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Bowls club’swar history


THE verdant lawns of George Marsham’s country pile were alien to the troops after years of carnage in the rotting, cratered, barbed-wire landscape of theWestern Front.


The servicemenwhowandered


through his peaceful gardens at Hayle Place in the summer of 1919 had survived a conflict that ultimately butchered 40 million, and left 80,000 British survivors with horrors so unimaginable, they were consigned to a lifetime ofmental anguish. Marsham, a Maidstone squire,


had thrown open his doors to the returning heroes by hosting a gar- den party in their honour. But,whilemany of themgaped


in awe at shrubberies that ex- ploded with colour in the June


Parishwalk


VILLAGERS in Linton will Beat the Bounds on a 7½ mile hike along the parish borders. The customenforces the parish’s


boundaries andseeksdivine bless- ing for the harvest. This year’s walk is on May 26


and starts at 10.30am from the car park next to Linton Church.


Summer fair


ULCOMBE Church launches its summer fair on Saturday, June 8, with a salmon and champagne breakfast at 10.30am. Other activities include visits to


the church tower and a teddy bear abseil. To book a stall call Bridget Samuelson on 01622 890912.


Musical day


MARDEN’SBigMusicalPicnic on Southon’s Field will be headlined byDoc Brown’s SwingMachine. The event runs from2pmto 8pm


on Saturday, June 8. Entry is £5 for adults, £4 for seniors and £3 for children.


8 Maidstone Weald May 2019


sunshine, oneman,Henry Libby, was busy inspecting the grass. “He suggested some ‘woods’ be


obtained for a game of bowls on the lawn that afternoon,” said Cindy Jones, from Loose Bowls Club. “The game was so successful, a


group of those present decided there and then to form our club. And George Marsham became our first president.” Libby and his chums struck a


deal with Maidstone Church In- stitute to play on a spare tennis court next to the Swan Inn tea


gardens. Sixteen of the original members played there until 1921, when theymoved to The Paddock on Loose Road. “In 1928, the tea gardens oppo-


site the Swan Inn became avail- able and the club was able to convert the land to five bowls rinks,with a sixth added in 1931,” said Cindy. “It has been the club’s home


ever since, with the membership increasing from 60 in 1928 to about 100 today.” The club’smilitary founders are part of its DNA, and last month,


as the 2019 bowls season began, Loose marked the opening of its centenary year by bringing the Army back. Gurkhas and the Royal British


Legion joinedmembers for an Ex- hortation ceremony which in- cluded the Last Post, a two-minute silence, Reveille and the raising of the club flag. Club chairman Fred Livermore


said: “Itwas a total success.What we need now is for more people, young and old, to join us and see this club serve our community for another 100 years.”


X Factor’s Jake is panto star


SPRINGmight be in the air, but the Hazlitt Theatre has already an- nounced the celebrity fronting the cast in this year’s Christmas panto. X Factor’s Jake Quickenden will


be the love interest in the theatre’s rendition of Beauty and the Beast. The singer turned reality televi-


sion personality was crowned the winner of the 2018 series of Danc- ing on Ice and was also runner-up in I’ma Celebrity…GetMe Out of Here in 2014. Jake said: “I am delighted to be


joining the cast of Beauty and the Beast at the Hazlitt Theatre this Christmas, I look forward to seeing you all there.” He began his celebrity career on


the talent showThe X Factor,where hewas a contestant on the 9th and 11th series in 2012 and 2014. He has been an anchor on The


Chart Show, trained for the Chan- nel 4 series The Jump, and is a pan- ellist on Big Brother’s Bit on the Side.


Hazlitt spokesman Michelle


Woodland said: “We are excited to announce Jake will be starring in the next Hazlitt panto. Last year starred Richard Blackwood and it was a huge success. “It was incredible and we re-


ceived a lot of positive feedback, we hope to do the same this year. Last year, 90% of our tickets were sold for Aladdin andwe had a


solid streak of sold-out shows for the last 10 days of the run.” Beauty and the Beast will run


from Saturday, November 30, to Tuesday, December 30. Tickets are currently £1 off.Offer


ends August 31. For details, visit www.parkwoodtheatres.co.uk/ Hazlitt-Theatre.


Reporting by Jade Schopman


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