Nostalgic memories of Smallfield's local history
Share your own memories of Smallfield and read what others have said
For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our web site to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was when the photographs in our archive were taken. From brief one-liners explaining a little bit more about the image depicted, to great, in-depth accounts of a childhood when things were rather different than today (and everything inbetween!). We've had many contributors recognising themselves or loved ones in our photographs.
Why not add your memory today and become part of our Memories Community to help others in the future delve back into their past.
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Displaying Memories 21 - 30 of 30 in total
I lived in No. 8 Council Cottages (now Firbank), several children in the cottages, Potters No 4, Arnolds No 1, Apps No 2, Burtenshaw No 3, this was before the war. I was born 1929. Mr Harris of Redeham Hall Farm let us have the run of all his fields to play in, we would go away for hours and our mothers would never worry where we were. About 1937 they were training pilots in Tiger Moths and Miles Magisters, they ...see more
When I was about 5 years old I remember my mum picking me up from Smallfield school on her bike, I was in the back on a little seat when a doodlebug roared overhead, and the engine switched off ... My mum panicked, and pushed me off the bike behind a wall, we heard the bang towards Gatwick airport. We then continued the journey home. My dad later said the doodlebug went over our farm - Triddles Farm - and it went over ...see more
I was born at 1 Kings Cottages in April 1931. I have two brothers, and as young boys we were close friends of the late Gerald Mitchel. Gerald's mum, nee Doris King, lived with her husband (Syd, who served with the RAF) in what was then called Brickyard Cottages. Their next door neighbours were the Gunn family. I have so many fond memories of our days spent playing, climbing on the brick kilns, swimming ...see more
I was born in Horne but we moved into Smallfield when I was about 10 years old. The first two bungalows we lived in were built by my dad - Peter Pocock. They were called 'Pandora' and 'Saran'. In Smallfield we lived at 10 Kingsmead. I remember that the shops shut at 5 o'clock and on Wednesday afternoons and that the paper shop only opened for a few hours on a Sunday for the papers. If you wanted chocolate or ...see more
I don't suppose anybody knows anything of the Brickmakers Factory and the brickmakers' cottages in New Rd c1930, the cottages were built around 1929 I believe? I was told this about 10 years ago and I have not yet met anyone that can confirm this info. I was told that there was a factory at the end of the road and the brickmakers lived in the cottages...
I started school in Smallfield in 1934. In those days there were bucket lavatories. The sewer was laid in 1938 and then most of Smallfield was able to do away with the buckets. There were 3 teachers, Miss Kempshall who came from Betchworth on a 250cc Panther, Miss Cottle who had attended the school and became a teacher (she ran the Cubs as well) and Miss Power. There were only about eighty children untill 1939 ...see more
Does anyone remember the mobile library that was parked near the parade of shops? I think there is a house on the land where it used to park.
I have memories of hanging my beret up on my named peg; my double-breasted dark blue rain coat two times bigger then me; the boys trying to pull me over the yellow line to the boys playground; the huge black spider webs in the outside toilets; the hopscotch on the floor of the ...see more
We moved to Smallfield in the late 1960s. I remember my little brother Gary Biddles putting his best suit on and knocking at the door of Smallfield Place asking if he could have a look around as he found it very interesting. The lady thought he was so sweet that she invited him for a tour. At a latter date, I was also a regular visitor. I used to do my brother Glenn's milkround so he could go to football so I got ...see more
I lived at Triddles Farm and rode my bicycle all the way to school at Redhall Road. At lunchtime we all had to walk all the way back to the village hall for lunch and all the way back again after. We played marbles in the drains in the playground and slides on the snow in the winter (all against Health & Safety nowadays). I remember a Mr Joss, one of the teachers, who would rap you over the knuckles if we ...see more
I lived here, Woodside Crescent, from 1958 when I was 2 yrs old to 1967 when our family wanted to see more of the world...so we moved to Horley...oh yes, we got around! Went to school near the village centre and further down Redehall Road. We had walk down to the church hall to have our school dinner. Hartnell's the sweet shop (8 fruit salads for an old penny). The woods seemed vast...gone now. Collecting ...see more