Eve Farrant (nee Lisher), born on 30th January 1917, in 1941 married Bernard Farrant, the office boy where she worked as secretary, at Draycott's Estate Agents in Lancing. Eve has a multitude of handwritten memories, which she has lent to me, and this is an extract of her days as a resident of Shoreham.

'We would visit Jean and Derek West and admire their bungalow in Hawkins Road, Shoreham. Derek had relations in America and in 1948 they talked of emigrating. They tried to buy their bungalow but were told it was a property in trust and the owner didn't want to sell. Bernard thought it would be a good opportunity for us to take over the tenancy and sell our property. I was a little reluctant as I was very pleased with our home, and also had my friends around. Ruth was back living in 7th Avenue; I was fond of Eileen, and enjoyed pushing prams with Alma and her sister. However, I agreed it would give us capital and so we sold our property for £2700.

So, later that year, we moved with a very bonny baby of 7 months and went to live in 9 Hawkins Road. Colin had been christened at St. Michael's Church, Lancing, and Jean, Derek and Lawrence Derrick had stood as Godparents.

Shortly after moving, Bernard bought our first carpet sweeper. Before that I'd only had use of a stiff hand brush and dustpan. I had no fridge or washing machine and it was very difficult to dry the nappies during the wet weather. Later Bernard went to a house sale and purchased a carpet for our bedroom. We previously had stained boards, which I kept polished, and two wool rugs that I'd made prior to our marriage.

We soon settled down and were very happy in Hawkins Road. Eileen would come over to tea, so would Alma (Whittingham). I would also make the journey back to Lancing, visiting Alma, Eileen and Ruth.

I made new friends of my neighbours; Betty Rosbotham had one girl and was expecting another baby. The West family had introduced us to Peg and Jim Mainstone. They had a daughter, Carolyn, and son, Robert, who wasn't a lot older than Colin.

Jean told me if ever I was in any trouble to go to Peggy, and she certainly proved to be a very good neighbour. She would always mind Colin if I wanted to go to the hairdresser, etc.

Sometimes I would take the pushchair on the bus and shop in Boundary Road, Hove, or, if I felt adventurous, Western Road, Brighton.

On Sunday I would go to the 8.00 a.m. Communion Service at St Julian's Church in Kingston Lane whilst Bernard looked after Colin. In the winter we would go for a Sunday afternoon car ride.

In the week Mum would come to lunch when it was the Worthing Rural District Council meeting, as Dad would have his lunch at 15 Mill Road. I appreciated this call as Mum always did my mending; darning socks was a big task then, as socks were all wool and toes soon poked through.

Bernard took over the management of Orchard Estates Office, opposite Lancing Station.

The owner of our home now decided she would sell and we purchased as sitting tenants for £1500. At this time, with property short, there was a great difference between the price of properties with vacant possession and otherwise.

In the summer of 1948 I had to call in the doctor on one or two occasions because of stomach pains and was subsequently sent to a consultant at Southlands Hospital. I was asked to go in for an operation.

The thought of leaving my Colin with anyone else was horrifying, but on his insistence I consulted a Health Visitor who put me in touch with Mrs Williams, who was a real treasure to us. Peggy Mainstone also helped us out. Bernard looked after Colin whilst I was in Southlands, taking him round to Peggy who minded him during the day. Mrs Williams would come in to clean the bungalow and wash Colin's clothes.

When I came round from the operation, the Sister said my appendix had been removed. They also said they'd performed a minor operation on my womb. After two weeks in hospital in August I returned home.

Mrs Williams had been so wonderful that I kept her coming once a week to do housework for me. She also came one evening a week to babysit as Colin was getting a little too old to move at night.

In September we went across to the Isle of Wight for a holiday at Warner's Holiday Camp. It was on this holiday that we met Norman and Joyce Reynolds who were fellow guests. Colin, inquisitively going into
their chalet, introduced us. They later married and often came to spend the weekend with us.

When Colin was a small baby we took him to Woolwich to show him to Bernard's grandmother. Bernard and I went out for a meal, and came back to find Colin sucking a sugar lump, tied up in a not-too-clean piece of linen. However, Grandma was a lovely woman and we visited her about twice a year until her death in 1948.

Soon after returning from our holiday I discovered that I was again pregnant and how happy I was. I kept very well whilst carrying, but did take a lot of care, taking bed rest every afternoon, which was possible, as Colin was always willing to take an after-lunch nap as well. I had a panic when, after visiting Dr Luck, he wanted me to go for an x-ray as he thought the baby wrongly placed. This is what I'd been told when carrying the first baby (she had been stillborn, with hydrocephalus). However, all was well. In July 1949 Lynda was born; it was a very easy birth and I was delighted to have a 7lb 7oz baby girl.

Lynda was christened at St Julian's Church, with Eva (Bernard's sister) and Alma being Godparents. Both sets of grandparents came to the christening and party afterwards.

During this winter we bought our first television. Dennis Keen sold it to us and he had many visits to the house before we got a presentable picture. Even then we would often be viewing when it would suddenly seem as if it was snowing on the screen. Colin loved to sit on my knee as, after lunch, we watched the children's programme. How he loved Andy Pandy and The Flower Pot Men, and in the evening Bernard and I enjoyed What's My Line.'

How I also loved The Flower Pot Men. Isn't it amazing how far technology has come over the years; from having a few simple television programmes on a snowy screen, to having the choice of a hundred or more channels, with the ability to record and play back whenever you like.