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About a house called Riffa |
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 Look at the photo above and you will see the children looking towards the photographer. Two of the children fold their arms in a very formal way. On the steps of the house, a lady shields her eyes against the sun as the photograph is taken. The other lady has a baby on her lap. The photograph was taken in August 1939 at a house called "Riffa" in Ring Road, North Lancing. The weather at this time was glorious. The see-saw is a "Heath Robinson" affair, made of old joists and the like - but it worked! The grown ups would have been only too aware of the build up to war that would start in a few short weeks. The children just play, as children must......
Dear Andy, Just received your letter about North Lancing, and had a quick look at the web site, I will tell my cousin Diana about it as she lived at "Riffa" as her father, Major Geoffrey Denton, was the agent for the newly built houses in Ring Road and must have had his pick of the houses, maybe as a show house. I think the house name stuck in our minds as we were staying there when the 2nd world war broke out, but the only photos my family had were taken on the front steps, so didn't know what the house looked like. I expect Rose and Percy told you how I turned up with a photo of their front steps and they very kindly gave me a photo of the house and said they would be pleased to show my cousin the house a few months later when she came on holiday from the USA. Later she found a few postcards which I copied for Mr and Mrs Cook. Thank you for your letter and I'm sure Diana would be pleased that the photos would be used on the web site. Yours sincerely Ann Smithers So, after all these years, both Ann and Diana were able to go back to look at the house and meet the present owners Rose and Percy. The war came in 1939 and we all know the heroics and sacrifices made by the nation, particularly in the early years. "Riffa" was commandeered into action too, becoming a billet for Canadian army officers prior to the D-Day landings in Normandy in 1944. In 1950, new owners changed the name of the house from "Riffa" to "The Maples". Perhaps this is no coincidence as the maple leaf is the symbol on the flag of Canada. Rose and Percy bought "Riffa" in 1970 when Percy began working at Eschmann Bros. and Walsh on the Lancing Trading Estate. The surveyors report on purchase made note of marks on the oak paneling in the dining room, not being insect made but likely to have been pins or nails. Perhaps this was the room where the plans and details of the Canadian forces were displayed?Percy mentioned that a work colleague at Eschmann Bros. and Walsh had a relative who was batman to one of the Canadian officers staying at "Riffa" (what a small world this is!) and that for part of the duration a Bofors gun was sited in the driveway! So a big "thank you" to Diana, Ann, Rose and Percy for letting us share this story. Plus a special thanks to Pearl and UE for their help too!
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We need to move forward over sixty years now. The present
owners of "Riffa", Rose and Percy Cook, heard a knock at their front door.
This knock on the door was from Ann, who recently wrote: