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West Dean memories

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

Dunkantix.com

You are referred to dunkantix.com and 'So Many Secrets' which are the memoirs of Ben Dunk relative to West Dean Estate in West Sussex and his family, the Sticklands and Dunks who resided and worked at Home Farm, West Dean Park from 1899 to 1944.

A memory of West Dean, shared by Ben (Benjamin) Dunk.

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Memories of West Sussex

Thatch Cottage, Singleton

Pond Cottage c1950
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We bought a thatched cottage, in much need of renovation, next door to the butchers shop. It was a tied Goodwood Cottage previously occupied by Mrs Myrtle Ticehurst who remained a tenant when she was widowed in WW1. We lived in a caravan in the front farden for nearly a year while work was carried out - I loved that old cottage so much I was prepared to put up with the dificulties in order to eventually live there. The neighbours, except for 2 brothers, were absolutely wonderful and without their help and support life in a caravan with 2 small children would have been much harder. Sadly we had to move on after only two years but I have always remembered Singleton with great affection and I still have the original copper that was removed from the wash boiler in the old kitchen and I also acquired a tapestry of Pond Cottage which hangs on the wall of my present home.

A memory of Singleton

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WATERCRESS BEDS. W.ASHLING

I well remember the watercress beds at West Ashling as I started work there the day after I left school. Mr Pusey and his wife (he married Miss Florry Hair) were my bosses. I remember a Charlie Hotson and Harry Earl who also worked there. I left in 1960 to join the Royal Air Force Fire and Rescue. My father Jack Young worked at Hambrok for Miss Nancy Hair all his working life. John Young.

A memory of East Ashling, shared by JOHN YOUNG.

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East Ashling Grange

We lived at East Ashling Grange for the first 3 years of our marriage. My husband was in the Royal Sussex Regt. and was based at the Depot in Chichester. I am doing a family history for my children and would love a photo of the Grange. We have some of the garden with our firstborn in his pram but they are not interesting to other people I feel! We were married "off the strength" because we were too young for allowances or housing. Sir John & Lady Sinclair came to our rescue and rented us the old servants' quarters for very little money. Those were very happy days. Our eldest son was baptised at Funtington Church.
Now nearly 53 years later we have lived in Western Australia since 1971 and have a family of 4 chlidren, 10 grandchildren & two great grandchildren.

A memory of East Ashling, shared by Jennifer Mackintosh.

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School Days

We lived at Lower Cranmore Farm, I remeber starting in the village school when I was 5yrs old, it was quite a long walk to school, people were allowed to let animals run loose on the common in those days, I remember the Frankhams having a dun pony that we often used to see, also the Lovejoys carthorses were often seen out on the common too, those were the days ! I stayed at the school until it closed, then we were all shipped off to Grafham school, before going off to Midhurst, my friends included Nancy, David and Peggy Hills, Pat Campbell, who came to live next door with Mr & Mrs Chapman, Alan Taylor, and the Jackson girls. I remember that there was a shop just up past the school, it was a real lovely little village, lots of open spaces all around, there used to be an old man who used to be a mole catcher, he used to wear a big black coat and ride an old... Read more

A memory of Heyshott, shared by Eileen Heel (nee Read).

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446 Bepton - The Lovely Old House

I stayed a number of times at this address whith my father's relatives, an Aunty Nance and Uncle Jack (possibly a Howick connection).

A memory of Bepton, shared by Patricia Salter.

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