Banstead Village

I lived in West Drive from 1955 to 1961. It was quite depressing but I did love the heath at the back and the walks that began on the other side of the Brighton road - can't remember the name of the lane. The church of England school had a very rigid timetable that included a big chunk of religion every day. Every lesson was somehow made boring but the best thing was playing rounders out on the heath. I remember doing a handstand with the strap of my shoe undone. It fell into the bracken and we all had to search for it. I think we missed one whole lesson. Most playtimes I had to stay in writing lines for having talked. But I think it make me good at writing fast in later exams. Because not many of us passed the eleven plus and no one else went to the county school in Reigate with me, I lost touch with everyone in my class. But I had only been there for about a year, so it is not surprising. (Hilary Cassidy where are you now, my horse riding friend?)

Would that be Hilary Cassady (note spelling) who had a brother Rodney, who was in my year at school?

Sadly the heath has become woodland.

Yes, the parade of shops at Burgh Heath with a butchers and a fishmongers next door opposite the Reigate Road, A241, junction. The butchers would have rabbits, and pigeons hung up and ready for sale. Deates stores next to the village school just in the distance which had chickens roaming right next to the road. I never knew of one killed and they seemed quite unperturbed by the traffic.

Yes it was... and thanks for the spelling correction. I had forgotten about the existence of Rodney. Are you still in touch with him? That time of my life seems like a dream now.

Only just seen your post. I haven't been in touch since he left school (1961), but he died of cancer about 8 years ago. If you carry out a web search you will find many details. He was a wing commander in the RAF.

I lived in West Drive as a child. My father bought no 21, next to the one with the green tile roof from its build and I spent all my childhood there.

I kept my horse in Kinloch's field on the corner of Waterer gardens until 1979 when I moved to Devon.

Boys living in West Drive- Paul and Michael Lambert, Michael Payne, Andrew and Michael Vivian, only girls were Jacky Hitchin and me.

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