End of an era

Today saw the doors close on the East Sussex Record Office at the Maltings in Lewes.

The record office has been based there for over twenty years but it has long since outgrown its facilities.  

The research room was in the attic, a cold and draughty room with poor access for anyone with mobility problems.  There was not enough space to store all the material so in addition to the Maltings there are several other storage units; to get material stored off site often meant a wait of several weeks.

It did tend to lead to a friendly atmosphere as cramped facilities meant anyone enjoying a eureka moment or suffering the reverse could not help but share it with their neighbours.

Although some of the microfilm readers will survive the move to the Keep there is less need for them now that many parish registers are available in digital format.

But it wasn't all bad at the Maltings.  Step outside the door and you were in the shadow of Lewes Castle, a short walk away from the high street with its wide range of shops and surrounded by breathtaking scenery.

I won't miss the cold of the Maltings, the lack of space or delays waiting for off site material but I'll miss visiting Lewes and I do wonder what sort of atmosphere the much larger Keep will generate?

Wordless Wednesday: Alfriston

1953

 2012

In need of a pick me up?

If you are suffering from the various bugs that are plaguing us at the end of this long cold winter you might be interested in this seventeenth century recipe for a caudle taken from Dick Richardson's book The Sussex Recipe Book.

A caudle is a thick, sweet and alcoholic drink which was believed to be beneficial and to have medicinal properties.

Put three quarts of water on the fire; mix smooth in cold water some oatmeal to thicken it; when boiling, pour the latter in, and twenty powdered Jamaica peppers; boil to a good middling thickness; then add sugar, half a pint of well fermented table beer and a glass of gin.  Boil all together.

Goodness knows what it would taste like!  I think I'll stick to aspirin!!

Sussex Family History Group Annual Conference 2013

Today was the 40th annual conference of the Sussex Family History Group, held in Haywards Heath.

There were three good speakers despite having to make a last minute to the lineup when Ian Gledhill had to withdraw.

We heard from:

Geoff Swinfield on DNA and how it can be used by family historians.  Possibly an overdone topic but Swinfield explained it clearly and humorously with a good dose of family history. 

Peter Lovett talked about the influence of invasions on the English language.  An informative talk showing the worldwide historical influence on our language.

Finally there was James Gardner who talked about the history of Brighton workhouses, the topic of his book published last year.  He did a good job of bringing the horrors of the workhouse system to life.

The usual stalls were there and the East Sussex Record Office had many photos showing the progress of The Keep including the room which will be the new home of the Sussex Family History Group and its library (this year hopefully!).

To celebrate the 40th anniversary there are a number of family history writing competitions.  The children's under 13 competition has now closed but the other categories are under 25 years, for those with a mainly Sussex family history and for those with a family history outside of Sussex.  First price for each category is £100.  The standard in the children's competition was excellent and shows there is a lot of budding family historians out there.  For more details see the SFHGwebsite.

Warren Farm School, Brighton

In 1858 the Brighton Guardians were beginning the process of building a new workhouse with an industrial school located about two miles away at Warren Farm in Rottingdean.  The aim of the school was to give pauper children a basic education and a grounding in industry so that they could go out and earn a living (reducing the likelihood they would be a burden on the system in the future).  The school opened in 1862, boys were taught trades such as gardening, tailoring and shoemaking whilst girls were taught domestic service.  There was a school band and many boys were taught to play an instrument, often leading to a career in an army band.

The school produced a variety of records including a log book which lists the children as they were placed in employment.  The log book is now at the East Sussex Record Office (reference R/S/37/1) and covers the period 1891 to 1935 which means along with the two further volumes there are records up to 1951 but as they are affected by the 100 year rule it is only possible to see the entries for 1891 to  November 1912 (as at December 2012).

I have transcribed the 778 entries currently outside the 100 year rule and they can now be found on my website.  They include the records of children such as Frederick Marsden who was found work with Dash Brothers, shoemakers in Portsmouth having "failed for Army Band owing to defective sight of the left eye", Emily Coglan who went to work for Mrs Markham in 1906 as a kitchen maid "she was slightly deaf" and Edith Shepherd who went to work in the laundry in Kemp Town "a willing girl but dull and heavy".

Not a candidate for father of the year!

Anthony Lane, of Warbleton married Ann Coby, of Hailsham (the widow of Henry Coby) in Arlington in 1690; they had four children, Barbara, Judith, Elizabeth and Ann.  Barbara and Ann died in infancy and it looks likely that their mother Ann also died as Anthony remarried in around 1699 (the marriage licence survives but not the record of their marriage) to Mary Allen.  

By this time Anthony and his family were living in West Sussex, he was in Lindfield where he worked as a physician and Mary came from nearby Midhurst; their family soon grew with the addition of Allen and Edward.  

They then moved from Lindfield to Dorking in Surrey with the agreement of Lindfield parish which remained their parish of settlement but  soon after they moved on again, however when they moved on again in 1701, Anthony left his daughters Judith and Elizabeth behind.  The parish overseers of Dorking were not prepared to take care of these two abandoned children so they were returned to the parish of Lindfield.

The Great Escape of 1651

Most of us do not expect to find ourselves unexpectedly playing a role of national importance but that is the situation that Nicholas Tettersell found himself in.

Tettersell lived in the small fishing village of Brigthelmstone in Sussex and was the captain of the coal brig 'Surprise'. In 1651 he was asked to help two men who were escaping the country after a duel, after agreeing a fee Tettersell arranged to take the two men to Fecamp in France. However when the men arrived Tettersell recognised one of them as Charles II, recently defeated at the battle of Worcester and with a price on his head much higher than the fee he had agreed. But Tettersell didn't hand the king to the authorities, although he did negotiate a higher price for the trip before he took the king to France safely.

After the Civil War and Commonwealth period Charles returned to England to be welcomed as king. Feeling he had played a significant role in the kings survival Tettersell took his ship which he renamed the 'Royal Escape' and sailed down the Thames to remind Charles that he had had a part in making sure Charles had lived long enough to be restored to the throne. Charles acknowledged his role, he made the Royal Escape part of the Navy as well as giving Tettersell a £100 a year pension and all the kudos he thought he was worth.

Tettersell returned to Brighton where he is also remembered for his role as High Constable (he enjoyed persecuting non conformists especially the Quakers) and for his purchase of the Old Ship Hotel which boasts it "was closely linked with the escape of Charles II in 1651".

Tettersell died in 1674 and is buried in a tomb in the graveyard at St Nicholas in Brighton along with his wife Susanna (nee Cooke, married 1638), his son and his grandson - both also named Nicholas Tettersell.

The Tettersell tomb at St Nicholas, Brighton (to the left of the red door)

His role in saving the monarchy has not been forgotten;  Brighton and Hove buses have had a bus named Nicholas Tettersell since 1999 and there is an annual yacht race between Brighton and Fecamp known as the Royal Escape.  And just in case anyone forgets what Nicholas Tettersell did...all they need to do is read the inscription on his tomb:

When Charles ye Greate was nothing but a breath
This valiant soule stept betweene him & death.
Usurpers threats nor tyrant rebells frowne
Could not afright his duty to the Crowne;
Which glorious act of his Church state,
Eight princes in one day did Gratulate
Professing all to him in debt to bee
As all the world are to his memory
Since Earth Could not Reward his worth have given,
Hee now receives it from the King of heaven