Audrey Clarke wrote from Australia, initially in 2010. Having spent the early part of her life in Petworth, she is now researching her family background.
Audrey recalls her days at Midhurst Secondary School...."myself and cousins went to midhurst secondary modern school in 1951 after summer holidays"....
 
Her maternal Grandmother was Mary Ann Pike pictured right, although Audrey knows little of her. She does know that Mary walked from her home in Shipley to Horsham -approx 6 miles- to get married.
 
Records show that the only Mary Ann Pike to marry in Horsham Church was in June 1908 - to Joseph William Mayne.
 
Audrey recalls visiting her Aunt, Ivy Mayne, at Wheelbarrow Castle in Easebourne...."my aunts name was Ivy Mayne, her parents last name was Burse, I only ever called them 'gran & grandad Burse', they lived at Wheelbarrow castle, my aunt & cousins lived further down in Egmont road. They were previously in a tied farm cottage but after their father was killed in a farming accident at Fernhurst they moved to Easebourne. I think this was late 1950s to 1951. Then they relocated to the Old Glebe at Fernhurst. Gran & grandad Burse also moved from Wheelbarrow Castle to Old Glebe.
My Aunt Ivy had brothers named Patrick and Ron Burse, I think there was another brother but I'm not certain. Patrick or Ron at one time had a pub in London, one of them died a few years ago, my cousin Douglas did tell me which, but I've forgotten now.
My cousins names are Edward, Violet, Ron, Douglas and David Mayne."
 
Along with the photo of her Grandmother, Audrey has two photos which she thinks may be brothers of Mary. One which appears to be a young Bellboy has pencilled on the back 'with Freds love to Mary' - the other was photographed in Malta, c.1900.