My grandmother Bessie Roberts lived at Taddington Road, Eastbourne. She was interested in photography and owned a ‘Box-Brownie’ Camera. She was the secretary of the Eastbourne Brownie Photographic Club which met at the Technical Institute (Eastbourne Library is now on the site) and in 1924 kept a record of the club’s ‘photographic rambles’. 

All the photographs were taken by my grandmother at the time of the rambles. I have enhanced some of the pictures to make them clearer.

Journal of the Brownie Photographic Club, Eastbourne.1924

Secretary: Miss Bessie Roberts, 15, Taddington Road, Eastbourne.

Friday : 18^th April 1924 

This ramble was conducted on Good Friday and took the form of a whole day cycling ramble to Rushlake Green. The route was via Stone’s Cross, Pevensey, Wartling Hill, Windmill Hill and Bodle Street to Rushlake Green.  

We had a very pleasant ride and as the day was bright we were able to secure quite a number of good photographs.

Lunch was enjoyed in a pretty wood between Bodle Street and Rushlake Green where, with the aid of a frying pan and a wood fire, the members were able to do their own cooking. 

We reached Rushlake Green, and as we had a long ride ahead of us we decided to commence our homeward journey almost at once. This we did our homeward route taking us through the villages of Cowbeech, Herstmonceux and Hailsham. There were four members present. 

10^th May 1924 

This Saturday ramble was conducted with a very doubtful weather forecast and under low clouds. The route chosen commenced with  motor-bus trip from Pevensey Road, Eastbourne to Upper Willingdon.  We commenced our climb over the Downs, halting for the purpose of snapping a picturesque portion of the lane shortly after leaving Willingdon.  

The faint sunlight permitted this attempt with moderate success.  Shortly before reaching Jevington an attempt was made to pose a calf and its mother and an instantaneous exposure was made by several of the members under a avert dull light.

Upon reaching Jevington rain threatened any further exposures and although the group was taken in a field nearby the results were not good.  We decided to proceed to Wannock by bus where tea was taken in the Old Mill Gardens.

At this junction rain commenced to fall necessitating ‘groups at the tea-table’ photographs being taken in the pavilion. There were five members present. 

7^th June 1924

A further ramble with six members of the Brownie Camera Club. We decided on a second attempt to secure some interesting pictures of Jevington and Wannock in view of the interference caused by the weather on the previous occasion.

The usual assent was made from Willingdon over the Downs to Jevington the road then being followed to Wannock. The afternoon was fine and warm but we were not favoured with sunshine. The pictures recorded were consequently ‘time exposures’. A visit was made to Jevington Church where we photographed the porch from the interior.

After leaving the village one member took an exposure of the overhanging trees on a picturesque curve of the road. 

 Upon reaching Wannock we again took tea at the Old Mill Gardens where we secured some ‘table group’ photographs. There were six members present. 

21^st June 1924

Eight members of the Brownie Camera Club conducted a cycling ramble to Alfriston which proved to be one of the most enjoyable events of the season. The weather conditions were ideal both for photography and cycling. The cloudless sky and gentle breeze made the excursion pleasant without being excessively hot. The route taken was via Willingdon, Polegate and Berwick Cross Roads, returning via Milton Street and thence to the main road.  Some exposures were taken en-route at a picturesque and shady spot near Wilmington Cross Roads.

Tea was taken at the Alfriston tea-gardens and a visit was made to the Parish Church. Some interior exposures were made here at considerable success and afterwards members grouped themselves for a general snap-shot on the village green.

After a brief tour of the village it was proposed that the excursion would hardly be complete without a visit to Lullington Church, a small building prettily situated in a wood on the hillside overlooking Alfriston. On returning to Alfriston our members obtained a birds eye view of this pretty village including a pretty scene of some children fishing from a footbridge nearby.

4^th August 1924

An August Bank Holiday ramble for members of the Brownie Camera Club which took the form of an excursion to Hastings. Unfortunately it was an exceedingly dull day and although we passed through some very pretty scenes at Fairlight Glen we were unable to secure any photographs worth recording. On leaving Hastings Station we travelled by tram to Ore and then took the pathway leading to the Glens. Fairlight Glen was soon reached and after a brief walk around we had lunch on the cliff. Rain threatened all the time but we were very fortunate as it kept off all day. After leaving the Glen we walked along the cliffs towards Hastings and here one or two snaps were taken in a hayfield.

The remainder of the day was spent in Hastings and we returned to Eastbourne about 11pm.

16^th August 1924

Today, a ramble by the Brownie Camera Club was even more enjoyable than the previous ones. The weather conditions were ideal and the attendance was good. After being photographed in a group, the party left Whitley Road at 2.45pm.

We cycled via Hampden Park, Willingdon, Polegate, Hailsham and Magham Down to Herstmonceux. The latter village being reached about 4pm. It was decided to take tea before searching for pictures. Shortly before 5pm we mounted en-route for the castle and church. The journey comprised a one mile ride along a picturesque lane. At one point, ascending a hill, the members dismounted and attempted some exposures of the winding road securing some artistic results.

Upon reaching the castle it was discovered that the grounds were open until 6pm. This was indeed a pleasant surprise. Several promising shots were taken of the exterior of the castle and considerable variety was added by including sheep and horses in the foreground. The interior of the castle offered excellent scope for the camera.

The members took full advantage of these possibilities and were rewarded with good results of both natural and architectural beauty. Much pleasure and encouragement was afforded the members by the personal interest taken in the club by Lord Lowther who commended the ‘photographic spirit’ and described to members the principle features of the castle and his plans associated with various prospective alterations and improvements.

Four members of the party were conducted through some of the interior portions near the entrance, much to their interest. Before commencing the homeward journey, a brief visit was made to the church. In observance of the rules, photographs were confined to the exterior and a few of these, together with a group photograph taken on a barrow in an adjacent filed concluded a very enjoyable afternoon’s work.

The return journey was made via Windmill Hill, Wartling Hill and Pevensey.

I very am lucky to have such a unique collection of Sussex photographs taken by my grandmother just over 100 years ago. I hope you have enjoyed them !