way I’m taking a girl to the pictures Sat evening” this was a bombshell as we were always too busy to bother with girls.

So started his courtship and eventual marriage to Lilian Brown, John died in 1991 after a career with the Local Council ending as chief building inspector and quality control. A smashing chap and took infinate pains in anything he did if it was perfect it was near enough.

A few weeks later I met the girl I was to marry, Anne Arundel a sweet Yorkshire girl, a nurse at the hospital. At this time my pocket money was 5/- per week and would be spent thus on many occasions between Anne and me. 6d bus fare to Bexley Heath from the Maypole, two seats at the Regal cinema 3/-, 1/- for ½d of milk tray chocolates and 6d bus home total 5/- all gone until next Friday. About this time 1935-6 I had left my employment on the outside staff of J+E Hall Installing refrigerator plants in ships, hotels, shops and fruit farms (I had a motorcycle).
I joined Fraser v Chalmers a well known heavy engineering concern steam engines for pit heads, turbines, coal crusher, conveyer and hoists for air craft carriers, really heavy stuff.
I loved it.

I now had a 500cc motor cycle so no more pedalling, and I was saving very hard to get married. I left Frasers and joined Vickers Crayford, engaged on highly skilled admiralty fire control gear, predicting gear for high angle guns, pompom predictors, torpedo calculators, where .0001” was a large lump. The Spanish was had ended Hitler helped by chamberlain and co was heading for war. Engineers were in demand and I took home £7-8 pounds per week av. Wage at that time £2-10s - £3, so I saved, got married 31st July 1938, and left West Lodge for 106 Chastilian Rd.
“That’s me lot”

Notes
Maypole Café Already there in 1926 and a kids meeting point to discuss the merits of all the many varieties of toffee bars etc etc. A cosy place for warmth and hot drinks in the winter. Ran by a Miss or Mrs Brooks if my memory serves me rightly.
Penny Royal A small swampy pond so named because it was home to a small blue flower ‘The Penny Royal’
Donkey Pond A pond always full in my young days. The donkeys drank there. (They were kept on the Heath by Mr Smith of the Maypole Estate).
Anti-aircraft guns at Leyton Cross A very large encampment with concrete roads, shelters and 3.7 inch guns were established on the Heath. Gravel pit cottages Two small cottages on the Denton Rd opposite Crayford Corner and were occupied by Gravel pit empolyees. One cottage now demolished and a much larger house instead built after the war.
Heath Keeper He had a cottage on the Heath. A family of wife and two daughters who attended the Maypole School.
The Maypole Itself (1926) Was errected in the school playground and Mr Snell (headmaster in my time). Would supervise all the dances.
Mr Blackman First Mayor of Dartford. Winnie daughter I believe, son still resides on the Maypole Estate.
Bowmans Lodge Now sadly demolished and should have been a listed building. Bowmen would meet there to hold their competitions on what is now Crayford Corner. It was Tudor origin and was lived in until the 1930-39 period. It served as a tea and refreshment place.
Broomhills Lodge At the entrance to Broomhills (the Cameron Estate) Mr Elliman and his family lived in the lodge. He was groundsman, keeper, he had two sons Arthur and Sydney also a daughter. The lodge is now demolished and replaced.

The annual procession and sports day

Maypoleman — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:22:22 CDT

THE MAYPOLE PROCESSION

This page contains Video footage

In 1910 there started an annual procession that marched from Maypole Estate to 'GLYNNs Field' or, as it later became known, 'CAMERONs Field', Broomhills. The event was held during the summer school holidays and was exclusively for the benefit of the local children. It was a time of festival and fun for everyone living on the estate and a chance for them to get together. Each year a 'Committee' was elected to organise and run the event. This event finally melted away in the 1960s.

The occasion was pre-empted by much excitement and preparation by both children and adults alike. Costumes were made for the 'Masquerade and Fancy Dress'. Games had to be organised and devised for the 'Sports' that were to follow the procession. Food and drink had to be prepared for consumption in 'Broomhills Hall'. Great care was taken to ensure that children of all ages, sex and ability could take part - from the 100 yards, to the 'egg and spoon' and 'three legged' races. There were even 'tug o war' contests held separately for both boys and girls. Prizes were awarded in every category and the 'Committee' made sure that all children - even absent ones - received a prize of some sort.

There were speeches and live music was performed on a gaily decorated stage. The research and subsequent labour of love into the history of the Maypole Estate was fired originally upon seeing two sepia coloured photographs, supplied by the late Winnie BLACKMAN. They depicted a procession of children and adults in all manner of costume marching along the Old Bexley Lane c1919.

Miss BLACKMAN was unable to give me any details as to the year of the photographs or the names of any of the faces thereon. On countless occasions since first seeing them, I have imagined those little children and their proud parents marching up the lane. Driving along the same stretch of road now, 80 years or so on, it is difficult for me not to see them, still. Faintly laughing and softly transparent, they march in slow time and forever young.

It was 8 years since originally seeing those photographs that I had the pleasure of speaking to another elderly ex resident - Mrs Ruth Entwhistle nee LENNOX (Sister of the late Gordon Lennox). During her recollections she pulled out a copy of a newspaper cutting dated 31st July 1914. The cutting is reproduced below. Upon closer examination the description began to strike a chord. I took the cutting home and closely inspected the photographs supplied by Winnie. It was with hope and later great exuberance that I realised the event described in the cutting was undoubtedly the same event that had been captured on film all those years ago.

I could now date the photographs - and put names to some of the faces that had been frozen in time. The newspaper cutting brings to life the mood and feeling of the event. It faithfully reproduces an account of the day.

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

Newspaper cutting July 31st 1914

ËËËËËËËËËËËËËËËËËËËËËËËËËËËËËËËËËËËË

MAYPOLE DAY

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.

The Fancy Parade

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.

The Sports

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

Cross Country run c 1955 . . . . .

Cross country Broomhills c1955 ?. Believe man standing is 'Buster' from Denton Terrace. Can you identify any others ?

and below as it looks in 2008 . . . . .

Looking for ?

Maypoleman — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 08:09:45 CDT

E mail us at maypoleontheweb@aol.com or add in the Comments Box who you are, your contact details and who you are looking to get in touch with.

For your safety and pleasure we prefer not to add your home address or landline telephone number - E Mail or Mobile is preferable.

Details will then be added to this page.

Name / contact details of enquirer	Searching for . . . . .
Kim Button (details with website team)	Christopher GILES who once lived in Coldblow Crescent c1964.
Kim Button (details with website team)	Phillip HAYWARD who once lived in Coldblow Crescent c1968
Sheila Houlton sheila-a.lusher@sky.com	Elizabeth (Chapman) ? A girl from Singapore. c1947 attended Maypole School
Sheila Houlton sheila-a.lusher@sky.com	I just wonder what happened to Michael Bean? He lived in the first bungalow past the off-licence down the 'Dip' at Baldwyns Park. We used to play after school, sometimes, in Michael's back garden where there was a Dene Hole with a wooden structure guarding it (in case we got to venturesome). I think Michael's father must have been in the Diplomatic service as he was never around. I moved from the Maypole in October 1952 and although I never saw most of my classmates again, I did meet some at the final reunion in 2002. Michael wasn't there and no-one said anything about him. Just wonder where he might be
Steve Parker svparau@xtra.co.nz	Does anybody know what happened to Brian Seymour he used to live in one of the houses on the right hand side down the dip just past the entrance to the allotments. I am of course going back to the 1940s & early 1950s. Steve Parker
My name is Paul Underwood and I went to the Maypole School from about 1945 to 1952. Address and contact details can be supplied. undart@mac.com	I wondered what happened to Judith Batchelor?
From Jacqui nee Bedford Please E Mail the Maypole History Team for contact details	Hi KIm, Thank you getting back to me I understand your caution. I was at school with Iris in Bexleyheath,and spent many weekends at her home in Beaconsfield Road, she was my bridesmaid in June 1964, my husband was in the army so I moved about a lot and we lost touch. The last I heard from Iris was that her and Sue had a double wedding. I have found a few old friends from the 50/60's and would love to find out how life has treated Iris. In those day I was known as Jacqui Beckford I would be grateful for any information that would help me trace her thankyou Jacqui
Keith Walmsley (1955-1961) would be pleased to hear from any of his contemporaries. keith.driby@hotmail.com

Something for the Spring of 2009

Maypoleman — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:08:39 CDT

Greetings one and all, This has to be the best moment to date for the Maypole Team and the efforts in creation of the web-site Imagine the surprise for everyone who attended at how many attended ! I felt the turnout was magnificent. Some came from afar away as Portsmouth, Huntingdon, Thanet and Hampshire. Some hadn't met in the last 40 years and some had only ever just heard of the names of others. We broke off into little groups and meandered as the will took us. After an hour or so we adjourned to the Horse and Groom at Leyton Cross. We then went our ways after about 3-4 hours. What a glorious afternoon. There was genuine feeling between all who attended as we basked in the sunlight of our happy childhood times. For those who took some pictures please try to forward those you want to appear on the website to our E Mail address as attachments, if you can. There was much clicking of cameras so there must be quite a few out there. I have to thank, in particular, Sheila Lusher nee Houlton. She had been very busy contacting those who did not have access to a computer. The end result as to numbers has been largely accountable to her. All of us agreed that there should be another meeting of minds and body at some stage in the future. I anticipate it will be in the summer of next year - unless someone has another bright idea ! Here are some pics of some of the gathering who attended the 'Walkabout' on Sat 11th April.

Greetings one and all,

This has to be the best moment to date for the Maypole Team and the efforts in creation of the web-site

Imagine the surprise for everyone who attended at how many attended ! I felt the turnout was magnificent. Some came from afar away as Portsmouth, Huntingdon, Thanet and Hampshire. Some hadn't met in the last 40 years and some had only ever just heard of the names of others. We broke off into little groups and meandered as the will took us. After an hour or so we adjourned to the Horse and Groom at Leyton Cross. We then went our ways after about 3-4 hours. What a glorious afternoon.

There was genuine feeling between all who attended as we basked in the sunlight of our happy childhood times. For those who took some pictures please try to forward those you want to appear on the website to our E Mail address as attachments, if you can. There was much clicking of cameras so there must be quite a few out there.

I have to thank, in particular, Sheila Lusher nee Houlton. She had been very busy contacting those who did not have access to a computer. The end result as to numbers has been largely accountable to her.

All of us agreed that there should be another meeting of minds and body at some stage in the future. I anticipate it will be in the summer of next year - unless someone has another bright idea !

Here are some pics of some of the gathering who attended the 'Walkabout' on Sat 11th April.

Smile please. . . . .

Below (Left) - a very demure Sheila Lusher (Houlton) see the reply from Sheila . . . . .
The lady with me in the photograph is Pat Vass. Ex Maypole School classmate of mine. She lived in Baldwyns Park area. The names of those who came are: Eileen and Barbara Rivers, Eddie Wooldridge, Will Beck and granddaughter, Carole Slade and Donald Collins (now married), Colin and Robin Wickens with their wives, David Cruickshank, Pat, Janet and Denise Flett, Pat Davies, Jackie Smith and Husband, Frankie Gemmell (now known as Fran, please!) who was classmate of Sheila and Pat Vass. Angela Pope also arrived at the end of our sojourn, with her husband. We used to try and follow the lovebirds after Church on Sunday, when they went for a walk over the Heath. We wove romantic juvenile dreams around these two! Of course, Kim and his friend Phil were also there and please forgive me if I've forgotten anyone. I will take another look at the photographs just in case. Sorry to take so long. Have been busy answering emails from contacts made on that day.

and below - in contrast to the above - a most unflattering photo from Will Beck of Maypoleman doing his Mr Pastry impression - thanks Will !

Natter natter natter natter . . . . . .
Below - man in hat David Cruickshank. Female with dark glasses Jaqcui Smith with her husband. She once lived two doors down from the Post Office. Male standing behind them in blue top is 'Claytoncroft'Michael Jennings.

Natter natter natter natter . . . . . . .

Below - - - - - and still they kept smiling . . . . .
The young lady in the black top is Will Beck's Grand daughter.
(I think he must have bribed her with an iPOD or something as she never complained a bit).

God bless you all.

Maypoleman (Kim)

ADVERTS

Maypoleman — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:32:28 CDT

Items for sale / items wanted

This page is for the sole use of current Maypolehistory members only
Maypolehistory Team accept no responsibility for the items posted on this page
All negotiations will be between buyer and vendor
The items listed below will be posted for approximately two weeks
You will be required to send the item's description, cost, picture (preferable) and contact information
(Name, telephone numbers, email address)

If you agree to the above send your advert to maypolehistory@aol.com with a subject heading ADVERT

Object / Comments	Name and contact details	Price	Image
Example Object For Sale Dane Elec Music Pics MP3 MP4 player with built in camera. Boxed/unwanted gift. Never used.	Example name / contact John Smith 01444 222222 jsmith@xxxxxxxx.com - non existent	£35.00

Memories of Perran Newman

Maypoleman — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 15:58:48 CST

Wansunt Road and Maypole School Memories

Perran Newman

January 2008

Now that the Christmas rush with families has passed I thought I’d put ‘pen to paper’ and submit some of my own memories about the Maypole School and growing up in Cold Blow, Bexley. I was born in 1946 and so I left the Maypole in 1957.

One never forgets one’s first day at school and my abiding memories include, never seeing so many children in one room, the kindness of teachers trying to make everyone feel at home and trying to keep close to some of the children one already new.

Later on the smell of milk became a strong memory and the anguish of having to eat everything at school dinner. Various subterfuges were employed like hiding bits of gristle under the knife, dropping things on the floor and waiting until one of the kinder helpers was taking away plates. I so disliked the taste of liver that I didn’t eat it for perhaps the next twenty years. Now of course, with an adult palate it is very acceptable !

I can remember learning to write ‘joined up’ writing. The particular time that I can vividly recall, I was sitting in the canteen (was this an overflow classroom), with a metal knibbed pen and an inkwell, forming long lines of joined up f’s and g’s. This visual memory is so strong that I can feel the sun coming through the window and smell the ink.

Other classroom memories include reciting the ‘times tables’ which hung on the wall and the sheer enjoyment of ‘art’ when the powder paints were handed out.

Learning to read is something I still remember and this was in the main hall, standing beside the teacher at her desk whilst I read to her from a Beacon Reader book as her finger moved along the words. That same hall was where I sat my 11+ exams with all it’s strange questions which included matching shapes with unusual orientations. I’m worried to say that I didn’t pass the exam to the standard necessary for Grammar School entry but was directed towards the Dartford Tech. At this point my parents decided to dig deep and I went into the private system, attending prep school at Merton Court in Knoll Road, Sidcup. Suffice to say that I was somewhat of a ‘late bloomer’ eventually making it to University and an Engineering Honours Degree.

Playtime is never forgotten – we started off in the smaller playground with the seemingly immense wall that formed the end of the shops. Later we graduated to the big playground and I can still see the soft red brick wall with it’s carved names. The pain of falling on one’s knees on the playground surface, playing marbles and winning a beautiful multicoloured red which I kept for years. Dinky toys – the racing car models in particular, Talbot-Lago and Copper-Bristol are names that come to mind being ‘scooted’ across the playground surface.
On one occasion I was sent to see the headmistress, Miss Gaspar, for a silly game, which involved chasing girls with a pretend movie camera. I never repeated that particular trick after a few stern words ("not be so silly") from that formidable lady.

Although I had an elder sister and a younger brother at the school, I have absolutely no recollections of any shared school activities with either of them. I suppose at that age a couple of years difference in age is a vast chasm.
We walked to school from Wansunt Road, Cold Blow, a short distance but this is the activity where the memories survive, presumably because it was both fun and a new learning experience. Fragments include, my first puff on a cigarette, which landed on the pavement in front of me, thrown from a passing lorry window on the slope up from Baldwyns Park shops. The concrete retaining wall and how easy it was to walk along the top leaning onto the fence, only to find that very soon you were a scary distance above the pavement.

The shops near the school were very important and here I once spent the smallest amount ever, a farthing, for a single ‘chew’, probably a ‘black jack’. I also spent the princely sum of 2/6d on a water pistol in bright, almost dayglow yellow. A bubble gum machine stood on the pavement outside the Café and it was in the place that I experienced the dramatic effect of a ‘sherbet saucer’ literally exploding into life inside the mouth.

I know that Kim has an interest in transport – you can tell by browsing the site, so he might like to share a strong memory I have of gazing in awe at a particular car, parked against the kerb close to the entrance to the air-raid shelter, which was outside the school gate. The car was a Mercedes Benz 300 SL, a fabulous vehicle with gull-wing doors. What was it doing there and how did I identify it ??
Moving further afield and sticking with the transport theme, I see myself being lifted up to look over a metal fence at the top corner of the gun club land near the crossing of the Rochester Way. Down below me were parked hundreds (probably dozens) of army lorries.

The Gun Club was a fascinating place and with friends we would creep in to gather used shotgun cartridge cases. We found the big spring loaded traps for firing the clay pidgeons into the air and could hear the firing of the guns close by. I also entered these ground officially with my father on expeditions to collect caterpillars. My father was a lepidopterist and had a most unusual business in Bexley, breeding and selling butterflies.

More on that subject at another time perhaps, but these expeditions involved pushing through the beds of nettles to locate the broods of ‘small tortoiseshell" and "peacock" caterpillars. Getting stung was a real hazard and I seem to remember that short trousers were still worn. There were sheer faces of stratified rubbish and I have since learned that this area was a well known dumpsite for London rubbish, brought in by train on the Dartford Loop line. This also explained the nettle beds as these plants like a high nitrogen content in the soil and are good indicators of hidden rubbish tips. I’ve enjoyed digging on such Victorian tips in later life and can recall the first time I ever dug up any sort of treasure.
In the woods between Cold Blow and Bexley (Churchfield Woods), close to the Rochester Way, were the remains of buildings, which my research tells me were probably part of Wansunt Farm, after which our road was named. For some reason, together with my friends Jason Hails, Karl Newman and brother Brian, we started digging in the soft ground at the edge of the field. Maybe we had seen something sticking out, but soon we were extracting beautiful little brown glazed pots, which we happily carried home and gave as presents to our Mums. With hindsight, this was probably part of the domestic refuse from the old farm.

Up in the same wood were the decaying remains of a steel tower. We called it the watchtower and it probably only stood, twenty or so feet high, but one could tell from the dimensions that it was once very tall. Many years later when I revisited the area with my own three boys, I walked through the woods starting at the junction of the two footpaths that run down from Wansunt Road to Bexley. I suppose I wanted to share my memories of the fun ‘our gang’ had playing in the woods, but the bluebells had gone and everything looked diminished. I managed to locate the four concrete bases of the tower – does anyone know what it was for ?

On this same little excursion, a memorable family ‘incident’ occurred that none of us will ever forget. We looped through the wood intending to exit on the edge of the field through which a track ran to ‘Meditation Corner’. From there one could easily get back onto the end of Wansunt Road. As we came through the wood towards the field edge I stepped onto a leaf covered surface and immediately dropped into a pit of cow slurry about 18 inches deep. I turned back to the boys to warn them but my memory cannot tell me what happened next. Sufficient to say that I was the worst effected. I discarded my shoes and we walked, hurried, hobbled back through the wood to the car parked in Wansunt Road. Here I abandoned my sodden socks and also removed my jeans which stunk of the slurry. We were en-route to stay with my parents in Hythe and the journey and it’s accompanying smells and recriminations remain with me to this day !
I have since returned on a number of occasions to the scenes of my childhood. Something keeps drawing me back and a couple of years ago after a long search I found one of my best friends and ex-Maypole student, Karl Newman (no relation) who now lives on the far side of the Heath. We had a reunion, joined by my brother Brian and we cycled all around the area. We all agreed it was a wonderfully nostalgic experience and that the general area of our childhood had changed relatively little in 50 years.

(See 'Wheels' by perran Newman)

See Perran on a promotional video

The expedition begins to the North Pole - congrats and lets hope the string deosn't break between the beaked bean cans - good luck !

Note from Maypoleman - A British team has begun a gruelling trek to the North Pole to discover how quickly the Arctic sea-ice is melting. Renowned Arctic explorer Pen Hadow and two companions were dropped onto the ice by plane some 1,700km (670 miles) north of Canada on Saturday night. During their 1,000km journey they plan to take measurements of the thickness of the ice. It will be the most detailed survey of its kind this season, and should be completed in late May. Perran has created / devised / manufactured comms equipment for the team.

See what Perran says about himself on Friends Reunited
http://www.friendsreunited.co.uk/friendsreunited.asp?WCI=OtherProfile&member_key=1972258&surname=Newman&ATC=Y&referer=4840.001.01

Bexley Hospital - Photographs and Video

Maypoleman — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 09:36:50 CST

This page contains Video footage

Video of Bexley Hospital Gardens in a state of dereliction - 1988

and the main gates

Below the demolished area of the laundry, kitchens and theatre - tower still intact - 2002.

Some of the below have been copied courtesy of Bexley Archives - and we hope we haven't breached any copyright ! Check below link for further information on the area.

Bexley Local Studies & Archive Centre

............. . . .

...................................................Above c 1900 ......................................................................................Above 2006

and below - the above two superimposed in rotation

Below - the Gates looking towards Leyton Cross c1920s
........

Below as it looked in c1997

Below as it looks now

and below - the above three going from most recent to the earlest

Below in more glorious ivy clad times

Video footage of the Bexley Hospital mortuary in state of dereliction 2002

Video of Bexley Hospital Chapel in state of disrepair 2002 - now a fitness club

Video below of the Fire Station yard 2002

Other photos from Bexley Hospital website - click here

Heathwood Lodge, Dartford Heath

Maypoleman — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:31:57 CST

HEATHWOOD LODGE

(Desperately seeking any images / partial images of this building - if you have any please E Mail the Maypolehistory team at maypoleontheweb@aol.com)

Heathwood Lodge once stood in the middle of where the new A2 now runs. It was situated on the high ridge of 'Walkers Wood', between the valley of the Dell and the next valley once referred to by the older residents of the estate as the 'Second Valley'

There are three distinguishable valleys running like fingers, horizontally between the Maypole Estate and the old A2. These were referred to as such by local children in the 20s viz.: (Disregarding the valley that lay within the private lands of Maypole House) the Dell was the first, the next (within the private grounds of Heathwood Lodge) the second and the third (adjacent to the old A2) became latterly known to local children, including myself, (c 1960) as the 'Paddock'. Records show that before and, perhaps in the early days of the estate, this last valley was known as 'Wolfes Glen'. In the 18th Century if one stood where Denton Road now is and looked into Wolfes Glen towards Bexley there would have been an uninterrupted view along that valley to Hall Place.

As stated, Heathwood Lodge was situated at the top of the natural ridge in Walkers Wood, with the rear facing towards the direction of Hall Place, Bexley. It had its own long and quite sandy lane that ran from Denton Road at its junction with where The Dell is now, North westerly towards the direction of Hall Place. The lane was probably about half a mile long and wide enough to take a horse and cart or, as in later years, a lorry. Personally, I can only just remember the house - and as being in a state of ruin. As a young boy in the early 60s I remember being warned by my parents not to enter the deserted, dilapidated and dangerous structure. When I went in - as I was bound to do - it was as described by them. It was probably last inhabited in the mid 1950s. There is no record in the Voters Register of 1958 of this building or register of inhabitants.

The house itself, I remember, was a substantial Victorian detached country residence surrounded by wooded gardens that contained many of the obligatory Victorian rhododendron bushes, so fashionable in those times. Some still remain. I believe that the majority of 'Walkers Wood' belonged to Heathwood Lodge. I remember there was also an orchard to the North of the house (In the Second Valley) containing apple, pear and plum trees. In the 1960s, although the trees were, by then, very much abandoned, I remember picking the fruit. Near to the main house, to the North West, were stables and a small cottage. This cottage presumably housed the groom / gardener / handyman employed by the occupants of the larger house.

Left above OS Map 1890 showing Heathwood Lodge and right above with A2 built c1969-1971 superimposed

in blue

The lands of HEATHWOOD LODGE - being in Walkers Wood - once formed part of the Baldwyns Estate until c1874 -1876. The Ordnance Survey map of 1876 shows that there were no buildings erected on the site at that time. The Electoral Register of 1887 shows the premises occupied. This dates the building to somewhere between c1876 and c1887. The first known residents I have found recorded are the HESKETHs. Everard HESKETH was the head of the family and was known as a prominent civil engineer by trade. HESKETH PARK in East Dartford was named after him. The Census of 1891 names the staff employed at the house under the employment of Everard HESKETH - then aged 37 yrs. There was Clara BENHAM, aged 34 yrs (the married cook) who shared her duties with Jessie LICKFIELD who was aged 29 yrs and single. Mary MITCHELL, a single 30 yr. old, was the housemaid. The same register shows that there were 8 persons there on the night of the census.

Everard Hesketh

The Census of 1891 is listed in such a way as to indicate that Heathwood Lodge was the smaller cottage referred to earlier as being within the grounds of Heathwood. The head of this family at the time is shown as being Edward FULLER aged 35 yrs and employed as the head gardener. He was married to Ellen aged 37 yrs and they were the parents of Kate and Edith aged 11 yrs and 12 yrs respectively. It appears that Heathwood later became known as Heathwood Lodge and the old Heathwood Lodge then became known as Heathwood Cottage. This appears to have occurred after 1911 as the Electoral Register of 1900 and 'KELLY'S REGISTER' of 1911 still show the names as still being the former. However the Electoral Register of 1937 names the buildings as they were later to become known.

Following on from the HESKETH family the next known occupant to be shown on my records relates to a Rev Charles WRIGHT - as on the Electoral Register of 1900. He was still there in 1911. There is no mention of any other person living there during his occupancy so it may possibly be assumed that he was not married. The late Joyce SMITH nee BEARCROFT, a previous resident of the Estate recalls that her aunt - her mothers sister - Charlotte GEORGE was employed as a cook at the house c. 1901. The GEORGE family lived at 28 Baldwyns Road at the time. She would have been employed by the occupant, as mentioned above, at the time - the Rev Charles WRIGHT.

The Electoral Register of 1937 then show the names of the houses as changed and the occupants as being the JAMES family. It appears the family still had an interest in the place in 1945 - along with another couple - Alice and James WAINER. A previous resident of the Maypole Estate - Mr Phillip RUMBELOW - remembers as a boy, having 'tea' at Heathwood - the home of Captain JAMES c1939. Mr RUMBELOW states that he attended Eltham College along with the son of Captain JAMES - Colin? He remembers being greeted in the porch area by a large and noisy parrot. The large house was finally knocked down c 1962 to make way for the new A2, eventually being built in 1970.

So far, the only occupants apart from the Fuller's that I have found living in the cottage were George and Susan WHITEHEAD. He is shown in the Electoral Register as being there until its destruction in 1968. I remember him as a gentle, silver haired, rather short man who always rode a bicycle and constantly wore a green beret. It appears that he was an avid cyclist in his younger days.

I remember as a teenager in 1967 going into his empty, derelict house. I retrieved from the loft of the cottage some unopened ‘Cycling Touring Club’ magazines that had been posted to him at that address, still sealed in envelopes and never read. The post marks date back to 1926 or so. I still have them. This indicates his occupancy from at least 1926 to 1967. Susan WHITEHEAD is shown in the voters register of 1958 but not, as is her husband, in that of 1968. The electoral register of 1937 shows the JAMES family as being in residence at the large house. There was Harold, Gwendoline, Hilda, Marjorie and Walter. The electoral register of 1945 shows multi occupancy. There were Ada and Francis COLE, James and Alice WAINER, and Margaret DAVIES. Hilda JAMES still lived there. This is the last record I have of the large house being occupied.

Below - original contemporary sketches by Maypoleman as a 14 yr old of Heathwood Cottage summer 1967

During my study of the area I have often considered how strange and sad it is that the larger, and more elegant houses only had a lifespan of some 80 years or so. The more humble terraced houses of the Maypole Estate still remain (after over 100yrs of occupancy) intact and very much alive and in use. Popular now for first-time buyers and were valued in the region of £200,000 upwards, until the recent downturn.

The Valley of the Dell

Maypoleman — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 19:17:16 CST

This page contains Video footage

The valley of the Dell still exists in an almost 'untouched' way. It lies East to West between the stream (running from Baldwyns Park towards the A2) and towards the direction of Denton Road. It formed part of what was once a main footpath from Bexley to Dartford over the heath. The earliest Ordnance Survey maps confirm this. The Valley has only been heavily tree lined since c1940s. Before then it was mainly heather, grass, shrub, fern, broom and gorse. This was owing to the fact that the heath was common land and grazed. Early Edwardian postcards also evidence how well used this area was for recreational purposes. The Great Storm of October 1987 did much to reduce the volume of trees but it is now nearly back to it's former glory.

Video Footage
No apologies for the soundtrack - put together in a moment of creative vacuum 20 years ago !

The video footage to the right is a walk down the path from the direction of the old sandy road which once led from Denton Road to Heathwood Lodge. The old sandy road was once wide enough to facilitate the delivery of coal in lorries etc to the large Victorian residence. Certainly until the late 60s vehicles still drove up and down allowing passengers to either picnic or canoodle ! The sandy road is no longer distinguishable. All that is left now is a very narrow path inching between high bushes. This video was taken in Spring 1988 - just after the Great Storm of October 1987. There is much debris and - uncanny sunlight from above !

This end of the Dell is the furthest end from the stile which crosses the stream between Coldblow and The Heath and the opening still scene is pointing in the same direction as that of the photograph below.

Below video news clip from 1987 the day after the Great Storm, which caused so much damage to the Dell and Maypole area

Video footage (left - taken in 1988 and below that taken in 2008) of the path which was once a sandy road leading to Heathwood Lodge on the heath.
No apologies for the soundtrack - put together in a moment of creative vacuum 20 years ago !

Below

The valley of the Dell c1920s. Looking towards Coldblow. The stile over the stream still exists (though not the original) and lies roughly where the light patch is in the middle of the trees.

Below - shot taken (c. early 20th century) looking away from the stile and towards where the above photo was taken from

Below (c1950s) showing the large tree in the photo above

Below 1988 - the Spring after the Great Storm - at the foot of the three hills running up to Portman Close and Denton Road direction. 1. Towards the A2 - first path 2. Middle path (now overgrown) 3. and 4. Middle path and path to Portman Close

Below - Video of the tree swing remnants attached to bough - 1988. This was a favourite place for children to play.

Video left is 1988 and video right is 2002 - notice the density of the foliage in the 2002 take.

Play them side by side and see the differences

. . . . .

Below taken 1988 - original rope placed in the fork of an upper bough where children of the 1950s / 1960s swung out across the Dell. The black rope was the original.
No apologies for the soundtrack - put together in a moment of creative vacuum 20 years ago !

Below taken 2005 with additional ropes

Below the base of the tree