Mr And Mrs A Garland

A Memory of Shipley.

I remember spending many happy times in Shipley, staying with my grandparents, Mr and Mrs A Garland, or Arthur and Edith (Arlie) Garland, at 16, Church Close, Shipley, Sussex.
I used to walk the dog with my grandad across the fields, and play games with the other children in the village - Mays, Goddards, Kings. They were happy, carefree times. I also used to go fishing in the river for eel and canoeing.
I remember the whist drives in the village hall, the old shop, where you could buy anything, the bus that took us shopping in Horsham. The allotments where Arlie and Grandad would grow all their vegetables, now sadly built on. Going to the Castle to watch the dogs and riders for the hunt going off, picking blackberries and primroses. Going to bell ringing practice, as I fancied Peter May at the time. I still remember pulling on the 'Sally' and what a beautiful sound came from the tower.
Sadly Arlie and Grandad have been dead for 23 years and 13 years respectively, but their ashes are buried in the churchyard.
I have an old Christmas card with a picture of the mill and a man and dog, which looks remarkably like my grandad and their dog 'Kipp'. I believe an artist took various photos and the picture was composed from this.
I loved every minute of staying with Arlie and Grandad in Shipley, a lovely village with nice people. Sadly life goes on.. I am now married with a son of my own (21 years old), but did take him to Shipley when Arlie passed away in 1996, but wasn't the same. I do go to the churchyard from time to time to place flowers on the grave, and still love the peace, the sheep in the graveyard etc, although I now also live in a beautiful part of the world - Devon.

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