Abinger Common, Surrey

My childhood

I was born to Victor Owen Colman Emmerson and Jean Florence Emmerson at the family home of Garden Cottage, Holmbury St Mary in September 1957. I have an older brother, John and a younger sister Diane who were also born there. My grandmother Catherine or 'Kit' was for many years housekeeper to Dorothea Flower who lived next door in Hurtwood Cottage.... [more]

childhood

i was born in guildford in 1986 and my parents had just taken over abinger post office and stores this is the house in the middle of the photo with all the ivy (that wasnt there in my time) the window above the shop was my parents room the spare room and the lounge are the rooms to the left. i... [more]

My childhood in Coldharbour

In July 1959, I was born at home, to Eric and Ann Shields in Coldharbour village.  My father was the village policeman; we lived in what was then the police house, which was situated next to the village shop opposite the schoolhouse.  All of these properties have now been turned into private homes, but in the scheme of things, the wonder... [more]

The Crown

I was landlord of the Crown from 1971 to 1973. I was only 19 and the youngest landlord in England at the time. My father, Bernard Edmund had been landord at the Prince of Wales across the road, for many years. We had some wonderful times at The Crown.

Lightning strike

Since this photo was taken the top of the large tree in the background has been hit by lightning. Around four or five feet of bare wood sticks out at the top of the tree. I don’t know when this happened.

My Forest Green Family

I moved to Forest Green when I was 2 but my whole family comes from the area. Christine Dendy (my maternal grandmother) was born in the village. Her parents were a housemaid and a gamekeeper/odd-job man for the Vaughan-Williams estate. My grandmother was born in the row of First World War council houses erected behind the village green and she married... [more]

Wounded World War One soldiers?

I'm pretty sure my great grandfather Hubert John Cavell, was brought here after becoming wounded in Ypres, in Belgium. He died on 22/04/1917. Does anybody have any information? I know that the Queen Alexandra nurses trained there.

My birthplace

I was born in the master bedroom on the main floor to the existing owners of Anstie.
During our 3 years there we converted it to suites and modernised it considerably.
On the day that I was born there were construction workers in the house and one of them cried when he heard the sound of a newborn baby, I... [more]