Early days at St Teresa's (from Lawrence Youlten)

I remember coming to stay with my grandmother and two aunts, (now all buried in the churchyard), on several occasions during and after the Second World War. To my recollection, only Canon Currie arrived on Sundays by car, the rest of us walking or cycling. Our walk from Brede would have taken the best part of an hour each way. Looking at the crowded car park now, it's hard to believe how different things were. A few years ago Liam, a strapping sporty Australian gap year student working and living in Northiam, used to come to Mass on Sundays, and it was taken for granted that he would get a lift to and from the church.

In those early days, Mass was in Latin, and the celebrant had his back to the congregation, who sat on chairs, which could, for a fee, be reserved for regular attendants, and finding someone else in "your" seat was not welcomed. Mass was served by a rota of adult men, and there were no readings by the congregation.

I met Sheila Kaye-Smith in those days, but have no recollection of her husband.