From: Mrs Olive Brenchley (née Dodd)
Maidstone
I was born in 1916 in Little Rosemary Road, an extension to Rosemary Road. When I was three months old my family moved to 97 Cronin Road, where I lived until I was married in 1939 in St Luke’s Church.
I went to Cator Street School where a wall divided the boys from the girls. Mr Baker used to ring the bell at 8.55 a.m. In the winter some of the mothers would come to the school gate at playtime with milk and cocoa. My two brothers were in the Scouts at St Luke’s Church. Harry Burgar played the big drum and Ern Burgar played the cymbals. When we heard them coming down the street we would follow them all around Rosemary Road, Commercial Way, Cator Street, East Surrey Grove, along St George’s Way and up Cronin Road. They were happy young days.
On Thursday evenings at 8 p.m. we could watch the fireworks from Crystal Palace. We’d stand in the middle of the road (no traffic). That was a treat for us.
