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.
The Marlipins building is generally accepted as a monument of considerable historic importance. It is hard to believe now that during the early 1920’s it was in danger of being demolished and only saved due to the generosity of donors, the co-operation of the owner and the efforts of many individuals. Of the latter there were two men in particular who provided the impetus not only to preserve the building but also to set it up as the town’s own museum.
