Chelwood Gate, Isle Of Thorns Camp 1950

Photo ref: C76029

It was in the 1950's I was at Old Oak junior school E.Acton when i went on the trip,there was old army barracks there all in a line along the path into the camp,and the entrance had gates.I used to get chocolate from the tuck shop there with money my family sent me.We used to go into the woods and study leaves from different trees and put them in an exercise book,and we were awarded a shield if ...see more

I was looking at a map of the area, and the mention of Chelwood Gate and the Isle of Thorns, brought back vivid memories of the camp. I was there with the school two summers running in 1957 and 1958, I think. I remember the huts, the sports hall and the swimming pool together with beautiful countryside running into the Ashdown Forest. I recall there were many rabbits there ,albeit that most of ...see more

I attended Southfield School in Gravesend, Kent and we had a week's summer camp at the Isle of Thorns, what an adventure, we were away from home for the first time, it was a holiday never to be forgotten even after all these years. I remember walking through the woods to the local shop to spend our money on Cydrax and sweets, kids today do not realise what delight can be got from simple pleasures.

I was a pupil at Michael Faraday at Westmorland Road, London SE17, at about 1953 when we went on the 'school journey'. I will add to this my first holiday away from home. One evening at just before bedtime after a few nights there in the dormitary one of the boys was very irritable and kicked another, which resulted in him crying followed by most of the rest of us because boy, were we suddenly homesick. The teachers must have been used to it I suppose... more to come.