Casa Nostra, Grange Road, Uckfield.

Frank and the family moved from Framfield Road to Grange Road in the early summer of 1968. "31" had been sold and Casa Nostra was not completed so they lived in a bungalow on the opposite side of Grange Road for a few months.

Frank and Nellie in the back garden of Casa Nostra. Michael, Richard and Dionne lived with Frank and Nellie at Casa Nostra; the name of the house reflected Frank's wartime association with Italy where he served for some time.

The picture below of Frank's children and their spouses was taken in 1970 in the back garden of Casa Nostra, both Helen and Barbara were now married. Barbara was now a Staff Nurse in Haywards Heath Hospital, David a Police Constable at Chichester and Helen a full time mum.  From left to right are Barbara, now Barbara Timms (front), Chris Timms (back), Michael, Richard (front) David, Helen now Helen McCallion and Phil McCallion. David briefly lived at Casa Nostra leaving home in 1969.

.

Frank's hobby and interest, gardening continued at Grange Road. To the right of Casa Nostra (facing it) there was a small plot of land not quite big enough to build a house on, Frank got permission from Mr Preston to use this as an allotment. As they now lived over the other side of Uckfield walking to the allotment was not an option so the previous one was given up. Frank still continued his spare time gardening for other people, this allowed additional income for anything needed.

Frank's family had now started to grow with the arrival of grand children. Debbie McCallion was the first in 1968 followed two years later in 1970 by Shaun. Mark Timms was born in 1971 with Paul arriving in 1974. Rachael Thomas (David's daughter) was born in 1975. Katherine McCallion was born in 1976. Melanie Thomas (also David's daughter) came in 1977. Frank and Nellie had great enjoyment watching their grand children growing, The "McCallions" lived in Uckfield but the "Timms" and the "Thomas" families lived a few hours drive away.

Nellie had on-going back problems for many years, in the mid seventies she finally had to have surgery. Frank's also had health problems during the "Casa Nostra" period with continuing high blood pressure. Sadly Archibald, Frank's father died in the late autumn 1969. 

Archibald, Nellie and Frank outside Casa Nostra

By the end of their stay at Casa Nostra only Michael and Richard were living with Frank and Nellie. After 14 years of being fostered, Dionne had chosen when she was 16, to move to London and live with her Aunt.

Dionne is in the blue dress to the left of Dad who is relaxing on the sun bed in the middle of a game on the back lawn at Casa Nostra!

The first holiday that they had on their own was their 25th wedding anniversary when they went to Pertisau in Austria. Frank had long wanted Nellie to see Austria which he had enjoyed very much in the immediate post war years before he was de-mobbed. Michael, Dionne and Richard stayed with Barbara and Chris at Haywards Heath. This was the first time they had been without Mum! Frank and Nellie had holidays in Derbyshire, Wales, repeatedly in Cornwall, Scotland, Jersey and the Isles of Scilly and places abroad including Rome, Germany, Malta and the Holy Land. Their first holiday by plane was with Helen to Jersey and their first helicopter flight with Barbara and Chris to the Isles of Scilly.

Nellie made a photo record of Frank's life which she entitled "This is your Life" in it the photo above has the caption "See what Cornish Cream does for your figure!"

They formed an association with Barcombe Baptist Church and decided to move to Barcombe. They moved from Casa Nostra to Grantham Bank Barcombe in November 1982.