40. George Forrest talks about steam trains

Hear George's story All of George's messages in one 

George Forrest

Playing With Trains

One thing about being 7 - 8 years of age, living on the south side of the railway line and going to school on the north side of the line meant having to cross the railway line four times a school day. It didn't matter whether the gates were open or closed, it was almost obligatory that we, that is, three or four of us, went over the footbridge. 

We waited for a steamer to come through in order that we could become enveloped in steam and smoke. If a train wasn't due, we would wait. To our minds, it was essential that we smelled of smoke. Often this made us late home for dinner ( we didn't have lunch then), only posh people had lunch. I can still hear the tellings-off that I got from my mother to this very day. And the occasions that, having finished my meal,  my wrist was grasped and I was hauled back to school at a rate of knots.

Roger Price and the Luxor Cinema

One of my friends at the time was Roger Price; his father owned a small grocers just below the Luxor cinema. If you stand facing the Luxor, you will see to the right a gap, next was a very old cottage, it might have been two, next was the grocers, then a shop I can't really recall, the third shop was Newberry's, a tobacconist and confectioner.

Very few shops had window displays, but one warm sunny Sunday afternoon, our family was out for a stroll and happened to pass said grocers. There in the window were two sacks of rice, these were being attacked by about 8 - 10 mice. They had gnawed a hole and were busy eating. We watched for some minutes, they were far too busy eating to notice us. We left them to it, didn't wish to disturb them. Though from that day on, my mother never bought anything from Mr Price that wasn't in a tin. .

Building Memories

The next two buildings were detached dwellings, now offices. My father was employed as a trainee bricklayer on the site nearest the Farmers Hotel, and my mother lived in one of the thatched cottages opposite. She spotted him and as they say, "The rest is history".



Enough for today ATB

George Forrest

37. George Forrest continues...danger of living under a thatched roof

Hear George's story All of George's messages in one 

37._George Forrest

Early Family Life

Shortly after I was born, our little family moved to Lancing, into a house in Myrtle Crescent, I am sure it was next to the Prior family, and Roy, who you have interviewed, was one of them. My sister was born at this address in 1938. I can't give you dates, but shortly after we moved to an address at the station end of Tower Road.

War Efforts and Relocation

When war broke out, my father was not enlisted into the army; he was a bricklayer and was wanted in the Midlands and North Midlands to do bomb repair work in places like Coventry, Nuneaton, Warrington and others.

 My mother, who was concerned about being on her own with two small children, decided to move in with her parents in one of the two semi-detached thatched cottages opposite "The Farmers", roughly where "The Pantry" is now.  

Fire Risks and Precautions 

Being thatched, the roof was highly combustible; just the thought of an incendiary bomb was worrying.

 During the early part of the war, when the German bombing was at its height, my grandfather would do his fire picket job, i.e. standing at the door, just watching...   I can recall him standing just outside with a lighted pipe turned upside down in case the German pilots should see the glow. We had a large blanket draped over the inside of the door, 1) to stop any light escaping when Grandad popped in to get warm, and 2) to stop any draughts.

Mother's Concerns and Moonlit Nights

My mother's main concern was on moonlit nights, the light would be reflected off the very shiny glazed roof tiles of "The Farmers"  hotel. They were much shinier then, and let the enemy pilots know where we were.

Anti-Aircraft Defences and Air Raids

During that time, there was an anti-aircraft gun on the south side of what would become the road bridge at the bottom end of Grinstead Lane. When there was a raid on it could get quite noisy. 

Memories of German Doodlebugs

Another thing I remember at this time was the German doodlebugs. They made a very distinctive sound. We didn't get too many this way, although I think one did drop on the farm just north of  Lancing College. Whilst in school, if one was heard, the whole class, the teacher included, would be silent except for little soft whispers of "Keep going, Keep going, Keep going".