Copthorne memories
Here are memories of Copthorne and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Copthorne or a Copthorne photo.
The Dukes Head
I remember having to pass The Duke's Head every day on my way to school in the 60's, but have never been inside. We lived on Snowhill Road at an old country stores and off license, which was called Fletcher's Stores - now a private house. Mum or Dad would take us to Crawley Down C of E school in the little blue shop delivery van. Occasionally, we had to walk up to the Dukes Head to catch the bus to Crawley Down, but not often. I can even remember having to (as children) push the van to get it started. This picture is exactly as I remember it.
Franciscan Convent School
I lived at the convent from 1970 to 1975, Sister Philomena looked after us as children, I was 5 years old when my father sent my 2 brothers and I to live there. The nuns made my childhood memories so good, I think I was very lucky and over the years have revisited the convent. I am travelling back to England next week and will take my wife and children to visit Sister Philomena and the convent. The main building is as the picture but unfortunately the boys dormatories were sold off to housing developers. Many of the Sisters who were there in the 70's are still at the convent.
Copthorne Convent
My name is Maggie Wilkinson. My mum Elizabeth Pilkington lived at Copthorne Convent, then it was called Bank Farm House, she was married from there on 6th June 1942. My parents were married at St John's church. Mum's stepfather owned the house, his name was Sydney Levett. Mum has many memories of Copthorne and Surrey, I have many photos of the house and the gardens which my grandmother created. I managed to visit the house many years ago. Mum would be very sad to hear it has been demolished, she loved living there. When they sold the house my grandparents moved to Yew Tree Cottage in Smallfield where one of my brothers, Blair, was born in 1947.
SPANISH ENGLISH STUDENT
I think I was one of the first Spanish students that went to England to learn English. This was forty years ago, and I suppose that I have lost a lot of my English. I lived in the Franciscan Convent School from September 1969 till April 1970. I remember Sister Filomena, Mark Balard and some other colleagues. I had such a nice experience there and I hope to visit the place again although I have read that nowadays it is not as I remember the place. It would be a pleasure to hear from others students at that time.
Convent School
I worked on the then new school class rooms in 1950 Jack Cockrell was the builder also working there were Bill Cockrell, Eric Bew, Nobby Harber, his son, and Reg Denman, G. Askew. Ray Budgen, and now it has been knocked down flats built there lasted 59 years.
Memories of West Sussex
Rapleys Corner Shop
The shop on the corner as pictured was called Rapley's Corner Shop owned by Mrs Rapley in the 1950's, and as a child I used to help Mrs Rapley serving and re-stacking shelves with stock after school and on Saturdays. I loved doing it and spending time talking to people as they came in for their groceries. In those days the sweets were in huge jars and were measured out by the ounce into brown paper bags! I remember eating dairy ice cream blocks in between wafers, the ice cream was really creamy and wrapped in paper then and the wafers kept in big glass jars! Cigarettes came in packs of 5 and 10 then too!!
HAPPY MEMORIES OF SCHOOL HOUSE
I was born at School House, Crawley Down in 1941. My Gran and Grandad (Reg & Florrie ... known as Ducky ...Fry) lived there for many years. My elder sister Jean and I (Jacki) lived there with my Mum, Marjorie and Dad Jack Hilton, until we moved to Crowborough. My sister and I spent the long school summer holidays with our lovely grandparents. Gran was caretaker and cook at the school and Grandad was verger at the church. His Mum Elizabeth, known as Granny Fry or Lizzie, was a wonderful lady who lived to be a few weeks short of 100yrs, her grave is on the corner, as you go to the side door of the church. She and her husband Job looked after the church for many years too, before Grandad took over! Mr Guy Blaikie was the Vicar as I grew up.
I now live in Seaford, but do go back to see the changes, to the place that holds so many happy memories for me.... Read more
School
I was at the village school from June '54 when we moved to a new house in Grange Road, until '59 when I and 3 others went to the Grammar school in EG. I remember Mrs Fry the school cook, (mentioned in another memory) from when I was a dinner monitor. There were only 4 classrooms. Miss Drew was the head and the next class was Mr Mills. It was a friendly school and we had some church services - it was a C of E school - and I remember reading one of the lessons in church I continued living in the village (Sandy Lane from '61) until 1968 when I was married and moved to Bristol.
Police House
I moved to Crawley Down in 1959 and for four years I lived in the police house in Hophurst Road with my Mum, Dad and sister Denise, Dad being the village policeman. For two years I attended the village school and remember Mrs Fry as my dinner lady and Miss Drew as head teacher. They were happy carefree days. We played out all day when we could on our bikes, only popping indoors for a drink or something to eat. Sad how things have changed. From Crawley Down we moved on to Lewes. Then when I married I moved to Seaford and live in the same road as Jacki Moon.
My Memory of Crawley Down School in The Sixties
I went to Crawley Down school for a few years in the mid sixties and when I went back recently to have a look I found the Parish Church and school (now a private house and so much smaller than I remember it as being) - and I walked down the path from the church to the road.
The old building which used to be the dining hall was still there. My sisters and I also went to Brownies in the same building - probably still smelling of cabbage - the building - not me and my sisters! Brown Owl was Mrs Streeter, who's husband taught us piano.
I remember the classrooms we started in were Terrapin huts behind the dining hall. Miss Sabine was my first teacher there as our family had moved from another area. There was also a Mrs Barrowclough (probably not the right spelling) who drove a Morris Minor estate car with wooden trim.
I remember there were bars to climb on in the playground... Read more
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