Wartime school days revisited A musical feast


MAIDSTONE Grammar School for Girls celebrated its 125th an- niversary by opening up a World War II bunker that had been closed for almost 70 years. Past and present students and


staff were allowed behind the bolted door to view the 100m- long bomb shelter with tunnel- shaped classrooms. Gas blankets, gas masks,


desks and other items were arranged in the small space to help visitors imagine what it was like for pupils sheltering there, and a wartime algebra les- son could be seen chalked on to a wall. Music and famous speeches


from the 1940s could be heard and visitors read teachers’ and pupils’ memories of life in the bunker. Doris Ayres, head of English


from 1927 to 1962, remembered dinner hours in the tunnels were “enlivened by impromptu pantomimes, variety shows and card games” and “when bombs were heard falling we shouted ‘heads forwards’, away from the walls, in case vibration should split them and batter heads.” Pat Wilmshurst, nee Hollis, a


pupil at MGGS from 1938 to 1945, attended the open day. She said: “We got on with our lessons aswell as we could. I re- member dissecting a worm down in the trenches and I got


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when the skeleton was found, not far from where a Neolithic ceremonial site the size of Stonehenge was discovered last year. Scientists from the Uni- versity of Kent are now carry- ing out tests to determine the precise age of the Bronze Age man and how he died. Opponents of the develop-


ment known asWaterside Park, to the south of the A20 near J8, were thrilled to learn of the dis- covery as they continue to put together a case to fight the po- tential ‘urbanisation’ of their countryside. Lesley Feakes, who was on


the joint parishes team that fought against KIG in the same area, said: “We have been told that this particular area of the


into terrible trouble because I forgot about thewormwhen the ‘all clear’ went and it was dis- covered some time after.” As well as exploring the trenches, visitors looked around the other old school buildings and the new facilities. Current head teacher Mary


Smith said of the open day: “For many pupils it was the first time in more than 60 years that they’d walked back through the double doors at the front of this imposing building. “I enjoyed hearing from them


how much they felt we’d changed in that time, but also how we’d kept that special


Len Valley is one of the most important in Kent, both in pre- historic and Roman times. “Potential developers all use


the same planning consultants to do the same archaeology desktop survey and every time they miss what locals know are features – and are im- portant.” She said it was highly likely


the Old Mill Field contains the remains of Roman buildings. An Iron Age pot containing some 5,000 Roman coins was found there in 1956. “The coin hoard could indi-


cate there are Roman buildings nearby,” she said. Denis Spooner, chair of Bearsted’s planning committee, said: “Bearsted Parish Council remains resolutely opposed to


A SERIES ofmeetings between Maidstone Council and thedeveloperofacontroversialbusinessparkinBearsted havebeenunearthedbyHollingbourneParish Council.


The council submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI)


request,whichrevealedtherewereatleast18formaland informal meetings between the GallagherGroup, behind theWatersidePark plan foratradingestate south of the A20, and the council, betweenMarch2012and July this year.Themeetings involveddiscussionswithAutomotive DistributorsLtdandScarabSweepers–bothbasedinPat- tendenLane,Marden–andthecouncil’schiefexecutive AlisonBroomandformerMayor,RoddNelson-Gracie.


TheMardencompanieshavedeclaredtheirsupport for Waterside Park and said it is their preferred option for


18 East


Past and present students in the wartime tunnel, and below, a former pupil takes a look at the uniform she wore


from Bearsted BEARSTED Choral Society’s summer concert was a lively affair, with a range of popular songs and spirituals. The concert was performed


in Holy Cross Church, Bearsted before a sell-out audience who joined in with the last number, When The Saints Go Marching In, with gusto, under the guid- ance of conductor PeterAshley. The programme featured


songs by Gershwin, Cole Porter and Vincent Youmans, among others. The first half finished with a celebration of the works of Andrew LloydWebber, such as Phantom of the Opera, Cats and Evita. Martin Hogben, who accompanied the choir on the piano, also gave a rousing solo rendition of King Herod’s Song. Following the interval, the second half featured mainly the works of John Rutter, including Feel the Spirit, a selection of seven spirituals arranged for mezzo soprano and choir. Mag- gie Bloor returned to Bearsted Choral Society after a long ab- sence to perform the solo works in the spirituals, as well as singing Summertime from the musical Porgy and Bess. The society’s next concert


warmth and ambition thatmany pupils remember so clearly from their school days here.”


Fight against Hollingbourne development


any development around junc- tion 8 and on the KIG site. “It has told Maidstone Bor-


ough Council that in view of the highly valued landscape char- acter of this area in protecting the setting of the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty as well as the rural, countryside setting of Bearsted, as emphasised in the Secretary of State’s decision on the KIG appeal in July 2010, and its value to the setting of Leeds Castle, the Parish Council con- siders that the Borough Council should take advantage of the ad- vice contained in sections 9 and 11 of the National Planning Pol- icy Framework to provide long- term protection to this area as a valued local landscape and/or as a Green Belt.”


Up to 18 meetings about Waterside Park


relocationandwould protect some600local jobs. MaidstoneCouncilsayssuchcontactistobeexpected


beforethesubmissionofanyplanningapplicationandpre- application discussions are encouraged by the govern- ment’s National PlanningPolicyFramework.


TheGallagherGroupsaysithasconsulteddirectlywith


localparishcouncils, includingHollingbourne. Hollingbourneparishcouncilwilldiscussthefindingsat


itsSeptember meeting.


The£20mplanforWatersideParkwouldprovideaman- ufacturing,warehousing and distribution centre close to J8oftheM20–asiteopposedbylocalresidentsasbeing too near to that floated a fewyears ago for the Kent In- ternationalGateway (KIG)distributioncentre.


To contact Downs Mail just phone 01622 630330


will be A Musical Feast, which will include choruses from var- ious songs from the shows at St Margaret’s Church, Rainham, on November 16. For further information con-


tact George Moore on 01622 204874.


Classic films


MAIDSTONE Film Society starts its 65th season this au- tumn with a wide-ranging pro- gramme of international films. The season begins in Septem-


ber with Sightseers, from the UK, and finishes next April, with Blade Runner. All films are shown in the Hazlitt The- atre,Maidstone, starting at 8pm everyMonday. The season also includes The


Hunt, from Denmark, Dans La Maison from France and Beasts of The SouthernWild from the USA. Membership costs £24 for the season of 12 films. For more details go to www .maidstone-film-society.org.uk or contact the membership sec- retary on 01622 746078.


Tree to be felled LUKE Cunningham has been given consent to fell a pro- tected thuja tree in Abberley Park, Sittingbourne Road, Maidstone. Maidstone Council granted planning permission on condition that a replace- ment tree is planted.


Garage conversion NICHOLAS Ferrell wants to convert a garage into living ac- commodation at 9 Wytherling Close, Bearsted Park, Weaver- ing. Maidstone Council will determine the application.


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