Peoples Stories - Bevendean History Project
Trudy Weller Memories of Coldean
My husband John, our 3 girls and I moved into Wolseley Road on the 21st June 1975.
Our neighbours Arthur and Mary Trott welcomed us with tea and cakes … it was a wonderful start to our lives in Coldean.
We remember the farmer grew crops in the field opposite and when it was harvested, we would watch the field mice and voles fleeing from the field, across the road and into the gardens, after the first year we had learned to ensure our doors were closed.
My girls all loved ‘blind’ Mary (as they knew her) and we were all amazed how she would go out with her guide dog, cross Coldean Lane to the woods and get back again safely. Not sure she could do that these days.
My friend Tina and I used to run a toddler class in the church hall, and from there I made some very good friends.
Our girls all attended Coldean School and had various teachers they loved. Mr Stone being a major influence for all of them ... a lovely man.
There was Pam who worked in the post office and Tom the greengrocer who I’m sure gave more fruit to the children than he actually sold.
There were the Palm Sunday Parades, where a real donkey walked through the streets along with all the congregation and Sunday School children.
There were the weekly brownies, maybe they still meet?
There was the great gale, the night before our youngest daughters 13th birthday. Not only did it change the skyline over Stanmer it also made it easier for the bypass to be built. Before the gale, I hated the idea of cutting through the park … but now I dread to think of the lane without the bypass!
Through all the changes, Coldean has remained a great community. I feel we are all very lucky to live here.
Editor’s Note: Blind Mary was Mary Hitchins
Trudy Weller
May 2022
My husband John, our 3 girls and I moved into Wolseley Road on the 21st June 1975.
Our neighbours Arthur and Mary Trott welcomed us with tea and cakes … it was a wonderful start to our lives in Coldean.
We remember the farmer grew crops in the field opposite and when it was harvested, we would watch the field mice and voles fleeing from the field, across the road and into the gardens, after the first year we had learned to ensure our doors were closed.
My girls all loved ‘blind’ Mary (as they knew her) and we were all amazed how she would go out with her guide dog, cross Coldean Lane to the woods and get back again safely. Not sure she could do that these days.
My friend Tina and I used to run a toddler class in the church hall, and from there I made some very good friends.
Our girls all attended Coldean School and had various teachers they loved. Mr Stone being a major influence for all of them ... a lovely man.
There was Pam who worked in the post office and Tom the greengrocer who I’m sure gave more fruit to the children than he actually sold.
There were the Palm Sunday Parades, where a real donkey walked through the streets along with all the congregation and Sunday School children.
There were the weekly brownies, maybe they still meet?
There was the great gale, the night before our youngest daughters 13th birthday. Not only did it change the skyline over Stanmer it also made it easier for the bypass to be built. Before the gale, I hated the idea of cutting through the park … but now I dread to think of the lane without the bypass!
Through all the changes, Coldean has remained a great community. I feel we are all very lucky to live here.
Editor’s Note: Blind Mary was Mary Hitchins
Trudy Weller
May 2022
