John Bartlett is descended from the Winton and Maple families of Shoreham. His mother Daphne Maple married Robert Bartlett, both of Old Shoreham, in 1940. The Bartletts came from Lancing and settled in Old Shoreham where John’s grandfather was the collector at the Toll Bridge. John has kindly provided us with a selection of his family photographs dating from the early 1900’s.
1. Robert Bartlett senior, the father of George, was the Lancing Stationmaster and Postmaster seen here outside the post office with his postmen, in Lancing’s North Road.2. This postcard shows the backwater at Lancing after the 1910 storm. The scene appears to be the coast road looking up South Street with the Three Horseshoes pub on the right.
3. Storm damaged groyne Lancing 1910.4. Flooding at The Gap 1910. The scene is Widewater looking east with the white Old Salts farm buildings just visible in the distance.5. George Bartlett, toll collector and signalman at the Toll Bridge, Old Shoreham with Ricardo’s in the distance.6. Robert Bartlett (junior) son of George at the Toll Bridge circa 1916.7. The relief toll collector (not George Bartlett) at the west side gate.8. From left to right unknown, George Bartlett, Gilbert, Payne and others near the Toll Bridge.9. The Toll House, home of George Bartlett and his family from 1907 to 1938 and demolished in 1940.10. Toll House and the bridge crossing approach.11. A 1931 sketch of the Toll House.12. Local Old Shoreham bobby PC Penfold.13. A St. Nicolas school class circa 1913.14. A class from St. Nicolas school in 1914. Robert’s brother Arthur Bartlett (who collected most of these photos) is second left in the third row and Robert Bartlett second right in the second row.16. Inside the classroom at St. Nicolas 1916. Helen Bartlett is first left at the back and Arthur Bartlett is third left in the third row.17. Tom Turrell and his wife from a Shoreham Herald newspaper cutting reporting their diamond wedding anniversary. They lived in the westernmost part of Hooper’s Cottages behind the Amsterdam. Thomas was born at Old Shoreham in 1849 and worked for the local railway company as a carpenter. The Turrells and Bartletts were probably more than just near neighbours as Mrs. Turrell’s brother was the toll collector at Norfolk Bridge.18. Mr. & Mrs Turrell again, this time inside their home at Hoopers’ Cottages in a somewhat stage-managed photo. It appears that besides being hard of hearing Tom also seems to have been lacking in mobility as his old cast iron bed looks to have been moved into the parlour. Everything in the room is as it had been since Victorian times (the couple lived there for almost 60 years). Note the Staffordshire ‘fairings’ (ornaments) on the covered mantelpiece, cast iron fireplace, old clock and pictures.19. Harry and Laura Weller lived in the northern half of the cottages opposite the Bartlett’s toll house. Harry and Laura (nee Leney) married in 1923 seen here on their wedding day with the school just visible above the hedge behind them.20. Being so close to the airport and with an unobstructed view the Bartletts would have seen much of the early flying at Shoreham. This 1911shot is of pilot Oscar Morison, the first pilot from outside of Shoreham to fly into the airfield (he ended up marrying a Shoreham girl) and also features in other galleries on this web site.21. Dated March 1911 this rare photo records Morison’s Bleriot at Lancing College playing fields. Oscar had been invited by the headmaster to visit the college and flew into land on the cricket pitch. Being closely cut the turf did not slow the aircraft as much as usual and the machine was slightly damaged when it edged into the rising ground at the end known as ‘Grubber Bank’ seen here. It was soon repaired and Oscar flew it back to the airfield the next day.22. J. Lawrence Hall was a stunt pilot who exhibited his flying skills at displays all over the country including Shoreham. Seen here in his Bleriot he had learned to fly at the Bleriot School at Hendon obtaining his certificate there in September 1912. Besides his Bleriot he also purchased an Avro 500 biplane that same year but this was commandeered by the War Office at the outbreak of WW1.23. A poor photo but interesting in that it shows an unusually decorated, totally chequered pattern aircraft with the Ricardo buildings just visible behind it.24. Lancing College from the air.25. Another unusual image on a postcard showing a 1909 wedding gathering outside Beeding church.26. The White Horse Inn float that won first prize at the 1937 Shoreham Carnival. ‘The White Horse Inn’ was a musical comedy or operetta set in Austria. John Bartlett’s mother Daphne was the driving force behind the creation of the float – the local production of the musical involved the Winton and Maple families. The ‘Austrians’ seen here include Sam and John Maple, Sam’s wife May, Robert Bartlett (who built the ‘house’), Hubert and Jessie Winton, Freda Clements and Daphne Maple.27. Haymaking with George Bartlett centre – possibly taken during WW2.28. A relic of times past. Even when this photo was taken harvest suppers (to celebrate the completion of the harvest) were becoming much of a rarity throughout the country. Pictured inside the Great Barn at Old Shoreham only shortly before it was demolished in 1962 in what was believed to be questionable circumstances at the time.29. Brothers Robert and Arthur Bartlett obtained employment at the nearby Ricardos’ factory just across the bridge. This early 1930’s photo includes Robert (Bob) Bartlett wearing glasses behind the man holding the score board. He was captain for many years and was also a member of Shoreham Rowing Club), Arthur Bartlett is standing in pads with another player’s hand in front of him. Only the following two have been identified from the remainder – Les Wimble holding a bat and Bill Bareham is in the back row wearing a cap.30. Ricardos carried out important and vital work for the government and with the threat from across the Channel in WW2 the War Office moved the entire factory and its’ employees temporarily to Oxford. Here entire families from Shoreham were found living accommodation and once again took up their work and other wartime occupations (John Bartlett was born there) – this photo is of the local Home Guard there made up of the relocated Ricardo employees.31. Another wartime scene in Oxford showing delivery of lunch to Ricardos employees by the local Womens’ Voluntary Service. Arthur Bartlett is in the centre of the waiting men.32. Fire at the Sussex Pad 1905. Burned down shortly before George Bartlett moved into the Toll House photos of the disaster were numerous but this shot provides an unusual close up of the ruins.33. The Toll Bridge and Lancing College – a familiar view for the Bartletts.34. Lancing College from the river.35. The Toll Bridge with a vehicle at the crossing alongside the Toll House.36. A clear view of the crossing, Toll House, signal box and possibly George between the gates.37. The Red Lion Inn – the Toll House and bridge were just out of shot on the left.38. St. Nicolas church from the upstairs window of the Weller’s house.39. The Mystery Towers at Southwick during WW1.40. Barnham railway station – perhaps one of Robert Bartlett senior’s earlier stations.41. Inside St. Nicolas church at Christmas in the 1960’s.42. Connaught Avenue in the snow looking south. A 1960’s view that is little changed now.43. Like many men then as now the Bartletts had a keen interest in sport, particularly football and cricket and especially the local professional team Brighton & Hove Albion. This postcard is of the team during the 1920-21 season.44. Frequent visitors to the home matches the Bartletts were probably amongst the crowd here at the 1920’s cup tie with Cardiff.45. The crowd section here during a match with Southend includes Arthur, Robert (the children) and George Bartlett about 5 rows back , right centre.46. Arthur, Robert (holding the card) and George Bartlett during the 1921 match with Northampton.47. A postcard recording the Albion’s cup progress in 1924 prior to the match with Manchester City……which they lost 5 – 1.48. Brighton’s F.A. Cup match with Shoreham in 1932. That year someone at the Albion forgot to fill in the necessary forms to avoid playing the preliminary rounds against lower clubs with the result that one of their early games was against Shoreham F.C. Some 20 years earlier as champions of Sussex football and winners of the Royal Ulster Rifles Cup Shoreham would probably have given a very good account of themselves but as the inked in half time and full time scores on this programme show the game was something of a rout.49. Not just followers of the Albion the Bartletts also visited Wembley for the F.A. Cup finals. This programme is of the 1923 final between Bolton Wanderers and West Ham United.50. The West Ham United team of 1923.51. The Bolton Wanderers team of 1923.52. A selection of the Bartlett’s cup tickets from 1924 to 1928.53. Wembley Stadium. Known originally as the British Empire Exhibition Stadium and opened in 1923 it is seen here still with some open land beside it.54. The Old London Bridge, British Empire Exhibition 1924.55. England cricket test team June 1926.
During the 1950’s when roads were much quieter we would occasionally cycle up to West Grinstead railway station where one of my predecessors served as stationmaster there in the 1880’s. Rather than returning on the busier road we would drop down to pick up the B2135 to Partridge Green and on to Shoreham.
The first part of the route took us past the catholic church ‘Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation’ at West Grinstead, resting place of the much loved Sussex writer and historian Hilaire Belloc and his wife, then continued along a pretty, meandering switchback of a road with occasional views in the distance to the South Downs.
For centuries Shoreham folk have earned a living from the sea and one hundred years or so ago the fishing families of Ratcliffe, Page, Laker and Maple were prominent. Perhaps the best known of them were the Maples who sold their fish and oysters from their shop at the west end of the High Street in one of the ancient cottages that once stood alongside the King’s Head pub. Continue reading “A Fisherman’s Tale – the Maple Family”
Over the years local historian Neil De Ville has assembled a huge collection of old views of his home town Southwick, nearby Shoreham and of the people that once lived there. Each new acquisition entailed research to accurately identify locations, individuals and their background that collectively have resulted in a comprehensive record of the area’s social and architectural history.
During one recent search Neil happened across three stunning Shoreham photographs he had not seen before that were taken in the 1890’s. These were from the Samuel Butler Albums held by the St. John’s College Library in Cambridge. Samuel Butler (1835 – 1902) was an accomplished writer, artist and photographer. His photograph collection is considerable, recording as it did the people and places he visited both in this country and abroad. The images make up an important social history record of those times and we are lucky enough for him to have chosen Shoreham as one of the places in which to take his photos.
I’ve known about Old Shoreham’s blind Fanny Winton for many years but never got round to reading Martha Rigden’s account in her 1873 book ‘By A Way They Knew Not.’
In clearing some old papers recently I discovered this anonymous resume of the book that condenses Fanny’s story of a hard life, going blind, travelling to Brighton for (somewhat harsh) treatment, bedridden for 30 years etc., and also tells us a little of the area and the people in it.
William Edward Winton – bill poster, printer, photographer, impresario.
William Winton as a young man around 1870
Captain Henry Roberts R.N. who sailed round the world with Captain Cook, John Brown the well known Victorian town notary and Henry Cheal the historian were all celebrated sons of Shoreham. To these names should be added William Edward Winton whose colourful life and work during the first half of the last century brought enjoyment to many Shoreham residents and, through his photos, continues to do so today. Continue reading “William Edward Winton”
I am sure that so long as people continue to live in Shoreham there will always be characters around. Some memorable and maybe a few that are perhaps best forgotten. In the past I have just written the odd story about one or two individuals but I have now been asked to collate them into a story and this is it…….wish me luck!
Shoreham has something of a history of racing cyclists. The first ones we know of were A.F.W. Eade, the 20 year-old son of the Eade’s Stores owner; Fred Read and George Hedgecock, a 26 year old bootmaker, who came first, second and third respectively in a 10 miles race organized by the Shoreham YMCA Cycling Club on the 10th July 1888.
– a 1940’s/50’s childhood in Connaught Avenue and West Street
I was born in Connaught Avenue, Old Shoreham parish in 1938 and apart from the war years, lived and grew up in Old Shoreham. In 1946 the front gardens were still planted with vegetables. The big air raid shelter was in position on the green that separated the even number houses on the north side of the road from the odds on the south side. Orchard Close had not been built and the land was owned by the Worley family.
