36. George Forrest

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

George Forrest's Story

My name is George Forrest. I was born in 1935 in Worthing but moved to Lancing before my third birthday. I moved out to live in Brighton for 50 years. I now have Parkinson's, hence the reason for returning to Lancing. It is flat. Parkinson's makes me tire very quickly, so I hope you will bear with me.

Chesham House and Lancing Village Memories

I have recently been visiting Chesham House and have acquired a copy of Lancing Village Memories (edition 2). Some of the stories took me back. During the war years, my mother, my younger sister and I lived with my maternal grandparents in the thatched cottages opposite the "Farmers", roughly where the "Rainbow" is now.

Grandfather and Rosecroft

My grandfather was a market gardener employed by Frank Fuller, whose ground was on the north side of Sompting Road. where "Rosecroft" is now. Rosecroft was the name of Frank Fuller's house. Almost opposite was Lisher's coal yard and stables for his cart horses. We always had to be lifted up to see over the bottom half of the door of the horses in their stable. I believe it was Sid Lisher, but I could well be wrong

Lisher's Coal Yard. 

Lisher's coal yard was a small siding which held about 6 - 8 coal wagons. There, the Lishers' men would weigh and bag up the coal and put it onto the cart ready to be delivered. The horses would be fetched from their stable and hitched up. Sid would climb up onto the cart and, with his cap with the peak at the side, would start his round.. When all the coal was delivered, Sid would get onto the cart and fall asleep (or at least appear to). The horses would make their own way back to the railway siding and stop. It didn't matter where the round ended; the horses knew their way back. My memory tells me that the horses seemed to ignore the rest of the traffic. Goodness only knows what they would make of it today. 

The Horses' Stable

Back home, they were taken back to the stable, fed and watered. Of course, the stable is no longer there, but it can be positioned exactly. Walk along the south kerb of Sompting Road, and just before it starts to bend slightly to the right, there is a little dip in the kerb line; this was to allow the horses to walk straight through the stable door.

My fingers are getting tired, must sign off if this is of interest. I will see what else I can recall.

Editors note... I will be writing to George to say 'Yes, please, for more marvellous memories