Early Days
A Memory of Staines.
Hi Paul
I first encountered the Priory in 1965 when i became friends with a boy who lived there and was invited to the annual summer fancy dress party( all Priory parties were fancy dress back then)
Residents of the household were Mrs Dorothy Kemp senior mother of the five sons of the house, Douglas(deceased) Alfred, married and living in Chester,his twin Max married to Dorothy and after a large part of land had been sold for the development of Chestnut Manor place lived there, Walter and Derek who is married to Nancy and i think lived in Finchley after returning from Hong Kong where he was a proffesor of botany at the university. If you remember the cottage adjoining the Plaza that is where my friend John and his mother Margaret lived. Mrs Kernow her husband and daughter Monica had the rooms at the end of the upstairs corridor Mrs K was housekeeper to the Kemps.
Many happy memories were made at the Priory over the years, Max and Dee with tgere films, the unforgetable moment during a very tense scene when gazing down into tge water Dee just couldent resist commenting"arnt the ducks lovley" for which she was ribbed mercilessly and being scared out if my wits by the Raven a real classic. Home made cakes and squash could be purchased for a modest fee during the interval. Such fun!!
As was helping Walter concoct the punch a must at every party which consisted not only of any spirit he had to hand but large quantities of home made wine ,many uninitiated guests didnt see the night through after that!
In 1970 John and his friend Rae converted the Priory Heights into a more self contained unit which after our marriage in 1971 i moved into and is where our two eldest children spent their early years.
Mr Kernow passed away and Mrs K went to live with her daughter Monica and her husband Keith (Jonhs brother) Margaret became housekeeper and moved into the main house.
John and i left the Priory in 1977 a few months after Margaret.
I belive Max and Dee moved to Ottery St Mary but apart from Walter who i visited in Hamble after Mrs Kemps funeral i never saw any of them again.
Add your comment
You must be signed-in to your Frith account to post a comment.
Add to Album
You must be signed in to save to an album
Sign inSparked a Memory for you?
If this has sparked a memory, why not share it here?
Comments & Feedback
Has anyone got any information on Walter Kemp from the Priory in Staines, like where he moved to and where he worked. I know he had a good job in London as he caught the train from Staines every day dressed in a suit and I think bowler hat.
At the age of 13/14, I lived at on Chestnut Manor Close which was a road at the side of the Priory.
I was befriended by Walter and I began to do odd jobs around the garden. This might be a big shock to anyone reading this but I was sexually assaulted on a number of occasions by Walter Kemp. I wanted to report this but I understand that he had now died. so if anyone out there has had any experiences like this I would like to hear from you.
Regards Robert Parker
I first ventured into the Priory in 1955, my first year as a teenager. Access was via the back garden of a school pal who lived in Manor Place, I also had several relations who lived there; my grandfather had been a gardener and his Mrs Coster worked in the kitchen.
At that time living there were Mrs Dorothy Kemp and her three sons, Douglas the eldest followed by Max and Walter. The other sons lived elsewhere. Others living there were the Selick family, Mrs Selick and her two sons Keith and Johnny. Mr Selick visited on occasions, the family occupied a self contained flat on the first floor. also on the first floor Mrs Richardson had a room, a lodger and keeping much to herself. At the front of the house on the first floor was Mrs Kemp's her room and opposite was Walter's room. Along the hallway leading to the Selick's flat turning left into small vestible and on the right was Max's room. A set of stairs led down to the kitchen.
On the ground floor on the left as you entered the house was Gordon's room, he had a fantastic collection bird's eggs and butterflies. Douglas had a small room in what was called the cottage which also housed a museum in a larger room. Attached to the cottage was the Plaza cinema.
On the death of Gordon moved into his room, then finally moving into Max's room when he left the Priory.
My association centred around Doug who befriended me on my first visit. Doug had difficulty relating to women but worshipped his mother.
The Kemps originated from Germany, von Kamnka being the family name which was anglicised to Kemp.