THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE _Myrtle Grove Remembered

THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.

MYRTLE GROVE REMEMBERED

Myrtle Grove (map reference TQ 091 085) is one of Findon's neighbours and lies to the west of the village — just before getting to the turning to Michelgrove on the Long Furlong Road, (A280).

I have not come across many photographs of the area but it was an army training ground and below is one depicting the Essex Regiment Territorial Camp at Myrtle Grove during 1930.

At the beginning of 2005 I was pleased to hear from David Guscott concerning Myrtle Grove ....

19th February 2005

Hello Valerie.

Myrtle Grove

My name is David Guscott and I am at Chichester. I have been going through some of my stepmothers papers and photos. She has not passed away but has had to go into a nursing home so her house is to be sold.

Her family lived in a cottage on the Myrtle Grove Farm estate in the 1930's, and I have come across a number of photos of her cottage and the surrounding countryside.

I came across your website by 'googling' Myrtle Grove - although I know Findon is quite a way from Myrtle Grove, and maybe you consider it beyond the scope of your interests.
But if these are of interest to you, then please let me know.
Sincerely,

David Guscott

David Guscott, Chichester, West Sussex.

Lily White (David's stepmother) was born in 1922 and moved from Graffham near Petworth to live at Myrtle Grove near Findon in the late 1930s when she was 16-17 years old.

She lived with her parents and elder sister, Rose, in a cottage at Myrtle. Her father was a gardener so it can be guessed that he possibly became the gardener at Myrtle Grove at this time.

David says that Lily had a box camera and she took all of these pictures — quite an undertaking in those days for a working class country girl.

This photograph is captioned “Eric 13-years-old, Graffham”. We do not know what relationship Eric was to Lily but he was certainly a likeable lad.

1935 — Family group with rabbit (on the ground).

1935 —Lily's father.

Late 1930s —The Muntham Airstrip in Findon from Blackpatch Hill with the woods of Muntham behind the airstrip. Chanctonbury Ring can be seen on the horizon.

Lily's father at Myrtle Grove in April 1938.

Lily's father at Captain Gilpin's (?) at Myrtle Grove.

1939 — Lily's cottage at Myrtle Grove.

Lily's cottage at Myrtle Grove in the 1930s

Summer 1939 — Lily at Myrtle Grove. She would have been 17 years old when this was taken.

November 1939 — Lily and Bess.

Harrow Hill (map reference TQ 082 099).

Mr. Jenkin and Molly. It is believed that Mr. Jenkin was the owner of Myrtle Grove (maybe Molly was his daughter?) The dogs are Rover, Nip, Skatty and Boster.

1939 — Molly on Bess.

Winter 1939 – 1940. Snow at Myrtle Grove. Lily records that the first snow fell around Christmas. January and February of 1940 were terrible months for weather and the family had 6 ft. of snow in the lane. She wrote on this photograph that it "Also snowed in March".

February 1949 — Lily's father with Mr. Piper (who was I assume another gardener at Myrtle Grove.

20th February 2005

Lily

I really liked the pictures taken by Lily.

It is wonderful that a young girl of that time would think of taking pictures and writing the information down for them. The quality of the photographs are very good.

Nish.

Nish Vardy, Findon Village, West Sussex.

21st February 2005

Hi Val,

Photos

I agree with Nish Vardy about Lily's old photo's, it is nice to have a photographic record of bygone times, we can learn a lot from them as they will last far beyond our own mortal time.

Neil

Neil Farrell, Liverpool.

21st February 2005

Dear Valerie

Lily's photographs

Yes! I too have been fascinated by Lily's photos. They are a wonderful record of the places and people of her time. The old Box camera was better than any of us realised! I still come across the odd negative and the quality of the picture I can produce from it on the scanner, never ceases to amaze me!

I think you must have a bottomless well of interesting topics relating (albeit loosely sometimes) to the Findon area. My interest never wanes!

Thanks for your continued hard work which is well appreciated .....Mike.

Mike Cooksey, Bristol.

21st February 2005

Myrtle Grove

You are almost certainly correct in your belief that Mr Jenkin owned Myrtle Grove.

The Wills family, who lived next to my family at Kingswood, farmed Tolmare Farm.

They always referred to Myrtle Grove as Jenkin's Farm.
Regards, as always,
Roger Moulds.

Roger Moulds, Llandrindod Wells, Powyes, Wales.

Continue if you would like to help solve The Bark Cutter Mystery.

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E-mail: valeriemartin@findonvillage.com