downsmail.co.uk Maurice Fry


MAURICE Fry (87) lived in Cranbrook from 1977, moving to the village aer living in Horsmonden from 1963. Aformer rear gunner on Vickers


Wellington bombers and the son of an Anzac veteran who survived the bale of Gallipoli, Maurice lived a remarkable life, making a massive contribution to the area in which he lived. His innovative move of selling raffle


tickets to fellow commuters on the journey to London allowed him to raise money for Horsmonden Cricket Club and invest in a clubhouse that became a hub for community activities. Hewas also central to the purchase of


land that almost doubled the available grounds for the club. Aer moving to Cranbrook he served as secretary to its bowls club andwas secretary to Cranbrook’s well known Union Mill. As a mark of respect the sails of the windmill were set in the mourning position for Maurice. Maurice spent his career in shipping insurance and – despite the lack of formal qualifications – rose to become a director of William Corey. Maurice leaves his wife Valerie, who he married in 1963, and children Robin, Heather and Martin.


Graham Hockney


GRAHAM Victor Hockney (67) died suddenly in hospital.


He spent most of


his life in and around the Maidstone area, and aended Senacre School. In his early working life he worked in the old Primrose & Len Dairy on the corner of Romney Place. He


was beer known by many as a bus driver with Maidstone Borough Bus Corporation and laerly as a porter and manager at the old opthalmic hospital in Marsham Street, where he always had a cheery quip and a smile for all whose paths he crossed. He enjoyed aending steam rallies and


loved animals and the countryside. In the last decade of his life he retired to the countryside with his wife, enjoying the wide open spaces and his menagerie of dogs, ducks, a goat, hens, birds and fish. Sister-in-law Kathy said: “Hewas a very


quiet man who listened more than he talked, but he had awarmth and an optimism about him, even when he had persistent bouts of ill health.”


Graham leaves his wife Theresa, sons Darren and Tyler, daughter Tandy, grandchildren, and his two sisters.


Nora Tolhurst


BEARSTED’S Nora Tolhurstwas born in 1921.


Raised in Langley, she began working


locally before training as a nursery nurse at the age of 14, in Baersea. She funded her training through earnings from sewing and kniing, establishing a life-long paern of disciplinedworking and pushing herself to achieve. DuringWorldWar II she looked aer 100


evacuated children in Sussex before returning to London and becoming involved in paediatric nursing. She lacked the academic qualifications to train for state registered nurse (SRN) validation, but was able to gain a place on condition she didn’t fall behind academically. She succeeded and enjoyed a demanding


career, including posts at King’s College Hospital, and as a district midwife. At one point her duties included caring for former prisoners ofwar who had been held by the Japanese. In 1959 Nora moved to Bearsted to care


for her parents and an uncle, aer her mother had suffered a stroke. She moved to a house with no electricity and alsoworked part-time at St Faith’s home for unmarried mothers. Aer the deaths of her parents, Nora finished her career at theWest Kent Hospital, where she became a nursing sister andwas noted for the standards of discipline and aention to detail she brought to herwork.


MalcolmMitchell


MALCOLM Mitchell (80) lived in the Maidstone area his whole life. He lived in Loose for the past 30 years andwas born and started married life in Tovil. Educated initially in Dion, Malcolm’s parents ran a post office on Whitmore Street, Maidstone. Hewent to the Commercial School in Maidstone and then into the local building trade, starting with Charles Walter and Halls. With wife Beatrice he raised daughters Alison and Shirley. Unfortunately Alison, also a Loose resident, died in 2004. He played cricket for Leeds and


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Broomfield, and Godlands andwas involved for many years with Kent & Maidstone Football Referees Association. He also served a year as Cranbrook Golf Club Veterans section captain. Malcolm was widowed and aer he had a stroke in 2002 he took up playing bowls at Loose Bowls Club. He had been in poor health for some time


before his death. Malcolmwas close to his four grandchildren: Lee, Viki, Simon and Melanie. He also had two great- grandchildren: Sophie andWilliam.


Ken Rhodes


KEN Rhodes (83)was an only child and lived in Howland Road, Marden for his entire life. While he began work as a telegraph boy,


the majority of hisworking lifewas spent as a window cleaner. Hewas awell-known character in the area andwas oen spoed out on his bicycle, which had a unique side aachment to carry his ladder. Ken did not justwork in the immediate vicinity; he cycled many miles to cover his window cleaning round. He continued to work until well into his 70s. As Ken had no immediate family, garage proprietor Liz Stanley thought itwas important to arrange a collection for a remembrance service andwake in his memory.


The response and support from the villagerswas outstanding. Liz said: “Ken never changed, he remained a smiley character who always


acknowledged


people, his favourite subjectwas the weather, typical sayings being: ‘lovely day for jogging’ or ‘nice day for the ducks’. “Hewas extremely kind and sowell known and trustworthy that he held the keys for the village chemist and bank, both of which he cleaned. Hewas a member of Marden Bowls Club and had the ability to bowl with either arm. In his laer years, he became a regular visitor to The Wheelchair Club in Staplehurst and the Thursday Club in Marden.”


Eric Hubbard


ERIC Hubbard (86) lived on the Senacre Estate for 27 years. Born in Chartham, his police career brought him to Maidstone, where heworked at Kent County Police headquarters as a driving instructor. Ericwas married for more than 45 years


to Doreen, who died 11 years ago. Hewas father to Michael and Amanda.


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Obituaries


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