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Willingdon
My grandparents lived near the British Queen on Eastbourne Road near the tiny grocers store and I have happy memories of spending summer holidays on the downs and Donkeys Hollow picking bluebells. I would love to hear from anyone who can recall the name of the store please. I also used to visit Mr Holter's sweet emporium! What fun.
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RE: RE: Willingdon
The shop referred to by Carol was Hollobone's Store. It was 5 doors from where we lived at No. 81. Carol will know this by now as I have been in touch but this will hopefully trigger further responses from other Willingdon-ites. I also remember Donkey Hollow where my family/friends also picked bluebells and cowslips. I doubt this is allowed today though. The photo accompanying Carol's message is in fact Upper Willingdon whereas the British Queen pub was in Lower Willingdon. The picture shows The Red Lion Pub in the distance on the left. The tall many windowed building on the right was a grocery shop run by the Betteridge family and the low building next to it was a blacksmith's shop. The road in the foreground on the left was a dead end road until later when it was extended and new housing built which extended almost in Ratten Woods where once Lord and Lady Willingdon had an extensive residence. During the first world war it was taken over as Officer accommodation but accidently burnt to the ground and not re built. There was a well in the woods which became the subject of a murder enquiry when a lady threw her baby down it. The top was then concreted over. There was also remenants of a large swimming pool and decorative fish ponds in the woods where we often caught newts.
Comment from Jeff Miller on Saturday, 24th April 2010.
RE: RE: Willingdon
The shop referred to by Carol was Hollobone's Store. It was 5 doors from where we lived at No. 81. Carol will know this by now as I have been in touch but this will hopefully trigger further responses from other Willingdon-ites. I also remember Donkey Hollow where my family/friends also picked bluebells and cowslips. I doubt this is allowed today though. The photo accompanying Carol's message is in fact Upper Willingdon whereas the British Queen pub was in Lower Willingdon. The picture shows The Red Lion Pub in the distance on the left. The tall many windowed building on the right was a grocery shop run by the Betteridge family and the low building next to it was a blacksmith's shop. The road in the foreground on the left was a dead end road until later when it was extended and new housing built which extended almost in Ratten Woods where once Lord and Lady Willingdon had an extensive residence. During the first world war it was taken over as Officer accommodation but accidently burnt to the ground and not re built. There was a well in the woods which became the subject of a murder enquiry when a lady threw her baby down it. The top was then concreted over. There was also remenants of a large swimming pool and decorative fish ponds in the woods where we often caught newts.
Comment from Jeff Miller on Saturday, 24th April 2010.
RE: RE: Willingdon
Mr Holter was my grandad! I have great memories of the shop but no pictures! Can anyone help?
Comment from Paul Holmes-Ling on Monday, 3rd May 2010.
RE: RE: Willingdon
Well I'm obviously a Holter, and had no clue as to a Holter's shop! I used to walk up through this area as a child (1960s and 70s) and also recall the old swimming pool, but a Holter's shop? No. If anyone has any idea as to where, when, who etc, and pictures I'd be very very grateful to find out more. Holter wasn't a common name in Eastbourne (still isn't really), so this is hughly interesting.
Comment from Steven Holter on Thursday, 30th June 2011.