I was actually born in the front room, as it was known then, of 24 Chailey Road in 1941; youngest of 6 children. Attending Moulsecoomb Infant and Junior schools; then on to Stanmer Secondary Modern as it was known then (Falmer now); I remained there until I married in 1962. I strongly believe that the principles of manners and community spirit, albeit that good hidings came regularly to achieve them, have always been the good basic upbringing one could have.

Mary and George Roberts of 101 Moulsecoombe Way lived in Moulsecoombe for 40 years. I remember cutting down the trees in the top woods and dragging them home to keep warm. Home made soup, stone cold hands, wet wet clothes, snowing hard outside. The happy days of the 1960s - thank God for mum and dad!

Just like to say that I remember a George Roberts and would like to know if he remembers my Dad, Peter Kelly- a little Scotch guy?  We lived at 34 Ringmer Road. Anyway it'd be good to hear if anyone remembers us.

I am interested to see two letters from Ken Watkins.  I was Sheila Watkins before I married.  Any relation Ken?

I lived in Bevendean and went to Moulsecoomb Secondary School between 1959 and 1964. I'm sure it had the 'e' then although looking back it was originally spelt without the 'e'. Did we add the 'e' and drop it again at some point ?

Yes, I can remember having to change Moulsecoomb name at school. It was moulscoombe. Had to take (e) off of end and put it in the middle. I dont remember the date it got changed .I lived in Newick road till i was eight then moved to The Crescent. Left in 1973.My mum still lives there. Name was Dobson.

I lived in Moulsecoomb from 1962-1980, I lived in Birdham Road (107) and Ashurst Road (16).
These were the best days of my life, a real community spirit existed, which you sadly don't see anymore.

Elly Kelly - I remember your dad Jackie very well because I`m Scottish and knew him and you and your brothers very well. Always used Beatty Avenue Post Office because he didn`t like Tom in Barcombe Road. I think you`re thinking of a different George Roberts though - George and Laine lived in Barcombe with kids George, Sonia and John. Met him last Tuesday for first time in about 15 years. Hope you`re doing well and I`m still in 103 Newick Road if you ever want to visit.

My family lived at 117 Moulscoombe Way from 1938 until 1968. I was at school during the war, attending the infants school, as it was known then , followed by the junior school and then the senior boys school. In my final years at school I attended Stanmer Secondary Modern, as it was then, leaving school in 1953. Does anybody remember me or members of my family?

My maiden name was Osman and I lived at No. 27 Ringmer Road and attended Stanmer Secondary School. Although my memory is not great I do remember the happy childhood I spent in Moulsecoombe. The name Sheila Watson rings a bell - any relation to Pat and Diane?

We lived at 73 Barcombe Road from 1962 until 1976. I was 6 when we moved there and our name then was Francis. My mum's name is Pam and she worked at Allen West. My brothers went to school in Moulsecoomb, (Pete and Frank Francis). I have some great childhood memories from our time there especially of Wild Park where we used to make sleds out of old cardboard boxes and slide all the way down from the top...quite exhilarating not to mention highly dangerous! My cousin, Katrina, and her family (the Bonners) lived on Ringmer Road and my boyfriend, Peter Adelaide, also lived on Ringmer. Our next door neighbours were Mr and Mrs Bean on one side and Tim and Pauline Cheong on the other. When times were hard (as they most often were in those days!) my mum and Pauline would make dinners for both families putting together whatever they both had in their larders and fridges....community spirit was very strong back in that day! I was at boarding school most of the time I lived there so many peoples' names escape me but I do remember Wendy Saunders' family and Pat Golds and her family...also Betty Walls who lived several houses down on Barcombe Road. I'd love to hear from any of the 'Allen West girls' who remember my mum, Pam Francis (now Billings)...also anyone who remembers my brothers, Pete or Frank Francis.

I lived in Birdham Rd, Moulsecoomb 1961-1979 then moved to Portsmouth. I still visit there regularly having family there (I still can't get used to Allen West building gone). Just a few years ago I mentioned to a close friend that almost every family in Moulsecoomb had more than ten babies and a door was never locked! We also used each other a lot too: sugar, 10p for the gas meter, a fag etc. My friend was born in Portsmouth in 1958 and said she can never remember anyone here leaving a door unlocked and no more then three or four babies to a family. I really feel she missed out.

When my partner and I moved to Moulsecoomb 18 months ago we were a little worried due to the reputation it had gained. Now don't want to live anywhere else. Before moving to Halland Road we had lived mostly in and around the centre of the city for nearly 10 years. During that time I can truthfully say we barely new any of our neighbours, not even to say good morning to. Within a few weeks of moving on to the estate we knew everyone who lived around us. Everyone says good morning to each other and they always stop for a chat if they have time. The community feeling is just amazing. Moulsecoomb definitely no longer deserves its reputation. It is a good place to live.

I lived in Moulsecoomb from 1985 to 1989. My family and I then moved to Canada. I lived at 13 Nyetimber (not sure of the spelling) I was back to England in 2000 but didn't get the chance to visit my old neighbourhood. I do remember a little store down the road called Rays. My brother and I used to spend our pocket money there every Saturday. Can anyone tell me if it is still there?

Hi Ken, sorry for the long reply. My dad's name was Patrick Dowds. He worked at Allenwest. He's been dead for 13 yrs now though. We lived at 26 Staplefield Drive, my mum is still there.

I was so pleased to find your site. I left Moulescoomb in 1957 to live in London. My family (the Orams) moved into 36 Halland Road when it was newly built in 1947. There were no pavements at first and because of the hard winter still thawing we had to cross over everywhere on planks. I remember many families in Halland and Ashurst Roads and often wonder what happened to them. The Trigwells, Fogarty's, Challens, Johnsons, Sivyers, Ballards, Cooks, Bolingbrookes, Harrises, Swallows and Edwards. I was almost 7 when we moved there and nearly 18 when I left. I went to Moulsecoomb Juniors and what a wonderful school that was. How many of you remember Mrs Horton, Mr Burroughs, Mr Kitchen and Miss Tidy? Someone wrote about sliding down the Wild Park on cardboard. It was really hair-raising if you could have a go on a tin tray. You had to be careful not to go into the back of the tuckshop! Do any of you remember the bluebells in Stanmer Park woods? And the two horses Roman and Gipsy in the field at the bottom of Halland Road?

I lived in Goodwood Way from 1938-1959 I went to
Moulscoomb Iinfant, Junior and Secondary Schools until I left in July 1951.

Hi Jimmy Anderson. Do you remember me Tony Dyke and my brothers John and Chris? I remember your Mum and Dad (Mary and Dave). This page has stirred up a lot of memories for me. I am now living in Western Australia and would love to hear from anyone who remembers me.

I lived in Selba Drive from 1960-1983, went to Moulsecoomb Infants, Juniors and then Falmer High. Parents still live in Selba Drive so I regularly visit but how things have changed. There are not many of the old faces left now. One of the main things I remember was during the school summer holidays when the corn was cut, we would spend hours making haystacks and camps. This is an excellent site to read everyone's memories.

Funny I have just come across this site and the last person to leave a message is my sister. We're also related to Mary and George Roberts mentioned by Clive Roberts. Mary was my Grandad's sister, I also work with Mary their daughter. Dad was recently given some photographs of Selba Drive when the bungalows were being built, looked so different. Dad actually worked on the bungalows. Loads of memories of Moulsecoomb/Falmer schools.

Hi Karen and Leslie, I lived at 69 Staplefield Drive, just at the entrance to Selba Drive. I well remember the houses being built. We would play a lot of cricket and rounders in the field at the end, and hide and seek in the gorse bushes close by. I don't remember either of you though, what number did you live at?

Hi Karen and Leslie, just wondering if you had a sister called Alice. She married a man called John Howe and lived at number 28 Staplefield Drive. She now lives in Bevendean.

Reading Joan Oram's comment about the Junior School, I'm compelled to put my own little piece! It was Miss Horton, the "returned unopened sort" and she had her favourite, a Mr Hardart, who she would summon to give any of us the strap. He was an expert and, depending on the strength of the punishment required, would either cause the strap to land squarely on the palm of the hand or wrap round the hand and punish the back as much as the front. A confidential whisper from the woman in question would ensure what sort. She would sort out a high chair with her own particular cushion on it for him to sit on when he would occasionally address the class - and I've never really known what for or why.  I touched the red knob situated on the end of a vertical metal rod attached to the front wing of her car one day. I didn't know at the time what it was for but now realise it was a kerb proximity indicator. I got the strap. She had her own special garage at the top of the school path adjoining the Junior School and both car and garage were forbidden territory.  I'll maybe report on some of my experiences at school in the 1930s some time later.

Just realised that Sheila Winter was Sheila Watkins. I'm sure you'll remember the Spicers, Sheila! Nice to know you've had the foresight to place your memories on paper. I think I'm right in recalling you being an inhabitant of Chailey Road?

Does anybody remember a Nellie and a Herbert Saunders at 101 Moulsecoomb way in th 1940's /1950's (must have been before Mary and George Roberts lived there)? Trying to find some information about Herbert.

I don't know about Nellie and Herbert but I can remember what might have been their two sons (but not their names!) and the older one of the two was a strong believer in communism even at an age young enough for him to be still at school. The phrase "unity is strength" was something I heard from him!

Ron Spicer may well be right that Mrs Horton was in fact a "Miss". However I was in her class, 4A, which in my time there she was always known as Mrs this was in the year 1950/1 and my brother the same in 1954/5. He is the one who remembers her wielding of the tawse, I don't remember the master you mention Ron, seems you might have been there a bit before me but when you reminded me I do remember her garage. Melanie asks about a couple called Saunders, did they have a daughter called Rosemary? Was 101 on the left hand side going up Moulescoomb Way from Halland Road? If so my sister was freindly with her and as she still lives in the Brighton area might know something.

Hi Joan. Yep, I'm right alright! However, there's room for the perceived discrepancy to be accounted for. You're right about my being there before you. I was born in the 1920s. I often looked back at my education from those times and realised when WWII came along and I experienced the Fleet Air Arm that I was suddenly being really educated. An organisation that used all the means possible, whether crude, amusing or even hands on stuff to impart necessary information. Also, any sign of poverty background or other adverse circumstances was totally ignored. Learning was a pleasant procedure! The only possible similarity which had a purposeful meaning behind it, was a quick elocution period which was deemed necessary so that everyone understood  communications. Those Horton years were unpleasant to say the least; and psychologically so bad. Elsewhere in these forums you can note that I had been placed at school over a year before my proper time, even though I was in an 'A'