ex82watcher, Your story reminded me of a trip I did while doing my PPL at a flying club on the South Coast near Brighton. One day I had gone to Biggin with my Instructor in a Cessna 150 for some Flying Club business. While there a chap asked if we could give him a lift to Gatwick.
I reminded my Instructor that we were in the 150 but he said that it would be OK. The Cessna 150 is a 2 seater with an allowance for a 30lb bag behind the seats!
The takeoff took nearly the whole length of Biggins runway and then our rate of climb was almost non existent.
When we arrived at Gatwick we were twice told to orbit due to airliners on approach. Each time we turned we entered light buffet with 30 deg AOB!!! It was only later having a chat with a fellow student with a beer in hand I realised how close we had been to stalling a number of times very close to the ground.