People 78 - 110 Ravenswood Avenue TN2 3SG, TN2 3SJ & TN2 3SQ

Information about children who lived at 78 to 110 Ravenswood Avenue between when it was built and the 1960s

78 Ravenswood Avenue, Northwood – Michael and Patricia ODELL

The spelling of ODELL varies between ODELL and O’DELL in official documents. Street directories show the ODELL family lived at 78 Ravenswood Avenue from 1938 to between 1957 and 1959. The GRO has births at Tonbridge in 1931/4 for Patricia Mary ODELL and 1933/4 for Michael O’DELL, mother SCOTT. The 1939 Register shows Patricia born 9 November 1931, and her parents, Cyril C ODELL, born 1 May 1895, a ‘display manager, retail drapers outfitters’, and Joy R ODELL, born 3 April 1908.

The GRO has a Tonbridge marriage in 1930/1 for Cyril C O’DELL and Joy R SCOTT. The 1921 Census shows Joy Roma SCOTT aged 13 living at 30 Beulah Road, Tunbridge Wells with her father William George SCOTT, aged 50, working at a clothing and men’s outfitters at 74 and 76 Camden Road, and her mother Florence SCOTT, aged 50.

The 28 May 1943 Courier under the heading ‘Children Raise £1 10s for Red Cross’, reported, ‘An ingenious plan to help the Red Cross was devised last Saturday by 12-year-old Pat Odell of Northwood, Ravenswood Avenue. Enlisting the aid of some of her playmates she organised a sale, consisting of every kind of book, from novels to essays to the humble “blood” on the lawn of her home. The children’s wares were collected from parents, neighbours and friends and neatly arranged ready for sale. The public were invited to the sale which proved a far greater success that was ever anticipated, the total proceeds amounting to £1 10s. Home-made lemonade was kindly provided by some of the mothers of the enterprising party, which included Pat and Michael Odell, Naomi Ivemey, Pat Brown, Frank Standen, Maxine Klugman and Brian Delves. The money is to be sent to the Mayor for the benefit of the Red Cross fund.’

The GRO has a marriage at Tonbridge in 1953/2 for Patricia M ODELL and Geoffrey M TYLER, and the 17 April 1953 Courier reported, ‘Daughter of Mr and Mrs C C O’Dell of 78 Ravenswood Avenue, Ferndale, Tunbridge Wells, married at St James Church, Tunbridge Wells on Saturday to Mr Geoffrey Tyler, son of Mr A P Tyler of Chaternay House, Catford SE6, and the late Mrs Tyler...’ The GRO has births at Tonbridge in 1955/4 for Amanda J TYLER and at Folkestone in 1959/2 for Nicholas P TYLER, mother O’DELL. The GRO has a death at Canterbury in September 1986 for Patricia Mary TYLER, born 9 November 1931.

The 14 January 1972 Herne Bay Press published this picture of the 1st Herne Bay Scouts team who were beaten by one point by the 8th Herne Bay Guides team in the quarter-finals for the road safety Back Trophy. Pat and Geoffrey’s son Nicholas Tyler is first left.

The GRO has a marriage at Tonbridge in 1956/3 for Michael O’DELL and Angela M BUCKINGHAM and they appear to have moved to Nuneaton, Warwickshire after their marriage because the GRO has a birth at Nuneaton in 1960/3 for Ellen ODELL, mother BUCKINGHAM (the only such record at the GRO), and the 20 August 1957 Coventry Evening Telegraph reported, ‘A husband and wife were injured at Nuneaton last night when their motor scooter was in collision with a car. The husband, Michael Odell (23) of 232 Greenmoor Road, Nuneaton, was detained in hospital with a head injury. His wife, Angela, who was riding pillion, was discharged after treatment for a foot laceration.’ I don’t know what happened to them after that.

An Ancestry family tree shows Pat and Michael are descended from the large ODELL family of Bedfordshire that goes back to John ODELL (1655-1729) at Marston Moretaine. The tree shows their mother Joy died in 1981 at Ashford and her father Cyril in 1983 at Shepway, Kent.

Alan DANE (70 Ravenswood Avenue): “To the best of my knowledge, the residents of 78, when we were juveniles ie the 1940s and 1950s, were the O’DELLs. There were two children, somewhat older than us, namely Michael and Pat. I believe Mr O’DELL was a window dresser (maybe with Weekes) and Pat did not work. I remember her as a very pleasantly natured person who seemed to enjoy just chatting to younger people (like us) in the street.”

Clive STACE, (104 Ravenswood Avenue) 2015: “It was Michael O’DELL who sparked my interest in butterflies; I followed close behind with David JOY some way behind me. Michael O’DELL was about two years older than me – he went to St George’s and after I went to Skinners’ (with its Saturday morning school) we lost contact and I never knew what became of him.”

78 Ravenswood Avenue, Northwood – Carol, Lynne, Nikki and Tracy SMITH

Street directories show the SMITH family moved in to 78 Ravenswood Avenue between 1957 and 1959 after the ODELLs left.

In August 2016, Carol said, “When I was born, my parents and I lived for a time with my father’s parents at 12 Fairfield Avenue, and then we moved to 78 Ravenswood Avenue in 1957, where we stayed until 1963. My parents were John and Marion SMITH, father was in the Navy and I had two younger sisters then, Lynne and Nikki. He died in 1982 aged 49, my grandfather Clifford also died that year, and my mother in 1997 aged 61. I also lost my sister Nikki in 1978 aged 18, but I still have my sister Lynne and my other sister Tracy from when my parents were in Malta in 1966.

“I remember our time in Tunbridge Wells very clearly, even though I left more than 50 years ago, aged seven. That may partly be because I have been back many times since. After we moved away in 1963, we continued to visit friends, in particular Sheila VENESS [7 Lipscombe Road], John GESSEY [85 Ravenswood Avenue] and Maxine MURPHY [8 Lipscombe Road and later 76 Ravenswood Avenue]. These were enduring family friendships. We also caught up with my grand-parent’s neighbours and friends, in particular the SERMONs [5 Fairfield Avenue] and the SKEWIS’ [6 Fairfield Avenue]. My grandfather and his first wife Doris (Dolly) lived at 12 Fairfield Avenue for many years and after she was killed in a road accident in 1959, he married Kathleen RYDER, who was widowed and lived with her mother next door at 10 Fairfield Avenue. They then lived at 3 Fairfield Avenue until they retired in 1969 and moved to Tiverton, Devon.

“We moved to Yorkshire three years ago from Oxfordshire and we lived at Billingshurst in 1975/76. I have been married to Andy (a Scot) for 42 years and we have two adult children (boy and girl) and two grandsons. Both my sisters live on the south coast.”

79 Ravenswood Avenue, Bertom – Douglas Pearch

The 1939 Register for 79 Ravenswood Avenue shows Thomas E PEARCH, born 27 August 1908, a heavy goods vehicle driver for the Petrololeum Board, and his wife Bertha F, born 23 May 1913. Street directories from 1938 to at least 1965 show Thos E PEARCH living there and a 1971 Courier motoring offence report shows he was still living there then.

The GRO has a birth record at Tonbridge in 1908/4 for Thomas Edward PEARCH, mother’s maiden name CHUTER, and a marriage record at Tonbridge in 1937/3 between Thomas E PEARCH and Bertha F THORNTON. The GRO has a birth record at East Grinstead in 1913/3 for Bertha F THORNTON, mother’s maiden name BROOK.

The GRO has a death record at Tunbridge Wells in 1983/2 for Thomas Edward PEARCH, born 27 August 1907 (compared with the 1908/4 GRO birth record and 28 August 1908 in the 1939 Register). Probate records show Tom was living at 79 Ravenswood Avenue when he died on 16 May 1983. The GRO has a death record at Worthing in 2001/3 for Bertha Fanny PEARCH, born 23 May 1913.

The GRO has a birth record at Tonbridge in 1948/1 for Douglas C PEARCH, mother’s maiden name THORNTON and a 1968 Courier report shows his full name was Douglas Christopher PEARCH. The report read, ‘Douglas Christopher Pearch (aged 20) of 79 Ravenswood Avenue, was slightly hurt on Monday when he was struck from behind by a car while on his pedal cycle in Mount Pleasant.’

Doug played football when he was young when his Dad Tom ran the Hilbert Athletic football team that played in Hilbert Rec, who I also briefly played for. I have written about Hilbert Athletic on the ‘Memories/Memories Hilbert Rec’ page and also when writing about Malcolm Foy (45 Ravenswood Avenue) on the ‘People/People 42-55 Ravenswood Avenue’ page.

The GRO has a marriage record at Tonbridge in 1976/3 between Douglas C PEARCH and Anne K THACKABERRY. The marriage was reported in the September Courier, ‘The wedding took place at St Dunstan’s Church on Saturday between Mr Douglas Pearch, son of Mr and Mrs T Pearch of 79 Ravenswood Avenue, Tunbridge Wells, and Miss Anne Thackaberry, daughter of Mr and Mrs T Thackaberry of 38 Greenstede Avenue, East Grinstead...In attendance were Miss Joanne Pearch...the best man was Mr Maurice Ingerfield...’ Doug and Anne currently live at Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex.

An Ancestry tree shows Thomas is descended from William Valentine PEARCH, born 1843/3 East Peckham, Kent and died 1882/3 at Tonbridge.

80 Ravenswood Avenue, Alyth – Margaret and Helen STILL

Street Directories show the STILL family moved in to 80 Ravenswood Avenue between 1948 and 1950. I remember Margaret STILL very well, she was one of my first girl-friends! She had a grey or light blue girl’s bicycle without a cross-bar with a wicker basket on the front. We used to hold cycle races in both directions around the estate, and timed ourselves to see who was fastest. Either way round the estate had up and down gradients. One day I asked Margaret if I could try her cycle, much to the laughter of my male friends, but they stopped laughing when I achieved the fastest time on it. It was a very heavy cycle and once I got it going, it was very fast and difficult to stop. Try as I may, I just couldn’t equal the time I achieved on Margaret’s cycle with my lighter drop handlebar racing cycle!

The GRO has births at Tonbridge in 1945/3 for Margaret STILL and 1953/2 for Helen STILL, mother KING. The GRO has a marriage at Tonbridge in 1966/1 for Margaret STILL and David A WILKINSON and births at Tonbridge in 1967/4 for Joann WILKINSON and 1971/2 for Louise WILKINSON, mother STILL. The GRO has a marriage at Tonbridge in 1972/2 for Helen STILL and Anthony I ROLE. I don’t know what subsequently happened to Margaret and Helen.

The GRO has a birth for Margaret’s mother, Joan C KING, at Dartford in 1917/4, mother TAYLOR but I cannot find a birth for her father, Kenneth STILL. The 1939 Register shows a Kenneth STILL living at St James Street, Ludgershall, Wiltshire, born 6 April 1916 and working as a carpenter and joiner. Also living at the address is Harold E KING, born 7 November 1915, working as a carpenter and joiner. There is a GRO birth at Tonbridge in 1915/4 for Harold E KING, mother YOUNG, suggesting he was Joan’s older brother.

The 1921 Census shows Joan and Harold, aged five and three, living with their parents at 20 Barnes Cray Walk, Crayford, Kent, and the 1939 Register shows Joan, born 18 November 1917, living with her parents at 69 Ravenswood Avenue, almost opposite 80 Ravenswood Avenue where she and Kenneth lived after their marriage. The GRO has a marriage at Tonbridge in 1940/4 for Kenneth STILL and Joan C KING, and a death at Tonbridge in 1992/1 for Kenneth STILL, born 6 April 1916.

Alan DANE (70 Ravenswood Avenue): “Mr STILL was in the building trade. Mrs STILL’s parents lived across the road, Mr and Mrs KING at 69 Ravenswood.”

85 Ravenswood Avenue, The Croft – John and David GESSEY

I remember David GESSEY well. He was a bit older than me and, despite being keen on sports, especially cricket, was plump. In fact he was the only plump child I can remember living on the estate at that time. One day a group of us were playing in the Hilbert Rec when David rolled over Gregory NOVIS’s arm and broke it, causing him to have to go to hospital and have his arm in a plaster cast until it mended.

The GRO had births at Tonbridge in 1933/2 for John H GESSEY and 1941/3 for David R GESSEY, mother CARPENTER. John never married but the GRO has a marriage at Tonbridge in 1963/2 for David R GESSEY and Barbara L GATES. The 11 October 1968 Courier, under the heading ‘Decrees nisi granted֦, reported, ‘Mr David Roy Gessey, 85 Ravenswood Avenue, Tunbridge Wells on the ground of the desertion of his wife, Barbara Lilian Gessey.’ The GRO has a marriage at Horsham for David R GESSEY and Kathleen E WALLIS, and births at Cuckfield in 1971/3 for Lisa Joanne GESSEY and Crawley in 1976/2 for Donna Marie GESSEY, mother WALLIS.

The 31 May 1963 Courier reported, ‘Miss Barbara Gates, daughter of Mr and Mrs R Gates of 38 Norman Road, Tunbridge Wells was married at St Jamess Church, Tunbridge Wells on Saturday to Mr David Gessey, son of Mr W Gessey and the late Mrs Gessey, of 85 Ravenswood Avenue, Tunbridge Wells...The best man was Mr John Gessey, the bride-groom’s brother...the couple will live in Lewes.’

In November 2017, David’s daughter Lisa ALCOCK told me, “My dad is David GESSEY, 85 Ravenswood. I remember Mr and Mrs CRITTLE next door when I was a child. After Tunbridge Wells, Dad joined the police force and ended up at Gatwick Airport and then he was insurance for the rest of his career living in various parts of Sussex. I think Dad left Gatwick about 1973/74, I was just a toddler. Dad met Mum at the airport, she was a ground hostess and from Crawley where they moved too once married. I spent a lot of my childhood visiting Tunbridge Wells, the famous rocks and of course the local cricket grounds as Dad always played cricket.

“I moved from Sussex to Crewe in 2004 with hubby and our two children and Mum and Dad live just round the corner from me. They did retire to Spain but came back about six years ago. My sister [Donna] still lives down south just outside Horsham and has a clothes boutique there called La Vida. Dad said he remembered you, and your dad was also a police officer. My Uncle John lived at Ravenswood till the late 1990s and sadly passed in 2000 [1 February 2000 at Hassocks].

“My great Gessey grandparents ran the fruit shop at 2 Castle Street, I would love to find a photo of the shop and their shop sign. I believe now it is a clothes shop [The Italian Wardrobe] as Mum recently met the owner at a clothes show in London!”

The 1939 Register shows Lisa’s grandparents at 85 Ravenswood Avenue: William H GESSEY, born 24 November 1899, working as an assistant storekeeper for the PO Engineering Dept, and Jessie Q E GESSEY, born 5 Februry 1901. The GRO has a marriage at Tonbridge in 1931/4 for William H GESSEY and Jessie Q E CARPENTER.

An Ancestry family tree shows David’s older brother John Herbert GESSEY was born on 18 March 1933 at Tonbridge and died on 1 February 2000 at Hassocks. The tree traces the GESSEY family back to Oxfordshire in the 1700s with David’s grandfather William Herbert GESSEY, born in 1867 at London, being the first to settle in Tunbridge Wells after he married David’s grandmother Eunice PENFOLD on 3 November 1897 at St John’s Church, Tunbridge Wells. The website contains a lovely photograph (below right) taken about 1903/04 of their two children, David’s father William Herbert GESSEY, born in 1899, and his aunty Eunice Penfold GESSEY, born in 1898, both at Tunbridge Wells. William died in 1973, David’s mother Jessie in 1963 and his aunty Eunice in 1990.

The 1901 Census shows David’s grandparents living at 16 Currie Road, Tunbridge Wells, William working as a hotel waiter, and the 1911 Census, living at 2 Castle Street and William now working as a ‘fruiter greengrocer’. The 1921 Census shows William still living at 2 Castle Street but back working as a waiter, at the Spa Hotel, and the 1939 Register still at 2 Castle Street, but back working as a ‘fruiterer and greengrocer dealer’. The 21 September 1917 Courier reported, ‘Mr Gessey, of Castle Street, has exhibited in his shop window this week, a monster vegetable marrow, weighing 22lbs 2ozs, grown by him on the Warwick Park Allotments.’ The 7 November 1947 Courier, reported, ‘Mr William Herbrt Gessey of 2 Castle Street, Tunbridge Wells died last Thursday, aged 80. He had retired the same week from his business as a greengrocer and fruiterer, which he had carried on for 45 years. Mr Gessey came to Tunbridge Wells 50 years ago...’

Alan DANE (70 Ravenswood Avenue): Mr and Mrs Bert GESSEY and sons John and David. John was several years older than I and David a year or two younger. Mr GESSEY worked for Post Office Telephones at their Upper Grosvenor Road stores depot. I believe John worked for the Post Office counters.”

Carol CAMPBELL nee SMITH (78 Ravenswood Avenue) 2016: “John GESSEY and my father were life-long friends. I think they got to know each other when they were about five years old. We were frequent visitors, especially as my grandfather’s garden [3 Fairfield Avenue] backed onto theirs. David GESSEY joined the police in the Thames Valley area. John died about 15 years ago, I think, and my sisters and I went to his funeral. That was the last time I saw David.

“John lived in the family home at 85 Ravenswood Avenue for the whole of his life and never married. The family had a Jack Russell dog called ‘Jinksey’, typical of the breed, he was very bouncy and vocal. John was a very warm and genuine man who had a wide circle of friends. After his mother passed away, John and his father Bert lived in the house. After Bert died, John continued living in the house, but spent more time away visiting his many friends.”

86 Ravenswood Avenue, Winchel – Rosemary and Sally CLARKE

See 4 Pinewood Road.

Street directories show the CLARKE family lived at 86 Ravenswood Avenue from 1937 and moved away between 1940 and 1948. The GRO has births at Tonbridge in 1942/1 for Rosemary J CLARKE and in 1947/1 for Sally M CLARKE, mother WATERS. I don’t remember either of the girls, who were cousins of Ann and Pat CLARKE, who I do remember, and who lived two doors from us at 4 Pinewood Road. Their fathers were brothers.

The 16 August 1940 Courier reported the marriage of their parents, “The wedding took place at St Courier Church on Saturday of Miss Kathleen Ethel Waters, daughter of Mrs and the late Mr J Waters of 74 South View Road, Tunbridge Wells and Mr William Arthur Clarke, son of Mrs and the late Mr W Clarke of 86 Ravenswood Avenue, Tunbridge Wells.”

88 Ravenswood Avenue, Trevissick – Tony HOLDING

I remember Tony HOLDING but we never played together. The GRO has a birth at Tonbridge in 1943/3 for Anthony J HOLDING, mother ROBSON. The 3 December 1943 Courier announced, ‘On November 25, at Summer Court, Southborough, to Mollie (nee Robson), wife of Harold J Holding, a son Anthony John.’ Electoral registers for 2002-2022 show Tony living at 11 Smythe Close, Southborough.

The January 1967 Courier reported the Old Skinners’ Rugby Football Club, and included this picture of Tony and said ‘Left inside three-quarter Tony Holding, aged 24, old boy and now master at Skinners’ School. Played for Kent II last week on the wing, which is his real position. Moved inside to strengthen Old Skinners’ team. Very fast and hard runner.’ Other Courier reports show Tony played hockey for Crowborough Hockey Club and (like his father) cricket for Linden Park and Crowborough.

The 12 October 1979 Courier reported the 71st annual dinner of the Old Skinners’ Society at the Spa Hotel on 6 October when Tony was the toastmaster (picture below right). The 3 April 1987 Courier reported the Old Juddian Society’s annual dinner on 27 March when Tony, as President of the Old Skinners’ Society, was one of the guests (picture below right). The 17 July 1992 Courier reported Leopards Day at Skinners’ School on 11 July and included the picture below right of Tony, the Leopard’s secretary.

The 26 June 1936 Courier reported, ‘The wedding took place at St Thomas’, Southborough on Wednesday of Miss Mollie Robson, daughter of Mr and Mrs W T Robson of 72 Wilman Road, Tunbridge Wells and Mr Harold J Holding, son of the late Mr J S Holding and Mrs Holding of Gillingham...Their future home will be at “Trevissick”, Ravenswood Avenue, Tunbridge Wells. Street directories show Harold John HOLDING at 88 Ravenswood Avenue from 1937 until for 1959 and 1963.

The 21 February 1964 Courier reported, ‘Mr Harold John Holding of 11 Smythe Close, Southborough died in Kent & Sussex Hospital on Sunday. He was 56. A keen sportsman, Mr Holding played football for Canterbury, Waverley and Chatham when he lived at Gillingham and when he moved to Tunbridge Wells before the war, he became a member of Linden Park Cricket Club. He joined the club in 1934 and was a playing member until three years ago....Mr Holding was a draughtsman for the post office engineering department and after starting in Tunbridgeb Wells was promoted to London where he was a senior draughtsman...Mr Holding is survived by his widow and son Tony who is at King’s College, London.’

Sheila WOOD nee STILL (40 Hilbert Road): “Christine works in M&S on weekends and Tony Holding often goes through her till, and they have a chat about old times.”

Alan DANE (70 Ravenswood Avenue): “Mr HOLDING worked for Post Office Telephones (before it became BT). He was one of the few in Ravenswood to own a car but unfortunately I cannot remember the make.”

Clive STACE (104 Ravenswood Avenue): “There was an older brother Tony (about my brother Chris’s age, born 1942) who shone at Skinners’, but I cannot remember whether it was in sport or academically.”

89 Ravenswood Avenue, Shirley – Kathleen SMITH

The GRO has a Tonbridge birth in 1928/3 for Kathleen SMITH, mother SELDEN, and a marriage at Tonbridge in 1924/2 for Thomas SMITH and Edith L SELDEN. The 1939 Register shows Thomas SMITH and Edith L SMITH at 89 Ravenswood Avenue and street directories show Thomas SMITH there from 1939 to at least 1965.

The 4 November 1949 Courier reported, ‘Scouts of Tunbridge Wells Baptist Chapel formed a guard of honour when their Scoutmaster, Mr F Johnson, was married on Saturday at the chapel to Miss Kathleen Smith. The bridegroom is the elder son of Mr and Mrs F Johnson of Crendon Park, Southborough and the bride is the daughter of Mr and Mrs T Smith of 89 Ravenswood Avenue, Tunbridge Wells...the two child bridesmaids, Christine and Sheila Still...’

In July 2023, Mark ADAMSON told me, ‘I lived at 89 Ravenswood Avenue from birth (1969) to about 1977 I think. My parents, David and Barbara ADAMSON, bought the house at about the time they got married in 1967. Jack and Millie CRITTLE [83 Ravenswood Avenue] were neighbours and became close family friends. Mr PEARCH lived on the other side, I presume number 101 [71 Ravenswood Avenue]. I remember him keeping tortoises in his greenhouse and on special occasions being allowed to go and see them, All of the gardens had interconnecting gates at the back and there was a great community of vegetable growers and lots of swapping of produce. My mother who lives in a nearby village still has the original stained glass door to number 87 which has been her shed door for the last 30 years!’

90 Ravenswood Avenue, Trecarne – Margaret KING

The GRO has a Tonbridge birth in 1947/4 for Margaret E S KING, mother HINTON, and a Tonbridge marriage in 1970/4 for Margaret E S KING (note the different initials) and Robert H MENZIES. The GRO has a Gipping & Hartismere, Essex marriage for Margaret S E MENZIES and William M A JAMES. The 5 December 1947 Courier reported, ‘On Novermber 26, to Lila, wife of R J King, 90 Ravenswood avenue, Tunbridge Wells – a daughter (Margaret Elizabeth Susan).’

The Courier 5 June 1936 reported, ‘The wedding took place on Saturday at St Barnabas, Tunbridge Wells for Miss Lila Hinton, daughter of ex-Detective Sergeant and Mrs Hinton of 30 Dorking Road, Tunbridge Wells and Mr Reginald James King, son of Mrs King and the late Mr J H King of 21 King֦s Road, Exeter. Mr King is assistant-master at St Barnabas Junior Mixed School...Mr A E King (brother of the groom) was best man...Mr and Mrs King’s future home will be at Trecarne, Ravenswood Avenue, Tunbridge Wells...List of presents...Pat and Michael Odell, cut glass egg-cups...’

Alan DANE (70 Ravenswood Avenue): Mr KING was a teacher who I believe later became a head. After moving from Ravenswood, he lived in Pembury. They were the parents of Mrs STILL (80 Ravenswood Avenue).

Clive STACE (104 Ravenswood Avenue): “Mr KING, on the crest of the slope above my house, taught at St Barnabas then got a headship at Pembury, and then went to live in Devon. His daughter Margaret did not mix in with us.

91 Ravenswood Avenue, Silverlee – Felicity BAKER

Street directories show the BAKER family were resident at 91 Ravenswood Avenue from between 1948 and 1950, and before that the WHILLIER family lived there from 1938. The GRO has a Nottingham birth in 1947/4 for Felicity C BAKER, and a Tonbridge marriage in 1969/3 for Felicity C BAKER and Barry W TOMLINSON. The GRO has also a Tonbridge birth in 1947/2 for Barry W TOMLINSON, mother THOMASON.

The 3 November 1972 Courier reported, ‘The preacher on Sunday will be the Rev Barry W Tomlinson, a former member of St Peter’s congregation, who was ordained earlier this year. He is serving in Leigh, Lancashire.’ The 7 November 1975 Courier reported, ‘St Peter’s – On Tuesday, Women’s Action (the Church Pastoral Aid Society) met at the vicarage for a talk by Mrs Felicity Tomlinson who is training to go to South America as a missionary. At the moment she lives and works in Leigh, Lancashire with her curate husband and her talk on Tuesday was about her work in that area.’

The 5 March 1976 Courier reported, ‘Two former members of St Peter’s Church, Tunbridge Wells – Barry and Felicity Tomlinson – are leaving the country to become missionaries in South America. Both were teenage members of the church youth group during the 1960s and in the spring they move to Santiago, Chile, with their two children. They will be working with the South American Missionary Society. Mr Tomlinson studied at Reading University and after completing his theology course became ordained and took up an appointment as a curate in Leigh, Lancashire. His wife Felicity trained as a nurse. Last week they both returned to the town to preach at St Peter’s in the morning service...’ There are several GRO TOMLINSON births, mother BAKER, for 1969 and 1976 that could be Felicity and David’s two children.

The 29 February 1980 Courier reported, ‘On Tuesday, February 19, the vicar, the churchwarden and three other members of the church, went to the induction service of a former member of St Peter’s, the Rev Barry Tomlinson who was made the vicar of St Mary Magdeline, Gorston, Great Yarmouth.’ The 25 September 1998 Courier reported, The Rev Barry Tomlinson has been inducted as the new vicar of Holy Trinity Church, Cliftonville...The new vicar, who originates from Tunbridge Wells, was ordained in 1972 and went as curate to Leigh in Lancashire. From 1976 he spent four years in Santiago, Chile, working with the South American Mission Society...At the end of his four years, Mr Tomlinson returned to England and to a parish in Gorleston near Great Yarmouth, and later at Great and Little Plumstead, just east of Norwich, where he was vicar and was also rural dean of Blofield...’ (picture right).

Electoral Registers for 2003-2022 show Mrs Felicity C TOMLINSON and Barry TOMLINSON living at Heath Road, Sheringham, Norfolk.

The GRO has a Marylebone, London birth in 1908/3 for Raymond Richard BAKER, mother DALGLEISH, and a Pontefract, Yorkshire birth in 1903/1 for Marjorie LUNDY, mother LAND. The GRO has a Pontefract marriage in 1932/1 for Marjorie LUNDY and Ivor ELLIS and a Pontefract death in 1934/3 for Ivor ELLIS, aged 46. The GRO has a Brentford, London marriage in 1937/3 for Raymond R BAKER and Marjorie ELLIS. The 1939 Register shows Raymond R BAKER, born 19 July 1908, a secondary school master, Marjorie BAKER, born 12 January 1903 and John ELLIS, born 10 February 1922, a bank clerk and part-time teacher, living at 17 Carleton Crest, Pontefract, Yorkshire (West Riding).

An Ancestry family tree has the photograph above right of Raymond BAKER and his wife Marjorie. The tree shows Raymond is descended from Richard BAKER, born 1839 at Battle and died 1909 at Hove.

The 1 April 1949 Courier reports, ‘Mr Raymond Baker has been appointed to succeed Mr C G Gaster as headmaster of St James Boys’ School. Mr Baker rowed for his college first boat in the Cambridge University Trials and was in the navy during the war. He served in many parts of the world, including America and the West Indies, and has taught in large schools in London, Nottingham and the mining district of Yorkshire....Mr Baker is married and has one small child...’

The 20 July 1973 Courier reported, ‘Retiring headmaster of St James School, Tunbridge Wells, Mr Raymond Baker, receives a farewell gift of a watch on behalf of the school...Mr Baker’s last year has been the school’s first year in its new buildings in Sandrock Road.’ The report continued, ‘Mr Raymond Baker’s 24 years as headmaster of St James School, Tunbridge Wells come to an end today (Friday) when the school breaks up...Mr Baker and his wife Marjoie, who received a bouquet at the ceremony, will continue to live at their home in Ravenswood Avenue. The couple have a married daughter and one grand-daughter...Mr Baker graduated MA from St Catherine’s College, Cambridge where he studied English and Georgraphy and rowed for his college. Before coming to Tunbridge Wells, he taught at Nottingham and Pontefract,’

The GRO has deaths at Great Yarmouth in 1990/2 for Marjorie BAKER, born 12 January 1903, and at Norwich in 1990/4 for Raymond Richard BAKER, born 19 July 1908.

Clive STACE (104 Ravenswood Avenue): “Mr BAKER was a headmaster somewhere, his daughter Felicity was slightly younger than you.”

Alan DANE (70 Ravenswood Avenue): “Mr and Mrs Raymond BAKER and daughter (Felicity?). He was headmaster of St James Senior School for Boys. I am not quite sure when the Bakers moved in to 91 but have earlier recollections of the name WHEELIER, who were acquaintances of Mrs MATHEWS, 72 Ravenswood Avenue.”

94 Ravenswood Avenue, Fordwich – Christine HARRISON nee SKEWIS

See 4 Fairfield Avenue

In October 2015, Christine, who is now Christine HARRISON, said, “I lived at 6 Fairfield Avenue from 1938-1962 and at 94 Ravenswood Avenue from 1962 -1980 after I got married.”

98 Ravenswood Avenue, Dunedin – Margaret MITCHELL and Florence BUCHANAN

The 1939 Register shows Margaret MITCHELL, a widow born 24 May 1874 and Florence BUCHANAN, single born 27 May 1883, living at 98 Ravenswood Avenue. Margaret is shown as ‘unpaid domestic duties’, the term used in the register for woman at home, and Florence as ‘head cook Government Hosp. Heavy worker’. Street directories for 1937 to 1955 show Mrs M MITCHELL living at 98 Ravenswood Avenue, and from 1957 to at least 1965, Miss F BUCHANAN living there.

Margaret died on 28 June 1956 and her death was published in the classified column of the 6 July Courier, ‘MITCHELL – Margaret, faithful friend of Florence Buchanan of 98 Ravenswood Avenue, Tunbridge Wells, passed peacefully away on June 28.’ The GRO has a death record at Tonbridge in 1956/2 for Margaret MITCHELL, aged 89 years (suggesting she was born in 1867, whereas the 1939 Register says 1874).

I have not been able to find anything about Margaret before 1939, including her maiden name, but presumably she married a MITCHELL to become a widow, as indicated in the 1939 Register.

Florence BUCHANAN

The GRO has a birth record at Hastings in 1886/3 for Florence BUCHANAN, mother’s maiden name MITCHELL, and the 1891 Census shows Florence living with her family at 7 Silver Hill Terrace, St Leonards. She is shown aged four, born at Hastings and attending school. Her father was Norman W BUCHANAN, aged 46, a hairdresser, born at Hastings, and her mother Charlotte, aged 46 also born at Hastings. Norman had been a hairdresser since at least 1867 when he is listed in the Hastings section of the Post Office Sussex Directory as Norman William BUCHANAN, a hairdresser at 1 East Parade (the A259 Hastings Sea Front road, just east of West Street.)

An Ancestry tree shows Florence was the 11th of her parents 13 children born between 1869 and 1889 at Hastings. Her mother was Charlotte MITCHELL and the tree shows she was born on 28 March 1845 at Hastings and died on 3 December 1934 at Ticehurst, Sussex. Her parents were Thomas MITCHELL, born 1812 at Winchelsea and died 1862 at Hastings and her mother was Mary Ann RASON, born 1805 at Eastbourne and died 1890 at Hastings. Is there a connection between Florence’s mother’s MITCHELL family and Margaret MITCHELL’s husband’s family? If there is, I cannot find it.

The 1901 Census shows Florence now aged 14 living with her family at 6 Silver Hill Terrace, St Leonards, but by 1911 she had left home and moved to Brighton where the census shows her as a visitor at 29 Beaconsfield Road, Brighton, a 25-years-old single woman working as a domestic servant for the HOLLINGDALE family and 10 children.

A few years later, Florence appears to have lived in South Africa for a while because there is a UK Arrivals record of her in 1919 arriving at Southampton on board the Armadale Castle from Cape Town. The record shows her as Florence BUCHANAN, age 33, travelling third class, cook, spinster. Her last permanent residence is shown as England and she intended to reside in England.

Florence must have returned to South Africa because there is another record of her arriving at Southampton on 22 August 1921 on board the Arundel Castle from Cape Town. The record shows her as Florence BUCHANAN age 35 of Crowhurst, Sussex, a cook. This time her last permanent address is shown as South Africa and her intended residence ‘British Possession’. This would explain why I haven’t been able to find Florence in the 1921 Census, recorded on 19 June – she was in South Africa!

Florence returned to South Africa on 16 September 1921 when a departure record shows her boarding Briton to Capetown. The record shows her travelling third class as Miss F BUCHANAN of 5 George Street, Wadhurst, Sussex, a cook intending to reside in ‘British Possessionsְ’. I don’t know how long Florence stayed in South Africa but she must have returned before 1939 to be recorded in the Register living at 98 Ravenswood Avenue with Margaret MITCHELL.

In 1968, Florence was the victim of a crime. The 2 February 1968 Courier reported, ‘Eighteen year old Joan McBeth, whose home was said to be in Scotland, was placed on probation for three years by Tunbridge Wells magistrates on Monday after pleading guilty to stealing £83 in cash, £100 worth of premium bonds and a deed box containing various papers from 98 Ravenswood Avenue, Tunbridge Wells. James Henri Bailey, said to run an antique shop in Camden Road, pleaded guilty to receiving the property. He was committed on bail for sentence to the Quarter Sessions starting at Canterbury on March 4.

‘The court was told that McBeth and Bailey had been living together on the ground floor of 98 Ravenswood Avenue. McBeth took the money from the top flat, occupied by Miss F Buchanan and then made the whole house appear it had been broken into. In a statement, McBeth said Bailey was in financial trouble and she wanted to help him. She had taken the money, bonds and deed box down nto him at his shop but had intended posting the box back. Bailey said he was going to use the money to pay off some bills. McBeth was advised by the bench to return to her home in Scotland.’

The 29 March 1968 Courier reported, ‘A 36 years-old Tunbridge Wells secondhand dealer was placed on probation for three years at Kent Sessions, Canterbury on Tuesday. James Henri Bailey of Parsonage Road, Rusthall, was committed to Sessions for sentence after conviction at Tunbridge Wells Magistrates’ Court on January 29 for receiving £83 15s, £100 worth of premium bonds, a deed box and papers to the value £84 5s belonging to Florence Buchanan, knowing them to have been stolen.

Mr Nigel Hamilton, prosecuting, said Bailey received the money and property from the girl with whom he was living, who had stolen them from Miss Buchanan. Miss Buchanan lived in Ravenswood avenue, Tunbridge Wells and Bailey and the girl was known as Mrs Bailey were living on the ground floor. Bailey was seen by the police and was found to have £27 10s in his pocket. The girl admitted the theft.’

Florence died in 1978 and the GRO has a death record at Tonbridge in 1978/3 for Florence BUCHANAN, born 27 May 1886. The 1939 Register recorded her birth three years earlier as 27 May 1883, and so it appears both Florence and Margaret’s birth were wrongly recorded in the 1939 Register. Probate records show Florence BUCHANAN of 98 Ravenswood Avenue, Tunbridge Wells died on 20 July 1978 and probate granted at Brighton on 4 September £23,199.

The 3 November 1978 Courier published the following about Florence under the heading, ‘£50 bequest to pay for a seat.’ The report said, ‘Mrs Florence Buchanan of 98 Ravenswood Avenue, Tunbridge Wells, who died on July 20, left a sum not exceeding £50 to her trustees requesting them to seek appproval for a seat to be placed either on the left side of the main entrance to the Town Hall or outside the library. A spokesman at the Town Hall confirmed that a letter from Mrs Buchanan’s trustees had been received and was under consideration. A decision will probably be taken early next year. Mrs Buchanan left £23,199 gross, £22,974 net.’

Clive STACE (104 Ravenswood Avenue) August 2023: 98 and 100 Ravenswood Avenue. For all the time I can remember there were two very nice but very different ladies living there. Mrs Wilson at 100 Ravenswood Avenue (presumably divorced or widowed before or during the war) was very genteel, and always had her beloved Pekingese dog with her, often in her arms. Miss Buchanan (whom I wrongly recalled as also at 100 Ravenswood Avenue, but corrected by you as at 98) was as different as chalk from cheese. She worked at the West Station (job unknown to me) and got there each day on a large man's bicycle. She was usually in trousers. Around the end of the war time she saw some lumps of coal that had fallen on waste ground at the station and picked them up and took them home. She was prosecuted for it, and I remember my father thinking what a disgusting and unnecessary act that was by the authorities. My parents bought a nine inch Bush TV just before the Coronation [1953] and about a dozen people crowded into our front room. Mrs Wilson was there and I remember brought a large tin of biscuits for the audience.

‘I completely misremembered about where Miss Buchanan lived, but now remember that it was a Miss King who lived with Mrs Wilson at number 100, and Miss Buchanan lived one up from them [98]. I do not remember Margaret Mitchell at 98, and certainly not Lily Bone at 100. I definitely recall just two people in 100 and I would be surprised if Lily Bone was at 100 later than, say, the late 1940s.

‘Regarding the names of people living at various addresses in the 1940s, one must remember that many single people lodged for periods during the war. At 104 we had a young woman living with us for some time. I remember her being there, but cannot recall any details, so it must have been in the mid or late years of the war. I imagine that some of these people were refugees from London.’

The court case referred to by Clive for Miss Buchanan was reported in the 23 March 1945 Courier under the heading ‘Did not want the coal to be wasted’, as follows, ‘If pieces of coal are found on the road at a goods station or near a truck from which coal has been unloaded, and they are picked up by an employee, or by any other person, does this amount to theft, even if such coal might be wasted? The answer is “Yes”. This point was decided when Miss Florence Buchanan had pleaded not guilty to stealing 10d worth of coal from the Central Goods Station on March 13. Mr D Morgan appeared for the defendant.

‘Evidence was to the effect that defendant was employed at the men’s canteen, and as she was leaving the premises, she was stopped by Detective Constable Browning and Detective Sergeant Huggett of the Southern Railway Police. Asked what she was carrying in her shopping bag, she opened it and revealed some lumps of coal.

‘As she explained, she had plenty of coal at home, but recently to make fires at the canteen she had to collect what coal she needed for the canteen fire, as none had been placed in the receptacle outside. Having picked up sufficient to fill two biscuit tins, which she took to the canteen, she had left other coal lying about, and she thought it was a shame to leave it there to waste by being crushed and made useless. She therefore picked up a few lumps so that it should not be wasted.

‘The magistrates thought that defendant had been foolish, and dismissed the charge on payment of 4s costs’.

100 Ravenswood Avenue, Tintagel – Hilda WILSON, Elsie KING and Lily BONE

The 1939 Register shows Hilda M WILSON, a widow, born 11 July 1883; Elsie L KING, single born 13 June 1892 and Lily M BONE, a widow, born 10 April 1882 living at 100 Ravenswood Avenue. Hilda is shown as ‘unpaid domestic duties’, the term used in the register for woman at home, Elsie is shown as a telephone observation supervisor and Lily as an assistant mistress at an elementary school. Street directories for 1937 to 1965 show Mrs H M WILSON living there.

The classified deaths column of the 3 August 1973 Courier reported, ‘WILSON – On July 26th, suddenly but peacefully, Hilda Mary Wilson, aged 90 years, of 100 Ravenswood Avenue, Tunbridge Wells.’ The 17 August 1973 Courier published a legal notice from solicitors, ‘Any person having any claim...Hilda Mary Wilson, late of 100 Ravenswood Avenue, who died on 26 July 1973...’’ Probate records show, ‘Hilda Mary WILSON of Tintagel, 100 Ravenswood Avenue, Tunbridge Wells, died 26 July 1973, probate Brighton 10 October £2827.’

Hilda and Elsie were sisters, Hilda being Hilda Mary KING. The GRO has birth records at Watford in 1883/3 for Hilda Mary KING and in 1892/3 for Elsie Lilian KING, both mother’s maiden name STYANT.

The 1891 Census shows Hilda, aged seven and attending school, living with her family at 87 Queens Road, Watford. Her father James KING, a 40-years-old ironmonger born at Thaxted, Essex, and her mother 37-years-old Emily nee STYANT, born at Chelsea. The 1901 Census shows the family, with the addition of Elsie, living at Melba, Watford, and in 1903 the family moved to Tunbridge Wells where the 1911 Census shows them at 56 St James’ Park. James was 60 years old working as an ironmonger’s assistant, Emily 57 and Elsie 18 working as a PO telephone operator. Hilda is not shown living with them and I have been unable to find her elsewhere in the census, suggesting she probably married or went abroad.

The 1921 Census shows the family (again without Hilda) still at 56 St James’ Park: James 70 years old working as an ironmonger’s assistant for W Pledger at 135 Camden Road, Emily aged 67 and Elsie aged 29 still working as a GPO telephonist.

Four years later on 27 September 1925, James KING died. His Obituary was published in the 2 October Courier, “The death occurred at the General Hospital on Sunday of Mr James King of 56 St James’ Park. The deceased, who was 74 years of age, came to Tunbridge Wells 22 years ago and was employed by Mr W Pledger of Camden Road for some years, and also by the late Mr Threadgold of Camden Road. He leaves a widow and three daughters, his only son having been killed in France in 1916. The funeral takes place today (Friday) at the Borough Cemetery.’

The GRO has a death record at Tonbridge in 1935/4 for Emily KING, age 84.

Alan DANE (70 Ravenswood Avenue): “In the 1950s Miss KING owned a Morris Minor car.”

Lily M BONE

The 1939 Register shows Lily M BONE was born on 10 April 1882 and an Ancestry family tree confirms this, adding she was born at Charlton as Lily M TURPIN. The GRO has a birth record at Woolwich in 1882/2 for Lilian Mary TURPIN, mother’s maiden name BURBRIDGE and a marriage record at Woolwich in 1907/4 for a marriage between Lily Mary J TURPIN and Thomas James BONE. They appear to have had two sons because there are GRO birth records at Bethnal Green in 1909/2 for Thomas George BONE and at Woolwich in 1917/1 for John Henry Moore BONE, both mother’s maiden name TURPIN. Thomas was baptised on 8 August 1909 at St Matthew, Bethnal Green when his father Thomas was described as a licensed victualler at 55 Chechire Street.

The 1911 Census shows Lily and Thomas living at The Robinhood, Cheshire Street, Bethnal Green, a public house at 55 Cheshire Street. Thomas is shown as 32 years old and a licensed victualler, beer-house keeper, and Lily is shown as 28 years old, a certified elementary school teacher. Their son Thomas was one year old and Lily’s sister, 18-years-old Ethel TURPIN was living with them. Thomas is listed as the beer retailer for the pub in the 1910 Post Office Directory, but had gone by 1913 when someone is listed there.

The 1921 Census shows the family living at 127 Kinveachy Gardens, Charlton. Thomas was then 42 years old and working as a machinist at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, and Lily was 39 years old and working as a teacher at an LCC school in Greenwich. Their sons Thomas and John were 11 and 4 years old and they had a servant working for them.

There is a GRO death record at Greenwich in 1934/3 for Thomas J BONE, aged 55, when Lily became a widow. I don’t know how long Lily continued living at 100 Ravenswood Avenue but there is a GRO death record at Henley, Oxfordshire in 1973/3 for Lily Mary BONE born 10 April 1882. The Ancestry family tree referred to earlier gives her date of death as 8 February 1973 and her burial on 14 February at Greenwich. The same tree shows Lily was descended from Thomas TURPIN, born 1790 in Devon and Thomas was descended from William BONE, born 1841 in Bedfordshire.

102 Ravenswood Avenue, Dulce Domum – Peter Shepherd

Street directories show the SHEPHERD family lived at 102 Ravenswood Avenue from between 1957 and 1959, after the TRUCKLE family moved away. There is no entry for 102 Ravenswood Avenue in the 1939 Register, suggesting the house was not occupied.

The 13 July 1973 Courier reported, ‘Miss Shirley Anne Howard, eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs G H Howard of 6 Pinewood Road, Tunbridge Wells, and Mr Peter Richard Shepherd, son of Mr and Mrs R R Shepherd of 102 Ravenswood Avenue, Tunbridge Wells, were married on Saturday at Tunbridge Wells Register Office...The bride works in the intensive care unit at Pembury Hospital; the groom has been actively interested in saloon car racing for several years.’

104 Ravenswood Avenue, Sideby – Clive, Christopher and Timothy STACE

The GRO has Tonbridge STACE births in 1938/3 for Clive A, 1942/2 for Christopher and 1945/3 for Timothy J STACE, mother BARNES, and marriages at Tonbridge in 1962/3 for Clive A STACE and Margaret J WILLIAMS, and at Hartlepool in 1967/4 for Timothy J STACE and Veronica I ORDE.

The following extract is from my book Pages of Pages about my genealogy research into my PAGE family of East Sussex. It follows an incident I described when my father Nick PAGE and Clive’s father Leslie STACE were police constables on the beat together in June 1940, and gave evidence against a woman clerk from the HQ of the Air Raid Precautions office in London Road, the Government department responsible for enforcing the blackourt regulations, when they saw a ‘a bright light shining in two directions from the office’ during a blackout. The woman was fined £2. I wrote, ‘PC STACE, the officer who had been with Dad at the ARP HQ, was also a neighbour because he lived at 104 Ravenswood Avenue. He had three sons, Clive, Christopher and Timothy, and it was Clive, who was a few years older than me, who started my life-long interest in butterflies when I was eight years old in 1952. Clive had a good collection of butterflies that he had caught, mounted and displayed in a cabinet, which was the way things were done in the 1950s, but would be very much frowned upon today in view of the decline of many species of butterflies. I made contact with Clive when I started the Ferndale Park website in 2015 and he helped with much information and memories. It was good to make contact with Clive after all these years and to find he had also retained his interest in butterflies. In June 2016 he sighted the Chequered Skipper (in Scotland) to complete a personal sighting of every species of British Isles butterfly.’

Clive said, “Our house was occupied by the FINNs – I had forgotten their name but your list has jogged my memory. They moved out when the war started and my parents rented from them, taking out a mortgage after the war when the FINNs wanted to sell.

“I was born in 1938 and the kids I knew were probably a little too old to be your pals. I became a University Professor in Manchester then Leicester. We moved here to Suffolk less than two years ago. Today collecting butterflies is frowned upon, but I still have my collection with several specimens from 1947, the year of the Clouded Yellow. My brother Chris became a senior classics master at a leading public school and now lives in Tuscany, Italy. Timothy moved to the north-east of England and was a primary school headmaster.

“My wife was Margaret WILLIAMS, known as Peggy, and lived in Goods Station Road, but just before we married in 1962, they moved to 13 Ravenswood Avenue – policeman SADLER’s house. You won’t have known her, but surely you would have known her sister Maureen (born September 1944), who would have been in the same class as you at St Barnabas.” I do remember Maureen.

The Wikipedia website says, ‘Clive Anthony Stace (born 1938) is a British botanist and botanical author. He studied at King's College London, graduated from University of London in 1959 and then studied at the Natural History Museum, London. He was awarded a PhD in 1963. His academic career was based at the University of Leicester, where he held the post of Professor of Plant taxonomy. He is a past president of the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland from 1987 to 1989.

‘The New Flora of the British Isles, first published in 1991 with subsequent revised editions, is considered the authoritative and comprehensive flora of the British Isles for the late twentieth and early twenty-first century... The second edition was substantially improved over the first in terms of general appearance, typography and illustrations, as well as by including chromosome numbers and an index, as well as species included...

‘In 2012 a newly described grass species, Brachypodium stacei (previously regarded as a form of purple false brome), was named in his honour. In 2019 Stace was awarded the Marsh Botany Award in recognition of his lifetime’s work as a plant taxonomist but in particular the fourth edition of his New Flora of the British Isles which has become the standard flora of the British Isles. He has also been responsible for a number of notable publications relating to the vascular plant flora of Britain and Ireland. He also wrote the student textbook Plant Taxonomy and Biosystematics (1980).’

The 26 June 1964 Courier reported, ‘Mrs Molly Townson, daughter of Mrs C K Townson of 27 Udimore Road, Rye, Sussex, was married at Rye Methodist Church on Saturday to Mr Christopher Stace, son of Mr and Mrs L Stace of 104 Ravenswood Avenue, Tunbridge Wells...Best man was Mr Timothy Stace, the bride-groom’s brother.’

The 17 September 1971 Courier reported, ‘Mr Christopher Stace, son of Mr Leslie Stace of 104 Ravenswood Avenue, Tunbridge Wells and the late Mrs Ivy Stace, has been awarded his PhD by University College, London, for a commentary on one of the plays of Plautus. Dr Stace, who with his two brothers attended Skinners’ School, graduated with first-class honours and was elected a senior scholar of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge in 1964. The following year he was appointed classics master at Christ’s Hospital, Horsham. Dr Stace’s elder brother Clive was awarded the King’s College, London Carter Prize for botany in 1963 and received his doctorate in 1965, and is now a lecturer in botany at Manchester University. His younger brother, Timothy, is sports and science master at a Hartlepool school.’

Christopher STACE has written a number of books and the alibris website says, ‘Christopher Stace is an independent scholar. After reading Classics at Cambridge, he embarked on a career of teaching and writing. He has translated Greek tragedy, Roman comedy, the Legends of the lives of St Francis, St Clare and St George, the 13th century Golden Legend, and made a wide variety of contributions to periodicals in the UK and Italy, including reviews for The Times Literary Supplement. His most recent publications have been an analysis of the 17th century Franciscan fresco-cycle at Borgo a Mozzano in Tuscany, A sua immagine (2018); translations of the 13/14th century Gesta Romanorum (2016); the 17th century Pentameron of Giambattista Basile (2018); and the monumental 14th century Conformities of Bartholomew of Pisa (3 vols, 2020).

Another website says, ‘Christopher Stace was for many years, senior classics master at Bradfield College. Other appointments include: Education Fellow Keble College Oxford and Consultant and translator for BBC series All the World's a Stage. He has published several books including: Florence: City of the Lily (Dent, 1989); a translation of The Golden Legend (Penguin 1998) and a translation of Thomas of Celano's The First Life of St Francis (Triangle, 1999). He reviews for The Daily Telegraph, World of Books, BBC Radio 4 Kaleidoscope and World Service Meridian.’

In August 2023, Christopher told me, ‘‘My brother Clive has passed on to me your extremely interesting sleuth work on the denizens of Ravenswood Avenue and if I may I’ll come back to you on various tiny details in due course. I find all this local history stuff fascinating, and – my goodness – what memories! Hilbert Rec was a very large part of my young life. I’m in my 82nd year now and unlikely to travel much again, but I’d love to remain in touch and add anything I can that may possibly be of interest. What a project! I do honestly compliment you. We have a cousin at Westfield (near Hastings) who has investigated our family's Sussex genealogy from its earliest recorded beginnings at great depth. Clive has all her family genealogies very nicely drawn up. I realise we were just one semi-detatched house, number 104, among many others, but what I have already gathered from the fruits of your researches has interested me greatly.’

I remember Clive’s father Leslie very well, a nice man. The GRO has a Hastings birth in 1913/4 for Leslie Arthur Walter STACE, mother TUCKER and the 1921 Census shows him aged seven living with his parents (Arthur STACE, aged 38 born at Ore, a carriage cleaner at Hastings railway station, and Phoebe STACE, age 38 born at Faversham) at 9 Winchelsea Road, Ore, Hastings. The GRO has deaths at Hastings in 1964/1 for Phoebe STACE, aged 81 and 1964/3 for Arthur H STACE, age 80.

The GRO has a marriage at Hastings in 1936/3 for Leslie A W STACE and Ivy E BARNES, and a birth at Battle in 1915/1 for Ivy Emnma BARNES. The 1939 Register shows them living at 36 Garden Road, Tunbridge Wells. Leslie was born on 25 September 1913 and a police constable, and Ivy was born on 23 January 1916. There is a closed entry that probably refers to Clive STACE, born in 1938/3. The GRO has a death at Tonbridge in 1969/2 for Ivy Emma STACE born 23 January 1916, and a marriage at Tonbridge in 1970/3 for Leslie A W STACE and Phyllis K TIPPETT. The GRO also has a death at Tonbridge in 1994/4 for Leslie Arthur W STACE, born 25 September 1913. An Ancestry family tree traces Clive’s ancestors back to William STACE who married Mary MITTELL on 3 October 1639 at Brightling (12 miles north-west of Hastings), and subsequent generations all lived in the Hastings area.

Writing about Pig’s Hill in 2015, Clive told me, ‘In quoting “Pig’s Hill” you have perpetuated an error that we all made. Pig’s Hill was in reality the hill from Dorking Road up to Albion Road (as it is now signed), not the one from Dorking Road up to the Avenue. The latter was a rough track when I was young, and only “made up” in 1947 by Italian prisoners of war. I remember throwing snowballs at them in the long bitter winter of 1946-7. Someone who can vouch for the correct application of Pig’s Hill is my stepmother, aged 90, who still lives in 104 Ravenswood Avenue. She grew up in Dorking Road. My mother died of breast cancer when she had only just reached 50.’ Clive was right about my wrongly quoting Pig’s Hill and you can read more about Pig’s Hill on the ‘Memories/ Pig’s Hill’ page. Some of Clive’s other memories of living on the estate as a child have been used on other pages of the website.

I got in contact with Clive again in June 2023, when he told me, ‘The main event in my life has been that Margaret died rather unexpectedly, but very peacefully without any known illness, in May last year. She was 82. We had been together for 67 years, 60 married, and before that she was my girlfriend from the age of 15 (and I was 16).’ Clive sent me a lovely photograph of Margaret taken in France when she was 44 that I have included in the entry for 13 Ravenswood Avenue on the ‘People/People 1-40 Ravenswood Avenue’ page.

Clive also told me the following story about his Dad during WW2: ‘Once my father came home from patrolling an area on his push-bike to tell us that he had arrested a German airman who had been shot down. It was dark of course and my father could make out someone approaching. As he got closer he could see that he was in uniform, and then that he was a German. The man reached into his waist and pulled out a revolver. For a moment my father thought he was going to be shot, but the airman simply handed his revolver over, only too glad to have escaped from the war for the duration. I remember standing in our back garden (facing north) with my father watching doodle-bugs flying towards London, pursued by spitfires. 1944 I guess, the airman close to that as well.’

Clive mentioned his step-mother Phyllis STACE, who still lived at 104 Ravenswood Avenue until recently. While researching the Hilbert Rec for the ‘Memories/Memories Hilbert Rec’ page, I found an article published on the Friends of Grosvenor and Hilbert Park (FOGH) website about her memories of the park that I have included at the bottom of that page.

Alan DANE (70 Ravenswood Avenue): “Mr Stace was a policeman and Clive became a professor at Leicester University. Sometime after the death of his first wife, Mr Stace remarried. His second wife, Phyllis knew my aunt Mrs PENTECOST [58 Ravenswood Avenue] from their association with St James Church. Phyllis used to visit my mother and run errands during the latter years of my mother’s life”.

106 Ravenswood Avenue, Windy Arbour – Christopher COULSON

The 1939 Register for 106 Ravenswood Avenue shows William JONES, born 2 July 1903, an electrical meter mechanic and his wife Annie JONES, born 8 December 1906, living there. Street directories show Wm JONES at 106 Ravenswood Avenue from 1938 to between 1959 and 1963, when Jn S COULSON is shown and Ronald HAMBLETT in 1965.

Clive STACE (104 Ravenswood Avenue): “Your street directory I found most interesting, especially the light it sheds on which houses were built first. Starting from the bottom: JONES was Windy Arbour and became 106, next to ours which was Sideby. Later about three more houses were built on the even side beyond 106 down to Hilbert Road – 108, 110 and 112, which is I think as high as it now goes up to.

“In my early years and teens it was occupied by Mr and Mrs JONES, retirees from Manchester. Around 1960 they moved to Bexhill, but came up to Tunbridge Wells in 1962 to attend my wedding. The house was then occupied by Mr and Mrs COULSON, who had a son Christopher, who often came round to play with my mother. Mr COULSON worked at Lloyds Bank.”

108 Ravenswood Avenue – Geoffrey HUCKSTEP

The 1939 Register for 108 Ravenswood Avenue shows Frank H HUCKSTEP, born 6 July 1885, a retired police constable and First Police Reserve, living there with his wife Emma K, born 20 September 1891, and their son Geoffrey W HUCKSTEP, born 29 March 1920, a junior furnishing saleman. Street directories show Frank H HUCKSTEP at 108 Ravenswood Avenue from 1940 to 1957 and Mrs HUCKSTEP from 1959 to at least 1965.

The GRO has a birth record at Sevenoaks in 1885/3 for Frank Harold HUCKSTEP, and at Tonbridge in 1891/4 for Emma Kathleen ADAMS. Then a marriage record at Tonbridge in 1914/4 between Frank H HUCKSTEP and Emma K ADAMS, and birth records at Tonbridge in 1916/1 for Frank R D HUCKSTEP and in 1920/2 for Geoffrey W HUCKSTEP, mother’s maiden name ADAMS.

The 1921 Census shows the family living at 38 Dukes Road, Tunbridge Wells. Frank H HUCKSTEP, aged 35 born at Otford, Kent was a police constable, his wife Emma K was aged 30 working at home, and their sons Frank R D aged five attending school and Geoffrey W aged one.

Frank retired from the police in 1936 and the 13 November Courier reported it, together with his picture (right). The report said, ‘Today (Friday) PC Frank Huckstep retires from the Borough Police Force after 26 years service. one of the most genial and likeable members of the Force, he joined in November 1910 and shorlty after the outbreak of the Great War, he enlisted in the Kent Yeomanry, afterwards being transferred to the 7th Royal West Kent Regiment, with which he saw service in France. He was badly gassed at Ypres in 1917. In his early days, Mr Huckstep was a fine all-round cricketer, being deemed sufficiently good to deserve trial with the Kent County Cricket Club. He is the best cricketer the Police Force have had, but he has not played in recent years. Mr Huckstep takes with him the best wishes of his colleagues and a large number of other friends for a happy retirement.’

The GRO has a death record at Tonbridge in 1940/2 for Frank H HUCKSTEP, age 53 years. His death was tragic and was the subject of an inquest reported in the 12 April 1940 Courier under the heading, ‘A Police Officer’s Fears. Thought sons might experience his hell. Takes own life by hanging.’ The report said, ‘The fear that his sons might have to go through the same experience that he did in the last war – that of being badly gassed and shell-shocked – was stated to be the cause which led Frank Harold Huckstep, aged 52, a First Police Reserve of the Tunbridge Wells Police Force, to take his own life. An ex-member of the regular Force, Huckstep was found dead hanging from a beam in a shed at his home 108 Ravenswood Avenue on Sunday.

The report said at the inquest Mrs Emma Kathleen HUCKSTEP said she found her husband in the shed hanging from a beam. She cut him down and unsuccessfully tried to revive him. PC STACE said when he visited the premises, he found Huckstep lying on his back in the shed apparently dead, but he resorted to artifical respiration until the arrival of the police surgeon who pronounced life extinct. The Chief Constable said he had known HUCKSTEP since 1910 when he joined the Force. He joined the Army in 1915 and was invalided out in 1918 when he rejoined the police and retired in November 1936 after 26 years service. On the outbreak of the present war he joined the First Police Reserve.

The GRO has a death record at Tunbridge wells in 1981/1 for Emma Kathleen HUCKSTEP, born 30 November 1890 (a different birth than that shown for her in the 1939 Register).

Geoffrey was baptised on 27 June 1920 at St James Church as Geoffrey William HUCKSTEP, the son of Frank Harold, a police constable and Emma Kathleen HUCKSTEP of 38 Dukes Road. There is a marriage record at Southampton in 1941/3 between Geoffrey W HUCKSTEP and Eva K BASFORD and the 1939 Register shows Eva, born 20 January 1917 living at Cranbury Buildings, Southampton with her mother Maria, and working as a ‘General Assistant W Conf’. Military records show Geoffrey William HUCKSTEP served in the army (1099188) Royal Artillery from 1940. The note ‘To CMP 10.12.45’ is attached to his record, CMP being Corps of Military Police.

The GRO has a death record in 1999/2 at Southampton for Eva Kathleen HUCKSTEP, born 20 January 1917 and electoral registers for 2002-2006 show Geoffrey W HUCKSTEP living at 8 Upper New Road, Southampton. The GRO has a death record on 27 November 2007 at Southampton for Geoffrey William HUCKSTEP, born in 1920.

Geoffrey’s brother Frank Richard Derby HUCKSTEP died on 14 January 1994 while living at 11 Fairfield Avenue, Tunbridge Wells.

An Ancestry tree traces the HUCKSTEP family back to Issac William Green HUCKSTEP (1448-1513 Tenderden, Kent), Geoffrey’s 12th great grandfather. His son was Sir Isaac Green (1465-1515 Tenderden) whose wife was Lady Sarah Anne Cordle-Hucksteppe (1467-1532 Tenderden).

Clive STACE (104 Ravenswood Avenue), “During the war and at least up to 1970, 108 was occupied by Mrs HUCKSTEP. She had a son (Jeff or Geoff) who was away in the war in Europe, and after a long time was granted leave. He returned to Ravenswood Avenue on a foggy night, walked down the drive of his house, opened the unlocked back door and walked into the kitchen. However it was not his house, but ours, one pair of houses away and in each case on the right hand side. I was very young but just remember it being a shock (and pleasant surprise seeing him safe) to my parents.” Clive later added, “I now remember that he was a prisoner of war, so it must have been 1945/6.”

Nicholas Tyler, son of Patricia ODELL, 78 Ravenswood Avenue, pictured (first left) in the 14 January 1972 Herne Bay Press, see text – photo thanks Herne Bay Press.

Carol Smith, 78 Ravenswood Avenue, autumn 1959 St James School – photo thanks Carol Campbell nee Smith.

Carol Smith with her father John in the front drive of 78 Ravenswood Avenue in February 1959. 76 Ravenswood Avenue is in the background – photo thanks Carol Campbell nee Smith.

Hilbert Recreation Ground summer 1961 (l to r) Lynne, Carol and Nikki Smith, 78 Ravenswood Avenue, with their mother Marion. Does anyone know who the boy standing on the end is? – photo thanks Carol Campbell nee Smith.

Marion Smith, 78 Ravenswood Avenue, and husband John on their wedding day in 1955 – photo thanks Carol Campbell nee Smith.

In the front garden of 85 Ravenswood Avenue in 1961 (l to r) Lynne, Carol and Nikki Smith, 76 Ravenswood Avenue, with 98 Ravenswood Avenue in the background (original front fence) – photo thanks Carol Campbell nee Smith.

Carol Smith, 78 Ravenswood Avenue, and John Gessey, 85 Ravenswood Avenue, in the front garden of 78 Ravenswood Avenue in the summer of 1958 – photo thanks Carol Campbell nee Smith.

David Gessey, 85 Ravenswood Avenue, and Barbara Gates wedding – photo thanks Courier.

Lisa Alcock, the daughter of David Gessey, 85 Ravenswood Avenue – photo thanks Lisa Alcock, Ancestry.

William Herbert Gessey, the father of John and David Gessey, 85 Ravenswood Avenue, with their aunty Eunice Penfold Gessey, taken about 1903/04 – photo thanks Colin Penfold, Ancestry.

The January 1967 Courier reported Old Skinners’ Rugby Football Club, and included this picture of Tony Holding, 88 Ravenswood Avenue – photo thanks Courier.

Pictures of Tony Holding, 88 Ravenswood Avenue, in the 12 October 1979 Courier (above), in the 3 April 1987 Courier (above right) and in the 17 July 1992 Courier (right) (see text) – photos thanks Courier.

Extract from the 4 November 1949 Courier reporting the marriage of Kathleen Smith, 89 Ravenswood Avenue and Frederick Smith (see text).

Reginald King, 90 Ravenswood Avenue, and Lila Hinton wedding – photo thanks Courier.

Mr King at the top class at St Barnabas School in 1950 – photo thanks Clive Stace.

The Rev Barry Tomlinson, husband of Felicity Baker, 91 Ravenswood Avenue, pictured in the 25 September 1998 Courier (see text) – photo thanks Courier.

Raymond Baker and Marjorie Ellis, 91 Ravenswood Avenue, pictured on an Ancestry website – photo thanks Ancestry Elaine Fitzgerald.

Raymond Baker (left), 91 Ravenswood Avenue, pictured on his retirement (see text) – photo thanks Courier.

Peter Shepherd, 102 Ravenswood Avenue, and Shirley Howard, 6 Pinewood Road, wedding – photo thanks Courier.

Clive Stace, 104 Ravenswood Avenue, pictured (left) at the 1947/48 or 1948/49 police party and (right) in the top class at St Barnabas School in 1949 – photo thanks Clive Stace.

Christopher Stace, 104 Ravenswood Avenue, pictured (left) and Timothy Stace (right), pictured at the 1947/48 or 1948/49 police party – photos thanks Clive Stace.

Clive Stace (right), 104 Ravenswood Avenue, receiving the Marsh Botany Award in 2019 (see text) – photo thanks Wikipedia.

Christopher Stace, 104 Ravenswood Avenue, holding the three volumes of The Conformity – Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, the first English translation (2020) of the writing of the Franciscan brother Bartolomeo da Pisa, dating back to 1399 – photo thanks Facebook.

Christopher Stace, 104 Ravenswood Avenue, and Molly Townson of Rye, Sussex on their wedding day in 1964 – photo thanks Clive Stace.

Felicity Baker, 91 Ravenswood Avenue and Tim Stace, 104 Ravenswood avenue, in 1953 – photo thanks Clive Stace.

(l to r) Timothy and Clive Stace, David Joy (68 Ravenswood Avenue) and Christopher Stace, at Clive and Margaret’s 40th wedding anniversary party – photo thanks Clive Stace.

Clive, Christopher and Timothy’s parents, Ivy and Leslie Stace, pictured outside 104 Ravenswood Avenue on Clive and Margaret’s wedding day in 1962 – photo thanks Clive Stace

Extract from the 13 November 1936 Courier reporting the retirement of Police Constable Frank Huckstep.

Doug Pearch’s cousins Peter Pearch (left) and David Diplock, also members of the Hilbert Athletic football team – photos thanks Anne and Doug Pearch.

Left: Thomas Edward (Tom) Pearch and his son Douglas Pearch pictured about 1960 with Hilbert Athletic football team – photos thanks Anne and Doug Pearch.

Doug Pearch, 79 Ravenswood Avenue, and Anne Blackaberry wedding – photos thanks Courier.

Florence Buchanan’s parents: Norman William Buchanon and Charlotte Mitchell – photos thanks Ann Yeldon, Ancestry.

Extract from the 3 November 1978 reporting Florence Buchanan’s legacy to the Town Hall for a seat.

Extract from the classified deaths column of the 3 August 1976 Courier announcing the death of Hilda Mary Wilson.

Extract from the 2 October 1925 Courier reporting the death of Hilda Mary Wilson nee King and Elsie Lilian King’ s father, James King.

If you lived at numbers 78 to 110 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).