Rustington, Broadmark Parade c.1950

Photo ref: R81035

1948 was the year I was born. Apparently I was quite privileged compared to the rest of my siblings as I was the only one born in Zachary Merton. There were nine of us and most were born at home including twins, which my mother, Dorathy Mable delivered one by herself before the midwife could arrive just in time to deliver the second twin!. My father, Geoff Masters, was in the RAF and we all lived in a little ...see more

Following the death of my mother recently, I have been clearing her home and found a kitbag of my father, Douglas Bellchambers, from his wartime Royal Navy days, full of a range of keepsakes. One of these was an unopened parcel addressed to him in Braintree, Essex from Heasmans Ltd, 4, Broadmark Parade, Rustington, Sussex, which must have been sent between 1945 and 1952, the post mark is ...see more

I went to West Preston Manor school in 1959, first as a boarder and then as a day girl. It was a fine old manor house where the dormitories were and on the ground floor, the classrooms. In the basement was the dining room and the kitchen run by Alice. There was a country lane on the right of the main entrance, Pigeonhouse Lane which was very dark and overgrown with large trees. I lived in Park Drive, ...see more

We moved to Rustington in 1949 as my Mother Dr Mary Higgs was the M.O.H. at Zachary Merton and was the doctor there until her retirement. Zachary Merton was a lovely hospital to have a baby, all the staff were so friendly. The Matron I remember was Miss White, with Sisters Mingay, Cole and Mrs Smith and later Matron Cynthia Grose and Sister Gray to name but a few. On Christmas Day in ...see more