Elm Plastics by Peter Douglas Winn
Mr Robert Michalkiewicz came to England from Poland and was a pilot during the Battle of Britain in the free Polish Airforce. His very attractive, shy wife came across at some time with their 2 daughters. Barbara and Danuta Maria. Birth dates, Warsaw about 1938 and 1940. They lived in Maidstone Road house number ??? (forgotten but you can find out in 192.com they have the number) and it can be seen on Street view. Danuta Maria went back home to Wigmore to look after her aged mother. She might be still alive and living in this house. She is still on the electoral register for 2024.
Her Father bought this house from a Mr Frank Stephenson whose cousin was Roger Kippling. He was a lecturer at the Medway tech college. He left Wigmore to become Headmaster of Luton college which was at that time subsidised by the Vauxhall car factory. The first one of every new car that came out on the market, always went to the College. He had a hobby playing the church organ and got invites from all over Europe. Interesting thing about this mock Tudor house is the WW2 damage. The had an Anti-aircraft gun at the end of the garden and the vibration and shocks cause subsidence 15 years later. I don't expect they got any war damage money as it was too long gone.
Barbara was the attractive of the two and spoilt by her father. She remained with her feet on the ground. She worked for her father as a secretary in his factory. She had a Messerschmidt Tiger car which had been tuned by the lads from the workshop. She loved driving fast on slippery Kent country roads. Her father was a Morgen car freak he kept on wrecking them so that the locals said he has bought a light post just for the accidents. He also had an Aston Martin DB2/4. He used to rally this car, for example he was a private entrant in the Monte Carlo Rally in the late ‘50s and at 18 Barbara was good enough to be his co-driver. Her biggest problem was, she had too much wealth and the local lads were scared to ask her out as they were living on apprenticeship money.
How does a young lad from the Dockyard ask a very attractive. well to do young girl out, when she turns up in dad’s Aston Martin. She played tennis at the Gillingham Tennis club. She was also a member of the Medway boat and ski club that used to run from the Gillingham part of the Medway. As money meets money, she met up with the son of Balls Garage (Aston Martin agents) and married him. She then moved to the crossroads on the A2 that goes to Sheppey. Last information was Mrs Barbara Ball was in care in Tunbridge Wells. She refuses to have any contact about the past.
Photo of Barbara at the entrance of a young conservative dance in Gillingham about 1958
Danuta Maria on the Medway Tech school tennis courts. About 1958/9 Danuta was an Elfin type, and she was the darling of all the male students. She was the favourite of her mother perhaps that is why she went back home to nurse her mother in old age. She loved dancing to Sid Phillips big band swing music. She studied Chemistry at the Medway tech. Got her A-Levels and was part of the Tech Bridge club. She went to work for a firm in London that made parfums for the industry. Her transport was simple, a Red Vespa. I don’t think she even had a car driving licence. She got on well with her sister. She went every Sunday to the catholic church down the road. So, I would think her father would be buried there. You might find some info there.
Father started up the business after the war there are records of his application to run a business shortly after the war. It was said he bought a plastic injection machine and started making plastic combs. Anyway, in the late 50s he had mould makers in his firm who were craftsmen. They made the moulds for his products. He made the Plastic Muffin the mule. This was the one with a magnet carrot. He then went on to producing the Ford emblems for the steering wheels and the hubcaps. His next move was to produce the plastic parts for the Airfix Models. His firm made the moulds and sold the finished product to Airfix. He used to farm out the assembly and packaging to local housewives, who got a pittance for doing the work. From then on, I do not know anything about him. Apart from his business neighbour in Motney Hill Road in Rainham Gillingham Kent used to call him Mr Michael.
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George Meegan is one of the people celebrated with a wall display in the Railway Pub in Rainham giving details of his epic walk across America in the 1980s. He walked for 6 years covering an incredible 30432 kilometers from the southern tip of South America to Alaska.
I think many readers of Action Forum, and certainly his many friends in Rainham, will have heard of George Meegan, one of Rainham’s most famous residents. I first met George during my last year of junior school at Wakeley Road, 1962. I joined for that last year as my parents had returned from Malta where my dad worked in the dockyard. We struck up a great friendship straightaway which continued through secondary school at Rainham Boys.
We have remained friends all our lives. George led a fantastically varied life, too incredible to give details here, but people who know will know! He was most famous for walking the length of America, documented in his book, ‘The Longest Walk’. He married Yoshiko during this walk and had two children Ayumi and Geoffrey, eventually settling in Japan where he taught English. Unfortunately, his marriage didn’t work out and he returned home to Taswell Road until poor health led him to Marlborough House in Rainham four years ago.
His health continued to deteriorate and, following a stroke and fall early this year, is in a residential home in Burnley, near Ayumi and his grandchildren, who visit regularly. Sadly, George barely recognises family or friends although, when I spoke to him in the summer, he said immediately where I lived so some recognition is there. I thought George’s many Rainham friends would like to be informed and I have his address if anyone wishes to write. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., telling me how you know George, and I will give you the home’s address.
Regards, Alan Crowde
Update: 12 Jan 2024 from Jim Hattersley
Your action forum 597 arrived today and I noticed the article about George. Things have moved rapidly since you went to print. Poor George died on Wednesday 10th January 2024 after contracting pneumonia. Best known for his 19,000 mile walk up through the Americas, from Tierra del Fuego to the north shores of Alaska, George deserves some kind of permanent recognition to keep his memory alive. This is currently being investigated. His daughter will set up a crowd funding page when designs and permissions etc are sorted out. He will be greatly missed by those that knew him. Hopefully, with enough people 'banging the drum' we will ensure that George will 'live on'.
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Action Forum magazine number 593 , September 2023. Cover picture is of Anchorians War Memorial plaque in their clubhouse in Gillingham Kent. Can you help with any history of the names?
ADLAM, LFP ANDERSON, IM ATKINSON, R BARRETT, KA BAYS, HJ BEACON, PJ BEET, CH BERRY, AF BLACK, WR BONFIELD, GM BRYANT, GJD BRYANT, K CAHILL, JWJ CAPON, PJ CASH, FAH CHISHOLM, JNF CHURCH, CAJ CLEMETT, JA CURTIS, MG DAVIS, DL DICKIE, AM EDWARDS, DW GLYNN, GR GLYNN, KA EMMETT, BR ENWRIGHT, CJ FARAHAR, RAJ FORD, CR FOWLER, DC FRASER, TJ GAY, LC GILBERT, EG HELLENBURGH, AJ HESTER, AH HUNTER, WAW JAMES, GTP JONES, T LITTLE, AW LONG, SR LOVELL, VC McLAUGHLIN, EA McLEAN, W MERRALLS, PE MOON, GE MOUNTAIN, RO NEEDHAM, FJ NORMAN, AJ PEARCE, NF PRATT, CH RAMSHAW, JE RICHARDSON, KR RYAN, J SEAGER, IC SHARMAN, PR SMITH, E H SMITH, FA STONEMAN, RT SUTHERLAND, JS TAYLOR, CW TIBBS, R WAITT, WT WILKINSON, ER WILLIS, JA WILSON, LR WINDER AJ
I should be grateful if information would be sent to me This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Sgt H N HOWES DFM 740896
Harold Norman Howes was born in Gillingham, Kent on 24th December 1915. He joined the RAFVR about December
1937 as an Airman u/t Pilot and was called up on 1st September 1939. He joined 213 Squadron, coded AK, on 7th
September and was serving with 85 Squadron in France in May 1940. On the 20th he damaged a Do17 of KG77 (4)?
but was then shot down in Hurricane P2555 by Me110s and crash-landed near Abbeville. He was unhurt and the
Hurricane was abandoned.
On 18th August 1940 he destroyed two Me110s and damaged a Do17, on the 31st got a probable Do17 and on 1st
September he shared another Do17 and damaged a Me109.
Posted to 605 Squadron, coded UP, at Croydon on 12th September, Howes destroyed a Do17 and probably another
on the 15th, destroyed a Me109 on 12th October, damaged Me109's on 1st and 2nd November and destroyed two on
the 10th and 15th.
He was awarded the DFM (gazetted 25th October 1940). Citation; During the period of intensive operations in
France, Sergeant Howes destroyed four enemy aircraft. In August, 1940, he took part in attacks against large
enemy formations. He personally destroyed two Messerschmitt 110s and one Dornier 17, and severely damaged
several others. Sergeant Howes has proved himself a brave and determined pilot.
Howes was shot down by a Me109 on 1st December in Hurricane V6844, he made a crash-landing on Gravesend
aerodrome. He was unhurt and the Hurricane was later repaired.
He was posted back to 85 Squadron, coded VY, on 9th December 1940 the squadron now flying night flying
Hurricanes from RAF Gravesend. He took off for a routine night patrol at 17.15hrs on the night of the 22 nd . He was
recalled when the weather began to deteriorate, he was killed when he apparently lost control of Hurricane I V6679,
perhaps due to icing crashing at Cuxton, Kent.
Howes was 24. He is buried in St Margaret's churchyard, Rainham, Kent.
http://www.kenthistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=18649.0
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