19th May 2003
Congratulations on a truly magnificent website. One of
the best Local History sites I have seen. I was brought up in Findon
Valley 1938 - c. 1950 from the age of 7 till I was about 19.
I finally left to work in Bristol but returned briefly
for a couple of years to live in Findon (Somerfield Close) 1959-60. Then
back to Bristol where I still am.
As a result, my wartime and immediately post war memories
of Findon, Cissbury Ring, Stump Bottom are vivid and it was fascinating
being reminded of so much. We lived at 48 Hollingbury Gardens with a
back garden which led straight out into the field behind. I was a keen
shot and spent many hours rough shooting the area to the southwest of
Cissbury Ring.... and dare I admit it, poaching the Ring itself and
Brigadier Wyatt's Estate!
Four of us would play truant from school to spend time on
the Commando Training area. Others clearly did the same. After the war
finished, I had the task of "dumping" our collection of unexploded
mortar bombs and ammunition which we had collected and kept hidden at
home.
The sales of my rabbits to Blackwell the Butcher for 2s
3d each, allowed me to restock with my cartridges. My cousin taught me
the use of snares, now banned, and we would sometimes take up the
ferrets and nets. Mr Turner, the Brigadier's gamekeeper was a good
friend and I would assist him to learn further tricks of the trade,
though he never knew that I was so often the poacher he suspected was
going over his patch.
There was a Lysander which force landed on the top of
Tenant Hill one day. I saw it whilst out walking but never saw the going
of it. It was very little damaged and had got down extremely well.
Summer holidays were spent stooking the sheaves at
harvest time and later throwing them up onto the trailer to be taken to
build a stack. The thresher used to be set up just behind the house and
we would glean corn (barley) for our chickens.
Although I have not yet read every word of your history,
I can see no mention of the "cuckoo" air raid warning. We would get the
normal wail to let us know of an impending air raid and then a "Cuckoo"
warning that the enemy were overhead. This was followed by a single note
LOUD then soft repeated for a while, to let us know they had moved on
and the final single note steady and loud to give the all clear.
If there are any of my memories which you might like in
proper detail, please let me know and I shall do my best to oblige. As a
genealogy freak, I appreciate the importance of Local History as well as
Family History.
With all good wishes, ........... Mike Cooksey.
Mike Cooksey, Bristol.
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