19. Endings and beginnings

2007 already .... it hardly seems possible, I know !

But cast your mind back now 50 years ago ..... to one or two of the things that happened in Dartford in 1957.

Perhaps you had occasion to peel a piece of sticky greaseproof paper off a piece of Christmas pudding last week ? If so, you'll perhaps recall that Dartford had a very successful greaseproof papermaking industry for many years? You may even have checked-up on the identity or personal details of a patient at Joyce Green, only to be informed that s/he was employed in The Dartford Greaseproof Paper Mills ? The factory was eventually taken over by Joseph Rank Ltd but sadly it closed in 1957.

Or what about employees of J.C. Beadle's (the vehicle body building specialists in Dartford) ? Did you nurse any of them ? The John C. Beadle company built up a brilliant reputation in the manufacture and adaptation of bodywork for private, commercial and passenger service vehicles but alas they also ceased production in 1957.

What else happened in Dartford in 1957 ?

Dave Charnley, "The Dartford Destroyer", who was born in Dartford in 1935, earned the British Lightweight Boxing Championship title in 1957 (and kept it too until 1963). Are you a boxing fan and did you perhaps follow his career as a national hero ? Even if you didn't, do you remember that after he gave up boxing he opened up several hairdressing salons ? Maybe you even had your hair cut and/or styled in one or other of them ?

1957 was also the year in which Harold Macmillan, the Conservative Prime Minister, told us that we (the British public) had "never had it so good".

So ... was it a good year in your life, and if you were working at Joyce Green, were there things that happened that you particularly remember ? Elsie Couzens (Joyce Green's very last "Matron") had been in post 5 years at this time and one wonders what she was making of her job, with her feet firmly under the table, by that stage ?

Have you got have particular recollections, views, comments about the various happenings at Joyce Green or in the Dartford ? If so, do feel free to send me an e-mail (via: careofu@hotmail.com