John Cecil Page

Sandra Relf recalls: I remember my Grandfather with great affection. He was a quiet man, until he had a drink and then he was the life and soul of any party! His working life was spent as a Fruit Farmer. He married my Grandmother, Blanche in 1923 and moved immediately to Kent where he established himself as an apple grower at Park Gate Farm, Tenterden eventually managing a 600 acres for James Hudson. In 1933, Mr Hudson built the house where my parents still live to this day opposite the Farmhouse where my father was born, for my Grandfather to look forward to when he retired. In the intervening years he rented it out to a variety of people including relatives

He was not permitted to join up when War was declared in September 1939 as his was a reserved occupation and he found himself managing as the entire farm which was turned over to mass production to feed an increasingly hungry population. He never mentioned the war years and it wasn't until very recently that I learned from my Father that Grandad, along with other farmers and landsmen, was recruited into the "Special Services" where they were trained as a Resistance Force in the event of an invasion. He learned to use explosives, lay traps and cause disturbances and mayhem.

He also joined the Home Guard and my father remembers him going out most evenings on patrol or exercises with the Home Guard and he took these duties very seriously. He actively encouraged Land Girl recruitment having experienced, on Park Gate Farm, their enthusiasm and dedication to hard work and he continued to employ women after the war and, indeed, right up to his retirement, as they were so reliable and hard working.

His retirement years were spent enjoying his 7 acre orchard which he purchased during his working life along with a cottage in the orchard and keeping bees for honey, a jar of which was earmarked specifically for me each week as he firmly believed that it aided my recovery from the numerous asthma attacks I suffered. He was a very successful fruit grower and regularly won top prizes for his apples at the County and Regional Agricultural Shows.