Hello Michael Bignell
By now I expect that you have heard that I wrote to you about 3 weeks ago, but was returned to me as the address was not sufficient.
Luckily my name and address was put on the back of the envelope by the Post Office clerk who queried the address.
Yesterday I was at my daughter's home when Ann Foord rang so I was able to speak to her.
It was quite a co-incidence that she and her husband was in Eastbourne and got into conversation with my niece.
It's a small world isn't it? This all came about so suddenly but very interesting don't you think?
Ann very kindly sent me a copy of my Mother and the dwelling at Holywell. I did have the originals but they have got lost.
Mum often told us of the time she lived there - it must have been hard for them, no sanitation, running water or gas.
She said how the foxes used to run along the beach and there was quite a bit of smuggling going on. She went to a small school in Meads paying 1o a week.. When we lived in Eastbourne we very often went down the old cart track to look down where the dwellings were. One day when we were there the Water Works man was unlocking the gate to go down and I asked if I could go with him, explaining who I was, but he said that it was more than he dare do.
I heard you did better than me by climbing over the gate!!
I have a small hasker of Eastbourne back in my sitting room.
25 3 years since I went to Eastbourne and they had really spoilt it. It was such a lovely town - it made me sad to see what it had become. Just another harsh noisy seaside town. I do hope they won't spoil the Carpet Gardens. They were always so special!
I'm not clear about if you lived there or not, but it seems to have meaning for you.
It will always be 'home' for me - and I so often feel I would love to smell the sea and just look at the waves.
Oh dear, I'm getting maudling-
Do please write again if you would like to.
My daughter I know is hoping we can meet with Ann. She sounds a very nice person.
Hope you understand my writing - it's not so good as it once was - but at 90 years young - not surprising!!
I'm glad we got in touch. It really must have meant.
My very kind regards,
Nora (Potter)