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Sunnyside Walkabout
Photos courtesy Carol Payne October 2016 Thanks to the kindness of the staff at ByBrook Nursing Home, Roy Bradley, orphan from the children's home, was able to visit the places he remembered from his childhood when he lived at the lodge at Sunnyside with his adopted parents. Amazingly very little had changed over the last half a century and he traced remnants of his childhood in the buildings and grounds of the property. Left: Sunnyside Lodge was Roy's home |
Swimming Pool
After a bit of cutting back of the undergrowth, Roy found the old concerete swimming pool that he used as a child (below right).
It was fed by the Box Brook, which still flowed swiftly through the grounds and fed the water levels which in Roy's time were built up by a shutter to dam the exit of the the stream (below left).
After a bit of cutting back of the undergrowth, Roy found the old concerete swimming pool that he used as a child (below right).
It was fed by the Box Brook, which still flowed swiftly through the grounds and fed the water levels which in Roy's time were built up by a shutter to dam the exit of the the stream (below left).
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Back Garden
The rear of the main house had previously been the swings and play area for the waifs and strays children. The summer house
(an open shed) was still in existence where the Home stored the moving elephant, which was brought out for every fete to raise money by giving visitors rides around the lower garden (below). The summer house also served as a shed for storing the prams needed to take children on walks and visits. At the back of the play area Roy's father, Bill, had his vegetable stall in the annual fete.
The rear of the main house had previously been the swings and play area for the waifs and strays children. The summer house
(an open shed) was still in existence where the Home stored the moving elephant, which was brought out for every fete to raise money by giving visitors rides around the lower garden (below). The summer house also served as a shed for storing the prams needed to take children on walks and visits. At the back of the play area Roy's father, Bill, had his vegetable stall in the annual fete.
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Boiler Waste
Even minor structures brought back strong memories in Roy. He remembered how his father stoked the boiler every evening to provide heat and hot water for the children. The old coal hole was still visible (below left), once the home of several feral cats,
and the waste ashes were deposited on the Drumway, a track outside, which is still largely the same now (below right).
Even minor structures brought back strong memories in Roy. He remembered how his father stoked the boiler every evening to provide heat and hot water for the children. The old coal hole was still visible (below left), once the home of several feral cats,
and the waste ashes were deposited on the Drumway, a track outside, which is still largely the same now (below right).
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The wall of the present car park was previously the area for Roy's father's peaches and fruit trees, ideal because the wall was south facing. Along the roadside were three greenhouses to bring on the market garden produce and one had central heating fed from an underground boiler room.
Sunnyside Lodge
Of course, Roy was brought up in the lodge, next door to the main house, and we were able to visit the lodge also.
Of course, Roy was brought up in the lodge, next door to the main house, and we were able to visit the lodge also.
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Above: remnants of the television aerial still on the chimney stack of the lodge
Left: the grand porch entrance to the main house Right: Roy in the humbler entrance to the lodge. |
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The visit brought back Roy's memories from Box sixty years ago. Roy said, "It was the best childhood ever and it's all coming back to me now". Thank you so much for sharing your story with us, Roy, and we welcome other reminiscences from people at Sunnyside, past and present. Thank you also to matron Ratna and the staff of ByBrook, whose kindness made us feel so welcome. The staff recalled the stories of recent residents seeing happy children in rooms of the house, a pleasant reminder of the history of caring that the house has cultivated.
