The Orpington Women's Junior Air Corp and Tubbenden Lane

Whilst sorting out her late mother Pamela's papers, Jane Kelly came across a collection of photos relating to the Orpington Women's Junior Air Corp (WJAC) and documents relating to Tubbenden Lane.


The WJAC was set up in 1940, along with similar organisations linked to the Army and Navy, as a cadet force to provide early training for girls who might later enter the armed services. The organisation continued until 1964 but nothing is known of the Orpington group and information would be most welcome.


Jane's grandmother Kate "Kit" Dixon (neé Drew) - seen here in 1947 - was born circa 1895 in Manchester. She and her husband George and daughter Pamela moved to Orchard Glen in Tubbenden Lane in the mid 1930s where they lived for the next 30 years or so. She died in 1970, a year after her husband, having moved to Oxfordshire. She was involved in setting up the Orpington WJAC and becoming the Commandant after her predecessor Mrs T.H. Street was appointed County Commandant for Kent (29th Jan 1943). A letter dated 27.8.1944 was found in her papers accepting her resignation and thanking her for her work (from Alice K. Street) and a further one from the Adjutant, Grace F. Frenay(?), thanking her for her work. During this time, George became a lieutenant in the Home Guard.


Below are three family photos kindly supplied by Jane Kelly of her grandparents and her mother.

The pictures below come in two or possibly three groups sadly undated, but clearly after January 1943 since Alice Street is on the saluting base.

After the long time she had lived in Tubbenden Lane, which runs from near Orpington station to Farnborough, she obviously decided to investigate the history of the road and one of its principal residences, Tubbendens. The results of her research are contained in two documents below, written in the mid 1950s, along with a collection of pictures relating to Tubbenden Lane. These with much of the source material has now been passed to a local historical group. Click on the buttons to see her work in pdf format.

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