Archive brings memories flooding back

A couple of weeks ago, I compiled a piece concerning the untimely passing of a much-loved former teacher who, together with her late husband, taught generations of Great Chart and Kennington children, some now in their late 50s and early 60s.

Margaret Samuel, 94, who taught professionally for almost all her life, was laid to rest at Charing Crematorium in the presence of friends and family.

As many will be aware, one of Margaret’s notable teaching posts was at Bybrook Infants and also Bybrook Junior School from the early 1960s to the late 1980s.

It was here she taught alongside her late husband Donald who was the headmaster of both schools at adjacent periods.

The teaching style of the husband-and-wife duo will always be remembered for its traditional approach and values.

Some former pupils remember those less fortunate children from poorer backgrounds being taken under the wing of the Samuels and reflect on their teaching approach in a much preferable era.

As a former pupil of the schools at Bybrook myself, I remember Margaret and Donald very well and with much affection.

I remained friends in latter years up until their untimely passing.

I was dumbfounded to be presented with their personal photograph archive of the school including photographs of both the buildings, staff and group pictures.

One particular set of photographs in the large haul brought many memories flooding back.

These pictures show the interior of the former and now demolished primary school in Kennington which opened in 1970 and was demolished and replaced a few years back by a new school, which is now known as Phoenix Community Primary School.

This week’s trio of images showing the interior of the school date back to 1984 and come from the personal archive of the late Margaret and Donald Samuel, which has recently been deposited into my archive.

Many thanks to the couple’s nephew Rob Catton for his kind gesture.

Did you attend either Bybrook school and do you have any group photographs?

Would you be willing to loan them to me to enable them to be scanned for possible feature in the Kentish Express?

If so, please get in touch. Please don’t delay, feel free to get in touch.

Write to me: Steve Salter, Kentish Express Remember When, Unit 4, Park Mall Shopping Centre, Ashford, Kent. TN24 8RY

Email me: rememberwhen_ kmash@hotmail.co.uk

Follow me on Twitter: @SteveKMAshford.

Or you can also leave a telephone message for me with brief details by calling the Kentish Express on 01233 623232.