Living On Elmer Road Middleton On Sea 1962 1974

A Memory of Middleton-on-Sea.

I lived there as a young child from about the ages of 2-14 years old (1960-early 1970s). As a young child Elmer Road seemed to be at the end of the world. The main road heading east hit a dead-end and went nowhere.

For years our world seemed, to me at least, to be the stoney beach, the village, Bognor town centre and nothing else. There was never much to do... nothing but old people waiting for God. Long summer days were spent bored or worse... up to no good. Cold, windy wintery days were spent messing on the beach in the driving rain.

Sometimes the holiday cottage next door to us would be rented-out for the summer to strange but fun families from out of town. That would usually add some excitement to the holidays but they'd leave again just as suddenly as they'd arrived. To kill the boredom I rode my bike and did things I shouldn't have. Usually arrived back home soaking wet from falling in the village pond (catching tadpoles).

The parade of shops in Elmer was limited to Margery & Eves hairdressers (but the shop sign said 'Bruce's' I think), Cecil & Reggie's (?) grocers and Mr Chandler's Post Office and general store. Chandlers did have a great sweet counter though. There was also a cafe, a little tea shop (the original owner's name was Pam I think) and later a launderette instead of the cafe. I do remember the old train carriages used as homes though... they always seemed a little scary, as did one or two very old and extremely neglected houses in the area that, as a naive bored child looking for adventures, I was convinced were derelict and tried to investigate... only to get caught. No harm done though.

Even in the 1960s the area was a place that time forgot. In fact the entire area seemed a decade or 2 out of time. I grew up to loathe quiet country living. I've spent a life-time running away from it. Indeed, I've spent all my adult life living bang in the middle of big noisy London. And I love it.

I look back and think it should have been an idyllic place to spend my childhood but, in truth, it really wasn't most of the time. I make a day-visit once in a long while and I have a little smile to myself (at how little it has changed over 35 years), but I immediately turn the car around a drive straight back to London and feel happier again.

Middeton-On-Sea... idyllic for some children but not for others.

PS. I won't mention the old Butlins holiday camp and all the Saturday, one-day, 50p passes I bought. I always arrived back home covered in sick, wet from the rides and smelling of rusty metal... good times lol.

---

---