Sally spins a yarn

A descriptive way of explaining why people turn out like they do, these wise words are on the front cover of Sally Piper's book of childhood memories.

Writing under the name Sally Cotton, she tells of growing up in the village of Sedlescombe, and the characters and landmarks of her childhood during the war.

The book is not so much a personal story, but more a social history and record of a way of life that should not be forgotten, according to Sally.

More Cotton Reels is her second book - the first came out in 2005.

The idea of writing down her memories came as she recovered from health issues and decided she wanted to put everything down on paper for her grandchildren to read, so those far-off childhood experiences would not be lost.

Sally, of Sidley Street, said: "It was a way of life that was changing, and I thought it was a little bit of social history really. We hear enough about kings and queens and battles but there is little social history to be found, and all the old characters we used to have that don't seem to be there any more."

Sally was one of seven daughters in the Cotton family that lived on the outskirts of the village, near where Blackbrooks garden centre is now.

She was born in 1935 and the memories in her book start around her fourth birthday which she says was spent making mud pies in the garden.

"I remember a lady who lived near us, Mrs Griffin, came up the field and asked me for the grasses I had in my hand. I wasn't very keen because I liked the grass but I gave them to her and she handed me a teddy bear. I thought she had actually turned the grass into a teddy bear - that stayed with me for years and years."

She also recollects every fortnight being given crisps at the village pub which she used to eat sitting at the pump seat in the middle of the village.

"When we finished we would walk up the street and it was dark by then. We would see lots of washing hanging up on the line, so we would take it down from one line and put it on another, and vice versa, for the people to find when they woke up in the morning - Mrs Blundle and Mr Bangy Smith would find it all swapped over."

Sally is particularly moved by the story she tells of her mother giving birth to a baby girl who died in the harsh winter of 1947. Her father made it into the village to ask the doctor to come out, but he refused because he said it was too soon.

"He said my mother was not due. When my father got back, the baby had been born. It was so traumatic. I still remember even as a child the awful emotional impact that had on me. This little baby died of exposure because it was so cold and there was no way of keeping her warm. Then the doctor when he came said - it's only another girl.

"That upset my mother for quite a long time."

Her first book covered the war years between 1939-45 while More Cotton Reels moves through 1945-47. She has already started her third book and her grandchildren "love" reading all about that past village life.

"We reckon we grew up in an age of innocence," she said.

"It really was. We had nothing but we shared everything. During the war there wasn't much about but if we had a few sweets we would share them out.

"The book isn't about me - it's about all the individuals. It is about old characters and different events."

Her books are published by Eastbourne based Antony Rowe Ltd which does short runs of print on demand. They are available in a number of places - from Brian and Jan Roberts at 28 Battle Gates (01424 774769), Battle Stationers at 7 High Street, Battle (01424 772707), The Post Office in Sedlescombe (01424 870250), and Sally and John Piper at 48 Sidley Street, Bexhill (01424 215477).

You can telephone Sally or email her on [email protected]