Category: Evenings at “The Institute”

Higham Memorial Hall November 1962, where Club members presented their hobbies to, well whoever turned up, I suppose. Probably, their parents. Quite a lot of them no doubt had a genuine interest in fishing but Rachel Nott, Margaret George, Christine Gundry & Carole Winslade appear to be more interested in being in the photograph than anything else. Photograph taken by Club Leader, Michael Barton.

The chaps, L to R Anton Britten, X Newton, Bob Clark, Dave Green, John Bartholemew.

Inside The Church Institute in Villa Road in 1963. Note the latest dance craze.

What larks?

Hand over those subs, Ian.

And you two.

During 1963, at a party at Les Baker’s house. Phil Leeson, Margaret George, some lucky chap buried under there, Les Baker, Carole Winslade, Patricia Leicester (later Trisha Baker), Roger Hislop.

Higham had a youth magazine for short while thanks to Michael Barton who for a short period enlisted the help of a fellow called Tom Parry who lived for a short while in St John’s Road. I recall him because I went o his house to  interview Barbara Britten and he gave us orange squash in jam jars because he had packed all his glasses ready to move away.

This allowed the more literate to show off their skills as this article by Les Baker illustrates; this one being ostensibly aimed at explaining the phenomenen of Mods & Rockers to a bemused older generation.

Double click the frame below to enlarge:

Back row: Ian Holliday, John Bardoe, Anton Britten, David Green, Malcolm Redsell, Steve Ditchburn, Phil Leeson.

Middle row: Geoff Allen, Jack Watson, unknown, Sue Kent, John Goldsmith, Carole Winslade.

Front row: Les Baker, Heather Hearn, Theresa Thomsett, Rachel Nott, Margaret George, Barbara Britten, Barbara Driscoll, Adrian Hearn, Pat Driscoll.

Well many wouldn’t be but you have landed on this site so you might just hold a passing interest.

Remarkably enough the Higham Village History Group is often interested in anything to do with this rather unexceptional Kentish village; even the antics of a few young people who can remember the 1960s better than anyone who was really cool at the time is supposed to.

I have a lot of photographs that some people might like to have on their screen saver to remind themselves of how wonderful they looked when they were teenagers. I will put various snaps on this site so long as I get a bit of feedback to reassure me that there is someone out there who is interested.

Mike Kent

Finally a document from the archives found by Anton Britten.

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O.K.. So it’s not exactly an original idea.