West Hoathly memories
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Memories of West Sussex
The High Street - Sayer's Store - 'Nim' And Phyl Alen
My name is Barbara Tester and I live in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
My beloved (late) husband, Brian Tester, was born on 26th July, 1930 at No. 1 Station Cottages, 1 Station Road, Ardingly. His parents were Bartley William Charles Tester and Gladys Evelyn Tester. His father was a stonemason who carried out a number of pieces of restoration work in Sussex throughout his long working life.
The family lived for some years in Eastbourne before moving to Hailsham in the mid 1950s. Brian migrated to Australia in 1952, and we were married in 1955. His brothers, Michael and Richard, and two sisters Anne (Pomroy) and Ethne (Ansfield) all still live in Sussex. Both Brian and Mike were members of St Peter's Church Choir.
During the war, while Dad was in the army, the family was evacuated from Eastbourne (where, like many others, their home was bombed) to Ardingly, where they lived with Aunty Phyl and Uncle 'Nim' who were, at that time, living in 'Cobb Cottage'. Cobb... Read more
The Village Green
I lived in Turners Hill from 1941 on Tulleys Farm just down the road from the village. On a Sunday evening my family would first go to St Leonard's church then we all went and sat on the wall over looking the village green to watch and listen to Copthorne Brass Band. Some weeks my grandfather Charlie Covey would play in the band, other weeks he would be on point duty directing the small amount of traffic that trundled up North Street (to the right of the photo). He also went around with a wooden collection box for the band. Another bit of excitement were the coaches that stopped (Timpsons I think) on the way back to London from Brighton. I live about 5 miles away now but I still go to Turners Hill a lot as my oldest brother still lives there, and I go to Tulleys Farm as an old friend of mine still lives there.
Grove Farm, Paddockhurst Road
I used to live at Grove Farm Cottages, Paddockhurst Road, Turners Hill. My father was Noel Sargent and worked as a farm employee for Grove Farm which was either managed or owned by a Mr. Hocken.
My father's name was Noel, married to Dorothy (daughter to Charles and Elsie Clark of Ardingly). I had 2 brothers, Michael the eldest and Colin the youngest of the trio. My brother Michael also worked as a farm employee on Hocken's farm. I can remember sitting on the mud-guard of the tractor my brother was driving when ploughing one of Hocken's fields.
I can remember attending Turners Hill School in the very early 1960's. I then changed schools and remember catching a double-decker bus to Ardingly. I used to travel with my older brother Michael. We can both remember two other males around the same age as us who used to get off the bus at a row of houses just south of The White Hart along Selsfield Road. All four of... Read more
Happy Times
As children we were very priviliged to be part of the village community. We spent many carefree hours playing and making camps in the woods and fields, sometimes we would venture further but had to keep a watchful eye for the keepers. I'm sure they knew we were about but most of the time they turned a blind eye. I was fascinated by their traps, they may seem cruel to some these days but they had a duty to look after the birds ready for the forthcoming shooting season and to provide a good show for their employers, their employment and housing for their families depended on it. On the whole the estate were excellent employers and looked after their workers, many of whom came from previous generations of estate employees. The estate owned much of the village then and this led to a fairly stable and contented way of life for most. Carpenters, woodsmen, decorators were all needed to maintain the many properties that the estate owned, not including... Read more
Memories
My paternal great-grandparents used to live in 4 Mantlemass Cottages and I can remember my grand-parents taking me there quite often. I have vivid memories of sitting around the Aga and looking look up the chimney and seeing the sky. I also often used to go across the road to see other relations called the Milhams as the wife Madge was a relative on the Baker side of my family.
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