Wartime schooldays revisited Society shows


MAIDSTONE Grammar School for Girls cele- brated its 125th anniversary by opening up a World War II bunker that had been closed for al- most 70 years. Past and present students and staff were al-


lowed 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 lesson could be seen chalked onto 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 as well as we could. I remember dissecting a worm down in the trenches and I got into terrible trouble because I forgot about the worm when the ‘all clear’ went and it was discovered some time after.” As well as exploring the trenches, visitors looked around the other old school buildings and the new facilities.


Bruce Mahoney BRUCE Mahoney (60), who spent his final 30 years in Kingswood and previ- ously lived in Maidstone, ran his own haulage busi- ness and worked as a lorry driver and plant op- erator, most recently in Bor- ough Green. Married for 38 years to Claire,


Bruce was father to Christo- pher. Claire said: “Bruce loved motorbikes, and later cars. He was always working on them andwe drove his Ford Mustang to Italy a few years ago. “Recently he owned a Jaguar,


a car he’d dreamed of owning for a long time. “We were overwhelmed at


his funeral with the colleagues and friends who turned up, many of whom obviously re- spected Bruce. “He was a devoted family


man who enjoyed eating out lo- cally and had a really good sense of humour. He liked to walk and discover the foot- paths in Kingswood and could be seen walking around the vil- lage with his grandson.” Bruce leaves his wife, son and grandson Zac.


Roland Carter ROLAND “Roly” Carter lived in Tonbridge Road, Barming for 29 years.


Originally from Melton Mow-


bray, he moved locally for his national service and stayed to work in a number of jobs in- cluding installing hop-picking


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 every Monday. The season also includes The


Hunt, from Denmark, Dans La Maison from France and Beasts of The Southern Wild from the USA. Membership costs just £24 for the season of 12 films. For more details of the films,


Past and present students in the wartime tunnel 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 im- posing building. “I enjoyed hearing from them how much they


felt we’d changed in that time, but also how we’d kept that special warmth and ambition that many pupils remember so clearly from their school days here.”


We will remember


machines: a subject he would later lecture on. He joined Tre- bor Bassett Ltd, working for them for 23 years and retiring from the position of engineer- ing manager. With first wife Doris, Roly raised children Janet, David and Cherry. Roly spent his final 29 years with second wife Mau- reen. Maureen Carter said: “Roly was a larger than life character who loved football; he watched local games, prefer- ring grass roots football and games at Maidstone and Gillingham to the top end. “He was a regular member of


a card school which met for 50 years and enjoyed games like shove ha’penny. He had been a regular in The Fountain in Barming before it closed. “A lung condition linked to


his early employment in dusty environments limited his later life but his friends and the staff at The Cherry Tree in Barming were wonderful to him and he stillmanaged to enjoy his life.” Roly leaves his wife, children and five grandchildren.


Kathleen Knowles KATHLEEN Knowles (82) lived in Loose for 25 years, with her husband of 59 years, Derek. The couple had previously lived in Boughton Monchelsea, Sheppey and Sittingbourne. Born Kathleen Jolliffe in Addington, she trained as a school teacher in Clacton and spent most of her local career working in primary and infants schools in Strood and Sitting-


bourne, working her way up to deputy head duties. With Derek, who worked in


thewholesale fruit business and became a sub-postmaster in the Maidstone area, Kathleen raised children Dave, Jan and Andy. Derek said: “Kathleen was a


lovely cheerful person, very bright and intelligent but not somebody who always put her- self forward. She stayed cheerful through ill health andwas a good friend to lots of people. She en- joyed collecting postcards, which she’d done from the age of eight; playing the piano and elec- tric organ and growing plants.” Kathleen leaves her husband, children, nine grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren, with another great-grandchild expected this year.


Colin Duncanson THE funeral has taken place at All Saints’ Church, Loose of Colin Duncanson, of Pympes Court. The Reverend Canon David Curwen – Colin’s brother-in- law – took the service. which commemorated Colin’s strong involvement with his local community and church. Colin leaves his wife Ginny, children, grandchildren and many friends locally.


Patrick Harvey PATRICK Norton Harvey (86) lived for over 50 years in Pe- nenden Heath. He was known locally for 38


years of service with Reeds Paper Mills of Aylesford, in-


go to www .maidstone-film- society.org.uk or contact our membership secretary on 01622 746078.


Tree to be felled LUKE Cunningham has been given consent to fell a protected thuja tree in Abberley Park, Sit- tingbourne Road,Maidstone. Maidstone Council granted planning permission on condi- tion that a replacement tree is planted.


cluding founding and manag- ing the Packaging Advice Cen- tre (PAC) for Reed Corru- gated Cases in Aylesford. He managed


PAC from 1958 until he retired


in


1987. Born in Bebington, Merseyside, Patrick had begun an RAF career before complica- tions arising from peritonitis brought about a medical dis- charge. He completed his studies at Cambridge University – where he met wife of 48 years Eliza- beth “Betty” – before joining Reeds. While at Cambridge, where his friends included Freddie Mutesa, future king of Buganda, Patrick competed in rugby and rowing. Patrick helped to found


Aylesford Rugby Club and Mote Park Sailing Club and competed at a national stan- dard for Medway Yacht Club (MYC). He also served MYC as wayfarer class captain, sailing secretary and a flag officer serv- ing two years as each of rear, vice, and ultimately full com- modore (1977 – 1978). Friend John Harvey said: “Patrick travelled the world and lived a full life. He lived in Finland where he studied forestry, pulp and papermak- ing. He marked his 70th birth- day with a flying lesson and took great delight in flying to Edinburgh on a British Airways plane captained by his son.” Widowed in 2009, Patrick leaves his children and seven grandchildren.


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