Sussex Archceological Society Newsletter Seven Edited by John Farrant. 27 Bloomsbury Place. Brighton. BN2 1 DB Brighton 686578 September 1972 Published by the Society at Barbican House. Lewes ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS spent the afternoon planting potatoes. Perhaps our The Annual General Meetings of the Society and of the Annual General Meeting was like this, a recovering and Trust were held in Lewes on Saturday, 8 April 1972. The also a planting operation? What we did for the new reports of the Councils and the accounts were adopted. generation was important. We had to mediate between The officers of the Society were re-elected, as were seven t he generations. His son aged eight years old had missed, of the eight retiring members of the Council; Mr. G. H. to his great disappointment a visit by his class to Fish­ Kenyon did not stand for re -election, and Mr. C. E. Brent bourne, and he knew what a very real sense of excite­ was elected. The auditors were re-appointed . The Presi­ ment was felt by young children about the past, even dent of the Society gave a brief address which is sum­ before they had a real sense of time. marised below. In the afternoon, the meeting reassembled Mr. Farrant's Newsletter had been published only for a for a lecture by Dr. Audrey Baker on 'Early Romanesque short time, but the President said he hoped members Wall Paintings in Sussex'. would respond to the appeal for news. On his re-election as President Professor Asa Briggs said Professor Briggs ended by saying that he deeply appreci­ that he valued the link of the Society with the University ated the invitation to serve again as President, and he and also valued it personally as a resident of Lewes and would do his best to discharge his responsibilities during as a historian. He was immensely impressed by the report the next year. so vividly and eloquently presented by Miss Murray, and by the fact that membership was increasing, although the NEW SECRETARY TO THE RESEARCH COMMITTEE rate of increase appeared to be slackening off. He A mistake crept into the announcement in the last issue. thought there was a great untapped potential in terms of The new secretary to the Research Committee is Mrs. membership in the Sussex community. He had been very Margaret Rule, F.S.A., The Roman Palace, Salthill Road, impressed by the Lewes Exhibition and by how many Fishbourne, Chichester, and not as stated. The editor people came to see what Lewes was like in various conveys his apologies to Mrs. Rule, Mrs. Margaret Holt periods of its history. (another member of the Society's Council) and to any The report suggested that interest was always increasing. bemused readers. But would it continue? We were living in a period when an old society with local traditions, like the Sussex APPOINTMENT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY Archaeological Society, had a more important role than To fill the gap left by Mr. M acpherson's much regretted ever before in communicating to a wider section of the resignation last year, the Council has appointed Brigadier public as well as to its own members. It could only do G. B. S. Hindley as part-t ime Assistant Secretary. Briga­ this because of the immense and increasing amount of dier Hindley took up office in June and is usually at hard work done by its honorary officers and its staff. Barbican House on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thurs­ Nothing could be taken for granted in the running of any days. institution or organisation. We bore responsibility in the field of learning as well as to members. We were drawn 'ASPECTS OF MEDIEVAL SUSSEX' into partnership w ith parallel societies in other counties Those who have not yet applied for tickets for the and sim ilar societies in other parts of the world . He had Society's conference are urged to do so as soon as pos­ recently spent ten days in Normandy villages and it was sible. It will take place on Saturday, 21 October 1972, fascinating to draw parallels there. between 11 a.m. and 5.15 p.m., at the Priory School, The President continued: 'The study of the past hinges on Mountfield Road, Lewes. Full details were circulated with the recent period of history. The 19th century is my the last issue. Conference tickets (45p) and packed period. The report mentions the 19th century dog-kennel lunch tickets (38p) are available from Mr. K. W . Suckling, at Ightham, Mrs. Lamb had found the Charter of the Free ­ Little Corran, 272 Willingdon Road, Eastbourne (tele­ dom of Seaford granted to Mark Anthony Lower, and we phone 51060) . are recalling Gideon Mantell, a great 19th century figure . Mantell was a universal local man, interested in the W . J . SMITH'S SUSSEX COLLECTIONS sciences and the arts, a man of great cultivation who With financial assistance from the Victoria and Albert made a great impression on those who knew him. All this Museum, Brighton Public Libraries have purchased at belongs to the relatively recent past. There has too been auction (Sotheby's, 24 March) William J . Smith's col­ an increasing interest in oral history-recording to keep lections on the history and antiquities of Sussex. These alive the memories and recollections of local people.' Smith had bound into 22 folio volumes in 1875, being The President recalled that 1896 was the year when Dr. arranged alongside the parish sections from M. A. Lower's Salzman w as first associated with the Society. It was Compendious History of Sussex, Topographical Archaeo­ also the year when the motor car came into its own with logical and Anecdotal (1870) . Besides cuttings from the first motor show and the disappearan ce of the red printed books, pamphlets and newspapers, and published flag . This had a great effect on history. Also in 1896 the engravings, there are also original drawings and water­ first cinema show was given in the West End of London. colours and letters, the latter being mainly addressed to Since then we had almost seen the cinema come and go. Lower. Smith was a Brighton bookseller and so was well The relatively recent past had interest for us. The book placed for acquiring items for his collection. These vol­ by Bob Copper, A Song for Every Season, recorded a time umes now join his collections for Brighton (25 volumes) not very long ago when t here was no general Saturday which have long been in the local history section at afternoon off. On 'Spud-planting Saturday' all the men . Church Street. 25 NEXT ISSUE Maps: Estate map of Earnley 1731. The deadline for copy for the December issue is 20 Octo­ Official: Lieutenancy militia committee for Rape of ber. The Editor hopes that directors of excavations will Chichester 1831 -1852; Petworth County Court 1847-60; let him have interim reports in time for some at least to Sewers Commissioners for Bramber Rape 1820-1930; appear in December. River Adur, River Arun and South West Sussex Rivers Catchment Boards 1930-48; M idhurst Rural District ACCESSIONS TO THE RECORD OFFICES 1971 Council 1862-1941 ; Petworth Rural District Council 1862- By courtesy of the County Archivists, summary lists of 1948. the accessions to the Record Offices in 1971 are printed Pictorial: post cards an d photographs of West Sussex below. An asterisk (*) means that the documents are 19-20 c. additional to an earlier deposit. Readers are reminded Societies: Bognor Golf Club 1922-28; Fernhurst Nursing that the appearance of a collection in a list does not Association 1919-43; Itchingfield Workman's Institute imply that it is catalogued and available for consultation, 1887-1911; Slindon Navy League 1910-69. and that, generally, records les3 than 30 years old are not Transport: Adur Navigation Company 1808-1930; Pet­ open to public inspection. worth Turnpike 1764-1 860. West Sussex Record Office East Sussex Record Office Family and e~ate : *Uppark: large series of estate Family and estate: *Shiffner: Offham Sch ool 1864-1908; accounts c. 1849-c. 1851; general estate papers 18-19 c.; * Ashburnham : estate records, ledgers, etc. c. 1830-1945; maps of Harting 1746-1870; Caryll of Ladyhold, Harting, *Sheffield Park; inventories, Soames family papers, 1886- estate papers 1743-69; plans of Fallowfield Lead Mines, 1933. Northumberland 1772-74. Solicitors: *Coles & James: la nd tax papers Pevensey & Letters of Richard Cobden to William Woods Mitchell Westham c. 1842. 1853-63. Estate Agents deposit: Turner Rudge & Turner: accounts Cowper of Harting: commonplace books c. 1690-c. 1710. 1911-1950. Fisher of Midhurst: fam ily and antiquarian papers 1520- Manorial: Ct. Bks: Frant, 1773-1929; Sinningly 1774-1905; 1960. Heyworth & Trubweek 1809-1905. Papers of Henry Courtney, naval officer 1807-56. Deeds: c. 20 parishes 16-20 c. Parish: *Aldingbourne 1846-1 966; *Bepton 1713-1842; *Climping 1813-1966; *Coldwaltham c. 1800-1969; Quarter Sessions: Qu arter Sessions record book 1965- *Duncton 1836-1951 ; Easebourne 1538-1657; Felpham 1967; Quarter Sessions files 1968. 1790-1970; *Fittleworth 1826-1957; *Forestside and Stan­ County Council. Clerk's Dept: files relating to found ation sted 1874-1963; *West Grinstead 1863-1965; Harting of County Rec ord Office 1935-1954; minutes of Council 1762-1 968; *Iping, Iping Marsh and Chithurst 1878-1958; & Committees 1889-1971 (941 vols) , deeds, agreements, Kingston Gorse 1570-1660; Kirdford 1558-1956; *Linch contracts c. 1840-1971 (23,000 items) departmental 1795-1 955; Littlehampton, St. John 1877-1948; Little­ papers c. 1904-c. 1960 (2,500 fi les ) ; papers relating to hampton, St. James 1899-1 947; *Littlehampton, St.