Burstow, the Parish Church c1955

Burstow Cubs

I was in the cubs at Smallfield and I remember carrying a flag in a Saint George's Day parade to the Burstow Parish Church. Cubs met in the village hall at Smallfield, the same hall we ate our school lunches in, half a mile from the Smallfield County Primary School. The school was half a mile out Redehall Road towards Burstow, and we lived another half mile past the school, on Red Road. I would do Bob A Job week around Burstow, calling at the Hall and at the few other houses in the area.

WW2

When I was about 5 years old I remember my mum picking me up from Smallfield school on her bike, I was in the back on a little seat when a doodlebug roared overhead, and the engine switched off ... My mum panicked, and pushed me off the bike behind a wall, we heard the bang towards Gatwick airport. We then continued the journey home. My dad later said the doodlebug went over our farm - Triddles Farm - and it went over Redehall Road and crashed into the ground beyond. I also remember the bombs being dropped on Gatwick, a series of them. The bombs went around the village, the holes were all over the farmland. From Horne to Smallfield, and north to south just missing Smallfield, just missing the farm, leaving huge holes. Around that time a landmine landed near Horley church.

The Smallfield Brickyard

I was born at 1 Kings Cottages in April 1931. I have two brothers, and as young boys we were close friends of the late Gerald Mitchel. Gerald's mum, nee Doris King, lived with her husband (Syd, who served with the RAF) in what was then called Brickyard Cottages. Their next door neighbours were the Gunn family. I have so many fond memories of our days spent playing, climbing on the brick kilns, swimming in the ponds (which must have been filled in in order to build houses), and adventures in the woods. The woods at that time were across the field from the brickworks. I recall the names of some of the brickmakers, there was one job, which had the title of 'OMICA', I think that's how it would have been spelled. The brickmaking work ceased, I believe, at the onset of war in 1939. There was a well-worn path past the brickmaking sheds and on through the woods which lead to the Ebenezer Chapel. I have so many tales to tell about those days. I am sure it must be well documented, the time the houses in New Road got bombed. I worked for A K & S, (Alfred King & Son), the firm of builders and undertakers, as a plumber's mate until Mr Henry King (Alfred's son) died, in I think 1948, it was there I met and worked with Reuben Pocock, Peter's dad. I knew Peter of course. I am hoping to publish a book with the many accounts of 'goings on' in the village, some funny, some sad, but all wonderful, the place where I spent my very happy childhood and teen years.
In 1953 I married my sweetheart and moved down to Devon, where we lived until 1979 when we emigrated to Australia. Please feel free to send emails as I feel I have so many memories to share.
I hope it's OK to include my email address:  ach13@tadaust.org.au
Thanks, Peter and Janet

Kingsmead

I was born in Horne but we moved into Smallfield when I was about 10 years old. The first two bungalows we lived in were built by my dad - Peter Pocock. They were called 'Pandora' and 'Saran'.
In Smallfield we lived at 10 Kingsmead. I remember that the shops shut at 5 o'clock and on Wednesday afternoons and that the paper shop only opened for a few hours on a Sunday for the papers. If you wanted chocolate or cigarettes after they closed there were a couple of machines on the shop wall. I do not remember them ever being vandalised for their contents. My dad would always fancy a bar of Dairy Milk after Sunday lunch and we would go down the shops on our bikes to get him a bar from the machine.
A group of us from Kingsmead used to spend hours on our bikes, riding around the lanes and going down the 'rec' to play 'The Man from Uncle', as I recall I was always the damsel in distress who had to be rescued.
I recall one year when the road flooded and the goldfish from an old lady's pond were seen swimming down the pavement. I also recall 'conkering' along by Smallfield Place - those conkers were enormous!
My mum and dad are both still alive (Peter and Janet Pocock) and they now live in Herefordshire.

Brickmakers Factory - New Road?

I don't suppose anybody knows anything of the Brickmakers Factory and the brickmakers' cottages in New Rd c1930, the cottages were built around 1929 I believe? I was told this about 10 years ago and I have not yet met anyone that can confirm this info. I was told that there was a factory at the end of the road and the brickmakers lived in the cottages...