Olive May Sharman (nee Hewitt) lived in East Grinstead, having been born there before the First World War, but living so close to the county boundary her exploits often took her into Surrey.

'All of us walked willingly down to the Felbridge Green and back on cold winter nights to do our scripture exams. All children went about in large groups and many things were planned for moonlight nights or else someone would meet us part way home.

At school at Christmas, we would have a display of our best drawings and handwork and then an old lady who had an interest in North End Church School, Miss Stenning, presented us with mittens or woolly waistcoats in bright wool.

Sometimes the boys also got wool scarves. Although we attended this school in Sussex, we went to Surrey on Sundays. This sounds queer, but my sister Grace, didn't like the incense they used at the church of St. Mary's at East Grinstead, Sussex.

Our Church of St. John's at Felbridge in Surrey, was a small one and later on, our brother Charles and my father were buried in the churchyard, as well as many members of families who had lived nearby. We put little bunches of wild or garden flowers on their graves under a glass globe covering a wax wreath. A robin built a nest every year and sat on a nearby tombstone to watch when you cut the grass or put flowers on graves.

The Vicarage was old and had a large wild garden with trees and clumps of bamboo, which was lovely for games like Hide 'n Seek. The garden was also ideal for having tea when we went to sewing classes, etc.

One Vicar and his wife, Mr and Mrs Cinch, were always very nice to us and Grace used to go and play with Victor, their small son.'