© J A D Healey 2014
SOUTER’S FARM, EASEBOURNE, MIDHURST
We met at Circus Street and when Pam arrived (for she had been with the advance party and had only just come back) we set off by lorry.
We passed the sites of two former 22nd camps, one at Washington and the other at Pulborough.
While passing through Cowdray Park we saw a herd of deer. After passing through the village of Easebourne, we turned up through Souter's Farm to the top of a field where the advance party had pitched the tents etc. We found that we had kakysut.
After dumping our kit in the tents we had dinner in the marquee.
Evie, Kathleen and I went to Pearce and Co., the general stores, and bought apples and chocolate.
For the rest of the afternoon we filled our palliasses with straw and made gadgets.
In the evening a few of us went across some fields to the road along which we came back. When we were in bed (as the brailing was up), we could see the full moon for some time. It was a lovely orange colour and appeared to have a face.
I did not get to sleep till past one o'clock and at half past twelve I saw some people wandering about. I learnt afterwards that it was a policeman after some lost guides.
Chores: Sanitary
When we first got up it was very misty and, from the tents, it was almost impossible to see the marquee, but it soon cleared and, after having breakfast in the marquee, soon got ready for colours.
(As we were san., we got everything done early.)
We then went to church, going down for the first time the lane by the side of the field, that henceforth we used as the main entrance. Coming back, we came through part of Cowdray Park. It was so hot that when we got back, we had dinner in the marquee and spent the afternoon in the tents.
In the evening, one or two of us went as far as the church and back through Cowdray Park where the deer would eat chestnut leaves out of our hands. I had a great desire to touch one, but whenever my hand got within half an inch of one, it would jump away.
When we got back we went out again and collected wood for campfire, to which the Kingscliff Guides came.
| PHOTOGRAPHS |
| Stopham Bridge (passed over on the journey) |
| The Lake, Cowdray Park |
| A herd of deer, Cowdray Park |
| Tea Visitors' Day |
| Ranee, Dorothy and Pam |
| Peggy working |
Chores: Wood
We got all the wood as early as possible after breakfast, but I gave up trying to stack it as it always fell down, and left that for the more proficient.
After having dinner in the marquee, the visitors began to arrive. I showed mine round the tents first of all. Frank said that our waste paper was miles too small and that was the only gadget I had made myself. We then went to Cowdray Park and tried to feed the deer. When I slowly approached one herd, they all ran away except three youngsters, who also ran away when I got closer still. I then ran round and faced the herd. Several sniffed at the beech leaves, but none would eat them, so I dropped them and got some chestnut leaves and, going back to them, I saw some eating the beech leaves. The youngsters ate the chestnut.
After tea, there was some cricket and the visitors went between six and seven.
We had fish cakes for supper and afterwards camp fire.
Chores: Water
Try and get water as early as possible. Everything is very much more attractive when you have it to do. Monday water seemed very nice, but when we had it to do, it was not half as nice.
| DIAGRAMS/PICTURES |
| The dial at the top of Gibbet Hill |
| The cross on Gibbet Hill |
| The sailor's stone |
We set out as a company to the woods.
On the way, we passed a pumping station. Whenever we passed a burrs bush there would be a free fight and also a competition to see who could put one on the hat of one of the officers without letting them feel it.
After dinner we set out to find wiggly things to make wiggly animals. We could not find the way back to where the company was to meet and so asked the way to Souters Farm. During campfire Jean and Marjorie arrived; Mr. Cutmore sang. It was very cold in the night.
Chores: Orderly
After breakfast we went out in patrols to cook dinner.
We went into the woods with the Shamrocks and cooked steak and chips. After reading and climbing trees, we went back to camp at about 4 o'clock. For supper we had cheese dreams and I watched Pam and Dorothy make them.
Most of the brailing was down and we were hot.
Chores: Cook
Go to Hindhead. As the coach was a twenty-seater and there were over 30 of us going, I had to sit on the floor.
At Hindhead, we had dinner in a hollow near the Sailor's Stone. The stone marked the place where in 1786 an unknown sailor was murdered. The three murderers were caught and executed on the gibbet on Gibbet Hill, hence the name. There was a curse on the stone should anyone ever move or damage it. When the new road was made, it (the stone) was moved about 60 ft. lower down.
| PHOTOGRAPHS |
| The Camp (from the tables) |
| The Marquee and Cook House (getting tea) |
| A group outside Kakysut |
| The Centre of the Camp |
| Gibbet Hill |
When we came to the road, we had several ices before continuing on to Haslemere.
Just before we got into the town we dropped Bubbles at the hospital where she had an X-ray taken of her hand, which she had hurt the previous evening.
Till 4.45 we wandered about the streets buying things in the shops and then, after having tea in a shop, we returned to camp.
Chores: Sanitary
During the morning there were many showers so I went into the Shamrocks' tent meaning to read peacefully, but Evie and Kathleen's heads were so nice and close together under a blanket that I could not help but bump them together. They complained of headaches and, for the rest of the morning, there was no peace for me in that tent, and so I stayed in Kakysut after dinner.
We were told that two girls in the Kingscliff camp had scarlet fever and so the Rangers would be the only ones to get wood and water.
In the evening most of us went to Midhurst where we spent just under a quarter of an hour.
Chores: Wood
Patrol hikes: Went through some fields and along a lane to a wood where we were going to cook our dinner, but we found a trap and later on a notice "game" and so we took our wood into a nearby field.
We cooked sausages and chips and fried our bread. After this, those who had books read, while those who had not first climbed trees and then explored the wood where we found hen coops where the hens had hatched out the pheasants. The hens were making a great deal of noise and a great many of the pheasants were flying around. At about 3 o'clock, we started off for Midhurst, passing on the way the house where we had borrowed some matches (as we hadn't any), but the lady had gone out.
Arriving at Midhurst, we went over the ruins of Cowdray Castle. We admired the ornamented ceiling of the bottom storey of one of the towers and also the remains of two statues in the chapel. We went through Cowdray Park on the way back.
At tea time, a man from the M.O. came to see Ranee. After tea, first Ranee told us that we were going home the next day by lorry and that eight (Dot, Gwen, Evie and Eileen, Margery Driver, Diana and Bubbles) were going that evening by train and must be ready in uniform with all their kit together so that someone could pack them in the morning, in ten minutes time. The rest of us had a hot wash and were given the rest of our tuck (it came Thursday and some of it was eaten that evening). The Rangers brought us round cocoa and cake when we were in bed.
After breakfast we started packing, then we struck tents, while a few of us got the dinner. After dinner we claimed our plates, mugs and cutlery etc., and then packed up all the kitchen things etc.
When the lorries arrived, all the tents and boxes etc. went in one with the advance party, while we went with the kit. The lorry with the advance party started first, but near the beginning they took the wrong turning and so we were in front for the rest of the way. We sang all the way and, when we got to Circus Street, those who had gone home the night before were down there.