Forest Green, the Smithy and Holmbury Hill 1924

My childhood

I was born to Victor Owen Colman Emmerson and Jean Florence Emmerson at the family home of Garden Cottage, Holmbury St Mary in September 1957. I have an older brother, John and a younger sister Diane who were also born there. My grandmother Catherine or 'Kit' was for many years housekeeper to Dorothea Flower who lived next door in Hurtwood Cottage. I have many memories of growing up in the village, attending Holmbury St Mary primary school, belonging first to the brownies and then the girl guides. Although I no longer have any family connections in the village there are still a number of family friends that still reside there. Some of my fondest memories are that of the special bonfire nights held near the village, the pyrotechniques of which were originally orchestrated by a Mr Bill Narroway.
Garden Cottage is still very clear in my mind, being built on a raised bank directly opposite the rather grand house and grounds belonging to Lady Catto. It was, and still is a beautiful part of the country. As a young girl I can vividly remember being so much a part of this. My mother would describe me as always up a tree! Nature lessons were a big part of the school curriculum. Of the Post Office I recall it being owned by Godfrey Bullen and his wife Rosemary. They had two children Valerie and Stephen.
I'm going to stop there because I could go on for hours - I may visit again with more memories.

Family Recollections.

My grandfather Edward Chase kept the Windmill Inn on Pitch hill and my father worked for him. My maternal grandfather John Allen kept the Bull Head in the village of Ewhurst and had two daughters, Mona and Lilian.
My father Robert Chase ( Ted ) joined the Surrey Yeomanry during the first World War and served in France with this cavalry regiment. He returned to Ewhurst after the war not in the best of health having been wounded and gassed and married my mother Mona the daughter of the landlord of the Bulls head in the village.
After a while my grandfather and his wife retired and my father and his new wife took over the licence at the Windmill Inn on Pitch hill. They ran the Windmill up until the onset of the depression as far as I am aware and the trade was mainly providing the usual services of a village inn but crucially providing hotel accomodation to walking parties down from London. When the walking parties were no longer popular at the time of the depression father moved away and the family took an inn in Minster on the Isle of Thanet where I grew up.
The family stayed here until 1960 but my father died in 1948 having served in the Observer Corps on Manston aerodrome during the second World War.

Windmill Inn

In the late 19th century both this inn and the windmill itself, which was a short way away, were run by members of the Coldman family --- brothers I believe.

Temporary home

When my maternal grandparents' house "Hobart", Mount Road, Cranleigh was bombed during World War Two we were housed temporarily above the the Crown Inn whilst the bomb was defused and the house put back in order.