The Church of St Andrew in Alfriston dates from the 14th Century and it is likely that the Easter Sepulchre to the north of the altar is of a similar date. The Easter Sepulchre was a feature often placed in medieval churches. It represented the tomb of Christ and was used for an elaborate ceremony…
A Chubby but Cheerful Soldier
This afternoon I did one of my Guided Tours of Lewes and took people through the lovely churchyard of St John Sub-Castro. I pointed out some interesting graves but noticed something today that I had no seen before. It was a Memorial Plaque – known as a Death Penny or Widow’s Penny, which had been inserted…
Winifred’s Service in the Great War
Winifred Mary Wilcox was born in Condover a few miles to the south of Shrewsbury in Shropshire. He parents were Edward and Edith Mary Wilcox. Her father was an Agricultural Labourer. In 1906 Winifred’s father died and the family moved to Liverpool where they took a house at 78, Macdonald Road, Wavertree. The 1911 Census…
The Squinting Speaker from Sussex
On 21st June 2009 I was working in the Houses of Parliament when I heard a rumour that the Speaker of the House of Commons, Michael Martin was about to resign. He found his position untenable due to the his role in the expenses scandal. A Speaker had not been ‘sacked’ since the 17th Century…
Did a 10yr old cause a train crash?
The Railway between Brighton and Lewes was opened on 8th June 1846. The London Brighton & South Coast Railway (LB&SCR) took over the new railway just a few weeks later. Railways were dangerous places, indeed the opening of one of the first railways – The Liverpool and Manchester Railway was marred by the death of…
A Royal Flower Girl who packed a punch!
Elizabeth Quill, (known as Kitty) was born in Kingstown, Ireland in 1861. At some stage she moved to London where she met a labourer David Quill. Although they lived in London Kitty spent the summer in Eastbourne where she lodged and did a brisk business as a flower seller. The Dukes of Devonshire regularly hosted…
Of Booze and Bridges
One of my talks that I give to History Societies, Women’s Institutes etc is about the gravestones of Sussex and, despite the gloomy subject it seems to be quite popular! During the talk I show people a couple of my favourite gravestones, including that of Thomas Tipper in the graveyard of at Newhaven. The gravestone…
A Sussex Architect with bottle!
In 2011 I was honoured to be asked to say a few words at a meeting of the Alfriston & Cuckmere Valley History Society which was called to pay tribute of their former president, the late Lady Edna Healey who had died the previous year. I was in esteemed company, as not only Lord Denis…
The tragic Saint who left her mark in Sussex
On 21st August 1878 a royal party arrived at Eastbourne from the Isle of Wight. This group consisted of Louis IV, the Grand Duke of Hesse and his wife Princess Alice, the Grand Duchess of Hesse. Princess Alice was the second daughter of Queen Victoria and had been visiting her mother at Osborne House. The…
An Eastbourne Family Mystery
Family History is fascinating and all of us have a family with stories to tell. My own Great-Great Grandfather John Roberts had an unremarkable life but I have discovered some little nuggets of information about him. Although he spent most of his life in Hellingly and Eastbourne (where he had an unusual occupation) he died…
Quirky Sussex History by Kevin Gordon 