Colemans Hatch memories
Here are memories of Colemans Hatch and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Colemans Hatch or a Colemans Hatch photo.
Life on The Forest, 1940s on
We moved to Yew Tree Cottage, out on the Forest, in December 1940, when I was 20 months old, and my father finally sold up in the early 1980s. I loved the Forest, and was allowed to roam free from an early age. I have many memories of the wide open spaces [yes, they were then, when the smallholders cut and gathered the vegetation for their animals' food and betting, and cut birch for firewood]. Once, when I'd wandered off [aged about 4] to meet the postman, who came from the Forest Row direction, when he didn't come apparently I just kept on walking. I remember feeling sleepy and lying down by a bridge to sleep, and being woken by the search party, probably Dad [Tom Townsend], Mr Card and Mr Everest. I wasn't at all bothered, just loved the attention. Everybody knew everyone in those days, and houses weren't generally locked up. If you went to see anyone and they weren't in, you just went in... Read more
Sweet Memories
Living at Forest House - just up the road from the post office. The school coach would drop us off at the bus stop, and on our way home we would stop in to what our family called "the little shop" to stash up on sweets. The shop was run by Barbara and Len Waghorn.
Wrens Warren Camp School
In 1949 I was a pupil at Wrens Warren Camp School near Colemans Hatch. The school was housed in long huts which I believe to have been used in the war. It was a school for children who had been ill and needed some form of convalescence whilst still able to attend lessons.
The headmaster was a Mr Punch, and the head for the girls was a Miss Hoad. We slept in long dormitories and the whole place was quite austere.
I would love to hear from any other member who was there.
Memories of East Sussex
Granary or Mill Forest Row
In the 50's and 60's, I remember the building on the left of this photograph being a mill where they ground flour. You can just see a horse and cart in the lower left of the picture, and I believe that just above this was a first floor opening with a static crane for lowering sacks into the wagons. I can remember going inside and looking out through this opening as a small child, and being frightened by the height. Opposite, were some cottages and a parade of shops; a newsagents and an electrical shop. Eventually, some of the cottages were knocked down to make way for a telephone exchange, probably in the late 50's or early 60's. On a Friday lunchtime we were able to go out of the primary school, and walk up this road to the fish and chip shop (owned by the Sitwell's, I believe) by the war memorial and buy cod and chips. My parents only let me do this on a couple of occassions,... Read more
Families
On the 27th of December 1956 my ex-husband KEITH GEORGE JEARY was born at 6 UPPER CLOSE where he lived with his parents until we were married at Holy Trinity Church on the 6th of November 1982 - both of my children Emily and Dominic were duly christened at Holy Trinity in 1984 and 1986 respectively as was their father in 1957. My ex-parents-in-law Audrey and George Jeary settled in Forest Row in 1954 and on 2nd May 1990 Audrey died of heart failure in the bathroom at 6 Upper Close - George lived on at the house until he was brought to live in a nursing home close to Keith in 1996 - and where he died in 1997 - both are now buried in the little graveyard at Forest Row. My memories only go back as far as 1975 when I met the JEARY family - Keith worked in the village TV Shop JACKSONS as an apprentic television engineer whilst going to college to get his profesional qualifications... Read more
Cumbers of Upper Close
Dad had lived at No 51 for many years. Myself and my two brothers grew up here, went to the local primary school, where Mr and Mrs Jupp were the heads. All three of us went onto Sackville Secondary in nearby East Grinstead, before going our seperate ways. Barry still lives in the village, but we all enjoy going back to our childhood home. Mum and Dad have since "gone south" to Uckfield!
Camping at Broadstone Warren With The 3rd Sevenoaks
I was a Cub and Scout Leader with the 3rd Sevenoaks Scout Group in the 1970's and remember a hot summer camp in 1975 at Broadstone Warren. It was at the end of July and we took the younger Scouts off to Summer Camp at this National Scout Activity Centre in the Ashdown Forest while the older ones went on a more adventurous (and expensive!) trip to Switzerland!
We had a great time but even after nearly 40 years I can still remember the trouble we had with so many ants' nests that very hot summer. I wonder if any of the boys who might be reading this will remember?
Hartfield in The Late 1920s
My friend Hannah Rooth (Nee Symonds) can remember living in Hartfield in the late 1920s and 1930s. She lived at Kilnwood, in Cotchford Lane, and was married in the church in 1937. She then lived in Paddock Cottage in the same lane. In Hartfield in those days there were two pubs, a grocers, a bakers, a post office, village hall, and of course the church and church school. The village was very quiet, but there was the WI in the village hall, cricket matches, and maypole dancing at the school.
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