Punnetts Town, the Protestant Martyrs Memorial 1952

The Crown Pub

I wonder if anyone else remembers the Crown pub, which had a television so I used to watch the showjumping while the grown-ups had a drink. The landland was a large jolly man. The garden was very well tended with lots of dahlias, I think.

Shopping with my Mum in Heathfield...

I remember in the 1960s going to Heathfield with Mum on the bus (we lived at Corner Farm, Swife Lane). We would go shopping and often would go into the Bluebird. Seeing that name in this picture brought all those memories back. I remember once saving up for a blue linen dress from a shop at one end of Heathfield High Street, but I'm unable to remember the name of the shop. I saved for weeks and weeks. It cost me 5 pounds back then! We would buy cream cakes from the bakery to take home to Dad and my brother and sisters. I remember Caffyns at the end of the road. I remember going to the Youth Club on Friday nights. Although it wasn't in Heathfield, I also remember going to the Young Farmers Club in Burwash. I was not that keen on going if I remember. I do however remember one of the members called Richard Lambert-Gorwyn. I think he lived on the same lane as our family. Those were the days! Over 40 years ago. Hard to believe now. I remember going to the toy shop in Heathfield. Picking out farm animals to take home for our toy farm in the playroom. I attended Heathfield County Secondary School. We worked hard there. I wish I knew where some of my old school friends are now. I live in Maine, USA. I work as a Cardiac Nurse at Maine Medical Center now. I have 2 daughters, grown up. One in Australia and one in England, lives in Gosport, Hampshire. But I am always looking for any old pictures of Swife Lane or of Heathfield. I would love to see some if anyone has any. Thank you so much for allowing me to share some of my memories of my childhood with this website.  This is the kind of photo to treasure. I remember those buses I would catch the bus from the top of Swife Lane to Broad Oak to go to school.  It cost me 3 pence ha'penny!!  
Thank you again,
Sincerely,
Sally Semple

Vines Cross Road

I remember this scene very well as I used to live a little way down the road to the right, on the way to Vines Cross. I lived there, in fact, until about 1967 when I went to study in London. My parents continued to live there until about 1986 when they moved first to Heathfield and then to Suffolk to be near me and my family. My parents were members of the Horeham Players for many years and used to rehearse and perform in the CYF Hall which was further down the road on the way to Vines Cross.

The shops in the picture are those of Mr Delves the grocer - on the left and Mr Setterfield on the right. The latter was a bike shop.

Sandra Reynolds (nee Thomas)

Has it Changed?!!!

I remember going to this Church as a child. Cannot remember the Ministers name. I thought it was surrounded by more trees. I walked past this chruch many times on my way to visit friends further down the road.

Batemans - My Grandfather

My grandfather, A J Hurd, was, for a time, Rudyard Kipling's head gardener at Batemans. He, my grandmother and my mother (now Joyce Richardson) and her sister (now Barbara Wainwright) lived in one of the cottages (which still exists) near the mill adjacent to Batemans. In addition to his responsibilities in the gardens, Grandpa also worked with the private hydro-electric turbine generator (which also still exists) which provided electricity to the house. That work is referred to in a letter of reference Mrs Kipling wrote for Grandpa when he moved on, which my mother still has. She also still has the letter Rudyard Kipling wrote to the local education authorities explaining to them that my mother was too young to have to walk the considerable distance to the local school, and was so bright that waiting another year wouldn't hurt!