Peartree Close

St John's Park And Swimming Pool c1960
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I was born in Burgess Hill in 1955 and lived at 18 Peartree Close. There was a rough track behind the house with rear access to garages, and we spent loads of time playing up and down this track and in the woods beyond. I used to go to London Road Primary School and remember Mrs Duckworth as my teacher. Before starting Secondary School, we moved to 155 Chanctonbury Road. There we would spend hours playing in the woods at Nightingale Lane and we would venture across the fields, crossing over the railway bridge and walking back along the tracks which would eventually bring you out by the railway station. There were a few ponds along this route where we would dabble with the art of pug sticks and usually end up caked from head to foot in mud. I used to attend Oakmeads County Secondary School, and when I started work I got an apprenticeship with South Eastern Gas and worked out of the workshop and stores at the back of the showroom in Church Road. This was in 1971 when the gas board only had 2 vans. One was a Ford Anglia and the other a Ford Transit. The rest of us had to use trade bikes with a tray on the front where we used to put our tool bags and cycle round to customers houses. One of our jobs was to turn the gas lights on last job of the day and off first job of the day on Hassocks Station Railway Platform. Not a job anyone enjoyed when it involved cycling to Hassocks on a heavy bike especially in the pouring rain. Then I remember going to the pictures to watch films.......the good old flea pit we used to call it. I think that was in Cyprus Road, but can't remember now. It has been about 12 years since I last visited Burgess Hill because I now live in Pembrokeshire. But it was a great little place to grow up when I was a kid.