Woolbeding, Sussex

[CarolB08]

I have a couple of my husbands relatives who married in this little place, their Father was a gardener, on the 1939 Register he is described as living in Gardeners Cott, Woolbeding, Midhurst, Sussex. At the end of his entry is the attached comment, can anyone make out what it says ? I think it says Gardener, Brit Red Cro if this is correct where might he have been gardening?
Any thoughts please
Many thanks
Carol

 

[Sue345]

Maybe British Red Cross.

A Google search bought up a list of War Hospital Supply Depots organised by private individuals for the British Red Cross and Order of St John of Jerusalem. One of the organisers for Midhurst , Sussex was Mrs Henry Lascelles of Woolbeding.

 

[CarolB08]

Thankyou for this information Sue345, I had done a search on google for the British Red Cross but all it had thrown up were currant issues.
I am still a bit confused as to the role my man would have played as a gardener in a war hospital supply depot, unless it was to supply food to them, that would make sense.

 

[Susan48]

Woolbeding House was at that time owned by Mr and Mrs Henry Lascelles and is now in the hands of the National Trust. It seems to have been used as a War Hospital Supply Depot for the British Red Cross as Sue345 says, but the extensive grounds would have required a gardener or gardeners.

 

[CarolB08]

Thank you for this information Susan, I wonder if the National Trust might have staff records from this time. ?