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Old Town memories

Here are memories of Old Town and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Old Town or a Old Town photo.

Bygone Days

Does anybody remember Jean Harradence, Jessie Beard, Peter and John Tyler, and Cherry Gardens before the area was developed arround 1937?

Memories of East Sussex

Proposal

From The Wish Tower 1901
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This is where Alan asked me to marry him on a beautiful moonlit evening in January. The weather was mild and the moonlight was shining on the sea making it all silvery. There weren't many people around, just the odd jogger and dog walker as it was a Monday night.

I guessed what was happening as he was so nervous, but due to some advice from my friend Simone I kept quiet for once. He took my hands in his and gave a lovely speech about the year we have  spent together and then got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife.. and of course I said yes. The mischievous side of me was dying to mess around though  and pretend otherwise, but I decided that would be too naughty.

Afterwards we walked home, which is close to the seafront and shared a bottle of champagne whilst we called and texted our family and friends with our news. Everyone was very happy... Read more

Our First Home Together.

All Souls Church 1890
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In September 2007 my partner Alan and I moved into a first floor flat on Tideswell Road directly opposite the church. The fact that the lounge windows overlook the church was the clincher for me when I was viewing the flat for rental. I love the fact that we are not overlooked by other properties which is very unusual for a town centre property. The church itself is a very attractive building and a great piece of architecture. The gardens are smart and well maintained, although small boys sometimes get told off for playing football on the grass. There are now some trees on the pavement around the church which were really pretty when we moved in, dark green and covered in berries (a bit bare at the mo though as its March).

As I am typing this I can see the church out of my window and it hardly looks any different to the photo. Although the picture doesn't relay the size of the building, it is huge!... Read more

Glyndley Manor Hankham

From The Wish Tower 1901
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We had many a happy holiday in Eastbourne, staying at Glyndley Manor, an old Elizabethan Manor house, between the years of 1961 and 1970.  It had a mounting block in front of the entrance that me and my three sisters used to love climbing on.  In the hallway there was a lovely old cabinet with mother-of-pearl inlay.  We used to love playing in the grounds.  The gong used to be banged when it was time for breakfast or dinner.  There was a herony and a dove cote.  Our Mum & Dad didn't have a car in the earlier years and we used to walk into Eastbourne along the country lanes with hardly a car passing us.  

Eastbourne Flower Gardens

My Grandad was foreman of the Carpet Gardens on Eastbourne seafront. He took over from his elder brother who had taken over from their father. They had, as a family, looked after the Carpet Gardens for over a century.

The family name was Cottington. Grampy always told us that when digging over the flower beds they uncovered Roman mosaics. As a tribute to them they copied the design in the flowers.

Just a simple family memory from long ago.

Birbeck Engineering Co.

Does anybody remember Birbecks Engineering? and 6" Shell Fuse Bases? If anybody reads this would love to hear from you. Names I recall are :- Nancy, Rose, Rita, Fred Laker, Bert Irvrin, Ted Colley, Ernie Lidyard, Mr Bodkin, Miss Birbeck.

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