Charlie Yeates
One of the inspirational founder members of the Stanmer Preservation Society
Charlie Yeates from family album
On a sunny June afternoon, in the Downs near Ditchling, SPS met up with all three of Charlie Yeates’ daughters, within sight of the beacon where their parents first met.
This is how Jennifer, Gillian and Tessa described their multi-skilled father, esteemed founding member of the Stanmer Preservation, and driving force behind the popular Stanmer Country Fayres:
CWY with Alice for over 50 years
Silversmith by Trade
Naturalist
Archaeologist (President of BHASoc)
Artist
Conservationist
Beekeeper
Gardener
Countryman
D.SoP expert
Poet
Lecturer
and Great Dad
Comments about this page
Charlie and Alice lived in one of the Upper Lodges whilst Jim and Betty Driver had the other. They were the last dwellings in Brighton to be connected to mains electricity in 1974. Every day Charlie took his storm lanterns out to one of his sheds to refill them with paraffin and trim the wicks; Alice cooked using bottled gas and I think they had one gas light; their radio and black & white television (a very small screen I seem to remember, about 6 or 9″) were powered by accumulator batteries that he took down to Stanmer Stores for recharging! He was the most contented man I have ever known.
Add a comment about this page