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Kirdford
Kirdford maps
Historic maps of Kirdford and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Kirdford maps
Kirdford area books
Displaying 1 of 19 books about Kirdford and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Kirdford
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Kirdford.
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Kirdford During The Second World War
My cousin and her brother were evacuated to Kirdford for the duration of the Second World War. They lived in a property rented by their parents which was called Clark's Farm. When I tried to trace the house a few years back I was told it was no longer in existence. My cousin will be 70 in 2010 and I have a friend willing to do a painting for me - is there anyone who might have a photograph of Clark's Farm which we could use as a base for the picture?
Juliet Baxter
KIRDFORD in The '20's
Born at Halfway house in 1917, attended the school Jan 1922 to Dec 1931. Joined the army, Royal Horse Artillery, Jan 1932. Served in India Feb 1933 to Dec 1939. War, Desert, Normandy, retired because of wounds.
Worked in London (Unilever) 1946 -1950. Came to Australia 1950. Diplomatic posting to London (Australian) 1958 - 1962. Returned to Australia.
Last motored through Kirdford in 2002, could find none remembering me.
Is there anyone today who can remember Tony Matthews?
Kirdford School in The Sixties
I went to school in Kirdford for a couple of years in the sixties and have fond memories of it.
The school headteacher was Miss Dunsmore and there was a Miss Dadswell and a Mrs Heaver I think. The toilet block was outside, as most schools were in those days.
There was a metal roundabout on the patch of ground outside the school gate. I used to travel on a school bus from Ifold (Ken's Camel I think we called the bus - probably because it was owned by Ken Scammel) I did my cycling proficiency there and remember cycling from Ifold past extensive orchards of apple trees and past Kirdford Growers where the apples were stored.
The classrooms were heated in winter by big old coke burning stoves with a metal guard round them. The headteachers office was a room off the top classroom.
I recently went back and couldn't find the school - it must have been demolished but Kirdford itself hadn't changed much and... Read more
My Grandmother Pullen
My grandmother Margaret Pullen was married to Frank Pullen. He was my step-grandfather. I know only that he served in the African Boer war and I saw the medal once. His father was a local preacher and that's all I know of him. He has 2 surviving children, Frank and Della and 3 other step-children, my father Peter Karesa, Debra Karesa and Pat Karesa.
A Lovely Village Where Time Has Stood Still
I recently visited Kirdford with my mother to try and trace family history. My mother is a Pullen and all her ancestors originated from Kirdford, we visited the graveyard and lo and behold found some Pullen graves. We also visited a few of the houses mentioned in census returns where Pullens had lived. It would have been nice to talk to some older members of the community who maybe had a tale or two to tell. However the village was peaceful and when asking in the local shop we were told that they were new to the village and could not help. Anyway a lovely village where time has definitely stood still.
West Sussex memories
I Was Cross!
Having spent a beautiful morning walking around Surrey, we decided to visit villages with stupid names. We ended up at Balls Cross. Balls Cross consists of a house, 2 cars, a public bin and grass. No Balls and certainly no crossing - absolutely hopeless. If anybody is looking for villages in the UK with stupid names - I would avoid this one - there is nothing to see. (Plus I needed the toilet badly - not even a coffee shop - useless!)
Wisborough Green 1951-1976
I was just 9 years old when my family moved to Wisborough Green in December 1951, where my father - John Edward Penney MA, LTh - was vicar until his retirement in 1976. I went to Wisborough Green Primary school and can recall these names of other villagers: Pullen (I danced round the Maypole with Joyce Pullen at Primary School in 1952!!) Cooper, Cheeseman, Gent, Enticknap, Balchin (the builder) James (Jeff in the Handy Shop/ Maurice his brother, whose widow Pansy now lives in Slinfold) Puttick, Clark (the nurseryman, whose son Eric was still in WG, the last time I heard of him). There were 2 Butchers' shops - Knights and Peacocks - and 2 Grocery shops - Forest Stores and Grinsteads (now Wisborough Stores) plus a Bakery on the former site of the windmill, a Post Office and the Handy Shop (see above). In September 1953 I went on to Collyer's Grammar School in Horsham, travelling daily on the lumbering Southdown route 63! My summer holiday work from... Read more
