Carden youth club! Yes I remember it well, lots of interesting people and some very good table tennis players. A friend of mine (whose name I am unable to remember) used to practice with his rock and roll band there, they sounded very good. Can any one remember Andy who was the club clown? Would love to hear from other former users of the club.

Does anyone remember my family? We lived in the early 1960s at 60 Rotherfield Crescent. My Mum was called Ivy or 'Marge' Smickler and she had five daughters and a son: Dave, Annette, Sue, Ros, Dot, Helena. She married Stanley Wojtczak, a chef (who was Helena's Dad). Be nice to hear from anyone who knew us.

Hollingbury used to be my place of retreat in the summer when I was a child and lived in London. Jean and Harry Simmons used to be my adopted aunt and uncle and lived on Carden Hill for years and possibly still do. Does anyone remember them?

Life in Hollingbury from the early '50s to the early '60s was a great time. Most of the families were quite young and there was a large crowd of (fairly well-behaved) teenagers meeting around the play area (now housing) in Lyminster Avenue. My girlfriend's father didn't think me well behaved as I had a habit of standing about with my hands in my pockets. A Youth Club was formed in the Methodist church at the junction of Lyminster and Carden Hill and with the aid of somebody's Dansette, records were played for jiving to. Records were supplied by ourselves and as nobody had much money it could get a bit repetitive. Need to go to Brighton? 26 trolley every 10 minutes or 19 bus every 20 minutes. More often than not I ran, being permanently broke! Once you got to the top of Woodbourne it was downhill all the way. Couldn't get to the top of Woodbourne without a break now.

In reply to Helen Ripley - I live in Hollingbury and knew a Jean and Harry Simmons. They lived opposite the school in Carden Hill on the raised bank of houses up off the road and they had daughter Mary. Harry died in the early 90s and Jean died 4 or 5 years ago - can't remember the exact year. I hope that answers your query.

My family moved to Hollingbury, Rotherfield Crescent, in 1987 when i was six. Both me and my sister attended Carden School and I still remember the tales of war time hospitals and things that go bump in the night coming from the stage trap doors! Collecting (more like pinching) golfballs off of the course and selling them back to the shop was popular with me and my mates who lived on Lyminster Avenue. We also all went to cub scouts at the methodist church hall. My fondest memories must be riding our bikes up the unoped bypass and sliding down the new skateboard ramp on my bum because I was too scared to skate at the Old Boat Corner park. It's funny how things come around as I am now working for the Argus newspaper based at Crowhust Road, Hollingbury Industrial Estate. This is a great site and Hollingbury was the perfect place to grow up.

Nick your comments of the stage trap door at Carden school has just opened a whole range of memories for me. Did you ever go down there? Do you remember the ghost stories of the downstairs toilets in the junior school and also the old sports store/cupboard? Ms Smart will always remain my favourite teacher through my entire schooling. I agree Hollingbury was great, we used to play in 49 acres just behind Ditchling and Elsted Crescents (not sure where the name came from though). Didn't summers seem to last ages then?

Brian - your comments were great.  I lived on the corner of Crabtree Avenue and also went to the Youth Club in the 1950's and remember dancing to the music of the Everly Brothers.  Fab memories of many happy times in Hollingbury.  I too used to get the 26 bus to the Old Steine or Western Road.

Gavin - yes I do remember the ghost stories of the Carden Junior toilets, did you ever hear the one about the floating bowler hat?  It's a small world, I am sure I was in the same year as your younger brother Shaun.  I also had Ms Smart as a teacher, she went on to be head teacher of the school on Ditchling Road. There was a great rope swing in the woods in 49 acres but it was a bloody steep drop if you ever fell off.

I lived in County Oak Avenue and left in 1974. I am looking for pictures or information of the Church where I attended a Youth Group in the late 1960's and early 1970's. It was run by Mr. and Mrs. Payne and I remember lots of photos and films were taken of us. It may have been the Methodist Church but I am not sure.
I live in Australia and love all information in regards to Brighton.

I too lived in Carden Hill, Hollingbury with my family (The Dewdneys) in the 1960s - 80s. They were happy days for us children. We spent long summer days picnicking in Stamner Park during the school holidays. I remember having to walk to Moulescombe via the golf links to visit relatives on Sundays for tea, but not having the luxury of a car and no buses coming up over Coldean Lane had little choice but to walk home again. I also remember the winters there, being so cold that we would often wake up to find snow on the inside of the window pane. My parents both worked up at Gross Cash Registers and Creeds, long since gone. I think that the 26 bus still runs there, so not everything changes. Happy Days

I was born in Saunders Hill, Coldean, my family moved into the house when it had just been built and my sister still lives there after 55 years. I can remember the two flint cottages at the bottom of Coldean Lane very well; also ColdeanSchool holds many fond memories for me, when Mr Burrows was the head. Can anyone recall the pancake race held every year ? What about the Jazz club held at the school every Wednesday and the 50th Brighton Scouts and Cub group based in Coldean. Iid love to see any old pictures any one may hold of the estate .I now live in Crabtree avenue Hollingbury .

Tomorrow (Sunday October 5th 2008) my family is meeting up with the family that used to live next door to us in Rotherfield Crescent until 1964. So, 44 years ago!

A message to Helena Wojtczak. I was in the same year at school as a Susan Smickler, who with such an unusual surname, must be your sister Sue. I've also enjoyed reading your various books. My family moved to Hollingbury in 1948 and I agree that it was a wonderful place in which to grow up. The freedom we had to play on the downs and explore the local area would be unthinkable today.
A newly formed social history group are planning to produce a book on the Hollingbury area and we would welcome any memories/pictures of the area (from the Hollingdean Road area where the name Hollingbury was first adopted in the 1920's up to the post war Hollingbury Estate). If at all possible we would like to use some of the memories written on this site, if permission is given by the authors.
Mr and Mrs Payne (now unfortunately both deceased) used to run the youth club at the Methodist Church in Lyminster Avenue. I attended the church from its opening in 1952 until I left the area to go to college in the early 60s. I was also an enthusiastic member of the Girls Guildry that met in the church hall every Monday.

Looking for the Dennis family who lived at 34 Carden Hill. The adults were Francis (Frank Dennis) and his wife Marjorie. My grandfather, Edward Dennis, was born in 1924 and often went fishing with Frank and called him his uncle. I think Frank would have been born around 1920. The family emigrated to Laucestone, Tasmania.

I remember Susan Smickler very well. We were mates for a period. We were in the same year at school and I used to walk up the road to call for her to get the bus to school. I always remember her as very pretty even when she broke her front tooth.
I remember Annette but I think Helena may have been the youngest one?
I'd like to get in touch with you, Helena, with interest in the book you are writing about 'Women of Sussex'.
Let me know if I may contact you please.

Can't find any reference to Dorothy Stringer School.
Is it called something else now? Anyone attend it?