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North Heath

North Heath maps

Historic maps of North Heath and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis.   View all North Heath maps

North Heath area books

Displaying 1 of 24 books about North Heath and the local area.   View all books for this area

Memories of North Heath

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West Sussex memories

The Water Cress Beds

My relatives ran the water cress beds (do they still exist?) & I clearly recall there house had a small pond outside, & I used to watch sand flees jumping when I poked them. The day I rememember most vividly was the day a worker shot his mad? dog! My relatives had a blind dog that knew every plank over every water bed, and the next year we went his dog had drowned as a worker had moved a plank, the dog fell in & drowned!. But most of all I recall the friendly relatives and the teas we had with yummy cakes to satisfy a hungry boy. But who were they, that I shall probably never know.

The Post Office

I was born in 1933 and went to live in Broadford Bridge in 1937. There were two village shops, ours incorporated the Post Office. No electricity and when butter was required for the shop it was down in the well to keep it cool. The Bacon was in a metal box hanging in the tree.

When the war started my father was called up in 1939 leaving my mother to run the shop. The helpful postman delivered all the papers whilst doing his rounds. I cycled around on Sundays. No buses, it was cycle everywhere. I bred rabbits for food, taking them on my cycle to Steyning market for sale to earn pocket money.

Just before the outbreak of war my father installed a small engine which drove a generator giving 50volt lighting to our home, but still no power. The large accumulator batteries for this were installed on the first floor of the barn and needed regularly to be topped up with distilled water. I soon realised... Read more

Home

St Mary's Church 1939
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I was born in Canada, but grew up in Pulborough as did my mother and uncle, Maureen and Frank Darby.
When I knew we were returning to Canada, a place I didn't remember, it broke my heart, and I vowed never to forget the people and sights of Pulborough.
My Grandparents are buried in the cemetery at St Mary's, and I have a brass rubbing from the church. The baptismal jug was donated by the family.
I was home last October for my Uncle's funeral in Beds, but two of my sisters and I had to visit the village and visit people. Sorry it wasn't longer, but the love for Pulborough I have never diminishes.

St Mary's Church

St Mary's Church 1939
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I have come across a lovely drawing of St Mary's Church by H J Woods, I also have lots of other original pictures by this artist and wondered if he was well know in Pulborough?

Storrington

St Mary's Church 1939
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My family hails from Storrington, Spierbridge Road. My Nanna was Hilda Linfield, my aunts still live quite local. My late mother was Josephine Linfield. I was Jozane Linfield (later Ellis). I remeMber the carefree days playing with several of my cousins and friends at the reck and around the fish pond, as I got older I would venture to the fields near the convent where they were always horses. I will never forget Brian Auckam, he had several brothers I think and was a friend of my cousin David Linfield. If any one remembers my mum, Josephine Linfield, please get in touch, thank you.

My Childhood

My memory of West Chiltington as a child is of a sleepy little village where everyone knew each other. As a child I could wander with friends and not be afraid as all the village people knew everyone else. A pleasant stroll up Church Hill on a summers evening is one memory that springs to mind with Mr Gumbrell who lived at the top of Church Hill wandering across to the church to lock-up. Yes, the church was left unlocked then. The village then had two shops, the Post Office and the Spar shop. The Queen's Head pub was run by a Freda Nash. When Mrs Saunders-Jacobs wrote her book on West Chiltington she allowed me to spend time with her researching at Chichester records office as part of a school project. I learned a lot about the village and to this day remember a lot of the history that is not mentioned in later books. Alas since I married and moved away from the village many changes have taken... Read more

Smock Alley And The Five Bells Public House

I used to visit my aunt and uncle in the middle to late fifties. They used to live at the bottom of Smock Alley in a large bungalow.  I remember walking up to the post office and cross roads.  Smock Alley was just like a cart track. When I last went back a few years ago, to my amazement it was like millionaires row. How things change from your early childhood.  We used to go around the corner to the Five Bells, run by a man called Roy.  My aunt and uncle's name was Attoe, Stan and Hetty, two children Mary and John.  I also remember sisters who lived just above my uncle's.  Their surname was I believe Strudwick.  Later my aunt and her family moved to Hurstan Warren.  My uncle worked for Miss Gardener and Miss Protheroe.

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