A compilation of Lancing Village memories

 

Lancing Memories: The "Lost" Tapes & Stories Rediscovered

Compilation 1

The Village Ecosystem

• Focus: How Lancing functioned after the war—the market gardens, the railway works, and the "Ducks" on the beach.

Compilation 2

Life Through George Forrest’s Eyes

• Focus: A personal, biographical look at village life, featuring George’s "quite a lot to say" on everything from smoking to school days.

Compilation 3

Gossip, Mischief, and Hidden Scars

• Focus: The legendary local characters like "Lord Lancing," the "autopilot" coal horses, and the touching hidden histories of our teachers.
  

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• George Forrest: Our "leading man" for this series. Whether he was jumping over gates onto giant snakes or experimenting with "gutter tobacco," George’s memories are the heartbeat of these new recordings.
• Sid Lisher & His Horses: The ultimate Lancing "autopilot." Sid could catch a nap on his coal cart while his horses perfectly navigated the Sompting Road, even knowing exactly where to turn into the stables.
• The Mysterious "Lord Lancing": A man who brought a touch of the West End to West Sussex. Dressed in a boater hat and striped blazer, he was a village fixture that everyone remembered.
• The Teachers (Miss Humphrey & Miss Lappham): Behind the strict classrooms of North Lancing and Irene Avenue were deeply human stories—from secret crayon drawings of rabbits to the quiet, lifelong shadows of the Great War.

It has been a bit of a labour of love lately at the Lancing Memories project. After discovering that 55 of our precious audio and blog files were accidentally "Restricted," I’ve spent the last few hours unlocking the vault. Every single file is now set to "Anyone with the link," making our village history more accessible than ever.

But I didn't want to just reopen the doors; I wanted to bring the stories to life in a new way.

A New Way to Experience Our Past

Using the latest technology, I’ve created a series of "Community Deep Dives." These aren't just readings—they are vibrant, roundtable discussions that piece together memories from across our entire collection.

What you’ll hear in this new collection:

• The Schoolyard & The Classroom: Tales of the strict (but deeply human) teachers at North Lancing and Irene Avenue, from the much-feared Mr Russell to the rabbit-drawing Miss Humphrey.

• Wartime Lancing: The "mushrooms of dust" from the 1941 air raids, the "Ducks" (DUKWs) on the beach, and the secret signals of the Home Guard.

• The Characters of the Village: Meet the legendary George Forrest—a man who always had "quite a lot to say"—and the "autopilot" coal horses of S. Lisher that knew the route better than the driver.

• Mischief & Mayhem: From the "Great Tobacco Experiment" (which ended in a lot of coughing!) to the boys dodging chores to watch the steam trains at the footbridge.

Why It Matters

These memories capture the transition of Lancing from rural farmland to the bustling community we know today. It’s a nostalgic look at the Luxor Cinema, the Railway Works, and the local shops that defined our lives.

Whether you remember the smell of the coal carts or you're a new neighbour curious about our "Centre," these stories are for you.

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"Did you know Sid Lisher’s horses could navigate the Sompting Road while the driver was fast asleep? You can still see the 'dip' in the curb today where they turned for home. Listen to the latest 'Deep Dive' to hear George Forrest tell the full story!"

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A Final Note on the Lancing Memories Project

This collection represents more than just a series of recordings; it is a digital preservation of the "chaotic humanity" that defined our village from the 1930s through the 1960s. By bringing these 53 sources together, we have uncovered a unique "social ecosystem" where every memory—from the market gardens to the railway works—is interconnected.

Through these "Deep Dives," we have rediscovered:

• The Resilience of a Generation: How the quiet shadows of the Great War shaped our teachers, and how the village mobilised everything from saucepans to pennies to support the effort in the second.

• The Spirit of Childhood: The freedom of the chalk pits and the Widewater, balanced against the strict discipline of the classroom.

• The Local Legends: The "autopilot" coal horses of Sompting Road, the eccentric "Lord Lancing," and the endless mischief of George Forrest and his friends.

While the landscape of Lancing has evolved from rural farmland to the bustling centre we know today, the spirit of the people remains captured here. We hope these conversations offer you a nostalgic window into a bygone era and remind us all that the most valuable history is often found in the smallest, "meaty" details of our neighbours' lives.

Thank you for listening and keeping these memories alive.

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Troubleshooting Tip: If you are listening on a mobile phone and the audio doesn't play immediately, try opening the link in Google Chrome. If it still feels 'restricted,' simply long-press the link and select 'Open in New Tab' to join the conversation!

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Help us preserve the past If you enjoyed listening to these vibrant personal memoirs, please leave a star rating below. Your feedback helps us understand which historical anecdotes from the 1930s to the 1960s resonate most with the village today. It is a simple, quiet way to honour the legacy of contributors like George Forrest and others who shared their stories to keep the spirit of Lancing alive.

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The "Identify a Detail" Invitation: "If you recognised a specific face in a story or remember a shop name we might have missed, please leave a comment. Your 'meaty' details help us keep the Centre of these memories accurate for the next generation."

The "Family Connection" Prompt: "Was your father or grandfather one of the Railway Works or Market Garden workers? A simple 'My Dad worked there' is a wonderful way to honour their legacy."

The "George Forrest" Tribute: "George had 'quite a lot to say' to keep our history alive; we’d love to hear your own small 'cheeky' memory of Lancing life too."

Exploring the Memories: A Guide to Our Village History

 

Exploring the Memories: A Guide to Our Village History

If you are new to the blog, welcome! We have been busy organising decades of local memories so you can find the stories that matter most to you. Whether you grew up in the nurseries, played on the Ring, or worked at the Railway Works, there is something here for everyone.

🚩 The "Hidden" Landmarks

Lancing is full of secrets beneath the soil. Did you know about the Romano-Celtic Temple on the Ring?

• [Read about the Temple and see the 1828 diagrams here] 

🏫 School Days & Playground Games

From the "walking school" migrations to the frightening air raid shelters, our contributors have captured the true spirit of 1940s and 50s education.

• The "Mustard Water" Mystery: Was it real or a legend? [Link to Alan’s story]

• Veranda Classrooms: The early days of South Lancing Infants. [Link to the Tower Road memory]

🚜 A Village of Glass & Gardens

Before the housing estates, Lancing was a sea of glasshouses and orchards.

• The Boundstone Lane Nurseries: Discover the history of the Marshall and Grover families. [Link to Alan’s account]

• From Grapes to Tomatoes: Why Sussex lost its wine industry in the late 1800s. [Link to the agriculture section]

🚂 Railways, Shops & Steam

• The Works: Memories of the Churchill Industrial Estate and the men who worked the engines.

• The High Street: Who remembers the child-sized baskets at Woolworths or the horse-drawn milk floats? [Link to the 1950s visitor story]

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🔍 How to search this blog

On the foot of this page, you will see our new Label Cloud. You can click on any name or street—like "Sompting Road" or "Luxor Cinema"—to see every story related to that topic.

Story 11 from Paul Kidger

Hear Paul's story The two of Paul's messages combined

Paul Kidger replies to the question from Paul Bridle

Refuelling the DUKW and the Mermaid Kiosk

Yes, I remember the DUKW at Lancing and the method of refuelling....someone would carry a 5-gallon drum of petrol from the local garage and just tip it in. Struck me as very crude. Was it painted yellow? We did go out on it once or twice. There were 2 at Worthing painted Red, White and blue for coronation year and maybe one was named Princess Anne.

At the side of the Mermaid Beach cafe was a kiosk which, at one time, was run by an enterprising young lady. I think that she used to ride a motorcycle, which was guaranteed to turn a few heads.

Monk’s Farm: Petrol, Floods, and the High Tide

In the early '60s, I used to work at Monk's Farm petrol station during holidays and at weekends. The owner, Mr Lyons, also ran the beach garage for a short while. His brother Alf used to run a driving school. I remember the foundations for that station being dug and seeing them flood at high tide. That part of Lancing, just North of the police station, is actually below the high water level, even though it is about a mile from the sea.

Monk’s Farm: Petrol, Floods, and the High Tide

My own driving lessons were courtesy of Mill Road Driving School. That was run by another enterprising young lady who once owned the nurseries, which were then redeveloped into the Norbury estate of bungalows. She was one of the regular dog walkers who would pass by the rear of our house in Ring Rd. One old dear had a dog called Kiltie. I mistook her summoning her dog, and she was henceforth known to us as the 'Filthy Lady'. Another dog walker would come past at 1 pm, and I called her the 1 o'clock jump after the Benny Goodman hit of the '40s. Both parents collapsed with laughter. It wasn't until many years later did I realised the significance of my comment

Dungo Barton’s Path and the Chalkpit

Pat Barton used to run the horse riding stables at the top of Mill Rd. Since he used to sell horse muck as garden fertiliser, he was known to us as Dungo Barton, and the path through the chalkpit, which he used with his horse and cart, was Dungo's path. The Barton farm is no more, fallen down and totally overgrown...well,l it was a few years ago. I was at school with Jane Barton, his daughter.

Oak Panels and the Legend of 'Lord Lancing'

Regarding the Corner House, before it became the Potter and an eatery, it had lovely oak panelling in all bars.

Does anyone remember the slightly eccentric 'Lord Lancing' who would cycle around the town wearing a boater, striped blazer and flannels, probably a monocle and cigarette in a holder?

Paul Kidger

Editors note

The DUKW, affectionately nicknamed the "Duck," is a unique six-wheeled amphibious truck that played a critical role in military history before becoming a beloved tourist novelty.

 * Inventor and Design: The DUKW was a modification of the General Motors Company (GMC) CCKW military truck. Its design was a collaborative effort, primarily led by yacht designer Rod Stephens Jr. of Sparkman & Stephens, along with Dennis Puleston and MIT's Frank W. Speir. The project was developed by the National Defense Research Committee in a remarkably short time (around 38 days) to solve the critical problem of resupplying units during amphibious landings. The name DUKW is a GMC manufacturing code, with D for the design year (1942), U for utility, K for all-wheel drive, and W for dual rear axles.

 * WWII Use: Initially rejected by the military, the DUKW's potential was proven during a storm rescue of a Coast Guard crew. It was finally adopted and first used during the Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) in 1943. General Dwight D. Eisenhower famously called it "one of the most valuable pieces of equipment produced by the United States during the war." Over 21,000 were built by the end of 1945. They were essential for ferrying troops, ammunition, and supplies directly from ships, past the surf, and onto the shore, circumventing destroyed port facilities. They saw extensive service in every major amphibious operation, including the D-Day landings at Normandy.

 * Peacetime Tourism: After the war, thousands of DUKWs were sold as surplus. Many were adapted for civilian use, but their most enduring legacy became their role as tourist craft. Repainted in bright, cheerful colors, these rugged vehicles were converted for sightseeing tours in waterfront cities all over the world, including Boston, London, Dublin, and along the Wisconsin River. Tourists marvel at the novelty of driving through city streets before the "Duck" seamlessly transitions into a boat, offering a unique, splashy tour experience.

This one was used in Liverpool.

Here's a full history of the DUKW from militaryhistoria.com

47. Those Were The Days My Friends . . . Malcolm G Hill's Memoirs of Lancing Life 1947-1963

Malcolm G Hill

Those Were The Days My Friends . .

Hear Malcolm's Story

Memoirs of Lancing Life 1947-1963

Introduction and Early Origins

Like many of the people whose reminiscences of Lancing life appear here, I too came across this fascinating website by pure chance whilst trawling references on the internet to the Lancing/Sompting/Worthing area. So I trust my few recollections of growing up there will prompt further reflections among those of us scattered around the globe, and of course, those of you still resident in the area, and also prompt others to write accounts of our early lives and even perhaps engage in mutual correspondence whilst we still have time before our all too soon inevitable demise.

My name is Malcolm Gerald Hill. I was born in 1940, not in Lancing actually but in Hayes, Middlesex, but within a few weeks of my birth was taken to live with my grandmother, Mrs Gertrude Perkins at her home in First Avenue, Lancing on account of my mother's premature death from that scourge of early 20th century Britain, tuberculosis of the lungs.

Within a year I had been adopted by the Hill family, Mr Malcolm Thomas William Hill and his wife Eva Mary, who at that time lived on Crabtree Lane in a house called White Gates, a lovely detached home now replaced by an apartment block, opposite The Crabtree Inn and on the other side of the road to a row of shops, among which I remember a greengrocer's with the memorably evocative name of Hibdidges. The Hills had a daughter, Barbara Jean, eleven years older than myself, who unfortunately died in 2014 in her eighty-third year and lived with her husband Peter, also deceased this year, 2015, just outside Norwich in Norfolk.

32a Alan Marshall replies to David Nicholls

 

Alan Marshall said...

Hello from Lancing to Alan Marshall in Tasmania. Thank you for sharing these wonderful memories. I have formatted your text with subheadings and corrected some punctuation to make it easier to read.

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School Days

David, thanks for all those wonderful memories you have brought back to me. I am somewhat younger than yourself (I was born in 1941), but I do remember the old schoolroom, and Mrs Thomas used to teach there. The name Miss Allman, I think she became Mrs Horne. At that age, I had no idea of people getting married and changing their name!

Michael Ayling was in my class at school. I attended there from about 1946 to 1952. The "new" dining room and kitchen were built at the top northern side of the playground, close to the bicycle shed. I will always remember the horrible smell of grease and food waste oozing out of the waste pipe from the kitchen, and that horrible minced meat, hard potatoes, and spinach! It was an awful taste for a 7 or 8-year-old.

Wartime Memories

The Morrison Shelter we had (in Grafton Gardens) was built underneath Mum and Dad's bed. We were taken there to sleep for the night whenever the air-raid sirens sounded. Several went off at the same time, giving a discordant, painful wail, all beating against each other and setting the tensions. We as kids did not know the significance of the tension, but on looking back, our parents had a hard time of it, didn't they?
I was born in a little wooden shack up the top end of Upper Boundstone Lane, just below the fence of the cemetery. A bungalow is built there now, in the corner where there's a bend in the road.
Back to the war years, and I was only almost 4 when it ended, but my main memory is of very quiet nights, very dark because of no street lamps. If any vehicle drove past in the night, it was always very slowly. And if a bomber flew over, it was spine-chilling and would keep me awake! Apparently, the Heinkels were twin-engined and not well synchronised. Even now, the sound of a piston-engined aircraft in the night brings back all those memories.

The Marshall Nursery

My Dad and his Dad (Percy Marshall) and Denis, his brother, had the nursery where Boundstone School is now. Boundstone Lane then really was a "lane"—a rough road with lots of puddles to splash in (and frozen over in the winter of 1947). The structure of that road, when upgraded, would have been very strong. Lots of flint, old bricks, etc., went in as foundations, and the top tarmac was compacted with a steamroller. I watched all that work with great interest.

Playing in Lancing

The Brooks, at the western end of Tower Road, was a favourite playground for us, where we would catch minnows, sticklebacks, and tadpoles. When the bridge over the railway at Western Road was being built, I watched them putting in the piles with a huge, noisy vertical ram. They raised the ram up to the top of the crane's jib, then let it fall at great speed onto the piling, which was gradually driven down into the subsoil.
Well, there are so many little things that come back once I get started. I hope these few lines do the same for others who read this.

Greetings from Down Under.

55. Mary Lethby neè Gascoyne remembers her days in Lancing

Mary Lethby nee Gascoyne

Hear the story

Early School Days at South Lancing

I was born in Lancing and attended South Lancing Junior School, where the Headmistress was Miss Cates. I didn't dislike school, but the only thing that bothered me was my eyesight. My desk was always in the front and then I couldn't always see the small writing on the blackboard.

Wartime Memories and Family Fundraising

I do remember some very cold winters with the school milk popping out of the bottles, so that we tried to thaw them out on the school hot pipes. In that freezing weather, we all wore homemade clothes, which luckily our mother could always manage. She was very good at knitting and sewing, so that in 1944 my sisters: Averill, Frieda and Veronica Gascoyne, our cousin Peter Voice and his friend Derek Denyer went out to sell tea cosies, bed socks, kettle holders and anything Mother had made to raise the princely sum of £21 for the Red Cross. Anything over went to the hospital. A newspaper cutting of 1944 has a photograph of the six children and reports that they sold dolls, toys, iron-holders, flannels, lucky dips, brooches, powder-puffs, shoe-polishers, bath salts and other articles in their third sale. The unsold toys were sent to the Hospital, and they received a letter of thanks from Sister Foster of Ward 1. Peter and the Gascoynes have an aunt, uncle and two cousins who interned in China.

Post-War Entertainment and Secondary School

After the war, my sisters and I would go to the Regal Cinema along Penhill Road for Saturday matinee. Then I went to Irene School, which was nice and near home.

Early Working Life - The Wool Shop

After leaving school, I worked in a lovely wool shop in Chapel Road, Worthing, called Evelyn's. At this time, in the '50s, there were another three wool shops in the town.

Railway Works and Cycling Culture

On my way home each day to Lancing Station, I would call in to buy my Dad the Evening Argus. No way could he leave his bike to shop when the Railway Works emptied. There were hundreds of bikes along North Road. You wouldn't dare cross the road.

Singer Sewing Machine Company

Then I worked for Singer Sewing m/c Co. in Worthing, and again there were three other m/c shops. Now there is only one left. How times have changed.

Marriage at St Paulinus

By the '60s, I was married to Derek in the Cokeham R.C. Church of St Paulinus, with Father Quinlan officiating. Even this church is now gone.

Working for Walter Bros

For a short time, I worked for Walter Bros, who were a well-known Worthing family, who had been trading for over 100 years. All the family were most friendly and approachable, not stuck up at all. Mr Leslie Walter was a well-known councillor and alderman, and when I asked him if he would have liked to have been mayor, he laughed his head off - "not likely", he said.

Mary Lou Fabric Centre

As time went by, they sold the business and my husband and I purchased the lease to the Lancing branch, calling it 'Mary Lou Fabric Centre'. I spent nearly 30 happy years there and never forgot a customer's advice: "always smile".

Musical Evenings with Dr King

My mother and father lived in Lancing, so it was very convenient to meet up when Dr King had his symphony concerts with a small group of passionate musicians. It was a perfect musical evening and we all loved it.

North Road Neighbours and Local Shops

Next door to us in North Road was a Co-op shoe shop, soon taken over by Mr and Mrs Lyons. We all got on famously, dressing up for the late-night shopping. In those days, Lancing had three shoe shops.

There was Mrs Mitchell, a florist, on the next block who had been in business when I was a child. Mrs Mitchel always remembered your name.

Also, we had a fruit and veg shop owned by Mr Boulter, who became so busy he opened three shops, and always called out at the end of the day, with his bargain prices.

Commuting and Friendships

I used to travel on the train home with one of the girls who worked at Woolworths. What a shame when that closed. I still see Olive in Worthing occasionally and recall when we walked home to Worthing in the snow when the trains had failed.

Reflections on Lancing

Lancing has treated me very well, and I consider myself so very lucky to have been born and bred here.

54. Gary Gardner recalls a local Coffee Bar

Gary Gardner

wrote more of his memories

Summary

The text provides a personal account of Gary Gardner's childhood memories from the 1940s and 1950s in Lancing, England. The author vividly recounts his early experiences, including listening to Glenn Miller music at a local coffee shop, playing on the beach, and being fascinated by an early television set in his neighbourhood. These anecdotes highlight the impact of his surroundings and his early interest in music and technology.

Early Influence of Family and Music

Being born halfway through World War II, all the menfolk in the family were away in the services, so my mother was a big influence in my early years. I remember her taking me to a coffee bar which was located a few hundred yards up from where Woolworths used to be. This coffee bar had one of the early jukeboxes, which in those days played the old Shellac 78s. I quite clearly remember hearing what I later discovered was Glenn Miller playing one of his hits. It was only very much later in life I heard a record of Glenn Miller in a record shop, and instantly found the music familiar. I then realised where all those years ago where I had heard this music. I've been a fan of Glenn Miller ever since, and now have a reasonable-sized library of his music.

Childhood on the Beach

During the war, access to the beach was not permitted because of the large concrete blocks that were there to help prevent German landing craft coming ashore. At the end of hostilities, these blocks were removed and were used to make a base for a car park that was on the seaside of the coast road going towards Shoreham. 
My first reaction on seeing the sea for the first time was to run into the sea and look for the plughole, as the only water I had seen previously was in the bath. My aunt had a beach hut along this stretch of beach, and we spent many happy hours there in the summer. When the tide went down to expose the sand, my old nan and I would go shrimping with a net and then bring the shrimps back to the hut and cook them over a paraffin stove. I loved eating them for our tea before packing up and going back home to my aunt's bungalow in Monks Avenue. The beach hut remained with my aunt for many years.
The next-door neighbours were the Last family who used to own a chemist shop on the High Street on the opposite side of the railway station. Their hut was a much bigger one than ours, but they did have a big family.
Childhood memories of Lancing Beach are with me still, even though I'm now getting old, but look back fondly of these times gone by. 

Life in South Street

For a short time, my mum and I lived in the block of Flats in South Street, which was located next to a small park. There were shops at street level and we had a small flat on the second floor. Across the road was a parade of shops, including an electrical shop which sold a very limited range of electrical appliances. They have one of the shops on the opposite side of the road under the flats, which they used as a repair workshop.

Watching a TV the first time

I remember the owner of the shop inviting the residents to come down to the repair workshop as they had something interesting to show us.  The room was packed when we arrived, and I had to be picked up so I could see what was going on. At the other end of the room, there was what appeared to be a small screen on which there was a moving picture! It turned out to be small TV that one of the technicians had built from odd parts he had acquired,  of course,  this was a one-off unit and not for sale, but again it left a lasting impression on me, and almost certainly why that in my later years my interest in electronics became my hobby. It wasn't until I was 11 in 1953 did my aunt buy a Philips TV with a 12 " screen, which we all crowded round to watch the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II