The history portal for Shoreham-by-Sea, Sussex, England
Hidden amongst the Bartlett Collection in the Photo Galleries is a copy of the FA Cup Final Programme cover from 1923. This FA Cup Final, 100 years ago today, was famous for the crowd invasion where 300,000 fans got into Wembley stadium. The crowds swarmed onto the pitch and the game was delayed significantly. Police attempted to control the crowds and the iconic image of a white police horse surrounded by the crowd became the iconic image of the event.
In 1952, I started an Apprenticeship at White and Co. The trade I was to learn was that of Wood machining, It meant, travel to Brighton Technical College twice weekly for two evening classes, and one all day class, which combined with one of the evening classes. It was a long day leaving Shoreham at 8am and returning at 10:30, all for £1 10/- weekly, no assistance with train fares. The Hourly week was 44 hours. Of course the evening classes from 7 until 9 pm were extra.
Continue reading “White & Co.”The construction on the first Shoreham power station located in Southwick commenced in 1904. Its site chosen because of its position on the harbour, meaning plentiful supply of water for cooling, and access to coal via the shipping route from NE England. The first phase of the station opened in June 1906, with a generating capacity of 5,470 kW. The station was given various modifications and extensions, and by 1946 it had a capacity of 190 MW. By 1961 the station had an installed capacity of 190 MW. The turbines were supplied with steam from 10 boilers. The boilers were chain grate, pulverised coaland retort stoker designs. Seawater was used for condensing and cooling.
AW Wardell was an accomplished photographer and publisher of postcards from 1907 to around 1960. He was based in Brighton and latterly Worthing. You can find out much more on this excellent website. https://www.sussexpostcards.info/publishers.php?PubID=296
Bill Wardell was one of the first to publish a range of aerial scenes on postcards, pioneering an effective technique of excellent shot framing and high quality imagery from the glass plate camera he carried in the 2nd seat a biplane.
His aerial photographs of Shoreham are from 1919. It is noted he was in an Avro 504 based at the airport. Note in the first aerial photo of Shoreham (No.33) there are numerous bell tents in the SE corner of the airport – for the Canadian Air Force No. 81 Squadron stationed there in 1919, and possibly the source of Bill Wardell’s aircraft taxi to get his photographs. You may also note the two hangars of the Royal Navy seaplane base at the southern end of Ferry Road.
Built in 1938 The Tudor House, Ferry Road, Shoreham was designed by SH Tiltman – noted for his earlier designs of the Shoreham Municipal Airport Terminal building (1933).
Continue reading “The Tudor House Pub”
King’s Manor Girls School in Kingston Lane opened in 1959. It was built to replace the sister school as the senior school for three parishes.
In the south east corner of Mill Lane Cemetery, overlooking The Meads and backing onto a spur of Greenacres, is the grave of a French sailor formerly of the SS Lutetia, who died in 1919. There are no other gravestones near to this isolated stone cross marker, giving it rather a sad and lonely appearance, perhaps reflecting the nature of this sailor’s death, a young man from another country who lost his life under tragic circumstances.
To coincide with the re-opening of Shoreham’s Marlipins Museum this May 2022 it is worthwhile mentioning that a visit to the first floor gallery will give a rare opportunity to view in person the original sketch made by Butler in 1786. This accurate snapshot of Shoreham is especially revealing. Roger Bateman’s meticulous examination and research is linked below.
After a very long time closed, the Marlipins Museum re-opens on 5th May 2022.
Entry is now free.
This is also an opportunity to re-watch Roger’s superb montage video about the origins of the museum.