The Noisy Ducks And Geese At Bradbourne Park Lakes

A Memory of Sevenoaks.

In 1971 Elizabeth and I bought our first home in Robyns Way backing on to these lakes. Sevenoaks Urban District Council charged residents half a crown (two shillings and sixpence) annual rent, for the right to have a gate from our back gardens leading directly into the park which was very convenient for a stroll around the waters edge. The Council asked for five years advance rent up front, and our solicitor charged us a fiver to negotiate this at a time when we had very little money!
The unexpected problem was the mess made by the birds and also the noise they made when they walked around on our flat roof above our bedroom window. Our roof was covered in gravel and the birds just loved to scuff around on it first thing in the mornings!
I recall there were three lakes with the lowermost on the other side of a road. We suffered some very hot dry summers in the 1970's and the water levels dropped alarmingly which made things difficult for wildlife. I was the secretary of the Bradbourne Park Residents Association, and I remember we gave our support to a scheme to pump water back from the lower lake to the top, so as to keep some circulation going. The lakes are still there and an attractive amenity well worth visiting,for the pleasure of a waterside stroll or an interest in birds. I recall you cannot walk the entire circumference of the topmost lake, as some of the residents' back gardens go right down to the water, but you can walk around the middle and lower lakes.