Bibliography - Family Historian - 2015
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Sussex Family Historian, vol. 21 no. 5, edited by Sharon Paskins, published March 2015 (pp.202-252, Sussex Family History Group, ISSN: 0260-4175) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508855]

Rags To Riches - Almost, by Valerie Bolton, published March 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 5, article, pp.203-207) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508855]

My father's father, my grandfather Henry HOLMAN (1859-1919), born in Hurstpierpoint, died when my father was a child, and both his parents had died before he married my grandmother. My father hardly remembered his father and knew little about his family. I knew the HOLMANs came from Sussex and that Henry had been some sort of reforming educationalist, but that was about all, so I got to work.

Salt Lake During WW1, by Susan Martin, published March 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 5, article, pp.209-215) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508855]

The story of the residents of Salt Lake during WW1 continues from page 173 of the last Historian. Serving in the Royal Navy by the end of 1914 was Henry Charles LOWER from 9 Salt Lake Cottages. He had been born 15 July 1899 in Burgess Hill but following the death of his father in 1902 he, his mother and sisters Emily and Ivy had been living with his grandfather Charles WINTON.

Hanged and Gibetted 1799: The Drewett Brothers, by Michael J. Burchall, published March 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 5, article, pp.215-217) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508855]

On Saturday 13 April 1799 two brothers, William and Robert DREWETT, were hanged for mail robbery on Horsham Common and their bodies were gibbeted on North Heath Common near Midhurst near to the place where the offence had taken place. A part of their story has previously appeared in print: in 1871 a short notice of these events was published in Sussex Archaeological Collections, volume 23, pp.214-5; and Kim Leslie gave more information in Sussex: Tales of the Unexpected (2008), pp.63-65. The purpose of this short article is threefold: to give more details of the two men and their families; to comment on the events; and to correct some errors in the two earlier articles.

Crawley Meeting and the "Time Span" of Elizabeth, by Karen Hayward, published March 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 5, article, pp.220-221) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508855]

Finding Grandfather, by Kevin Mooney, published March 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 5, article, pp.221-223) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508855]

Before giving up on ever finding my maternal Granddad, Albert Edward ONER, I'm sharing the story with members of SFHG and hoping that somebody is able to help find him. Family folklore has it that, when he joined the army in 1897, he changed his name because he was too young. However, this is unlikely to be the case as many young men enlisted in the armed services before they were old enough, they simply gave a false age. They weren't even asked for their date of birth, just their age, so there was no need for a change of name as well as age. Therefore, if he did change his name and his age, there must have been a good, maybe sinister, reason.

The Martin Mystery, by Diane Cole, published March 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 5, article, pp.223-226) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508855]

My Great Grandmother, Laura Sophia MARTIN came to the colony of New South Wales with her mother, brother and sister, to join her father Robert MARTIN, who had arrived sometime earlier. While it is difficult to be sure of the exact date of arrival of Robert MARTIN in New South Wales, his wife Susan Eliza Louisa MARTIN (1841-1878), and three children, Robert Harry (1859-1948), Alice Kate (1862-1883) and Laura Sophia (1864-1937) arrived in Sydney on 22nd June 1874 on the ship "Jerusalem" after a voyage of 88 days. The assisted migrant records noted 'husband in colony, George St' against Susan's name.

A Sussex Postcard Revisited, by Mick Henry, published March 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 5, article, pp.227-229) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508855]

Many of you might remember an article of mine that appeared in June of last year's Sussex Family Historian concerning a postcard sent by Minnie ALLCORN of Laughton to her friend, Dorcas TOLHURST, on 15th November 1903. One of the mysteries to solve was the name of the house where the card was sent from, which at the time I recorded as "Quecake".

The Russell Reeves Mystery, by Martin Williams, published March 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 5, article, pp.229-233) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508855]

Three generations of REEVES men, all bricklayers, were laid to rest at the Kyabram Cemetery in regional Victoria, Australia. The only male REEVES of his generation was my grandfather, Albert George REEVES, and the REEVES name died with him in 1989. The oral family history was that Robert Russell REEVES emigrated from Hastings, Sussex in the late 19th Century. This proved correct - his marriage certificate states that on Christmas Eve 1888, at Moonee Ponds (Melbourne), Victoria, a groom named George Robert RUSSELL-REEVES, 25 years old, born at Hastings, married my 2 x grandmother Florence PAYNE. The certificate also reveals that the witnesses present at the wedding were George Albert RUSSELL-REEVES and Willie Charles Ellis REEVES - names completely unfamiliar in our family history. It was an inquiry into the lives of these witnesses that would unearth the intrigue of how the family name came from Hastings to Melbourne.

The Sussex Family Historian - The First 40 Years, by Roy Winchester, published March 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 5, article, pp.234-235) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508855]

In 2013 not only did the Sussex Family History Group celebrate its fortieth anniversary but also, with the December edition of the Sussex Family Historian, our journal completed 40 years of publication: 20 volumes and 160 editions. Quite an achievement, I think. This seemed an ideal opportunity to update our searchable compilation of the Journal and create the 3rd Edition. SFHG member Dave Lee recently took on the task of scanning and indexing the pages of the journal and later, after a bit of arm twisting, also agreed to take on the task of programming. Dave realised the search results included duplicate entries when the same name appeared several times on a page. These multiple entries have been removed to help make the search results more meaningful (a substantial task).There are now over 65,000 names in the index, 5,560 articles on 7300 pages. 'Eagle eyed' readers may notice a reduction in the number of names from our previous version, however this is due to the removal of duplicates as now the names from another 24 issues have been included. Also added is the option to show or hide the names of associated places when a name search is undertaken.

Allwork Ancestry in Sussex, by John Paterson, published March 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 5, article, pp.235-240) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508855]

This three-part article is derived from my entry in the Sussex Family History Group's "Write Your Family History" competition, run as part of the Group's 40th anniversary celebrations. This entry was entitled The Sussex Ancestry of Will ALLWORK (1874-1940), and traced not only Will's ALLWORK forebears but also his forebears who bore other surnames, such as CARPENTER, MORGAN and STACE, to name just a few. This article, however, is restricted to Will's ALLWORK ancestry in Sussex. Readers interested in the fuller account can, however, consult it in the SFHG Library, (where it is held under Family Histories/A, item 113398).
James William ALLWORK (1874-1940), known as Will, was my maternal grandfather. Although he was born in Kent, he could be described as a son of Sussex, since both his parents were born and brought up in that county; indeed the whole of Will's known ancestry is of Sussex provenance. The story starts in the 17th century.

My Search for Baptist Ancestors, by Don Burgess, published March 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 5, article, pp.240-247) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508855]

My 3x Great Grandfather, John BURGESS, was born, it is believed, in 1757 in Heathfield to one Thomas BURGESS, who was a tenant farmer in the locality. Belonging to a family with strong links for several generations to the General Baptist cause, there is of course no record of the baptisms of John or any of his four brothers and five sisters. Baptists believe in "believers' baptism", and as a consequence they are mostly baptised as young men and women when they are old enough to profess their faith and join their local church. This makes it difficult to fit them into a family tree, as early records of such events, if they ever existed, have long since been lost, although there are a very few exceptions in records held at the National Archives.

Sussex Family Historian, vol. 21 no. 6, edited by Sharon Paskins, published June 2015 (pp.252-298, Sussex Family History Group, ISSN: 0260-4175) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508876]

Who was Sophia Linn?, by Diane Cole, published June 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 6, article, pp.253-255) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508876]

This is the third part of my efforts to research the families of my great-grandparents William Richard COLLIS and Laura Sophia MARTIN, who came to the colony of New South Wales as assisted migrants. After the difficulties of trying to find Charles TUPPER's baptism and William MARTIN's marriage, I turned to the family of Susan Eliza Louisa BISHOP. After a promising start, the BISHOPs and LINNs have proved as elusive as the others.

Harriet Torrance - The Hastings Plague!, by Lisa Smith, published June 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 6, article, pp.257-259) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508876]

Harriet TORRANCE was the aunt (by marriage) of my connection, Ughtred TORRANCE. Until the launch of the British Newspaper Archive, she was just a name on a census return, but thanks to the publication of the Hastings and St Leonard Observer, I have learnt so much more about the sad, but eventful life of the woman who was dubbed 'The Hastings Plague'.

Obituaries: Trevor C. Hanson 1948-2015, John Peckham 1925-2015, Sir Donald Sinden 1923-2015 and Murray Hayes 1924-2015, published June 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 6, article, p.262) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508876]

I Gave Him A Hotun!, by June Owen, published June 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 6, article, pp.263-265) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508876]

A copy of the photograph below was given to me by second cousin Marian Pilbeam, who now lives in Chichester. Standing from left to right there is Ted BAXTER and next to him his wife, Alice nee HUMPHREY, who was born in 1870. Next to Alice is a man who no-one in Marian's family could identify. Then there is Eliza HUMPHREY, born 1866. Seated in front from left to right is Mary Ann Fry MCCOMBE nee ADFIELD born in 1860 and always known as Annie. Next to her is her husband, William Fry MCCOMBE, a well known builder in Yapton, and then their daughter Clara Jane. Clara was Marian's grandmother.

Denman - A One Name Study & DNA Project, by Liz Jones, published June 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 6, article, pp.265-267) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508876]

My grandfather, Jack DENMAN, used to play chess at county level. He once told me how he played an opponent called Gordon DENMAN, and the two men mused over whether they were related. 40 years later, through DNA testing, I can confirm that they are indeed related - but have to establish how! I have made it my mission to try to determine the origins of the DENMAN names and families

Searching for Thomas Parker, by Carole Parker, published June 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 6, article, p.275) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508876]

I am trying to trace my great grandfather Thomas PARKER, who I believe lived in Shoreham between approx. 1850 and 1920. He is a mystery as he does not appear on any census for the years within this timeframe. I know that he had died by 1920 when his son Albert PARKER married. We also glean from Albert's marriage certificate that Thomas was a Lieutenant in the 20th Hussars. But there is no trace of him in Army records.

Sussex Connections & Karmic Questions, by Mark D. Bishop, published June 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 6, article, pp.276-281) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508876]

While the investigative writer seeks rational answers, the poet within me must, of necessity, pose irrational questions: Perhaps it is fate, or is it karma that creates the destiny of ancestry to group itself connectively into certain geographical locations, or is it coincidence based on an egocentric viewpoint? For example, both of my maternal great-grandmothers were born, bred, raised & wed in diverse locations, but were to pass away within a year of each other near the Sussex coast, after having spent the final years of their long, lucrative lives there. Great-grandmother MORGAN [nee ANDREW] (1878-1969) was born in Cornwall and married a butcher in Suffolk where they raised their large family, while great-grandmother FORTUNE [nee MEERS] (1868-1968), of Anglo-Italian extract, made claim to being a Cockney, spent a year or so in Gibraltar after her marriage and ended up raising her brood on an ait at Shepperton, as wife of the Thames Conservancy Engineer.

William BCA Parker, by Hilary Hyde-Smith, published June 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 6, article, pp.282-284) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508876]

Where did my great grandparents meet? Follow the trail from Nova Scotia to India to the Crimea to Worthing: he was born in Broadwater, Worthing. She was born in Bombay, India.
Robert Singer HYDE was my great grandfather. He was born in 1846 the second son of Singer EDWARD and Alkemire Cruttenden Hill HIDE, later spelt HYDE. The HIDE family go back a long way in West Sussex. Mostly builders and carpenters they later became architects and engineers and were involved in designs, maps and the construction of many local buildings.
Robert's wife was Fannie Caroline PARKER. She was born in 1852. Her Father was Lieutenant William Buck Carthew Augustus PARKER and her mother was Harriette WHITE, daughter of Captain William WHITE of HM King's own Light Dragoons.

Harriet Elizabeth Rowell (AKA Elphinstone Dick), by Roy Grant, published June 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 6, article, pp.284-286) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508876]

Six months ago, the SFHG journal included Geoff Rowell's article (Making Ends Meet) about his Brighton born ancestor George Richard ROWELL (son of a Brighton watchmaker) who emigrated to Melbourne in Australia. Geoff wondered what inspired his ancestor George to leave Brighton, and raised the issue that Australia may have been considered as a place to send a black sheep that the other members of the family wanted rid of. I suppose most of us enjoy having a black sheep somewhere in our ancestry, for we openly boast of being related to lotharios, mistresses, bigamists, thieves, embezzlers, criminals, whores, and even murderers. Whilst none of these terms seem to apply to Geoff's relative George, some research I did a while back on the MOON family of Brighton, does indicate that in the Victorian era, George's sister Harriet Elizabeth ROWELL (born 1852, not 1858) may have been thought by her family to have a less conventional approach to life. Although not a black sheep by any means, many prudish Victorians may have nevertheless thought of Harriet ROWELL as a misfit. In fact one more recent Australian article I came across (http://melbqueerhistory.tripod.com/rossdick.html) categorically identified her, under her pseudonym of Elphinstone DICK, as a lesbian. If that were to have been the case, it is quite conceivable that Harriet and her close confident (Alice MOON also of Brighton) may have been dispatched to Australia by two comfortably off, dyed-in-the-wool, Victorian fathers who felt unable to comprehend their daughters 'attachment' for each other.

Salt Lake During WW1, by Susan Martin, published June 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 6, article, pp.286-291) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508876]

The story of the residents of Salt Lake during WW1 continues from page 209 of the last Historian

From Sedlescombe to Suez, by Mal Dennett, published June 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 6, article, pp.292-293) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508876]

Ancestors of my father Owen DENNETT lived at Sedlescombe and nearby for many centuries, before migrating to Australia in about 1877. On 5 November 1915 he enlisted at Sydney at age 16 years 3 months - many Australian volunteers pretended to be 18, expecting a short grand adventure overseas.

Sussex Family Historian, vol. 21 no. 7, edited by Sharon Paskins, published September 2015 (pp.300-346, Sussex Family History Group, ISSN: 0260-4175) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508953]

The Bicknells of Barcombe Part 1, by Martyn Webster, published September 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 7, article, pp.301-305) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508953]

The following obituary was published in "The Times" on 31st October 1911: "By the death last Friday of Mr. Algernon Sidney BICKNELL, of Barcombe House, near Lewes, probably the last intimate friend of J. M. W. TURNER, the artist, has passed away. Mr. BICKNELL was the son of Elhanan BICKNELL, whose 'renowned collection' of pictures was dispersed at Christie's in 1862, whose Turner pictures are frequently referred to by Ruskin, whose residence at Herne Hill was a well-known resort of men famous in artistic and other circles, including Burton the traveller. Mr. A. S. BICKNELL, who was born in 1832, was a soldier, author, scientist, and traveller. . . .

The Girl in the Picture, by Anne Green, published September 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 7, article, pp.307-309) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508953]

Before my father died in 1986 he gave me all his family research. The photos, letters and some sketchy family trees were all bundled and jumbled up in a large bag. He had been trying to find out more about his mother's family, the HILDERS but with little success. How different it would have been today with so much information available online.

My Grandfather's Allwork Ancestry in Sussex, by John Paterson, published September 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 7, article, pp.309-314) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508953]

My grandfather Will ALLWORK's 3 x great grandfather, John ALLWORK, was born in Alfriston and baptised there on 5 November 1694. Nothing is known of his childhood, but on 22 September 1712 (aged 17) he was apprenticed to Stephen PIERCE to learn the trade of cooper. A cooper is of course a maker of wooden barrels, and it was a trade which would be associated with the ALLWORK family for several generations. On 2 April 1719, at the age of 24, he married Ann CAPLIN in the parish church in Willingdon, where his grandfather Thomas had married 46 years earlier.

Who was Thomas Barton?, by Dennis Plank, published September 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 7, article, pp.316-318) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508953]

Thomas BARTON (C1768-1846) was my 4x great grandfather. As you will see I know quite a lot about Thomas in the 19th century. But where does he come from? Who were his parents? Before I attempt to answer these questions I should also ask 'Who was Benjamin BARTON?' He was my first BARTON brick wall. Thomas is the second.

A Case of Mental Instability in Victorian Times, by Barry Farrant, published September 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 7, article, pp.318-322) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508953]

This is a rather complicated story! It has a number of well researched facts and also much conjecture. Thomas Frederick SRATT was born at 1 Byron Street, Hove on 15th March 1887, the son of Thomas Saunders SPRATT and Eleanor Bertha SPRATT (née RIDGE). He was subsequently baptised at All Saints Church, Brighton on 21st August 1889 along with his sister Emily Grace SPRATT born at the same address in November 1888. Thomas Saunders SPRATT was a writing clerk.

Finding the Father, by Dr Rosemary Arthur, published September 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 7, article, pp.325-328) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508953]

In my grandfather's death I inherited his old leather-bound Victorian photograph album, containing some fascinating photos of his forebears from East Sussex. One of them particularly intrigued me; it showed a lovely young woman. On the back was written, in ink, "Ellen Maria BAKER, age 25" and, in another hand, "This was done at Bonning & Small." - rather a posh photographer for my family to afford, I thought. She was my Gt-grandmother's sister. Ellen Maria BAKER was baptised at St Clements, Hastings, on 26th February 1841, the seventh child of Charles BAKER, house painter, and his wife Maria (nee COFFRETT). At the 1861 census, aged 20, she was working as a barmaid at the Castle Hotel, Hastings. This may have been her downfall, as I suspect that it was there that she met the man who was to become the father of her three illegitimate children.

Salt Lake During WW1, by Susan Martin, published September 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 7, article, pp.328-334) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508953]

Situated on the coast Lancing was of course in front line danger for any possible invasion. There would have been a detailed evacuation plan however I haven't come across it. Probably with possible invasion in mind on 2 September 1914 officers of the Church Lad's Brigade offered to give free of charge elementary instruction and musketry and drill to every man over 20 not on the strength of the brigade.

Two Family History Giants Metamorphosing, by Joe Bysh, published September 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 7, article, pp.334-336) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508953]

This has been a busy summer for Pete Steward and the small team at Parish Register Transcription Society. They have now finished their indexed transcriptions of all parish registers of all West Sussex pre-1837 parishes up to the beginning of the twentieth century and in some cases beyond. West Chiltington (No.186) was followed by Southwick (187), Fernhurst (188), Lindfield (189) and Littlehampton (190). Lyminster (191) was next to which was added the neighbouring parish of Warningcamp, followed by Slaugham (192). Kingston Gorse has been added to East Preston (61). The latest to arrive are Bury (Vol.193 after acquiring copyright permission vested in West Sussex Record Office), Washington (194) and Thakeham (195) to complete West Sussex.

Skeletons in the Closet, by Sandy Guy, published September 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 7, article, pp.336-339) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508953]

Michael COLLINS, one of Ireland's greatest political leaders, was born Clonakilty, County Cork, in 1890. My grandmother Theresa DYER was born in the same coastal town fifteen years later, according to her 1928 marriage certificate. In the late 1980s I meandered around this attractive town of Georgian houses and colourful shop-fronts thinking about my grandmother, who sang songs such as Cockles and Mussels when I was a child. I thought about my ancestors, who probably stepped across the same cobblestones, strolled the same scenic shores of Clonakilty Bay, explored the ruins of the nearby 14th century Timoleague Abbey, and picnicked around the Bronze Age Dromberg Stone Circle. Sitting in one of Clonakilty's many traditional pubs, where a band played foot stomping Irish music, I couldn't have been more charmed by my Irish heritage.

George Gandey of Brighton, by Carole Graham, published September 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 7, article, pp.340-341) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508953]

My grandfather, George, was born in Brighton Sussex on Jan 17, 1877 and baptized at St. Peters on February 28, 1877. He was the son of Thomas GANDEY and Charlotte DORRINGTON. He passed away July 1, 1960 in Montreal Canada. As a young man, George joined the Royal Sussex Regiment but went AWOL a short time later. Family lore states that his girlfriend, Alice MORGAN was engaged to another man while George was away. When he returned he was not too happy and Alice decided to return the ring to her fiancé.

Family Myths Busted, by Cordelia Hull, published September 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 7, article, p.341) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508953]

In the June Sussex Family Historian the editor asked whether readers had disproved any family myths. I have busted three of mine. The first concerns my mother, who was born in Brighton on 5 June 1915 and whose middle name was Eva. She always claimed she had been named after Eva LAND, the first wife of her uncle (John Alphonse Valentine GRIFFIN born Brighton 14 Feb 1883). According to family myth, Eva LAND had 'gone down with the Titanic' in 1912. Over time, various family members had searched the passenger lists of the Titanic looking for an Eva LAND or an Eva GRIFFIN - but to no avail. Then, thanks to Ancestry.com, I discovered that John GRIFFIN's first wife was really Eva Jessie WALCROFT and that she had died in Connecticut on 29 May 1922 - ten years after the Titanic went down and nearly seven years after my mother had been born. So two myths shot down for the price of one.

Sussex Family Historian, vol. 21 no. 8, edited by Sharon Paskins, published December 2015 (pp.348-394, Sussex Family History Group, ISSN: 0260-4175) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/509026]

Obituary: Colin Excell, by Mick Henry, published December 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 8, article, p.348) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/509026]

George Meek's Grandfather, by Geoffrey Barber, published December 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 8, article, pp.350-358) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/509026]

George MEEK (1868-1921) is well known in Eastbourne where he worked as a lowly bath chair-man and lived in poverty for most of his life. He is remembered because he did one amazing thing - he wrote a book about his life for which the well-known author H.G. WELLS wrote an introduction. This guaranteed that it would be a success, which it was in both England and the USA. You are probably thinking "Why H.G. WELLS?" and the answer is that they had met through their common interest in socialism. George had sought H.G. WELLS' advice on writing a book and as there was so little actually written by the working man, H.G. suggested he write about himself, and supported George in his efforts. George's book, published in 1910, is titled "George Meek, Bath Chair-Man, By Himself". His memory was kept alive by Bill COXALL and Clive GRIGGS when they published "George Meek Labouring Man: Protégé of H.G. Wells" in 1996. George has well and truly earned a place in the history of Eastbourne and the fledgling socialist movement.

Public Family Trees, by Ian Morton, published December 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 8, article, pp.360-361) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/509026]

I started looking at family history a long time ago and visiting libraries and archives around the country was interesting and just discovering a newspaper article covering a relevant incident was like finding gold. The key was to always ensure the facts were correct - often this left some details as "unverified" until a later date when they could be supported. However, time has moved on and I have appreciated the easier online facilities like those of Ancestry - especially the London parish records which are so informative.

Rudgwick's Early Bells and Bellringers, by Ann Williams, published December 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 8, article, pp.361-363) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/509026]

"Sire lett us ring agayne and let us goe all to Chichester together" said Rudgwick resident, John NALDRETT in 1639 - but more of that anon.
There were bells in the tower of Holy Trinity, Rudgwick in 1521 when Humfrey LONGERSTE of Rudgwick left four pence 'to the bellys' in his will. Interestingly in 1545 Ellen KNIGHT of Rudgwick left money in her will for "the new bell".
Rudgwick's tower was built in the early 1200s and bells may have been installed soon after. Church bells of the period hung mouth-down and, with the aid of ropes and levers, were made to swing through small arcs, the bells sounding as the clappers struck the sides of the bells - the bells were not necessarily in tune with each other.

The Peacock Family of Coombes, by Rosemary Cook, published December 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 8, article, p.366) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/509026]

Did One Daughter Die On The Lusitania?
My great-grandparents Peter PEACOCK and Elizabeth Ann STREETER married on 2nd November 1874 in Shipley Parish Church. They had ten children: Mary Jane b. 1877, Fanny b.1878, Ellen b. 1881, Stephen b. 1882, Alice b. 1885, twins Bertha & Mabel b. 1888, Annie b. 1891, Elizabeth b. 1893 and my grandfather Harry b. 1896.

Salt Lake During WW1, by Susan Martin, published December 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 8, article, pp.367-370) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/509026]

Indication has already been given that moving within the area during the War was frequent, as it was before and after. Word of mouth must have been the chief means of hearing that another property became vacant. George STEER and his family moved from 5 to 10 Salt Lake Cottages.

My Allwork Ancestry In Sussex Part 3, by John Paterson, published December 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 8, article, pp.371-375) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/509026]

William ALLWORK, my grandfather Will ALLWORK's great grandfather, was baptised, married and buried in Seaford, and probably lived there for most, if not all, of his life. We only have a very sketchy notion of his life, but such evidence as we have suggests that he probably lived near the bread line for much of his life, earning a precarious living as an agricultural labourer. In 1786, a couple of months short of his 22nd birthday, he married Mary STACE in St Leonard's parish church in Seaford.

Family Legends, by Rose Chitty, published December 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 8, article, pp.375-376) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/509026]

Separating Fact From Fiction, the editorial in the June edition of the Sussex Family Historian prompted me to send in these stories from my own family history.
The oddest legend was in my husband's family. His grandfather was a rather strict man who believed children should be seen and not heard. It was unthinkable to ask him for any details of his family. All that was known was that about 1887 "he walked all the way from Wales with the horses".

The Bicknells of Barcombe Part 2, by Martyn Webster, published December 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 8, article, pp.379-382) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/509026]

Barcombe House passed on the death of Rosa Louisa BICKNELL, widow of Algernon, in 1913 to her eldest son Maldion Byron BICKNELL, Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Artillery in India for many years who retired from the army at this point at the age of 50 to take over the family estate which had been theirs since 1898.

George Stemp - Waterloo Man, by Peter Zimmermann, published December 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 8, article, pp.382-386) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/509026]

After my mother died I inherited a Waterloo Campaign medal which had been awarded to George STEMP, my great-great-great grandfather. Born in 1796 in Kirdford in the Parish of Petworth, his parents were George and Sarah STEMP (nee OLIVER). George senior was born in 1763 in Pagham and died in Kirdford on 25th October 1817; Sarah was born in 1762 in Guildford, Surrey and died in Kirdford on 31st January 1808.

Doing It the Old Way, by Roy Grant, published December 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 8, article, pp.386-389) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/509026]

I started my family history back in 1984, in those early days when computers were just glorified word processers, there was no internet and few indexed databases. All we had then were local reference libraries with street directories and a few microfiche, St Catherine's and Somerset House for birth, marriage and death certificates, and distant County Record Offices with deposited parish registers.

Thank You WSRO, by Brenda Joyce, published December 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 8, article, p.389) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/509026]

West Sussex Record Office have since catalogued all the papers, cleaned the vellum ones, indexed them on their website and provided safe storage for them - far more than ever I could do. Thank you WSRO for saving one line of my family history.