In the late 1940s to the early 50s, I lived at 245 Preston Road, right opposite Harrington Road. I was very friendly with Peter and David Mcenery, one became an actor and the other a well known photographer. They lived in Preston Drove. I also remember Anne Durrant. Her gran ran the sweet shop on the corner of Middle Road and she became a jazz singer. I used to work on Saturday mornings at the milk vessel recovery plant in North Road, washing bottles. I also remember the little crippled man at the beginning of the tunnel in South Road, who mended bikes. You had to pass your bike through the half door and he'd fix it for you. Do all you Prestonites remember the Downs Syndrome boy, Norman, who used to sit outside his house in Tongdean Lane? Every one who walked past his house passed the time of day with him.

Yes I do remember him very well

My fond memories of living at 243 Preston Road include a very long garden with old stables and a carriage shed at the top, a long garden at the front with high wall, trees and shrubs. Plenty of places to allow my young mind to conjure up secret places to hide, adventures to be undertaken and phantom enemies to fight. Our fellow residents in the top flat were a Miss Smith and a Miss Salmon both teachers and spinsters, I remember Miss Salmon giving private piano tuition on a Saturday morning, as I lay in bed listening to these girls from St Marys Hall trying to comply with Miss Salmons method of teaching. Another family lived in the basement flat for a short time before it was condemned as being damp and unfit for habitation, I knew them as Roy and June Allen.
Catching the number five bus to and from Patcham Secondary School,leaving home to join the Army and eventually getting married from that house. Saddest moment was when I saw that the Council had turned this property into bedsits for the homeless and dug my garden up.
I used to have to walk up to the Withdean Stadium for athletics training, always spoke to the man in the wheelchair, you said Norman was his name?

I lived in Tongdean Lane from 1956 until 1966 or 1967. There was a man in a wheelchair outside his house all day. I think this was just the London Road side of the tunnel. I thought he was what we then called 'spastic', but would now be cerebral palsy. I vaguely remember him being called Tim. I don't think it can be the same person as I am sure he wasn't Downs Syndrome. My sister and I spent hours playing in the woods that separated Tongdean Lane from Tongdean Rise. We used to sit on the terrace of the Withdean Sportsman pub with crisps and a coca cola while our Dad had a pint.

Hi John, what year did you live in 243? When I lived at 245, next door, your ground floor was owned by a very posh lady called Mrs Cambell-Kirby. My sister and I used to come in your garden, weed it and pick the walnuts when they dropped from the big tree. I always remember that she had almost black tulips in the garden.

I remember South Road very well as I walked / ran down every morning in the 1940s to catch a bus to school (Intermediate in York Place).  And I also remember the bicycle repairer, William Nichols, who we lads called Bill Nick. He often had a note on his door "Down the Crown" - Crown & Anchor pub.

I used to walk up Tongdean Lane on my way home from school and would always say hello to the chap in the wheelchair. Bus drivers always used to toot at him and he would wave at them. I thought his name was Roy.