Hapstead House c1955, Ardingly

The High Street - Sayer's Store - 'Nim' And Phyl Alen

The Village c1950
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My name is Barbara Tester and I live in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
My beloved (late) husband, Brian Tester, was born on 26th July, 1930 at No. 1 Station Cottages, 1 Station Road, Ardingly. His parents were Bartley William Charles Tester and Gladys Evelyn Tester. His father was a stonemason who carried out a number of pieces of restoration work in Sussex throughout his long working life.

The family lived for some years in Eastbourne before moving to Hailsham in the mid 1950s. Brian migrated to Australia in 1952, and we were married in 1955. His brothers, Michael and Richard, and two sisters Anne (Pomroy) and Ethne (Ansfield) all still live in Sussex. Both Brian and Mike were members of St Peter's Church Choir.

During the war, while Dad was in the army, the family was evacuated from Eastbourne (where, like many others, their home was bombed) to Ardingly, where they lived with Aunty Phyl and Uncle 'Nim' who were, at that time, living in 'Cobb Cottage'. Cobb... Read more