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Ron Levett, born in Alfriston, East Sussex, enlisted in 1943, and whilst posted to the British Liberation Army, took part in the liberation of Germany. He then returned to England, setting up his own electronics business and developing an interest in the new entertainment of the time - television.
By this time my marriage was going through a rough spot. Frieda had made friends with Mrs. Wise, sister to Alec Barnard, who owned the butcher's shop next door. She was separated from her husband, who owned Wise Motors at Upper Dicker.
They started going out together in the evenings, leaving me to baby-sit. Somewhere they had met Jack Walker, who was also separated from his wife. When Frieda started coming in later and later I tackled her about it, we had a flaming row and she said she was leaving me for him.
At the time the legitimacy act had not become law, so when she said that she had arranged for the children to be taken into care there was nothing I could do. They were taken off to a children's home in Cuckfield.
I was left on my own in a rather large house. Celia Norman very kindly gave me my midday meal and I managed to look after myself the rest of the time. I met a chef called Gordon who was working at Deans Place Hotel. He asked me if I had a spare room, this would help with my expenses, so he moved in.
I soon found that getting money from Gordon was easier said than done. He did, however, cook some fabulous meals. He took me up to Cuckfield to see the children, and it was heartbreaking when a lot of small children came up to me and said, 'Are you my daddy?'
When I told Mrs. Doris Williams at Stonery Farm about my predicament she immediately said that with the number of children at the Stonery, two more wouldn't make much difference, so Gordon and I went off to Cuckfield and brought Stephen and Carolyn back to the farm.
After about two months Frieda rang up to say that she wanted Carolyn. I still hadn't got the law on my side, so she came and collected her.
Doris Williams' mother, a widow in her 60's called Mrs. Medhurst offered to move into my house to act as housekeeper and look after Stephen. This was too good an offer to miss, so I used the firm's van to move her bits and pieces into Southdown and we settled down.
'Gran', as she came to be known, soon got fed up with Gordon and he got his marching orders. Stephen was soon out of nappies and growing fast.
When Carolyn was 5 years old, Frieda had a child by Jack Walker, and was finding it hard work so when she rang up and said that I could have her back I took the firm's van and together with Stephen, Gran and Avril Williams, Gran's granddaughter, we drove up to St. Albans and collected Carolyn.
This was the last time I ever saw Frieda.
Carolyn was due to start school, so she was enrolled at Alfriston Primary. Mrs Gwynne was the head teacher and both children were convinced that 'Gran' could hold her own in any confrontation with her.
Ron Levett, 2001
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