The courtship of Anne Titchener and Richard Stacey around Castle Farm in the 1840's
We must now return to the family of William Titchener, whose little girl Anne we left growing up at the end of our first chapter.
She had by now become quite a young woman and was out in service. As a matter of fact, she was living at the very farm where young Dick Stacey had just started working, Castle Farm, Shoreham. William Titchener had finished his day's work and was making his way up the Serpentine past Little Cockerhurst, whistling happily, for he expected to find his daughter Anne at home, this being her afternoon out. Nor was he disappointed, for she greeted him merrily at the door on his arrival. "Well, Anne," he said, when having finished his tea he stretched out his legs and began to enjoy his evening pipe, "how are things going down at the Castle." "Oh, alright, Father," replied his daughter. "Mr. Love had got some new cows. He's had one of the waggons painted. Poor old Gyp, the big black dog got run over the other day, but he's running about alright again now. Mrs. Love went up to London last week."
And so she rattled off the news of all the latest doings at her master's farm, while her father listened contentedly to her gossip and Fanny sat mending a pair of one of the boys' trousers. "Oh," said Anne, "we've got a new boy at the Castle Farm. He lives in." "A Shoreham boy?" enquired Fanny. "His father and mother have just come to live at Twitton." "Ah," said William, "I heard they had a new man there. Came from somewhere in Surrey." And so the talk went on till the time came for Anne to go back down the hill to Castle Farm.
A few weeks later Anne was again at home for tea, and again notes and news were compared. It was a summer evening, and while the sun was still high Anne began to get ready to go. "You're going early to-night, my girl, " said William. "Yes," she replied somewhat shyly, "I must be in early tonight." "Now," said Fanny, with a quick smile, "none of your running after that boy down at the Castle." "O, Mother," laughed Anne, and away she ran. But it was a coincidence that on that evening, young Dick Stacey, happened to take an evening walk up the hill towards Cockerhurst, and it was - of course - quite by accident that he met Anne Titchener on the way.
This was the beginning of the courtship of these two, and in due course they were married, and lived for a time at Cockerhurst. There their two elder children were born, William - named after his Grandfather Titchener - and Annie. Their Grandfather Titchener, now a widower, lived with them. He was very fond of the children, and would often find a sweet or to for them in his capacious pocket. Richard Stacey now worked for Mr. Love, of Filson Farm, a relative of Mr. Love, of Shorham Castle, and he and his family moved to Shoreham (occupying a cottage where "Aunt Ellen" afterwards lived). There their son John was born. Annie went to a school in the village and remembered once receiving a half-penny from Mrs. Mildmay for being the best girl.