Boyhood



I was born in Copthorne Bank on the Surrey side of the village, in the front room of my parents' house, just over a year after VE day. I was the baby of the family, with an older sister and older brother who were both born before the outbreak of the Second World War.

My parents were 'village' people; that is, they were well integrated into community life, its traditions, histories and daily activities. My mother especially had an enormous network of friends and relatives as her ancestors had lived in the area for many, many generations. I have latterly come to realise that I was probably related to about half the village, and my siblings would marry into equally 'old' Sussex and Surrey families.

My mother never sold the house in which I was born, and lived there until her death. It remains in the family and future generations of the clan will no doubt leave their mark on the village.

The house was a semi-detached red brick cottage, built in 1903. It had 3 bedrooms upstairs, and a front room, dining room and kitchen downstairs. A downstairs bathroom was a later addition, built off the kitchen. The house was curious in that the front door was at the side, but no-one ever used this door, instead coming to the kitchen door to speak to my mother. I shared a bedroom with my brother until my sister married.