SNIPPETS from the 1960S

The swinging Sixties and the 'Summer of Love' appear mostly to have passed Capel by, but there were other matters concerning the Parish...

February 1961 - Bride-to-be went shoplifting. 

A girl who went shoplifting in London four days before she was due to be married was fined £5 (approx. £100 today) at Marlborough Street Court on Tuesday. The girl, Miss Patricia Crush, 24-year-old shop assistant of Whetsted Road, Five Oak Green, told the magistrate, Mr. Paul Bennett V.C., that making arrangements for the wedding "got on top" of her and she did not realise what she was doing. Mr. Bennett told her, "I would have thought it was a time for pleasure and excitement."

March 1961 

Five Oak Green women's Institute is to re-start its National Savings Group. This decision was reached at the monthly meeting last week. when Mrs. Croft spoke on "My holiday abroad." Tea hostesses were Mrs. Bowden and Mrs. Graham.

March 1961 - MAN MUST QUIT

Mr. Henry Walter Ball, a hop drier by trade, was told by Judge F. K. Glazebrook at the County Court, Tonbridge on Monday that he must leave Oast House Cottage, the property of his employer, Mr. Walter Wednesday at Park Farm, Somerhill, Tudeley, in six weeks' time. After a fall five months ago, Mr. Ball, a married man with one child, was now said to be unable to do heavy work. His employer wished to engage another hop drier to replace him.

April 1961 - TONBRIDGE RURAL ROADS SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING

Miss Bertha Buggs talked of the danger of a high kerb outside the Queen's Head public house in Five Oak Green and said that a man leaving the public house had fallen over and broken a leg. A sloping pavement was another hazard. "They are not always as steady when they come out as when they go in, are they?", she added.

June 1961 - VICAR MAKES APPEAL

An appeal for money to buy more prayer books in his two churches issued a fortnight ago by the recently installed Vicar of Tudeley-cum-Capel, the Rev. Frank Forbes, has brought in enough to buy 84 books. Another appeal sent out last week in the form of a letter welcoming parishioners to Sunday services has brought a heartening response Rev. Forbes said this week. The total number of worshippers last Sunday was more than 100 - at a time when most agricultural workers in the area were working all day on the hay harvest.

October 1961 - Pavilion Damage

Hardboard shutters, costing £10 (about £210 today), to cover four windows and two doors are to be erected at Five Oak Green recreation ground pavilion where damage has been caused by children visiting the parish.

November 1961 - PIGEON SHOOT MEDALS STOLEN - Champion offers reward: 

Two medallions, a collection of old coins, and other small items were stolen from the home of champion clay pigeon shooter and farmer Mr J. R Wensley of Park Farm, Tudeley, on Wednesday last week. He is offering a reward for the return of the medallions "which are of great sentimental value." Mr Wensley said he won the medals at the English Grand Prix at Bisley in 1959 and at the Grand Prix of Great Britain International competition at Chester the same year. A number of old coins - two 4s. pieces, two 5s. pieces and several 4d. pieces - a crocodile skin wallet, a lady's gold cigarette lighter and cigarettes and money were also stolen. The thief left some silver cups, valued at about £5O (about £1100 today), which Mr. Wensley had also won. Police investigations are continuing.

January 1962 - FOR SALE - 1.3 HILLMAN Minx 1953 black: excellent condition, heater. Littlehaven, Five Oak Green, T2.

August 1969 - PEMBLE AND TOLHURST NAMES FAVOURED

Capel parish council is to offer its own suggestions for naming the two roads on the new Gough Cooper estate at Sychem Lane in Five Oak Green.

At its meeting on Monday the council was told that the developers had suggested the names Bramling Road and Canberra Close but Mr E. G. Coleman. the clerk, said neither name had any particular local association.

He thought Pemble Close and Tolhurst Road would be more appropriate since they used the names of two families connected with the parish council since it began in 1891.

The names are being sent to Tonbridge Rural Council for consideration.