Memorials

Percy Carter

Percy was born on 3 August 1906 at 4 Seaview Terrace in Icklesham, one of eight children. He started work in 1920 for local farmer Walter Merricks at Place Farm as Kitchen Garden Boy. During the 1930s, he started working as a gardener for Lord Blanesburgh at Greyfriars and, by 1940, was Head Gardener.

In 1934, Percy married Doris Bull from Stone-cum-Ebony, whom he met at a cricket match in Winchelsea. She had come to work for Major and Mrs Burke of Firebrand as nanny to Petronella and Marjorie. They had four daughters, Christine, Rosemary, Valerie and Kathleen.

Percy Carter on his wedding day in 1934

During the war, Percy was a Volunteer Fireman at Rye. On occasions during the height of the Blitz, he had spells of duty in London.

Although Greyfriars was purchased by the County Council and became a home for the elderly in 1949, Percy continued as Head Gardener until the early 1950s. He left when No.2 Pipewell Cottages, which had been bequeathed to him by Lord Blanesburgh, was free of its sitting tenants. Percy moved the family into Pipewell Cottage and became self-employed. From that time onwards, until his death in 1985, Percy had more work than he could cope with and was very much in demand by the wealthy ladies of Winchelsea. Among the houses at which he worked were The Armoury (three days a week, for Mrs Coleman), Five Chimneys and The Retreat.

Percy also tended the graves in the churchyard, maintained the boiler in the crypt, and climbed the very long ladder to wind the clock each week, a task he disliked.

In his spare time, Percy made wooden dolls' houses, including the furniture, as well as jigsaw puzzles and other toys, which were given as presents at Christmas and on birthdays. With the formation of the Entertainments Committee of the New Hall, Percy joined the Choral Society, the Drama Group and, of course, the Horticultural Society, as part of which, he helped organise the Annual Flower Show. Although only 4ft 11in, Percy wa also the doorman at the evening dance after the show. But Percy's first love among the societies was the Winchelsea and District Choral Society. He had a lovely tenor voice and had sung in choirs all his life, first at Icklesham Church, where he also rang the bells, and then at Winchelsea.