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Joe Hadley
Chief Instructor
Dover 1953 -1976 |
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Joseph George Hadley was born on the 22nd April 1922
at 6 Bowling Green Terrace, Dover, about 200 yards from the school. At 2 years
of age his mother moved to 39 The Rope Walk where he attended Trinity
School until 14 years. He started work on a local farm. His father died
leaving a widow, six brothers and one sister. She put the boys in Royal
Naval Schools and Joe in the PWSTH at Limehouse on 30th October 1936.
When he finished there he joined his first ship SS Beaver
Ford. He continued F.G through the war years including the Atlantic
Convoys of which he would speak very little. He stayed deep sea until 1950
and joined the B.R Fleet. He passed for Master at the age of 27 years.
When the school came to Dover he joined as Chief Officer.
He said he did so because the school had given him a good life and he
wanted other lads to have the same. After the school closed he went back
to Dover Docks as Birthing Master, from which he retired at the age of 65.
Unfortunately he died two months later.
Doreen Dennard (Joes wife)
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photo courtesy of Mrs Dennard
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| Joe's final report from PWSTH Limehouse
signed by J.C.K Dowding |
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Words from Peter Washington - One
thought comes to mind when I see old man Hadley, he was a bit of a
mystery, on an early shot he has medal ribbons but during the time I was
in his class he never had them on his tunic. The story went that he had
served before the mast on the old riggers, but nonetheless there must be
an enthralling story to his life somewhere, to us lads he evoked an air of
discipline that you never ever questioned, I still have the greatest of
respect for him and his memory to this day.
He used to brew is own beer in a tin bath during his turn at night duty. I
had to go across to the ward room one evening and spied the brewing tackle
but the smell gave it away, he use to come down to the hall red eyed at
dismissal and we new that when he was "on" we could act the fool that
night.
A real mans man, Mr Hadley, I often think about those times when I tried
brewing my own, he knew is hops, was he a man of Kent or a Kentish man.
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