MY RECENT VISIT TO DYMCHURCH PARTLY UNRAVELLED THE MYSTERY ABOUT THE CAFE "ON STILTS" AS
TOLD TO ME BY PETER DRUMMOND AS I PERSONALLY DO NOT RE-CALL, BUT THERE AGAIN DRUMMOND WAS
ONLY IN THE CAFE TO FIDDLE THE MACHINE UNLIKE THE REST OF US "HONEST AND TRUTHFUL"! LADS, IT
APPEARS THAT THERE WAS A WOODEN BRIDGE THAT SPANNED THE EXIT FROM THE CAMP TO THE BEACH
(As explained to me by the train driver of the miniature railway, who was there at the same time and before the second world war)
ON TOP OF THIS WOODEN BRIDGE WAS THE CAFE AND WAS CALLED "THE DECK CAFE" THE CAMP ITSELF IS
NOW OCCUPIED BY A HOUSING ESTATE, AND THEY LOOK LIKE THEY MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT IN THE SIXTIES
(That is only guess work on my behalf) THE CAMP BEFORE THE WAR WAS NAMED "THE DUKE OF YORK BOYS CAMP"
AS EXPLAINED BY THE TRAIN DRIVER. THE SEWER PIPE IS STILL OCCUPYING
THE BEACH AND OUT TO THE SEA, BUT NOW HAS A HANDRAIL TO STOP YOU FALLING "OFF" IF YOU STILL
FANCY "RUNNING" ALONG IT, OR PERHAPS THESE DAYS "WALKING"
DUNGENESS POWER STATION CAN BE SEEN FROM THE BEACH
(This we witnessed in 1962 being towed to the site as explained by "SKIP" to us)
PHOTO'S OF MY RECENT VISIT ARE DISPLAYED BELOW
DAVE ... SEE YOU ALL SOON

Sewer pipe now with a handrail

Martello tower note the gun on the top pointing towards our
former camp, do you think the locals wanted to blow it up

Dymchurch seafront and promenade a little more tidy than our day.
Note Dungeness power station in the distance

This housing estate now occupies the fields where the
camp used to be

Jefferstone Lane. St Marys Bay. Dymchurch

Dymchurch Miniature Railway Station

High Street Dymchurch

Picture post card of the camp at St Marys Bay

As you can see in the post card picture the St Marys Bay Camp had its own Train Station.( bottom right scene )
I can remember being in the field just behind the camp and watching the trains go past.
I was also told there was another camp that was in the town of Dymchurch, it was also a camp for children in care, but it was the
St Marys Bay camp in Jefferstone Lane that was the Dr Barnardos Boys Camp.
Dungeness power station can be seen in the distance of the bottom left scene on the post card. I can remember sitting on the beach
a group of us boys with Skip, and seeing lights moving across the water in the distance out to sea we asked Skip what they were,
and he told us it was the nuclear power station being towed into Dungeness.
Those are the only two memories I have of Dymchurch, I must of been impressed.

Page Compiled October 2006

All images and text copyright © to Goldings Old Boys reunion members

Jefferstone Lane is where the St Marys Bay holiday Camp was
Situated.
Opened over 80 years ago in 1924 by Joseph Allnatt.
He bought a disused aerodrome and converted it into a Residential
Centre for Schools during the summer and ran it as a Turkey farm
during the winter!
Later in the 60s and 70s to become The Schools Journey Centre.
The camp was then closed and finally demolished in the early 80s

“Didn’t we have a Lovely day
the day we went to Dymchurch”