downsmail.co.uk Bernard Head


BERNARD Head (78) devoted much of his time to helping the community of Bearsted, his home for more than 40 years. He served as treasurer of the Holy Cross Church andwas also treasurer and trustee of Bearsted Woodland Trust, which protects 26 acres of woodland and meadow. Hewas a founder member of Bearsted and Thurnham Tennis Club; a founder member and trustee of Bearsted Bowls Club and a founder


member of the badminton club. Bernardwas an examiner of local organisation accounts, including Bearsted Parish Council and Bearsted’s annual carnival and fair. Hewas employed by local company Marley and after retirement in 1990 he set up his own accounts


RoyManser


ROY Manser (81) of Charlton Lane,West Farleighwas one of the best known and longest serving members of San FairyAnn Cycling Club. His membership of the clubwent back 68


years and he achieved national recognition as a racing cyclist. Barming-born Roy followed his father into


the blacksmith trade andwent on to start his own engineering business – Andian Construction. The companywas named after his sons, Andrew and Ian, whom he had with his wife Pamela. Many of his former club mates, friends


and family have commented on his achievements and passion for cycling. Among his early featswas a fifth place in the national 25-mile championship in 1958. In 1989 Roy and AnthonyWallis set a national 10-mile tandem record of 18min 17sec. Roy also won the Kent Cycling Association’s Best All Rounder Competition four times between 1959 and 1969. He remained competitive in the sport and for


the San FairyAnn clubwell into his old age. Roy famously ended his stint of national service in Cyprus by cycling home from the island. He also enjoyed other active sports including diving and skiing. Roy’s engineering skillswere applied to cycling and he built bicycles for fellow cyclists. Roywas taken ill on a “Wednesday wobblers” ride with San FairyAnn on August 5 and his condition rapidly deteriorated to the point where paramedics could not save him. Roy leaves his wife and son Andrew. Son


Ian pre-deceased him when hewas killed in an accident while out cycling some 18 years ago.


Amanda Miller


AMANDAJane Miller (50), of Hunton,was well-known locally from the work she did setting up and running the county-wide property management business Simon Miller and Company.


BornAmanda Smith


in Essex, she trained as a secretary and worked as a medical secretary in Marble Arch.


Amanda met husband Simon at a party in 1980 and the couplewere married in January 1984. Prior


to Hunton their homeswere in Gillingham and Larkfield. Amandawas baptised as a Jehovah’s


Witness in 1981 and remained dedicated all her life. Shewas mother to Lauren, Alexander, Constance and Morgan. Simon Miller and Companywas established in 2000, growing to awell- known and county-wide operation. The company’swebsite paid a fulsome tribute: “Amandawas characterised by her seemingly inexhaustible cheerfulness and enthusiasm for life. Shewas considered one of the most modest and humble women who, despite tremendous ability, always shied away from publicity and praise.” Amanda had baled breast cancer since


2007, a fight notable for the positivity and determination she brought to it. She leaves her husband, children, grandchildren Hamilton and Fox-Belle, parents, one brother and one sister.


Frank Conn


FRANK Conn (92) lived locally for about 27 years. He moved to Detling where hewas very active in the local community, living there for 18 years before spending five years in the Royal British Legion Village and a further four years in Allington. Born on the Isle of


Dogs, Frankwas in the fire service at the start of thewar and was mobilised into the Army, for whom he served as a ground gunner in the Shetland Isles and


Ireland before being transferred to the RAF and doing the same job at Detling and Manston airfields. Frank’s time in Detling eventually led to


him becoming central to the campaign for, and design of, the memorial that now stands in the village commemorating the service and sacrifice of the airfield in the war.


Frank’s working life included time in the


car trade, working as a baker, a milkman and a bus driver, and clerical work for the police. Before Detling, he lived with Alice, his wife of over 60 years, in High Wycombe and Orpington. Frankwas father to Stephen and Joyce. Son Stephen said: “My fatherwas


involved in a lot of Detling life. My father and motherwere paperboy and girl to the local village and also turned up on a scooter to do duties as Father and Mrs Christmas at the local school. He got on with everyone andwas a loveable and nice guy who kept his energy until very late in his life and donated to lots of charities”. Widowed nine years ago, Frank leaves his children, four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.


There is no charge for our obituary service. Call Neil Nixon on 01622 630422 or email nlnxn@aol.com Bus service must be reduced


Further, these buses travel too fast. This is


Dear Sir – I write on behalf of the residents of Hegarty Court, Cemetery Road and us at Constitution Hill, Snodland. Arriva has recently started a bus service through Cemetery Road down to the Holborough development. This is causing a lot of distress to residents. It operates every 15 minutes using double decker buses - 36 buses per day. This is completely ridiculous, as the upper deck is always empty. The last bus passes our door at 11.45pm,


which is not acceptable. This is having such a negative impact on our lives, not to mention on the road and our homes.


Contact our team ...


Stephen Eighteen Editor stephen@downsmail.co.uk 01622 734735 ext 231


Diane Nicholls


Assistant editor diane@downsmail.co.uk 01622 734735 ext 232


Jane Shotliff


Journalist jane@downsmail.co.uk 01622 734735 ext 233


Dawn Kingsford


Journalist dawn@downsmail.co.uk 01622 734735 ext 233


Malling September 2015 29


a small community with several small children playing outside. There is a children’s playground on the corner of the road and a school opposite. We have also noted that the road between


the cemetery and the Holborough development is being used by cars. Thiswas never intended andwe now feel it will be a rat run. Cemetery Roadwas once a quiet country lane - now it has become a nightmare. I dread to think what the situation will be like when the school re- opens next month, or when a funeral procession is taking place. Owen Reid, Constitution Hill, Snodland


Goodbye to Cobtree friends


Dear Sir – Earlier this year I resigned from my job as a ranger at Cobtree Manor Park due to stress. I left suddenly, without saying goodbye


to all the wonderful visitors to the park who I had got to know over the years. These people became good friends, but I only knew their first names (and the names of their dogs!), but they know who they are. I justwant to thank them dearly for all


the support they gave tome and to my work - it made it all worthwhile. Eva, ex-Cobtree Ranger


Obituaries


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