Wannock Willingdon

A Memory of Willingdon.

We moved from Eastbourne to Wannock Lane, Willingdon in 1963 as my mother felt it would be a nice place for us to grow up at the foot of the Downs. It certainly was, Willingdon School fulfilled us academically & athletically. I still have contact with old school friends from Willingdon who are scattered all over the world. The Downs were our playground, where we used vines hanging from trees to swing upon until one broke whilst I was high above the ground and I was so winded the other kids thought I was dead. We picked elderberries and sold them to Merrydown at Horam. My brothers would tunnel into large haystacks in the fields below the Downs not realising the danger. My mother worked at Wannock Tea Rooms which never ceased to fascinate us. We all did a paper round for Rigarlsfords who also used to deliver our groceries in a van. We also went to the youth club at Lower Willingdon Church Hall on a Friday night.  I belonged to the Eastbourne Ballet Group run by the late Yvonne Wilcox. All in all, a wonderful childhood. I emigrated to W. Australia with my family from Hailsham in 1980.