Grandmother's Childhood Home

A Memory of Brentwood.

Probably more years than just 1910. My Grandmother Rose Smith (nee Holloway) grew up here. She was one of 10 children to John and Alice Holloway. She met my Grandfather, Sidney Fraser Smith, who was a Sergeant Instructor in Small Arms at the Barracks nearby. When she lived here the Holloway family had a pet black sheep, a monkey, ducks and chickens, with many fruit trees in the orchard, which is sadly now a car park! John would send Rose down to the Thatchers Arms with a jug to bring back some of the opposition's beer for him to try out. I have a framed picture of the Headley with the Holloway pony and trap outside which I bought from the Landlord of the Thatchers in Aug 2008. The family lived here until John Holloway lost his licence because he let people in after hours. They then moved to Camberwell. My grandfather, the Smith family, had 3 generations in the Army here at the barracks, Sidney Arthur was his father, and his was William Smith, who was a Chelsea out-pensioner and has a grave in a small cemetry in Brentwood somewhere.
I would love to hear from anyone else who has memories, or relatives who see this.
Best wishes.

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