memories making the mural

By Nicola Benge

St Richards reminisce participants

Photo from WRVS Heritage Plus Archive

Part of the simple banner

Photo from WRVS Heritage Plus Archive

Banner close up

Photo from WRVS Heritage Plus Archive

Old money

Photo from WRVS Heritage Plus Archive

Memory banner

Photo from WRVS Heritage Plus Archive

Portslade WRVS ran reminiscence sessions at St. Richards Church and Community centre from September to November 2007 with participants who attend St.Richards Lunch Club, all of whom are in their 70s and 80s.

They shared memories of coming to Hangleton and Knoll and these memories form part of a laminated memory banner which will be exhibited at St.Richards to celebrate local lives.

What do you like about Hangleton?

Miriam: 'I was living in Waterloo Street in Hove until I moved to Florence Avenue. The thing I like about where I live is there are no problems, I 've got everything I need from George Street to Boundary Road. I've never really wanted to go anywhere else.

Freda: My husband got a job at the Royal Pavilion when my family came down here. I've always known this area and like it. There's so much to do. Shropshire, where I'm from, was a sleepy little place. I lived here from 1950 to 1979, and then I came back in 1990 something. I'm here now till they cart me off I suppose.

Sathi: 'I like it down here, I want to relax and put the past behind me'

Rod: 'When they amalgamated Hove and Portslade, there was uproar. I went to a meeting about it. They took all the Portslade signs down. They had to put one back up again in the end; we caused a bit of a stink about it. I came out of the army in 1981.

I asked my wife where she wanted to live, she's from Yorkshire originally, and she said she wanted to stay here. I went to Portslade Council and they re-housed us because I was army and they had a duty to. Anyway they re-housed us in the flat next door to me mum! It was a total coincidence. On Drove Road this was. The flat was totally empty and I was still just in the army, and coming back at weekends, so I had to bring them sheets and things home, everything paid for in cash, no credit, my wife doesn't believe in it.