he was elected Hon. Chief Officer. At the recent Fire Brigades Tournament at Canterbury his
health was enthusiastically honoured by the officers of the South Eastern District.
Among his official activities may be mentioned his long service on the Bridge RDC and the
old Board of Guardians, his chairmanship of the Parish Council, of which he had been a
member since its inception, and his secretaryship for nearly half a century of the Bridge Gas,
Coal and Coke Co.
During the [first] war he was nightly on duty at the canteen run at the Reading Room for the
benefit of the troops stationed at Bourne Park.
In his youth he was a keen cricketer and turned out for the local club for many years, while
upon his ceasing to take an active part in the game, he assumed the duties of scorer. Despite
his 84 years, ‘Old Charlie’ is remarkably active and vigorous. He comes of a long-lived
family. His aunt, the late Mrs. Hayzen, who lived with him, was a centenarian, and it is the
sincere hope of everybody in the village that he himself will keep up his wicket and run into
three figures.
(Kentish Gazette May 28 1932. Williamson 172-3)
[Mr Wills died aged 94 in 1943]
Mr Charles Wills, of The Terrace, Bridge [ie Albany Terrace], near Canterbury, is
affectionately referred to as Bridge's ‘grand old 1nan'. His records of long service in village
affairs which earn him the title are as follows: — 68 years member of Bridge church choir; 51
years member Bridge Fire Brigade; 36 years Vicar's Churchwarden; 42 years Secretary of the
Bridge Gas Coal and Coke Company, and a member of the Parish Council, of which he is
now chairman, ever since it was formed.
Born in the year 1848 he attended the Commercial School, Canterbury, now known as the
Simon Langton School. On leaving he assisted his father in his baker's business, which he
took over upon his father's death in 1896. A man of charming manners an genial disposition,
Mr Wills has been closely connected with nearly every branch of sport and social life in
Bridge. He has been a member of the St Peter's Church choir for 68 years and has a fine
falsetto voice. In his younger days he was in great demand in the district at concerts. He has
also been the Vicar's Churchwarden for the past 36 years. For 51 years Mr Wills has been a
member of the Bridge Fire Brigade, and for the past 28 years he has been its Chief Officer.
These years of fire service must surely constitute a record. Mr Wills has always been a keen
cricketer, and played for Bridge CC for many years. He remembers playing in such good
company as Mr C Howard (the local veterinary surgeon), who on one occasion played for
Kent, Arthur Webb, who afterwards became one of Hampshire's leading professionals, and
Tom Kersley, who later qualified for Surrey, and was on the ground staff at the Oval for
several seasons. Even now Mr Wills does not forsake the game, and can always be found
scoring for his old club. Although 79 years of age he is still a very active and busy man, being
a member of the Bridge Rural Council and Board of Guardians, Chairman of the Parish
Council and Secretary to the Bridge Gas Coal and Coke Company, a position he has held for
the past 42 years. Those who during the Great War were in camp at Bourne Park or any of the
[other camps] that were around Bridge will recognise [in] Mr Wills the old gentleman who
assisted every night without a break at the canteen that was run by the late Mrs E Wilson for
the troops at the Reading Room.
Mr Wills comes of a family noted for longevity and is the nephew of Mrs S Hayzen who
celebrated her 100"‘ birthday on February 25"‘, and who lives with him and his two sisters.
The combined ages of the four people living in that house total 335 years. That Mr Wills, or
‘Old Charley’, as he is affectionately known, will live to celebrate his 100'“ birthday is the
Wish of all in the village. They are proud of him.
(Kent Messenger March 12 1927. Williamson 192)