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…
WW2 in Seaford & Lewes
Yesterday I met Dorothy Trethowan at her home in Polegate. This is what she told me… I am 97 years old. I have spent much of my life in Seaford. I was born Dorothy Gretton. My parents lived at a house called Sommerville, Highlands Road, not far from the Catholic Church (I remember the church…
60 years in the Police!
Today it is not unusual for Police Officers to transfer into the British Transport Police from other forces and it is not unknown for some officers to spend a few years in the BTP having retired from another force. After Walter Hebborn retired from the Metropolitan Police, he joined the Railway Police in Sussex…
African Policeman from Alfriston
William Bodle was born in Alfriston in 1855, the son of Charles, an agricultural labourer and Elizabeth, a schoolmistress. He left home at when he was fifteen to join the Army; firstly the Sherwood Foresters and later the Inniskilling Dragoons. At the age of just eighteen Bodle was posted to southern Africa where he saw…
Kissing the Queen’s Hand
In January 1858, Queen Victoria’s oldest daughter, also called Victoria ( although her mother called her Vicky ) married Prince Frederick of Prussia. The Corporation of Seaford was so proud that they wrote a “Loyal Address” to Queen Victoria congratulating her on her daughters marriage. The address was taken in person to Queen Victoria at…
The Hailshamberry
My Father met my mother when he was working at Knight’s Nursery in Hailsham. He drove all over East Sussex delivering fruit vegetables and garden produce. Knight’s Nursery actually once invented a new fruit called the Hailshamberry! It was first grown in 1911 and was a large, almost ever-green bush with large leaves which protected the fruit…
Quirky Sussex History by Kevin Gordon 