Evelyn Farrant (nee Lisher) born in 1917 in Lancing tells us of some of her connections with the seaside town of Brighton.

As a child, one of my favourite family outings was to go on the boating pool between Brighton and Hove.

In 1926 we had the excitement over the birth of Princess Elizabeth in April. We also had the upheaval of the General Strike when the Trade Unions of the Country engendered, in support of the miners who had been locked out by mine owners, in consequence of their refusal to accept cuts in wages and alterations to conditions. Transport workers, railwaymen, dockers and printers, as well as many industrial workers throughout the country, ceased work.

My father's nursery business didn't seem unduly affected, except that he had to go to market by horse and van. His produce was taken to Brighton Market, except that sold to local shops. Each Friday he would go by train to Brighton and stay overnight in a house at Market Place, and be up when the van arrived, to sell his goods. Our carter would have left Lancing with the van, pulled by one of our two carthorses.

Occasionally, during school holidays, my sister or I would be allowed to do this journey. The night before leaving, the horse would have been given a special meal of hot bran. I remember the carter coming with the bucket of bran for the boiling water to be poured on. I was very fond of the horses and would often make my way to the stables. I recall being very upset when one horse had to be shot.

Later I took a scholarship examination to the Gregg Commercial School at 12 Marlborough Place, Brighton. I won a part scholarship and travelled by train each day. I was in a general class for the first term, but we did commence learning shorthand and typewriting, as well as keeping up lessons in English, Mathematics and handwriting.

I took to shorthand and typewriting with great enthusiasm and was soon taking exams in these subjects, organised by Royal Society of Arts and London Chamber of Commerce. In the second term we gave up English and Mathematics and included bookkeeping and French. I found the latter very hard as most of the class had a knowledge of French already.

During the lunchtime breaks, after eating our picnic lunch, we would wander around Brighton, exploring the lanes and going on the beach and seafront. When the weather was bad we would go in the Brighton museum which was very near our school.

My friends at Gregg's were Lucy Parker and Connie Phillips and, during the second year, Alma Whittingham whom I'd already met with our parents at W.I. meetings. During the second year I remember sparring with boys who travelled on the train with us, but I never went out with them.

During my last term I spent a considerable amount of time working in the Head Master's Officer (Mr Heard) doing his correspondence. This mainly consisted of arranging fixtures for the football club of which he was secretary. I left school having obtained grades up to Advanced Typewriting with distinction, 120 w.p.m. shorthand, Intermediate Book-keeping and Handwriting.

In 1932 I was looking for a job, and would be sent out by the Head master only to find myself in a long queue. I remember taking tests at Solicitors and Insurance Companies, etc. in Brighton, but this was a difficult time to get work. When they found out I lived in Lancing they didn't want to know.

One of the places I used to visit at this time was Devil's Dyke in Brighton. On one occasion I went with a friend, Dorothy Ross. Dorothy had a twin brother and sister and as her mother suffered with a nervous illness she was often forced to bring them with her, which rather cramped our style.

I can remember finding it difficult dragging a pushchair as we hiked to Devils Dyke, and Dorothy and I abandoning the rest of the party on a Bank Holiday outing to return with two grizzling young children.

At the time of working at Draycotts Estate Agency, Alma and I took up skating, going to the ice rink in West Street, Brighton. Here I would arrange to meet Bernard Farrant, a work colleague, who would have gone over with Fred Dicks, on a motorbike. Gradually my friendship with Bernard increased, and many years later we married.

I bought my own skates, keeping them at the office as my father was against me going to the ice stadium, saying it was a den of evil. I pretended I was going to a film with Alma as by this time he'd accepted the fact that I did go to the cinema. This had been a battle won. Although rebellious over some of my father's 'don'ts', I was trying to be a good Christian, but did not feel Jesus' teaching asked for rigid rules.

I did realise I was wrong in not telling my father always exactly where I was going, however. My skating deceit ended when I dropped the receipt for my skates. There was quite a row with my father over this, but I still went skating and was pleased not to have to creep into Draycotts office at 11 o'clock to hide my skates.

Another place I used to frequent with Alma was the Theatre Royal.

The Theatre Royal still remains a very popular place to see plays and pantomimes, with both the young and old alike.