LANCING MEMORIES OF IRIS KING

I have been busy these last few days going through hundreds of photos that people from Lancing and Sompting might find interesting. There might even be some that know some of the staff from the Worthing Odeon. I will include a few.

I am going back to the pre-war years so it would mostly be people of my age (77 as at 2004) that would have similar memories.

My first memories are of Yew Tree Farm in Sompting. We lived in London and for our annual week's holiday we would come down there and camp. I was about 5yrs old when we started doing this. We paid the farmer for the use of a spot of his land to pitch our tents. I do not know if the farm is still there now. To get to the beach we had to walk a mile or two through a couple of fields, finally spotting the sea! Oh what joy for a couple of city kids, my brother and I!!

The last part of the walk was a lane beside a big field. The last I saw of that field it had been turned into some kind of amusement park. If one turned to the left when one reach the road by the sea, there were two rows of cottages named Coast Guard Cottages, I think they were some kind of alms houses. I had an old aunt named Ada King that lived in one of them. They have been demolished now. Continuing further, one came to the main drag with stores, etc.

Going up that road one finally came to the Luxor Cinema, close to the railway station, where in later years, I sometimes went there as a relief cashier from The Odeon in Worthing.

One year before the war, we moved down to Worthing, and lived in King Edward Ave for many years, so naturally most of my memories are of Worthing and the surrounding districts. I used to cycle to Lancing , Sompting, and Shoreham also Brighton and Hove.

Sincerely yours,
Iris.

Below are some of the pictures Iris has sent us - not all Lancing and Sompting, but included as part of her story. Click on the thumbnails to view the full-size image.

Worthing Odeon	Denton Gardens circa 1933	Taken in Sompting Lane(?) 1960

If you remember Iris, or this reminds you of times in Lancing or Sompting,, then please email memories@bn15.co.uk.