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Rodmell memories

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

Coopers

My husband's ancestors were mostly Coopers. Has anybody any information about Coopers in Rodmell (John Pace, born Rodmell 1728) or in any of the surounding towns? Some of them were Coopers in East Grinstead, Brighton, Lewes...
If you have any information, please, please contact me at carine.luyckx@skynet.be. I am totaly stuck for any further findings of the family tree.

Married in Rodmell

I was born in Rodmell on 25th November 1964 at Mill Furlong. I continued to live there until my father built Abergavenny House. I eventually married the son of the Pearce family who bought Mill furlong from my father Terry Denyer. I continued to live at Abergavenny House until I married Steve Pearce in 1986. I have lots of memories of Rodmell but I am sure my brothers and sister have more.

Memories of East Sussex

2 Years in The Village

Sometime around 1956, for about two years, two of us shared a cottage in Iford village (one of the first two as you came off the main road from Lewes). We worked for Mr Robinson milking his Guernsey herd and doing the dairy work for one of the Shorthorn herds, in those days there was a bottling plant at the other end of the village and the milk was taken to Hove each day to be sold. I can remember occasionaly getting a lift and spending time on the beach.
I kept my horse in the village and would ride him on the downs or should I say try and ride him as his greatest aim in life seemed to be to unseat me.

Two village names I can remember working with were Denyer and Honeysett, I think we were regarded with great interest when we arrived, '2 young girls' living in a cottage on their own and outsiders at that.

There used to be a dance at... Read more

Summer Holidays in Piddinghoe

I have very fond memories of my holidays in Piddinghoe, spent at my Aunty Rene's home which stood on the bank of the River Ouse. I loved walking into the village to buy cream soda pop from Mr Caplin's shop. He would call me & my little sister "his little Welsh friends" as that's where we travelled from to visit our family. Our walks along the river with the dog. Piddinghoe holds a special place in my heart.

Micro Brewery, Lewes,  East Sussex, Around 1936

My father recently told me that his grandfather, William Parkes, was the manager of a micro brewery, in Lewes, East Sussex, in about 1936. My father, Gordon, remembers spending many holidays visiting his grandfather there, with his sister, Barbra, and believes the brewery was a 'Watneys'. He also remembers the hams that used to dry in the cellar, which were sold to the local shops in Lewes, and still remembers the delicious smell of the ale and hops, as they arrived, fresh faced, off the train. On arrival at the brewery, the family would eagerly tuck in, to a delicious home-cured ham roll, and a sup of  grandad's ale! It would absolutly delight him if anyone else remembers, or better still may have photos, of either the brewery, or the manager, my great- grandfather, William Parkes. Indeed, any leads, or articles would be gratefully received. I have one very precious photo of my great-grandmother, holding my dad as a very young baby in 1927. Unfortunately, my dad does not remember... Read more

Life as A Young Boy in Saltdean

THE LIFE & TIMES OF DONALD CHARLES WILLIAMS
Personal recollections from Don Williams from Hailsham who lived in Saltdean from 1937 to 1952 - Many thanks for these wonderful stories & photo's of Saltdean in the Past.
Mum had answered an advert for a butcher's bookkeeper at Rottingdean, working for a Mr W.R. Dean who had three shops, Barcombe, Rottingdean and Saltdean.

He apparently required a Manager for the Saltdean branch and suggested to Mum, would Dad be interested. He was, so we duly moved to 14 Westfield Avenue on the Mount Estate at the back of Saltdean Sussex about 7 miles East of Brighton. This was a new estate of small bungalows (still there) originally erected for the purpose of holiday homes. We rented one from Saltdean Estate Agency. They cost about £350 in those days and can still be seen in 2002.

I think it was in the summer of 1937 that we moved here, as I know it was lovely to run... Read more

Mackerel Fishing

The Harbour c1960
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Many's the time we wandered along the edge of the harbour and up and down the landing stages, studying the leathery faced fishermen's busy hands as they worked on the nets, or repaired lobster pots. We'd peep around, what seemed huge metal doors and gates clad in rusting wire mesh, to get a glimpse of the boat yards beyond, and if we'd enough in our pocket for a cup of tea, we stop at the cafe that looked across the harbour, and out towards the bridge on the left. The owners always had time for us, and if they had any stale bread and cake, they'd let us have it to feed the swans that swam among the boats just a few steps from their entrance, though needless to say, the swans only got what was left after we'd picked out all the edible bits.  
It was from Newhaven that I had my first fishing trip. A family friend took us out in his small fishing boat, and the... Read more

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