Remembering The Downs Secondary School And Growing Up In Dartford 1963

Dimashio's ice cream parlour and cafe was a most memorable experience for me as a child growing up in the 1970's, the bottles of multi-coloured pop in the window, being served with a straw. My mother would take us there on market Thursday and we would taste the treats on offer, a very rare place that stood the test of time. My mother would chat away to the friendly Mrs. Collins (Nee Dimashio) whom incidentally had a daughter Vania, she attended the same Primary school as myself years later, though at the time, I didn't realise she was related to the ice cream parlour woman, strange isn't it, but if anyone has a photo of this shop or could tell me when it changed hands, I would love to know the details, it has been haunting me for ages. It was a true Gem in the heart of Dartford life, I'd be most grateful for any news of it. I left England in 1992 so have little knowledge of what happened thereafter. Many thanks, Ray Pitcher.

Class of 1980 calling.....well, while I'm on this nostalgic trip of old school time tales, I'd truly love to chat to any ex-pupils that attended Our Lady's Primary School, King Edward Ave, Dartford. I came to the school in 1977 after moving house to Crayford and finished in the Summer of 1980. Our teacher Mrs. Povey and Head master Mr. Pimento were the latest recruits at that time. Heading on to Secondary school I didn't see the majority of the class ever again, but you always wonder how they fared through life, at this stage it would be most interesting to speak to anyone out there that shares a remote memory, again, many thanks, it's like sending a message in a bottle, but who knows ? Ray Pitcher.