Nostalgic memories of Southwick's local history
Share your own memories of Southwick 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 1 - 10 of 15 in total
I was born in Steyning in 1954. My father was a police constable and at only 2/3 months old we moved to the 'police station' in Whiterock Place in Southwick. The station consisted of 2 large semidetached houses with large back gardens and a dog yard with a kennel for any strays. The gardens backed virtually up to the railway embankment and the front of the house looked straight down Colebrooke Road to ...see more
I was born in Southlands hospital in 1932.
In 1935 I moved into 14 West Road Fishersgate and (when old enough)went to Fishersgate Infant school.
In 1943 we moved into 21 Fishersgate Terrace, which at that time was on the corner of Laylands Road, it was demolished to clear the way for the rebuilding of Fishersgate.
I well remember playing down the canal bank and along the canal shore.
Before ...see more
We must have had the same playground, I and my friends Eric Adams and Victor Gillam, from the builders yard across the road from the war memorial , I lived at 109 Albion st, the Seamans Mission ,I remember it well, the docks , tug boat , and locks, I remember watching as they built the new larger lock, well boys would, it was like a magnet for a small boy like me,
I have been in that post office lots of times
My father had a corn merchant shop called Gommes (I think this is the correct Spelling) at 33a Albion Street. As far as I can remember it was opposite the old power station. My mum told me that a ship called the Beeding used to wake me up in the morning.
Does anybody have any old photographs of this shop or memories.
We moved to London when I was 7 years old so my memories of the shop are vague.
I turned eighteen in 1965. It was around this time that I had a tendency, upon coming home from the pub (in the summer), to have a black coffee, tie a rod onto the bike, and head off for Southwick via Brighton (about 35 miles from Reigate). Such energy, at that age! Upon arrival, I'd catch shrimps from the walkway using a drop-net and kippers for bait, then when dawn came (suitable tide), I'd float-fish for bass ...see more
How exciting to see this photo. In the early 1950s my nan had a sweet shop at 90 Albion Street (I think the building on left with drug sign). At around 1956 -57 my mum, dad, sister Trude and myself moved in. We built up the garden at the back where my father grew lovely flowers. My mum ran her marriage bureau in the shop (The Good Companions). I had the whole harbour, beach and canal as my playground along with Tony Strudwick, Tony Strevens and Chris Bunby. Aaah happy days!
Having been a choirboy at the only church that I knew of actually in Southwick that being St Michaels and All Angels and this is not a photograph of that church, could this be in Kingston.
My grandfather Kennedy Larbey and his family came and lived in Southwick in 1896 where he was a blacksmith. My grandmother sold fresh fish at her kitchen door. My father Victor was born there in 1897 and done most of his schooling there untill they came back to Fernhurst in 1910.
As a pupil at Manor Hall Secondary School I also remember the Valiant crashing and the plume of smoke with the explosion as it hit the railway line by Southwick Recreation Ground. As it was lunch time no members of the public were hurt. A locally run Website 'This is Findon' by Valerie Martin has more information on that day from other people. There is included, an extract of the crash investigation report ...see more