August 2024 - Magazine - Page 25
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Photos: Pauline Little
In 1942 she married Philip and they
lived at Little Chill Mill Farm until they
moved to Petteridge in 1955, where she
still lives today. After the war she went
to work in the Plastics Factory at Paddock
Wood and recalls the day she was stopped
by a policeman for not respecting a stop
sign on her bicycle. Having asked what
time she started work he kept looking at
his watch to try and make her late, but one
of her friends had seen the situation and
clocked her in. She left the factory when
pregnant with Stephen and returned to
farm work before having Peter.
harlotte Emma Grace was born
on Derby Day, 2nd June 1920
to Emma-Jane and Jacob Playfoot
at Bakers Hill Cottages, Tong Road,
Brenchley. She was one of twins, her
twin was still born and she was not
expected to live, well she showed them.
In about1930 they moved to the
bungalow her father built at East Lynn
further up Tong Lane and Lottie would
walk to school in Brenchley which she
attended right through until she was
15. On leaving school she went into
Domestic Service until the War, when
she started working on the farm and
has fond memories of picking in the
strawberry fields with dog fights going
on over head and cheering our lads on!
Her love of driving at speed continued, and
whilst van driving for Gaedor motor factors
in Tunbridge Wells, she crossed the law again.
Being stopped for speeding by an officer, he
asked if she had not been given enough time
to do her job to which she replied, ‘no it was
because I had stopped too long for coffee at
the last call.’ She carried on driving well into
her 90s.
The last five years of Mum’s working life
were spent at Pembury Hospital as a Nursing
Auxiliary before retiring at 60. She then took
up sugar craft classes and started making
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Charlotte Hills 100th
celebration cakes for which she
gained quite a reputation. Mum
was well known for her fund
raising around the village and her
cheese scones were particularly
popular. Lottie was one of the
founder members of the Ladies
Committee of the Church Lads
Brigade and later on, when
her grand daughters were Sea
Cadets, she joined the Parents
and Friend Committee to help
fund raising again. She currently
has four grandchildren, five
great grandchildren and several
nephews and nieces.
Charlotte sitting on her father’s knee with her mother
sister Faith and brother Stephen (Stib)
We had booked the village hall for the
celebrations but all that had to be cancelled
due to Covid, so we were praying for a dry
day so we could celebrate in her garden,
social distancing. The sun shone and so the
day started. Unbeknown to Mum, we had
let several people know she would be in the
front garden with tea and cake, I think she
had three birthday cakes! She had banners
and balloons so there was plenty to show
she was celebrating even through lockdown.
Her eldest granddaughter, Emma had travelled all
the way down from Catterick to see her which she
found a wonderful surprise. Mum and Emma are
very close and now Mum has had to give up her cake
making, she has passed all her paraphernalia on to her.
Throughout the morning people kept arriving and it
was a bit like Clapham Junction, but Mum was happy,
if a little overwhelmed. The postman arrived with the
telegram, which is now a card from the Queen, little did
they they know 100 years ago that she would mark that
milestone. I counted more than 45 cards. The house
was like a florist shop and had a wonderful aroma with
flowers everywhere, everyone knows mum`s love of
flowers and she just about ran out of vases.
I would like to thank everybody
for all the love and thoughts
they have given my mum.
Stephen Hills
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