Standing from left are Jack ‘Skip’ Taylor, Fanny Morris and Reginald Goldsmid. Seated on the left is the headmaster Samuel Rowland ‘Dick’ Forsey and on the right the vicar, the Rev. John Castle
Reference: WH0779
To the south of the town, at the top of Hosey Hill and shown here in the foreground could be found ‘Little Squerryes Guest, Luncheon and Tea House’. In the late 1920s this gentle-paced establishment run by Miss Bowles, offered an overnight stay if required and a chance to linger and enjoy a walk on ...
Reference: WH1054
George Wells had fond memories of the blacksmith’s forges of Verrall by Mill Lane and the Nicholas’ Brothers in their yard in the High Street, opposite New Street. “…when I was a lad we used to go into Mr Nicholas’ yard and have a look at what they were doing – he didn’t mind, he ...
Reference: WH0961
Here follows a series of 5 invoices to John Hooker from Ernest Blackton at the Wolfe Garage for repairs, supply of motorcycle parts and purchase of a motorcycle in the mid-1920s
Reference: WH0043
It appears that Joe Jenner gained an introduction to Churchill as early as 1922, when the Churchill’s were temporarily living at Hosey Rigge, awaiting the finishing of structural alterations to Chartwell, their recently purchased home. Jenner was summoned to the house where Churchill asked if he could be driven to London. Only too pleased to ...
Reference: 0021
Frank Lewis Jenner was born in Westerham in 1902, the third son of six surviving children. His parents Edward and Sarah lived at Valence Lodge, where his father was a domestic coachman and later chauffeur for the Watney family. During Ernest Blackton’s time in the late 1920s, Wolfe Garage had run a taxi service from the ...
Reference: WH0965
A London Evening Standard edition for June 1949 ran an article: ‘Sergeant Joe waits for Mr Churchill’ Mr Winston Churchill was presenting long-service medals to fifty special constables at Westerham (pop 3700), two miles from Chartwell Manor, his country home in Kent. In Saint Mary’s 200-seat Church Hall were ‘specials’ who enrolled during the IRA troubles in 1939 ...
Reference: WH0967
Frank ‘Joe’ Jenner ran his taxi and chauffeur business from some old stables and a tiny office in the yard of The Kings Arms Hotel. Standing here beside one of his prestige vintage steeds, a 1921 Sunbeam saloon. During Ernest Blackton’s time in the late 1920s, Wolfe Garage had run a taxi service from the Kings ...
Reference: 0022
From the obituary for John Townsend, February 1917 “…He commenced his walk in life when a young man, coming to Westerham and taking charge of the stud of the late Mr Kitchin, at Dunsdale. Always extremely fond of animals he found a work congenial to his nature. With a natural aptitude for the management of horses, ...
Reference: WH0963
A man of many talents as a farmer, carting proprietor and publican at the Warde Arms, Townsend kept his horses, carts and carriages in ‘Commodious Stables and Coach-Houses adjoining the railway station’. It was a business that saw him through to his end which was a timely demise, as the motor car was beginning to ...
Reference: WH0962
Looking every bit a horse drawn group of ‘Jolly Boys’ wait for the off outside the Warde Arms circa 1885. No doubt there was a barrel of bright beer stowed away on board somewhere for the journey. John Townsend’s cartage business included open and closed carriages, the most famous in living memory being ‘The Pride of ...
Reference: WH0960
Under the ownership of Norman Watney, the mansion of Dunsdale was reputed to have become the dower-house of Valence and was tenanted to retired merchant Francis John Johnstone and his family from the time of Watkins’ purchase in 1890 to the year of both Watkins and Johnstones deaths in 1911. It is somewhat ironic that ...
Reference: WH1006