Post by Les on Jan 29, 2018 9:45:49 GMT
Maidstone I remember it well:
Hi Peter Dean, my brother is Richard (Rick) Cooper and he lives in Nettlestead. If you want to get in touch with him, please let us have your email address and we’ll give you his phone number. He remembers you and everyone else you mentioned at Vinters.
Hi too, – your name is familiar but I’m ever so sorry that I can’t put a face to it! I remember country dancing at North Borough and going to some castle or other to dance, and I remember Mr Jones (I bet nobody ever forgets Mr Jones!). Yes, my Dad had the post office at Penenden Heath. He and my Mum moved to St Leonards when they retired, then at 70 they went to live in Benidorm.
My Dad had a massive stroke 3 years ago, at the age of 94 and both Mum and Dad were brought back to Maidstone by air ambulance. Unfortunately, Dad died about 4 weeks later. My Mum, now 98, lives with my brother Rick and his wife at Nettlestead. I’ve just returned to Maidstone to live, after being in Australia for 40 years.
I have photos of some of the girls I was at Vinters with, including Maureen Skyrme and Pamela Link. Pamela Link used to scare me to death! I am still very friendly with Edna Brotherwood (nee Hicks), Jackie Brooks (nee Skinner) and Christine Acott (nee Springett).
Hello Helen Daniels - I’m really sorry I don’t remember you – you must be about 3-4 years younger than me. I remember Pat and Janice Mahoney very well and am so sorry to hear that Pat died. I remember their Mum and Dad really well too and went on holiday with them one year to Lyme Regis. My Dad made pretty potent home-made wine, but I don’t remember drinking any of it! Please say hello to Janice from me. Do you remember an Olympic runner who used to run along Sandling Lane? I thought it was Roger Bannister but after Googling him it doesn’t look as if he lived in the area.
And G’day Dick Sheppard! Yes, Maidstone has changed, but the countryside is pretty much the same – absolutely beautiful! Although, when I was here last year, my brother Rick and I went for a walk through the fields at Boxley, where we used to play as kids. We were halfway across one field when we heard a dreadful, earth shattering rumble that frightened the life out of me, especially as we couldn’t at first see where it was coming from. It was the Eurostar – hurtling along a deep channel cut into the fields which completely cut across where we had intended to make our way! When we were kids we used to get chased off by some farmer with a gun – now it’s high speed trains!
I feel so much more at home here than I did in Australia, despite being there for so many years. This is home. The place might have changed a bit, but the people (and their sense of humour) haven’t.
We’ve spoken on this site before Dick – I’m one of the group of three girls you sang Billy Fury’s Oh Colette to, 50+ years ago!
I asked on this website a few weeks ago if anyone had any news of Roger Green, but I can’t see it on here any more. Roger would be about 70 now and he grew up in somewhere like Albany Street.
Best wishes to you all,
Merry (formerly Meriel Cooper)