Farley Croft Westerham - a nostalgic memory of Westerham

Farley Croft Westerham - a Memory of Westerham.

Farley Croft was a beautiful house, in Westerham, converted for use as a Dr. Barnardo's Home when I was there in 1953/54. It was a wonderful place to be living. We junior Nursery Nurses were paid £4 a month while we trained. We mostly spent it on chocolate and sweets in the village on our off duty periods. I spent 10/- (50p) a month on riding lessons in nearby Limpsfield. We attended the church which was situated just off the green. We also visited General Wolfe's House and on one of our many walks we passed Chartwell, Churchill's home. We were lucky enough, once, to see Winston Churchill on his way through Westerham. The area was lovely for walks and we got out in the countryside as much as possible. To go home for a visit meant catching the steam train to Dunton Green where I picked up the mainline train to London and from there to the South Coast. Sometimes I did the journey from London by Green Line coach to Westerham. I remember Westerham as a charming little town (or village we called it) and keep promising myself a trip back there but so far have not done so. One day...

A memory shared by Gaynor Boyd on Jun 20th, 2008.
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Wed Feb 14th 2018, at 1:18 am

jennypollard_1 commented:

Oh my goodness, I just stumbled across this post and Mrs Gunne was my Grandmother! Her son that you mention is my Dad, Nick! He has fond memories of his Farley Croft days.

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Wed Sep 27th 2017, at 10:41 am

Peter Ashby commented:

My Aunt and uncle owned and ran the grocery store at the beginning of South Bank my Father was born at number 2 South Bank, does anyone remember the shop which is now a private house?

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Sat Jun 10th 2017, at 8:34 pm

Gaynor Boyd commented:

Hello Margaret, I was there from 1954-55 so I think you were gone by the time I arrived as a 16 year old. Farley Croft closed down in 1957. No I have never been back but last year I went on a day trip to Chartwell, Churchill's old home now owned by the National Trust. If we had gone independently we would have gone into Westerham. In a way I didn't want to go back as I think Farley Croft was probably sold (it was a huge site wasn't it) and then developed, probably for housing. The garden was as you described it and it took two gardeners to maintain it. I have kept in touch with one of the girls who shared a room with me and one other. She is now in Canada whereas I live on the south coast. There were six of us junior nursery nurses sleeping 3 to a room. I used to take Mrs Gunn's son to school-we called him 'Freddie' but I can't remember if that was his real name..I can't remember his sister's name either!
It was good to hear from you and to share a lovely memory.

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Fri Jun 9th 2017, at 7:27 pm

Margaret Cadger commented:

Hi Gaynor, my brother and I would have been two of the children you looked after I think. Im not sure what year we left Farley Croft but it was in the early 50s. I remember the house and gardens very well. There was a mulberry tree in the garden and lovely rose beds and a big walled vegetable garden. Mrs Gunn was matron. Ive got photos of some of the chidren and staff coming up the drive, I wonder if you are in them. My brother was Ken and I was Margaret Mccalder. We moved to Kenwood in Yalding when we left Farley Croft. Did you ever get back for a visit

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