THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — these Findon Chronicles are created by Valerie Martin and contain scenes from her home village of Findon,
West Sussex, U.K.    Everyday stories about real people.

ROSE'S MEMOIRS

Copyright Valerie Martin 2011

On New Year's Day 2011, I was delighted to hear from David Johnston in Petworth......."Dear Valerie - A Happy New Year To You..... may the coming year be a most happy one for you and all.

The following is no more than just a tiny snippet - taken from my late mothers memoirs - there is the mearest mention of her visit to Findon in 1951 - a year before my father died of cancer. He was a Londoner - who, due to his long term illness, came to Chichester on convalesance, shortly before the end of the war - there they met - married - then
following his death we went back up to London to live with an aunt - but I digress!

My father was very interested in prehistoric man - flints and flint mines - when he was courting my mother, he took her to several places - one of which was Findon.

My mothers memoirs are written - as if - by a third person - she using the name of Rose for herself.

I've been wandering whether to send you it or not - being unsure whether you would find such a small amount of any interest - please 'bin' if deemed of no interest.

click to enlarge

Have attached the snippet written in her own hand as it reads.

Steven Ambrose Johntson                                 Nellie Rosetta Johnston

Also the photo of both my parents taken on that day - on Cissbury Ring. -------- David - - Petworth".

I immediately told David that I thought his "snippet" was a real treasure and that I loved the photographs.

"Dear Valerie - Rose's 'memoirs' - my mother would have felt very honoured at having her day trip to Findon - all those years ago - recorded on one of your - 'web pages!' - I wish there was more I could send you - but alas, that was all she had written ------------- David".

PRODUCTIONS FILMED LOCALLY IN THE PAST.... Doug emails..."I remember two films being made locally. Some scenes from the classic "Hell Drivers" (1957) starring Stanley Baker & Sean Connery were shot at Beeding Cement Works & Truleigh Hill. See if you can recognise some of these roads.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9GRB1rUyYU&feature=relatedT

he war film "Battle of the V1" (1958) starring Michael Rennie was shot at Lancing, Shoreham Airport & Upper Beeding. They built a big film set south of the railway line near Shoreham Airport. We saw it being built from the train on the way to school & wondered what it was".
 

This is Findon Village — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon and beyond.