Milborne Port, Ven House c.1955

Photo ref: M180010

My parents evacuated me to Ven House around 1941. I was 11 years old. My memories of the school are many. The brook that ran under Ven House entrance and the dares to go through it, the poor food, playing football on the pitch with the cow patties. I remember the dog fights of our Spitfires in the Battle of Britain. It was so long ago, but I do have fond and, sometimes, pretty rotten memories of it. If ...see more

The entrance to Ven House had two phoenix on the gates, I believe we adopted the phoenix to our college badge. We were evacuated from Eastbourne during the Second World War, as a molotove cocktail bomb burnt down the building. We were sheltering in a dug out in the school grounds. Virtually overnight a convoy of charabancs took us to Milbourne Port and Ven House. Opposite Ven House was a hill we called Babylon. We ...see more

About 1940, at 9 years old, my private school, Willingdon College, was evacuated from Eastbourne to Ven House.  It was a most magnificent building, built in the 1700s and pretty unsuitable for a boys' school. I remember fine carved doors and fireplaces, an impressive enormous entrance hall with ceiling paintings which we used as a Dining Hall, beautiful glass chandeliers, the arms of one of which I broke ...see more