People 30 - 40 Ravenswood Avenue TN2 3SG

Information about the children who lived at numbers 30 to 40 Ravenswood Avenue between when it was built and the 1960s

If you lived at numbers 30 to 40 Ravenswood Avenue on the Ferndale Park Estate as a child between when it was built and the early 1960s, have you ever wondered what happened to the children you used to know and play with? This page may tell you because it contains information, and some pictures, about some of them. It has been compiled from information and memories from persons who used to live on the estate, and from my own memories and research. Since 1998, I have been interested in genealogy, researching my own PAGE family extensively throughout East Sussex, and my mother’s HARRIS family in the East-End of London. I have used the various genealogy websites, especially the General Record Office (GRO), Ancestry and Find my Past, to help find information about the children and their families who lived on the estate when I was a child. All my research on this page is information that is in the public domain.

The GRO references to Tonbridge is because between 1837 and 1980, Tonbridge was the registration district that covered Tunbridge Wells. Since then Tunbridge Wells has had its own district. The centralised registration of births, marriages, and deaths in England and Wales commenced on 1 July 1837. Indexes to the records are available for public inspection and are separated into birth, marriage and death indexes. Each index is divided into quarters for each year (January-March, April-June, July-September and October-December) and they are referred in the text by the year, followed by /1, /2, /3 or /4 to indicate the appropriate quarter, eg 1944/2 for my birth in June 1944. There are many references to items published in the Kent & Sussex Courier newspaper and these are referred to as just Courier.

The names of people are listed in address order. Some of the earlier built houses had names before they were numbered, and in those cases I have added the name to the address. Occasionally I have added text in italicised square brackets to information given to me from others for clarity.

Whilst I am very grateful to those who have given me information and pictures so far, I would love to have more, so if you know anything about any of the children who lived on the estate between when it was built and the early 1960s, then please get in touch with me so I can add it here. I also welcome any corrections or clarification of anything that has been written here so far – thanks (chris@g4bue.com).

31 Ravenswood Avenue – Irene SKELLEY

According to street directories, the SKELLEY family moved in to 31 Ravenswood Avenue after 1940. It was one of the last houses built in the pre-war phase. They lived almost opposite us and I remember Eileen, but not her older brother Allen, and her Mum and Dad very well. Their house was next to the unbuilt ground where 33-37 Ravenswood Avenue were later built, and where us children played. They had a very large buddleia bush on the side of their drive which overhung this area, and after Clive STACE got Cedric NOVIS and me interested in collecting butterflies when we were about eight years old, we plagued that poor bush trying to catch the butterflies that settled on it. Buddleia is also called the ‘Butterfly Bush’ and this one really lived up to that reputation. We were regularly told off by Eileen and her parents as we battered the poor bush with our nets. Soon after I started this website in 2015, I made contact with a friend of Eileen’s who told me she never married and was living at Rusthall. It was very satisfying that I was able to apologise to Eileen through her friend, for what we had done to her buddleia bush all those years ago!

The GRO has births at St George, Hanover Square, London in 1927/2 for Eileen D SKELLEY and in 1928/4 for Allen J SKELLEY, mother CHILD. The 1939 Register shows Eileen’s family living at 5 Monson Road, Tunbridge Wells, her father James H SKELLEY born 9 March 1899 working as a Ministry of Pensions clerk, her mother Dorothy J SKELLEY born 15 February 1902 and her brother Allen J SKELLEY, born 18 October 1928 at school.

The GRO has a marriage at Tonbridge in 1953/1 for Allen J SKELLEY and Pamela J MAYNARD and a death on 25 December 1997 at Bexhill-on-Sea, aged 69. Their father was James Henry SKELLEY and the GRO has a birth at St George, Hanover Square, London in 1899/2 for him, mother BOWSKILL, a marriage at St George, Hanover Square in 1924/4 for James H SKELLEY and Dorothy J CHILD and a death at Tonbridge in 1979/1 for James Henry SKELLEY, born 9 March 1899. The GRO has a death for his wife Dorothy Jane CHILD at Tunbridge Wells in November 1987, aged 85.

The 1901, 1911 and 1921 Censuses shows James living with his family at 13H Block, Peabody Estate, Old Rye Street, Westminster and the latter aged 22 and working as a clerk at the Ministry of Pensions. An Ancestry family tree shows he is descended from William SKELLEY from Ireland at the bginning of the 19th century.

The 19 September 1952 Courier reported, ‘The engagement is announced between Allen James, only son of Mr and Mrs J H Skelley of 31 Ravenswood Avenue, Tunbridge Wells, and Pamela Jean, elder daughter of Mr and Mrs F A Maynard of 45 Albion Road, Tunbridge Wells.’

The 23 March 1962 Courier reported a visit one of its reporters made to the RMP in Gibraltar, ‘...Playing with a sweet-looking alsation called “Smithy”, I met Sergeant Allen J Skelley, whose parents Mr and Mrs J E Skelley live at 31 Ravenswood Avenue, Tunbridge Wells...Sgt Skelley is living there with his wife Pamela, whose parents, Mr and Mrs Brewer, live at 45 High Cross Fields, Crowborough, and his three children...’

Alan DANE (70 Ravenswood Avenue): “Mr and Mrs SKELLEY had a daughter who worked for the local Ministries (Civil Service) at Hawkenbury.”

35 Ravenswood Avenue – Maureen and Janet GARDNER

35 Ravenswood Avenue was immediately opposite our house and (with 33, 37 and 39) was built in the 1950s on the piece of land for 31 and 45 Ravenswood Avenue left by the first phase of building before WW2. I remember Janet and Maureen moving in during the mid-1950s, although street directories do not show the family there until 1959. Janet was the same age as me and Maureen slightly younger.

Their father was Herbert Harold GARDNER and their mother Frances May EVES (known as May), both of whom I remember well. The GRO has births at Brighton in 1905/1, mother KEMBER, and at Tonbridge, in 1904/2, mother KEMBER for them, and a marriage at Tonbridge in 1932/2. After their marriage, 1932-33 electors registers show they lived at Spelthorne, Surrey and 1935-38 at Abingdon, Berkshire before settling in Ravenswood Avenue. The 1939 Register shows them living at 28 St Helens Estate, Abingdon, Herbert born 19 Janury 1905 and working as a printer’s machine minder and May born 16 May 1904.

In the 1911 Census, Herbert was living at 191 Elm Grove, Brighton and by coincidence, my dad, Stanley Thomas ‘Nick’ PAGE was born about 150 yards away on the corner of Carlyle Street 12 months later in July 1912. I wonder if they ever knew that?

After I left Tunbridge Wells in 1963, Mum told me Janet married Roger VALLI who was a good friend of mine when I was 14-15 years old. The GRO has a marriage at Tunbridge Wells in 1991/2 for Janet E NORMAN and Roger VALLI. The 21 February 1990 Sevenoaks Focus reported the results of their Napier competition that, ‘offered three major prizes of Napier jewellery’ and ‘third prize of £25’s worth of Napier jewellery goes to Janet Norman of 35 Ravenswood Avenue, Tunbridge Wells.’, see picture above right. Mum also told me Janet was married before she married Roger VALLI, and my sister Gillian says they still live in Tunbridge Wells.

Roger and I became good friends when we were about 14 years old and we both joined the 129 Squadron of the Air Training Corps that met in St John’s Road, as air cadets. We both had to join the band and whereas I struggled to learn to play the bugle, Roger played the side-drum very well. Roger lived at Gordon’s Nursery, Sandown Park Road that backed on to the Roundabout Wood in the Hilbert Recreation Ground and used that as a short-cut to visit us. Those who lived on the estate at that time will remember his father, Ronald George VALLI, who ran the nursery and a florist shop at 41 Camden Road in the 1950s and early 1960s, see Courier advertise-ment above right. The shop was on the corner where the original Victoria Road joined Camden Road (now part of Illuminations on the corner of the entrance to Market Square.

Roger had a talent for photography because the 18 April 1975 Courier published a picture of the winners of the first final competition held by the Medway Camera Club that included Roger Valli for winning the black and white section, see above right. The 8 October 1976 Courier reported Roger won the open class ‘Reflections’ in the Tunbridge Wells Photographic Society’s exhibition held in the art gallery.

I always knew Janet’s younger sister as Maureen, but that was her middle name. The GRO has a marriage at Tavistock, Devon in 1979/4 for Helena M GARDNER and Roger E JENNINGS and the 30 November 1979 Courier reported their marriage, ‘Miss Helena Maureen Gardner, younger daughter of Mr and Mrs H H Gardner of 35 Ravenswood Avenue, Tunbridge Wells was married recently at St Andrew’s Church, Buckland Monachorum, South Devon to Mr Roger Edward Jennings, only son of Mr and Mrs N E Jennings of 64 Udimore Road, Rye...The couple will be making their home near Tavistock, South Devon.’

36 Ravenswood Avenue – David HALL

I remember David HALL when I was very young. He was about the same age as me and lived two doors up the hill from us. I used to visit his house and play toy cars with him, but they moved away when I was still very young. Street directories last show the family at 34 Ravenswood Avenue in 1950 and the 13 January 1950 Courier has an advertisement saying th house will be auctioned on 20 January. After that Mr Leonard SELL and his wife moved in and he became a good friend of my Dad because he was also a keen gardener.

The 1939 Register shows David’s parents were Alfred John HALL, born 17 March 1911, a confectionary factory manager, and Esther M HALL, born 23 November 1909. The only possible GRO marriage is at Cheltenham, Gloucestershire in 1936/2 for Alfred J HALL and Esther M JENNINGS, and the banns at St Mark’s Church show Alfred was from Exeter. The GRO has a death at the Isle of Wight in 1975/4 for Esther Marjorie HALL, born 23 November 1909, and probate records show she died on 24 October 1975 and was living at Newport Road, Cowes.

The only David HALL birth at the GRO with mother JENNINGS is at Warwick in 1937/3 for David J HALL, making him nearly seven years older than me. Perhaps my memory is starting to fail me!

37 Ravenswood Avenue – John HODDER

37 Ravenswood Avenue was one of the four houses (with 33, 35 and 39) , built in the 1950s on the piece of land for 31 and 45 Ravenswood Avenue left by the first phase of building before WW2. John HODDER was younger than me and, probably because of that, I never really got to know him.

The GRO has a birth at Cambridge in 1947/2 for John HODDER, mother LARK and a marriage at Islington 1971/2 for John HODDER and Janet MORDUE, followed by HODDER births with mother MORDUE at Enfield 1976/1 for Rachel Elizabeth, at Bath 1979/4 for Philip Armstrong and at Kings Lynn 1983/4 for Abigail Frances HODDER. Tragically John never saw Abigail because the GRO has a death at Cambridge 1983/3 f or John HODDER aged only 36, born 4 June 1947.

The 16 October 1970 Sevenoaks Chronicle reported, ׅ‘Mr and Mrs P Hodder of 37 Ravenswood Avenue, Tunbridge Wells wish to announce the engagement of their son John to Janet, daughter of Mr and Mrs W Mordue of London N9.’

The 21 April 1967 Courier reported a 100 young people met at St John’s coffee bar on 16 April when the Harvesters played and John HODDER, a member of the group, spoke of the love of God. The 29 September 1967 paper reported John HODDER of Leeds University gave a talk on his life as a Christian in university to the evening harvest service at St John’s Church on Sunday 24 September. The 19 April 1968 paper reported, ‘On Tuesday members of the Tunbridge Wells Christian Businessmen’s Association heard a discussion for two students on Christian Union work. The students were John Hodder, who is in his second year at Leeds University, and Paul Anscombe who is attending a College of Technology at Portsmouth. Both are members of the Crusader movement.’

John became a clergyman and three years after he died in 1983/3 more tragedy struck the family when his widow, Janet, nee MORDUE and eldest daughter Rachel Elizabeth HODDER were killed in a horrific road accident on the A1 Grantham bypass on 16 August 1986. The 12 December Grantham Journal reported the inquest when verdicts of accidental death on Janet, aged 36 and described as a clergyman’s widow, and Rachel aged 10, were returned by the Coroner. They were on their way from their home in Snettisham, Norfolk to Nottingham and Janet’s other two children and sister, Frances MORDUE who was driving the car, were badly injured.

John’s father, who I remember well, was Phillipe HODDER and an Ancestry family tree traces their ancestors back to John HODDER born 1 January 1690 at Bedminster, Somerset. Phillipe was born 25 September 1923 at West Ham and in 1945/3 at Ilford, Essex, he married Betty L LARK and John was their only child. Phillipe too died young, when he was 55 years old, the 4 June 1979 Courier reported, ‘‘HODDER – Phillipe, aged 55 years, of 12 Northfields, Speldhurst, in hospital on Saturday 31 March. Beloved husband of Betty, father of John and grandfather of Rachel.’

John’s mother Betty, who I also remember well was, according to the Ancestry tree, born 24 March 1901 at Poplar, the daughter of John A LARK and Leah A CHAPMAN. She continued to live at Speldhurst after Phillipe’s death and 2002-2011 electoral registers show her living at 12 Northfields, Speldhurst, see two pictures above right. After 2011, it appears Betty moved to Hampshire because there is a GRO death at Fleet on 10 March 2015 for Betty Leah HODDER, aged 90.

38 Ravenswood Avenue – Sylvia ELLIS

Ever since I can remember, Mr and Mrs ELLIS lived next door to us and were a lovely elderly couple. They must have moved into their house after Mum and Dad because they do not appear in the 1940 street directory. They moved away for 1957 and 1959 when Sydney FUNNELL ‘Jacko’ and his wife and moved in and became good friends with Mum and Dad, until they moved away in later in life.

An Ancestry family tree shows Reginald George ELLIS was born 20 March 1892 at Dorchester and his wife Lilian Emily May FOOT (known as May) born on 12 October 1895 at Sydling, Dorset. They married on 4 March 1919 at Dorchester and came to Tunbridge Wells shortly after because the 1921 Census shows them living at The Gardens, Sherwood Park with May’s father John FOOT who was the head gardener at Sherwood Park, where Reginald also worked as a gardener. The 1939 Register shows them still working there, but living at The Garage, Earls Court Hotel, Mount Ephraim. The 9 June 1944 (two weeks before I was born) Courier reported, ‘On June 5, 1944 at 38 Ravenswood Avenue, Tunbridge Wells, John Foot passed away, aged 79 years.’

My Dad probably got on very well with Reginald and John because he was also a gardener, having qualified for the RHS junior under 18 examination after he left school and worked for Harold Nurseries in Hastings. In the early 1930s, he went to Chez Nous Nursery in Western Road, Newick, Est Sussex as nursery foreman, before going to Tunbridge Wells in 1935 to join the Borough Police Force. One of the reasons he and Mum bought 40 Ravenswood Avenue was because of the very long garden, and I am sure Reginald ELLIS and John FOOT gave Dad much advice when he was planning and creating his large vegetable and flower garden.

Until I researched the family, I did not know Reginald and May had a daughter, Sylvia May ELLIS, born 15 September 1921 (three years younger than my Mum). The 1939 Register shows her working as an apprentice at a draper’s, but sadly she died young. The Deaths column of the 8 November 1946 Courier reported, ‘ELLIS – On October 31, 1946, very peacefully after a long illness courageously borne, Sylvia Mary, the dearly beloved only child of Reginald and May Ellis, 38 Ravenswood Avenue, Tunbridge Wells, aged 25 years. Her gain, our loss.’

The 22 November 1946 Courier reported, ‘Late Miss S M Ellis – A service was held at Holy Trinity Church onThursday week, followed by cremation at Charing, for Sylvia, only child of Mr and Mrs R Ellis, 38 Ravenswood Avenue, conducted by the Revs Hedley Thomas and C Morgan. In addition to the family mourners, many friends attended including Miss Howard (representing the WLA).’ Although Sylvia died when I was only two, I don’t recall Mum or Dad ever talking about her.

39 Ravenswood Avenue – John DAVIS

39 Ravenswood Avenue was one of the four houses (with 33, 35 and 37) , built in the 1950s on the piece of land for 31 and 45 Ravenswood Avenue left by the first phase of building before WW2. I remember John’s family moving in and because John was the same age as me, we soon became good friends, joining the 18th St Barnabas scout troop together, with Tony McQUEEN, Malcolm FOY and Keith GOODYEAR. Soon after John moved in, he built a full-size single-person canoe in his garage and I remember thinking what a wonderful achievement that was.

The 9 June 1961 Courier reported the Boy Scout’s Association Tunbridge Wells District’s annual meeting at the Tunbridge Wells Council Chamber the previous day when the District Commissioner, Mr P A Godfrey Phillips, said five Queen’s Scout badges had been gained in the district, ‘Queen’s Scout badges had been gained by...Keith Goodyear, Christopher Page and John Davis of St Barnabas...’

Street directories show John’s dad was Stanley J DAVIS and because there are many DAVIS GRO records, I haven’t been able to find when and where John or his father were born, and I cannot remember John’s mum’s name. The family moved away after I left Ravenswood Avenue in 1963, probably in 1968 following an advertisement in the 23 August 1968 Courier, ‘1957 3 bedroom semi-detached house 39 Ravenswood Avenue; full gas central heating; garage; many extras. £5750...’ I haven’t been able to find out what happened to John in later life.

John HEASMAN (42 Ravenswood Avenue): “When my Nan and Grandad moved to Ferndale, my links with Ravenswood were very much to do with the St Barnabas Scouts and those of us who went to St Barnabas and Church of Christ youth clubs. Scouts was brilliant, with Malc FOY, Keith GOODYEAR, Bill MAYLING, John DAVIES, good old Roger CASTLE, and of course, Eric HANSON [21 St James Road] our Scoutmaster.”

Carole STONER-LEWIS (39 Ravenswood Avenue): In March 2016, Carole said, “I have lived at 39 Ravenswood Avenue since 1981, which was built in 1958, and I have been told that before it was built, it was rough land in which the children of the street used to play. Your sister Gill and I went to the same school, I am a year older I think. A lot of younger families are now moving in to the area, having loft extensions and the road is full up with parked cars. When I moved in there were very few cars in the road and it was nice to see all the children playing together.

40 Ravenswood Avenue – Gillian, Christopher and Timothy PAGE

This page would not be complete without mentioning my own family. My Dad, Stanley Thomas (Nick) PAGE was born on 26 July 1912 at Brighton and after working as a gardener at nurseries in Hastings and Newick, went to Tunbridge Wells in 1935 to join the Borough Police Force. He met Mum there and they married on 24 June 1939. Dad retired from the police on 27 October 1963, after being the Coroner’s Office since 1943, and continued working at the police station as a civilian clerk until he fully retired in July 1977 when he was 65. He died on 8 September 1984 while still living at ‘number 40’.

Mum was born on 19 August 1918 at South Hackney, within the sound of the bells of St Mary-le-Bow, making her a cockney, something she was quite proud of. She did not have a cockney accent though because when she was three months old, her family moved to Hopwood Gardens, Tunbridge Wells on Armistice Day (11 Novermber) 1918. They moved to Pembury by 1928 and then to Southborough in 1931 where she was living when she met Dad. Mum died on 6 August 1998 at Pembury, while still living at ‘number 40.’

I was born on 17 June 1944, Gill next on 7 July 1946 and Tim on 2 March 1948.

The 1 February 1974 Courier reported, ‘The wedding took place at St James Church, Tunbridge Wells on Saturday between Mr Timothy Richard Page, younger son of Mr and Mrs S T Page of 40 Ravenswood Avenue, and Miss Gillian Ann Crampton, only daughter of Mr and Mrs A R Crampton of 28 Rydal Drive, Tunbridge Wells...In attendance were...and Miss Shirley Page, niece of the bride-groom...The bride-groom’s brother Christopher, acted as best man...’

After initially living at Rusthall, Gill and Tim moved to Rotherfield where they still live. They have three grown-up children, Gavin in Somerset, Verity in Brockenhurst, Hampshire and Michael in Lancaster. When Tim left school, he worked for the GPO Telephones and then BT. He was a very successful footballer in Kent and Sussex, as the pictures below show, playing either centre-forward or right-wing, for St James Park Rangers on Saturdays, and Ramslye FC and later Artois United on Sundays.

Tim’s last game was on 3 May 1981 at Chatham when his team, Artois United, lost 1-0 to Troy Athletic in the Kent Sunday Cup Final. In the second-half, the 8 May 1981 Courier, reporting the match, said, ‘Tim Page shot just wide of the post after collecting a long through ball at 60 minutes, making the keeper dive headlong. Poor Tim, going into a full-blooded tackle for a 50:50 ball, broke his leg four minutes later, and was carried off to spend several days in a local hospital.’ Tim had his leg in plaster for 12 weeks and decided to ‘hang up his boots.’

Gill never married and has lived at 40 Ravenswood Avenue all her life, although in the last few years she has alternated between there and her partner’s house at Harrietsham. She worked in offices for local companies in Tunbridge Wells before she retired.

I left Tunbridge Wells when I was 19 years old in 1963 to join the Brighton Borough Police Force and retired from Sussex Police in September 1993, after spending nearly all my 30 years service in the CID. I then lived near Pulborough until March 2021 when we moved to Bexhill-on-Sea. I have a daughter Shirley in Tonbridge and twin-boys, Gary near Exeter and Steve in Hove. Shirley has a son Christopher born in 1986 and Steve has a son Jenson born in 2012.

Roger Valli (left back row) winner of the black and white section of Medway Camera Club’s first final competition in April 1975 – photo thanks Courier.

Maureen Gardner, 35 Ravenswood Avenue, and Roger Jennings wedding – photo thanks Courier.

The 20 July 1979 Courier reported, ‘First winner of the Phil Hodder darts doubles memorial shield played for at the Northfield House at Speldhurst – Mr Jack Langridge (right) and Mr Robin Baker. When Mrs Betty Hodder (left) [37 Ravenbswood Avenue] presented the trophy on Friday she received a cheque for £90 for the British Heart Foundation. Second left is licensees’ wife Mrs Kit Mills.’ – photo thanks Courier.

The 28 September 1979 Courier reported, ‘Speldhurst flower and vegetable show chairman, Mr Frank Morris, and his wife Kathleen, both won major trophies at Saturday’s show in the village. Right is Mrs Betty Hodder with the Women’s Institute cup.’ – photo thanks Courier.

Reginald George Ellis, 38 Ravenswood Avenue, – photo thanks Ancestry heathmoor1.

Is this John Davis, after his family moved from 39 Ravenswood Avenue about 1968? The age is right and he is very similar to how I remember John – photo thanks Courier.

My Mum and Dad, Rene and Nick Page, pictured at the front (above) and back of 40 Ravenswood Avenue very soon after they bought it on 4 July 1939, note the unmade front garden. The negative of the picture at the front has been printed the wrong way round because the window of the front room was on the left of the front door, not the right as shown! The picture of the back was taken before next door 2 Pinewood Avenue was built, and probably before 42 Ravenswood Avenue was built as the view above Mum’s left shoulder shows the trees at the bottom of the gardens of 42 upwards Ravenswood Avenue. Contrast this with the later picture of Mum with 2 Pinewood Road in the back ground and 42 Ravenswood Avenue in the far background – photos thanks Gillian Page

Right: Mum and Dad, Rene and Nick Page, 40 Ravenswood Avenue, in later life.

Tim Page, 40 Ravenswood Avenue, and Gillian Crampton wedding – photo thanks Courier.

The 19 September 1980 Courier reported, ‘The Hop Pocket goalkeeper M Cummings pounces on the ball of Artois substitute Tim Page to foil a scoring chance at the Culverden Stadium on Sunday in the West Kent Sunday League charity shield match.’ Artois beat Hop Pocket 7-2 to win the Charity Shield Cup – photo thanks Courier.

The 21 May 1971 Courier reported, ‘Tim Page receives the Brickland Cup from Ramslye FC vice-president Mr A F Thomson after being voted the club’s “best all-round sportsman on and off the field of play.”...Tim Page has completed three seasons with Ramslye...’ – photo thanks Courier.

The 27 April 1973 Courier reported, ‘Tim Page, captain of St Jamess Park Rangers, receives the shield from former World Cup star George Cohen after the Swanmead six-a-side tournament at Tunbridge Wells on Friday. St Jamess won it for the second successive year.’ – photo thanks Courier.

The 10 May 1974 Courier reported, ‘St James Park Rangers, who are challenging for the championship at the East Sussex league premier Division.’ Tim is third from the left in the back row. Does anyone recognise anyone else, please? – photo thanks Courier.

School photographs of my sister Gill, younger brother Tim and me, how other children will likely remember us.

Our Dad, Nick Page, 40 Ravenswood Avenue, (sitting) a new recruit in 1935 as Police Constable 16 at Tunbridge Wells Borough Police, with Arthur Watson, 2 Pinewood Road (standing left), and another recruit, believed Charles Bond who was Arthur’s best man at his wedding in 1939.

Tim, Gill and Chris Page grown up.

Above: the back of 40 Ravenswood Avenue soon after my sister Gillian Page was born in July 1946 (l to r) Florrie Watson, 2 Pinewood Road, and daughter Valerie, my Mum and Dad, and my sister Gillian in the wheel barrow (left) with me. Valerie was born just after me and her sister Pauline was born just after my brother Tim, and as our parents were best friends, we were brought up together. The photograph above right was taken in our back garden about 1957 and is how most other children on the estate will remember us.

Extract from the 21 February 1990 Sevenoaks Focus announcing Janet Norman nee Gardner, 35 Ravenswood Avenue, had won third prize in their Napier competition.

A typical advertisement for Gordon’s Nurseries, 41 Camden Road in a 1959 Courier.