This article was first published in the West Sussex Gazette on April 2nd 1998.

Last week we learnt how life was during the two world wars thanks to the memoirs of the late Maurice Hedworth Williams. He was a well known character who lived in Tarring and one of the leading figures wo tried to save the ancient fig garden.

In this second and final chapter, transcribed by me from his memoirs, we discover many of the local characters Mr Williams met.

'Some memories now of my business career. This was with the Brighton, Hove & Worthing Gas Company in the Accounts Section at the Head Office in Brighton (afterwards Hove) from 1935 to 1974. I was there some 44 years, reaching a Senior Officer position as Accounts Recovery Officer representing the Company in all the County Courts of Sussex for the recovery of overdue accounts.

'After retirement from business I have directed my attention to assist the elderly and disabled and for some years served on the Committee of the Parkinson's Disease Society (Worthing Branch). I have been Chairman of West Worthing Bridge Club (Downview Road Section) and I am at present a social member of Worthing Pavilion Bowls Club and with other friends run the West Tarring Whist Club.

'Locally in Tarring some of my early friends were the sons of Mr and Mrs Lephard (of Paine, Manwaring and Lephard, the Broadwater Engineers), Henry Smail (the local historian), Derek Prince, nephew of Major General Vaughan, who lived at the Hollies in Tarring High Street, and the nephew of a Councillor Mrs Carmichael of Ardsheal House Mrs. Halland, whose husband had the forge and later garage in High Street Tarring. She used to do the Tarring Whist Drive (then in the Old Palace). Other good friends have been Mrs. Stanford, Mrs. Beer and Mrs. Elliott. The latter two helped in the canteen of the Boys Club.

'Mr. Peter Austin owned the orchards behind our house and spread sea weed under the fruit trees brought there by horse and cart from the sea shore. Other friends Mr. Boone and Frank and Alf Chipper in the choir, also Ron White (a Server).

'There was a farm where Westland Avenue now is and another on the site of Fairoak Court at the north end of the High Street.

'The Market House (on the corner of Church Road) was a large bakers run by the Misses Hales (who also had a shop in Rowlands Road). North of the Railway Crossing was Marshall's (newsagents) , Sultan (Butchers) on the corner of Becket Road, Collins (Bakers), Teasdale (Furniture), Potter Bailey (Grocers), Watts (Shoe Shop) and Pierpoints (Haberdashery) and Damp (Jewellers), the Corn Stores and Sam Clark (Saddler).

'Over the level crossing, the north side of Tarring Road was undeveloped and a line of fir trees stood on the railway land. On the south side we had T.C. Cepus (a Garden Centre) later at Ashacre Lane. Marc Smith (Hardware), Boots (Chemist), Mac Fisheries (Fish), Home & Colonial (Grocers), Knowles (Bakers), Hookeys (Haberdashery), Gale (Outfitter) - the latter was murdered by a son. - Reynolds (Chemist). His son was my school pal. On the corner of Downview Road was F.T.Dale (Grocer). Opposite the station was G.S. Morton (Butcher).

'The village still had several thatched cottages and Mrs. Stanford was licensee of the George & Dragon.

'At Snow Cottage in South Street just four doors above our house (opposite Parkfield Road) were Percy & Mrs. Savery. Percy ran the Durrington Carrier Service. Just north was Busters Cafe (now Kingdom Hall) and next door Haymer Cottage owned by Peter Austen and later demolished to make way for Rectory Road.

'The original church Rectory stood next to the boundary of the Turilteres. The large holm oak which was at the gate entrance stands there majestically to this day. The Rectory was demolished in the later 1920s. I have yet to discover a drawing or photograph of the building.

'The next important building was Clarendon House, once the home of Mrs. Clarke (the Tarring benefactor), and from 1924 until his death by Dr. & Mrs. Ryan (mentioned earlier).

'The site was approximately one acre with a large quince and strawberry tree in the front garden.

'The Tarring Recreation Ground opposite was established in 1923.

'On the west side of South Street, north of the Rec, stood the home of Dr. Nockolds, (Meadowbank). He was the village doctor and drove round in a pony and trap driven by Mr. Norris (recently deceased aged 95). The pony was stabled opposite in the building now known as 'Flintstones'. Dr. Nockolds had a long flowing beard.

'No mention of Tarring would be complete without reference to the Fig Garden. Mrs. Humphrey and her daughter lived there (now Bishops Garth) and the large fig garden was always open to the public Summer and Winter.

'On the south side they had a sweet shop and in the summer sold ice cream near the entrance - and teas were provided. Men used to cycle from London and were accommodated overnight in a wooden building at the far end of the garden. A relation still lives in Worthing.

'The unique garden was lost when the local Council gave planning permission, contrary to case law, for building development on the site. This action was strongly opposed by the Tarring Action Group, which referred the matter to the Local Government Ombudsman who found the Council guilty of mal-administration.

'Other local personalities I should mention are Vic Windsor (of the Priory), Mrs. Farncombe (Norfolk House) and Emma the maid to Dr. & Mrs. Ryan, who ruled Clarendon House from the kitchen! The six long bells were in the hall and rang to summon the household to meals, and to meet visitors.

'Dr. Ryan at one period had a surgery on the south-east corner of Guildford Road, which later became Lloyds Bank. He was an excellent Surgeon in his prime and made wonderful models out of cork etc. (A large one stood in the hall of the house).

'My hobbies are stamp collecting and bridge which I have played since 1929.

'A few notes about my family. I have a large volume giving my family history. We have a direct connection with Sir Nicholas Bacon, Keeper of the Great Seal of England and brother of Sir Francis Bacon. I have a framed copy of the family crest.

'My grandfather was General Montgomery Williams who died in 1872 and was buried at Findon. I possess a daguerreotype (early photo made on silver plate) of himself and the ring he wore in memory of his first wife who died at the Cape of Good Hope in 1815. He was a friend of Colonel Wyatt of Findon and is mentioned in a book entitled 'Fragments of Findon' which can be found in the Library.

'My brother was well known in Worthing before the war for his publicity business and was responsible for the Worthing Corporation publicity. He moved to Eastbourne after the war where he became a Councillor and later Alderman of that town. He deceased in 1975.

'Two other places in Tarring Village which are worth mentioning and have played an important place in my life are: (1) the Old Palace, home to the Boys Club from 1937-1960 and (2) the old cobblers shop (opposite the Fig Garden) which was at one time the local fire station when the pump was man-handled.

'Another early recollection is of the buses (which were of course all 'open top') and that there was no glass windscreen for the driver and only a water proof sheet round his knees in wet weather. If when the bus reached West Tarring going to High Salvington no one else was there, you could sit next to the driver for the country journey to the old mill where teas were served - a real Sunday treat! Sometimes the buses never reached the top of the hill as the water in the engine boiled over!

'The fare from the Thomas A'Becket Pub to Heene Road was one penny.

'Another of my friends was Harry Leal of Leal's Creamery in Warwick Street. He like myself, played for the Worthing Hockey Club 2nd X1, on the Manor Field.

'These were the good old days.

'My recollection of Tarring has covered some 76 years already, and God willing, I shall see the year 2000.'

Maurice Williams continued to take an active interest in local affairs, particularly in the conservation area of West Tarring, right up until he died peacefully in his flint cottage opposite Tarring Recreation Ground, which was built as a Lodge House in 1874 at the entrance of the drive leading to West Tarring farm.

His widow Marjorie, whose unswerving loyalty bonded their marriage for half a century said, 'I was 100% behind him with everything he did, and he did such a lot. It was 50 good years of being together.'

This article was first published in the West Sussex Gazette on April 2nd 1998.