The following letter was written to Lady Jacqui Lovill who, with her husband Sir John, had owned Little Dene. The letter is from a former servant who had worked for Rosabelle Brand at Little Dene before the Second World War.

From Cyril Harbour, Glen Haven, School Road, Bressingham, Diss in Norfolk.

Dear Lady Lovill,

Thank you for writing to my daughter as I mentioned to her when she was going to Sussex for a holiday that if she was anywhere near Glynde would she see if Little Dene was still there, as I was there just before the war. Thank you for the photographs, it seems as if the servants' hall, the pantry and safe has been removed as you will see by the snaps I have sent, which I have taken off my snaps, which you can keep. The first house on the right coming up the lane was where the butler lived, then there was the stables, then we walked through a yard to the back door. There were out-houses on the right where sticks and coal was kept. Inside the back door was a games room for the children on the left, on the right was a room where the ladies' companion, a Miss Rolf, used to do the sewing and feed the dogs. The next room on the right was the kitchen with the scullery behind. On the left was back stairs for the servants, then there was a passage leading off to the left which led to a pantry, safe, and the servants' hall which seem to be missing from your photograph.

To the right of the passage we went up two or three steps which lead to the dining room. Near the door was a door on the left which had some stairs going to a stove for heating the house which I had to keep stoked up.

The butler's name was Mr Cox, there was a cook, scullery maid, head and under housemaid, chauffeur and groom. All the staff had their bedrooms in the attic. Mine was overlooking the lawn with the greenhouses on the right. The snap was taken from my bedroom window and the water tank was outside my bedroom door. Every morning I had to cycle to Glynde Post Office with the mail.

Lady Rosabelle [Brand] used to entertain a lot. There was a 21st birthday party and there was a dance in the drawing room with a dance band and we sat all the guests down to dinner and we had to call in extra help with footmen from other large houses around. I think it was Master Robin's birthday.

Then there was Master Michael and Miss Patience, also a nanny who was in charge of the Earl and Countess of Warwick's son Lord Brookes.

We went to Scotland for the grouse shooting for four weeks. Taxis came and took us to Lewes station. We just left the under housemaid behind and the groom and the rest of us went. We had sleepers on the train from Euston to Glasgow, then to Gourock, then by boat to a place near Ardrishaeg, Argyllshire. The family went by cars. There used to be a servants' ball every year when the big houses around used to take it in turns to hold it. The house was near Polegate when I went. It was a grand night with a band and a buffet.

I had some good times when I was at Little Dene. After leaving Little Dene I volunteered for the RAF and served for six years, four of them in the Far East.

I hope this letter will give you some idea of what life was like at Little Dene when I worked there. Thanking you once again.

Yours sincerely

Cyril Harbour

The "snaps" he included are are reproduced below:

A day out for some of the Little Dene servants

The view from Cyril Harbour's bedroom

The house in the late 1930s