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Staplecross memories

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

Girl Born in Village in May 1925 - Martin Family

My late mother-in-law was apparently born in the village in 1925, but was unable to be kept, so was raised by the Martin family in Hastings. Did they also have any connections with Staplecross? Mum's family folklore believes the name Post and possibly Butchers Shop may hold a connection.

Mum was raised as Audrey Ruth Martin but the family understand that it is possible at least one of these names was NOT given.

Can anyone throw any light on a family mystery?

Thank you.

John Wells

A memory of Staplecross, shared by John Teddyfoot.

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Memories of East Sussex

Happy Days

The Castle c1955
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I have many fond memories of Bodiam and the Castle, from when I was 1 year old in 1943, until I was 15. Along with dear Mum and my two sisters, our whole extended family on my mum's side consisting of several families would move to Bodiam, to our tin huts to go hop picking. We used to pile into a number of open backed lorries for the journey which used to go through the Blackwall tunnel and along the A21 to East Sussex and Bodiam singing all the way. Great excitement for all us kids. On arrival each family was allocated their own tin hut which were painted green outside and whitewashed inside. Many families would bring wallpaper to cover over the whitewash. Any one who has been hop picking as a child will tell you it was probably the best adventure they ever had. In the six or seven weeks we spent there the weather was usually hot, sunny and carefree. The only exception being when... Read more

A memory of Bodiam, shared by Barry Strange.

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Merrion House School During WW 2

I think it was 1944 when I visited my brother Brian at the boys school known as Merrion House, run by Mr. and Mrs. Brummell-Hicks under a spartan but friendly and encouraging regime. Doodlebugs(V1's) aimed at the LOndon area would fly virtually between the chimneypots of the building which stood on something of a bluff. I combed local fields with my brother for crashed German bombers, and played each day in a decommissioned Dornier!l I think I was five at the time.

Michael Gould

A memory of Sedlescombe, shared by Michael Gould.

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Merrion House

I was a boarder at Merrion House prep school from 1944-1946 when the school was run by Mr & Mrs Brummell-Hicks.

It was quite a small school with only two 'houses': the Watsons and the Gerrards. I was a member of the former. I remember particularly the honey comb toffee sold at the school tuck shop and the fact that we all had cheque books with which to draw our pocket money.

If there is anyone out there who was at the school at the same time, please get in touch! I assume that the school did not continue after the death(s) of either or both Albert and Norah B-H. Is this assumption correct? What has happened to the house since?

A memory of Sedlescombe, shared by John West.

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Visits to my Uncle at Robertsbridge

As a small child I would travel down by train with my nan and stay at my Uncle George Bowen who lived in Langham Road,
Most important thing before boarding the train in London was to get in the right section for Robertsbridge, the platform was too short for the train - get in the wrong place and you would be outside the actual station.
His sister Ethel got on the wrong section on one occasion and found no platform so tried to get out and ended up falling out onto the railway line - she was always doing silly things like that.
We would walk along from the station and along a stony road, soon knew if my shoes were a bit thin by the pain of the stones through them.
My uncle lived next door to his neice and strange as it would seem the lady on the other side of him had the same surname though no relative.
Nan and I would... Read more

A memory of Robertsbridge, shared by Geraldine Todd.

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Christmas in The Snow

My maternal grandparents owned "Old Timbers", the 15th century cottages in the High Street (numbers 55-59, I think) from the early 1950s to around 1970 or 1971. They actually lived in one of the cottages from 1960 to around 1966 or 1967. My family spent many happy summer holidays with my grandparents during the mid 1960s, but my favourite memory was the Christmas of 1964 when we travelled by train to spend that holiday with them.

It started to snow as we journeyed and I remember the train journey was long drawn-out. We had to change several times - I particularly remember sitting in the waiting room at Tunbridge Wells - in order to get there in the evening. It was dark when we finally arrived and the snow was on the ground. It was wonderful to get to the cottage with a fire blazing in the hearth. My sister and I slept in a small bedroom at the top of the cottage which you had to reach by... Read more

A memory of Robertsbridge, shared by Colin Harnett.

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