One Day, One Year, One Place – Mill Lane

A study of the inhabitants of Mill Lane, Shoreham in 1939.

written by Jenny Elton

Following the onset of war in September in 1939 a Register was taken of the civilian population with the purpose of producing a National Identity card. Later it was to become multifunctional, first as an aid in the use of ration cards and later helping officials to record the movement of the civilian population over the following decades. From 1948 it formed the basis for the National Health Service Register. The data was collected on 29^th September 1939.The following information was listed. Name, gender, date of birth, marital status, occupation, and whether a visitor, servant, patient, inmate or inferred family member and other members of the household.

February 1, 2021February 19, 2024

Shoreham or Newhaven?

If unsure, just land and ask a local.

This photograph was unidentified until recently. It is of a daring early aviator Louis Emile Train who designed his own aircraft and competed in a number of races. The story behind this photograph is amazing. It should have been taken at Shoreham airfield at the penultimate stage of the Calais to London Air Race of 1911.

Unfortunately after flying over the English Channel heading to Shoreham before taking the last leg to Hendon Louis was presented with a challenge – what did Shoreham look like? He knew the Adur was a landmark, with Downs all around – but he came across Newhaven first and when Louis failed to find the aerodrome he decided the best approach would be to ask a local for directions. He put down his aircraft in a sloping field to the north of Newhaven.

He executed a difficult landing on a sloping field without incident, until the aircraft came to a halt – at which point it rolled backwards down the field. Unequipped with brakes the aircraft ended up in the field fencing and the tailplane was irreparably damaged. Louis was forced out of the race and never got to Shoreham.

The photos of the hubbub that ensued once the locals learnt of the unofficial French invasion and landing can be seen here.

The location of the field at South Heighton is here.

January 26, 2021August 23, 2023

Middle Road School 1946

An excellent photograph has arrived from Colin Wadey who has kindly permitted us to re-publish it here. This is Middle Road Secondary Boys School in 1946, around 10 years after the school was built. Colin has listed his classmates – with quite a few familiar Shoreham names in the roll.

**1946 Class 3A in Main Hall** (click to enlarge)

November 30, 2020August 12, 2023

Shoreham Cine and Miniature Camera Club

Film of the “new” clubhouse arriving on a truck at Ropetackle in 1958 Courtesy of Brian Meetens, South Downs Film Makers

The Shoreham Cine and Miniature Camera Club was started in the late 1950’s by local retailer Paul Plumb. He gathered a group of friends & advertised in the local press to form the cine club. Paul had a shop in Shoreham & was very well known for his enthusiasm about life in general. The response he got was quite amazing, in the region of 60 people were interested in becoming members.

November 21, 2020August 12, 2023

The Old Town Hall

Built as a Custom House in 1830 by George Henry Hooper at the expense of the ancient Poole family mansion that had stood on the same site for centuries before. Hooper was himself a descendant of the Poole family and the new building was, initially at least, an attractive one designed by Sydney Smirke R.A, but its appearance was somewhat compromised during the subsequent enlargements of 1920.

November 10, 2020August 22, 2025

The Story of Shoreham – by H. Cheal

Published in 1921 this is a copy of the definitive history of Shoreham-by-Sea written by local historian Henry Cheal,  Hon. Curator and Librarian to the Sussex Archaeological Society. This PDF version is as provided by shoreham.adur.org.uk.

Cheal-Story-of-shoreham

November 8, 2020August 29, 2025

Where is Shoreham’s Pickett-Hamilton?

There is a curiosity hidden deep in the plans and maps of Shoreham Airport… the previous existence of three WWII Pickett-Hamilton Defensive Forts. Are they still hidden under the grass and tarmac? Are they lost?

*Pickett-Hamilton Retractable Fort, fully raised and manned, taken on an airfield in Southern England. RAF FIGHTER COMMAND, 1939-1945 © IWM (CH 17890) IWM Non Commercial Licence*

November 6, 2020August 22, 2025

Ropetackle – the last 300 years

– a collection of images from the galleries and collections of shorehambysea.com illustrating the changes to the area since the 18^th century.

What a wonderfully eccentric place it was! Besides a fascinating ropemaking and shipbuilding past there were, in Victorian times, ancient buildings still standing, quaint cottages, wharf houses, a gas works and, spookily, a mortuary alongside an incinerator! In the Little High Street there were peculiarly shaped houses and strange, shop-like windows.

It was never a fashionable area, being part industrial and part residential where the poorer, labouring families largely dwelt. In 1817 William Butler’s poor grammar described it as being “the lower ‘hend’ of town” and goes on to mention a ‘pour new’ shop where he had ‘connections’ with Sarah Fillaps. Something of a mystery and perhaps a pawn shop (a corruption of the French ‘for us’) or as William’s escapades suggest one of the numerous brothels in Shoreham port then?

During the early part of the 19^th century Ropetackle included wharf houses, sheds, a brickyard, coal yard, a bonding pond, Thomas Clayton’s deal yard, his cement factory, stables, a mixture of 17^th to 19^th century houses and even a mill pond. By the Victorian era there was also a sewage plant and of course the gasworks, flint-built ware houses, incinerator and mortuary. It all added to a certain air of eeriness and mystery to the area.

Southlands – Workhouse and Hospital

Southlands Hospital – brief history

Southlands Hospital’s origin can be traced to the Steyning Union Workhouse that was built in a different location, at Ham Road, in central Shoreham in 1836. Later additions included infirmaries built in 1870, vagrant’s wards and a chapel. The union included parishes in East and West Sussex and the growth of population in its coastal areas meant that, despite much additional building, an enlarged site was required by the 1890s.

RAF Truleigh Hill

Shoreham’s Radar Station: RAF Truleigh Hill

This is the full story of Shoreham’s Radar Station: RAF Truleigh Hill as researched and written by Roy Taylor. This 110 page book was written in 2007 and then updated in 2008. It offers a fascinating insight into the technology and operation of the RAF Truleigh Hill ROTOR Radar station. Likewise it opens the doors on the life at RAF Truleigh Hill Camp in Stoney Lane, built to support the Radar operations. The book comprehensively covers the sites and the personnel posted there. Click the book cover to open. Hard copies are available from the author.