The excitement of searching for friends’ wedding photographs in the newspaper has been recalled by one woman who worked for the Kent Messenger during the Second World War.

Nellie Manklow, nee Kitney, who now lives in Rochester Road, Burham, worked on the front counter of the KM’s Week Street office for three years between 1942 and 1945.

Mrs Manklow took details from

the public and businesses who

came into the office to place an advert.

“I have many happy memories of those three years. I knew most of the men in the printing works and people in the office. They were happy years,” she said.

One of her memories was of H.R. Pratt Boorman, the then proprietor, calling her into his office to test an accordion he had bought in his role as welfare officer for the forces.

Mrs Manklow played the accordion in her father’s dance band, so was able to try out the instrument for him.

She also remembered that in their lunch hours she and some of the girls she worked with used to go to the top floor of the offices and get the files of papers out.

“We used to like the South Eastern Gazette so we could look at the wedding photographs.

“We liked to see people we’d known. It was lovely.”

She and her husband Jack attended an open day at the KM’s headquarters in Larkfield a few years ago, but the presses were not running that day.