Childhood In The Darent Valley
A Memory of Sutton at Hone.
I was born at 6 St. Johns Terrace, 3 doors away from Mr Bird's Post Office and store (which is shown in your photo). How many hours have I sat on those steps outside? We used to play in the road and when we heard a vehicle coming we would sit on the steps while it passed - I don't think you can do that today. Directly opposite the Post Office was G.J.Garret Agricultural Implement Depot and the only public telephone box in the district. At a regularly appointed time, in the best British police tradition, Frank Cox our local bobby would arrive on his bike and make his report to the police station in Highfield Rd, Dartford. Later Constable Cox was transfered to Tunbridge Wells, then back to Dartford until he retired to Herne Bay. I know all of this because his son Alan was and still is my best friend. Alan and I had a wonderful childhood in and around Sutton at Hone where we progressed from walking everywhere, to push bikes, to motorbikes and finally to cars. We both attended Sutton at Hone Cof E Primary School. During our time the teaching staff were; Mrs Beadle (Infants) Mrs Everest (girls) and Miss Rogers (boys - although she had also taught my mother), later she was replaced by Mr Westbrook. After the 11 plus exam I was sent to Dartford East Secondary School, in my class at secondary school were Alan Wise whose mother ran a cafe in Sutton at Hone and David Ward who lived in St Johns Terrace, Sutton at Hone. I've got lots more memories which I'll save till next time. Mike Hyland.
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Comments & Feedback
I think you must be a couple of years younger than me, going by the names of your friends. My sister Margaret who is 3 years my junior was very friendly with Anne Savidge and Jean Widows must be the younger sister of Peggy who is/was about my age. I remember your family living in St. Johns Tce. and your brothers names seem familiar to me but I am afraid I can't put faces to the names. (I must be getting old). I do remember Nancy's Wool shop, she used to have a box on her counter with small cheap items in it for sale to the school children who used to crowd into her little shop on their way home from school. I always maintain that S at Hone was a wonderful place for kids to grow up. We were back in the UK last your and visited the old place, I am afraid I was rather disappointed, most of the open spaces that we enjoyed no longer exist, all swallowed up by housing. One thing that doesn't seem to have changed is Thompsons Stockfeed shop at the bottom of Ship Lane it's just as I remember it 60 odd years ago. Do you still live in the area, I live in Western Australia.