Crowborough and District Historical Society |
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Current events | The Crowborough & District Historical Society Program of Events
7:30pm for 8:00pm start at Crowborough Community Centre, Crowborough |
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11th Jan 2005 | The History of Nutley Mill and other Sussex Mills | |
by Bob Bonnet | ||
8th Feb 2005 | Brighton, Brighter Brighton, The Making of a Seaside Town | |
by Christopher Rudd | ||
8th Mar 2005 | The Victorian Ashdown Forest | |
by Brian Short | ||
12th Apr 2005 | Memories of a Wartime Childhood | |
by Hugh Miller | ||
10th May 2005 | Oast Houses in Sussex and Kent | |
by Gwen Jones | ||
14th Jun 2005 | The Wealden Iron Industry | |
by Jeremy Hodgkinson | ||
12th Jul 2005 | The Air Wars over Sussex | |
by Philip Baldock | ||
9th Aug 2005 | Society Outing | |
Mayfield Palace | ||
13th Sep 2005 | Sussex Women: Digging History | |
by Sharon Searle | ||
11th Oct 2005 | The Tanning Industry in Sussex | |
by Lawrence Stevens | ||
8th Nov 2005 | Walshes Manor and Sir Henry Fermor | |
by Steve Hackworth | ||
13th Dec 2005 | Annual General Meeting | |
10th Jan 2006 | Sussex Characters - Wacky, Weird and Wonderful | |
by Chris McCooey | ||
Saints and sinners, rogues and rascals, cons and icons including an officer and a gentleman who turned himself into a circus freak, Grey Owl the Sussex-born "Red Indian', Pauline Grant who devotes herself to rescuing animals and Dolly Shepherd, the Edwardian aeronaut who gave parachute displays. | ||
14th Feb 2006 | Prevention and Cure | |
by Pat Mortlock | ||
A survey of health and hospital provision from the 1870s to c.1939 and looks at hospital provision, isolation and cottage hospitals and the general background in an age dominated by contagious disease. | ||
14th Mar 2006 | The Hop Industry and its Workers | |
by Gwen Jones | ||
Continuing on from last year's fascinating talk about the Oast house buildings. | ||
11th Apr 2006 | Kipling's Boy, Jack? | |
by Hugh Miller | ||
The story of the world famous author and poet, his strong ties with Sussex and the mystery surrounding his beloved only son. The talk begins with the question: Is the mystery solved? | ||
9th May 2006 | Passports, Traitors, Assassins and Spies | |
by Martin Lloyd | ||
An intriguing probe into the passport stories behind history - assassins who caused the rules to be changed forever, a spy with a mysterious passport and a traitor hanged by a passport he should never have had. | ||
13th Jun 2006 | Sussex Agricultural History | |
by Geoffrey Mead | ||
The prosperity and decline of Sussex agriculture in the early 19th century and the factors that brought about the change and its subsequent revival | ||
11th Jul 2006 | John (Mad Jack) Fuller, and his follies | |
by Geoff Hutchinson | ||
A talk delivered in the first person, in costume, about the life of the eccentric Georgian squire. | ||
12th Sep 2006 | The Long Man of Wilmington | |
by Chris Butler | ||
An update on the research and excavations by the Mid Sussex Field Archaeological Team, on the Long Man. | ||
10th Oct 2006 | Churches in Sussex | |
by John Vigar | ||
A chronological study of the wonderful legacy of ecclesiastical architecture in the county. | ||
14th Nov 2006 | Moving Images of Sussex | |
by Dr Frank Gray | ||
Early film material, moving on to video and then to digital, by the Director of the South East Film and Video Archive, at the University of Brighton. | ||
12th Dec 2006 | Annual General Meeting | |
9th Jan 2007 | Meet your Medieval Ancestors | |
by Patricia Wright | ||
Patricia is currently a NADFAS lecturer, and an author of many books, both fiction and non-fiction. This talk tells of fashion, feasting and flirting - all bringinging our predecessors to life. | ||
13th Feb 2007 | The Work of the East Sussex Record Office | |
by Elizabeth Hughes | ||
Elizabeth is the East Sussex County Archivist and will talk to us about the function and value of our very busy Record Office, and how we can make best use of it. | ||
13th Mar 2007 | Timber-Framed Buildings in Eastern Sussex | |
by David Martin | ||
David Martin, F.S.A., M.I.F.A., is an Associate Tutor with the University of Sussex, and both he, and his wife Barbara, are leading authorities on Vernacular Architecture. | ||
10th Apr 2007 | Society Outing | |
8th May 2007 | Barcombe Roman Villa | |
by Chris Butler | ||
This villa has been excavated over the last six years by UCL Field Archaeology Unit and the Mid Sussex Field Archaeology Team, under the directorship of Chris Butler, who will talk to us about this large and fascinating site. | ||
12th Jun 2007 | The History of Charcoal Burning | |
by Alan Waters | ||
Alan Waters will be talking to us on the subject of charcoal burning which was fundamental to life for so many people, for so many purposes, and for such a long period of time in this area of the High Weald. He has given charcoal burning displays at the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum for over twenty years. | ||
10th Jul 2007 | Glyndebourne - a great opera house | |
by Elizabeth Muir-Lewis | ||
Elizabeth is a professional singer and her long association with Glyndebourne Opera makes her talk on this opera house very personal and interesting. | ||
14th Aug 2007 | Society Outing | |
11th Sep 2007 | "One day I wil …." (Family Research History) | |
by Lady Teviot | ||
Lady Teviot is the President of UK Federation of Family History Societies. 'Census Searches' is a family business, established by Lady Teviot who has been involved in family history research for over twenty-five years. | ||
9th Oct 2007 | Sussex Dinosaurs | |
by John Booth | ||
John Booth is the exhibition manager for the Brighton and Hove Museum and the keeper of the Booth Museum of Natural History, Brighton | ||
13th Nov 2007 | Crowborough - living on the edge | |
by Pam Combes | ||
Pam is going to repeat the extremely interesting talk on the history of Crowborough that she gave at Beacon Community College for the Town Council centenary celebrations. | ||
11th Dec 2007 | Annual General Meeting | |
8th Jan 2008 | The Sussex Archaeological Society’s Properties | |
by Helen Poole | ||
Helen Poole is the Senior Museum's Officer for the Society | ||
12th Feb 2008 | The Balcombe Tunnel Murder | |
by James Gardner | ||
James Gardner, a local historian and author, tells the true story of a notorious murder on the Brighton–London line. He looks at the fascinating character of the man executed for the crime, Percy Leroy Mapleton. | ||
11th Mar 2008 | Leave No Stone Unturned | |
by John Vigar | ||
An amusing look at the burial places of the famous and the infamous with anecdotes from their lives by John Vigar, who talked to us two years ago about Sussex churches. | ||
8th Apr 2008 | Society Outing | |
On the 8th April there is no meeting in the Church Hall so we are going to FLETCHING where we are to be given a tour of the ancient church, St Andrew and St Mary the Virgin. | ||
13th May 2008 | Smugglers in Kent | |
by Chris Wade | ||
Smuggling stories hold a fascination for us all and here in the southeast, with its proximity to London and the Continent, smugglers were leaders in their field. | ||
10th Jun 2008 | Eastbourne: the site of a water logged Bronze Age Treasure | |
by Chris Greatorex | ||
The Shinewater Park site was excavated in the summer of 1995 by South Eastern Archaeological Services under the direction of Chris Greatorex. | ||
8th Jul 2008 | From Ela to Vita – 900 years of the Sackvilles | |
by Peter Macleod | ||
The marriage of Ela de Dene to Jordan de Sackville in 1140 began the Sackville dynasty in Sussex at Buckhurst. The talk covers them and their descendants who have had a material impact on Withyham, East Grinstead, Crowborough, Sevenoaks and the Ashdown Forest over the next 900 years. The talk finishes with the remarkable Vita Sackville-West and Sissinghurst | ||
9th Aug 2008 | Society Outing to Bayham Abbey | |
Meet at 11:00 am on Saturday 9th August at Bayham Abbey on the B2169 between Tunbridge Wells and Lamberhurst. | ||
16th Aug 2008 | Society Outing to Bayham Abbey | |
Meet at 14:00 pm on Saturday 16th August at Bayham Abbey on the B2169 between Tunbridge Wells and Lamberhurst. | ||
9th Sep 2008 | The Manor of Rotherfield, 1066-1925 | |
by Christopher Whittick | ||
Christopher Whittick is the Senior Archivist at the East Sussex Record Office, and probably the only man with sufficient knowledge of this subject to give this talk. | ||
14th Oct 2008 | Sussex Folklore: Traditions, Customs and Superstitions | |
by Chris Hare | ||
What were the beliefs of Old Sussex? Learn about witchcraft, omens and charms, while exploring the ritual year. Particular attention will be given to the writings of the 19th century folklorist Charlotte Latham. | ||
11th Nov 2008 | Doodlebugs and Rockets | |
by Bob Ogley | ||
Bob Ogley, a former journalist, is now the author of more than twenty books and a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio Kent. | ||
9th Dec 2008 | Annual General Meeting | |
13th Jan 2009 | The Sussex Story | |
by David Arscott | ||
David was a former newspaper journalist and BBC producer/presenter and has worked for some years as a freelance author, broadcaster, publisher and editor. He has written some 30 books on Sussex. His talk will take a questionnaire format, which should keep us on our toes! | ||
10th Feb 2009 | Sussex by the Sea | |
by Geoffrey Mead | ||
Geoffrey lectures at the University of Sussex and has a wealth of knowledge about life in Sussex. | ||
10th Mar 2009 | A History of St Francis' Hospital | |
by James Gardner | ||
James tells the story of this hospital and its superintendent who was described as the greatest medical superintendent of the nineteenth century. He will refer to his book "Sweet Bells Jangled out of Tune" | ||
14th Apr 2009 | Society Outing to Withyham Church | |
Please meet at St Michaels Church at Withyham at 6:30 p.m. for a tour and talk about the Church. The society will meet socially afterwards at the Haywaggon Inn. | ||
12th May 2009 | East Sussex Under Attack | |
by Chris Butler | ||
Chris is the Director of the Mid Sussex Field Archaeological Team. His talk will tell us of the archaeology of the many surviving military sites in East Sussex. | ||
9th Jun 2009 | Who lived in a house like this? | |
by David Martin | ||
David has talked to us in the past about timber-framed buildings in Sussex and will now ask us about who we think may have lived in some of these houses. | ||
14th Jul 2009 | The Turning Year | |
by Dr Mick Lynn & Dr Geoff Doel | ||
Mick is a lecturer on environmental science and Geoff lectures on literature & cultural studies at several universities. They are both gifted musicians with a wealth of knowledge about folklore. We can look forward to a lively and entertaining evening! | ||
15th Aug 2009 | Society Outing | |
Anne of Cleves House, Lewes on Saturday 15th August. Please meet there at 10:30am. | ||
8th Sep 2009 | Annual General Meeting | |
followed by a Slide Show | ||
13th Oct 2009 | Wind of Change | |
by Bob Ogley | ||
Bob Ogley, a former journalist, is now the author of more than twenty books and a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio Kent. This talk is about the 1987 'hurricane' and how it led to the producing of his own book. I am sure it will be as well received as his talk last year about Doodlebugs. | ||
10th Nov 2009 | The Sussex Bonfire Riots | |
by Chris Hare | ||
Chris will tell us about the Sussex bonfire traditions and the conflicts that arose from the attempts to restrain the excess of the celebrations. | ||
8th Dec 2009 | Christmas social | |
12th Jan 2010 | The Secret Sussex Resistance - 1940-44 | |
by Stewart Angell | ||
Stewart has written this fascinating book about an important aspect of Britain's wartime history | ||
9th Feb 2010 | Historic Sussex Industries, a different approach | |
by Geoffrey Mead | ||
Geoffrey lectures at the University of Sussex and has a wealth of knowledge about life in Sussex. We have enjoyed his previous talks about Sussex agriculture and the south coast resorts. | ||
9th Mar 2010 | Sussex Village Life in the Middle Ages | |
by Mark Perry-Nash | ||
This talk about the challenges and chances of life in a 14th century village is given by Mark, a popular speaker and well respected educational lecturer. | ||
13th Apr 2010 | Strange Goings on in a Sussex Borough - Winchelsea in the 18th Century | |
by Malcolm Pratt | ||
Malcolm has been the town clerk of the ancient town of Winchelsea for many years and his talk is based on one of his books, 'Winchelsea - The Tale of a Medieval Town' | ||
11th May 2010 | Ellen Terry and Smallhythe Place | |
by Heather Woodward | ||
Heather is a prominent member of Wadhurst Historical Society and an excellent speaker on a wide range of topics | ||
8th Jun 2010 | Despatches from the Home Front 1939-45 | |
by Chris McCooey | ||
Chris is a popular local speaker and this talk is about the war diary of Joan Srange, who lived in Worthing, and it is a heart warming and sometimes heart breaking account of her experiences. | ||
13th Jul 2010 | Beneath City Streets | |
by Peter Lawrence | ||
Peter is an ex-police officer who gives a fascinating talk based on research into the buildings of tunnels, pipes and buildings under London | ||
14th Aug 2010 | Society Outing to Winchelsea | |
Following our April talk by Malcolm Pratt about 'Winchelsea in the 18th Century', we have arranged our August outing this year to visit Winchelsea, with a guided tour by Malcolm. We will meet him at the Court Hall in Winchelsea at 10:30 am, with a preliminary talk and a viewing of the old prison, followed by a visit to the museum and then to the church. We will break for lunch at 12:45 (either your own packed lunch, outside if fine weather, or at the Court Hall if wet, or at the New Inn close by). The afternoon, 2:00 -3:30, will be taken up by the cellar tour, visiting a wonderful group of Medieval vaulted undercrofts, some difficult to access so a torch and sensible footwear would be needed, followed by complimentary tea and biscuits back at the Court Hall. A contribution of £5 each will be given to the Winchelsea Corporation Ancient Monuments Fund. The Court Hall donation will be paid by the Society. | ||
14th Sep 2010 | AGM, followed by a Quiz using local photographs | |
by Paul Scott | ||
12th Oct 2010 | Baby Farming and the Scandal it was in the 19th Century | |
by Lady Teviot | ||
Lady Teviot is an expert family history researcher and very entertaining speaker. | ||
9th Nov 2010 | LiDAR and the Ashdown Forest | |
by Lyn Palmer | ||
Lyn is the Historic Environment Project Officer for the Weald Forest Ridge and will talk to us about how LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) aids her work on the Forest | ||
14th Dec 2010 | Christmas social | |
11th Jan 2011 | Life in the Nursery and Schoolroom | |
by Heather Woodward | ||
Heather makes a return visit after fascinating us with Ellen Terry and Smallhythe Place last year. | ||
8th Feb 2011 | 'The Secret Sussex Resistance 1940-44' | |
by Stewart Angell | ||
Stewart has written this interesting book about an important aspect of Britain’s wartime history. | ||
8th Mar 2011 | Tonbridge Castle: its History and Conservation | |
by Pat Mortlock | ||
Tonbridge castle is the best remaining example of a motte and bailey castle in the county and it has probably the strongest gatehouse in England, dating from the 1260s. | ||
12th Apr 2011 | An evening outing to St. Margaret the Queen's Church, Buxted | |
St Margaret's was built around 1250, the year that Margaret, Queen of Scotland was canonised. It is a Grade 1 listed sandstone building in the Early English style, with the majority of the building remaining unaltered since the 13th century, although the tower is a later addition. | ||
10th May 2011 | The Crop Circles Mystery | |
by Andy Thomas | ||
Andy has given this talk to many societies locally but the subject never fails to amaze us. | ||
14th Jun 2011 | Diaries and Journals Revealed | |
by Jennifer Goldsmith | ||
Jennifer will talk about diary keeping and tell us of some of the interesting diary entries of Walter Gale (schoolmaster of Mayfield), Thomas Turner (shopkeeper at East Hoathly), Sarah Wells (of Uppark) and Lillian Elliott (of Petworth) – if she has time! | ||
12th Jul 2011 | The History of Sussex Inn Signs | |
by Janet Pennington | ||
Janet’s doctoral thesis was on the architecture and social history of Sussex inns and taverns and I know no-one better, or more entertaining, to give a talk on this particular subject of inn signs. | ||
13th Aug 2011 | Society Outing – A Visit to Tonbridge Castle | |
Tonbridge boasts Kent's best example of a motte-and-bailey castle. The mighty gatehouse, built between 1220 and 1260, is amongst the finest in England. For our tour of the gatehouse we plan to meet at 10 am at the Castle. There is ample car parking space close by. Pat Mortlock, who gave us a talk about Tonbridge Castle in March, will be our guide for the morning. Depending on numbers, we may need to be guided round in two parties, each taking just under one hour, one group in the gatehouse and one group going round the grounds. You can climb the motte if you are feeling energetic! The Tonbridge Tourist Information Centre is also in the castle grounds. | ||
13th Sep 2011 | 'A Stitch in Time' - Costume and Textile conservation at the National Trust | |
by Emma Slocombe | ||
Emma lives locally and is a curator for the National Trust, based at Scotney Castle | ||
11th Oct 2011 | A Ramble through the Victorian Weald | |
by Peter Gillies | ||
Peter has put together a presentation, using black and white photographic slides and an original magic lantern. | ||
8th Nov 2011 | The Rye Harbour Lifeboat Disaster of 1928 | |
by Geoff Hutchinson | ||
November 15th is the anniversary of one of the worst UK lifeboat disasters, when the Rye Lifeboat, 'Mary Stanford' capsized and the whole crew of 17 drowned. Geoff (of Mad Jack Fuller fame) will tell us more of this distressing story. | ||
13th Dec 2011 | AGM and Christmas Social | |
10th Jan 2012 | Brighton Beach Kaleidoscope | |
by Geoffrey Mead | ||
It is a collage of images, historic and contemporary of the area of the beach between the piers. Taken at random, they are a microcosm of Brighton's history, culture and landscape. | ||
14th Feb 2012 | Lady Arabella Stuart, the "lost queen" | |
by Heather Woodward | ||
Once thought a successor to Elizabeth I, she lived most of her life in the protective isolation of Hardwick Hall but met her demise in the Tower of London. | ||
13th Mar 2012 | Murder, Sex and Mayhem in Sussex Churches | |
by John Vigar | ||
John talks about medieval murals and stained glass windows, illustrating the martyrdom of saints, miserichords showing seamier scenes, and memorials depicting scenes of murder and mayhem. | ||
10th Apr 2012 | An Evening Outing to St. Margaret's Church, Isfield | |
We plan to meet outside the church at 6:45pm. The church is down a small lane just before you reach Isfield, the village and there is adequate parking by the church. The tour will last about an hour and afterwards we are going to the Laughing Fish public house for a meal, or just a drink. Please let Jennie Scott know if you are coming on this outing. | ||
8th May 2012 | The Strange History of Buckingham Palace | |
by Patricia Wright | ||
This local author's talk links well with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Celebrations in 2012. | ||
12th Jun 2012 | Wartime Radar in the Pevensey Area | |
by David Calvert | ||
David tells of the groups of tall steel and wooden pylons, that were part of the wartime CH (Chain-Home) RADAR (RAdio Direction And Ranging) system built around the coast in 1938-1945. | ||
10th Jul 2012 | History of Lewes Prison | |
by Colin Bagnall | ||
Colin is a prison officer at the Lewes Prison and will tell its history since it was built in 1853. He will use interactive means to give his talk, giving us a choice in the content. | ||
4th Aug 2012 | Guided Walk in Brighton | |
by Geoffrey Mead | ||
4th Sep 2012 | Down Memory Lane | |
by Don Dray | ||
This talk is given with music, humour and a large number of photos, looking back with nostalgia to the 1920s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s, decades which influenced the lives of so many of us. | ||
2nd Oct 2012 | Vita Sackville-West's Library | |
by Emma Slocombe | ||
Emma has been working on Vita Sackville-West's letters and books in her library at Sissinghurt - and assures us she will tell of many new discoveries. | ||
6th Nov 2012 | Historic Sussex Gardens | |
by Jennie Starr | ||
Jennie will talk about the wealth of historic gardens and designed landscapes in Sussex, the people who inspired and created them, and the role of Sussex Gardens Trust in their conservation. | ||
4th Dec 2012 | AGM and Christmas Party | |
5th Feb 2013 | Sussex Literary Landscapes | |
by Geoffrey Mead | ||
William Camden, antiquarian and topographer wrote and drew as he walked across Sussex in the 16th century. Geoffrey retraced his steps, with a camera, pondering continuity and change. | ||
5th Mar 2013 | Grey Owl – the Hastings Indian | |
by Geoff Hutchinson | ||
Archibald Stansfield Belaney, born and brought up in Hastings went to Canada to become a fur trapper, a conservationist and later claimed to be a native American Indian. | ||
2nd Apr 2013 | Chanctonbury Ring: the story of a Sussex landmark | |
by Dr Janet Pennington | ||
A history of this iconic site on the South Downs, its Iron Age Hill fort earthworks, Roman occupation, up to its devastation by the 1987 storm and gradual restoration. | ||
7th May 2013 | The 'Lost' village of Tide Mills | |
by Kevin Gordon | ||
This derelict village near Newhaven consisted of a large tide mill and many workers' cottages. | ||
4th Jun 2013 | A Policeman’s lot .. .. .. can be quite an interesting one! | |
by Neil Sadler | ||
When is a bomb not a bomb? Searching for missing persons? Football match policing? The stowaway to freedom? The very expensive 'sleep-over'? An audience led talk about a policeman’s lot. | ||
2nd Jul 2013 | Scandals - Sensational, Salacious and Sad | |
by Chris McCooey | ||
Please note change of talk and subject | ||
10th Aug 2013 | A walk around Norman Lewes | |
by Jenny Scott | ||
I would like to take you on a guided walk around Lewes looking at the Norman features of Lewes. It will be about 2.5 miles and last about two hours. We will mainly be walking on roads and I have to warn you, some of them are quite steep! We will stop and talk about many sites and visit the ruins of Lewes Priory, Southover Church, Southover Grange gardens and there will be an optional visit to Lewes Castle and Barbican Museum at the end of the walk. We will meet at 10.00 am at Lewes bus station. I will be going in on the 29 bus which leaves Crowborough Cross at 9.02 but there are plenty of car parks (all a bit expensive) in Lewes if you want to go in by car. Please note there will be no charge for this event, unless you wish to visit the castle. (Admission price £6.60 adults / £5.90 for senior citizens). Please let Jenny Scott if you intend to come on this walk | ||
3rd Sep 2013 | Churchill's Secret Army | |
by Gilly Halcrow | ||
The Special Operations Executive, or the 'Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare' - a history of the brave men and women agents who were parachuted behind enemy lines to 'Set Europe Ablaze'. | ||
1st Oct 2013 | The History of British Broadcasting | |
by Don Dray | ||
Concentrating on the first 60 years of the BBC - its development, sounds, voices, events, comedy and music of the period - a nostalgic look back on the glorious days of British radio. | ||
5th Nov 2013 | A History of Herstmonceux Castle | |
by David Calvert | ||
A history of this grand, brick castle and the families who lived in it from 1441. | ||
3rd Dec 2013 | AGM Cheese and wine and a surprise speaker! | |
7th Jan 2014 | A Wealden Woman’s War | |
by Penny Harris | ||
This is a talk about WW2, Spitfires and WAAFs, running a village pub in war-time and the joys of hop picking – in short, a talk about nostalgia. | ||
4th Feb 2014 | A history of Saddlescombe Farm | |
by Charlie Cain | ||
This working farm, at the base of the South Downs, listed as a working farm in the Domesday Book, was once owned by the Knights Templar and has a wealth of historic buildings. | ||
4th Mar 2014 | The Acid Bath Murders | |
by David Briffet | ||
David, a journalist for 45 years, tells the bizarre and disturbing story of the serial killer, John George Haigh, that took place the 1940s in Crawley, West Sussex. | ||
1st Apr 2014 | The Roaring Twenties | |
by Don Dray | ||
An exciting decade that included the motor car, aviation, fashion, the 'flappers' and Art Deco. | ||
6th May 2014 | The Women’s Land Army | |
by Ian Everest | ||
The story of his mother’s memories and the role of women on farms during two world wars. | ||
3rd Jun 2014 | Anne of Cleves and her Lewes House | |
by Joanna Wilkins | ||
This intelligent and not unattractive lady was to outlive all Henry’s wives and loved, and was loved by, Mary and Elizabeth. | ||
1st Jul 2014 | Scotney Castle | |
by Ray Shayler | ||
A history of Scotney Castle and the families who lived in it. | ||
16th Aug 2014 | Outing to Saddlescombe Farm | |
2nd Sep 2014 | Sussex Graveyards | |
by Tristan Bareham | ||
Tristan is the CEO of Sussex Archaeological Society and has a wealth of knowledge and understanding of Sussex graveyards. He has run excellent courses on recording and interpreting graveyards. | ||
7th Oct 2014 | Ashdown Forest – an ancient landscape of Sussex | |
by Dr Geoffrey Mead | ||
Geoffrey returns to tell us more about our historic locality. | ||
4th Nov 2014 | Ightham Mote: Life upstairs and downstairs | |
by Heather Woodward | ||
A history of the building and its occupants, depicting the lives of the servants 'downstairs' and their masters - the family 'upstairs'. | ||
2nd Dec 2014 | AGM with cheese and wine to follow | |
6th Jan 2015 | 'Put that light out!' | |
by Imogen Corrigan | ||
This NADFAS speaker who served for twenty years in the Women's Royal Army Corps talks about the 93rd Regiment Royal Artillery (all-female, apart from the Commanding Officer) | ||
3rd Feb 2015 | Backstage Brighton | |
by Dr Geoffrey Mead | ||
A theatrical tour of the city, a tale of famous actors in Brighton and the start of music halls | ||
3rd Mar 2015 | Whatever happened to Christopher Robin? | |
by Gilly Halcrow | ||
Was he a happy child and adult, or did that small bear overshadow his life? | ||
7th Apr 2015 | Travel in the Past | |
by Dr Janet Pennington | ||
The problems and pleasures of the journey - and much about getting stuck in that Weald Clay! | ||
5th May 2015 | Smuggling in Sussex and Kent | |
by Geoff Hutchinson | ||
A lively insight into the phenomenon of smuggling, from days gone by to present times | ||
2nd Jun 2015 | Collecting Postcards | |
by Kevin Gordon | ||
A history of postcards, collecting them and their value, with many local views | ||
7th Jul 2015 | William de Warenne – the man behind Lewes Castle | |
by Joanna Wilkins | ||
One of William I’s foremost supporters was responsible for Lewes Castle as well as the Priory | ||
8th Aug 2015 | Society Visit to Rye | |
For our outing this year we have arranged a visit to Rye. We are travelling there in Paul's old South Downs bus as we did last year. We will set off from outside Waitrose where we will meet at 9.00 am, for the visit to start at about 10.30am. The Society will pay the £11.50 for the cost of the coach travel (£10) and the Sound and Light Show set within the Rye Town Model (£1.50). All other visits that you make will be at your own expense. The plan is that we will watch the sound and light show then I will take you on a tour of Rye. You can buy the guide and take yourselves round if you wish, but I will have done some extra research on the places we will visit! This walk will take about two hours stopping for coffee as we go round and isn't too strenuous, and then you could find a place for lunch and go back to visit some of the places that we passed that interested you and spend more time at them, such as Lamb House (NT/ £4.55), the Church of St Mary and its grave yard (plus a climb up the tower for £3.50 for a good view of Rye or climb the stairs at the Ypres Tower and Rye Castle Museum for nothing after entry of £2.50. I will give you all a map and you can plan it out for yourselves. Allowing an hour for lunch and an hour and a half to do your own thing, we will leave about 3.30 to be home about 5pm. Raincoats needed, dependant on the weather (we will go whatever the weather — there is no such thing as bad weather, just badly chosen clothing!) and sensible shoes for the cobbled streets. The committee does hope you can come to this event. Please let Jenny know if you intend to join the trip. | ||
1st Sep 2015 | Saxon Sussex | |
by Chris Hare | ||
Isolated and inward looking, Sussex was once a kingdom in its own right, from 474 -825 | ||
6th Oct 2015 | Lewes Priory: the site and its people | |
by Helen Poole | ||
This once glorious Cluniac building flourished in Lewes from 1080 until the Dissolution – now attractively restored with excellent interpretation panels | ||
3rd Nov 2015 | The History of the British Seaside | |
by Don Dray | ||
This should brighten our gloomy autumn nights! – nostalgic, musical and light-hearted | ||
1st Dec 2015 | AGM with cheese and wine to follow | |
5th Jan 2016 | Newhaven Fort - then and now | |
by Ian Everest | ||
Built in the 19th century, this fort was the largest defence work ever built in Sussex. Ian was at one time the manager of the Fort. | ||
2nd Feb 2016 | Titanic - the shp that never sank | |
by Tony Harris | ||
Everyone knows about the Titanic, - but did it really hit an iceberg and sink on 15th April 1912? | ||
1st Mar 2016 | The Value of Oral History | |
by Chris Hare | ||
A talk on oral history, playing excerpts from interviews that he has recorded over the years and the value of this type of research to the historian. | ||
5th Apr 2016 | A talk about our twinning with Montargis | |
by Friends of Montargis | ||
This year is the 50th anniversary of the twinning of Crowborough and Montargis. | ||
3rd May 2016 | A Child’s life in the Middle Ages | |
by Imogen Corrigan | ||
Where are the children in Medieval art? Although so often missing we know they were hardworking and cherished, loving toys and games but sadly often doomed to an early grave. | ||
7th Jun 2016 | Brighton’s West Pier | |
by Jackie Marsh-Hobbs | ||
The story of Britain’s first Grade 1 listed pier, looking back on its heyday of entertainment. Now just skeletal remains but soon to be the site of the i360 tower (574ft high) - a pier in the sky? | ||
5th Jul 2016 | The Kings' Supporters | |
by Pat Mortlock | ||
Tales of the ladies of the Early Tudor Court – how important were they? | ||
13th Aug 2016 | Society Visit to Newhaven Fort | |
For our outing this year we have arranged a visit to Newhaven Fort. We are travelling there in Paul's old South Downs bus as we did last year. We will set off from outside Waitrose where we will meet at 9.30 am, for the visit to start at about 10.30 am. Entrance to the fort is £5.80 for adult group rate and £4.60 for senior citizens concessions. The Society will pay for the cost of coach travel. There is a café at the fort for teas and coffees, and also for light lunches. | ||
6th Sep 2016 | Birds, Beasts and Bacchanalia | |
by Chris McCooey | ||
Back by popular request, this lively speaker talks about a range of creatures and humans, with delicate and indelicate histories. | ||
4th Oct 2016 | West Firle: Gentry in the Landscape | |
by Dr. Geoffrey Mead | ||
Geoffrey returns to tell us about the historic village and country estate, where he is a tour guide. | ||
1st Nov 2016 | A View from the Tower: Edward Sackville-West at Knole | |
by Emma Slocombe | ||
Emma is back to talk about one of the projects she is responsible for, as a Curator at the NT, based at Scotney Castle. | ||
6th Dec 2016 | AGM with cheese and wine to follow | |
3rd Jan 2017 | The Palace of Westminster | |
by Kevin Gordon | ||
The intriguing and colourful history of the Palace of Westminster and the Houses of Parliament | ||
7th Feb 2017 | The History and Management of the Tunbridge Wells Commons | |
by Steve Budden | ||
7th Mar 2017 | Aspects of Shoreham | |
by Dr Geoffrey Mead | ||
Looking at the changing fortunes of this coastal community and how its appearance today shows its historic evolution | ||
4th Apr 2017 | Henry VIII | |
by Tony Harris | ||
Tony, dressed in full court costume, will give us his hilarious, and sometimes provocative, version of life in the Tudor Court, with his portrayal of Henry VIII | ||
2nd May 2017 | Limeburners, Lords and Ladies | |
by Richard Howell | ||
The story of the chalk and lime industry in the Arun Valley | ||
6th Jun 2017 | Here be Dragons . . . | |
by Imogen Corrigan | ||
A tale of fabulous monsters and mythical beasts on manuscripts and church buildings, some funny, some downright disrespectful, illustrating devotion with a mix of piety, fun and profanity | ||
4th Jul 2017 | Shepherds of the South Downs | |
by Ian Everest | ||
The story of the shepherds who spent their solitary lives caring for their flocks of sheep, grazing on the Downs, once central to the economy of the area | ||
12th Aug 2017 | Brighton Prom and Beach Walk | |
by led by Dr Geoffrey Mead | ||
Down to Brighton on the 29 bus and a stroll along the promenade, briefly on the shingle, to see the Fishing Museum, the piers, and other historic features plus the i360 | ||
5th Sep 2017 | Bye Gones in your Attic | |
by Joanna Wilkins | ||
A wide range of period artefacts from her collection to illustrate the wealth of history hidden in our attics - a chance to reminisce and examine household objects from the past | ||
3rd Oct 2017 | The Bloomsbury Group | |
by Dr Geoff Doel | ||
The story of an influential group of writers, intellectuals, philosophers and artists in Sussex | ||
7th Nov 2017 | Remember, Remember, the 5th of November | |
by John Davey | ||
5th Dec 2017 | AGM with cheese and wine to follow and a 'show and tell' session | |
2nd Jan 2018 | Sherlock Holmes solves the Jack the Ripper Case! | |
by Tony Harris | ||
The story of Sherlock, our local hero, - and a dastardly murderer. | ||
6th Feb 2018 | The Glories of Anglo-Saxon England | |
by Imogen Corrigan | ||
Many people have wanted to claim England as their own over the centuries. | ||
6th Mar 2018 | A Landscape passed by | |
by Dr Geoffrey Mead | ||
A talk about the Pevensey Levels, one of the largest lowland wet grassland systems in southeast England. Designated an SCI, an SSSI and an NNR with a rather limited history - Geoffrey tells us more! | ||
3rd Apr 2018 | Attack and Defence: Castle Technology | |
by Joanna Wilkins | ||
A look at how castles revolutionised warfare in medieval times, with references to Pevensey Castle. | ||
1st May 2018 | Pevensey Castle | |
by Alan Starr | ||
This medieval castle and former Roman Saxon Shore fort with its history dating back over 1600 years. | ||
5th Jun 2018 | The Lost Industries of Lewes | |
by John Davey | ||
Lewes was formerly a hive of industry and its river banks were once lined with cargo docks and warehouses. John illustrates his talk with a collection of photographs amassed by his father. | ||
3rd Jul 2018 | A Sussex Scrapbook | |
by Chris Horlock | ||
A miscellaneous collection of Sussex history, anecdotes and folklore. | ||
25th Aug 2018 | Pevensey: its Castle plus Court House Museum and Gaol – on our Southdown Coach | |
4th Sep 2018 | Bridge Cottage, Uckfield | |
by Mick Harper | ||
The story of a 'Wealden' hall house, dating from its 1436 beginnings to its 2016 restoration. | ||
2nd Oct 2018 | Sussex during the First World War | |
by Ian Everest | ||
A look at aspects of daily life in front-line Sussex - a county within the sounds of guns on the Western Front. A significant talk, this year being the 100th anniversary of the end of the Great War. | ||
6th Nov 2018 | Women's Suffrage | |
by Frances Stenlake | ||
A story of women’s campaigning, law-abiding and non-violent, with reference to Crowborough, Uckfield and Heathfield, this year being the 100th anniversary of women getting the vote. | ||
4th Dec 2018 | AGM with cheese and mulled wine to follow | |
5th Feb 2019 | "Kiss Me Goodnight, Sergeant Major" | |
by Tony Harris | ||
WW2 D-Day, a sargeant's tale, a poignant story in memory of his father. | ||
5th Mar 2019 | The Vikings are coming! | |
by Imogen Corrigan | ||
We think of them as ferocious fighting men, plundering, wrecking and desecrating our green and pleasant land, but are there other aspects to these invaders? Who were these people, why did they come here and what did they hope to achieve? | ||
2nd Apr 2019 | Mad Jack Fuller | |
by Geoff Hutchinson | ||
John Fuller, 1757-1834, was the eccentric Squire of the hamlet of Brightling, in Sussex, and politician. He was a builder of follies, philanthropist, patron of the arts and sciences, and supporter of slavery. | ||
7th May 2019 | Hastings - Old and New | |
by Dr Geoffrey Mead | ||
A story of Hastings, setting the scene, for our visit in August. It gave its name to the battle taking place in 1066, became one of the medieval Cinque ports, a popular seaside resort in the 19th century with the coming of the railway and now a fishing port with a beach-based fleet. | ||
4th Jun 2019 | Sussex Witchcraft | |
by Chris Horlock | ||
Chris looks at the historical aspects of witchcraft in Sussex and witch trials. He tells of locations relating to witchcraft, and old cottages where many anti-witchcraft charms can still be found, plus the legacy of witchcraft in modern times among the Wicca movement. | ||
2nd Jul 2019 | The Bayeux Tapestry | |
by Joanna Wilkins | ||
Who made it, where and why? Was it made in Bayeux or by English seamstresses? | ||
10th Aug 2019 | Outing to Hastings | |
Castle ruins, cliff railway, St Clement's Caves (Smuggling), Shipwreck Museum, Fishermen's Museum | ||
3rd Sep 2019 | Victorian London Street Life | |
by Delia Taylor | ||
An insight into how the poor of London lived and survived in the late 19th century | ||
1st Oct 2019 | Tales from the Riverbank | |
by Ian Everest | ||
A glimpse of past life in the R.Ouse valley, using old photographs and cine film, to illustrate its heritage | ||
5th Nov 2019 | "Those were the Days" | |
by Don Dray | ||
Don returns to present an audio visual programme of 'An hour of glorious social history nostalgia', stories and personalities portrayed in the music of the 1920's , 1930's and on to the 1940's | ||
3rd Dec 2019 | AGM with cheese and wine to follow | |
7th Jan 2020 | The Dregs of the People Remain | |
by Imogen Corrigan | ||
The Black Death and its aftermath, with 50% or more of the population of Eurrope and beyond perishing, reactions to this disaster can be seen, particularly in our parish churches. | ||
4th Feb 2020 | Sussex Scrapbook 2 | |
by Chris Horlock | ||
A miscellaneous collection of Sussex history, anecdotes and folklore. | ||
3rd Mar 2020 | "What is landscape?" | |
by Dr Geoffrey Mead | ||
Is it the shape of the land we inhabit? The natural world that develops upon it? The place where we live? Artists, geologists, gardeners, photographers all have different views! - Geoffrey seeks to clarify some of these factors in this talk. | ||
7th Apr 2020 | Gideon Mantell : the Dinosaur Hunter of Lewes | |
by Ray Hale | ||
Gideon Mantell started life as a Lewes doctor and became a famous writer and lecturer but his life was tinged with scientific rivalry, family misfortune and a crippling accident that led to his premature death. | ||
5th May 2020 | Kent in the 19th Centiru | |
by Bob Ogley | ||
This is a talk about notable events and people of the 19th century, by a delightful story teller. | ||
2nd Jun 2020 | Medieval Portraits: Reality or Political Spin? | |
by Joanna Wilkins | ||
An investigation into what some medieval portraits are trying to tell their audiences | ||
7th Jul 2020 | Steyning Scandals: The Secrets of a Sussex Market Town | |
by Dr Janet Pennington | ||
Janet tells of these scandals which take place between 1547 and 1947. Some are a bit naughty she says! It is a while since Janet came to tell us about Sussex Inn signs and Chanctonbury Ring. She was the archivist of Lancing College and is a considerable expert on inns and taverns along with a great many other areas of local history! | ||
8th Aug 2020 | Outing on the bus to Ightham Mote/Hastings | |
1st Sep 2020 | Knole | |
by Gilly Halcrow | ||
This was the home of the Sackvilles with its fabulous collection of Royal Stuart furniture and paintings. | ||
6th Oct 2020 | Sir Winston Churchill and Chartwell | |
by Heather Woodward | ||
Chartwell was Churchill’s home for 42 years and often his refuge when life became too difficult for him. | ||
3rd Nov 2020 | A Sussex Farm during the 1950s | |
by Ian Everest | ||
At what was thought to be an idyllic time on the land, life was actually tough on this farm in the 1950s. The war was over but the battle was still on to feed the nation. | ||
1st Dec 2020 | AGM with cheese and wine to follow |