Hello Ivor,
I have just received a wonderful letter from our mutual cousin Caroline giving me your website I found it  full of memories from my childhood especially the photograph of the Lodge where you were born .My fathers brother , Uncle Rob lived there and I remember , playing in the garden, and the lovely Victoria plums.
My father was Victor WOOD, 1911-1988 son of Henry [Harry] and Lily who lived at 36, Lower Lake Battle.
I was born 1938 and lived at Fishing Cottage Powdermill Lane for the first year of my life before moving to Wiltshire , I never knew the reason for the move, and I often wonder why. My only sibling was Sheila 1935-1961.
My mother Doris[Bennett]died 1970 aged 63.I know they all had very happy memories of Battle , and we used to visit most years after the war, and yes I can remember the old Cinema and also climbing the steep steps up to the schoolroom at the Abbey, where my Uncle Albert was guide , he lost his arm in boyhood whilst working  there and was promised a job for life by the then owners which was honoured.
I could probably tell you a lot more about my Wood family ,but in dribs and drabs as memories surface I have a lot of gaps that I would like answers to.
More memories are coming to mind, Dad met Mum when he was a butcher's boy delivering to the Abbey, Mum was working there, she was living at Mount Hermon, in Ashburnham Road having been sent there from London after her Grandmother died in 1930 she was an orphan, I am not sure  what kind of establishment it was, perhaps one of your visitors can tell me?.
Uncle Albert's ashes were scattered in the Rose Garden at the Abbey that must have been in the middle 1950s.  His wife was Mary and there were 3 children, Patrick, Mary, and Doreen, all a lot older than me, Pat served in the Royal Navy on submarines he died mid 70s and lived at Portland, Weymouth and he left a wife and son, Dad often went to see them.
Uncle Rob, I think his name was actually Robin as you know was a bus conductor. He married Eileen and had 3 children, Derek, Terry and Beryl and they moved to London to be with Beryl after her son died.
Aunt Mabel married Bill Fuller who I believe had a timber business in Heathfield, they also had 3 children Jean, Hazel, and John, who would have inherited the business.
Last but not least was Aunt Lily a real character, a spinster who worked in an amunitions factory during the war where she met her lifelong friend Kitty. I could tell you so many things about her but will leave that for another time .
I will dig deep and see if I can find more memories of Battle that would interest you, I hope you enjoy the photos which I will send in a couple of days.      

AND HERE THEY ARE :
              FROM THE WOOD FAMILY PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM

My Fathers name was Victor Wood born 1911 in Battle,
and my Mother was Doris Lillian Bennett born in London 1907.

Best Wishes from Barbara

 If you would like to contact Barbara you can E-mail her at

        bwood@battle-abbey.co.uk