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Bekesbourne
Bekesbourne maps
Historic maps of Bekesbourne and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Bekesbourne maps
Bekesbourne area books
Displaying 1 of 24 books about Bekesbourne and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Bekesbourne
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Bekesbourne (St Peter's) Primary School 1950-1955
Does anyone have any old photos of Bekesbourne Primary School, especially between 1950 and 1955? I attended this lovely little Church of England school and would love to learn a bit more re its earlier years and see any photos as mentioned earlier 1950 - 1955. If anyone can let me know how I can find some details I would be most grateful. 01227 769708 pamgraves2010@hotmail.com
Kent memories
Grandeur in Kent
In a corner of Kent known with justification as the Garden of England stood the magnificent building known as Lee Priory. It saddens me so much that it no longer exists. In my childhood a Colonel Belcher resided there with his family and in their generosity they allowed we local children to have access to their own children's library. A gesture that awakened in me a lifelong love of books.
I remember the wide expanse of park that fronted this beautiful house where deer could be seen grazing. I could only imagine at the time the lifestyle of the people who lived there. But such memories were inflamed by the literature of the time that illustrated so vividly a life so far beyond the reach of those of us from humble country origins.
I can only thank them for giving me a brief insight into a lifestyle I would never know, and in an age where now the standards they set are being swiftly eroded who can be blamed for... Read more
Number 5 The Green
My mother Ruth Hadlow lived at number 5 (even though it was the first cottage - should be number 1) memories of visiting my grandad there until he moved in the late eighties. The house next door used to be the old police house, the Petmans lived there in the 60s, he kept eels and trout in his waterbutt, much to my amusment as a child. Used to steal my uncles fishing tackle from the shed at the rear of the cottage and catch trout or eels from the chalk stream behind. Remember Earnest the swan, the Harrops who lived in the big house on the green emigrated to Australia I think, Christopher and Richard Harrop, brothers I used to play with. Learnt to swim in the river near the oast house on the green. Shops, Mr Jacksons, Mr Johnstons, Cornstores, Hollaways,Reynolds the butcher.
My Great-Grandmother's Baptism
The date was actually March 1, 1857. No church is named on the copy of the Baptismal Certificate that I have. The certificate states that it is from Page 31 and is No. 243. Ada Maria, daughter of James (a laborer) and Mary Jane West, was baptised on 1 Mar 1857 by J. Woodcock, Vicar. The copy that I have was obtained by N. Howard M"Gocchen, Vicar of Littlebourne on 6 Jan 1886. I believe James had brothers - I have a picture of one named Stephen. There may have been a brother named Thomas; I'm not sure. In this set of 3 pictures, there are 2 copies of a woman. At the top on the back of the picture is the name Lottie West. On the bottom of the same picture it says Ada Marion West. Ada was later married to Thomas Chester Kean in Geneva, Ontario County, New York State, USA. I would very much like to know more about my great-grandmother and feel honored to have the... Read more
Photo L56022 by The River on The Green
Ref: photograph L56022 of the river and the green, I am the little girl with the blonde ringlets standing facing away from the river and I remember having that photograph taken with my sister Sadie the girl with the dark hair ,who was 8 at the time and I was 6. It was taken in 1962.
Bishopsbourne School
I loved school. There was one teacher, Miss Castle, she lived with her sister in a house attached to the school. One day Miss Castle gave us all a small Union Jack flag and told us to stand beside the school wall as someone important was coming by and sure enough along came Winston Churchill, we all waved our flags and he gave us the V for victory sign. The purpose of his visit was to inspect a railway gun (The Bosche Buster) which was housed in an old railway tunnel further up the road.
Treasury Farm
The building on the right-hand side of the photo in the foreground is in fact the wall of the garage which belonged to Treasury Farm, my home for many years. Many a time I was in the forge with my ponies getting them reshod ... to think this is how it looked just one year before I moved there.
