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17

Peggy Allwood writes: 

"FOND MEMORIES OF MY LIFE IN BATTLE"  

Peggy and Family
At Senlac Gardens

        
Peggy                                            Peggy and Friends 

      As she is today                    With Abbey Lodge in the background

The Groups: On the left, in the middle of the group is Peggy with sister Doreen and brother Bert.  On the right from left to right, Eileen Pocock, Peggy and Doreen at the back, with Bert and another boy.  Does anyone recognise this little boy ?  In fact, if you know any former residents of Senlac Gardens from 1931 to 1941 - Peggy would like to hear from you.      
You can E-mail her at the address given below.

FOND MEMORIES OF MY LIFE IN BATTLE FROM 1931- 1941  by Peggy Allwood

My father came to Battle from Kent to work at Tills, the Ironmongers in the High Street, as a  Plumber. Later years he started his own business and did extremely well.  My mother, my sister Doreen and I came with him and resided at Senlac Gardens. I commenced Battle and Langton School when I was five and thoroughly enjoyed my school days, and made many friends.  I was a member of the local girl guides, and was patrol leader of the Daffodils with my closest school friend June Blythman, who was my Second. (we have remained friends ever since). Our Guide Captain was very good, and we went to her bungalow in North Trade Road to take our badges.  We also went to camp one summer at Camber Sands, being taken in a local tradesman’s lorry with all our gear. It was such fun.

Each Christmas a big party was held in the Drill Hall when all the local children were invited, and this was a great event, plenty of food and a present to take home. On Boxing Day all the local huntsmen would meet up on their horses and with the hounds ready      for a days hunting, and this was a grand sight.

My mother was in the W.I. and once a month she would bake cakes and pies and together we would walk to the old workhouse in North Trade Road, (This I believe is now an old peoples home) and deliver these to whoever was staying there at the time.

The church featured very strong in our lives, and all the religious festivals were celebrated with a big parade on Remembrance Sunday.

Another big day was 5th November, Bonfire Night, with a huge bonfire on the green outside the Abbey, which could be seen for many miles. There was also a fancy dress parade, and one year my sister Doreen went as Jean Batten (a solo flier who had just flown across the world) in an aeroplane that my father and Uncle had made for her out of wood. They pushed her round the  village in  the parade, and she won a prize. This was always a very exciting day, with a Fair etc.

May Day was another grand event and we did Maypole dancing in the village, (photo’s enclosed).We had the Crumpet man ringing his bell ,a man selling fresh Winkles and an Ice-cream man on his bicycle, calling round the village on different days.
At the beginning of the war in 1939 things began to change, my father joined the local Homeguard we all had to be fitted with gas masks, which we had to take everywhere  At school we started to knit, gloves , mitts, socks, balaclava helmets etc , for our local lads who had joined the services, we were allowed to put a short message in a parcel ,and often received grateful  thanks in reply. We had a contingent of Canadian servicemen stationed in the surrounding area and I believe several of the local girls were married to them. We were a safe area for evacuees who came from London and Kent.  As the war continued my father had to close his business and he obtained a job as a Coppersmith in an aircraft factory in Hampshire, we all had to leave Battle. I missed all my friends and my school but have some lovely memories of my childhood.   

 Peggy Allwood.
                               CLICK ON THE PHOTOS BELOW TO ENLARGE

                   
       May Day at Battle                         Doreen as Jean Batten                        The Maypole Dance

                           If you would like to contact Peggy you can E-mail her at:
                                           peggy@battle-abbey.co.uk