“My sister went to the girls school and I went to the school at the bottom of Church Hill. Mr Green (always smartly dressed) had a Morris 8, which he kept in a garage at the back of the school near his garden and actually gave my mother and I a lift once. I used to wonder where he got the petrol from as there was no petrol for private vehicles in those times.”

“At the top of Tape lane on the right there were allotments and Hurst school owned some and we were taken there and taught to grow things (dig for victory was the motto as I remember) I grew potatoes and shallots. I had never seen shallots being a Chelsea boy!”

“Nearby was the village hall which used to show Ministry of Information films and Laurel and Hardy, I can even remember I saw a film called The Haunted House there. It was always a great event when there were films on and my sister and I looked forward for weeks.”

“Also in the village was a general store called "Luffs" I think, and it had a grey petrol pump outside - it was pool petrol then with no brands due to the war.”

“American G.I.s appeared on the scene and I had never seen coloured people before. They called at certain houses in Tape Lane at all hours - I used to wonder why...”

“I remember my father (a great cricket fan) going to watch cricket at the village ground and I am sure he told me that Mr Palmer of "Huntley and Palmer" played there and was a big hitter sometimes putting the ball in the pond. I also believe that bombs fell on the cricket field at one time.”

“Before I sign off I would like to know if you have any knowledge of this - As you turned into the road leading to the Green Man there was a huge stripped tree trunk probably about 2 foot girth at the right hand side of the road one end was hinged and the other end had a wheel on it. It was always locked in position at the side of the road. On the other side of the road was some form of bracket and it was obvious even at my age then that it could be wheeled across the road and secured blocking the road. What was the purpose of this, I have heard that it was in case of invasion? Have you any knowledge?”