People Linked with the Parish of St.Martins Miss Read Miss Read (Shafe) is the bestselling novelist of the famous Fairacre and Thrush Green series of books. On 2nd March 1921 at the age of 7 she moved from Hither Green, South London to Chelsfield. Her Fairacre books have been based upon her early experiences in the Village, the Village School and surrounding countryside. Her word portrate of Chelsfield 'Time Remembered' gives a particularly interesting vision of Chelsfield and its inhabitants in the 1920's before the Orpington by-pass split the village in half. Her mile and a quarter walk to Chelsfield Village School along church road with its yellow coltsfoot and celandine flowers on the banks. Past the violet and sage fields, ivy covered Julian Brimstone Farm, duck ponds, Court Lodge and St.Martins, The cream painted fire Station, the two Bakers shops, the Post Office, Neals the Grocers, the 5 Bells, the Wesleyan chapel and into school. How things have changed! She used to attend St.Martins church with her parents, who were in the choir, and her father occassionally played the organ. She makes reference to pumping the organ for her younger sister Eli who also played the organ when the main organist was away. The hand pump is still there and was put into action again in October 1987 following the Hurrican which left the church without power for three weeks. If you are interested in further details relating to Miss Read and her books, you may like to join the Miss Read discussion Group at groups.yahoo.com then /group/MissRead. Edith Nesbit Another famous author who lived on the borders of the Parish was Edith Nesbit, born in 1858, who lived for a period in her teenage years close to the South Eastern Railway Company's station (then under constuction known as 'Halstead for Knockholt') at Halstead Hall. Edith had witnessed the construction of the 597 yard tunnel from Chelsfield and the cuttings at Knockholt in the mid 1870's. The miners worked in terrible conditions, several were killed their deaths recorded in our Church Registers. As a founder member of the Fabian Society, Edith had become very concerned for their well being. It is recorded that she used to walk to Chelsfield Station. It was these experiences which inspired her classic childrens book 'The Railway Children' written in 1906. click for further information. Brass Crosby 'As Bold as Brass' - the saying that does not appear to make sense unless you realise that the Brass refers to Brass Crosby. Alderman Crosby was Lord of the Manor of Chelsfield, Lord Mayor of London and champion of the Liberty of the press. In the late 1700's he was imprisoned in the Tower of London after demanding that the minutes of Parliament be published. Public support led to his release and the formation of Hansard hence the saying 'As bold as Brass'. A memorial to Brass Crosby is on the North Wall of the aisle of the church and a Blue Plaque on a post to the Left of the Church Drive entrance. Our church extension is also named after him. To return to the main St.Martins page click 'Back'