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It was the usual story of ‘hard-up’ newlyweds that brought us to Copthorne in 1959 – a very different environment to our London suburbia upbringing. Like us, family and friends had never heard of what was then a small village. Commuting daily to London left little time to get to know neighbours and weekends were taken up with the usual domestic chores. No washing machine in those days and it took much longer to wash floor tiles and sweep stairs than running a vacuum over.
My first introduction to the Church was after the birth of Susan when I nervously ventured to the old Victorian Vicarage to meet the Vicar, The Rev. David Marsden-Jones. In those days mothers and new babies were “churched” – now we have a thanksgiving incorporated in the Sunday Services. There were many new babies born around that time and I think about nine were christened on our chosen day in October.
In the bad winter of 1962, with Susan a toddler and new arrived Philip, I was wondering how best to get through the thick snow to the local shop when a knock on the door brought help from another young mum. A group if us then formed a shopping rota whereby each day one of us would collect the shopping lists leaving her infants in the care of a group member. This was the beginning of some life-long friendships and, to me, an awareness of the camaraderie within the village.
A notable example of this was the hurricane of 1987 which, would you believe, Syd and I slept through. On looking out in the morning we saw groups of people chatting amid the debris and could hardly believe our eyes when we looked at the back garden. Part of the big oak had come down reducing the greenhouse to a pile of rubble, fences were scattered and bushes uprooted. Yet again the villagers rallied round helping each other and it wasn’t long before a team of ‘lads’ arrived with a chain saw to help us clear up. Those of us lucky enough to still have power cooked for others less fortunate, some without for almost a week.
As in all families, through the years we have lived through drama, tragedy, the loss of family members and loved ones, but have been so lucky in having the love and support of good friends and neighbours. None more so than in the latest upheaval when an out of control car hit our house – not what you expect when enjoying your evening meal! Immediately we were surrounded by kind neighbours without whom we couldn’t have coped.
We have had much time for thought and reflection in our temporary accommodation and know that we are truly blessed to call Copthorne our home. A huge thank you to all who are keeping us going by their kind thoughts, words and deeds.
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