Time is of the Essence
| Published date | 01 April 1986 |
| Author | C. Horton |
| Date | 01 April 1986 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X8605900207 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
SUPERINTENDENT C. HORTON, B.A.
Kent County Constabulary.
TIME
IS OF THE ESSENCE
Most people, I suppose, have their own favourite time of year.
For
some it may be Spring, or the crispness of a clear
January
morning,
and for others, like me, it isearly summer, when Spring reluctantly
gives way to the season when nature's works abound in a luxuriance
we are denied for the rest of the year.
For
me this time of year has special meaning. As a child it
heralded aperiod of expectation preceding my birthday. This,
combined with lighter evenings, meant I could ramble through
orchards and hop fields savouring what country life was really all
about.
It
was on such an evening that, at the age of 12, I received
my first lesson in practical field craft from Mr. Hopgood. Mr.
Hopgood was a kindly soul, a signalman on the railway by
occupation, but a hunter by inclination. My father had mentioned
an interest in hunting and Mr. Hopgood had agreed to take me on
his next evening hunt for rabbit.
It
was with considerable excitement that I set out
that
June
evening to walk to
our
agreed rendezvous at the edge of a copse
between the railway line and the river. I passed across a level
crossing and immediately turned left, over a stile, and down
onto
the banks on the Medway. The river had lost its winter hue,
resuming its slow progress after the angry swirling late spring flood.
Ahead of me the river turned south east and I dropped down
further
onto
the towpath to follow its course. I cast my eye over all
the familiar things associated with the river. A bank vole entered
the water with its tell tale "plop"; a fishing float oscillated in the
current, held by an unseen weight. Across the river, to the south, lay
Tutsham
Hall and as I reached the copse by the railway cutting, I
could see Teston level crossing and through the trees the great
painted facade of Barham Court. Little did I know then of the
tragic events acted
out
at Barham Court, and of the crossing, 53
years earlier. To trace the course of events leading to this tragedy it
is necessary to describe the principal actors and the parts they
played.
The Luards
of
Ightham
Major-General C. E. Luard lived with his wife in an impressive
house called
"Ightham
Knoll" on the A.25 near Seven oaks. They
were much respected by the inhabitants of the area having lived
there for 30 years. Major-General Luard enjoyed adistinguished
military record, serving with the Royal Engineers, having travelled
widely in the service of his country. Mrs. Luard, who was 10 or 12
years younger
than
her husband, was the youngest daughter of
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April/986
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