(We have reproduced Volume 5 as per the original, in two parts. However, both parts are on this page. When checking the footnotes please ensure which part you are referring to).
1919 – 1939
| 1918 National Food Kitchens and rationing began in Britain due to food shortages. World War I ended. Cost $210,935m. For Britain the cost was £3,251m[1]. | Corn Market moved from Corn Exchange to site near railway. Joined by cattle market from Bishopric. By 1929 had little significance, its volume of livestock less than ¼ of Chichester, Lewes or Steyning. By 1934 only cattle being sold. By 1920s Henry Smith and sons had taken over the market.[2] Workers Education Association branch opened. New parliamentary constituency of Horsham and Worthing. Tower Hill Mission Room ceased to be used by 1918[3]. |
| 1920 | The Manor House converted to a private school, part of the southern stable block being converted to a chapel. Trafalgar Road Mission (Baptist – daughter church of Brighton Road Baptists) opened. |
| 1921 British Broadcasting Company (BBC) founded. (Became Corporation in 1927). | The 7 April fair and 17 and 27 November cattle fairs re-started. War memorial unveiled Horsham’s ancient Parochial charities re-organized[4]. Census records 10 people in Horsham Hospital. Around this date Black Horse Inn took over the Corn Exchange and incorporated the building in its function. By 1921 the Monday Market had ceased. |
| 1922 Wilfred Scawen Blunt, poet and writer, died. | Colonel Warren buys land for Drill Hall, a mixed social and military venue. Not built and opened until 1927. An orchestral society formed in 1922. Horsham Old School Society and Magazine founded (Collyerians). |
| 1923-1924 ‘Mother’s Day’ celebration began in Europe. | Capitol Theatre opened; built by The Blue Flash Cinema. Horsham Hospital opens – the old one converted into a hostel for Collyer’s – also home to its museum. Horsham’s first department store opened.[5] Baptist Church built in Brighton Road – the original church building was sold in 1917. Roman Catholic Church built in Springfield Road, started 1919. Rotarians branch established. By 1923, Oakhill, originally a hamlet in the unenclosed common, started to be surrounded by houses including the 582 built by the Urban District Council. Horsham High School for Girls moves into Tanbridge House in 1924 |
| 1925 | West Sussex County Council sets up library centre in town Hall. Land in Worthing Road sold for development as was Hills Estate in Guilford Road and new houses in Chesworth Lane. |
| 1920s/30s | Some rebuilding of the town centre, including shopping parade in Springfield Road. Horsham Cricket Club buys its ground. Medieval Needles restored in 1920s. Hills Estate rapidly developed. Also development of Chesworth area. Land built on north of Crawley Road, including Council houses. In the 20s Roffey expanded when the population on the ecclesiastical parish grew by 50%, with less growth in the 30s. Horsham acquires 614a east and west of town from Rural District Council, by now 1,891a (765ha). Timber-framed part of Hills demolished with fine panelling. |
| 1928 | A branch library opening twice a week established in Carfax. Some of the central streets in Horsham were one-way because of traffic (West Street, Middle Street, and Carfax Springfield Road had a shopping arcade? (VCH141). Horsham DC buys Park House. Chesworth House bought by Capt. C.R Cook who alters it – enlarges it on the north side, lays out extensive gardens and a new entrance drive – in 47 he buys Denne House. |
| 1929 US Stock Market crash; US securities lose $26 billion in value. Start of worldwide recession and unemployment. | Horsham Market no longer of importance. Livestock sales less than a quarter of those of Chichester, Lewes or Steyning. Horsham Museum moves to Park House. New fire station opened in Horsham Park. |
| 1930 | Horsham Park House becomes known as Park House. 27th September 1930, Horsham Museum opened at Park House. |
| 1931 | 23% of male workforce now work in commerce. 200 people in the town work in the brick industry – but by 39 all the town brickworks closed. Population of the urban district which had been enlarged in 27, now 13,580, the increase during the previous decade within the total area being 2% |
| 1932 | Hurst Avenue laid out, building took place along the Common – Trafalgar Road extended to Guildford Road. |
| 1933 | Electricity laid to Southwater, Broadbridge Heath and Roffey. In 1933 dairy farming was the chief type of farming in the parish, 1,418 dairy cattle, milk supplied to London, north Surrey suburbs and the coast, amount of land under cultivation declined: wheat was down to 300 acres and oats 262a. from 1493 and 1040 respectively in 1875. (Pigs recorded, very few sheep in 1933, and beef production declined, egg production high – 10,000 dozen eggs a week sold at auction in the 30s). New pumping station opened at Whites Bridge – Horsham water supply. New sewage works opened at Hills in 1933, new sewers laid in the town – excavations linked with sewers by Winbolt.[6] Princess Helena Victoria visited Horsham to collect money for YMCA. Primitive Methodist church closed in 1933 in East Street – red brick building[7]. |
| 1934 Works by Horsham artist, Bainbridge Copnall, in SS Queen Mary’s State Rooms. | Cattle only sold in Horsham Market. Horsham Swimming Pool opened in the Park, built by the unemployed of the town. Library moves to St Mark’s Church Hall until 1957, from 1936 Library open full-time. Davies Estate laid out and Rushams Road extended. Free Christian Church restored. |
| 1935 | Carfax Cinema converted into theatre. Later known as the ‘Court Royal’ and finally the ‘Royal’. (Sir Michael Caine made his acting début here). Bus depot opens on site of Arun Steam Mill in Denne Road. Sussex & Dorking United Brick Company formed using Southwater iguanodon as its logo. |
| 1936 | Two ‘super’ cinemas opened, Odeon and Ritz in North Street, both seated over 1,000. The Winter Garden Cinema closed. The Odeon was designed by George Coles (1884 -1963), an architect who was the leading independent cinema designer of the 1930s. He lived at Manning’s Heath where he died in 1963. St Mark’s closed down to help provide for a new church in the east part of the town; the site for the new church had been bought in 1899 – see 1939. |
| 1937 | HDC sells the Chinese wallpaper. CIBA comes to Horsham; the factory built in 1939. |
| 1938 Women’s Voluntary Service – founded. Munich Crisis – Peace in our Time | Railway lines to Three Bridges, Dorking and Chichester electrified, increasing frequency of services to London. New, modern station built. By 1938 Parsonage Road which straddled the railway line partly built up. Rusper Road and Forest Road both now crossed over the District boundary which had been enlarged in 1927. |
| 1939 World War II began. | Population of Horsham 14,900. Masonic Temple built in Denne Road/ Normandy – the Lodge opened in 1828. Brick-built St Leonards Church in Cambridge Road opened, it was not consecrated, served as seating 70. Four train-loads of London evacuees arrived at the station on 1 September. Buses took them to village distribution centres. 2,500 billeted in Horsham. |
POST-WAR HORSHAM – an introduction
The war ended on 11 November 1918, or rather, armistice was agreed, and it would take a further eight months before the War actually ended. In fact, the first armistice was due to last just 36 days, but the agreement made it virtually impossible for Germany to re-start military action.[8] Horsham was now very much part of Britain, the War having created the idea of what in America is now called, with the term now frequently used over here, “Big Government.” Lloyd George, in order to produce enough munitions to fight the War, had ripped apart the rather genteel way of governance, replacing it with a highly-centralized, top-down machine that had Ministries issuing orders and controls in order to win. Although there would be a scaling-back, once “out of the bottle” the state machine would not go back. Partly because people didn’t want it to. The nation needed big government (though in reality, compared with 2010, it would be seen as minor) in order to address the big issues; and the biggest of all was how Britain, the Empire, was going to recover. Was it to build a new state, or try to recover what had been lost: a return to pre-war Britain? In Horsham the issues were more personal, more prosaic, everyone had felt the impact of the War; how Horsham on a personal level addressed that is interesting and remarkable.
One possible effect of the idea of “big Government” and Horsham being integrated into Britain occurred in the local press. Ever since the County Times in its earlier guises came into existence, from the 1870s[9], it had been a source of stories to create the history of Horsham. In Volume 4, the accounts of wartime fundraising helped provide one of the key narratives. Yet, after the War, the paper was remarkably short of news. Yes – in January 1921 it carried a note about Hilaire Anthony Belloc being fined for riding a motorcycle without a light,[10] and yes – the opening of the new cottage hospital was reported on, but page after page is about nothing in particular. That doesn’t mean that things were not happening: as the pages that follow show, they were; but it is as if, after the drama of World War One, everything else was insignificant. It was as if the perspective of what was important had changed and would not appear again for a generation. It might be that the local paper decided that it would glory in the local, the home from home, providing an air of safety in a troubled world, and so extensive coverage of such things as fashion, rather than national stories with localised impact, featured. Whatever the reason, the main local paper; the West Sussex County Times and Standard to give its full title, and, it has to be said, the Parish Magazine, were rather weak in covering what were to become important stories, or providing a sense of perspective.
There is one overarching narrative that needs to be highlighted, forming the backdrop to the following pages of Horsham’s History, and that is the fundamental structural change in Britain’s economy. In 1920s and 30s Britain, there was a major shift in economic power. Whilst London and the City were always economically powerful, it was in the decades following the War that the South, and the South East in particular, became economically important, matched by a decline in what was once Britain’s economic powerhouse. In the years of the agricultural depression, the Dukes of Norfolk had used the wealth generated in the lands of Sheffield to pay for job creation schemes in Sussex and Norfolk. Now you see the south providing charitable help to the north. The miners’ hardship, the shipbuilders’ decline, textile mill unemployment, is illustrate the human scale, the story of this shift from north to south and west to east. Horsham was fortunate in that it lies in the South-East.
The War had cost Britain greatly; its budgets had been transformed from £200m in 1914 to over £2,000m in 1917 and the first post-war budget exceeded £2,500m. Inflation had taken hold, doubling the cost of relevant prices from 1914 to 1917 and tripling them by1920.[11] The actual cost of the War had removed from the local economy much-needed money as it absorbed savings; the constant fundraising for charitable, national and international causes had had an effect. Though it must not be forgotten that some in Horsham did well out of the War, providing board and lodgings for soldiers, locally-made armaments and the increase in farming; after all, the national debt, which rose from £650m to £7.4 billion (an eleven-fold increase in four years), was not spent totally abroad: a lot was spent within Britain; hence the inflation. The actual damage sustained by Britain has been estimated to be at least £570m.
It was, however, the human cost of the war that took its toll. Financial effects can eventually be overcome, but with the death of a son, or sons, whole generational lines of families disappear. When the War ended no-one in Horsham knew how many people from the town had enlisted, or died, or lay injured in a hospital. The Horsham death toll from World War One would be revised upward by 70 in 2009 with the publication of Gary Cooper’s Horsham’s Heroes[12], and even then he is not absolutely certain to have captured all those who died.[13]
The image often portrayed is of “the lost generation”. Some estimates have been made which show around 722,000 military dead, of which 39% were between 20 and 24, and over 22% between 25 and 29. If you include the oft-forgotten pandemic, Spanish flu, that swept Europe in the dying days of World War One, a further 228,000 died in the years 1918 and 19. Yet the population of Britain grew by two million from 1911 to 1921. Statistically, around 12% of the war dead would have died during the period anyway. The War also saw a decline in infant mortality from 24 per 1000 (1914) to 19.5 per 1,000 in 1918, and the mortality rate amongst older women rise by 5% during the War.[14]
In 1911 the population of Horsham was 11,314, by 1921: 11,413[15], so a rise of 99 people, but the nation grew by two million; was, for Horsham, the period of the War a lost decade? Did the War remove from the town those who would have had children? It would make an easy historical point. Without the War, Horsham would have had a significant rise in population. Yet, if you look at the previous decade, 1901 to 1911, the population of the town rose by 359; and the decade before that by 174; and that was after the extension of the size of the urban area in 1901.[16] Horsham had a very long period of slow growth. If those 420 men had not died then Horsham’s population that decade would have grown by 520; assuming not one of those who died in war would have died if they had stayed at home, and also assuming all the other figures had remained true (infant mortality, elderly mortality etc); assumptions which are simply impossible to make.
In 1921 the Medical Officer, Mr. Stanley Child’s, forty-seventh annual report did give some interesting statistics on the death rate and birth rates of Horsham, mainly because in that year the town had its highest birth rate since 1904. He based it on the town’s population being an estimated 11,674, an increase of 57 on the estimated population in 1919. Mr. Child at that time did not have the census: he was awaiting it to be held on 24April that year; it was badly-needed as it would also provide statistics for housing. In the report given in The County Times he noted the following per 1,000 of population:
| Births | Per 1,000 | Deaths | Per 1000 |
| 1911 | 21.1 | 1911 | 13.0 |
| 1912 | 17.7 | 1912 | 12.6 |
| 1913 | 19.5 | 1913 | 14.4 |
| 1914 | 18.4 | 1914 | 13.6 |
| 1915 | 18.4 | 1915 | 16.8 |
| 1916 | 19.5 | 1916 | 17.8 |
| 1917 | 16.3 | 1917 | 15.3 |
| 1918 | 14.4 | 1918 | 17.1 |
| 1919 | 13 | 1919 | 16.1 |
| 1920 | 22.6 | 1920 | 10.9 |
At the end of the report Dr. Child deals with infant mortality, noting that in 1920 the 12 children under one year old who died were all illegitimate. He then sets out in a table how Horsham’s infant mortality rate was also declining over the period, expressed as births per 1000, clearly showing a drop from just over 1% to just over 0.5%.
1900-1904 – 10.2, 1915-1919 – 6.8
1905-1909 – 7.9 1919 – 7.4
1910-1914 – 7.2 1920 – 5.4
We know the actual population for the town in 1921 was some 200 fewer than Mr. Child’s estimate, but the report does show that the town population was static: in 1919 there were 22 excess of births over death; in 1920, 138 (and yes, Mr. Child did record those who were non-residents, adding in six residents who died outside the district).
We cannot know for certain how the psychological impact of the War played out in places like Horsham. We can second-guess, but we don’t know. What impact did the sight of all the injured soldiers walking the streets have; the sense of guilt of the survivors, the sense of death and loss? Though it should be remembered most families had seen death at first-hand as it was a common occurrence; talked about rather than, as today, hidden and not mentioned. What impact did the idea of sacrifice, honour and futility have on the minds of those left? Although we talk of futility and honour, how many saw it as that? We do not know. Then there is the sense of homecoming: returning to a home that could be, should be, or wasn’t, different. And it is the subtle differences, often not recorded, that occurred: “One diplomat said later that when he had left England in 1911, ‘contraceptives were hard to buy outside London or other large cities. By 1919 every village chemist was selling them”[17], or that women now smoked cigarettes.
It is against this backdrop that Horsham’s history re-starts after the shockwave of World War One.
THE END OF THE GREAT WAR
Getting back to normal 1918-19
A month before the Armistice was signed, Horsham Urban District Council applied to the Government to change the method of pumping the water at the waterworks, from steam to electricity. The steam pumps used coal, and coal was in short supply. The Government decided that the work was not a priority, and therefore gave it a B5 certificate; only A4 and above was deemed priority work. The Council appealed, won the appeal and work could now start. That was 6 October 1918.[18] An important date because it shows how electricity was moving out of lighting lamps into a source of power: from the domestic into the industrial sphere. Unfortunately, it would take four years to complete the process[19], but it does mark an important transmission in the idea of electricity.
The degree to which the end of the War surprised people can be seen in the Council minutes. There is no mention, no talk of post-war recovery, of schemes to be laid. Soldiers who were disabled out of the army were to be given preference in employment, but that was a nationally-circulated circular issued in September. In Horsham on November 6 there was a squabble in the Council over who should be on the Food Control Committee. The squabble is revealing, in the composition of those who felt they had a right to be on a committee that decided allocation of food. Horsham had wanted the committee increased from 12 to 15, but the Regional Commissioner had written back telling them that 12 was more than enough for the size of the town, and that of those 12 there should be:
- Three labour representatives
- Two women members
- a Co-operative representative, if the Council again desired to appoint food traders (at present there were three, including one “retired”)
A letter was read from the Horsham Trades Union Council (it should be remembered that during the last years of the War, Trade Unions had increased their membership from 5.5m in 1917 to 6.5m in 1918 and 8m in 1919/20; of these, 1¼ million were women – the labour shortages caused by the War gave unions strong bargaining power[20] – forwarding on a letter sent by that body to the Food Controller suggesting that the following would be a more representative Committee:
- Seven nominated by Local Authority
- Six by accredited labour
- Two representing women’s interests.
They then presented a list of names and who they represented, all bar one, a railwayman in one guise or the other, and one was a postman. Not to be outdone, the Unorganized Labour of Horsham, representing the timber yard, Horsham Engineering Works and Horsham Urban District Council, asked for the re-appointment of Mr. Shearwood as their representative on the committee. The managers of the Horsham Council Schools nominated Miss Ellen Greenin and, from Horsham Women’s Social and Literary Club, Miss L. J. Churchman.[21] The Council voted to appoint the following: Misses Louisa Jane Churchman and Ellen Greenin.
The final Committee membership included the following:
- Two Women’s Representatives: Misses Louisa J. Churchman & Ellen Greenin
- Four Labour Representatives: Thomas Baker, Henry Shearwood, Henry Hutton & Jesse Bone
- Five Councillors: Charles Rowland, Henry Hawkins, Ernest E. Lawrence, Alfred G. Wheeler & Edwin Potter
- One Trade Representative: Percy J. Stanley
Horsham still lacked a cohesive voice: the Council acted and performed duties legally given to it, but there was still no organisation that represented anything like a large group; the town had minority interests, but no majority interests that could mobilise it. There was no large-scale employer, no charitable body that represented a large number. Probably the largest group that saw itself as having a group identity was the Church of England parishioners who attended St Mary’s, so Horsham had to rely on the Council to drive change rather than bottom-up pressure. Was this in part an effect of the War? Those who volunteered first were enthusiastic, with a sense of duty, but those that were conscripted were the young, fit and able; those who were left didn’t have the energy, drive or passion – there were no natural leaders, except the Council, or those that returned from the War, but they would take time to face the new campaigns.
The first campaign that raised passions and interest was how those that survived the War should mark those that died and how the sacrifice should be recorded. The questioning of the futility of the War could be drowned out by the discussion on how people should be remembered, whilst those that suffered direct loss could seek comfort in the high regard their sons were held. A public monument; after all, monuments were erected to great victories in cities from time immemorial, be it a hall, hospital or statue in their honour. So it was 11 days after Armistice, and a day after the A.G.M. of Comrades of the Great War, held in Horsham Town Hall, where one of the aims of that body, though non-political, was to stop the returning men being urged to revolution by “paid agitators who railed against capitalists and the classes” by addressing their grievances through a legally-constituted publicly-supported body, as a blind Captain Appleby told a gathering at the King’s Hall, a few days earlier.[22]
On 22 November a Special Meeting was called of the Council to discuss “the desirability of taking steps for the provision of a permanent memorial to the men of Horsham who had fallen in the War”. At the meeting, the Chairman (Mr. Rowland) submitted a design which had been forwarded to him for a memorial obelisk in granite with the names of the fallen for an estimated cost of £500. It was decided, however, “that a public meeting be held for the purpose of considering the subject and that the Council submit to such a meeting a proposal that the memorial be an obelisk in the Carfax with names on.” It was also proposed on December 6 that the Clerk write to the War Office for four captured enemy guns to be utilized in connection with the War Memorial. It is unlikely that the guns were to be incorporated into the memorial; more that the “big” guns would help in fundraising, though the minutes are unclear on this. What they were offered, though, were the following captured weapons: 1 German machine gun (damaged), 1 German machine gun ammunition box, and 1 German machine gun ammunition belt. Not something to get the pulses racing and wallets open. The offer was rejected. As for the War Memorial, that story is told separately in this history.[23]
However, the story of being offered weapons doesn’t end in January 1919. On 26 March 1919 the minutes report that a letter was read from the Controller of the National War Savings Committee offering Horsham a tank, in recognition of the part played by Horsham War Savings Committee (see below for an account of the fundraising). It was proposed by Mr. Riley, and seconded by Mr. Pannett, “that the Council accepts the tank”; the motion was lost, though not without much discussion as to why would the town would want “one of those big hideous things”. The Clerk, Sam. Mitchell, had investigated the size of the tank on offer – 30ft by 13 ft, and 9 ft high, weighing 26 tons[24] – and at that time the only land the Council could put it on was the Carfax; it didn’t have the Park then.[25]
In the meantime, back in 1918, the Council had to address the issue of the Spanish Flu epidemic and the forthcoming election of the new parliamentary seat of the Horsham and Worthing Division. Spanish Flu occurred in two waves; it had largely been ignored in history books as the death toll became part of the bleak picture of the War, yet it killed more people worldwide, but with the awareness of Bird Flu in the early years of this millennium, it started to gain in the historical consciousness. The scale of the epidemic was such that an estimated 3-6% of the world’s population died because of it, and the mortality rate is estimated at anywhere between 10 and 20%, so a vast number of the world’s population was sick with the flu at the same time[26]. In Horsham the Urban District Council continued its role in providing health information and acting as the last resort. The logbook of Horsham High School records: “July 11 to 15 Miss Findlay absent with influenza. Many pupils absent through influenza + bad weather.”[27] Spanish Flu, so-named because Spain, which was neutral at the time, had a free press and it covered the story in greatest detail, was first noted in Glasgow in May 1918, reaching London by June.[28] Unlike most flu, Spanish flu attacked the young rather than the old, the fit rather than the unhealthy, and spread in the summer rather than winter. And when it did attack, people could die in a day. In a letter dated 29 September 1918, published in the British Medical Journal in 1979, Professor Roy Grist, a Glasgow physician, described the deadly impact of the infection. “It starts with what appears to be an ordinary attack of la grippe. When brought to the hospital, (patients) very rapidly develop the most vicious type of pneumonia that has ever been seen. Two hours after admission, they have mahogany spots over the cheek bones, and a few hours later you can begin to see the cyanosis (blueness due to lack of oxygen) extending from their ears and spreading all over the face. It is only a matter of a few hours then until death comes and it is simply a struggle for air until they suffocate. It is horrible.”[29]
The horror of this didn’t stop the children in the playgrounds of Britain singing a skipping song:
‘I had a little bird
Its name was Enza
I opened the window,
And in-flu-enza’
In late October/early November 1918 a circular had been received by the Council from the Local Government Board forwarding copy of a Memorandum on epidemic catarrh and influenza prepared by its Medical Officer and suggesting the publication of precautions and instructions based on the memorandum for use in the District. By November 6 the Clerk could report that he had distributed the poster around the town, whilst the Medical Officer of Health, Dr Rawdon Wood, had written a letter to the Council in reference to the prevalence of the epidemic in Horsham and the precautions to be taken. This, though, was too late at Horsham High School where the logbook records:
“Oct. 22nd Closed school for a longer half term as 25% of girls absent from influenza, + Miss Wagstaff still absent (tending her sick father) Miss Walker Student teacher also absent. Oct.29 Reopened School. Miss Wagstaff still absent (her father died on Oct. 27) 30 pupils absent through influenza.” [30]
Although the Council could do little in the way of providing direct assistance, it at least understood the scope of the problem and provided its residents with the information to help. Across the country Councils were spraying streets with disinfectant, closing meeting halls and shutting theatres. Unfortunately, the Council minutes do not record any such actions by Horsham Urban District Council. The Waterworks and Lighting Committee minutes of 19 October do, though, record the effect of the flu on its limited staff. The plumber, Mr. Child, who was running the Waterworks machinery in the absence of the engineman, Freeland, was taken ill with influenza. Temporary assistance was obtained from Messrs Holloway to do the pumping until 21 October when Freeland was able to resume work. Three days later, on the 24th, the plumber’s mate, Whitington, also fell ill with influenza, so that Freeland was then the only one of the Waterworks staff capable of duty. In December the Government issued a circular concerning regulations placed on public entertainments.[31]
However, one such gathering that people did not want to miss out on was the Armistice celebrations. The High School for Girls pupils were taken to Church at 12[32] and, as reported above, much of the town celebrated. Nationally this led to a second wave of infection. A week before Armistice was called, the News of the World 3 November 1918, suggested ways to combat the epidemic:
“Wash inside nose with soap and water each night and morning; force yourself to sneeze night and morning, then breathe deeply. Do not wear a muffler; take sharp walks regularly and walk home from work; eat plenty of porridge.”[33]
On Saturday 14 December 1918 polling took place throughout the country. Horsham was amalgamated with Worthing creating a new constituency. There were now 44,000 electors and, for the first time, women. In 1918 there were 5.3m men in trade unions, who as mentioned above were in a strong position due to labour shortages, and 4.4m in the armed forces, and they were deemed to have the right to earn the vote. So all men over 21 and all soldiers, regardless of their age, got the vote. The male electorate now stood at 12m. If the suffrage was given to women on the same basis, there would be more women than male voters. This was too much to swallow so the vote was given to all women over 30 on condition that they were local government electors or wives of local government electors. In effect, if you were over 30 and a householder you got the vote, so the housewife ruled; whereas those who often manned the munitions factory: the single, young and living at home with the parents, didn’t.[34] And the majority voted for Lloyd George and the Coalitionists who had over 500 MPs, of whom over 380 were Conservative including Earl Winterton who won the new seat.
However, the election campaign and the election itself were according to the County Times, “the dullest election on record, partly due to the execrable weather”. Apparently less than 30% of those on the register took the trouble to vote. Folk were in the main apathetic, but thanks to the women voters there were glints of humour and some life at times. There was no keenness shown, perhaps because the result was a forgone conclusion. That hadn’t stopped Turnour sending out a copy of his Election Address, with a photograph of him, wearing the uniform of a Major, to every elector. His opponent was Mr. Emmanuel Michel Rodocanachi, of Worthing, who was well-known in City and shipping circles, but less so in Horsham. The election has gone down as the Khaki Election, as a large number of voters were still in uniform serving overseas. Although for the first time the country as a whole voted on the same day, rather than spread out as previously, the count didn’t take place till Saturday December 28, owing to the delay in collecting all the votes.
Within Horsham there was still a strong desire to support the idea of the War. Whether this was guilt by those who didn’t fight is impossible to know, but on December 28 a public meeting was held to discuss how Horsham could help fund the cost of the War, or rather help pay off some of the debt; various ideas were raised. The idea of a “gun week” was rejected but a Council-run Special War Savings Week starting December 16 was taken up, with appeals to the public to invest in War Bonds or War Saving Certificates during the week “as a Special Thank Offering for victory”. It was later reported that £6,500 had been subscribed through the banks and £800 through the post office. There was still a great deal of money within the community, perhaps the profits of war.[35]
A Land Fit for Heroes – Jobs, money and houses
A “Land fit for Heroes” is one of the most well-known sayings about the aftermath of the War, especially as Lloyd George had used it extensively during his election campaign of 1918. Yet how, in Horsham, was this to be? The first thing on the agenda was the returning soldiers who expected their jobs back. Actually, though, for one lady it was marriage. As the logbook of Horsham High School for Girls records, “November 12 Miss Findlay absent to be married – she has leave for a fortnight”. And on 27 November she returns as “Mrs Pool (nee Miss Findlay)”[36]. On 1 January 1919 Horsham Urban District Council had a request by Lieut. A. S. Garman, formerly an assistant in the surveyor’s office, asking for his old job back and what salary he might expect as he had been away fighting for years and had risen in the ranks. A month later the Council faced further requests: Mr. E Davies, a former switchboard attendant, was claimed by the electrical engineer from the army and reinstated, at 40s a week. Mr. D. Holmes was discharged from the army so he could continue his pupilage, Mr. Pullen, formerly office assistant, was now taken on as Meter assistant, whilst Mr. William Morrin, who had been on active service, wanted to return. Not only was there pressure to take back former staff, but the Government wanted the Council to take on new staff, officers, to train them for 12 months as Electrical Engineers at no cost and with no requirement to employ them afterwards.
The one problem with taking the staff back was that those that were doing the work were then made redundant, and in Horsham, and elsewhere in the country, that often meant women. At the 26 March 1919 council meeting it was noted that as “the nightshift at the Electricity Works would be discontinued about the end of April, the services of Miss Evans, Switchboard attendant might be dispensed with. As none of the regular male switchboard attendants had yet returned it was proposed to retain the services of Miss Jupp, the senior switchboard attendant for the present.”[37] It was reported at the 16July Council meeting that “Jesse Dale Junior formerly employed as a carter had resumed work in the Surveyors Department in his discharge from the army and was at present engaged as a labourer at 6 half pence an hour. He was the last of the Councils men who would be returning all of whom recommenced work as soon as they wished to do so.”[38]
Not only did the Council feel obligated to take back soldiers who had served, but so did businesses in Horsham. This caused tension, as those in employment had to leave. Ideally the economy would be growing at such a rate that the company could employ both, but that wasn’t the case with post-war Horsham, or Britain. However, that didn’t stop some employers such as William Albery, the saddler, who had served for a short while, taking on unemployed soldiers as he felt sorry for them.[39]
Not only did the solders want their old job back; they also wanted the new pay rates. As labour was in short supply during the War, rates of pay rose which led to an inflationary cycle. The minutes of the Council meetings are full of requests for more money, often negotiated on a case-by-case basis, though occasionally it was carried out across the Council. One such incident took place in September 1919, as the table below shows. In August the Workers Union on behalf of Council members wanted an increase in wages of 30/- per week above pre-War rates and a reduction in hours to 48 without reduction in pay. A communication was received by the Council from the Joint Industrial Council for Local Authorities Non Trading Services (manual workers), recommending that “the working week shall be not more than 47 hours a week, exclusive of meal times. Overtime at time and a quarter first three hours, time half after that and double time Sunday, and a minimum of 12 days holiday with pay as well as recognised holidays”. This led to the Council discussing the issue, and in September agreeing rates on a case-by-case basis. The other key agreement was that employees should get one week’s paid holiday a year and, should Bank Holiday be worked, it should be paid at single rate. In total the changes cost the Council an additional £370 a year.
EMPLOYEES OF THE COUNCIL WITH RESPECTIVE RATES OF PAY
| Name | Occupation | Rates & hours | New rate (revised rate) | Old pre- war rate |
| Freeland | Waterwork Engineer | 63/- full week | 84/- 6 days service. (74/- for 6 days service) | 42/- |
| Etheridge | General foreman | 56/- and rent free house 1/- per hour 56 hours | 64/- flat rate and rent free house. (63/- flat rate rent free house) | 42/2d |
| Child | Waterworks plumber | 56/- 1/-per hour | 60/- 1/3 per hour (56/- 1/2per hour) 48hours | 35/- |
| Whitington | Plumbers mate | 42/- 9d per hour 56 hours | 44/- 11d per hour 48hours (44/- 11d) | 23/4d |
| Penfold | Roller Driver | 46/8 d 10d 56 hours | 52 – 1/1d per hour (48/-1/-) | 30/4d |
| Etheridge | Brick layer | 39/8d 81/2d 56hours | 56/- 1/2d per hr 48 hrs (no change) | 35/- |
| Hillman | Head Carman | 46/8 9 1/2d per hour 59 hours | 53/3d to include extra stable duties & Sunday work (50/- to include above) | 24/11d |
| 5 Carmen | 44/3d 9d per h 59hrs | 48/- 1/-per hr 48hrs. (45/- flat rate) | 22/- | |
| 8 General labourers | 39/8d 8 1/2d per 56 hours | 44/- 11d per hour 48hrs ( no change) | 21/- | |
| 3 General labourers | 37/4d 8d 56 hours | 40/- 10d per 48 hours (38/- 9 1/2d per 48 hours) | 19/2d | |
| 1 General labourer | 35/- 7d per hr 56 hrs | 38/- 9 1/2d per hr 48 hr (no change) | 19/2d | |
| 2 Scavengers | 39/8d 8 1/2d per 56 hours | 48/- 1/- per hr 48 hrs ( 46/11 1/2d | 21/1d | |
| 1 Scavenger | 37/4d 8d per hr 56 hrs | 46/- 11 1/2d 48 hr week ( 44/- 11d per hr) | 19/2d | |
| 1 Scavenger | 35/- 7 1/2d per hr 56 hrs | 44/- 11d per hr 48 hrs ( 42/- 10 1/2d per hour | 19/2d | |
| Parsons | Town Hall keeper | 37/6 per week | 42 flat rate (40/- flat rate) | 25/- |
| Baker | Engine Man | 47/3 and house (7 days) | 58/- flat rate and house (55/- and house) | 28/- |
| Waters | Tank man | 37/6d 7 days | 45/- flat rate (no change) | 25/- |
| 2 scavengers | Sunday work | 1/- each for time worked (3 men) | 2/- each for two men | – |
On 17 September they also included other staff for the electricity works.
| Chandler | Fitter driver | 50/- plus 6/- war bonus 11 1/4d (54hrs) | 60/- 1/3d per hour 48hrs | 27/6 as engine driver |
| 2 stokers | 37/2d 8d (56 hrs) | 46/ 11 1/2d per hr 48 hrs | 27/- | |
| 1 stoker | 34/11 7. 1/2d (56 hrs) | 44/- 11d | 25/- | |
| Brown | Lamptrimmer | 36/-8d(56hrs) | 44/- 11d | 22/6d |
| New stoker | 44/- 11d |
The other remarkable change was the reduction in hours of the standard working week, from 56 to 48 hours a week. This would have social, political and economic implications and for Horsham, as elsewhere, greatly expand leisure time. There was now time to go to cinemas, to take up rambling, gardening, allotments, as well as self-education which meant that people in Horsham could now use the newly-opened W.E.A. hall in the Carfax. This, though, didn’t stop the frequent requests for pay rises.
It is, however, the other major plank in making a land fit for heroes that affected Horsham: the creation of council housing. Christopher Addison had hatched a plan for council housing in 1917/18 and, following the Coalition election victory in 1918, the plan was put into operation with Addison becoming Minister of Health in 1919.[40] The reasons why the Government would invest in housing, although at arms-length, by providing ‘subsidy per house rather than direct funding’, is a question outside the reach of this narrative, but the idea of home and electoral vote was strong within British politics; granting votes to women providing they were home owners in 1918 is one such example; the idea of giving community stability by tying people to a place rather than being feckless itinerants and the fear of the Communist revolution spreading post-1918 Revolution all played their part. Council housing was now part of Horsham’s Council agenda and would emerge as one of the main stories of the 1920s and 30s, the Council building houses throughout the town. Rather than cover every housing development and all the issues of funding, obtaining grants, costs etc. for each estate or development, which would make a worthy study for an undergraduate dissertation, the following looks at the building of the first estate, Oakhill, which still exists today. The minutes of the Council reveal in fascinating detail the negotiations, financial problems and design considerations that went into building the houses. It is set out in some detail because for the Council it was a major development and reflects well on the Council, as it took advantage of a situation, which the report will show didn’t last long, owing to the debt burden of the 1st World War. However, as the history shows, once the Council had started, it continued for the next twenty years to exploit any grant or loan opportunity to play an active role in building houses.
Building homes for heroes
The following story is based on the Council minutes; it is told chronologically, but separately from other events happening in Horsham.
The story begins on 28 November 1918.
A circular was sent round from Local Government Board impressing on local authorities to have prepared schemes of public work that could be undertaken when materials and funding became available.[41] Apart from asking if there was any public housing it also asked the more difficult question, for in reality it was asking about policy: if the Council was prepared to provide any necessary houses for working classes for its district, or have a housing scheme. For whatever the answer, yes or no, the Council would have to think about it and create a policy. So the Council agreed to have a meeting with local house builders and house agents. On 1 January 1919 it was reported that the meeting decided there was a need for working class houses and that 20 should be built – but that private companies could not do it owing to increased cost of building material and labour. The Council should find the site and employ an architect if thought necessary.
Following on from this, and probably from other statements from other Local Authorities, West Sussex County Council proposed holding a conference at Horsham on February 28 to discuss the question of housing in the County. Here we are seeing a strategic element to social provision, a realisation, brought about by the War, that whilst provision of housing for local people might be locally delivered, there had to be some strategic thinking because, for example, over- or under-provision could put a strain on neighbouring authorities.
Special Meeting 5 March 1919
At this meeting The Local Government Board revised scheme of financial assistance – for provision of houses for working classes was discussed. It should be remembered that we are not talking about ownership of homes; the housing landscape in 1919 was different from that of 2010, so buying Council housing, joint equity schemes etc., were not even dreams, but creating additional homes for rent. Around 10% of the homes in Britain were owner-occupied; homes for rent was the normal expectation. In addition there was no real expectation that the private sector would provide social housing: the private sector was crippled by staff and labour shortages, lack of capital etc.
Mr. Hurst, whose family had in 1911 tried to sell large tracts of land around Horsham, had offered a piece of freehold land in Oak Hill Road, some three acres, now used for allotment purposes, for £750 or with two cottages known as Dog Kennel Cottages with gardens attached thereto, making a quarter of an acre for £1250. The Committee decided the land was excellent – it would take 40 houses – but £500 for the two cottages was too high so they declined. Instead they offered £1050, which Hurst declined, letting it be known he would accept £1100, which Committee agreed with. In addition Mr. Hurst would provide a strip of land of sufficient width for a new road.
26 March
The Women’s Citizens Association of Horsham forwarded a report issued by the Women’s Housing Sub Committee that set out recommendations as to what the housewife would like to see in new houses.
23 April
The Special Housing Committee reported that the Housing Commissioner for the District viewed the site and agreed it was a good purchase, but wanted the Council to obtain the option to buy the land fronting the south side and adjoining the new proposed road (about 540 feet with a 150 feet depth). Mr. Hurst agreed at a rate of £250 an acre, providing he retained a strip of land to give him access to his land. Total price for new strip £470 – The Council Committee recommended purchase.
They also recommended the appointment of Mr. C. B. Godman (LRIBA) of Bank Chambers, Horsham, as architect, who agreed on a fee of 5% on the first 12 houses and half that on the remainder. Mr. Godman was related to the Godmans of South Lodge, Lower Beeding, and would, with the practice that took his name, Godman & Kay, in the 1920s and 30s be involved with numerous developments in the town, from the Drill Hall to the Capitol Cinema.
The Council would ask the Local Government Board to sanction the purchase at a total cost of £1630. However, the Brighton District Valuation Officer valued the land at £1200, without the two cottages which he considered “not of sufficient value to retain as they were very old and considerably out of repair”; also, it would make it more economical if the cottages were removed.
18 June
The Council minutes reported that Mr. Godman’s plans, which showed the layout of the land and types of houses proposed, were on display in the town. Various comments received including supply of hot water for the baths.
16 July
Mr C. B. Godman, architect for the Council’s Housing scheme, forwarded plans estimates and specifications which were approved, and a request was made to the Local Government Board for the sanction to borrow £44,000, the estimate to build 60 houses. In order to seek the loan, the Council had to show it had the means to pay back the money and that the rental for the properties would be affordable by the classes they were intended. So at the meeting they decided upon the following:
The weekly rentals for Oakhill:
£600 house 9s per week rates and water extra
£720 “ 10.6s “ “ “
£780 “ 12.0s
£800 “ 13.0s
13 August 1919
The District Valuer reported that the Oakhill land was valued £1,400 – the purchase being free of the great tithe but subject to the Viceral tithe. The Council applied for a loan to buy the land.
10 September
By now the poor state of Government finances was becoming all too apparent and there was obvious fear that funding would be withdrawn. This fear was fully justified when The Public Works Loan Board sent a letter asking the Council to seek the loan from the open market. The Clerk reported back to the Council on the measures taken to comply with the request. However, there was difficulty in raising money from the money markets. The Public Works Loan Board said it would reconsider (note: no guarantee of a loan – only ‘reconsider’) the matter if the scheme was recommended by the Ministry of Health, which it did, under the Housing and Town Planning Act, and the Council forwarded the sanction of the Ministry for borrowing the money. However, the Council wanted to get on with the scheme so a suggestion was put forward that the land should be bought by temporarily paying for the land from the District Fund, which was agreed.
The only other matter to resolve was what happened to the allotments at Oakhill. The land agents, King and Chasemore, stated that suitable land immediately east of the old Depot and Magazine in Depot Road, at present under the occupation of Mr. Peter Nightingale, might, if approved by the Council, be offered for allottees from the Oakhill site by Council Housing scheme. The allottees were also given 1/- per rod compensation for lost plants and manure.
Now the Council had the land, all it had to do was build the houses to the design and specification of the architects – this is where the ‘virtual’ hits ‘reality’. The Council had asked the architect to manage the process as part of its fees. So it was that on 10September 1919 tenders were sought from local builders for the first 18 houses. From:
Horsham: Hillman & Murrell, Rowland Bros., George Potter, Murrell Bros
Crawley: J. Longley & Co, Cook & Sons, Bartley & Ward
Burgess Hill: Norman and Burt
Cowfold: Fowler Bros.
Byfleet: Tarrant Bros.
8 October 1919
They had four weeks in which to reply and, by 8October, only six had, with James Longley of Crawley being the most expensive at £21.559, and R. Cook and Sons of Crawley the cheapest at £17,850. But even the cheapest was more expensive than the original estimates, so the architect had to renegotiate the estimates. But this took time, which led to a number of Councillors raising concerns or thoughts, including using the army huts at Roffey camp as an emergency measure in connection with the Council’s housing scheme.
21 October 1919
At this meeting the Chairman submitted plans and estimates received from the National Improved Housing Company for houses built in concrete, suggesting an alternative design for the housing scheme. This matter would be referred back to Housing Committee, which he did on 5 November after viewing cottages built by this method. In the meantime the architect had looked into the costing from Cooks for the houses and could report back that a reduction of £1789 16s for the 18 houses was found – the price of “B” cottages would be £1560 per pair, and type “D” £1885 per pair.
3 December 1919
Horsham District Council was quite advanced in its desire for housing provision: the Government had set out in the Housing and Town Planning Act of 1919 a requirement that each local authority produce a survey of housing need within three months of the passing of the Act. So it was that on 3 December the Council received the detailed survey. This is given below in full as it is the first full survey of housing need in Horsham. Remarkably (or not, as it is clear that Horsham District Council had a clear idea of what was required before the survey was requested), the number of houses inhabited by two families which were designed to only house one: 57, matched the number being built: 60.
Section 1: Prevailing Conditions Affecting Shortage of Houses
Population
- Pre-War population (1914): 11,499
- Annual average increase in population for the five years before the war: 61
- Estimated present population: 11,341
- Anticipated increase or decrease of working class population due to industrial changes – none
Existing Housing accommodation
- Number of dwelling houses in the district: 2,543
- Number of working class house: 1,680
- Average number of working class houses built annually during the five years before the War: 20
- Number of working class houses built between 1 January 1915 and 31 December 1918: 9
Overcrowding
- Tenements with more than two occupants per room:
- Number of Tenements: 14
- Total number of occupiers: 119
- Number of houses intended for one family only which are now occupied (without having been specially adapted) by two or more families: 57
Section II Estimate of housing needs
Working class houses required during the next three years to:
a) Meet the unsatisfied demand for houses (taking account of growth of population, overcrowding, etc): 59
b) Replace other dwellings which are unfit for human habitation and cannot be made fit: 7
Total: 66
Section III – areas which are being, or may have to be, dealt with as unhealthy under Part I or Part II of the Act of 1890
Area. Normandy
¼ acre
9 houses
40 inhabitants
Section IV – Insanitary Houses (other than houses in unhealthy areas of which particulars are given in Section III
Prevailing conditions
(1) Number of houses in the district which are not and cannot be made fit for human habitation: 7
(2) Number of persons inhabiting these houses: 30
(3) Houses seriously defective but can be made habitable: 46
Section VI Scheme of the Horsham Urban District Council for the Provision of New Houses under Section I of the Housing Town Planning Act 1919
- Approximate number of new houses to be provided: 60
- Approximate acreage of land to be acquired: 5½
- Average number of houses per acre, About: 12
At the committee meeting the Council received the full report on the building of the houses out of concrete, after holding several meetings with the National Improved Housing Company Limited, and received definite and inclusive quotation to carry out the erection of 60 cottages per Company’s plans providing for workmanship and material according to Ministry of Health specification but with a few amendments to conform with the “condual” concrete system.
TENDERS FOR BUILDING COUNCIL HOUSES
| Council Plans | Company | Designs | ||
| B type Non Parlour Cottage | D Type with Parlour Cottage | Non Parlour Cottage | Parlour Cottage | |
| National Improved Housing Company Ltd (Concrete construction ** | £710 | £900 | £700 | £775 |
| Messrs Cook & Son (brick construction as per amended plans) * | £744.59 | £845.15.3d |
*Messrs Cook amended the tender after the meetings with the architect, for 10 cottages “B” type and 8 cottages “D” type total: £14,208. 19.8d.
**The tender for the concrete houses is conditional upon the entire contract for 60 houses being placed with the Company. The other plus point for the concrete houses: the Condual Company could, however, construct all 60 houses in 6 months from signing the contract. The brick construction required 15 months in which to build 60 cottages.
The Committee also had to revisit the question of rents, as the Ministry of Health stipulated that the commencing rent should be based on prevailing rents of similar existing houses taking into account any superiority of the condition or amenity of the new houses. The new rents were now established at:
Non-Parlour type
Present commencing 11/- per week increasing 6d per week annually to 14/-
Parlour type
Rent commencing at 13/- per week increasing 6d per week to 16/-
With tenant paying rates &c.
31 December 1919
On New Year’s Eve the Council met, when it was reported by the Housing Committee that several builders were now interested in building the remaining 42 houses in Oakhill in sections; the scheme was simply too large for one builder to tackle alone. The Committee decided to ask for tenders whilst also considering the following:
The National Improved Housing Comp Ltd submitted the following based on the architects designs:
36 cottages non parlour at: £700 each, total being £25,200
24 cottages parlour at: £800 each, total being £19,200
Total £44,400
Messrs Cook & Sons Brick construction:
36 cottages (non parlour) at £737.13s 7d each, total being £26, 452 .1s 0d
24 cottages (parlour) at £823.12s 9d each, total being £19, 767. 6s 0d
Total £46, 219. 7s 0d
28 January
When a vote was put to the Committee for construction in concrete, the Committee went for brick-built, with the first 18 to be built by Cook & Son. And the remaining 42 to be negotiated with various builders providing they did not exceed the price upon which the first 18 cottages was based. This gave the work to more builders, thus helping the local economy, rather than in the hands of one, and it might see the houses being built more quickly.
The architects, Wheeler and Godman, obviously felt proud of their scheme as they asked and were given permission to exhibit their designs at the Ideal Home Exhibition in Olympia that February.
30 January 1920
The Council signed the tender for Oakhill and for Cook & Sons to start building the houses and also agreed to borrow the £15,000 from the Public Works Loan Board.
25 February
Everything was signed and sealed – what could go wrong? Well, on 25 February the Council received a shock when a letter was read from the Quantity Surveyor, Mr Douglas Harris, asking for payment of his account for professional services rendered in connection with the housing scheme amounting to £278. 6s 6d. This, the Council felt, was excessive and unjust, even though the rate of pay had been set out by the Ministry of Health and Housing. The Council felt it should have cost less than £50, and that it would write to the Prime Minister and the member for the division, Lord Winterton. If it had to pay it, the clerk would be delegated to do so; in effect acknowledging its hands were tied. The Committee also received the tenders for the remaining 42 houses:
R. Cook & Sons 18 cottages Type “B” at £787.13. 4d total cost £14,178
G. Potter 10 “A” at £783.00.0d £ 7,830
Rowland Bros. 8 “ D” at £960.00.0d* £ 7,680
Hoad & Taylor 4 “A” at £787.00.0d £3,148
* plus about £20 per cottage for drainage
The prices were too high and so further negotiations were undertaken, and on 24 March it was reported that:
Rowland Bros 18 cottages “B” at £779
G Potter 10 cottages “A” at £745
Hoad and Taylor 4 cottages “A” at £756
Whilst all the discussion has been about Oakhill development the Council was in negotiations for the development of six cottages in Rusper Road. It was an opportunistic development in that the Council had been offered the land cheaply and had tendered for building, with Messrs. Murrell Bros having won the tender. Having re-looked at the prices they realised that they had underestimated and instead of the agreed price of £676 10s each, it should be £83 more, or £759 10s. The Council argued unless it was at the agreed price the scheme should be cancelled. Murrell refused to build the cottages at that price. Back at Oakhill everything was signed and sealed with the final prices agreed, with reductions, on 21 April 1921, of:
Rowland Bros 18 cottages £14,022
G Potter 10 £7,450
Hoad and Taylor 4 £3,024
26 May 1920
But by now the nation was in the grip of post-war recession, the boom had come and gone and finances were in a very poor state. On 26 May the Clerk reported to the Council that they had had difficulty obtaining the consent of the Ministry of Health to borrow the whole of the sum applied for and agreed by the Housing Commissioner. The Council had little more it could do but to agree that, if the consent was not forthcoming, it would suspend building operations. It was a tense time.
11 June 1920
The reply from the Ministry of Health stating that a recommendation has been made to the Public Works Loan Commissioner to lend the Council £26,000 for the erection of working class dwellings. However, the loan would only be made providing that the Council would use every endeavour to raise the funds – and proof of this would be with the suggested issuing of Housing Bonds, for which they would need the permission from Ministry of Health. The bonds scheme, for which the Council circulated a prospectus, proved to be elusive and not possible; the Council had to rely on a loan, and it was now a matter of waiting.
20 August 1920
It was in August 1920 that the Public Works Loan was agreed: the Council would be lent £24,000 at 6% interest subject to reversion when a permanent rate could be fixed, repayable in 60 years. Oakhill could now be built. When the scheme was completed on 28 June 1922 the average cost of houses was £978.
At the same meeting (18 June 1919) it was noted that a letter and a telegram received from Mr. Austen Chamberlain, Chancellor of the Exchequer, were read asking for the co-operation of the Council in making the “Victory Loan Campaign” a great success in this town. Clearly the fundraising lessons learnt during the War hadn’t been forgotten and, equally, the town, even after five years of war, had hidden depths of financial reserves.
Horsham was attempting to build homes fit for heroes, literally and metaphorically, as the Council undertook more and more work within the social sphere, improving basic facilities. One such facility was electricity, and the other was the provision of water and sewage. As the report mentioned above, there were some 2,500 houses within Horsham Urban District, yet in 1920 there were only 951 consumers of electricity. At the same meeting (3 December 1919) the Council’s Electrical Engineer suggested that electric lighting should be extended to the whole of Roffey. This is important because we are now starting to see Horsham Urban District Council starting to take on the role of leader within the region. The role had been implied for centuries but now, and as we shall see, throughout the 1920s and beyond, the neighbouring villages, in order to take up the benefits of modern life, had to become part of Horsham’s direct sphere of influence. Some ten years later when Horsham put forward an ambitious plan to be regional supplier of electricity, its competitors were Brighton or Guildford.
At the start of 1919 the town had to work out how to mark the Peace Celebrations. The month before, in December, the Horsham Cricket Week Decoration Committee offered to the Council its flags and decorations for the forthcoming Peace Celebrations. This was followed by a Report of the Waterworks and Lighting Committee which noted that “lamps required for the Peace Illuminations, the scheme would take approximately 1400 lamps, there were in stock about 430 lamps which were being varnished the proper colours. That 472 second hand lamps had been obtained at a low price and the balance of about 500 lamps were being bought”. Yet nothing happened. Peace was a long time coming. Not that it was necessarily a forgone conclusion that peace would occur in 1919, for all that had been signed was an armistice, not an end to the War.[42]
In January of that year the Paris Peace conference opened which would eventually lead to peace and the creation of the League of Nations. Some 10 days later, on 29 January, the Council agreed to request Miss L. J. Churchman for two representatives of the Council to attend a public demonstration in support of the League of Nations, such was the degree of nationwide sense of hope for the new proposed organisation. At the public meeting on Tuesday 4 February Sir George Paish spoke to a packed house at the Albion Hall. According to the County Times, which gave an almost verbatim report of Sir George’s speech, the meeting represented all sections of the community. On the platform was Earl Winterton, M.P. for Horsham and Worthing, The Vicar of Horsham, Miss L. J. Churchman (Hon. Sec.), Revs. Reynolds, Wells, Penman, Marten and Greenwood, Major Turner, Capt. Williams (League of Union Headquarters) and various others. “The platform representation in fact, covered the following:- Adult School, Brotherhood, Sisterhood, Y.M.C.A., Free Church Council, local clergy, Free Church ministers, Liberal Association, Conservative and Unionist Association, the Workers Educational association, Women’s Citizen Association, and the Urban District council. The stewards of the demonstration were members of the Trades and Labour Council”. The Chairman, Mr. Rowland, introduced Sir George as an authority on the League. Sir George then proposed the following resolution:
“That this meeting pledges itself to support the movement for a League of Nations for securing the world’s permanent peace by adopting proposals set forth in the speeches and declarations of President Wilson.” Sir George then set out the reason for the League before going on to the area he knew best: the economic impact and factors. Here Sir George concentrated on wheat production, pointing out how Germany had managed to restrict the amount of wheat grown, but owing to good providence America and Canada had bumper harvests that made up to a large extent the shortfall. In response to a question from the floor about America coming in late to fight the war, Sir George revealed that “at the very beginning of the war, when the business of the whole world was stopped, he had the privilege of going to America in regard to the exchange difficulty. When he came back he reported to the Government that 95% of the American people were on our side….He told the government that he had been assured that if ever England wanted America to come into the war she had only to say so and she would come….” At the end of the event in giving a response to the vote of thanks, Sir George noted that he had left Horsham when he was a 9 year old boy, not returning to the town till now, apart from hurried visits to see friends. The meeting also saw the establishment of a Horsham Branch of the Union
Unbeknownst to many of those demonstrating support for the League of Nations, for his name wasn’t mentioned once, was the work being carried out by Horsham-born scion of the Hurst family, Cecil Hurst. A brilliant legal mind, he worked behind the scenes with American lawyers to establish a workable legal framework for a Peace Treaty and a Court of International Justice, which he would eventually head.[43]
The Y.M.C.A. which was active in the meeting was also active at this time in drumming up support for a new building for the Horsham branch. The site in London Road had been secured some time previously; now in February they launched an appeal seeking funds to “establish an up-to-date building as a religious, educational and recreational centre, with its lecture and entertainment hall, spacious rooms for library, gymnastics, &c.” as the report in the County Times announced.[44] Life was definitely getting back to normal, as in March the Museum Society held its second quarterly meeting in the Town Hall; along with a lecture there was an exhibition, not of artifacts collected by the Museum, but “almost entirely of a large and fine collection of paintings and drawings lent by Mr George Mann, most of them his own workmanship. Several of them had been selected with a view to display some of the now extinct features of old Horsham.” The Museum today has in its collections some sketches by Mann, and done in 1911, of Horsham in 1851[45]; whether these were exhibited here we cannot say, but there must be others still surviving.
In 1814 Horsham held a Peace celebration, including a dinner[46]; now the town, along with the nation, was thinking about how to celebrate the forthcoming Peace. In February The Horsham Carnival Society raised the question of a Peace Memorial, but the discussion was held over to June when it would take place with the discussion of a War memorial. But as the nation was going to celebrate the Peace a degree of national organisation took place. The Council received a circular from the Central Committee of Peace Celebrations Beacons and Bonfires as to an organized lighting of beacons and bonfires throughout the country on the night of Peace Celebration Day – offering to supply flares, beacons, rockets, etc. for use on the occasion. This reflects the degree to which the War had centralised the organisation of the country, with centralised supplies and committees. For the nationwide celebrations of the Coronation in 1911 and of jubilees in Victoria’s reign there was no national committee to send out circulars to Councils, let alone offer supplies; that would have been done by private enterprise. Now, post-War, it was organized, and the Council bought 10 flares costing 10 shillings each with 5/- for expenses (£5. 5s). Not only that, the Government sanctioned reasonable expenses “to supplement funds otherwise contributed for celebrations rather than supersede such funds.” The nation had been waiting for the Official Peace to be signed, so everything was in place.
It was 28 June that the Peace Treaty was signed and “News of the signing of peace at Versailles reached Horsham before four o’clock on Saturday afternoon, but there was no exuberance until the evening. The Town Band played in the streets till after eleven o’clock whilst the Borough Silver Band occupied the bandstand from 8 till 9.30pm. On the Sunday the various churches in the town held services”; in all the County Times covers it in half the length of column inches of a stolen bicycle by a Canadian soldier stationed at Witley Camp.[47]
However, the paper did carry an advert for a Public Meeting the following Monday at 7.30 “to discuss what steps shall be taken to celebrate peace on Saturday July 19th”. As the paper reported under the advertisement the Urban Council had a quandary. The Carnival Society was organising a day of rejoicing on either 24 July or 14 August; now the nation was to celebrate the Peace on the 19th and that had Government support. What to do? The Carnival Committee could amalgamate its events with the national day of rejoicing, but – and a very important but – for Horsham this was to be the first carnival held in the town since war broke out and Horsham was very proud of its carnivals. So the Council called a public meeting and asked the town to decide. And the town did. It would hold two events, on the 19th and 24th, which was announced to the public in the press on 12 July along with an outline of the events to be held on both days.
Almost as an aside, the same day as the public meeting and three days after the signing of the treaty the Church held a major festival, raising funds for the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts (commonly called SPG). As the tickets had to be bought by the 28th, it would seem to be rather fortuitous, rather than quickly-planned.
The town was getting used to holding civic events marking the War. It may not have a permanent war memorial: nor did the nation, for in London on 19 July a wood and plaster cenotaph was erected in Whitehall for the Peace Day Celebration, enabling servicemen to march past in remembrance. Horsham did, however, have a brass plaque unveiled on 4 July by Lord Leconfield (Lord Lieutenant of Sussex) “In honour of the Patriotic Women of the Horsham War Hospital Supply Depot who worked in this house during the Great War, 1914-1918.”, six days after Peace had been signed. The house (7 Causeway, near the Museum), belonged to Mr Charles Rowland and he allowed the hospital supply depot to be set up there and the plaque to be affixed to the wall. At the same unveiling Corporal A Grinstead, of Park Terrace, was awarded the Military Medal for an act of bravery in 1917.
Saturday 19th came quick enough and the County Times carried a large formal notice, without any of the exuberance of the notice for the Carnival’s Peace Celebrations that appeared a week earlier on 12 July. It was obvious to all which was the main event the town was supporting. The day would start with a procession at 10.30 by all current and ex-servicemen to the Carfax where a short service would be held at 11.30. The general public and children were asked to place flowers at a spot set aside in the Carfax in memory of the fallen by 10am. At 1pm the Aged People (those 65 and over) would be entertained by a Dinner at Albion Hall followed by an Entertainment at the Central Picture Hall. At 2.30 the Children of the Town, between 3 and under 16, took part in sports in Horsham Park. Those who were not attending school had to obtain a ticket from the nearest school. Parents and Friends were admitted to the Park at 2.15 with the admonishment to “Please make it a children’s day”. That was followed with a 4pm tea for the children and further sports. The day finished with a Torchlight Procession starting from Mr. Burton’s Meadow at 10pm and the deck flares that encircled Horsham were lit at 10.30.
24 July, according to the advert in the County Times, would start at 2.30pm when Earl Winterton MP, and President of the Horsham Carnival Committee, would open the fete held in Horsham park. There would be a Grand Peace carnival, open air concerts, Old English Fair, Horsham Town Prize band playing dance tunes till 10pm, a grand display of fireworks, battle of confetti, torchlight procession. Admission was 1s, children 6d and teas provided from 6d. Gates would open at 2 o’clock. The tickets would carry the Entertainment Tax. The Ladies Committee of Horsham Cottage Hospital would be holding a street collection during the Peace Celebration for the Re-building Fund of the Hospital. The Hospital and the War were linked at every stage of celebration. The collection to be made after the Service. In addition to the funds raised the profits from the Peace carnival – £169 5s – went to the cottage hospital via the Council.
Two days after the Peace Celebrations took place Mr Archibald Slyfield started his new job as Town Clerk. Earlier that year on 2 April 1919, Mr. Samuel Mitchell, Town Clerk, formally gave in his letter of resignation. The War had got in the way of his plans and now with the War all but officially over he could hand over the role, retiring on 31 July. The role had grown considerably since he had taken up the post, mirroring the amount of business the Urban District Council was now involved with. Although Sam’s resignation was accepted the Council asked him to stay on till 30 September which he agreed to do. The hunt was now on for someone to fill his shoes. So it was that on 21 May the Council minutes note that advertisements were placed in the respected press for a new Clerk at £350 per year with the Council also providing clerical administration (a Miss Eva Richardson at 30s per week) and office accommodation. This attracted 80 applications which were whittled down to a short list of four. On 11 June a special committee interviewed and appointed Mr. Archibald Slyfield, the Chief Clerk and Accountant, in the Town Clerks Department, Guilford. He was 34 years old with a young family[48]. He had to provide a £500 bond as security.
The same day Mr. Slyfield started, 26 July, Alfred Shrubb was expected to arrive at Horsham station at 7.30 that evening with the Town Band planning to escort him down into the town. He had arrived at Glasgow, disembarking from the Empress of Britain on the 25th, and the County Times carried a small footnote marking the event.
A couple of weeks later the Central Hall in North Street, Horsham, closed for reconstruction designed by Jarvis. The cinema had planned to close in March 1918 when the plans referred to the cinema as the Winter Gardens; that name change never happened. But the original design was altered when the General Purposes Committee approved the plan from Rowland Bros, builders, substituting reinforced concrete for the brickwork previously sanctioned. The rebuilt Hall would open on 23 October with 600 seats and a small balcony.[49]
Horsham was still a thriving town. Evidence of this is scattered through the Council minutes which in July could report that Richardson’s, the jam manufacturer in East Street, wanted to demolish its current bakehouse and replace it with a new one. At the same meeting it was also reported that the County Council had bought the old Tanyard site, the Tanyard having suffered a catastrophic fire back in 1912, remaining derelict. In May the Waterwork and Lighting Committee had to regrettably turn down a request for an electrical supply to the owner of The Horse and Groom who wanted to illuminate a dancing green in Denne Road. Some things, though, show a certain lack of foresight – a trait Horsham had shown regarding education for a number of decades. On 26 February the Council had to respond to a request from the Secretary of the West Sussex Education Committee for advice on establishing part-time day continuation schools for young people of both sexes between the ages of 14 and 16. The Council’s response was grudging at best and almost hostile at worst. The Council didn’t know of any suitable buildings, thought that one day a week off was better than half days, and couldn’t say which day, as employers had different demands, even though, as noted above, the town had a thriving Workers Educational Association with its own hall.
It was into this community that another distinguished person arrived this year, Dr Geoffrey Sparrow. He had had an eventful war which he recorded in his illustrated book which he co-wrote On Four Fronts with the Royal Naval Division. Although he had taken up medicine, according to his autobiography Foxes and Physic, he had wanted to be a soldier first; if not that, an artist, neither of which were acceptable to his parents, so he was offered law, medicine or the church. Medicine it was, and as he recalls after the War:
“Well, it was all over – the war to end all wars: everyone settled down to pick up the tangled broken threads and start life all over again …I went South to join an old family practice (Messrs. Vernon and Kinneir) in Horsham, Sussex. There had been six partners: one had died during the war and two more gone elsewhere. The three vacancies were filled by myself and two other young fellows freed from the Forces… I began to develop a practice, though I do not believe that I ever acquired the bedside manner, or indeed ever could see the need for it. It is a sort of humbug – all gas and gaiters – and I have always felt that a medical man should be frank and open.” He first lived “with my mother at 14 Carfax, a delightful house in the main square of Horsham – but later we bought a house at No. 5 North street, which we sold to a cinematographer proprietor in 1934.” (The Odeon would later be built on the site.) Dr Sparrow, who became a well-known artist and huntsman, recalls both interests in the early pages of his account of life in Horsham , writing “It seemed to me that some of my old ladies derived from the Crimean period as drawn by John Leech and were very dignified and aloof. Most of them lived down a curious old cul-de-sac leading to the church, called the Causeway…. I was elected to the hospital staff some time in February 1920 and my first operation – an acute appendix – was done at 8.30 at night after my return from the best hunt ever I had in Sussex.” [50]
Horsham, as has been mentioned before, survived on trade, it shipped out agricultural goods and produce to London and the suburbs as well as acting as a depot/railhead for the villages to receive goods, by horse drawn traffic. By 1870 it had become a central hub of railway communication, with 5 lines converging on the town. The railways were the life-blood for Horsham in an age when petrol engines were few and far between. This was an age of transition; horse drawn local traffic still dominated but railways carried bulk trade. The war had seen the railways put under central government control, and thus it remained in 1919. In 1920 over 2,000 million passenger rail journeys were carried out and the trains didn’t have second class, it was either first or third. Railway traffic of people, post, newspapers and freight was important to the nation and Horsham.[51] So when on 26 September 1919 the Railwaymen went on strike over the consolidation of war time bonuses, the town traders had to act and act fast to stabilize the panic.
The Horsham Chamber of Trade called a Horsham Tradesman Conference on Tuesday evening 4 October held at the Town Hall. There Mr. Rice explained that a deputation had visited Horsham’s Goods Station and obtained the co-operation of the Stationmaster and the Goods Manager to allow “the Chamber of trade in this emergency, to unload and deliver to the traders of the town any goods there might be in the Yard. A train that had been stranded at Ockley station on Friday night had now been brought into the yard at Horsham, and there were several trucks which they (the Chamber of Trade) would unload on the Wednesday morning as they had secured volunteers to assist, as well as labour. They would then be delivered in the ordinary way by Messrs. Stedman Bros and Savage.” The meeting also discussed whether there was the possibility of collecting the goods in London by road[52]. In the end Downing Street stepped in and the strike was called off the following day, 5 October. But this would be the first of many such national strikes to affect Horsham, clearly showing one of the drawbacks to the town integrating and becoming part of a national framework. National disputes would be played out locally. Another aspect of the integration of Horsham into a wider national framework can be seen the following year when it was reported in January to the Council that Trust House Hotels owned The Black Horse hotel.
As mentioned previously, the railwaymen were probably the largest group of unionized workers in Horsham. Most workers were employed in small-scale industries or shops. Though the Council was a sizable employer, it actively discouraged unionized negotiations. This group identity did, however, provide some dividends to Horsham, because as a group they could quickly get things moving and provide a critical mass. So when it was decided that a new Cottage Hospital should be built and fundraising should commence, the Brighton Railway Allotment Holders’ and Cottage Gardeners’ Association, No 2 District decided to hold a Horticultural and Industrial Exhibition on August Bank Holiday (4 August) in aid of the New Building Fund. The event had the backing of the great and the good, from C. J. Lucas to Mrs. Henderson, to Lady Morish, C. S. Scrase-Dickins and 15 others along with 20 Committee members. Amongst the competition was a section opened to “Railwaymen’s Children under 14 years of age”.
What is clear from the story outlined so far is that the town was adjusting to major changes within the nature of local organizations. Local Government had a far greater role to play and there was a certain vigour in the town, a drive to get things done, possibly reflecting the strength of purpose during the war years, that now had to find other outlets. But that shouldn’t obscure the fact that a lot of life carried on or started up again. So in March 1919 the County Times ran a small article about the West Sussex County Council elections taking place, with only seven of the 49 electoral divisions being contested. This was to be the first local election since 1913. In September Horsham School of Art at 54 Hurst Road, re-opened, giving instruction “in all branches of Art Work, Building Construction and Mechanical Drawing”[53] whilst Mrs. and Miss. Munro Higgs were advertising the Preparatory School at 8, Causeway, which offered classes in Fancy and Modern Dancing to non-pupils of the school as well as adults. Later in September, King and Barnes Ltd was advertising that “The restrictions on the output of Beer are now removed. All orders received will have prompt attention”.
Life was getting back to normal in amongst post-war work, for below the King and Barnes notice was an appeal by an unemployed soldier who had four and half years’ service, twenty-five years’ business experience, wanting sales/clerical/managerial work at £2 per week. This was in the same paper[54] that carried a major article on the Return of the 4th Sussex to Horsham. The soldiers had left in full glory, they now returned and the town was dressed to receive them. “From early morn there was a great deal of alertness shown with decorations in the way of flags, streamers, bunting, &c. The main streets were crossed with flags at fairly regular intervals, and in the neighbourhood of the Railway Station and upper North-street masts and decorative pennons marked the route of the victors. Spanning the thoroughfare near the Hurst Arms was the device, white on crimson ground, “Welcome to Horsham!” whilst lower down the road, just before the Carfax was reached, was a similar device, “Welcome home!” festooned with flowers.” After arriving in the town and being welcomed at the Station, the Horsham Town Band led the soldiers and the Council as well as dignitaries down North-street “and entered the meadow immediately opposite Horsham Park (kindly lent by Mr. W King) for the drumhead service.” It was then followed by various speeches and a dinner.
In November 1919 the nation and the town had to work out how, or if, it was to commemorate the end of The Great War. There was no precedent; Peace had been celebrated with Peace Day in July; now, on the anniversary of the armistice The Parish Newsletter set the scene in its November issue, stating “The Anniversary of Armistice Day (Tuesday, Nov. 11th) – We propose to keep this stay – S. Martin’s Day – as a regular anniversary. We believe that everybody will be glad to remember the desire of their hearts to sing praises to God on this day 12 months ago. For once we forget to conceal or be shy about our religion… At 12 o clock we shall have as last year, a short Service of praise and thanksgiving; at 7.45 p.m. we shall have a Service, as last year, at which Archdeacon Southwell, C.M.G., an Assistant Chaplain General in the War …will be preacher…” The Newsletter went on to tell the congregation that “the general community has decided to erect a memorial on the site of the present temporary memorial. It will take the form of an enlargement and enrichment of the present one.” It also related how St Mary’s Church would have its own memorial, with names on panels “complimentary to the memorial in the Carfax” which at that time would not have names. Interestingly, considering the controversy that would occur later, the names were on a list by the Church door with a box underneath “in which may be placed any alterations or additions to make the list full and accurate”, along with the name and address of the proposer for reference. A month later the December issue contained a deeply-felt account by Ralph Frost of “The Great Silence in London”; the extract below gives just a flavour of the feeling of the event:
“In the bitterest moments of Christ’s life, it was His custom to leave His disciples, and seek solitude and silence. This was the underlying thought that prompted the King’s wish that his people should commune for a brief moment with their own souls, and so draw nearer to things eternal…There were no cynics and no scoffers. In this great city, with its teeming millions, there were none who did not do reverent homage to those who have paid in full the measure of their love and patriotism…”
As for Horsham town itself, the County Times for 15 November[55] carried the following report: “Armistice Day anniversary was reverently celebrated at Horsham, first by two minutes pause at the eleventh hour, and subsequently by church and chapel services. The Carfax cenotaph was the centre of a touching ceremonial immediately the clock ceased striking, four buglers from the Royal Engineers at Roffey Camp (with a corporal in charge) sounded the “Stand Fast”; for the prescribed two minutes there was an impressive silence, except for the prolonged whistling in the distance of a train on the railway. Men stood reverently with bared heads, and there was a remarkable absence of all movement. Then the buglers sounded the “Last Post,” and the Rev. Godfrey Wells, assistant curate at the Parish church, who stood on the left of the Cenotaph, led the gathering in the Lord’s Prayer, followed by prayers for the afflicted, “especially the widows and orphans of the fallen,” and our comrades who died that we might live.”… The body of the Parish Church was well – fitted for the 12 o’clock service, conducted by the Vicar (Rev. Morley Headlam) from the pulpit…(the address). It is quite possible that in all our minds, said the Vicar, there was a feeling of disappointment in regard to the history of the world and of our own country since the signing of the armistice twelve months ago. Did we expect and hope that everyone in the world, or everyone in our own nation, would turn directly to the building up again of our nation’s life? We had learnt during these last twelve months how deep-seated were the powers of selfishness in the human heart, and how great was the temptation to relax in the life of service. The prevalent unrest and great improvements towards the acquirement of material things were disappointing…” continuing in a reflective mood.
Next to the article was an appeal for funds to build a “permanent memorial to the men of the ancient Parish of Horsham be on the site of the present temporary memorial in the Carfax.” The full story of Horsham’s War memorial is told in Volume 4.
One of the growing issues that started to involve the Council and the police was the rise of the motor car. It was a new technology that demanded a raft of things that few had considered before, like traffic signs. The provision of such signs wasn’t promoted by the Council, but by automobile organisations that wanted safer driving for its members. So it was on 30 June, a letter was read from the Automobile and Associated Clubs suggesting that “please drive slowly” signs should be erected at principal approaches to Horsham with a view to adding to the safety of motor and other traffic. Subject to the Council willing to undertake the erection and provision of the posts, the Automobile clubs would supply the signs. This joint working was agreed and on 5 November it was reported that “Drive Slowly” signs to be supplied by the Royal Automobile and Associated Clubs would be located at the following sites – one near Kerves Lane, one near Bishopric boundary of the Urban District, one at Dog and Bacon, one near Mill Lane, Worthing Road and one near Roffey Institute.
Road signs
Again, one of those things that are commonplace and are not thought of as having a history, but, as the paragraph above shows, they do. The first signs were toll notices and turnpike markers as well as the occasional distance marker. With the rise in cycling in the 1880s the national cycling clubs were erecting cast iron danger boards. In 1888 the newly-established County Councils were given the control over highways and some order was established. The rise in motoring after 1896 saw the large national clubs such as the Automobile Association, like the bicycling clubs, erect their own signs for members. The 1903 Motor Act saw four national signs created, based on shape, rather than text or image:
White ring with the speed limit indicated on a plate beneath; strange, as most cars didn’t have speedometers.
White, though occasionally red, diamond, which was a motor notice, again with an information plate underneath such as weight.
Red disc (a prohibition).
Red open triangle (a hazard or warning).
The last two could have an information plate telling the driver what the sign was for, but often they were left blank, letting the driver guess the hazard – after all, local people knew the danger. This formed the basis of British road signs till 1964.
In 1921 there was a national review of signs, and some signs were developed using images, which the Continent had followed from 1909, rather than text. The symbols were simple silhouettes, easy to ‘read’ at a distance. One that stood out was the sign for school or children – a flaming torch of knowledge. In 1934 the Road Traffic Act and regulations was passed and the signs erected by the AA and RAC were removed apart from the temporary signs for events you still see today.
At the same meeting, in an acknowledgement of the usual form of transport at this time, a horse trough was presented to the Council by the Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association. In the letter offering the fountain the Association stated that “a relative of the late Chief Constable Captain Drummond M.V.O. is desirous of presenting to the Council for erection at a suitable site in Horsham a Cattle Trough and Drinking Fountain similar to the design forwarded made of granolithic 9’6 long. The gift is offered conditional upon the Council fixing and maintaining the same, and keeping the trough supplied with pure and wholesome water”. The Council agreed and identified the best site – a point in North Street on the grass track near the Hurst Arms. The trough is still there today (April 2014, though no longer full of water).
One of the most unusual notices put out by Horsham Rural District Council, which had its offices in 9 Carfax, appeared in the County Times in November of this year[56]. The Rural District Council invited tenders for “divining for water and sinking wells upon 28 sites selected for building dwellings for the working classes scattered throughout the Parishes of Billingshurst, Cowfold, Horsham Rural, Ifield, Itchingfield, Lower Beeding, Nuthurst, Rusper, Shipley, Slinfold, Warnham and West Grinstead.”
Obviously the need to build what became known as council houses, and today, social housing, meant that in rural areas without mains water supply the developments had to rely on wells or springs. The advertisement gave the expectation that the well might be dug up to 60 feet deep. In Horsham the water supply for council housing would be drawn from the town’s supply, not localized wells. Whilst it might seem very old-fashioned, in reality 30 years earlier Horsham Council would have had to place the same sort of advertisement, as its supply wasn’t that extensive.
There was a notable but not important event that happened in the first month of 1920, when on 28 January[57] a motion was carried giving Council approval to transfer some existing charities in Horsham to new organisations with new Trustees to be appointed subject to approval of the Charity Commission. It wouldn’t take place till 1921, but some centuries-old Horsham charities ceased to exist, partly because the amount of funds they distributed were marginal and joining them together made more sense. In their time they were important for those receiving the charitable alms; now they had become an historical anachronism and largely meaningless in a society that had from the 1830s moved charitable help for the poor away from charities toward state aid. The charities united together were Wickens (Henry – died 1613), Shelley (Theobald, died 1689), Dendy (W.C., died 1872) and Summers,[58] becoming Horsham Parochial Charities. The only tangible evidence of the charities today is a set of hand-painted boards which hung in the church identifying the gift, which now rest in Horsham Museum as a historical relict.
The effects of the War continued to be felt in unusual ways, when at the same Council meeting the Clerk reported that upon the result of a claim made for contribution by the Government in lieu of rates on property occupied by German Prisoners of War, over a period of two years amounting to £23 4s 8d, the Government Dept had reduced the claim by 8s 2d and the Committee recommended the Council accept the balance of £22 16 6d. The minute noted in the Council report of 28 January is the only reference that has been found so far to German POWs being held in Horsham[59], other than at the start of the War when prisoners were held for a few days at Christ’s Hospital. The reason for the paucity of records could be due to security at the time, but where they were held hasn’t been noted in any of the Council records.
Another effect of the War was the growth of public expectation that the Council would provide for things which before the War were up to private benefaction. It was the effect of more state control and involvement; an expectation that a hidden contract had been signed by the public and the state: we sacrificed a lot for the War, and now we want a better, more civic, society in return. So it was that the public wanted more allotments and it was the Council’s duty to provide them (even today it is the only statutory duty of HDC Leisure services). Wartime rationing had encouraged the growing of kitchen crops; even at Buckingham Palace flower beds were turned over to vegetable patches.
Now, after the War, the demand for allotments continued. Local landowners had back in 1837 set aside some land for the Horsham Labourer’s Friend Society on Horsham common for, in effect, allotments.[60] Now the Council decided to compulsorily purchase or lease land; however, the Council had taken out of allotment land for housing when it developed Oakhill, giving the allottee 1/- compensation per rod for manure, crops un-collected and labour. Now, apart from those who lost out at Oakhill, a further 46 residents of the town petitioned the Council. The Council had to act so it used its powers under the Small Holdings and Allotments (Compulsory Hiring) Regulations 1919 (to be enforced if necessary) to look at various plots. There were two areas under consideration: land attached to Chesworth Farm and land in Worthing Road. In the end the Council took 7.716 acres attached to Chesworth Farm adjoining the lane through New Town to Brighton Road[61].
This was not the only land the Council was looking at: pressure came on the Council to provide playing fields. So it was that in July a committee was formed to look into the town’s provision. Little did they realise that before the decade was out the town would have purchased a triangular plot of land between the River Arun and the cricket field, and more importantly, 16 acres of Horsham Park along with its house – but that is a story for later.
Whilst the issue of land for allotments and playing fields became a local authority issue, the discussion about the creation of a new public venue in Horsham was dealt with by the Church. This division might reflect the idea that although public health (healthy food/diet; active, healthy children) was a state concern, the creation of leisure time activities was not a concern of the state – unless illegal activities were going on. So after the War a discussion took place about a new hall: one of the demands in 1919 was a memorial hall, though the Council, as we have seen was devoting its energies to the war memorial.
Horsham at this time had a number of venues suitable for holding lectures, dances and public meetings as well spaces for theatrical, professional, but mainly amateur events. There was the Albion Hall, Town Hall, the new W.E.A. Hall, as well as various church rooms (Parish Room, Free Church Hall, etc., and Assembly Rooms linked to The Kings Head in East Street, the old Corn Exchange that had been taken over by Black Horse Hotel in West Street, becoming its Assembly Rooms, the Black Jug in North Street), but this wasn’t enough for a town that had a full range of societies flourishing. So it was that the Vicar of Horsham, Morley Headlam, used the pages of the October Parish Magazine to appeal for funds to erect a New Hall for Horsham. As the appeal starts: “we can do for Horsham what Horsham has gone on comfortably complaining that it has not done for itself.”[62] The Diocese had offered the parish a building at Shoreham as a gift; it would cost about £1,000 to £1,250 to take down the hall and re-erect it. He suggested that they could issue shares in the hall, but that would cost money to set up the company, so he suggested instead up to a thousand people loan the money knowing they would get it back in a year or two, and “the only interest being paid is genuine interest in the hall.” He was also willing to give his land in Denne Road at the bottom of his orchard for the site, some 160 ft by 70ft with frontage to a broad road. The land would be given to an Ecclesiastical Trust for a nominal sum of £5 and, whilst the Carfax would be the ideal place, most of Horsham had been built upon. In his appeal he describes the hall as having an iron framework and roof and walls.
In November a breathless account is given of the fundraising for the New Hall. A New Hall Committee was formed with the great and good of the town being members. Instead of the Denne Road site, land was purchased behind the Y.M.C.A. building in North Street. Instead of loans, 5% interest was offered on the shares with all the surplus income used to buy back the shares, and £550 had already been subscribed.[63] By December some £1,100 was raised. As Morley Headlam could write, “1921 is to be the date for it”[64]. In January he noted that the Diocese had not only given them the building but also £100 towards the cost of buying the land, and the fund now stood at £1,450. Then on 22 April 1921 the New Hall opened, as people brought along 300 cups and saucers, as well as 18 dozen spoons. The hall was noted for its fine dance floor with good sound for singing and dancing. Horsham now had a large venue for social activities “to increase the neighbourliness of Horsham”[65]. From now on Horsham had a new venue and New Hall would appear on many a poster.
New Hall had another function as well, undreamed of by Morley Headlam, as classrooms for the growing Horsham Pupil Teacher Centre and Secondary School for Girls. Back in 1914 the school was going to have a new building; land had been bought for it, as recalled previously. War intervened and no development took place: the school, or rather the Pupil Teacher Centre, because it could not be called a school as it was not listed in the Board of Education List of Recognised Secondary Schools, was still at Wesley Hall. In 1921 E.M. Marchant arrived as Headmistress to find there were three classrooms at the Wesley Hall and a hut in the asphalt courtyard, and 120 pupils, some of whom paid £3.3s a term. In order to be recognised they had to increase the science content of the curriculum so that they could teach General Elementary Science. They therefore transformed the hut into a laboratory, which made them short of accommodation. So early in 1923 the school took over the use of two rooms in New Hall as classrooms, setting up tables on a daily basis. However, New Hall was in Wickersham Road, behind the Post Office, and when E. M. Marchant wrote her account of Horsham High School for Girls in 1954, the Hall had become a garage for Post Office vehicles. That was a 5-minute walk from the Wesley Hall, but the New Hall offered the school space to hold Speech Day and for an Educational Exhibition which was a showcase for schools to display and demonstrate what they were doing. However, one of the drawbacks of the accommodation was that in summer term the temperatures reached 80 degrees F. These changes, though, did result in the school being recognised. Unfortunately this encouraged the Education Committee to suggest that the fee should rise to £5 5s a term as at Worthing and Chichester. The headmistress argued against it saying the accommodation wasn’t good enough. In 1923 things would change.
It should be remembered that Horsham had a flourishing private school sector. In fact, the 1920s and 30s could be seen as the golden days of Horsham’s private schools. The most prominent, though not necessarily so in status, was Horsham Manor House. In 1916 Henry Padwick Jnr. had died; the house was put up for sale, but didn’t sell till 1919 when it was bought and converted into a Prep. school, which continued till the early 1970s.
On 16 October 1920 the funeral took place in Horsham of Mr. Thomas Oliver, of “Tanbridge.” He was 86 years old; he died in Scotland but the body, in a polished oak coffin, was transported to Horsham where he was buried in Denne Road cemetery. The importance for Horsham was that in 1923 his executors would sell his home to the Education Authority and it went on to become the Horsham High School for Girls.
Before ending the year 1919, one book that was undoubtedly read by the people of Horsham, if for no other reason than enjoying the sense of “washing dirty linen in public”, was Rev. E Synott’s Five years of hell in a Country Parish. Privately published, the slim volume exposed the dirty linen of Rusper, written by the Vicar who had fallen out with the influential sections of his congregation. He arrived in Rusper in 1914 and his style of preaching and manner wasn’t really suited to the rural parish church with its hierarchy of landed gentry. In 1919 the Reverend had attended in London the Consistory Court to answer to various allegations of wrongdoing, including gambling. He was found innocent of all charges and returned to Rusper, via Faygate railway station where he was met by some of his parishioners and Crawley Town band. The following year he published the book in which he criticised the endemic gossiping in the village by both sexes.
1920-22
In 1920 the post-war boom quickly changed into a post-war slump. As the War ended the Government had the two options: it could treat the servicemen as unemployed men, or as paupers. Heroes were not to be paupers, so they were given an “out of work donation”. During the War, the government had extended Unemployment Insurance to cover new groups, including those who worked in munitions. In 1920 it was extended further to include almost all manual labour, except those who had little or no unemployment, agriculture and domestic service. The scheme that started off in 1911 had flourished well and was affordable, so that by 1920 11 million workers were covered. Then, just as the insurance cover was extended, so the boom turned to bust and by 1921 nearly 17% of the insured workforce found themselves unemployed. The amount they had contributed to the insurance scheme would soon be exhausted. The Government decided it couldn’t rely on the poor law to take the strain; it had to do something, so it decided to allow people to draw on future, not past, contributions and so, by accident rather than design, the dole had been created.
In addition to this challenge the Government had seen price inflation rocket: between the end of the War and 1920 the cost of living had risen by 25% and wages were unevenly matching the rise, so unions protested. So it was that the number of industrial disputes rocketed.
In 1919: 35million days were lost due to industrial disputes
1920: 27 million
1921: 86 million
1922: 20 million
Government finances were out of control: Government might as well have been running a war economy, the cost of borrowing was so high. When the bubble burst in 1920 the government acted – interest rates were put up, spending cut back, and social reform was an expense that could not be afforded. And in Horsham, what? From now on throughout the 1920s and 30s unemployment became an issue of concern that would haunt Horsham Councillors and the public at large, partly because a number of the unemployed would be returning servicemen to whom people felt a debt of honour. Prior to the War the unemployed had been a responsibility of the poor laws, sidelined to the margins of the community, in reality – the workhouse was a mile away from the centre of the town; now the unemployed moved centre stage. And in 1921 Lloyd George, after losing two by-elections to anti-waste campaigners, asked Sir Eric Geddes to come up with a response – he did: a series of cuts known as the Geddes Axe, and from 1922 the Government issued a round of cuts in its grants and provisions. It is against this backdrop that Horsham tried to help the unemployed.[66]
On 22 December 1920 the Horsham Winter Fund, a fund which had operated in pre- war Horsham, had used £50 to provide work for the unemployed, but it wasn’t spent so the money was returned to the fund. Horsham in 1903 had an Unemployed Fund; the Horsham Recreation Band gave its first performance on the bandstand to raise funds for it,[67] but by now the fund was either exhausted or the approach to the problem had changed to such an extent that the fund was no longer the vehicle to tackle the issues. This highlighted a problem: unemployment was an old problem, but the state and local government had new responsibilities and obligations. The nature of the unemployed had changed; there were no real structures or policies in place to deal with the issue. If the unemployed were paupers, not a problem – the workhouse would solve that – but if they weren’t? What if they were unemployed, able-bodied and looking for work? And some had the dignity of being ex-soldiers. So the Council set up a Committee to look into the unemployed issue and find work they could do.
The first meeting took place on 3 January 1921 when a special meeting was called.[68] At the meeting a letter was read from the Unemployment Grants Committee Privy Council referring to provision of funds for assisting Local Authorities in carrying out works which the unemployed could do. However, the town was ill-prepared for this and so the matter was adjourned. That didn’t mean that there were no schemes or work available, but that which was put forward by the Special Unemployment Committee was more small-scale in approach and direction. It was decided on the cleaning and puddling of the river and stream, and clearing the underwood in High Wood at the farm. The cleaning of the river and stream would take three or four men some time, with the cost being offset by selling the timber, whilst clearing the underwood could provide employment for eight or ten men for some three months, with considerable revenue raised by sale of underwood. The Committee also considered the repair of a footpath leading from the Bishopric to the Cemetery – but as the area was outside the urban area it would be brought to County authorities’ attention. The unemployed would be paid the same rate as general labourers or the rate set for farm workers by the Agricultural Board. The funding for the work would come from the sale of underwood and also, it was suggested, the money from the Horsham Local Relief Fund – £98.3.10. Horsham had started a programme of works for its unemployed that would culminate 13 years later with the opening of the town swimming pool, but more on that in a later chapter. From now on virtually any scheme of work identified by the Council would include the provision of work for, or discussion of, using unemployed labour to do some or all of the manual labouring. Six months earlier in March 1920[69] a census of traffic had to be taken at two points – in Hurst Road opposite the Grammar school (Collyer’s) and in London Road opposite Wesleyan church. The census would run for seven days, 6am to 10pm. It was agreed to employ four discharged soldiers for this at 1/3d per hour; now it was no longer just unemployed soldiers – the deserving unemployed – who would be given work, but the unemployed generally.
From now on the Council minutes would contain discussion about work for the unemployed on a regular basis, the outcome of which was not always satisfactory. On 27 July 1921 the minutes reported that the Council had interviewed a deputation of three representatives of the unemployed in the urban area – the deputation made various suggestions. At the meeting Councillor Mr. Gent offered work in a private capacity and after they left, the Council discussed the issue and decided to offer employment to 12 workers in removing the timber at stream and the sale would recoup the funds.[70] However, by the end of August it was reported that the work just wasn’t financially viable. (From 4 August to 19 August wood sold 16 cords at 18/- per cord. Total £14, 8.0 Total hours worked 476 – at 71/4d per hour £14 6.7).
This focus on employment carried itself through into the Census of 1921 as reported on in The County Times, in a short note:
“The main changes (to the census) are the dropping of questions as to blindness, deafness, dumbness, and lunacy, and the addition of questions relating to employment. In the coming census it will not be enough to state the occupation, but particulars will be required of the kind of work done, of material worked in, and of articles made or dealt in, and also the place of work. Employees are asked to give the names of their present employers. It also asked whether persons are occupied in either full-time or part-time attendance at an educational institution.”
The note also made mention that the enumerator will make a note of the number of occupied rooms when he delivers the form. [71]
Another sign of the times and getting back to normality was the sale of material from the Army Camp at Roffey. In June 1815 the Horsham barracks was sold, with the buildings being dismantled and erected elsewhere, some still standing today[72], but 105 years later it would seem the contents were sold off.
The town suffered a further blow when in October it was reported that the Ministry of Health had sent round a circular stating how the government’s financial proposals to help local authorities in running schemes for work for the unemployed men would work. The town had to have a minimum number in order to attract the support and Horsham, after submitting its number, was told it failed to qualify for a certificate.[73] Horsham had to finance its own unemployment schemes. And so it was that on 5 November the Horsham Unemployed Relief Committee held a flag day – the very means by which the town had raised funds to fight the War, it was now using to fight unemployment. A week later the Council and the County agreed to a jointly-funded project to repair the footpath on the south side of Guildford Road leading to the cemetery. The total cost would be less than £300 and the labourers would be paid 9½d per hour.
The sense of the community doing things for those less fortunate showed itself on 17 December when 86 widows and 146 children of the men who died in the War were invited to a Christmas treat. As well as a tea, each widow was given a jar of honey, and each child a parcel containing slippers or stockings, chocolate, an orange and a bag of sweets provided by Springfield Park School. It was funded by various donations including a night-time concert by Horsham Town Band and a Boxing Morning football match which jointly raised £30 11s 9d.
The sense of austerity, of cutting back, was evident in the Council’s work, though the Council may not have realised the extent to which the Government was expecting costs to be reduced. On 23 February the minutes record that Hoad & Taylor had put in a tender for building eight parlour-type cottages (type E in the Godman and Kay design) for £910 per cottage. The Council agreed to the pricing and submitted it to the Housing Commissioners who replied that it was too expensive. Even after the cost was reduced to £863, they rejected it as being too expensive. The cost of building “working class dwellings” was not just a local issue, as the County Times reported that the government set up a committee to look into it.
In May the County Times carried an account of a letter sent on behalf of The Prince of Wales who had visited Christ’s Hospital. Although Christ’s Hospital had a railway station the Prince travelled through Horsham, as Sir Godfrey Thomas wrote on the day, 12 May, to the Headmaster who passed on the letter to the Council: “His Royal Highness was very glad to have had the opportunity of seeing so many people when he passed in the morning, and on the way back there were again in large number waiting many of whom he fears must have got very wet.” So far no photographs have surfaced of the drive through Horsham, which is unusual considering how much the town had recorded and celebrated previous (and future) Royal visits. The County Times, however, did cover the visit in detail, by a reporter who obviously recalled/researched a visit in 1897.
“Remarkable enthusiasm characterized the Prince of Wales’ first visit to Christ Hospital as its honoured President on Thursday. Used as His Royal Highness is to the acclamations of the public, he must nevertheless have been pleased with his reception at West Horsham, and perhaps even a trifle startled by the deafening cheers given at the closer of his short but happy speech in the famous dining hall…. When Horsham was visited more than twenty-three years ago by the Prince of Wales on the way to West Horsham to lay the foundation stone of Christ’s Hospital, His Royal Highness received an address from the Urban District Council outside the Railway Station, and proceeded by carriage through the town to Christ’s Hospital. Of course Horsham was en fete, and the school children were penned in by sheep-gates on the greensward in North-street. That was before the great improvement of the main entrance to the town. This week the visit of the young Prince was of a private and informal character, and the journey from London to Christ’s Hospital being by motor car his Royal Highness went through practically the outskirts of the town: Warnham –road, North-parade, Springfield –road, and Worthing road. The school children were given a half day holiday, and by their demonstrations in North-parade charmed the Prince into smiling acknowledgements. Quite a display of flags was made at the Catholic School ground and there were dense masses of people at the Black Horse Corner and down the Worthing road”[74]
A month later the town received another distinguished visitor, the arrival on Friday 17June of Bronco Bill’s Great Wild West Exhibition and Mammoth Circus. In this show the activities would take place under canvas: as most spectators’ view of the western came from the cinema, such a drawback wouldn’t matter; the western could be enjoyed with some creature comforts – the western had become domesticated and co-modified, and Horsham lapped it up.
In May the Parish Magazine carried a Christian perspective on the coal strike by Rev. Morley Headlam. The harshness of winter had gone but the problems of the coal industry affected much of everyday life, for although electricity was gaining in popularity coal was still king, and in many respects the following decade saw the jockeying of status between coal and electricity with, as will be shown later, electricity winning out, partly with strong support from central government. The article states that there is the misery of the strike, that the country is divided and that “we have heard of 5s a cwt being asked in Horsham for the coal luckily procured from the neighbourhood.” This would be the start of many disruptions in coal supply to the town throughout the decade.
In 1921 James Mitchell, who some nine years earlier had moved with his new bride to Warnham, saw the advantages of running a coach service. He originally ran the coal merchants at 1 Station Road, but in 1921 he bought a Model T Ford one ton lorry to deliver the coal instead of a horse and cart. He then added some makeshift seats and a canvas cover for the roof. On Saturdays, after clearing out the coal dust, he would take people from Warnham to Horsham and on Sunday trips to the coast. Thus started “probably the first independent bus operator in the Horsham area.”[75] Such was the success of the bus company that in 1923 Mitchell sold the coal business and concentrated on what was a growing market: coach and bus travel. A market that was regulated by the local council who had to agree to the fairs and licences for routes. Mitchell wasn’t the only operator. William Harry Rayner, a farmer from Suffolk, had bought a carrier business in Barns Green in 1919, only to find that a week after buying the business one horse, of two, died, and soon after, the other horse died. He decided to go horseless. He bought a 10-seat Brake built by Brown Bros., using it as a Carriers van, collecting shopping from Horsham and delivering to Barns Green, Itchingfield, Christ’s Hospital on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday with Coolham, Shipley and Southwater on Saturday. And just as the railways had found, it was passenger travel that was as, or more, important than carrier service. So in 1921 W.H. & J.W. Rayner bought a yellow Ford taxi and soon after a Model T Ford 14-seater bus with canvas side flaps for Saturday evening visits, mainly to Horsham.
There would be other bus companies starting up in the 1920s to service an ever-expanding desire for coach travel and to have the freedom to move out of the village life for enjoyment of Horsham’s growing night life. They probably didn’t realize it at the time, but it was fundamental to the survival and growth of Horsham that there was a competitive bus service, for it expanded the catchment of the town, drawing or sucking in trade from the outlying villages with their small convenience stores. The link became explicitly stated when the Chamber of Trade published its Signpost magazine (see later), and with it the bus timetable – not the train, or car park details, but the bus timetable.
A reflection of the changing news values and also probably the extent to which such incidents happened, the County Times on Christmas Eve 1921[76] ran the following story at the bottom of the page in less than three column inches under a heading “Mysterious find at Horsham”. It was “the remains of a newly-born child found in Morth’s Gardens in a brown paper parcel – Lionel Holyer, of 5 Morth’s Gardens, said that on Friday evening shortly after 8 o‘clock, he was passing down Morth’s Gardens when he saw a small brown paper parcel near the wall. He kicked it with his foot and an offensive smell arose, causing him to think that it was a packet of refuse. The parcel was still there next morning and a small round bone, resembling a human skull, was sticking out, he informed the police.” The Coroner thought that the child was about 23 months old, stillborn, and recorded the fact. Today the story would probably make national headlines; certainly the headlines of County Times, but then barely a mention.
The Council’s sense of being in a bubble comes across when looking at the purchase of their offices. On 7 June[77] it was reported that the lease was up and the owners were willing to sell it to the Council for £1200. However, the Council was offered by Messrs F. Leney & Son the Anchor Hotel at £5,500 and they would also give the Council access via East Street. After discussing the net cost, and letting out the surplus accommodation, it was agreed to offer £4,500 with the Sub-Committee empowered to go up to £5,000, subject to the Ministry of Health agreeing to the raising of necessary loans. On 29 June the owner agreed to £5,000 inclusive of fixtures worth £385, and with the cost of conversion estimated at £500 the Council would ask the Ministry of Health for sanction to borrow £5,500. Almost by return of post on 11 July the Ministry replied that “in view of the urgent necessity for avoiding capital expenditure at the present time the Minister was not now entertaining applications for sanctions of loans for such purposes”.
That, one would expect, would be that, but on 27 July the Chairman of the Sub-Committee and the Clerk asked for a reconsideration of the matter. They also considered raising the capital money themselves by borrowing the money on the credit of their sewage works, lands and property and mortgage such lands and works to the person lending the money. They could not borrow more than three quarters of the purchase money of such lands. The Council had borrowed in 1898 and 1903 loans raising £1250, but there was plenty of margin left and they didn’t need the sanction of the Ministry to do so. The committee agreed and looked to a £5,500 mortgage over 30 years, which Lloyds Bank gave them at half a percent above base rate, with a minimum charge of 5%. Also the Inland Revenue agreed to rent the second floor for £300 to £320 pa.
So, with a nation suffering from financial problems, the Council still went ahead with funding its own developments, independent of what were plainly Government wishes. But the nation was moving towards cuts and the Government in 1921 appointed a committee under Sir Eric Geddes to look at making a reduction in expenditure. In December the Council had to cut council rents by 2 shillings a week. And then in 1922 the Geddes Axe struck and the Council had to make savings on staff salaries. It was noted that employees’ wages had stayed the same since April 1920. But in the building trade wages had been reduced, so it was agreed that wages would be reduced by 1d per hour of 4/- per week; this would affect 28 men. The electricity works would have the same reduction for fitter, stokers and labourers, seven men in total, with no reductions for the chief engineer, shift engineer etc.
Although there were cuts, people still realised there were people less fortunate than themselves. In December of 1922 the Parish Magazine carried a remarkable story. A “Horsham kitchen” run by Save the Children Fund in Russia. Russia was suffering with a major famine and so at Saratov, a kitchen under the Horsham name had been set up. It cost £100 to feed 100 children for two weeks. As the Parish Magazine reported, “Towards that sum £65 9s has been received. Collecting cards are in circulation. Much interest is being taken by the girls at the High School, at Miss Collins’ and Mrs. Munro Higgs’ Schools. We hope to complete the £100 and ask for help towards it. Clothes of all kinds for children and adults may be sent to Miss. MacLeod, at Ketwyns, or Miss Churchman, 42 Hurst Road, who are Hon. Treasurers. It is comforting to think that the name of our town is a name of blessing in a famine-stricken area in a foreign country.”[78]
Although the Government and the nation were in retrenchment that didn’t stop the Council implementing a major improvement in the quality of life for most of its residents: the enforcement of sanitation. In April 1921 the Council heard the following:
Population of Urban area:
1896: 8,500 1921 12,000 = 41% increase
Number of houses in Urban area:
1896: 1831 1921 2,681 = 46% increase
The net cost of sewage disposal:
1894-6 average of £884 1921 £1078,
a rise of £200 over the period per annum, according to the minutes.
The figures are revealing: the most obvious one is the overall increase in population, and secondly, the expansion of the town’s housing stock. This clearly shows that living standards were rising as the number of houses rose more than the level of population, though one cannot say that there was less overcrowding as in actual terms there might have been more; there may have been more smaller households. However, one would have expected the cost of sanitation to equally reflect a comparable rise, but it didn’t. Horsham sanitation works may have become more efficient, but with the rise in wages of staff brought about by wartime inflation, this is unlikely. The Council’s Sanitary Inspector undertook a street by street survey of sanitation in the town and in June 1922 he reported as follows:
- Number of houses without flushing tanks ………………………………830
- Requiring separate closets ………………………………………………..58
- With earth closets …………………………………………………………26
- With privies ………………………………………………………………22
The Councillors agreed that all properties should have flushing tanks and all earth closets be removed to be replaced with proper flushing systems. The house owners or landlords had one year to get the work done.
From now on the Council minutes are full of street by street comments on sanitation with the Councillors’ recommendations for improvement. For example, on 30 August the Council was told that 30, 32, 34, 36 and 40 Queen Street only had two hand-flushed WCs for the six houses – and agreed that each property should have its own flushing WC. On 27 September, that 37 houses had statutory notices in Crawley road requiring them to have sufficient water closets; that 11 premises had already undertaken work, and 26 had given satisfactory assurances that the work would be undertaken. And so on: in November 1923, more water closet notices – Crawley road, Forest road, Littlehaven lane, Rusper road. The pace was relentless: even two days after Christmas, on 27 December 1923, more notices issued for Depot Road, Barrington Road, Burford Road and Oakhill.
This is not the place for such a study, but it would make a fascinating project to show how improved sanitation spread throughout Horsham in the 1920s. Some may argue it is not that important in the history of Horsham, but for the town’s general health and wellbeing it is more important than many other stories covered so far in the town’s history. It might not be glamorous but it is fundamental in the creation of a modern Horsham and one that could compete with its neighbours. The one drawback was that the town was also suffering from periods of poor water supply. In 1922 the town converted its steam-driven water pumps to electricity[79] (Souvenir programme), but the water problem would continue throughout the 1920s and beyond and expanding the use of water closets, whilst desirable, had an effect on water supply.
In all this discussion of national wages, finance, improved sanitation, of a town obviously in the 20th century, it is interesting to see a hangover from the medieval period re-appear. It did so for a very modern purpose: to enable the Council to manage its assets better and seek the development of the Bishopric. So it was that in February 1922 the subject of the Bishopric wastes, that is, the land not built upon or developed, appeared in the Council agenda and minutes. The Hurst family were Lords of the Manor of Marlpost, the Bishopric was in the manor of Marlpost[80], so an appeal was made to the then current lord, Colonel A. R. Hurst, to waive his right to £150 compensation in the land and to give the rights to HUDC subject to the payment of Col. Hurst’s legal fees. As the subject doesn’t reappear in the Council minutes, it was obviously agreed. The Council could now manage all the land; all they had to do was move the market away from the area, with the obvious location being near the railway station, but that is jumping forward in the story of Horsham.
Another ambitious change occurred in 1922: the Blue Flash Cinema Company Ltd. bought nos. 5, 7 and 9 London Road, three cottages, from the Horsham YMCA for £1,900[81]. They were sold to a company formed by Major R. C. G. Middleton to provide employment for ex-bandsmen and other members of the 4th Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment whose insignia was a blue flash. In the end up to 12 ex-regimental bandsmen were employed to provide music whilst the silent films showed. Talking of bands, 1921 saw the silver anniversary of the Horsham Borough Silver Band, which had been founded in 1901 as Horsham Recreation Band. William Albery, who was to become the town’s historian, was the only original member still belonging to the band and he gave a full account of its history at the celebratory dinner at the Queen‘s Head where they used to rehearse. The account was published in The County Times which reported that in 1919 the band changed its name to Horsham Borough Band, as well as a barbed comment by Albery, regretting the loss of the conductor Mr. Miles who on his return from the war found “Horsham was not a place “fit for heroes to live in” and he found his bread was buttered elsewhere.”[82]
In one respect Horsham remained true to its previous self: 1922 marked the centenary of Shelley’s death. The town had in 1892 marked the centenary of his birth, thanks in a large part to external influences: the mounting a lecture programme, and the unveiling of a stone which would be placed in the parish church,[83] but in 1922 – nothing. The Museum Society did nothing; there was nothing of any note in the local press. The Museum Society didn’t buy or seek any Shelley-related items, and there was no Shelley exhibition. Shelley and Horsham did not see eye-to-eye.
NEW PAGE
1923
For some reason, accidents of history, certain years, see a significant number of changes that are the start of, or result from, the accumulation of events. 1923 is one such year. Those drawing back the curtain on New Year’s Day would probably not have guessed that within a year Horsham would have a new hospital, a new girls’ school, a revitalised chamber of trade which published a shopping magazine, the return of an old name to the new Grammar school, a new Baptist church and an old name for a new entertainment center, amongst other things.
In 1919 when the discussion took place over the construction of a war memorial the suggestion also arose of building a new hospital for Horsham as a memorial to those who died. An active campaign of fundraising began including, as previously mentioned, the ‘1919 August Bank Holiday Horticultural and Industrial Exhibition’ in the Park. In July 1922 the foundation stone for the hospital was laid. Its inscription read: “This hospital was built by voluntary contributions in memory of those who fell in the Great War. 1914-18. This foundation stone was laid by Edward Sixth Earl Winterton on July 20th 1922. E.D.L. Harvey, O.B.E. M.A. D.L. President. Architect F.C.Troup, F.R.I.B.A. Builders Rowland Bros”. Yet the lintel that adorns the Hospital carried no inscription as a war memorial, unlike many such hospitals throughout the country; it is to the side that the foundation stone lies. So, whilst it was built with contributions given in memory of the fallen, it was not a “War Memorial Hospital” in name; but, as will be shown, in fact it was. And in the Museum there are two identical collecting tins: one with a paper wrapper asking for funds for the war memorial, the other for funds for the hospital, so clearly there was a connection, but a connection that wasn’t to be made in the name of the hospital. Why was this? Perhaps the controversy over the town’s war memorial led to a feeling that one in the town was enough. The laying of the foundation stone saw a major gathering for what was a small service: it involved all the local churches, medical staff, soldiers, members of the committee and a large group of onlookers, suggesting that the organizers had expected only a small event.[84]
The local paper, The West Sussex County Times and Standard, to give its full title, though usually known by its abbreviated form, County Times, gave a full commentary on the development and opening of the hospital. In January 1923 the paper carried an appeal by Mr. Harvey stating that “the hospital is nearing completion but it now needs equipment to fill it.” All donations would be recorded in a book for the purpose kept at the hospital. Reverend Harvey noted that £100 had already been donated for an operating table. A week later the paper carried a list of requirements along with their costs.
Wards
- 26 bedsteads each £2 17s 6d
- 26 mattresses each £3 10s
- 26 bolsters each 10s
- 52 pillows each 7s 6d
- 4 cots each £3 8s
- 4 mattresses each £2
- 8 pillows each 7s 6d
- 12 lockers each £4 4s
- 2 ward tables each £3
- 28 bed tables each 12s 6d
- 8 screens each £1 7s
- 10 chairs each 7s 6d
- 5 arm chairs each £5
- 24 stools each 5s
- 3 dressing trolleys each £5 17s 6d
- 1 workbox 10s
- 2 pianos
- 2 clocks
The last two items were obviously more hopeful of a gift rather than a purchase as they were not essential for the hospital; more, desirable.
As for the Operating Theatre, items included:
- 1 operating table from £82 10s
- 2 trolleys each £5 10s
- 1 instrument table £5 17s 6d
- 1 cupboard £10
- 1 anaesthetic table £5
- 1 anaesthetic stool £2 5s
The paper carried on with supportive articles, including one in April with an appeal by the committee stating that “the system of Voluntary Hospitals which is a great material asset, has passed through a most critical time owing to the great increase in the cost of supplies, salaries, &c, due to the War: and a Committee set up by the late Government under the chairmanship of Lord Cave, the Lord Chancellor, to enquire into the question, stated clearly: ‘That it is desirable, in the public interest, to maintain the Voluntary system of Hospital management. If the voluntary Hospital is to continue and prosper, it must depend not only on the large subscriptions and gifts, but also and to an increasing extent, on moderate and continuous contributions from all classes of the community.’” Another fundraising method was advertised on the same page “A Carnival Fancy Dress Ball (Fancy Dress optional) on 18th April.” The following day, 19 April, a public meeting was held to consider setting up a contributory scheme, with the main speaker coming from Lowestoft who ran such a scheme.
In the 2 June edition the County Times reported that “Princess Helena Victoria is unable to attend and perform the opening ceremony” because her daughter Princess Christian was ill. The opening would be carried out by Lord Leconfield who would then afterwards open the British Legion Hut in North-Street. (The hut would become the Royal British Legion Hall sitting behind the cinema). The paper notes that the hospital was to have cost £11,986 but owing to the inclusion of a new laundry and mortuary (£900), additional porch (£100), red brick for stucco brick (£100) and other works the cost had risen to £15,000, though if they were to sell the old hospital building then the hospital would be debt-free. In fact, the costs were even higher, exceeding £18,500 (by 1922 some £12,000 had been raised), but it was funded[85].
Underneath the article is an account of a public meeting held in the Town Hall to appoint a committee to run a contributory scheme in connection with the hospital. Obviously, regurgitating the story from a couple of weeks previously; such was the paper’s support. “The idea was that those who are able to become annual subscribers to the Hospital should be invited to become weekly contributors to the fund… It is hoped that employers will support the scheme and arrange that employees may make their contribution through some member of staff”. The report went on to note that Lowestoft Hospital raised £2,638 in one year through such a scheme.
The Hospital itself opened on Friday 8 June with a large crowd attending. The County Times gives a very full account of both the hospital and the event, from which the following description is drawn: “The architect, in drawing up the plans, had in mind a country gentleman’s house” – presumably the town’s aspirations were moving upwards from a cottage to a country house. “From the road to the main entrance, a distance of about 110ft., the drive is of granolithic paving. The proper front faces the other direction, where terraces of Horsham stone flagged paths will command a delightful view over the park. …Built with narrow facing hand-made bricks from Holmbush, and roofed with hand-made red tiles, the colour, tone and warmth of the whole building are most pronounced. The windows are of steel casement variety, faced with Purbeck stone.” The account goes on to describe the interior of the Hospital, with its “two main wards 40ft long by 20ft wide each containing ten besteads and two cots. One is for men the other for women. There are three private patients’ rooms and a casualty or emergency ward: an X-ray room: and an operating theatre 18ft. high floored with Terrazzo marble, with white tiled walls…at the end of each of these large wards is an admirable ‘sun room’ 9ft by 20 ft. Upstairs are the bedrooms for 14 of the staff”. The men’s ward was to be called Harvey as a memorial to the two sons of the Chairman and in recognition of all the work and generosity the family have shown; the lady’s ward, after the Allcard family.
The papers seem to be silent on the connection with the Great War and yet the building so clearly shows that it was, and is, a memorial, using local stone, locally handmade bricks and tiles, clearly indicating a strong sense of community. The naming of the men’s ward after the Chairman who lost two sons in the War clearly reinforces the message. It may not have a carved stone lintel saying War Memorial hospital, but it was, and should be remembered as such.[86]
As for the old hospital, what was to become of that? The County Times of 14 July gave the answer. The Board of Education approved the “purchase by the Governors of the house lately used as a Cottage hospital at Horsham for the sum of £2,500 and have approved the expenditure of an additional £500 on equipment.” The old hospital would be used as a hostel for pupils of Horsham Grammar School. Within 30 years what was a purpose-built hospital had become what it looked like: a house. In 1892 it was designed to look like a middle-class house but functioned as a hospital. Thanks in part to the War, perceptions of what hospitals should look like had developed away from a home to an institution with clear medical guidelines, and these changes had entered the public conciseness. So the new hospital looked like a hospital inside, if not outside; as the paper noted, the outside had a county house look, whilst the old one, a middle class home, became a home away from home for the aspiring middle class children who went to the grammar school; an institution established back in 1893 with specific middle class aims[87].
Whilst the Grammar School wanted to buy the building it had to ensure that the income from the lodgers would cover the costs; there was to be no charge on the rates for it, though as there would be more pupils, or as the paper referred to them, “scholars” attending the school, there would be an additional educational cost of £98 a year. The Grammar School was offered a loan by Barclays Bank at 5.5% over 30 years on the £3,000. The County Council could get the same loan at 4.5%, so the Council borrowed the money on behalf of the school. The old hospital would now be used to house “boarders, masters’ quarters and the long overdue Library, Reading Room and Museum, and thus releasing the dormitory at the north-west end of the main building to provide two extra classrooms.”[88]
There was, however, one problem with the sale: the Hurst family gave the land for a hospital, back in 1892, not to build a lodging house for the school. This did cause some discussion, but was resolved, partly because the Hurst family had also given land for the site of Collyer’s, for they had interest in both fields of Horsham’s social provision.
The previous year, in 1922, the Rev. W. M. Peacock arrived at the school as headmaster. Under his four years the school saw and underwent a number of transformations, none more so than reclaiming of its heritage. As recounted in volume 3, when the school opened at its new site in Hurst Road, the acrimony that the development stirred up in the town led to all the old vestiges of Collyer’s: its name, its records, either being destroyed or ignored. The Rev. Peacock, as Mr. Willson notes, was “imbued with the public school tradition of extracting the utmost from each boy by developing the corporate life of the School”[89]. And to have a corporate life you need an identity and a belief in the institution. So out went the title “Horsham Grammar School”, and in lower font “founded by Richard Collier“, and in came the name Collyer’s School, (the Department of Education, though, insisted on calling it Collier’s school[90]), though the change didn’t occur in time for the first issue of the school magazine in 1922 to be called The Horsham Grammar School Magazine. It would quickly change its name to The Collyerian. He also established The Founders Day, the first of which took place on 28 June 1924 with a march through the town to the Church for a service and then prize giving. The previous year, Spring Term 1923, he created the House system, with the houses of Collyer’s, Denne, Hurst and S. Leonard’s. Along with the houses he promoted and re-established athletic sports and fives. The relatively new school game of Tennis was now played on the old croquet lawn, created by the former headmaster’s wife, Mrs. Thompson.
The first issue of the School Magazine, in 1922 recorded that there would now be an Old Boys’ Association formed, as well as a “College of Prefects”. The school magazine would now have The Old Collyerian Corner, and in July 1924 it would carry the following words from the Headmaster’s report:
“What the presence of a large and vigorous Old Boys’ Association means to a school only those who have experienced it can really understand. The object with which Richard Collyer founded this School is being fostered very largely by the moral support of the Old Boys.” The school had now re-connected with its distant and immediate past, a tradition which continued throughout the 20th century as the town’s history shows.
The mention of a museum opening in the old hospital building highlights the fact that the Horsham Museum Society founded 30 years earlier in 1893 still had no permanent home for its collections. The annual reports in the early 1920s highlighted the fact that, owing to circumstances, the quarterly exhibitions didn’t always take place. Later in December 1923 the Council would be offered from Mrs. Otter the loan of the late Sir Edmund Loader’s museum collection[91]. Unfortunately the town couldn’t take the magnificent collection as it had no space.[92] The mention of a school library also highlights Horsham’s lack of a public library. However, it was in the 1920s that both signs of a strengthening community, a corporate bonding, would appear in Horsham, though the school would get there first.
Collyer’s was not the only school undergoing a transformation in 1923. In that year, according to Mrs. E. M. Marchant, headmistress of Horsham High School for Girls, the large former home of the railway engineer, Mr. Oliver, Tanbridge House, came onto the market. E.M. Marchant continues the story:
“I shall never forget my first sight of Tanbridge. It was a hot day when Wesley Hall seemed to be particularly airless. Mr. Graves (Chairman of the Governors) came in and asked me to go with him to see a house which the Education Committee was considering with a view to using it for a High School, and he would like to have my views on its suitability. We went in by the upper drive, and as we got round the curve I saw the house in a setting of trees and lawns and flower borders. The contrast between this and what I had come from was enormous, and I fear that my views on its suitability were seriously prejudiced thereby. I said to Mr. Graves “It is too good to be true”, and he told me afterwards that he resolved then and there to do everything he possibly could to make it come true.”[93] The County Council bought the house and 20 acres of grounds. It would be another year before the school moved in.
A Day Trip to Horsham – to see brickworks
In August The British Clayworker Journal[94] published an account of the visit to Southwater brickworks by the metropolitan branch of the Municipal and County Engineers. The account relates how a large contingent of surveyors was met at Horsham Town hall by Mr. Atkinson, The Council Surveyor, Messrs Wenban-Smith (chairman), J. Stewart Whitehouse and Hayden Whitehouse, of the Sussex Brick and Estates Co. Ltd. From there they went to the Council’s depot, waterworks pumping plant, the refuse destructor and the electric light works before having luncheon at the Black Horse Hotel where they had excellent wine. At the Luncheon Mr. Arthur Brown, secretary of the British Paving Brick Association, told members how in America 400 millions of engineering bricks that they would see being made in the afternoon were used for road-paving. However, the editor of Municipal Engineering, Mr. Campbell, wasn’t so sure. After lunch they drove to the brickworks via Christ’s Hospital, where “we greatly regretted to see the condition of the external facing of the numerous buildings …the facings are light red, hand-made bricks made at a local works, and a very considerable number of them have decayed, rendering the facades unsightly after the small number of years since the buildings were erected.” They then toured the Southwater plant looking at the new Staffordshire kiln built in 1921, before returning to Horsham for tea at the Black Horse Hotel.
One very fine monument to brickmakers of Southwater was the new Baptist Church which opened this year in Brighton Road. In 1917 the old Iron Church had been sold and the Baptists met in the School Hall[95]. On 24 February 1919 a Building Fund was started and by May 1923 some £3,060 had been raised to build the church which, by then, had 210 members. The church had seating for well over 500 and “is a fine structure modeled on Anglican lines with Gothic windows. Stone work, and buttresses. Wide steps lead up to a double door, with Gothic panels and incised carving above…. The building which used Southwater red pressed bricks (in the front they are glazed) includes a large gallery at the Brighton Road end. …Messrs Cook & Sons of Crawley, had the contract: and Messrs Hoad & Taylor carried out the seating arrangements.”[96] (Whilst this book was being researched the Church was pulled down and a new church built in its place which opened in 2008).
The big event for Horsham in 1923 was the opening of The Capitol on 7 November. Whilst it was undoubtedly seen as the most significant, probably because it altered the streetscape of the area for over 50 years, and secondly because so many people engaged with it – the place for courting, for mischief-making, for forgetting troubles or celebrating, but it historically wasn’t the most important event of the year, as Horsham already had a number of cinemas, but history is as much about perceptions as it is about recording of events, and the arrival of the Capitol is one such perception.
Months leading up to the opening, the County Times carried stories about the “new picture theatre”, noting that it should open at the beginning of October. The building was designed by C. J. Kay of the local architectural practice Godman and Kay for the Blue Flash Cinema Company. It was built in an Italian style with red Lombardic roof tiles, and an ornate fountain copied from that in the Villa Albani in Rome in the forecourt at the front, which also provided space for up to 30 cars[97] which, as the County Times reported, “should prove a great convenience to owner drivers who wish to leave their cars”. The forecourt was a design feature caused by necessity, as it took over the space of the three cottages in London Road; its neighbours had “ancient light” rights, and the cinema would, if built on the normal building line, block the natural light of the neighbouring buildings, including the medieval burgage house, Bournes, so it was built further back. The County Times would run a feature about its name, saying that it was inspired by the Italian design, whilst The Capitol in ancient Rome was the temple of Jupiter and at the time of being built there was “only one other picture theatre in the world so named: the Capitol in New York, which is the largest and most up-to-date cinema in America”. In fact, there was one other, according to the historian of the Capitol Cinema, John Cannon, and that was in Cardiff, which opened in 1921, with the New York one opening in 1919. [98] The paper continued to puff the cinema, with mention of the electric ventilation and heating system, the internal and external lighting and the employment of a first-class orchestra of 12 performers[99], in addition to a superb organ that was being built by Messrs Hill, Norman and Beard, which wouldn’t be ready till December.[100]
In the account of the opening day, of the event about to happen and of the day itself, when the cinema showed for the first time outside London the film Chu Chin Chow, the County Times recounted in further detail the building including the tapering columned colonnade that allowed cover for those buying the higher-priced tickets, to the “crush” hall with its whirling ball of colour on a ornamental octagonal pedestal; whilst also repeating part of the Foreword from the special Souvenir of the Opening Ceremony: “The Directors are determined to present photo-plays of a standard worthy of the town of Horsham and its honoured traditions. They may be trusted to present you with a series of ever new and ever improving pictures culled from the best markets of the world, and to show subjects of educational value, thereby affording entertainment and instruction to every class and every age.” Thus they echoed the words that Lord Reith would use to describe the mission of the yet-to-be-formed BBC.
As a sign of the times and of future years at the end of the article promoting the opening of the cinema, the journalist reports that “On a rough estimate, including the work of those bringing materials &.c. from London, the erection of The Capitol has meant the employment of something like fifty men continuously from the beginning of the year.” The Capitol would go on employing unemployed bandsmen, whilst having to repay the cost of the building, the Blue Flash Cinema Company was, as Mrs. Campion, wife of Lieut.-Col W. R. Campion and opener of the Cinema said, “run to give employment to members of the 4th Royal Sussex Regiment, particularly the Band. They were not out for a profit….it was primarily to employ the Band and in order to give a really good show.” The proceeds of the first performance of the film went to Horsham Hospital. As well as a Cinema, the Capitol also had a stage for live performances as well as an octagonal tearoom run by Mr. Lane of West Street, which opened out onto a veranda above the entrance.
One aspect of the cinema that has been little reported on is that of encouraging the growing coach trade. Around October a weekday service from Three Bridges to Horsham via Crawley, Ifield, Lambs Green, Faygate and Roffey Corner was set up, it “is believed …by three ex-soldiers, Capts. A. Beaver, C. Ashurst and H. Jones who used the name Blue Bus Co. …and one of the functions of the Blue Bus Service was to transport potential patrons.”[101] By 1925 the service had been taken over. It was not, though, the only service to take villagers to the cinemas, as related above.
As an aside, the town not only had a new cinema, it also had a new club devoted to photography whose first exhibition was held in February of this year. The club was formed in 1921 and had club rooms. The West Sussex County Times carried a long article about the exhibition, from which the following extracts are taken: “Exceptional success attended the Horsham and District Camera Club’s first annual exhibition of pictorial photography, which was opened at the Town Hall on Monday and closes at the Club Rooms in East Street this (Saturday) evening. Originally it was to have been at the Town Hall on the first day only, but entries came in so well, and so much interest was shown in the venture, that the Council Chamber was retained for the second day. The Club, which has been in existence since June 1921, has a membership of fifty with Mr N E Lisle Phelps, a clever amateur photographer, as Hon Secretary; whilst both president (Mr Bernard Lintott) and vice president (Mr S Mitchell) are experienced and enthusiastic photographers of many years’ standing. There were no fewer than 407 exhibits which included 104 lantern slides…The inception of the exhibition was entirely Mr Samuel Mitchell’s and he thought he (Mr Lintott) could say that he had almost carried it out in all its details single-handed.”[102] (Unfortunately, apart from this poster and a cup nothing else has survived from the club – that we know about.)
One of the most interesting developments in the town in 1923 was the initiative by Horsham Chamber of Trade of publishing a shoppers’ magazine, called Signpost. Extracts of the first two issues are given below, and later, throughout this volume, reference will be made to the publication as it does give an interesting insight into Horsham trade into the recession years of the early 1930s. (A copy of the 1933 magazine will be found under that chapter for the year). In the accounts below you will see mention of the Horsham fat stock market that reappeared after an absence of ten years, but now being held near the railway station, rather than the Bishopric. The magazine also included business reviews, a short note giving the background to local shops, etc.
Signpost
Horsham Museum Society (now called Friends of Horsham Museum) owns an incomplete run of Sign Post, published by the Publicity Committee of the Horsham Chamber of Trade, from the very first number when it was un-named, through to 1933. The copies seem to have belonged to Mr. E G Apedaile, who was a frequent contributor. It was first published at Michaelmas 1923, which was actually around September/October time. The publication was a quarterly promotional guide to the benefits of shopping in Horsham, paid for by the traders’ advertisements. Along with a great deal of moralising puffery promoting Horsham over London, there were short stories, articles written by local notaries and some anecdotes about local events and local history. In many respects it can be seen as a direct descendent of Albery’s Horsham Journal published some 80 years earlier (see volume 2) as it mixed magazine-like articles with very specific information about shops and events.
The first issue was 32 pages long, large quarto size with a bold question mark on the front cover, for the magazine had no name: they would pay one guinea to the person coming up with a suitable title.[103] To inspire the competitors the committee set out, without ever saying as much, the ethos or mission statement of the magazine: “to give it a good, and suitable, and distinctive title- the shorter the better- providing it recognises the intentions of the Chamber of Trade to establish for Horsham the publication of an all-round information bureau, of character and of general interest acceptable alike by every reader as the organ of the business men of the town, who are always at the service of their readers.”
The magazine proclaimed that “This publication is intended to provide TEN THOUSAND readers with a lot of interesting information. Please let us know what you think about it.”[104] It was issued post-free to those who sent in their name and address, though this would later change to 6d per year to cover postage.
The inside cover had a full-page advertisement for Chart and Lawrence, telling the reader the “Showroom Department” of its establishment had been enlarged to double its former size; it is adverts like these that make the magazine so interesting as much as the snippets of information, because they tell the reader information which may simply have been lost. The fact that the extra space in Chart and Lawrence “gave ample space for the display of Ladies and Children’s Wear” indicates where they saw the expansion in the market place: not in menswear. Was this a reflection of the decline in the male population brought about by the War, or a reflection of the growing economic power of women, or of the distribution of other retail outlets in the town; perhaps a shift from women making their own and/or children’s clothes to buying ready-made. Difficult to say with limited information at hand (not having transcripts of the discussions about expansion taking place), but it does offer new avenues of possibilities and research. Another advert, this time by H R Camplin, the chemist at 5 West Street, gives a full page of information enlivened by no image at all; it is pure text that could be read as an article in the magazine. In it he tells us that “Every fresh prescription is copied into the first-class dispensing chemist’s own records for reference. In Mr. Camplin’s possession are prescription books dating back to 1847 (now in Horsham Museum’s possession). Every detail is carefully noted and set down, with the date…” He also goes on to tell the reader about his perfume business, noting that “It is not of recent growth, though it has recently received greater attention”, and that ladies use it “as an aid to the “atmosphere” in which its fair “patron” moves”[105].
The editor then spends a full page explaining the delights of Horsham over shopping in London: a mixture of cajoling, spreading fear (London’s “terrifying traffic”, of paying over the odds), medical complaints (worn and tired out body and feet) and cheapness of Horsham goods over London; in the process, explaining why London prices were going to be higher (high rents, expensive advertising etc); even arguing that it is easier to walk from one shop to the next in Horsham than it is between departments in a London store. The President of the Horsham Chamber of Trade, Councillor A. Peirce is quoted, giving a statement that is out of character with the article, arguing that “every shilling spent in the town, so far as it represents profit to the trader, affects the rateable assessment of every shopkeeper and the more each one pays towards the rates less is paid by the private residents” for the municipal services.”[106] Understandably, there are no other Council comments in the 26 issues retained by Mr. Apedaile.
A virtually full-page advertising editorial is devoted to the Capitol Theatre, promoting the employment of ex-bandsmen of the 4th Royal Sussex, which would open in November. However, just in case this brought customer loyalty, the Carfax Cinema, opposite the Bandstand would promote in its advert that “The Carfax Cinema is owned and run by Ex-Service men”.
The Capitol also promoted, amongst other things, the forecourt with its fountain “on which coloured lights will play, while all around there is space for motor cars to stand. This exclusive motor car “park” will be of great convenience to car owners….”. Interestingly, the motor car, although 20 years old, was still developing its own language as its popularity increased. One of the features of the Signpost was the number of large display advertisements placed by the carriages to sell motor cars; they dominate virtually every issue. As the editorial would state in a column marked “Motoring News”, “Owing to the configuration of the country around, there is probably a bigger percentage of car owners per acre than in any like district anywhere.” The news, though, is more a puff for Rice Brothers as it describes in detail their new fine car showroom in Springfield Road, new plant for fitting solid rubber tyres on heavy motor vehicles, and the overhauled works that enable them to build and paint “car bodies to every conceivable order”. A few pages on is a full-page advert for Rice Brothers, noting that they were district agents for Wolseley, Rover, Overland, Lagonda etc. A later magazine article would note how British motorists would buy foreign engines and chassis but want custom-made bodies.
The editor and the Chamber of Trade, however, were not friends of the Co-operative movement, writing a stinging editorial piece attacking them for being what they imply but obviously were not misrepresenting themselves); stating that “Their ideals are splendid, but they are not practicable: somebody’s got to pay…” quoting the president of the Rochdale Society “Sound business principles first; co-operative ideals second- to be applied whenever practicable”, going on to quote another leader who remarked “that in no business can ideals be established without transacting the necessary amount of trade; profits must be secured before they can be devoted to ideals.” Before concluding with the knockout blow: “Briefly, then, Co-operative Stores are merely trading concerns, with no higher motives than those which govern private traders” [107] In a later issue he would attack the Co-op “Divi”; one of its great trading ploys. Horsham Co-operative store never advertised in the copies of the Signpost the Museum owns.
The magazine had an essay by Hilaire Belloc written before the First World War, articles on poultry and cooking, a short story, bus timetables, and sports notes as well as church notes. There is the start of a series of anonymous articles by a wireless enthusiast about the delights of broadcasting and the radio/wireless. The article contains the following note, which reveals how new and unsure people were of the new form of media: “Whether wireless waves are to be feared in causing explosions, where blasting operations by electrical firing are in progress, has raised doubts in America. It has, however, been established that the radio of any sending out apparatus is not by any means strong enough, within a mile or two, to fire caps that are used….” As Mr. J C Leary of 31 & 32 West Street advertised in the paper, the same address as Mr Apedaile the Honorary Secretary of the Chamber of Trade, suggests that he was the contributor. Interestingly, Mr. Leary held demonstrations of the wireless between 11.30-12.30 daily.
The magazine contained a double-page spread of various organisations, mainly sporting, with their fixtures. There is also a list of lectures to be held by British Israel World Federation (Horsham Branch) for the autumn of 1923. This was probably because Mr. Apedaile was the Hon. Sec. of that society as well. Most of the lectures linked Biblical themes with modern issues, such as J. J. Morey (sic): “Britain in the Book of Revelation” (5 December), and J. J. Morley “Isaiah’s Message to Britain (24 October), whereas one out of the six seemed to deal with foreign policy at a time when the Israel/Palestine question was a contentious issue: “Britain’s Palestine Problem” by H. A. Marchant (October 10).
Mr. Apedaile ends the first issue of the magazine with an article about the Chamber of Trade and its purpose. Interestingly, probably as a direct influence of the War, he writes: “Present day organisation all over the country has resulted in men conferring with one another, to get more pleasure out of life than opposed to the old-time influences of rivalry and jealousy and suspicion that used to exist without in many instances either rhyme or reason. Meeting other traders makes every member of a Chamber of Trade smarter and shrewder in the best business sense- and it is all for the common good”. As an aside, a small note at the end of the article, he notes that “There are over a hundred streets of houses in Horsham Town.”[108]
One of the most interesting notes, and almost as an aside, is the matter of wireless radio, for this was cutting-edge popular entertainment. Although the radio was not new, the issue was always who would provide the content that was played on the radio. In the United States they went down the route of commercial, with advertisements, whilst in Britain the government decided the Post Office would issue licences which cost 10/- a year, half of which would go to the new British Broadcasting Company, formed from a group of wireless manufacturers including Marconi, to pay for radio programmes. In November 1922, a year earlier than this Signpost issue, the first radio licence was issued for the British Broadcasting Company. Such was its novelty that along with the licence came a letter giving permission to listen. In 1922 there were 200,000 licences, by January 1923 it was 600,000, and in January 1925 1.2m were issued[109]; such was its growing popularity. And the Sign Post Magazine carried a feature for its readers, obviously written by an enthusiast.
Signpost December 23
This is the second issue and the following gives a flavour of it:
- Advert for “Dyed Skunk wrap eight and half inches wide and 60 inches long; 6 ½ guineas. …other choice Furs include fur Motor Rugs from 6 ½ guineas, Foot muffs from 18/6”[110].
- Advert for “Horsham Typewriting Bureau everything for Typewriting and Office use…”[111] they were according to the County Times responsible for typing the address labels for the new magazine.
- “Coins cannot calculate, but every penny counts. That’s one of the reasons why every careful housewife in the Horsham country shops in Horsham”.
- “They say “better late than never”, What Horsham business men say is, “it is better to be never late.”
- The Signpost carried an article on photography; on Gaslight Photos[112].
- “Special Window Displays will be made, commencing on December 3rd when all the important business premises will be illuminated after closing hours.”
- “Mr. C J Atkinson, the Surveyor to the Horsham Urban District Council, is to be complimented on the excellent and dustless condition of the roads in his district. They are practically all either surfaced with slag tar-macadam or surface-dressed with tar, with the result that a watering van is never used upon them.” A notice taken from the Municipal Engineering and The Sanitary Record.[113]
“Horsham Fat Stock show
Horsham Fat Stock Show is being revived this year for the first time since 1913, and will be held on Thursday, the 13th December. …Residents will remember that the Show was formerly held in a field near the Worthing Road, on a day near the end of November. Several changes in connection with the show have been made this year; the first being where the sale will be held. This will be in the Horsham Market Sale Yard (close to the Railway Station). These convenient premises were not in existence before the War; hence, it came about that in the intervening years arrangements had to be made specially for each year. This is no longer necessary.
This alteration in date is rather a sign of the times. In former days the exhibitors were largely gentlemen of the district, who did not always wish to sell their beasts. In these times, when everyone connected with agriculture – whether he be a gentleman, or a tenant farmer – is hard hit by heavy taxation and the general depression in the industry. It is, therefore, essential for the Show to be combined with a sale. That is one very good reason why the date is moved much nearer to Christmas-in order to suit the convenience of the butchers, and other buyers. …The third change, and perhaps the most important to the public, is that the Show is free, …The management of the Fat Stock Show is in the hands of a Society (the President this year being Mr. W.G. Fladgate)….The people of Horsham have demonstrated in no uncertain manner that they are interested in agricultural matters, as notably by their attendance at the County Show last summer. …The best way to prove their interest is to subscribe to the prize fund, and to attend at the Horsham Market, some time in the course of the morning of Dec. 13th.”
Business Review II.
W Bryce & son
Drapers, outfitters and boot manufacturers
Established by the late Andrew Bryce in 1869, in Albion Terrace, the business developed quickly…(moving) to 66 East Street and later, in 1887, to the present address 39 East Street. Shortly afterwards the furniture stores at 12 Park Street were erected. The business is now conducted by David and Andrew Bryce. Originally the firm confined itself to heavy drapery; but now all kinds of drapery are sold….”
Wireless notes
“As a pastime “listening-in” is magical. To sit in the comforts of one’s own home with one’s own folk about one and able to listen to “calls” from the unknown, is in itself a species of magic”…” Horsham is well endowed with the wherewithal to all and sundry who are wishful of adding wireless entertainment to the attractions of their own homes…”
The paper also published the prizewinning entries in a competition asking the children what they did during their summer holiday. The winning entries reveal that summer holiday lasted 5 weeks in 1923; that holiday outings were to the woods, to Brighton for the day, Chichester, Bognor and a visit to Hayling Island to stay with family. One child, Alf Gratwicke, would write:
“One day I spent helping a gentleman hay-making and he gave me two and sixpence. Another day I followed the self-binder round the field and pulled out the docks with a hundred in a bundle. Altogether I pulled 1156 at two pence a bundle hundred. Two days I spent standing up sheaves and I went for a few rides with the butcher and helped deliver meat….”
Whilst Fred Rice would write: “In my five weeks holidays I had great fun in the harvest fields catching young rabbits and mice that run out from under the sheaves and rode in the wagons as they came in the field…”
Clearly, Horsham still had a large area devoted to agriculture. Though under the column “Where we stand, Farming Figures”, the following was noted. The British farmer feeds 40-50 people for each 100 acres of cultivated land. In Germany it is 70-75 people. It then recounts the % of foodstuffs raised in Britain.
| Product | % of the total used |
| Wheat | 20 |
| Cheese | 20 |
| Butter | 40 |
| Fruit | 30 |
| Meat | 60 |
| Eggs | 60 |
| Barley | 70-80 |
| Poultry | 70-80 |
| Oats, potatoes, vegetables, milk | 95 |
The reason, according to the commentator, for the low wheat production was depopulation from the countryside, for although wheat production was nearly half a cwt (hundredweight) per acre up on last year the total production was down by 159,000 tons due to the decline in acreage.
*****************
1924
When looking back at the 1920s, 1924 seems on the surface to be a quiet year, with not much happening in the town, after the excitement of 1923. The only major event was the opening of the Horsham High School for Girls at Tanbridge House. The house had been bought by the Council and, according to the history written by E. M. Marchant, very little needed to be done to the house to convert it into a school, and what did (removing partitions between dressing room and bedrooms to create classrooms, the partition between the billiard room and the drawing room to create an assembly room etc.) was undertaken by Messrs Hoad & Taylor.
The school moved in in September 1924, with under 200 pupils. The building was adapted, and as such there were certain restrictions, so initially “no domestic science other than needlework was attempted.”[114] As the Needlework was good the school could enter pupils into examination, but it had to be taken with either Cookery or Laundry work. “Our Governors (the men especially) heartily approved of the teaching of this subject, (Cookery), and Room 11 was fitted up for the purpose with gas stove, electric stove and sink. The shelves provided for the accommodation of bowls and pastry boards and other kitchen gear remained so long that their purpose became a mystery.”[115] The Laboratory, on the other hand, used the Conservatory so it was “very cold in the winter and very hot in the summer.”[116] Obviously the Governors had a clear idea of priorities.
E.M. Marchant’s account goes on to describe how the school was run, and it mimics the developments at Collyer’s. There were houses: Howard (after Duke of Norfolk), Hurst and Shelley, prefects, Open Day or Speech Day, and an Old Girls’ Association which in 1929 set up a Loan Fund. They would hold annual Garden Fetes and plays etc. to raise money for the fund, which would then be loaned to girls interest-free to enable them to take up a career. Once in employment the girls would decide a suitable repayment scheme, usually within the first 5 years of earning, as a nurse, teacher, secretary or other work. The school also continued inviting the London County Council Ackmar Road School for the Deaf (which ran from 1898-1983) to visit them and take the pupils out into the countryside, a practice that started when the school was at Wesley Hall.
The importance of the school opening and the role and impact it had on Horsham and the district can hardly be over-estimated. The fact that the school adopted practices that only two years earlier Collyer’s had taken up clearly shows that it saw itself equal to the boys’ school; though society viewed women as legally and politically, as well as socially, less important than men, here at Horsham High School for Girls they would not accept such a view. The act of setting up a fund to help their students achieve their desire clearly shows the sense of drive and vision for women in society. Only 10 years earlier the only way that women could, in Horsham at least, get a sense of this drive and vision was through the Quatre Vois marchers organisation above Timothy Whites in West Street. Now they had a school where it was being inculcated. Their students would play a part in Horsham’s development.
Whilst this was the big event, the local Council continued with the transformation of Horsham as it took advantage of changes in legislation and, more importantly, greater involvement in civic life; a direct fallout from World War One. The neatly typed and bound minutes give a full account of Horsham life, and what follows is just a selection of incidents that were reported upon. Whilst it would appear a quiet year, in fact seeds were sown that would have significant impact on Horsham: the extension to the size of the Urban District and the development of the town’s electrical works as a regional supplier.
A Year in Council Minutes January to December 1924
30th January
- Ministry of Health sent a letter asking for preference to be given to firms which are listed on The Kings Roll[117].
- Letters received from The British Legion, the Secretary Horsham Unemployed Committee and the Hon. Sec. Horsham Unemployed asking for work to be given to the unemployed.
- J. A. Savage & Co asked for permission to ply their 14-seater charabanc to and from London whilst the railway strike was on.
- Hills Place estate being built by Redford Son & Tarratt – asked for sewage connection, and water connection and electricity.
- The following minute is included to show how expensive typewriters were then: The Council contribute half the costs of the purchase of a typewriter for the Rates Dept. up to £6.
War memorial
Mrs. Laughton: “that as the names upon the war memorial are becoming unreadable the slabs be removed, steps made intact, and the names recorded upon bronze panels around the base”.
Motion seconded by Mr. Riley, but lost with Messrs Bryce, Chart, Etheridge, Hunt, Lawrence, and Peirce against, Laughton and Riley for.
The Oxford Road Housing Scheme
The Committee have received an offer of land on the Horsham Park Estate in this road, it having 180ft frontage with respect to erect working class dwellings- subject to:
obtaining a loan,
approval by the Ministry of Health,
satisfaction of the valuer,
the vendor dealing with tenancies etc.,
the purchase price of £3 10s per ft.
The site should be suitable for 4 pairs of parlour style cottages or more after a full survey.[118]
Financial
In order to go ahead with the scheme the Council needed to know how it would or could be financed. Two financing schemes were offered based on two assumptions:
- Assuming 11/- per week per dwelling with the tenant paying the rates
- Usual length of loan land was for 80 years, dwellings 60 years
Scheme 1
Extend the loan charges for the full period of 60 years at 4 ¾%.
The cost per cottage: £28. 8/-7d per year, plus £6 per year for repairs and losses –
total cost of each cottage £34.8/-.7d
Income Rent at 11/- per week per cottage £28.12/- 0d
With a Government subsidy of £6 per annum for 20 years £34.12/- 0d
Annual estimated loss for first 20 years: 0.
However, after that £6 per year for the remaining 40 years as the Council would have to make up the Government Subsidy.
Scheme two
The Council would pay more off for the first twenty years (£4 per year)
The remaining 40 years there will be no charge on the rates – no loss.
The council decided to adopt financing scheme two.
The Council applied to the Ministry of Health for £750 loan for the scheme – the figure made up of:
purchase money £698
legal costs £21
loan costs £21
miscellaneous £10
The Council also repay the Treasury £295 realised by the sale of six plots of land at Oakhill (see chapter two).
27 February
- Some 2,000 faggots at 32/6 per hundred and 30-50 loads of manure at 12/6 a load delivered to the Guardian’s Institution Crawley road – that three unemployed people be employed to cut the wood.
- Some 13 men recently unemployed engaged on work in the Surveyors Department.
- Fire brigade management committee report. Reviewing tenders for uniform that Mr. W Nye of West St. Horsham for quality B selected at a cost Tunic £2.6.0d, trousers 19/6, superintendents cap 5/10, fireman’s cap 3/9. (On 16th April 18 new uniforms ordered).
26 March
- Tanbridge High School for Girls requested electricity. (The school wouldn’t open till September).
- Horsham Camera Club 1924 had tenancy of a room at the rear of the Town Hall Chambers – Horsham and District Radio Society applied to use the room on the same terms – Council to look at office requirements first. (16 April the Council said no, as the rooms would be required for use).
- The Clerk to publicise the fact that the Council can give loans to occupiers of houses to acquire the ownership of the properties – suggested by the Ministry of Health.
The shortage of water would be a major problem for Horsham; for example, in the March minutes the following is noted:
Horsham Guardians’ Institution complained about insufficient water supply to the Union House on Monday mornings. Similar complaints from Roffey district, so various measures were put in place including this one.
Roffey Pumping test
A well at Rowland Farm Roffey tested total quantity of water pumped 384,192 gallons, or 27,442 gallons a day, 1,143 gallons an hour – sufficient to supply water to 1,400 – and the water quality OK.
The well is about 18 ft deep, has capacity of approximately 5,800 gallons, is situate on low ground over a spring of about 30 feet radius.
16 April 1924
- To accede to the request of Messrs W. A. Keith & Co to broadcast the King’s speech in Market Square on the occasion of the opening of the Wembley Exhibition on the 23 April. (According to one historian it opened on 4 April. He goes on to write, “Meanwhile the Daily Mail arranged with the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company to establish wireless receiving stations in a hundred places in time for the opening – the first occasion on which a speech by the King had been broadcast”, before quoting the Daily Mail: “The King’s decision to make use of the extraordinary new faculty which the development of wireless has bestowed upon us is characteristic of His Majesty’s mental alertness and his sympathy with his people”[119].
- Plan submitted to rebuild Swan Hotel, West Street, Rock Brewery Ltd. – approved.
- The charge for a wash and brush at the Carfax lavatories be reduced from 3d to 2d.
The following selection of reports shows how determined the Council was to try to help the unemployed, whilst at the same time help Horsham. In effect, to create capital works improving the infrastructure of the town.
Work for the relief of the unemployed in the winter 1924-25
Committee considered the following schemes, with the relevant costs, for providing work during the winter of 24-5 and finding out what financial assistance would be forthcoming in the lines suggested in a recent circular:
Springfield road widening approx £500
Filter beds and tanks – sewage works approx £1,500
New Street improvements approx £675
Mudding Pond Sewage farm approx £250
Waterworks and Lighting Committee also had reports on work for the unemployed. Suggested that schemes which are already under consideration be put forward for consideration as the work could involve unemployed – that the submission of the schemes is not binding to the Council to implement them:
Suggested increase in headings in wells approx cost £1,000
Expenditure Roffey scheme £3,250
Increasing storage of the present reservoir or additional reservoir storage £3,500
Total estimated cost of schemes £7,750
The report by the Electrical Engineer put forward might be considered as part of the unemployment scheme –
“In respect of interest on loan charges which equal 50% of such interest charges for a period of 15 years – although the work may not employ local people, the orders for material will give work in industries affected by unemployment – the scheme would also generate income” However, on 28 May it was reported “that apart from the order for 170 kilowatt Generator none of the orders would provide work in industries affected by unemployment. And as for Horsham the Committee could not be able to assist having regard to the extent of the unemployment in the urban area.” The Committee did decide to fill in the forms for the Generator.
28 May
- Causeway – A sketch showing the suggested treatment of the space fronting the Manor Place was considered, the estimated cost of which, including pavement and seats would be £15 – approved.
- That Trafalgar road housing scheme be set up – one block of four and two blocks of two – owing to the urgent need the Committee recommend the council to submit the scheme to the ministry for approval and sanction to borrow the necessary loan – price of land £696 – average cost of the dwellings say £450 – with rent after deducting subsidy for first 20 years £4 and £7. Also discussion on Clarence Road Housing scheme.
- That a mortgage with Lloyds bank be raised of £6,702 for housing purposes.
- Also seek loan from the Electricity Commissioners to sanction loan for £8,000 (made up of feeder cable £3,000, diesel plant £4,600, office extension £250, bathroom £50.)
25June 1924
- The farm and sewage committee agreed to dispose of the Broadbridge mill and to investigate the desirability of retaining the Old Hospital building[120] – as a temporary hospital – On the 30 July it was reported back that the building was not required, that before the War the building was deemed not suitable for isolating patients, so why possible use as a hospital – They decided upon disposal of the equipment.
- Sanitary inspector noted that notices to 26 houses in Spencers road needing flushing water closets had been complied with – however Scrase Dickins’s owner of houses 20, 26-44 even number in St Leonard’s Road had not obeyed the notice – given 7 final days notice if still not done the Council will undertake the work under the power of the act and charge him at cost.
- That the Council could not give a reduced rate for letting the Town Hall to the inaugural meeting of the West Sussex branch of the Historical Association.
25 July
- The Lighting Committee reported nearly £2,000 increase in the cost last year to £5,907. This was due to:
new light units – £1575
public lighting- £425
- The committee received formal consent to the extension of the generating station.
30July
- Plan submitted 30 July 1924 alterations to form a bus garage in Denne Road by Southdown Motor services.
- Springfield road, North street footpaths to be improved, including the planting of trees and in Queen Street and East Street
- Worthing road pavement to be improved in conjunction to the widening of the bridge.
- Agreed to give greater prominence to the 5 mile speed limit in Middle street.
- Refuse collecting – the committee considered the comparative costs of running mechanical dust carts or horse haulage system used currently – committee decided to continue with the present system, but include in the next estimates the cost of an additional dust cart similar to the last one supplied.
Pigs
The following discussion and agreement shows that in Horsham families still kept livestock within their gardens. It was a remarkably common feature even in London, with pigs being fed household waste.
The Council had a model set of bylaws issued by the Ministry of Health regarding keeping animals on premises near to dwellings – two clauses prohibiting keeping swine within a fixed distance from the dwelling house or prescribing a limit of distance from a dwelling house for the keeping of swine with a proviso.
The committee felt the first one would cause hardship, so adopted the second – not to keep swine within 100 feet of the dwellinghouse, unless the place swine kept is clean and wholesome condition.
Housing schemes
Trafalgar Road
The house price was deemed high by the Ministry of Health and they suggested that further adverts be placed – the Committee had already done this with the Oxford Road Scheme and found no response by outside area builders – suggested to go with Hoad & Taylor estimate of £3,936 and a 28 week build, for two houses and a block of four, as there is “urgent housing need”.
Also noted that the new Housing Bill made the scheme practically self supporting.
Cherry Orchard
Proposed semi-detached dwelling houses at Cherry Orchard Oakhill, with specification as of Oxford Road scheme – the private builders – Mr. Kempshall and Messrs. Murrell Bros – asked for subsidy and loan – total subsidy £228, total loan £1,500.
Declared value of houses – £615, £615 and £681, the independent surveyor had valued the houses at £652, £652 and £677.
Recommended asking for permission to raise a loan from the Ministry of Health.
27 August
- Owing to difficulties regarding names decided that streets would be named – Oakhill Road, Highlands Road, Orchard Road., and Parsonage Road.
- G.W. Prewett, the mill owners in voluntary liquidation – which meant the council as a creditor lost £124 for electricity.
24 September
- Speed limit – Cll. Mrs. Laughton moved “That the Council seriously consider the congested state of our streets, also that the County Council and Ministry of Transport be asked if, owing to so many concealed turnings, a speed limit may be put into force.” Motion was not seconded.
- That the clerk be instructed to ask Henry Smith and Son to act in the matter of a valuation between the Council and the Eversfield Trustees with regard to possible purchase of fields belonging to the Estate at the south of Brighton Road – action to be non-binding.
Electricity
The Electricity Commission reported that Horsham’s station has the lowest coal consumption per unit generated of the 26 stations in its class and area and ranked third in its class in Great Britain (In the minutes for 30 October the Stokers, in recognition of this, got £2 each).
The Committee studied a circular that the Electricity Commissioners are prepared to entertain proposals for the provision of trunk mains or feeders to outlying districts and for general extensions to rural or agricultural districts and to many small townships and villages in such districts that the government are prepared to give financial support.
The engineer identified two schemes:
- 7 miles radius of Horsham
- running mains out to Capel, Billingshurst, Southwater, Cowfold, and Crawley with branches and interconnections where necessary
- 4 miles radius of Horsham
- smaller scheme taking in Warnham, Slinfold, Christ’s Hospital, Southwater, Lower Beeding and Rusper
It would involve a lot of work – agreed to submit a general outline.
30 October 1924
- To Register Guildford Co-Operative Society Ltd, as a retail purveyor of Milk in Horsham.
- That an underground convenience be built in the Bishopric, on north side on waste purchased from Lt-Col Hurst.
- That a loan for 7 housing schemes – total of £9,382 be borrowed from Lloyds as approved by the Ministry of Health.
November.
Nothing of note.
30 December 1924
A discussion took place over extending what constitutes Horsham Urban. It would come to fruition three years later in 1927.
A report submitted on the extension of Horsham Urban District- Horsham Rural in September 1924 had asked if the Urban D.C. would like to take in from Warnham Road to the stream at Warnham mill and take such a portion of the rural district as lies on the east side of such stream between the mill and Cootes Farm such transfer of rateable area being made free of compensation to the Rural Council.
“So far as your Committee can ascertain, there is an entire absence of works of sewage and sewage disposal in that area, very little provision is made for adequate cleansing of cesspools, nor is any part of the District lighted though it is thickly populated.
The district offered by the Rural council is undoubtedly an outgrowth of Horsham, and has actually changed its character from rural to urban. It is so closely connected with Horsham that it would benefit by a system of drainage, adequate house scavenging (here they mean refuse collecting) and lighting, and the most practical manner of providing these necessary services would be the inclusion of the district within the Urban area… at present supplied to the majority of the properties included in the area offered by the Rural authorities and that some properties are actually drained into the Town Sewers”.
However, the Urban District Council suggested a larger area, that the Worthing Road, Hill’s Place and other parts is dependent largely upon necessary service such as drainage, water and electricity which the Urban Council are able to supply – it is estimated that in the short term the rates would increase, but the stimulus to its development will see it reduced.”
Thus ended a year in the council as reported in the minutes, obviously edited for interest. As you can see there is a great deal of everyday life recorded, but little that would dominate a history of the town. Yet if, for example, I was writing a history of livestock or farming in the town then the note about pigkeeping would be of interest. As with much of the above, it is the historical context which makes the point.
Another sign of Horsham’s growing self-belief is the Chamber of Trade magazineThe Sign Post, which by 1924 had become established and seen as a good promotional tool. Not only did it carry adverts but also opinion pieces including one by the M.P. for Horsham and Worthing, Earl Winterton, on the importance of the India trade, dealt with below in more detail; however, the article is totally abstract with no attempt to draw in Horsham readers. But it did add cachet to the magazine that the local M.P. and former Under-Secretary was willing to have one of his essays printed in it, and the essay itself did reflect changes that were occurring in our relationship with India. It is in many respects quite remarkable that Horsham, which in so many ways reflected the typical English traditions and sold itself on that, was also willing to use the pages of a shopping magazine to reflect on the changing nature of Britain’s relationship with India.
The following portrays the town through the Sign Post for 1924. Like the previous section it reveals a town that was confident in itself, looking forward but also with an eye to its roots. It makes for fascinating reading.
The Sign Post for 1924
In No. 4, for June 1924 there is a letter issued by the Editors, 5 West Street, telling readers that the first volume has now been completed, that there are 10,000 readers of the magazine and the next issue will be “newly decorated outside” and “very considerably enlarged.” The new cover was designed by Mr. J. G. Winder of 51 Park Street, who received a 2 guinea prize. The subscription rate was 6d for the four issues to defray the cost of postage (it had been post-free). There is also a small note to tell readers that a Mrs. Hamilton of Slinfold came up with the winning title of the magazine – The Horsham Sign Post and Shopping Guide”[121].
In this edition William Albery recounts in some detail the famous murder and punishment of Ann Whale and Sarah Pledge, recounting that Henry Burstow’s grandmother, “when an infant in arms was taken by her mother to Broadbridge Heath Common to see a woman burnt at the stake”, a tale Albery found hard to believe, until Mr. Robinson, Sexton at Itchingfield, told him that his grandmother was also present, and he gave some additional details that enabled Albery to track down the full story. [122].
Horsham has a strange relationship with its past, especially its gory details. This was the first time the account was told in full and yet it was publicized in a magazine aimed at shoppers. For over 400 years from the 16th century and, notably, in the 18th century, Horsham traders had used the sight of punishment as an attraction for shoppers; now the retelling of the story of one such punishment added frisson to Horsham: if you couldn’t see a public display at least you could visit the town where it occurred, and this still occurs today with the author frequently being asked for the gory side of Horsham to be recounted on town walks or evening talks. The reason for Albery recounting the tale here was tangential to say the least. The Times had run, on 24 March last, a reprinted account from 100 years earlier, an account of Esther Gorringe, who was tried at the Horsham Assizes on a charge of murder. Later a correspondent to The Times mentioned that “some years ago an old lady told him that she remembered the girl being hanged on “Horsham Drop”. Albery points out that although it was only 100 years ago, the account was false, as Esther was acquitted. Obviously a recounting of an acquittal is not as entertaining as a burning at the stake, so that trial is told in full detail over one and a half pages.
What, however, is remarkable about this edition of The Sign Post is a full-page article written on “Britain’s Trade with India” by the Horsham and Worthing Division M.P. Earl Winterton; P.C. Winterton was writing in his capacity of the local M.P. but also, more importantly, as the former Under-Secretary of State for India. The article is written in a totally abstract manner with little or no attempt to direct it to the readers of The Sign Post. It would have more relevance to “cotton” audiences he spoke to in the General Election of 1922, in Lancashire, than inhabitants of Sussex. This doesn’t mean that the article is not without interest, but more the fact that today (2012) we expect our M.P.s to represent the concerns and wishes of the community they serve; in 1924 in the local newspaper for Horsham shoppers, the local M.P. feels that an abstract article on Indian trade is relevant.
The article is not without interest in how it views the struggle for Indian independence occurring at that time, though not something that was expected. After discussing protection tariffs and the cotton industry in India and Lancashire, Earl Winterton makes the following points which portray a sea change in how Britain should look at its Empire, or rather a sea change in the public face, for he mentions tradesmen behaving like “politicians”, rather than behaving as they would.
“Readers of the Magazine will have heard of the boycott of British goods which was put into operation when the non-co-operation movement was at its height; it was intended partly as a form of retaliation for alleged political disabilities, partly as an aid and encouragement to the production of Indian – made articles. That, in the main, it completely failed should not blind us to its lessons for commercial men in Great Britain who do or seek to do trade with India. …absurd and unjust as are many of the grievances alleged by Indians against this country, they should never be discussed without the fullest and most courteous investigation. British people, if there are any left, who still look on India as a British possession disabuse their mind of any such idea. A British business firm or individual doing trade with India must be politicians to this extent. …No commercial firm should send out to India as its representative anyone who is not prepared to understand the language and customs of at any rate those Indian races with which he is likely to come into contact. The old half-educated arrogant type of commercial traveller whose motto is “I am here to sell you what I know is best for you,” is hopelessly out of date… A sympathetic understanding of Eastern ways is even more essential…”[123]
Business Reviews – Messrs Hunt Brothers
“This high-class drapery and millinery establishment, with its five tall and dominatingly dressed windows” recently underwent “interior and structural alterations” since The Sign Post last went to the press. “The original firm was composed of Mr. Robert (the father of Mr. Cyril Hunt) and Mr. Robert’s brother. It was they who bought the old business – for it was already old even then – in 1865, from Messrs J. & J. Stanford. At that time there was a tailor’s shop where Lloyds Bank now stands – at the corner of South Street. Subsequently, when Messrs. Hunt Brothers acquired Stanford’s business, they also, later, acquired the tailors shop on the corner.
This was before the present buildings were erected, when Lloyds Bank bought the corner site somewhere about 1906.” When the foundations were being dug in the ground at the rear of the property some “valuable XIIIth Century pottery was unearthed, and specimens of these are still preserved by the present firm.”[124]
In previous chapters and above, with requests made in Council minutes, comment has been made on the number of new bus and coach services that had sprung up serving the Horsham area. The fact that Horsham was a hub for the traffic ensured the town still functioned as a service centre for the district, though as noted below, even in this, changes were occurring. The Sign Post has a timetable of carriers to and from Horsham; the table below selects just a few of the 17 listed. The reason for its inclusion is that it is easy to forget that most people without access to a pony and trap had to rely on carriers to take goods bought at shops, unless they could fit it on a bus or train. Horsham had to have an effective carrier system if it were to service the local villages. There was no service to Steyning or Storrington, suggesting that by now Horsham had ceased to be within their sphere of influence.
| Town/Village | Carrier | Leaves | Time | Day |
| Alfold | H Puttock | Carfax | 3pm | Monday |
| Billingshurst, Slinfold, B.B. Heath, | Freeman | Swan Yard | 3pm 1pm | Daily except Thursday Saturday |
| Brighton, via Henfield, P.Green and Cowfold | W Packman | Swan Yard | 3pm | Tuesday and Friday |
| Coolham, Shipley, Swter. | Rayner | Carfax | 1pm | Saturday |
| Cowfold and Crab Tree Crab Tree only | Sharp | King’s Head | Arrive 11 am, depart 1pm Ar. 2pm dep 4pm | Mon,Wed,Sat. Wednesday |
| Crab Tree & Lower Beeding | Dark | King’s Head | Arrive 10.45am Depart 12pm | daily |
| Itchingfield & Barns Green, Muntham, W. Horsham | Rayner | Carfax | 2.30pm 1pm | Mon, Wed, Friday Saturday |
| Nutbourne, West Chilt, Coolham Swter | Langley | South Street | 1pm | Tues.Wed, Fri. |
| Warnham | No carrier |
George Chart, on this issue, had a block advert noting that there were Assisted Passages to Canada, Australia and New Zealand for Farm Workers and Domestic Servants. For Canada there was even a £3 Rebate being offered. The demand for manpower after WWI was universal.
In September 1924 there was an editorial announcement “that Horsham, in spite of being the centre of a large agricultural district, has never possessed a Ploughing Match Society of its own. This has now been remedied, and the newly-formed Society will hold its first match on Thursday, September 18th, at Dedisham, Slinfold. … The Horsham Ploughing Match differs somewhat from other matches in that the classes are for workers only, and the match does not aim at being an agricultural show in any way. The classes are for ploughing, for the horses and tractors that have competed in the ploughing, for hedging and ditching, and for cowmen and stockmen, so that competition is provided for all men employed on a farm…” The same edition contained a notice by the Horsham and District Fur and Feather Society of a Grand Open Show of Poultry, Pigeons, Rabbits and Cage Birds” held at the Drill Hall on 6 November 1924.[125]
Another editorial praising Horsham as a shopping destination noted that “there has recently been a positive wave of shop extension and new window space…Horsham is up-to-date. For the convenience of motorists and to prevent dislocation of traffic in the main shopping streets, the police authorities of the town have arranged for cars to be parked in South Street, in the Bishopric, and in the Causeway.”
Business Review No 4
Mr. W J Hammond, Sadler
“In about 1790 Mr. Hammond was a leading member of the business community at Southwater: and Southwater vied with Horsham for the centre of a great deal of trade. …the present head of the house recalls that his grandfather saw the planting of the trees of that famous avenue from the Worthing Road to Denne House. …The present proprietor (the East Street “Saddlery” has been in existence for 28 years) makes a specialty also of traveling cases and bags and fancy leather goods, besides the famous “saddle-maker” of all own made goods.
Mr. Charles E. Sweetapple
“This gentleman left the army in February 1914, and acquired the business of a Mr. Payne at 2 Park Street… Mr Sweetapple, being on the Reserve, rejoined immediately. He is one of “the old Contemptibles … the first fifty thousand…and he served right through the whole 54 months, in the gun line, and came out without a scratch. From the Battle of Aisne and the first battle of Ypres to the Armistice…he was a soldier all the time…. He had the chance to return to Dover to a staff appointment but turned it down. Within a fortnight of his return to Horsham he acquired 32 East Street, his current premises with some of the equipment he stored from his previous place, 6 months later he installed a sole stitching machine. In the following January he was compelled by the growth of his business to put in a finishing machine and an electric motor (by Mr. Holmes)…Then followed rollers, skiving machinery and patented adjustable set of repairing lasts, on the latest scientific principle, and an automatic riveting machine – resulting in Mr. Sweetapple’s work room being one of the most up-to-date in mid-Sussex… At the beginning of last year, Mr Sweetapple was happily able to get possession of the whole house …”
December 1924
WOMEN’S CLUB
The Horsham and County Women’s Club – 60 West Street open daily 9am-10pm, “a splendid rendezvous for meeting friends, leaving parcels, or for a welcome rest after shopping, or whereat to spend half an hour waiting for bus or train. The rooms are comfortably furnished and have been recently re-decorated. Magazines and at least one daily paper are provided, and a well equipped kitchen (adjoining the cosy reading room)…Lady Hurst is the President of the club, and Mrs. Douglas Harvey O.B.E. is Chairman. Entrance fee is 1 /- with annual subscription 10/6. (A decline in radical status from the headquarters of women’s marching group Quatre Vois, see vol 3).
Messrs Marsh & Co. 10 East Street – Tobacconist
“forty or fifty years ago the business in this commodity was chiefly done by the grocers, who retailed shag, and perhaps roll; the rather better lines being in the hands of the chemist, many of whom also sold a quantity of cigars. The tobacconist’s shop, as such, was hard to find, and when discovered usually proved to be a small concern, often badly lighted and with windows very indifferently dressed… Today Pipe tobacco is sold loose, can be bought in foil or tin which is expensive as is advertising for the packeted tobacco… It is in this connection that Messrs. Marsh & Co with headquarters in Horsham and two flourishing branches in the City of Chichester, are fortunate in having such efficient managers. Not only do Messrs. Marsh buy largely, but the ripe experience of a life time is in their favour, …Messrs. Marsh & Co were established in this business 27 years ago, and of those years at least twenty have been in the hands of the present proprietorship. Our last word. The slogan of the firm is “Everything for everyone who smokes.”
Mr. J Wakefield, 12 West Street. Watchmaker and Jeweller
“It is one of the smaller shop fronts, but what it lacks in size is amply compensated for by its artistically drafted proportions. The window is distinctly charming because all the fitments and lighting effects (and they are more than the average) have been specially constructed for the display of jewellery…When Mr. Wakefield established himself in the town – in 1911- as a watchmaker …some five years ago (he opened) …that other well known attraction in West Street – the Café.
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1925
As mentioned earlier the issue of Horsham’s water supply was one of the big questions that the town faced and in many respects 1925 was the crunch year when decisions had to be made, as the problems could not be put off any longer. If the town took on the proposed area it would have to supply that area with water and the changes in sanitation with water closets put even more burden on a greatly-stretched resource. The problems faced by the town were summed up in the historical note provided at the start of the souvenir when Horsham’s pumping station opened in 1932.
“1925. By this time it was evident that a new supply of water was a necessity owing to continued growth of Horsham, the increase in the amount of water used and to the falling-off in the flow of water to the wells…At the same time, owing to various technical difficulties, the amount of water stored in the Star Reservoir (it had been constructed in 1877 near the Star Inn on the Crawley road) …was reduced from 500,000 gallons to only 78,000 gallons. There was no filtration or purification of this water, it being delivered to the consumers exactly as received in the wells, and iron in suspension in the water was a source of much complaint.”
The statistics for the town’s water supply reported in the March Council minutes told the plain facts:
Statistics for water usage ending 31 December 1924 –
- Water pumped – 32,153,337 gallons showing an increase of 4,831, 854 gallons on the year 1923 and 11, 213,082 gallons over that pumped in 1922.
- Maximum day’s pumping 286,250 gallons on 16th July, minimum 141,750 4th May, daily average 225,078.
- Average consumption per head per day (12,000 consumers) 18.70 gallons against 17.64 the previous year.
- Average yield of water per hour 17,737 gallons as against 18,218 gallons in 1923 showing a decrease of 481 gallons per hour.
In May of that year a request to supply water for swimming baths at the new Manor House School caused some discussion in the Council. The agreement was reached that it would be allowed subject to the effect on the town supply. In the June meeting it was reported that on 4 June they filled the bath, took 8 hours – water level fell 1ft in the reservoir and it took two hours’ additional pumping to replenish it. The following month the Council decided to restrict water supply except for domestic purposes and no use of water entirely for gardens due to water shortages.
Photo of school swimming baths caption Manor House School was not the only school to have a swimming bath in the 1920s: Parkfield School did, whilst the pupils at Collyer’s would walk through the town and swim in the river Arun at the Mill pond, changing in a tin shed and removing leeches after swimming, according to Cecil Cramp, amongst others who swam there.
On 28 January 1925 the Council received advice from consulting engineers Messrs. Sir Alexander Binnie, Son and Deacon, of London and they recommended a trial boring at Birchen Bridge as “there should be a considerable natural underground flow of water towards this point.” The first choice, in the vicinity of Birchen Bridge Mill on the south west side of Brighton Road, wasn’t possible as owner wasn’t happy, so instead they looked at Magpie Lane. Then on the 22 April the Council minutes reported that Whites Bridge was a suitable site; however, it would take another year before the supply was proved by test pumping. Hope was at hand.
Some aspects of Horsham’s history read as if they only occurred a couple of decades ago, yet they occurred nearly 90 years before. In the 1980s the Conservative Government introduced the policy “right to buy” under a great fanfare, and it did have a major impact on social housing across the country, Horsham included. But the Council minutes for 1925 reveal that it wasn’t such a new scheme at all. In that year the Council debated and set in place a facility to allow the tenants of the Oakhill estate to buy the freehold of their Council houses, and the purchase was to be assisted with easy terms. This, though, as the minutes show, wasn’t the primary purpose of the scheme: its primary purpose was to encourage private builders to build houses by increasing “the present lump sum grant of £76 to £100 – the balance being chargeable to the district rate, as an inducement to the further erection of houses for the working classes by private enterprise in the Urban District. The committee feel that this may be an inducement to build houses and possibly relieve the Council of the necessity of executing work by contract themselves – to circulate this information by hand a pamphlet in the Urban District explaining this.” And for tenants’ the Council to “offer loans not only to persons building new houses but also persons desirous of obtaining the freehold of the house they occupy.” Obviously, as this involved some expense to the Council, it needed Government approval as the Council would need to take on loans to offer them to builders On 24 June the minutes reported that the Government agreed to it.
The rapid increase in the use of motor cars continued to cause the Council some debate. Things that today we take for granted, back in the 1920s had to be thought out and negotiated. Car parks, for instance. There weren’t “horse” parks, but there had to be spaces for the car to park as the owner would leave the vehicle. To help the Councils out the motoring organizations stepped in; both the Royal Automobile Club (RAC), and later the Automobile Association, offered to assist. The Council received a letter from the RAC offering assistance in the matter of parking cars in the thoroughfare (South Street) and the placing of indication plates as to the street being a free car park. The Council replied that the plates were already in place but asked “exactly what assistance the Association could afford by their Scouts in the matter of regulating traffic at this point”. By the end of the year the Council had the suggestion that a double-sided A board was needed to direct traffic to South Street Car Park which would be funded by the RAC, and that the RAC would be prepared to assist the police by detailing a patrol to park cars in the Causeway on the three busiest days: Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, all for free.
In 1926 The Sign Post would carry the following note about parking under the heading Traffic Problem: “The Chamber of Trade, therefore appeals to owners and drivers of cars to either park their cars when shopping, or move them on as speedily as possible from one shop to another.” It then goes on to identify the car parking grounds:
- South Street parking ground, which is apt to get very congested on busy days.
- Bishopric – parking allowed.
- Victoria terrace, East street, parking ground, for those coming to Horsham on the Brighton Road.
“Indeed Horsham is exceptionally well provided with suitable accommodation for the parking of cars, which should go far to make up for the lack of width in the main streets… drivers are permitted by the police to remain in one place for ten minutes and no longer on the south side of the street only”.
This was not the only problem with cars. The car was a murderous vehicle that was also liable to mechanical faults, especially if it wasn’t maintained. So it became apparent that the vehicles needed to be tested and local authorities were given the responsibility for vehicles in their own district. In October it was reported that a “Superintendent be appointed as Inspector of public vehicles for Horsham Urban District subject to paying £20 a year to the police for their services, on the basis if the work turns out more than they could manage other arrangements have to be made”. A Councillor suggested that a mechanic could accompany the police for examining engines etc. but the General Purposes Committee “do not consider that this is necessary and work be limited”.
The Council itself was also moving into the horseless age, when in June it had to decide whether to buy a new horse for a cart or buy “a light motor lorry from Morris”. Two weeks later the Surveyor inspected the 1 ton tipping lorry and in his opinion it “would save most considerably in time spent on travelling as compared with horse transport”. He also suggested that the body and sides be steel-lined. It was bought through J. Rice for £260.12.0d. Another foretaste of things to come on 31 March the Town Hall was let to hold a lecture “on the proposed motor road from London to Brighton by Mr. G.P. Blizard J.P.[126]”
In 1911 the Council had taken over the running of the Horsham Volunteer Fire Brigade, but didn’t seem to invest much in the organisation. Just as the water situation demanded urgent action, so did the question of the Fire Brigade’s fire station. In March a damning report by the Council’s Surveyor was read into the minutes, which is given below:
- Building, adapted from an old building with living quarters fitted in with match boarding
- Walls – the walls are not waterproof and it would appear that to allay suspicion the walls have at some time or another been match boarded in all the rooms forming the living quarters
- Roofs – the slated roof needs stripping and re-slating – number broken the zinc flashing defective
- Ceilings – match boarded, shrinking letting in dust and water from leaky roofs
- Stairs – very shaky condition, badly worn
- Living room – this room, due to bad and insufficient lighting is very depressing and badly ventilated: such conditions would not be permitted on private property
- Wash house and light over – the walls of the washhouse have at some time been garden walls and are in a saturated condition. Devoid of damp course and defective – only remedy to pull down and rebuild
- Absence of yard and open space. The absence of any backyard or open space is to be condemned and would not be sanctioned under the council’s bylaws. The omission of such an essential necessitates the enclosing of all sanitary appliances, the shaking of all mats and dusters indoors, and the turning of children into the streets for recreation
- Properties at rear – the very close proximity of a marine store dealer very cramped yard packed with decaying and unsightly rubbish and where I understand numerous rabbit skins are also dried in the summer and which is a harbour for vermin
- General conclusion – the quarters are not desirable, to spend any money would be unwise
- Washing down engines. There is absolutely no provision for washing down of engines, hose etc. after use. This is done on the Station floor which must, in consequence of being wood blocks, always be damp[127].
Like the scheme to sort out the town’s water supply, it also took three years for the Fire Brigade to have a new station, but it did and it was part of the Park House development.
One area that the Council did react swiftly to was the opportunity to create a new recreation ground. The Council had been looking at the provision of a recreation ground for some time, and now the Cricket Club in July proposed selling 3.7 acres, a triangular field bounded by the railway, river Arun and separated from the cricket field by Barrack field walk. The cost was £200 with £30 to Mr. Standing for loss on tenancy. In less than a month it had been agreed and signed and sealed. It now joined Victory Road Recreation Ground as a place for children to play. The following year the Victory Road Old Boys Association would ask the Council if they could form a pitch at Victory road and enclose it; the request was turned down, without any reason given in the minutes, but some three months later, just after the General Strike, the Council Recreation Ground Sub-Committee agreed to spend up to £50 or £60 for the construction of a children’s paddling pool on the lower meadow. Perhaps the Council was seeking a more gently-controlled form of play than the rough and tumble of team sports on its recreation grounds. It was this pool that postcards of the period would show. (Later Cllr. Mrs Laughton would say this was her pool, but that might have been sense of pride.)
Another sign that Horsham was looking towards the future was the creation of a Public Library. As the County Times reported in full under the headline which summed up the move: A Free Library for Horsham. County Council Scheme Explained. Local Committee Formed[128]. The very detailed article went on to explain all. The length of the article would suggest that the local paper supported the move. It does make fascinating reading for those who still use the library today, and is included virtually in full below:
“Some 60-70 persons attended a public meeting at the Town Hall on Monday to hear the County Public Library Scheme explained and to form a Local Library Committee for the Horsham Urban District and the parishes of Broadbridge Heath, Roffey and Southwater.
Mr. W. H. B. Lintott, J.P. Chairman of the Urban District Council presided, and in opening the meeting recalled that years ago Horsham was offered a free library under the Carnegie scheme. At that time they were unable to accept it, because the cost would have been too great. Only a penny rate was allowed and that was not enough to keep it going. Since then, Worthing and Littlehampton had adopted the Libraries Act; they were the only towns in West Sussex with a free library. Those not accommodated in the county could come under this travelling library scheme, circulating a certain number of books.” The County Librarian Mr H. A.Twort then reported “that the West Sussex County Council had adopted the Public Libraries Act whereby they became the library authority for the places in the county which had not already adopted the Act. There would be a central county library at Chichester from which books would be circulated around the whole of the county on the basis of population. There were about 150,000 people to be provided with books and if they took ten per cent, which was the average number of people who used libraries, they had to provide 15,000 books altogether. Horsham would on that basis have 10 per cent of the population catered for. These books would be deposited there for a period of three months, and at the end of that time, the whole of them could be changed, or a proportion, entirely in accordance with the local requirements. He did not think it was probable that the whole of the books would have been read by the end of three months – probably they would only want to change a portion of them – but the point was that instead of having quite an impossible state of affairs as they had at Littlehampton – a beautiful library[129] and practically no books – they would be able to get what they needed. Mr Carnegie gave money for library buildings, but did not think anything about the money with which to keep them up, and a penny rate limit produced a very small amount. Though this rate limit was being removed, even a twopenny rate was not sufficient to keep the Littlehampton population with any books at all. In order to encourage county councils, the Carnegie United Kingdom Trust was now giving initial grant for books. The West Sussex County Council had a grant of £1,300 and was levying a rate of a farthing in the pound for the whole county. Here at Horsham, they would get about 400 books a quarter, or 1,600 in the year.
All Sorts of Books
Continuing, Mr. Twort said there would be all sorts of books to suit all tastes, novels, not the latest, he supposed, hot from the press, because the fund was not sufficient to allow that, but recent novels and books for recreation, such as science, travel, literature, biography and books for more serious reading. The Carnegie Trust had financed large libraries and the County Council could borrow any books that were expensive and which a student could not borrow himself. The reader in that case would have to pay the return postage only, so that was another encouragement for serious readers, groups and study circles. First of all the books they would have were selected from the county library, and after that the local librarian could make suggestions for any books they would like to be included in the next issue. Really the idea was to bring the advantages of a big city library within the reach of anybody in the county. They could only do that by having a circulating centre. Because the book was not in their particular centre it did not mean that it was not in the library potentially. The very fact that they requisitioned it meant that they were almost certain to get it, provided it was a suitable book to add. Magazines were not included. They would not have a reading room such as Worthing and Littlehampton had, but that might be a matter for later discussion. There was no expense for the centre. The books would be brought free of charge and would be in the care of the Local Committee. It was in every sense a public library for Horsham with a publicly elected committee that would arrange the management, open to adults and all over school age without charge.”
There then followed a discussion as to who would be on the board followed by a further debate about opening hours,[130] before the discussion turned to where in the town the new library should go. “We looked round for a room in which to house the books and we found that the Committee room nearest the entrance (meaning the steps opposite the West Sussex County Times Offices) would be quite sufficient at first, anyhow and the Urban Council gave their permission (applause).”
Horsham town now had its first public library, separate from any church or society affiliation. The success of the Library would within a few years lead to larger premises.
Although it is dangerous to read too much into one incident, one sign of the changes occurring to Horsham came in the granting of planning permission for turning the Plume of Feathers in Brighton Road into shops; retail trade was expanding. This, though, might have reflected a change in Horsham markets, or a decline in drinking, a point reinforced when in February the following year the Council approved the conversion of the “Punchbowl” into three lock-up shops designed by Godman and Kay. The popularity of The Sign Post showed that Horsham was thriving on selling and in March the paper carried two reviews of local businesses, showing that Horsham shops were modern, developing, but also had a sense of tradition. They are included here and elsewhere in this book because they add flavour to the town’s history; after all, the town’s history is also made from individual people and businesses, not just council and corporate.
“Business Reviews
George Dendy – the house of George Dendy – taken over by him from the previous proprietor Dendy and Botting 47 years ago. In the Middle Street are the old premises where the business first started. The original premises was built in 1792 A few years later – after Mr. George had acquired the business – he bought the premises next door which had belonged to the late Mr. Gatford. As the business went on increasing he took over the building at the corner into the Carfax. He then expanded it further so the whole block was bought. Then it was that, (seeing that the building at the rear was very old ) the old corner place was pulled down and rebuilt. In doing so the windows were built around the whole building on the ground floor and accommodation moved upstairs. In 1910 Mr. George Dendy died, the business carried on by the executors under the management of his son Mr. A. W. Dendy.
“Some 25 years ago, Piggot started on 46 West Street as an oil and colour man, he bought a small business from Mr. Biggs. The late Mr. Piggott died exactly 20 years to the day he started the business in Horsham. Piggotts are known as the largest cutters of all kinds of glazing glass, wallpaper as well as Berger paints. Since his death the business has been carried on for his widow by several sons and daughters under nominal management of B. N. Piggott. A few months ago the structural alteration was carried out and extension at the rear. While this work was carried out 3 18th century playing cards were found”[131]
Chapter 4
1926 is defined in the public imagination by one event that lasted 9 to 11 days depending on your definitions, The General Strike. In terms of Horsham’s history it probably shouldn’t take up more than a paragraph at most. And yet. Because the event is so iconic, so often talked about in history classes and in books that cover the period, the General Strike and Horsham’s reaction to it will be covered in greater detail. This is reflected in a school history publication, “Contemporary Accounts of the General Strike” by John Simkin, who features the response of the West Sussex County Times to the events, identifying the political bias of the paper, which was strongly pro-government.
The year started with a major report in the Council Minutes on a new scheme to allow people to rent wiring for house lights. Although electricity was being used for cooking and heating, the majority of people and the Council viewed it primarily as a source of electric lighting. To encourage greater usage the Council had to come up with a way to make it more affordable for the homes to change from gas lights to electric. So it was in January a scheme was proposed,[132] the outline of which is given below.
Conditions for rental wiring for electric light – paraphrased
- General – the scheme applies only to streets in the urban area in which distribution main for a general supply already passes the house at which the supply is required – that supply is at council discretion
- The installation remains the property of the council and the owner has to agree to it
- Council installs a name plate to the ownership
- Wiring carried out by qualified contractor, no installation carried out on less than four, and no more than nine, points
- The installation will be complete for lighting only and includes plain pendant but not lamps – if the owner wants more ornamental, the owner must pay – there will be no reduction in rental on unused fittings
- The electrical engineer will decide the placing of pendants and switches
- Cost of rental – 4 point 12/- per year or 3/- per quarter, to 9 point 27/- a year or 6/9d per quarter
A month later the Lighting Committee heard that the Commissioners had agreed to a loan of £1,000 in respect of the consumers’ wiring installation hire scheme, but the hiring of cooking and other apparatus would be put on hold for further consideration. In the same month a report landed on the Councillors’ desks saying that the town needed a new scheme for sewage disposal as the farms were unsuitable. The town Council had been actively pursuing improved water closets and sanitary systems; now the broad irrigation system currently used could not cope. A new scheme was recommended at a cost of £15,000 – for a sedimentation tank and rotary filter systems rather than current method of broad irrigation.[133]
Then, in March, the Housing Committee presented a case to the full Council for re-housing people living in what were known then as Defective Properties, but what today usually carry the term slum houses, though that term is usually applied to large-scale housing areas rather than small-scale dwellings as in Horsham. Thanks to a number of film-makers working in Britain in the 1920s and 30s the scenes of slum dwellings and poor-quality housing are readily available, and not those that you would expect in Horsham. Yet whilst the images may be of London or other city homes, there are distinct echoes of those scenes in the accounts that follow. As the Committee reported:
“Housing Committee has from time to time, given consideration to properties in certain areas of the Town, which in their opinion in its present state is detrimental to the health of the residents, and consider the time has arrived when the council should seriously deal with the question of providing other accommodation either by re-housing schemes or otherwise.” The areas under consideration were properties in Queen Street, New Street, New Town (parts) and Normandy.
The Committee received a detailed report on the Normandy in June by the Medical Officer, and it is set out here for interest as it details the layout of this area of the Normandy.
A report to the Health Committee by the Medical Officer on the small area known as Normandy
“This report refers to a small area known as Normandy, situated near the Parish Church, containing eight cottages (51 inhabitants) built roughly in the shape of the letter L and numbered at the present time 3-6 and 8-12. The Annual Report 1919 of my predecessor (Dr Cameron) states that a closing order was made in 1909 on Nos. 3,4,5, 6, and 7 Normandy. This order was determined in 1912 after an appeal to the Local Government Board, the then owner having put in repair No 3,4.5, and 6 and demolished 7.
The area is bounded on the eastern aspect by the high wall of the adjoining almshouses and on the southern side by a wall 15 feet high (recently heightened) of the Denne Road School playgrounds. The row of houses 8-12 forms the front (north) aspect which faces on a wide road. The western aspect is open looking into the Churchyard. In consequence of these surroundings very little sunlight except in midsummer reaches the courts, and the free circulation of air is impeded.
A narrow entrance 6 feet gives access to the back row of houses (3-6) opening out on a small yard, clinker paved, which contains the lavatories. This row (3-6) is composed of four very small cottages with front entrances only, containing one small living room and scullery on the ground floor, a small bedroom (10’ by 9’6’’) on the first floor, approach by a dark and narrow staircase, and an attic bedroom on the second floor. Externally the row is built of lath and plaster walls, weather boarded from the first floor upwards. The roof, formed of red tiles, is in fair condition. Internally the cottages are in a state of varying degrees of dilapidation, details of which are given in the attached housing report (unfortunately not with minutes).
Respecting the houses forming the front row (8-12), No 8 is, in effect, a back-to-back house, having no back entrance. No 11 is inhabited by an owner occupier, is more substantially built, is in a very fair state of repair, and in my opinion, reasonably fit for habitation. The remaining three cottages are in a very defective condition. Taking into consideration the very defective conditions (with exception of No.11) of the houses, coupled with the insufficiency of light and ventilation caused by their surroundings, I feel it is my duty to make representations to the Council that the area is unhealthy”. S Child Medical Officer of Health.
Your committee proposes making a closing order prohibiting the use for human habitation…having regard to the existing circumstances, the Committee recommended the Council postpone issuing the closing order for the time being.”
So even though the Medical Officer suggests that the houses are in poor state and unfit for habitation the Council decides to do nothing at the moment. When the Inspector can undertake work he does so immediately, such as disinfecting buildings. In March the Inspectors reported that 223 premises have been visited, 11 rooms disinfected “and a complete set of Library books disinfected in connection with a Sunday School Library in Crawley Road, where the books have been circulated amongst infections Disease contacts. On occasions the Health Committee gave contrary decisions such as in April when it was decided that although number 47 Carfax was to be demolished for bank extension purposes that it should be repaired for human habitation.
In March, Horsham devoted itself to a major trade exhibition and shopping week, pulling out all the stops. It is clear from the press accounts of the various speeches as well as the exhibitions and displays around the town that there was one aim, to promote trade, and with it a clearer understanding that it was possible to buy the way out of the economic doldrums. The comments made by the speakers today might seem patronising, but were evidently not meant that way; rather, they reflected a genuine mindset of the Horsham community. There was obviously a lot of pride on show in the town and a strong sense of purpose in staging the exhibitions and displays. In the narrative of Horsham’s history it might be argued that the Empire Week could be relegated to a footnote, yet for Horsham its impact was probably greater than that of the General Strike, for it showed Horsham what the town could do when it worked together. It provided a model for future shopping weeks that occurred more regularly in the following decade than before its occurrence. And at the time this is being proofread (October 2012) the town’s marketing group, Horsham Unlimited, and Horsham District Council’s Town Management team, have used the information of the window-dressing competition in promotional material for the last three years to highlight the sense of Horsham’s heritage, drawing on a tradition of window displays to generate today’s “Dress for Success” competition.
The Horsham Sign Post Empire Week Edition March 1926
“In order that the people of Horsham and district may see what class of goods their Empire can offer them, the Chamber of Trade has decided to hold a British Empire Week in Horsham. This will commence on Friday, March 5th, and continue until Saturday, March 13th. In the course of that week there will be an exhibition in the New Hall, and possibly an exhibition of Empire products at the Town Hall. A procession of decorated private motor cars and cycles has also been arranged, also a Torchlight Carnival and procession of trade cars.”
The Exhibition of British Manufactures in The New Hall
The County Times devoted two substantial articles to the event, the 6th and 13th of March, which give full flavour to the occasion, from the speeches by the openers of different features to detailed description of the shop windows and parade of 9 cars. The following are just a few extracts:
“The town is more thoroughly be flagged (sic) and decorated than has been the case for many years past, was early astir with the bustle of preparation. The finishing touches had to be put to the competing shop windows, for the judges appointed by the British Association of Display Men were scheduled to begin business at nine o’clock, whilst at the New Hall a good deal remained to be done. Earl Winterton’s speech from the Bandstand…was exceedingly appropriate to the occasion. He congratulated the promoters of the Week on their energy, enterprise and public spirit: said he was proud that Horsham was doing its share in the “Buy British Goods Movement,” and in dealing with its sentimental and practical and economic aspect, said that in the development of our internal and external markets, especially our Empire markets, lies the best hope of reducing, and indeed abolishing in this and in the next generation the load caused by the burdens and losses of the war”.
“In opening the proceedings Mr. E.A. Dopson, the President of the Horsham Chamber of Trade, recalled that it was nearly four years since the last shopping week was held in Horsham, and said it was undoubtedly a great success. It also stimulated the traders in improving their windows and in giving better service to the public. At the request of the Board of Trade, the local Chamber, in co-operation with the Urban District Council, had organised another shopping week, but this time with the object of showing and proving what their own British Empire could supply them with. After all British Empire goods took some beating. Then why not see that they got them. Beside what the public demanded the traders stocked and increased demand meant considerably more employment for their own people. That again meant more wages, bringing in more money into circulation and thus increasing the spending power. The finest ambassador of commerce they ever had was the Prince of Wales, who gave then a splendid lead with his slogan “Buy British Goods” …When his lordship (Earl Winterton who the speaker reminded the large audience had been made Under Secretary for India) became acquainted with the fact that Horsham was arranging a British Empire week he was keenly interested and through his energetic services the Colonial Department had sent them many exhibits and native products and raw materials. India being especially well represented at the Town Hall (applause)”.
Earl Winterton went on to give a speech where, after praising Horsham, he went on to say: “there were two aspects of it, (buy British and British Empire goods), viz., the sentimental, and the practical and economic. As to sentimental he said most decent people preferred to buy from and trade with relatives rather than with those goods outside the family. By buying British goods, and this point was strongly emphasised by Earl Winterton, they were keeping within the family, trade that went to make up the British Empire. Speaking on the practical and economic aspect his lordship said unemployment meant higher rates and taxes to be borne by the community. “If you buy British goods, you prevent or reduce unemployment. The Empire, India, the Dominions and Colonies are our best customers, relatively and absolutely. The more we buy from them the more we sell them.”
After the speeches the “Earl and Countess Winterton went to the New Hall, where her ladyship opened the Trades Exhibition which was crowded and then proceeded to the Town Hall in connection with the Dominions Exhibition”. The paper then goes on to describe the Dominion and Colonial exhibits at the Town Hall. It is here that you can see the scope of the town’s ambitions and the help that Lord Winterton gave in attracting the exhibits.
“Canada is chiefly represented by a splendid collection of grain in variety, kindly lent by the Canadian National Railway. Many varieties of grain, native ores, &c. represent Australia; and New Zealand’s exhibits comprise farm produce (particularly honey and butter), canned goods, specimens of gum, wool, hemp and grain. The West India Committee have kindly loaned a fine model of the West Indian and Atlantic Pavilion at Wembley, together with a tortoise shewing the famous polished tortoise. From the East African dependencies and Southern Rhodesia come native rains, tea, flax and hemp, making quite an extensive display; and South Africa is represented by merino sheep, and an Angora goat. With various qualities of wool, mohair, tobacco, wine, maize, grain, diamond earth, gold ore, asbestos and mica. India…Carpets, rugs, tea, rice, chutney, condiments, muslins and piece goods, tobacco, brassware, jute and woodwork, make a comprehensive and attractive exhibit, the whole surmounted by a handsome hand painted silk Burmese State umbrella.”
The following week’s paper gave even more coverage to the event: in fascinating detail it describes the various shop windows and the trade show.
“The grand exhibition of dominion products “caught on” the more from the fact that admission was free and that there were lantern lectures and cinematograph films… Some surprise was expressed on Tuesday at the judge’s decisions in regard to the window-dressing competition. Light is thrown, however, upon their awards by the list of points upon which they worked. They were as follows: – selling force 30: originality, 20: workmanship, 20: ticket and show cards 15; general attractiveness, 15. ….
The results were as follows:
Class A – Things to Eat pts
1. Humphrey & Co West Street 82
2. J. H. Sayers West Street 79
3. A. Peirce, Station Road 78
Class B – Things to Wear
1. Phelps & Son Carfax 82
2. Tanner & Chart Middle street 78
3. F. D. Glanville Park Street 75
Class C- Things to Use
1. E. T. Lane & Sons West Street 91
2. Horsham Gas Co London Road 90
3. S. F. Lampard North Street 82
There were also prizes awarded by various companies such as Nestles Milk Ltd for the most attractive display of their specialties which was won by H. W. Timbrell of New Street.
The paper also gives the popular vote before describing some of the shop windows, which for convenience has been presented here in tabular form rather than running commentary.
| Messrs. Humphrey & Co, West Street | “Splendidly arranged display of shell and fresh fish set off with aspidistras, with a fishing boat in the surf as an appropriate background” |
| J. H. Sayers | “Pyramids of ice and goldfish in a transparent tank, plants being utilised in effective decoration. …pity the display had to be so quickly broken into” |
| H. Elliott’s West Street | “One window was devoted to a superb show of fruit, with “British Empire” in red letters on a green ground in the foreground; and another contained three full-sized New Zeeland sheep on grass with the Union Jack at the side. Special photographs of this were taken at the request of the New Zeeland Government” |
| Messrs. Phelps and Sons | “consisted of light footwear attractively arranged in artistic surroundings, including a triangular green and gold background flanked by pictorial screens, and red flowers and foliage |
| F. D. Glanville Park Street | “devoted to two-piece suits and stockings, had as centre piece a large flower constructed of art muslin in patriotic colours. Delicate shaded stockings were twined with wave-effect on two black discs |
| Messrs E. T. Lane and Sons West Street | “loose covers and curtains was the subject the colours toning harmoniously in amber, amethyst and apple green: and an illuminated clock enforced the slogan of the Empire’s Ambassador (The Prince of Wales) “Buy British goods all the time” Shaded lamps were a feature of the display” |
| Horsham Gas Co (London Road) | “accentuate the luxury and advantages of a hot bath by a brilliant picture of sports, with geyser &c |
The paper goes on to describe the Monday procession of decorated cars in some detail announcing the winners. Unfortunately only nine cars were decorated. However, on the Thursday night a “Torchlight procession” attracted “about fifty cars” which caused various problems as they left the Bishopric making their way to the bandstand. The procession was expected to have taken an hour and half and only took 20 minutes, arriving at the bandstand at 8.20 instead of the 9.30 time in the programme. Prior to the procession taking over there was judging of the Fancy Dress competition with “hundreds of characters” ranging from the adult first prize of a lamppost to Inland Revenue, a costume made from postage stamps.
Under the heading The Empire Exhibition in the New Hall, A Wembley in Miniature, next to a banner advert “Last Day of Wembley at Horsham”, The County Times gives extensive coverage to the display.
“There are three dozens most compactly arranged with an artistic light chrome colour scheme, the whole harmonizing well. It is a comprehensive and up to date exhibition, admirably designed architecturally by Mr. Claude Kay (of Messrs Godman and Kay) while the tradesmen’s individual displays blend attractively…” The paper then goes through stall by stall; most, if not all, were local tradesmen exhibiting their shop wares in a different setting. Each day the exhibition was opened by a civic dignitary giving a short address.
The reference to Wembley in the advertising was important, because although the opening of the Wembley Exhibition had taken place some two years previously it was very popular and had caught the public imagination. The Post Office issued a special set of stamps, newspapers published special souvenir supplements, just as the County Times would for Horsham’s exhibition: though Horsham would not see the building of a new station, nor four new roads to relieve congestion, the ethos of Wembley had permeated down to Horsham. The Wembley guide told the visitor that they “will be able to inspect the Empire from end to end. From Canada is it but a stone throw to Australia.” Whilst there was a torchlight tattoo accompanied by 1,000 military bandsmen at Wembley, Horsham wasn’t to be outdone as it had used cars and the town band. Some 17.5 million people attended Wembley in 1924 and a further 9.25 million in 1925. Wembley was the event of 1924, entering popular consciousness with popular songs to promote the Exhibition, such as “Let’s go to Wembley” and “Wembling at Wembley with you”.
However, “Although the stated objects of Wembley were to stimulate Empire trade and open new markets for home products, it had little commercial impact.”[134] And this observation was probably true of Horsham. As the Historian Pugh goes on to note, “Nor was the propaganda of the Empire Marketing Board very effective in persuading shoppers to buy more Empire goods between 1926 and 1932; Empire products only gained ground if the price fell sharply as in the case of butter. The truth is that as consumers the British had never been very patriotic or imperially minded. Even in Britain’s heyday as a manufacturing power in the nineteenth century she always suffered a deficit on visible trade because foreign imports were irresistible.”[135]
That, though, didn’t stop the Empire Marketing Board and two years later, in May 1928, they arranged in London and other towns including, it would seem, Horsham, the erection of marketing boards. This could have been an outcome of the exhibition: Horsham was now on their radar, but for whatever reason the Council had a request to site a number of frames “in which may be displayed changing series of posters illustrating potentialities of the Empire…Committee at the moment cannot identify site, but agree in principle and invite the board to visit Horsham and collaborate with the Surveyor to select site or sites.” It was further reported in June following the visit by the surveyor that a site in Carfax had been selected for the boards, frames and notices; however, the Council unanimously agreed that it could not be given, offering instead the possibility of erecting boards near Horsham Park. In October of that year it was agreed that the Empire Marketing Board could “fix frames for exhibiting posters on the brick portion of the boundary wall of Horsham Park below the lower entrance gateway”.[136]
The Sign Post for March also carried an article on Quality House. The shop whose history is set out in the magazine was in fact Horsham’s first department store, opening as such in 1922[137]. The success of this style of shopping enabled the shop to expand, which it did in 1926, and hence the Sign Post feature. Although it was a new type of shopping for Horsham, it didn’t puff itself. The idea of all household items under one roof wasn’t seen as being that important in an era when the town had a wide variety of niche traders and the pace was slower.
According to the Sign Post, Quality House, (No. 8 East Street) was originally owned in 1875 by a Mrs. Aldridge when the business was then at 63 West Street. As the business boomed in the early 1880s, it became too much for her so she transferred to a Miss Aldridge. The premises in West Street were, however, very old, and as time went on Miss Aldridge began to look about for new premises for a while before she decided to move to 63 East Street (now 8 East Street) opposite the King’s Head. The business increased and “in 1913 the whole of the ground floor was converted into show rooms. Soon after these improvements the toy department had to be transferred to the first floor. In 1922, having decided that she had earned a good rest Miss Aldridge retired and in February the business was purchased by the present proprietor Mr. A.V. Walkley. Calling his business Quality House. – unable to cope with the demand – he decided to move to 26 East Street, lately occupied by Messrs. Richardson & Co. here it will be possible to have all departments on the ground floor. The new Quality House will be opened as soon as the necessary alterations are completed, probably in February. – Quality House 26 East Street, at the Sign of the Green Light.”
Whilst the town was enjoying the Empire Exhibition, more down to earth news was carried in the paper, though taking up a lot less space though, as mentioned above, today it would be different and that was an account of an inquest held at The Gardner’s Arms, in New Street. The inquest concerned “the discovery by a peddler of a brown paper parcel containing the body of a male child in a ditch near Slinfold…Dr Geoffrey Sparrow said the body was that of a newly born male child. It was fully developed, but only weighed 4 ½ lbs about 2 ½ lbs short of the average….he would say the probable cause of death was general weakness.” And that account was next to the opening address of the exhibition on the Tuesday when Mrs Latilla talked about women’s work.
Also in the same paper was an account of the Shipley Forgery Case, where at Sussex assizes at Lewes, “Jack Delaney, aged 29, mechanic, committed from Horsham, was indicted with possessing certain paper and instruments for the purpose of producing currency notes at Shipley on 5 February. The accused pleaded guilty and admitted to being sentenced to three years penal servitude for forgery at Liverpool in 1923.” Delaney after returning from his last sentence, couldn’t find any work and his wife had been unfaithful so had been forced back into forgery, whilst the revolver found was a toy one known as a ‘burglar scare’ which he bought for the girl who was found at his cottage. Delaney should have been sentenced to 7 years penal servitude, but as he had 273 days of his last sentence to serve, after he served the sentence the Judge now passed, he was sentenced to 5 years.
The Council minutes for the same month reported a letter from Dame Alice Godman offering to supply an ambulance in connection with formation in Horsham of a British Red Cross detachment. The council decided that a public meeting should take place to discuss the matter. Horsham, although it had a fine new hospital, didn’t have the means to transport sick people to it. The Fire Brigade had a two-wheeled bier which the police could call upon; but that was it. So, on occasion, coal yard carts were used; any cart to hand that could be borrowed was called upon.
Whether Dame Alice’s letter stimulated the following or if it was, as is often the case, just coincidence, on 26 June a public meeting was held to form, not a Red Cross detachment, but a division of St John Ambulance Brigade. Twenty-four qualified men gave their names and a further six more were added at the July meeting of the Horsham Division. One of the reasons the town had so many qualified men was that as far back as 1906 Horsham’s railwaymen had formed First Aid Classes. Meeting in the platelayers hut, the following year they moved to the waiting room and had their first qualified instructor, Dr Farey Clarke. The advantage of St John Ambulance having railwaymen amongst its members was that, as most were shift workers, there was generally someone available to take calls day and night. They didn’t, though, have an ambulance; they did, however, have two first aid hampers bought with proceeds of a dance arranged the proceeding year by Police officers who were members of the St John Ambulance Association. The shortage of an ambulance would soon be solved when in September Mrs. Nellie Laughton bought one and presented it to the town. It was cream in colour, with the Horsham coat of arms on its side along with the words ‘Horsham Police Ambulance’. The Ambulance would be kept at Ford Works, Worthing Road and would be free to use[138] unless the persons were able to contribute, when the cost would be 5/- in the Urban area and 1/- a mile outside of Horsham. In December both the Rural and Urban District Councils agreed to work jointly in providing an ambulance for infectious disease cases at a cost of £325 plus equipment. This, though, may not have taken place, for Frank Holmes writes: “Mrs. Laughton’s ambulance did sterling service…it became affectionately known as “the yellow peril” for two reasons…colour, and the fact it was often used to convey fever cases to the isolation hospital.”[139]
As mentioned before, the General Strike was the main political event of the year. The Council minutes hardly record the event, partly because it was over so quickly, lasting nine days, and also because the impact on the town was slight.
“3rd May (General strike) A Special meeting of HUDC
(Coal (Emergency) Directions) Emergency Powers Act 1920”
The regulations came into force on 1 May, and after investigating the matter in some detail it was resolved that “to give public notice to all private Consumers restricting the consumption of coal as defined in Part II of the Directions, and as regards industries and Businesses to limit the supplies of coal and electricity for Power etc to 50% as outlined in Part III of the Regulations, such restriction as regards Industries and Businesses to apply as from Monday the 10th May”.
Public lighting
Resolved that Public Lighting be reduced to the lowest possible minimum, and the engineer received instructions accordingly”.
The lighting restrictions meant that “Miss Corbett’s Dance at the New Hall is off this (Saturday) evening owing to restrictions in regard to use of light &c.”
It is the County Times, though, that covers the strike in more detail, using a mixture of national and local news.
“At Horsham whilst one part of the Town Hall is frequently in use for administrative matters connected with the coal merchants, the Court Room is being utilized by the Volunteer Service Department for the Horsham District. It is under the Sussex District, which in turn comes under the Ministry of Health. Major R.G.C. Middleton M.C. is in charge and with him are, among others, Mr. Walter Burrell, Captain Webber Brown, Mr. J. H. F. Loveless, Mr. Winch, Miss Burrell, and Captain W. W. Oyter. At an early stage of the strike over 500 volunteers enrolled in the Horsham district and between two hundred and three hundred cars were available. Market-square and vicinity are utilized for the parking of cars, and there have been many instances of remarkable services being rendered as emergency upon emergency arose”.
The last point is remarkable as the County Times doesn’t mention any emergencies arising in the area. In fact, on the same page is the following: “Horsham a Busy Hive. With a fine response to the call for volunteers of all kinds Horsham is carrying on quite busily, and there are no lack of motors at all hours of the day. There is a morning delivery of letters, and as far as possible one in the afternoon, but naturally under the circumstances there is little to handle at the Post Office….From enquiries at the Gas Office, a “West Sussex County Times” representative learned that there is sufficient coal in hand to carry on at the same rate as at present for five or six weeks, and with economy the supplies can last for double this period….At the Electricity Works “there is no cause for anxiety”.
The paper does give some space to the strikers and their supporters, but it is swamped by pro-government articles and comments. The paper records that “Meanwhile the Horsham Trades and Labour Council have as headquarters the W.E.A. Hall where the strikers report themselves each morning, and in the evening have either a smoking concert or a protest meeting to while away the time and give occupation to those who have nothing to do”. In a paragraph further down the page, after a short article saying that milk deliveries had been maintained, the paper reports on a letter signed by J. E. Mathews from Horsham and District Trades and Labour Council “representing 9 branches of Trade Unions in the district, pledges its utmost support to the Miners” and “acting upon the instructions of the General Council”- “ calls on the Horsham workers to stand four square behind the Miners and appeals to all Trade Unionists to attend their Branch meetings for further instructions and to all non-unionists workers to immediately enroll in the Trade Unions.” This is followed by an article which tells stories of “remarkable experiences”, mainly in the style of British pluck, of a Brightonian who caught a train to Three Bridges which was running, only to have to walk from there to Horsham, and a Horsham High School for Girls pupil who cycled from Fittleworth, “a distance of about seventeen miles and there were other more or less heroic feats in the pursuit of continuation of education”.
There is also the story of a “much appreciated innovation by Mr. Fred Holmes, printer, of 17. North-street, who, in collaboration with Mr. S. F. Lampard, of local wireless fame, published the Government Broadcast Bulletin at 10 am, 2 pm, and 6pm has kept folk well informed and in good humour. It was to prevent rumours and false news that led to Mr. Holmes’ enterprise”, (a selection follow below): one of the rumours concerned a Mr. Saklatvala M.P.[140], which the paper then repeats before saying “Little credence was, however, given to this.” The paper also reports that “The British Gazette, published by His Majesty’s Stationery Office, first saw the light on Wednesday, and the second issue was on sale in Horsham early on Thursday morning, local newsagents obtaining their copies from the Town Hall. It consisted of two pages with blank backs, and was retailed at one penny.” The County Times also carried a small article by the Owner and Editor of the West Sussex County Times, in which he thanks his staff for loyalty before stating: “Obedience to legally constituted Governmental Authority is vital to civilisation and must be cheerfully given now as in war time. Outside that “Britons never, never, will be slaves” to self-constituted power – S. E. Gooding (Pop. and Ed.)”
Although the General or National Strike was about miners, it did not put the townsfolk off continuing to support the miners, whom they realized were still suffering.
The same page that carries the above accounts also has an advert by Chart and Lawrence, which manages to turn the political crisis into an advertising opportunity. “This week’s message to your readers. Keep Cool !!…In this Crisis which our Country is passing through, the advice from the Prime Minister and Labour Leaders alike is to “Keep Cool.” what a terrible spectre foreboding fear is and yet how very seldom our fears are realised. “Keep Cool” heads and kindly hearts and all will go well.” Before telling its customers about the cooling cloths it sells, including silk which had dropped in price to the same as cotton; not only French Government silk, but also artificial silks. “Perhaps the most popular is our “Wemb-le-Chine”: an obvious pun on the Wembley exhibition mentioned earlier.
The ability of shops to put “spin” on what was seen at the time as a major crisis shows how resilient Horsham traders were, or had become. The Chamber of Trade Newspaper, the Sign Post, doesn’t mention the strike in its June edition; instead it covers a range of shop promotions as well as highlighting various clubs and societies, almost in a direct riposte to the gloom brought about by the Strike. So the Sign Post featured the birth of the Horsham Players, the Sussex Wealdsmen, a rambling group whose secretary happened to be a major contributor to The Sign Post as he ran a shop under his name in the town; and a piece on the Rifle Club.
A Dramatic Society known as The Horsham Players has recently been formed in Horsham. “In every community there is a need for the best drama; and, hitherto, Horsham has lacked any united and steady effort to supplement the films. “Mr. Pomroy Sainsbury the President, Mr. Horace T. Knott, manager of Barclays Bank, is Hon Treasurer, Miss K. Hussy is Hon. Secretary. Other committee members are Mr. Hamilton Fyfe Headmaster of Christ’s Hospital, Rev. C. T. Parkinson Master of Christ’s Hospital, Mr. Ernest Bertram a veteran professional actor, Mr. R. T. Sharpe barrister, Mrs. Pomroy Sainsbury, Mr. Bertram whose son is the art critic Mr. Anthony Bertram, was closely associated with Sir H. B. Tree and Sir George Alexander in many of their London successes, acting in “Trilby” and the lead in “The New Sub” which had a 200 nights at the Court Theatre.”[141]
Another newly-formed society was that of the Society of Sussex Wealdsmen, whose object was “keeping open these ancient footways” whilst “the enormous increase of motor traffic on the roads and the lack of footpaths by their side, makes it very important that the field paths and bridleways should be used more than they are at present….One of the principle duties of the new society is to have all known public ways clearly marked in colour on the six-inch Ordnance Maps. The Chairman of the Society Mr. E G Apedaile, 32 West Street, Horsham.”[142]
Rifle Club – Horsham’s Great Asset
“Originally formed by the Horsham Institute after the South African War, with the object of training the members in the art of rifle shooting, the ground in the rear of Queen Street (adjoining the entrance to the football ground) was acquired, and an open-air range constructed, opened by Earl Winterton in 1906. In 1911 a meeting held at the Anchor Hotel for the purpose of re-construction or abandonment. A new committee was formed. In 1913 a public appeal was held to build a permanent structure for an indoor range which opened on 22nd October 1914. During 1915 the number of rounds expended was 101,702.”
The General Strike was over within nine days, but the underlying problems still remained. The comment made by Stanley Baldwin in his BBC address to the nation, that was published in the County Times, that “the Government is not fighting to lower the standard living of the miners….there are many people who say ‘I do not hold with the general strike, but I feel a good deal of sympathy with the miners’. So do I.” very much reflected the views of people in Horsham and the Council, who in June allowed the bandstand to be used by the Welsh Miners choir for fundraising.
Year’s end brought three pieces of news for Horsham: the test boring for water at Whites Bridge yielded 20,300 gallons per hour. Before the pumping began the water level stood at 19 feet 3 inches below ground level; on pumping the water level fell to 41feet, and after pumping continuously for 5 days fell a further 10 feet making 51 feet below ground. On ceasing pumping the water level recovered 10 feet; after this, the recovery was slow. The Engineer suggested that it would appear that the supply is linked to the town’s current supply; the water was similar and of good quality. This would help solve Horsham’s water shortage. This piece of good news was tempered when in the same month, December, it was reported to the Council that the Public Works Loan Board had written to all councils saying that owing to financial reasons money for loans not forthcoming. The Clerk had responded that owing to pressing need the loans at 5% were required; the Council had at the beginning of the year set out a strategy to increase housebuilding based on the ability to get cheap loans; a strategy approved by the Government. The Government’s reply was that the loans would have to be raised on the open market; thus, at a higher rate.[143] The same month saw the Council agree to the plans to build a new Drill Hall submitted by Godman and Kay; to continue positive discrimination (as it would be known today) by employing disabled ex-servicemen for a further two years, and the group would make up not less than 5% of the Council workforce; and to offer to hold the Sussex County Show in Horsham in either 1927, 8 or 9.
The Sign Post magazine decided to publish Mr. Apedaile’s account of Horsham 50 years ago in its December issue, a good point on which to end this iconic year.
Contrasts Horsham Fifty years ago by E G Apedaile
“It is difficult to realise that only 50 years ago the Carfax was a village green…An old-fashioned house with a garden in front of it occupied the site of the Westminster Bank. On Fair Days, July 18th, Nov. 17th and 27th the village green was be sprinkled with caravans and shooting galleries. There were booths, the abnormally fat woman was on show, the boxing booths and stalls of every description. Wombwell’s Menagerie occupied a considerable area, and the fair extended right down into Market Square and South Street, The Red Lion Inn stood in that thoroughfare, in place of what is now known as the Cosy Tea Rooms.
The Cattle Fair was held in the Bishopric…the cattle were penned in the Bishopric and the horses in the Worthing Road. Collins and Beaney were two of the foremost horse dealers in those days. To the fair on Nov. 27th came all the doctors and squires from miles around …Horsham then had no proper drainage and no proper water supply. Nearly all the available water was in wells, which often ran dry during the summer season. When this happened an old man known as Donkey Manvell came round with a water butt on wheels, drawn by a donkey, and sold water at so much per bucket. The housekeeper who wanted milk had to send to either Hills Farm or Needles Farm for it.
“The Literary Institute (afterwards the premises of the Horsham Club) concerts recitals and lantern shows ….The Guy Fawkes celebration – an enormous bonfire where the bandstand is today. In the morning guys were paraded round the town by boys and men. The images were usually tied to an old chair and carried shoulder high, and in the evening were burnt. The evening procession was the chief attraction. It was always headed by the Tree of Fire, a large framework full of torches. Then came the Horsham Town Band, and after this hundreds of people in fancy costumes. In the middle of the procession on a car was the guy of the year, usually some political personage. After parading the streets the procession formed a ring round the bonfire. The chief guy was then placed in the centre of the fire, and the smaller ones thrown on. The tar barrels underneath were lighted, and up went the flames. The whole of the Carfax was full of the noise of fireworks, squibs, crackers, and maroons – thrown indiscriminately amongst the crowd, and it is surprising what few accidents there were.”[144]
1927
1927 was very much a year of transition for Horsham: things were either started or in the process of being resolved, but no conclusion had been reached. There was, however, one important step forward for the town: it increased its size to 1,843 acres,[145] or according to the Victoria County History, to 1,891 acres, the area under control of Horsham Urban District Council. But for many developments there was no conclusion. For example, the problem of the slum dwellings mentioned in 1926 wasn’t resolved, though in August the Council received a report, summarised below, which revealed the actual properties, the number of people affected and the scope and cost to the Council of the scheme.
Housing Improvement Scheme
Normandy Nos. 3-6 and 8-12
Queen Street Nos. 2-16 and 18-24 evens
New Street Nos. 99, 101, & 103
The land to be compulsorily bought if agreement could not reached – this included land not included in the unhealthy land but bought for efficiency reasons; land will be cleared, buildings demolished and the land then rebuilt on. The number of the Working classes displaced:
Normandy 55
Queen Street 41
New Street 14
Summary of estimated expenditure
Estimated annual expenditure £671. 15s.1d
Estimated annual income by rents £371.16s. 0d
Estimated annual loss on scheme £299. 19s. 1s
The scheme will cost the council £150 as Govt. grant gives half, per year[147].
But no decision was made as to whether to proceed. In fact, it would still be going on some 10 years later, but by then National Government policy on housing had changed (see 1936).
Then the Council faced the problem of out of date electrical plant, along with growing demand for electricity and an expansion of the area to be supplied. (see next page, this sentence is duplicated) Some of the demand came from the rise in electrical domestic appliances. The following, today, seems remarkable, but in June the owner of the Needles in Worthing Road[147] wanted to install a household refrigerator made by The Electrolux Company Ltd. The company had to ask for permission, notifying the Council that “the Refrigerator is a simple device without any moving parts whatever, and calling for only a small amount of heating and a certain quantity of cooling water… These heat and water supplies are inter-connected, so that when the heat is shut off the water is automatically turned off, thereby preventing any waste. ….less than 50 gallons per day.” The Council’s concern was probably over water usage, rather than electricity, but it did agree to it.
Then the Council faced the problem of out of date electrical plant along with growing demand for electricity and an expansion of the area to be supplied. (the preceding sentence is a duplicate from the preceding page) The Finance Committee in January of this year received a detailed, if somewhat alarming, report from the Electrical Engineer which clearly shows how electrical usage in the town was rapidly rising. Because the electrical works had been established to provide power for lighting, see volume 3, the report had been sent first to the Lighting Committee, extracts of which are given below.
“in reviewing the situation we must, I think, conclude that the time has arrived when the electrical requirements of the Town are outgrowing the present plant and system. The total capacity of the Works is now 850 kilowatts; the maximum load carried this winter was 605 kilowatts and load ranging between 500 and 600 kilowatts was maintained for a considerable period each evening. Of the above total plant, 280 kilowatts is over 23 years old, and, though useable, is obsolete.
In one direction we are now supplying consumers two miles from the power station and in another direction one and one third miles. It is in these districts that load tends to increase and to which transmission on the present direct current system will ultimately become uneconomical.
I suggest therefore that the first consideration is the complete re-organisation of the Power Station and the introduction of alternating current system of generation. This would lead to considerable economy in fuel, tend (sic) to bring your Works into line with standard practice and would enable the outlying portions of the Urban area to be supplied satisfactorily. It is not proposed that the system of supply in the centre of the Town be changed at this stage or for some time to come. …”
By 1927, though, electricity had moved out of the control of towns like Horsham and into the realms of centralised government. Electricity was too important to be operated on the small scale and so, although Horsham town might own its own plant, it had to seek official approval. Although not possible to prove, I suspect that the Town’s Electrical Engineer realised the way the supply industry was moving, and if the Council didn’t modernise then the town would be left behind and another supplier would step in. As Martin Pugh described, in the last seven years the supply industry had changed: “In 1919 the government divided the country into districts under a Joint Electricity Authority with responsibility for extending supply, and it allocated £20 million for investment. In 1926 it created the Central Electricity Generating Board which owned and operated the National Grid with powers to raise capital on ordinary commercial lines and a responsibility to establish interconnected lines covering the whole country.”[149]
This change manifested itself in 1927 when The Electricity Commissioners published an Order that that the Electric Supply Corporation Ltd would be supplying electricity for the Central Sussex region,[150] and that meant to part of the hinterland that Horsham saw as its own region and communities that Horsham had intended to supply. This extended area of supply would make the town’s electrical works more viable and cost-effective. The Council decided to appeal against this Order by petitioning the Electricity Commissioners, setting out in some detail its arguments; The Town Council felt it had just cause on its side. The arguments it put forward in the petition were given in the Council minutes and reveal a great deal of pride in the Electrical works as well as civic pride in the town’s ability to provide electricity to the community and surrounding area.
1. Back in Sept 1924 the Council proposed to the Commissioners extending the area that it supplied and asked for financial assistance regarding transmission lines – the Commissioners then informed the Council that because of a change in government, the scheme had to be deferred – The council, though, is still investigating the supply of the area.
2. The villages around Horsham want Horsham to supply the electricity – and it would be cheaper – the council electricity prices compare favourably with elsewhere in West Sussex.
3. The Council uses very little coal, achieving second in Britain in 1923, 3rd in 1924 in this class of station, and in 1925 the station had the lowest coal consumption per unit generated of the 26 stations in its class and area, it being placed third in its class in Great Britain.
4. That the suppliers, in two years after commencement of the Order, only plan to supply Billingshurst – whereas there are other important villages that want supply.
The Council felt that the best way of defending its circumstances was by aggressive attack and so, in late March, proposed “To extend the electricity supply – application made to the Supply Commission to supply the extended portion of the Horsham Urban District and the Parishes of Rudgwick, Billingshurst, Shipley, West Grinstead, Warnham, Slinfold, Itchingfield, Horsham Rural, Nuthurst, Cowfold, Rusper, part of Lower Beeding (that part not covered by Crawley)[151].
In October the riposte came, as reported in the Council minutes.[152] In a letter dated 14 October the Commissioners stated that they were “averse to the extension by the Horsham Urban District Council of their generating station, but that if it found absolutely necessary to install additional plant therein to enable the Council to carry out their obligations under the Order during the winter of 1928/29, such additional plant should be no more than sufficient to meet the Councils requirements at that time, and that these requirements should be limited to the existing area of the Council under the Order.” In other words, we are against you increasing the size of your plant, but if you have to in order to meet your obligations already entered into, so be it, but that is all. The Council “Resolved That the Lighting Committee be requested to take into consideration necessary provision of plant to deal with the load up to and including the winter of 1928/29 and ask the bulk suppliers for electricity (Guildford, or Corporation of Brighton, which was laying a main to Cuckfield, or County of London)”.
So the way forward still wasn’t resolved at the end of the year, with the Council being given permission to increase the size of the plant in order to fulfil its duties that it currently had not to expand in supplying further areas. Another core service was water supply, and here the news was better: having had one report at the end of 1926 identifying that Whites Bridge could supply water of sufficient quality, though it did have problems with the amount of water that could be drawn from the well, a report to the Council in July gave more positive result. “The pumping test for 40,000 gallons per hour on the new borehole at Whites Bridge was commenced last evening (July 19th) at 8 o’clock – the quantity being pumped is 40,000 to 42,000 gallons per hour and the present pumping water level is only two feet below the maximum pumping level”. It looked as if Horsham had found a solution to its water shortage. Now all it needed was the plant to pump the water.
One of the essential services run by the Council was collecting refuse. Today (2014), a great deal of Horsham District Council’s time and resources is spent in refuse collection and recycling with concerns about landfill. For decades, though, household refuse only entered public consciousness when dustbin men went on strike (as in winter 1979/80), so what is a fundamental part of living in a healthy urban environment has been ignored by historians of the town. In 1927 a couple of issues occurred which makes refuse interesting; but before dealing with those two stories, a brief account of rubbish.
In the 18th century Horsham had large mounds of rubbish at the bottom of gardens or at street corners; one legal case describes a rubbish mound in the Carfax.[153] And whilst not possible to prove, it is likely that Grubb Hill in Horsham, like its London counterpart Grubb Street, was where rubbish was disposed of, on the outskirts of the borough boundary on the Common. As people became wealthier so they disposed of more and more items. But “For the first three-quarters of the 19th century, the recycling of waste products had been a fairly common activity. In many urban areas this discarded domestic refuse was collected by scavengers and dustmen and taken to dust-yards of the kind that inspired Dickens’ novel Our Mutual Friend. There staff, usually women, were paid to rummage through the filth in search of reusable items such as brass, rags and waste paper.”[154] The rest of the rubbish was burnt in domestic grates with the dust collected by dustmen, and then sent to places like Horsham for making bricks. This changed, however, between 1880 and 1914 in what Dr. Cooper has called Britain’s waste revolution, “By the 1880s the idea of miasma – the belief that if you could smell something that was rotting it could transfer in your own body and start the process of decay inside you – had begun to take hold. An understanding of germs came next and a fear of refuse was cemented; a different understanding of disease and risk had begun.”[155] This led to two responses, but the overarching ideology was controlling waste; it became the responsibility of the local authority. The two responses were burning it in “destructors”, which Horsham had linked to its electricity works; the other was landfill, though not called that. And although it advances the story further, the 1958 Clean Air Act prevented householders from burning much of their waste, and also the discovery that incinerators pumped a lot of carcinogenic smoke into the air led to landfills becoming the method, with the old rag and bone man disappearing from Horsham and the nation’s streets as throwaway culture took hold. Horsham, as you may recall from a previous chapter, employed scavengers at 1/- an hour just after the War, to sort through the rubbish.
The Council decided to look into the more efficient use of collecting rubbish and, in particular, the use of a motorised van, rather than horse and cart. The Council minutes report that “The total cost of refuse collection for the year ending 31st March 1926 was £1476 and net £1297 after transferring the sum of £179 as the value of the refuse.” The report then went on to discuss the cost of employment, noting that employees’ wages had risen considerably, in 1914 wages being “21/1d and 19/2 d per week and now they were 50/-, 48/6 and 48/- per week.” The surveyor then identified what he thought would be considerable saving “by motor driven collecting vehicles”. The Councillors “decided to accept the offer of Messrs. Shelvoke & Drewry Ltd of Letchworth to supply for one week on trial a S.D. Freighter at a hiring charge of £7.10.0d plus skilled labour charges”.
So it was the week beginning 7 March the trial took place, and as the report to the Councillors stated, “two dust carts dispensed with first thing Monday morning. The S. D. Freighter completed the week’s work of the two dust carts at mid-day Thursday 10th March having collected 16 loads of refuse. On completing the work of the two carts at 11 am on the 10th , the four wheeled van was stopped collecting at this hour, the S.D. Freighter carrying on the Van’s duties from this time. The whole of the Town’s refuse was completely collected by 3p.m. on Friday the 11 – the freighter doing 2 ½ carts work in less than one week.” Going on to report that “At present time two horses and carts and one four wheeled van with nine men inclusive of drivers are employed on refuse collection. Taking into consideration the taking over of the extended area (the expansion of Horsham Urban District Council) on 1st April it will be necessary to employ an additional cart for three or four days a week. …thus giving us 4 horses and carts and 12 men on refuse collection. … I am confident that …two of these S.D. Freighters the whole of the work collecting the towns refuse could be done with these two vehicles and about 6 men with possibly time to spare at the end of the week”.[156]
The report then noted the savings: “The cost of the saving would be either £582 10.0d for a 6 cubic yard vehicle or, £607.10 for a 7 cubic yard, and the Ministry of health would sanction a loan on the vehicles for a period of 7 years.”
Insert photo of Horsham’s first dust cart caption – Although the photograph Cecil Cramp thought was c 1931. it is almost certainly 1927, as by 1931 the dustcart was commonplace
Thus, the nail was in the coffin for horse-drawn carts, which also meant that the requirement for Council stables, stablemen, the number of refuse men required, repairs to the harnesses etc., all suffered through the technological change, but the Council now had to service and maintain the refuse vans, though it is easy to see how the town could make significant savings. William Albery, the town historian and saddler, would in the 1930s rail against the arrival of motor cars, but when economics like this come into play it is easy to see why the Council ten years earlier made the transition; a transition that was taking place across towns, villages, farms and businesses across the land.
The report also revealed a couple of interesting facts about Horsham, one of which is rather surprising: the number of houses in Horsham – in 1915 it was an estimated 2770, and in 1926, 2962, so that over 11 years it had increased by 192. It would appear that very little private development had taken place in the town after taking out the number of homes built by the Council. A point to be aware of when looking at Horsham in the 1930s; and secondly, the town produced around 3,000 tons of refuse a year which was collected and delivered to the destructor. Refuse was big business and important to the town to power the growing demands for electricity.
After dealing with the essentials of urban life the Council had to look at some of the services for the town, a town that was a hub of north Sussex, including the possible provision of a library. A public meeting had taken place and on 26 January the Council reported that it had received a letter from the Honorary Local Librarian reporting on the resolution of that meeting:
“1. That the Urban District Council of Horsham be recommended to apply to the County Council for the establishment of a Branch Library at Horsham, consisting of a Lending Library and a Reference Library, and that the County Council be invited to levy a special rate, not to exceed one penny, on the Urban District, sufficient to pay the difference in cost between the normal service given by the County Library scheme to villages, and the special services required by Horsham.
2. That, pending the arrangement of a Branch Library, this Meeting urges the Horsham Urban District Council to provide more suitable accommodation for the present County Library Centre.”[157]
The town was not without library provision; for example, in March, under situations vacant, Messrs Timothy White Co Ltd was advertising for “a young lady, age 15-16 years for the Library at their Horsham Branch.” The applicant had to apply in her own handwriting. Boots Circulating Library[158] is quite well-known, as today numerous secondhand or charity shops have books with the ubiquitous sticker on them – Boots Lending Library – but Timothy White less so. In fact, looking online (December 2012) nothing has appeared, but one can surmise that it operated in a similar way to Boots Circulating Library.) Based in their West Street shop we have no idea of its size, books borrowed etc. The town, however, didn’t want a commercial library: it wanted a public library.
But, as mentioned earlier with other schemes and developments, nothing was resolved; it did raise its political profile, but the town didn’t get a library that year, though it did in November agree “to appoint a subcommittee of the education committee to consider the establishment of a branch library” (the town had a library centre, not a branch library), and if a subcommittee is appointed usually something does happen, though it may take a long time. The same was probably felt in the town when in June the Council was offered, by the Chairman of the Council (Mr. Lawrence) the provision of an open-air swimming bath on a site at present ready for the development; it lay at the side of the County Council yard in Brighton Road, the yard that was the original site of the last tannery in Horsham, the tan pits tanks (see volume 3). Like water, electricity and the library the town didn’t get its pool that year either, having to use the Town mill pond by the Arun, whilst the Council investigated the proposal. But it was an offer that kept the momentum up for a swimming pool.
There was one development that was seen to completion in 1927: the opening on 10 December at 3pm of the New Drill Hall in Denne Road. It became an important part of the social fabric of Horsham as the following account shows, an account produced for the re-opening of the Drill Hall after the Territorial Army left.
The West Sussex County Times reports that the building was designed by the local architectural firm of Godman and Kay; the principal architect was Lieutenant Colonel G. R. B. Godman who was also the “popular commanding officer of the 4th Royal Sussex Regiment”. The paper described how the Drill Hall, built by the well-known local company of Rowland Bros, allowed for ‘proper training of territorials’, as well as being a ‘modern club’ for members and ex-members of the regiment. It also provided regimental headquarters offices, and quarters for the Regimental Sergeant-Major. There was a miniature firing range, baths and other recreational facilities.
The Hall was seen as a focal point to keep the territorials ‘more closely together and inculcate in them the spirit of comradeship and esprit de corps.’ Later on, the paper describes the parade of officers and men to the railway station to meet the G.O.C.-in-Chief Lieutenant-General Sir Robert Whigham, who arrived by car with other officers to inspect troops before marching back through the town to the Drill Hall where it was officially opened.
Sir Robert Whigham, who opened the Hall, was reported as saying ‘In the Territorial Army your military training should go hand in hand with your civic duties, and the more you can combine the two, the better it will be for all of us’; indicating quite clearly how the Hall was built to combine both military and civic life. An example of the town life was the holding of the Crawley and Horsham Hunt Ball and the following is taken from the West Sussex County Times, of the second hunt ball that was held at the Drill Hall: ‘the Crawley and Horsham Hunt Ball was a remarkable success. There was an attendance of nearly seven hundred and many folk who wished to take part in what is easily the largest social function of the season in this part of the county were unable to obtain tickets.’ The paper gave a list of the ball’s patrons, many of whose names are instantly recognisable from the landowners of the area; Norfolk, Leconfield, Godman, Hornung etc. The account went on to describe the Drill Hall:
‘The spacious and magnificent ball-room in itself requiring little adornment, was tastefully decorated with large hanging baskets of red carnations and foliage down the centre, whilst the platform represented a grove of palms, enhanced with foliage and white chrysanthemums. Southwick’s band rendered the music.’
After giving a list of the dances, the article then goes into further detail about the use of the facilities. ‘Excellent arrangements had been made and full advantage was taken of the fine suite of rooms – for sitting out and other purposes. A large apartment was reserved for light refreshments, and the long rifle range was transformed into an admirable supper room, in which the hunt colours, red and white, predominated. The whole of the supper tables were adorned with scarlet carnations and asparagus fern in silver vases. Messrs. A. Jupp and Sons, of Horsham, in carrying out the decorations utilised over a thousand carnations.’ The paper then lists, in column after column, the guests, such was the importance of the event.”[159]
When we mounted the exhibition one of the aspects that fascinated us at the time, but was so readily accepted, was the degree of interconnectedness between key people and events in the town. This was highlighted in the building of the Drill Hall and has been summarised by the then Assistant Curator, Ian Walker, as follows:
“Colonel Warren and Colonel Godman both men served as officers in the First World War with the 4th Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment. The Regiment saw service at the Battle of Gallipoli, throughout the Middle East and on the Western Front. It was probably Warren’s idea to build a new Regimental headquarters in Horsham. He raised the finances, much of it from private sources, and in 1922 an area of land was purchased on Denne Road. Other officers from the Regiment helped him in his task. One of these was Colonel Godman. It was Godman, an architect by training, who designed the Drill Hall.
The Drill Hall was opened at the end of 1927. It was clear from the outset that whilst the Hall’s main function was as a military headquarters, the Hall was also intended to be used by the people of Horsham as a social venue. This explains why the building contains the largest sprung dance floor in Sussex.
The first main social event to be held at the Hall was the Hunt Ball for the Crawley and Horsham Hunt. Warren, who was not a huntsman but was a keen shot, and Godman, were both of the landed gentry and moved in the same social circles as the people of the Hunt. In fact, Godman’s uncle had been Master of the Hunt on two occasions. However, whilst Godman and Warren would have been at home in this social set, it was always the intention that the Hall was to be used by all the people of Horsham. For them the building of the Hall was something “for the chaps”, for the men whom they had led during the First War. Major Middleton was also an Officer in the 4th Battalion and was well-acquainted with Godman and Warren.
Over the centuries Horsham had received a number of Royal visitors; the early ones were always recorded in the annals of the town, partly because it was not just the King, but also the Court, that would arrive. In April the County Times carried a short article about The Queen visiting Horsham, an article which displayed due deference and is summarised here because it gives a flavour of the times. At that time the idea of security was limited so the paper could even issue the licence plate of the Queen’s car.
“Her Majesty the Queen, who has been spending some delightful days in Sussex this week, on her visit to Paddockhurst, Viscount Cowdray’s picturesque seat near Turner’s Hill[160], was at the Royal Pavilion, Brighton, on Wednesday afternoon and honoured Horsham with a call on Thursday evening travelling in a Daimler motor-car (XL 7432).
It was at ten minutes past six when the Daimler drew up in the square in front of the Town Hall coming to a halt opposite Messrs Hoad and Taylor’s establishment. Her Majesty was accompanied (by two ladies)…looked in the Horsham Weavers window. It will be recalled that the Queen recently purchased a scarf from their stall at the Exhibition. The stop at Horsham was, it seems for the purpose of calling upon Captain Anthony, who is known to the royal family, and who came to Horsham towards the close of 1925 and opened the Armada Galleries in Market-square, afterwards taking up his residence at Causeway House.
The Queen went in… and was there for nearly twenty minutes. The news of her Majesty’s presence in the town soon spread, and there was a small crowd …Her Majesty graciously bowed acknowledgements of the crowd’s homage (gentlemen stood with bared heads), and the motor signalled smartly round the corner by P.C. Pennicott, took the Brighton-road direction…”
Who was this Captain Anthony?
Captain Anthony was born on 3 December 1875, the son of Burdon and Leticia Anthony from Seaforth, Litherland near Liverpool. The family came to Horsham in the 1920s with Captain Anthony recorded as still living at Causeway House in 1934. He attended the public school Rossall, founded as a sister school to Marlborough College in 1844, and later taught there.
In 1909, he became a tutor to the Romanian royal family and assisted with the upbringing of Prince Carol, who became King Carol II in 1930, and Prince Nicholas. When he took Prince Nicholas on a three-week visit to England, he was introduced to Queen Mary and this meeting forged his royal connections. She later visited his antique shop, ‘Armada Antique Galleries’, 6 Market Square, Horsham, on more than one occasion. The shop is now the River Kwai Thai restaurant. (The Curator was told that his home, 9 Causeway, the future museum, was used as a shop where he would exhibit his wares in a domestic setting, though this was hearsay, told by Mrs Standing).
Captain Anthony served in France with the Manchester Regiment during the First World War. However, he was injured only three months after arriving there in 1914 and had to return home. He eventually returned when he served on the Dispersals Board. He lost a leg, most probably as a result of the War. After the War, he developed his artistic interests as he was a talented artist. Some of his works are in private hands today. For a while, he became a pupil of Philip de Laszlo (1869-1937), a well-known Hungarian painter and society figure of the time, who specialised in portraits and painted, among others, King Edward VII. Anthony exhibited regularly with the Society of Sussex Artists. At a London exhibition, his work caught the eye of Queen Mary who bought several of his pictures.
Captain Anthony married and had one son. He died on 13 August 1943.[161]
The Church became quite animated during 1927 over the issue of Sunday trading. The vicar raised the issue in the Parish Magazine in September complaining that “Dog-races the new sport with greyhounds ….were arranged to be held on Sunday at Southend -on-Sea”, but owing to public opinion the event had to be cancelled. Now in Horsham the magistrates had to decide if the Cinemas could open on Sunday. The Churches in the town got together and decided to ask “everyone who has reached the age of 18 (of either sex)” if they wanted the cinemas to open, by posting a card and collecting the yes or no results. Why the Cinemas should decide now to open on Sunday is not known, though it may well have been linked to the Blue Flash Company, the owners of The Capitol, maximising their profits, for this year saw the Company take over the other two cinemas in the town: The Carfax, which was sold by the Binghams, and Central Hall. The Binghams, two brothers, Philip Charles and Harry F., who were manager and projectionist respectively, had founded the Carfax Electric Theatre in 1911, but competition from the new Capitol was too much. Now in ownership of the three cinemas, the Blue Flash Company established a marketing strategy: the Carfax would become the down-market hall with one low price of 6d for all seats, showing westerns, thrillers and comedy. The Capitol and Central Hall would show more sophisticated films and attractions.[162] The petition was successful for the Church, with the cinemas remaining closed on Sunday.
Instead of going to the cinema on Sunday the good folk of Horsham could read the large quarto red cloth bound book that private subscribers had, or the smaller octavo green cloth trade or public edition that bore the title A Parliamentary History of Horsham 1295-1885 by William Albery. As the poster shows, it was a subject that Albery had publicly talked about for a number of years.
In the preface Albery states that the success of the Reminiscences of Horsham “encouraged the writer to proceed in collecting other information of the kind therein named with a view to publication. The “Reminiscences” were chiefly confined to Henry Burstow’s recollections, but since then the net has been cast as widely as possible in the hope of getting new matter of any kind respecting the Town and Parish of Horsham. Success has surpassed expectation, consequently the compilation has been a long and tedious, but very pleasant occupation for such spare time as the writer has been able to devote to it.”[163] After a long list of thanks the writer then states, “The writer conceives the subject to be of some importance and has treated it as far as he has been able from a purely historical standpoint. His aim has been to give the facts truly as he has found them. No present-day political party bias has warped or coloured any statement, and he has not felt at liberty to omit an essential fact on account of its unpleasantness.” Before going on to say that he doubted if readership would be that widespread, though he hoped that there would be enough “subscribers and so defray the cost of printing and publishing…and encouraged to proceed in arranging for the publication of other local history”[164]; obviously a reference to his thoughts on a future history of the town, one that he would eventually publish after World War Two: the Millennium.
One person who did admire the work was local author and prolific writer on history, Hilaire Belloc, who wrote the Introduction to the work, giving a broad brush overview. Interestingly, Belloc makes no reference to the political changes afoot with the extension of the franchise that was to occur in 1928; to him the book is not about franchise but about the glory of parliament; whereas to Albery, who was very much grounded in the politics of the left as will be seen later on, the book is an account of individual elections and the corruption as well as the right to vote.
The work, when it was published, had 305 private subscribers that read as a who’s who of Horsham, as well as local well-known traders: Apedaile, Attwater, Bonwick (A Liberal MP for Chippenham who settled in Horsham), Lucy Broadwood (Long-term acquaintance and champion of folk songs), Clifton Brown, MP who lived at Holmbush, David Bryce (shop owner) The Carfax Club, Jury Cramp, Charles Cripps, Dr William Duckering who lived in the United States and would eventually fund a major extension to Collyer’s school that takes his name, Dame Alice Godman D.B.E. South Lodge, Hornung J.P. West Grinstead Park, Col. Innes and so on including the Horsham Labour Party, (But not Conservative or Liberal parties), 10 Stedmans, including Thomas Gurney who would eventually become a stalwart of the Museum Society and whose interest probably lay in their ancestors’ conflict with Thomas Medwin. Along with the list of subscribers for the Private edition, there is also a far shorter list of subscribers for the trade edition. The one surprise concerning both lists was the interest shown in the book by American libraries, The New York Public Library wanted a Subscribers’ copy, whilst Grosvenor Library, Buffalo and Harvard College Library wanted trade editions.
The book itself was, for Albery, a labour of love. Today we take it for granted that Record Offices exist and they will hold a large number of publicly-accessible documents. But that is a post-World War Two creation; at the time Albery was setting out on his history, documents were held by private repositories, often under-catalogued and not identified as being relevant to a line of enquiry. Albery obtained a reader’s card for the British Museum, which at that time held the manuscripts that would form The British Library. He had access to the Public Record Office and The Journals of the House of Commons, from which he would transcribe the relevant sections in longhand and bind them up into stout volumes with tan leather spines. Then there was Cartwright’s Rape of Bramber, published in 1832, as well as Horsfield’s History of Sussex and Dorothea Hurst’s chapter on parliamentary elections in the History of Horsham.” In 1877 the House of Commons ordered that a list of all “Surnames, Christian names and titles of all the Members of the lower House of Parliament, with the name of the Constituency and date of Return of each”, be published[165]. Other published sources were the respective volumes of the Historical Manuscript Commission, which Albery trawled to find relevant comments. The first mention of a Parliamentary return was found in a copy in the Inner Temple Library. As Albery writes, “So far as is known the Parliamentary records of the Borough anterior to the reign of James 1 are very few. The earliest mention of the Borough of Horsham in the Journals of the House of Commons, which commence in 1547, is that of 7th February 1588.”[166] But there was very little to go on, to write a Parliamentary History of Horsham.
So why did Albery do it? What spurred him on to write the monumental history? Unfortunately, Albery doesn’t say. In all the correspondence there is no statement of intent. However, the book itself might give the reason. The first 65 pages or so of this 491-page narrative of Horsham’s electoral history (the last 30 odd pages are lists) concern the years from 1295 through to 1720-40; over 320 pages concern around 140 years. William Albery was given access to and then given, or given in the first instance, the papers of the law firm Medwin. The solicitors Cotching and Son, successors of Medwin, Davis and Hammond with which Pilfold Medwin was associated at the end of his life, were clearing out old case files and they gave the documents to Albery.[167]
What we don’t know is why they didn’t give the archive to the Museum Society. We do know that Albery had little regard for the actual physical object of the record as he willingly cut up, and used as scrap, old documents, and filled in blank leaves of books. We also know that he was active in buying old documents on the town. But the acquisition, or sight, of the large number of electoral documents held by Cotching; documents that clearly showed rampant political corruption, appealed to Albery, especially in the politically-charged atmosphere of the early 20th century when the right to vote for both women, and universal suffrage, were constantly bubbling away. Again difficult to prove, but likely, The Reminiscences of Henry Burstow, published in 1911, contain little about elections, so it is suggested that Albery acquired the material after the publication of the book, perhaps on the back of it. We know that Albery was not averse to adding in additional memories based on other sources, and Burstow actively covers the 1830s and 40s, so whilst the key things are covered such as the passing of the Reform Bill in 1832, the general level of corruption isn’t, and the temptation to include such stories would have been too great for Albery to miss. Albery’s innate interest was in the history of the town, in the history of individuals and their struggles. It was, after all, Burstow whose memories are captured, later to manifest in the Millennium of Facts, which doesn’t deal with the history of Lords and Ladies, but themes such as transport, crime and punishment, military, where the everyday person is recorded.
So, armed with the trove of documents, Albery then spent years contacting all those whom he thought might have relevant material. One such person was Lord Irwin, Viceroy of India, who as Lord Halifax not only allowed him to look at documents in the archive, but to dis-bound the bound volumes of correspondence; letters which had been gilt-edged, and give the relevant Horsham ones to him, along with the original maps of Hill’s Place by Capability Brown and his assistant. Today such actions would not take place, but in 1922 Temple Newsam was put up for sale with all its contents. In the Albery personal archives are various letters that map out how he built up the archive. It looks as if Albery first started to buy documents from dealers from around 1908/9, increasing his purchases in 1913; he even acquired a few during the War and then, with a clear understanding of the political drama, in September 1919 and April 1920 he visited Temple Newsam, home of Lord Irwin. In a letter dated 7 May 1935 William Albery sets out the chronology of his arrangements.
“In May 1920, after having given to Mr. Wood, at Cumberland Place, the documents I had, with Mr Marsden’s permission, taken from Temple Newsam, I went again to London and received them again from Mrs. Wood, who said Mr. Wood would be pleased for me to have them. These were mostly old Horsham Tradesmen’s bills and some of Meredew’s quaint observations on local matters which you will see printed in the book. When I visited Temple Newsam again in February 1922, I went through other papers I had not previously seen. I put aside those relating to Horsham and left them with Mr. Marsden and Mr. Butler, hoping that when the whole of the Mss were disposed of, as I understood they were to be, I might be able to have them with the others. …I received them in September of the same year from Mr. Marsden…Besides these there are others not having to do with electioneering but with other aspects of local history such as the one I spoke to you about, viz., the six smugglers at the Horsham Church who were about to be executed. Some of these I have placed in our local museum and changed them for others from time to time.”
The preface to the Parliamentary History is full of names of those Albery contacted, ranging from Duchess of Norfolk, to Sir John Shelley Rolls through to Jury Cramp. It is probable that many of these people gave Albery the documents to keep as the material he uses in his history is not all from the Medwin records. Unfortunately Albery does not cite his sources for his history, except where the item is published. The one person Albery does thank is Professor W. J. Harte MA, who later is acknowledged as of University College, Exeter, who checked the pre-reform history, and his daughter who lived in West Street who typed the whole work.
In the end A Parliamentary History of Horsham 1295-1885 isn’t, as Albery boasts, free of political bias; it cannot be; it is of its time, 1927, or rather the two early decades of the 20th century. Very few towns have such an archive; the House of Commons Trust which is producing a major reference work on the history of the House of Commons was surprised when members visited the museum in the 1990s at the richness and depth of material. But the history is both a blessing and a curse: a blessing in that it puts in the public domain fascinating material, but a curse because for 80 or more years no-one has decided to revisit the material to write a parliamentary history for our times. Perhaps, with the right to vote such a given, there is no enthusiasm, no passion to plough through the archive, mirrored in the numbers who vote in today’s elections. Unfortunately for Albery, the History didn’t sell well: he lost £400 on the project,[168] and he had to carry the burden of debt for a number of years.[169]
In August the County Times carried a minor report of an open-air meeting in the Carfax of the No More War Movement, the British branch of War Resisters International[170]. In the 1930s the movement was a key feature of the pacifism agenda, promoting amongst other things the theory that war started as product of the imperialist capitalist; in 1932 the movement stated that “imperialism is the historical cause of modern warfare”[171]. Some 11 years earlier, in 1916, the town folk chased out those who proposed peace; now the mass meeting carried the following resolution: “That this mass meeting sends greetings to all who are meeting in similar gatherings, both in this country and throughout the world. It pledges co-operation with them in the advancement of world peace, and renews its determination to resist, both personally and through the action of democratic organisations any attempts which are made to plunge the nation into another war.” The paper went on to report that a Horsham branch of the N.M.W.M. (No More War Movement) would be formed in the autumn.
The Annual General Meeting of the Museum Society raised a couple of unenviable questions: who was going to be the Curator and the Treasurer of the Society and how should the Museum Society progress. The report of the 1928 A.G.M. gives some indication of how the issues were dealt with; one today is quite remarkable in its bare-faced cheek, but that is said from a viewpoint where today we have the National Lottery, whereas back in 1927 the only organisation that could help was the Council or individual philanthropy. The report noted that following on from the 1927 A.G.M. when the questions were raised a special meeting was held 3 months later on 24 October 1927 “when resolutions were passed that Mr. Rice, Messrs. Layton and Reynolds, Colonel Hurst and Mr. Bernard Lintott be approached with a request that one or other of them would come to the aid of the Society with a gift of land, house or money, and that a sub-committee consisting of Messrs G. F. Hart, W. W. Kensett, R. Harvey, and S. Mitchell be appointed to interview these gentlemen for that purpose.” As the report of 9 July 1928 goes on to say, “Up to the present, the inquiries of the sub-committee have met with no success.”[172] The report goes on to say that the Free Christian Church has agreed to allow the Society to remove its items from the Church. The Society was moving forward, painfully slowly, but by breaking a tie with the Church it was seeking full independence; even though it had no home, it knew its ambition. A further break with the past came in 1927 when Mr. D. M. G. Price, a founder member, died in the autumn. He had contributed a great deal to the Society, particularly in the field of natural history, and on his death the Society was given a very large collection of specimens including butterflies and moths. The problem of the Museum home, though, would eventually be resolved through negotiations that took place in 1928 and 9.
So 1927 had been very much a year of transition; of the journey rather than the conclusion of any development. However, the year ended with a notable development with the offer to the Council, on 30 November 1927, from King and Chasemore on behalf of Colonel Hurst offering a portion of Horsham Park (about 16 acres) together with the Mansion. The fact that the Museum Society talked about the Hurst family giving the Museum Society a property suggests that there were discussions taking place within the corridors of Horsham about the Hurst family and their portfolio of properties.
The offer to the council was highly tempting so it received full consideration. In the meeting Mr. Wheeler outlined the advantages of the securing the property, so the Council asked the District Valuer to assess its price, which came in at £17,000. If the council went ahead with the purchase this would be open to question from the newly-formed Ratepayers Association. Prior to the Urban Council elections in April a meeting was held which, according to the County Times, fewer than 50 people attended. At the meeting it was decided that the key aim of the proposed association was to keep the rates as low as possible. The meeting heard from Mr. Kensett who gave his reason for joining, which was that the Council did too much in private, and proposed spending £100,000 on the town extension putting “on new sewers put in to benefit landowners, who ought themselves to pay the expense.” (The Council had agreed to extend its boundaries and therefore had to bring those properties within the remit of services offered elsewhere in the District Council, hence the £100,000 cost to the taxpayer, benefiting the landowners, but not the taxpayer. Mr. Arthur Etheridge, who had written a letter to the County Times proposing the formation of the group, said “there is no reason why the rates should be above the pre-war”; when questioned about the suggested mismanagement by Mr. A. J. Bonwick, all he could refer to was leaks in water mains. However, the group was formed and would scrutinise and criticise the council over every expenditure in the coming years. One expenditure, though, the ratepayers don’t seem to have complained about (probably because it was a County expenditure), was the £10,300 extension to “one of the most Beautiful and best equipped in the Country” schools, Horsham High School for Girls, which gave the school a much-needed assembly room.
December and into January 1928 the local paper was full of the debates going on over the purchase of Horsham Park. Colonel Hurst wanted to sell the house, the gardens around the house and some rough parkland nearby, but not the centre of the park, nor the parkland near Springfield Road.[173] However, in January the Council decided to buy Park House. The agreement to buy the property reveals a great deal about the Councillors’ deferential treatment of the Hurst family. Colonel Hurst originally wanted £23,000 for the house and some 16 acres of land. The District Valuer, undertaking an independent valuation, came up with a price of £17,000 and now Colonel Hurst decided to reduce the price to £18,000 and the Councillors fell over themselves to praise the generosity of Colonel Hurst in reducing his price. In a letter read to the Council, received by the Clerk, Colonel Hurst stated that “He entirely disagrees with the value placed upon this property by the District Valuer, and would have no hesitation in rejecting it, but he appreciates the fact that your Council are of the same opinion as himself and he is anxious as he always has been that your Council should acquire the property for the benefit of the town at a moderate price. In order, therefore, to remove the difficulty in which your Council find themselves placed and to give himself the satisfaction of feeling that in doing so he is to some extent contributing towards the cost of its acquisition, he has decided to offer the property to your Council at the sum of £18,000.”[174]
Whilst the Council was congratulating itself, not all ratepayers were happy about it. Colonel Hurst had tried to sell the property back in 1911/12 without any success: he had wanted £23,000, but an independent valuer said it was worth £5,000 less; and now Colonel Hurst is saying that he is willing to sacrifice the money but still gets £1,000 more than the valuer recommended; and the Councillors feel that they should honour Colonel Hurst for his generosity. The agreement to buy didn’t end the discussions and in May 1928 there was a full public enquiry which led to an airing of a range of views. The Council didn’t want to borrow just £18,000 for the park but, in total, £20,420 made up of:
Purchase of Horsham Park
Purchase of property £18,000
Subway and path £460
Fencing £195
Footpath from New Street to railway subway £715
Removal of bandstand
(taking down Carfax bandstand and re-erecting in park £300
Contingencies £750
Total £20,420
At the enquiry the inspector reported that the district now covered 1,843 acres, had 12,220 inhabitants, and had £25,718 in outstanding loans, that the margin for borrowing powers for all purposes was £118,478 and the total debt for all purposes £264,006. The amount produced by a 1d rate was £280. The Inspector also reported that whilst the sanction was to borrow £20,420, there were various repayment periods made for the different parts of the purchase:
- Land £13,000 over 60 years
- House £5,000 over 30 years
- Inclined path £460, miscellaneous fencing £195,
Footpath from New Street totalling £1,370 over 20 years
- Lavatories, legal costs, fitting up offices, &.c. £750 over 15 years
- Removal of Bandstand £300 over 10 years
The Clerk, Mr. Slyfield, outlined what the purchase would include: the main building, large range of stabling, garage, and outhouses, the gardens of about 6 acres and meadow and parkland of around 9 acres, as well as a subway which passed under North Street and the railway lines. The Clerk also identified one of the key reasons for buying the park: the need for recreation grounds in the town. As he said, “At present Horsham had very little in the way of public playing fields or recreation grounds. It had no public park and its possessions for recreation were: underdeveloped playing field, Victory-road, just over four acres; a playfield near Cricket Field, just over three acres; and the Peoples Garden of Remembrance, nearly two acres of private grounds generously opened to the public by a lady. In all they had about ten acres of playing field, about 184th part of the whole area of the Urban District.” He also noted that the Council would seek to close off seven acres of grounds.
Later on in the submission, the District Surveyor laid out what was proposed for the nine acres of parkland. “There were two tennis courts that with slight alteration could be turned into three courts. Of the remaining nine acres of land it would be noticed on the plan that a further five tennis courts , an 18-hole putting course and sites for clock golf and also a bandstand enclosure had been marked. It was not the intention of the Council immediately to proceed with the construction of these, but they had been shown on the plan as possibilities.” In total 2.60 acres were identified for such provision, leaving seven acres of grass land. The Clerk was also questioned about use of the house for public baths, whilst the house had “a number of baths in the house which later on, when the scheme was developed would be utilised near the basement as slipper baths which residents could use.” This seems to have been an off the cuff remark, more thinking on the feet, for when the Inspector asked was this part of the scheme, the Clerk replied “not at the moment.”
Members of the public asked other questions about the scheme: the land was not suitable at present for cricket or football pitches; S.E. Winbolt asked if provision could be made for a museum and the Clerk replied, showing obvious annoyance, “it depended what room the museum wanted”, to which Apedaile asked if the Council was going to take the best rooms. The Clerk responded that it would take the most commodious William Albery later commented that he was strongly in favour of its purchase for several reasons: “as an open space and lung to the town; and the house as a free library, especially a reference library, and for a museum. The Museum Society was prepared to hand over all their possessions to the Council as soon as suitable provision could be made for their reception and maintenance. Horsham was also in need of an art gallery.”
There was strong opposition to the purchase by individuals and the Ratepayers Association, including Mr. J. Rice who contended that “The price was excessive: £500 per acre would be a fair and reasonable price…the present Council offices were far more to the advantages of the ratepayers and to have them in the Park would be inconvenient to the majority of the ratepayers”, whilst Mr. A. R. Redford in opposing said “that a year ago last April the Council extended their area, and the increased rates were a hardship to many people in the rural district now included. They had been called upon to pay 80 per cent increase and got no facilities at all. The town should put their entire house in order before they went in for recreative things. They had plenty of open spaces around Horsham and were practically all lungs.”[175]
In all, the County Times devoted 5 columns of the full page to the debate and enquiry. Such was the perceived public interest in the purchase of the park. The Council only had to wait a couple of months when on 17 July a Special meeting of Council was called, with the Clerk reporting that he was in receipt of a letter from the Ministry of Health regarding the purchase of Horsham Park.
The Government allowed the following loans:
- Purchase of Land £12,000
- Purchase of buildings £1,130
- Laying out est. of site £1,740
- Public Offices purchase of property £5,000
- Fittings etc £320
The sanctioned loans were therefore £50 less that the Council application £20, 420.[176] Horsham Urban District Council could now buy Horsham Park House, but as we shall see later it wasn’t plain sailing as, unbeknown to the Councillors, in a few months’ time the Great Depression would hit. As Mrs. Laughton commented, “there had been a lot of “grousing” against the scheme, just as there was a lot of “grousing” against one-way traffic. But during the last three or four weeks there had not been a word against one-way traffic, and no doubt they would soon give up “grousing” about these things.” The County Times of 21 July 1928 went on to state that the purchase had to be made within one month of the approval given.[177]
The excitement of the purchase was tempered in Horsham by the very genuine fear of drought. As the Chairman of the Water Committee reported at the same special meeting, almost as if the loan to buy Park House was a sweetener to take the terrible news. “Since the last meeting the yield of water had decreased by 1,200 gallons per hour, and in spite of notices having been sent out asking consumers to curtail the use of water as much as possible the consumption had increased by 25 per cent”. The County Times went on to report the meeting noting that the Engineer would try to get more water from the borehole to the Star Reservoir, but he also informed the Council “In 1922 in fifteen hours a day there were 71 million gallons pumped and in 1927, with 19 hours pumping; it rose to 92½ million gallons. In 1922 they pumped 17, 300 gallons per hour and now it was 13,300 per hour….The Surveyor explained that at present they were losing ground in the Star Reservoir. Too many people were drawing it from there, and he would have to get compressed air plant to get the water from the borehole to enable the present pumps to pump it.” Just to reinforce the issue the paper carried a notice by HUDC informing residents that ‘on Monday 23rd from 6pm to 6am the following roads will be without water’; in all 37 roads or part of roads are listed. The situation could not continue and on 29 August at a Council meeting that would receive an updated report on the expansion of the electricity supply (see below), the Council decided to go ahead with a scheme to resolve Horsham’s long-term water problems, though it would take four years to reach fruition.
The threat of water shortages didn’t seem to affect the general rise in prosperity of Horsham. And whilst the following can be read simply as advertising puffery, it does give a flavour of how Horsham was promoting itself to itself: “Shall we call it WEST END STREET? The improvements in shop fronts that have recently taken place in West-Street, Horsham, and the opening at the Bishopric end of new shops fitted and decorated on the latest West-end lines, should speedily earn it the title of West-End Street. Especially will it lay claim to that title when the new Gown and Costume Salon, which is now being fitted at 37b west Street (Bishopric end) has opened its doors. West End Models, West End cut, West End taste; in short to turn West -Street into West End street will be the aim of “Cirella” the enterprising new firm.”[178] In the March edition of The Sign Post, the Chamber of Trade magazine, the following editorial also praised Horsham: “There is no getting away from the fact that Horsham is growing, and growing rapidly. There are innovations and improvements everywhere, as witness the recent purchase of Horsham Park for the public. Then, too, the premises of many firms have also been enlarged and wonderfully modernised. In fact, there has been of late years a positive wave of shop extension and new window space.” The County Times, as noted above, also carried a brief account of the Annual Town Outing, organised by the Horsham Chamber of Trade, which took place on Thursday 12 July. A train carried 257 excursionists, of whom around 194 had meals on board from Horsham to Lyme Regis, Seaton, Sidmouth and Exmouth; having left at 7.30am they returned just after midnight. As the paper noted, “it was the most ambitious excursion attempted by the Chamber of Trade, costing 10/- for the 176-mile trip to Exmouth.”
Not only did Horsham people see the attraction of Horsham: so did the Empire Marketing Board, which produced a range of media promoting products from the Empire. These included films and posters. In May 1928 the Council was asked to find a site in Horsham for the Board to display a changing series of posters illustrating the “potentialities of Empire”. The Council couldn’t decide where, but agreed in principle and asked the Board to visit Horsham to discuss suitable a site with the Surveyor. A month later it was reported that the Board had visited and wanted the posters to go up in the Carfax; the Council rejected the request suggesting that the boards could possibly go near Horsham Park, which in October was agreed with “frames for exhibiting posters on the brick portion of the boundary wall of Horsham Park below the lower entrance gateway”.
Others who saw the attraction of Horsham included the Sussex Agricultural Society, which held its County Show on Wednesday 20and Thursday 21 June. The Sussex County Show was held by kind permission of Col. Hurst and Harry Nightingale, the tenant, so in Horsham Park. The last time the show visited was 1923 when 12,725 attended; only exceeded twice before since 1892.[179] Horsham’s agricultural past also revealed itself in the following report submitted to the Council by the Health Inspector.
Occasionally the Council introduced schemes that greatly improved the health of Horsham at very little cost. One such successful project was the clean milk certification. In August a very proud Health Inspector could report the following:
“49 Retailers and Producers have satisfied the conditions necessary to qualify for the Council’s Clean Milk certificate, as against 30 last year. This covers practically the whole of the milk retailed within the Urban District. The committee will agree that this is satisfactory remembering that three years ago it was only possible to issue 12 certificates. Another satisfactory point is that 58% of the samples came considerably higher than the Council’s standard.”
The report on the clean milk scheme also included a table setting out the results for year and half:
| Period & Total | Producers | Retailers | Producer/ Retailer | Equal to standard | Not Equal to standard |
| 1st half Dec 27-Apr 28 74 | 28 | 28 | 18 | 68 | 6 |
| 2nd half May – Aug 87 | 37 | 31 | 19 | 75 | 12 |
| Total 161 | 65 | 59 | 37 | 143 | 18 |
The report he gave is also interesting for it shows the number of active farms still in Horsham and the Horsham area in the 1920s. By now, the image that Horsham was projecting to the world was not one based on agriculture: the actual market near the railway station (Nightingale Road) had declined to such an extent that in 1929 the Ministry of Agriculture could report: “the volume of livestock sales being less than a quarter of those at Chichester, Lewes, or Steyning markets”[180], so it is quite surprising when the report identifies the following producers of milk. (Those in bold are identified as Horsham)
The following is a list of names and addresses of those who have qualified for the certificate:
Producer
H. Bailey, “Pondtail”, Horsham
Balchin Bros. Dairy Farmers, Copsale
Mrs K. Brown, 10 Pondtail Road, Horsham (also Retailer)
E. J. Bryne “Smith Barn Farm”, Smith Barn Lane, Horsham
E. & W. Charman, “Great House Farm”, Southwater (also retailer)
F. Charman, “North Holmes”, Roffey
R. Etherton, 13 Forest Road, Horsham
H. Francis, “Hop Oast Farm”, Horsham (also retailer)
T. Francis & Sons, “Cheesworth Form”, Horsham (also Retailer)
E.V. Grace, “Spencers Farm”, Horsham (also Retailer)
H. Green, “Joanlands Farm”, Warnham
L. Holton, “Bailing Hill Dairy”, Warnham
S. Honeywill “Lower Hills Farm” Horsham
W. Jackson “Great Steeds Farm”, Nuthurst
F.V. Jobling “Highlands Farm” Horsham (also Retailer)
H. F. Knight “Standon, Ockley
H. A. Lee, “Moated House Farm”, Hurst Hill Road, near Horsham
Lee Bros., “Hawksbourne Farm”, Hurst hill Road, near Horsham (also Retailers)
G. Lindfield, “Moorhead Farm” Roffey
A. H. Luxford, “Lambs Farm”, Rusper Road, Horsham
J.E. Luxford, “Greenfields Farm”, Roffey
R.W. Marking, “Snell Farm”, Rowhook
H. Nightingale “Hurst Road Farm”, Hurst Road, Horsham (Also retailer)
Geo. Peirce, “Colstaple Farm”, Southwater (also retailer)
H.W. Rait, “Sawyersland Farm”, Horsham (also Retailer)
Mrs. C. Roberts, “Durrants“, Shipley
Mrs W.K. Ruse, “Nibbletts” Slinfold
W. Seager, “New House Farm”, Nuthurst
R.C.P. Simpson, “Rowlands Farm” Horsham (also Retailer)
J.C. Styles& Son, “Coombdale Dairy” Barns Green (also retailer)
J. Lewis Walton, “North Heath Farm”, Horsham
J.T. Walton “Chennells Brook Farm”, Horsham (also Retailer)
J.W. Wilkinson, “Farthings Farm”, Horsham (also Retailer)
W.A. Greenfield, “Mill Farm“, Horsham (also retailer)
H. Searle, “Parsonage Farm”, Parsonage Road, Horsham
The list then identifies 14 milk retailers.
On 31 October 4 further farms were added to the list:
Messers. F. Grover & Sons “Rapkins Farm“, near Horsham
Mr G. Harrell “Parthings Farm” Tower Hill Horsham
Mr W.J. Standing “Hampers Farm” 1 station Road Horsham, (also retailer)
Mr. A. Lindfield, “Little Lake Farm” near Horsham
Also four retailers.
Whilst the dairy and egg producers might be surviving the agricultural changes post-War, those that were arable farmers suffered badly. This is reflected in the number of mills in the Horsham area that closed down around this time. The most notable mills in Horsham were the Town Mill and the Worthing Road Steam Mill. Both were in the ownership of William Prewett who employed a manager of the Steam and a manager of the Town Mill. In the early years of the 20th century the Town Mill cottage and remaining parts of the old mill were pulled down, leaving the Town Mill for production of animal feed stuffs, with Worthing Road Mill being used by Prewetts for grinding flour and oatmeal for humans, thus becoming known as Prewetts Mill. William Prewett had bought the Town Mill premises around 1890, having bought Worthing Road Mill earlier. When he died in 1913 the business was carried on by his son Fred and later, when he died in 1934, by another son, Charles, who was also running an engineering company known as Worthing Road Motor, Electrical and Engineering Works. Charles formed a limited company, W. Prewett Ltd. The company existed of three elements which took different paths.
- The Town Mill premises were used as a provender mill until the 1960s, when employees took it over and formed Arun Feeds Ltd. They moved out in the 1970s and the building rapidly became derelict but then, in 1982, they were converted into a private home and some 12 years later converted into offices.
- Worthing or Prewetts Mill continued to produce flour, gaining a worldwide reputation. In 1951 the mill ground 1,289 tons of flour, delivered in the fleet of two lorries and six vans throughout Surrey, Sussex and London, or by train throughout the country. Some of the flour was used at the Prewetts’ own West Street bakery shop where 7,600 two pound loaves were baked every week, supplying Christ’s Hospital, and 1,000 loaves for the London retailers. They also produced 80-90 eight-pound tins of wholemeal biscuits a week. In the 1970s they were taken over by Allinson’s Ltd, which in 1978 closed the mill down, transferring the machinery to Yorkshire. Five years later the buildings were converted into offices.
- The Engineering works and iron foundry were sited in Mill Bay Lane, between the two mills. They made manhole covers, and when it changed its name to Arun Engineering Company it became well-known for the “Arun” sawbench during World War Two. In 1948 the company was sold to Walter A. Wood & Co which was also based in Mill Bay Lane.
The Star Steam Mill was built in 1874. The mill had two pairs of stones, milling very little flour but peas and maize for animal feedstuffs and oatmeal. The stones (Derby Peak for peas, French Burr for oatmeal) and milling machinery were on the first floor; the ground floor was used as a bakery and storerooms. Walter Weston carried on milling till 1929 when he retired; the steam engine and mill machinery were sold to a London scrap metal dealer whilst the house and shop were leased to a greengrocer. When Walter died in 1944 he was buried in Roffey Cemetery with a gravestone recording that he was the “last wind miller of Horsham”. The property was pulled down two years later by a local builder who wanted the bricks.
Warnham Mill: this watermill had a full-time miller, Walter Cook, till 1928. However, he drank too much home-made cider and the Lucas Estate carpenter had to spend a fair amount of his time making and fitting new cog wheels to replace those stripped out by the miller. The mill was then used occasionally to mill corn for the home farm. The waterwheel by the side of the mill powered a pump to provide water for the gardens at Warnham Court, but the wheel gradually rotted away so in 1935 a hydraulic ram was installed. In 1985 the mill was reopened as a museum and antique shop.
So by 1930 the town had lost all but one of its mills.[181] The decline in local importance of arable farming meant that farm land was becoming available to build on. However, for Horsham in the 1920s most of the building was being carried out by the Council, to build what we today term “social housing”. 1928 saw another development taking place. Whilst work on developing a scheme to clear the three slum areas continued (Normandy, Queen St and New Street), the biggest housing scheme was the Millthorpe site. They had received 39 tenders for constructing 72 houses in contract one and 24 houses second contract, making 96 houses in all. The most expensive was A. Monk from Edmonton (north London) who would charge £54,540, to the lowest, Newman & Co. of Cardiff at £37,024 plus £696 for erection of sheds at £14 per pair. The Newman tender was accepted; it would take 18 months to build. Interestingly, and probably putting a political spin on the contract[182], in a reply to a circular letter from the Prime Minister urging local Authorities and Employers to do everything possible to effect transfer of men from depressed areas, the Clerk replied “stating that a number of apprentices are being employed on the Millthorpe Housing scheme from distressed areas in Wales, and that the circumstances generally in Horsham are such that there is very little scope for complying with the request received.” [183] The implication of the reply being that the Council had taken on these apprentices, whereas in fact it was the builder who was using cheap labour from South Wales to win the contract. The Council would also spend £3,145 on roads and £1,059 on sewers. The total cost of the scheme was £45,442 – with a subsidy of £7.10s per year per house for 40 years. The rents would be – after taking into account various subsidies – the non-parlour dwellings over the whole scheme were 8/6 per week excluding rates and rents, as suggested at a local inquiry, for cottages for re-housing 5/6 excluding rates.
In the last days of August the Council had a further report on electricity and the Council’s desire to expand its area of supply. The report offered two options:
Option one would include parts of the following parishes – Horsham rural, Rusper, Lower Beeding, Nuthurst, Shipley, Billingshurst, Itchingfield and Warnham. This would mean that the following villages would be included: Warnham, Faygate, Colgate, Manningsheath, Monksgate, Nuthurst, Copsale, Southwater, Barns Green, Itchingfield, Christ’s Hospital and Broadbridge Heath.
Option two was for a more restricted area serving the Parishes of Horsham Rural and Warnham.
The Engineer favoured option two as a better policy; it would also include the villages of Warnham, Kingsfold, Faygate (part), Southwater, Christ’s Hospital, Broadbridge Heath, and Rowhook (part). The report then went into the costings, which were based around the number of lighting units, rather than using electricity for other functions within the house; and it is the house, not industry, that is being quoted. It is as if the Electrical Engineer hadn’t grasped the fact that industry will be using electricity; the Council was going to use it to power the water pumping plant. “The initial cost of transmission to and distribution in these villages I estimate at £5,850 interest at 7% – £409.10.0d say £420pa 100 consumers in the first full working year, assuming low average figure of 65 units (lighting) per house and a selling price of 8d per unit I estimate that the sum available to meet the £420 interest and repayment charges in the first year by £176, leaving a balance of £244 charge on the undertaking – it would decrease and show a profit in less than five years”. The actual estimate for the costings was also given in the report.
Costings:
- Underground HT Cable works to Farthings Bridge £2,500
- Overhead H.T. Main (3 miles) £2,100
- Overhead L.T. Distributors (1 mile) 600.00
- Two sub Station kiosks 1,000.00
- Services (100) 200.00
- Meters (100) 100, Rental wiring (600) 600
- total £7,100 of which £1,250 already committed.
So the total cost was £5,850; not an insurmountable sum, though the charge on the rates would raise questions. The Council decided to continue with investigating the options, and seek approval from the Electricity Commissioner.
Back in 1925 (see above), the County Council opened a library centre in the Town Hall. Its popularity led to demands for further improvements, including in 1927 a discussion about the establishment of a Public Library in Horsham. That discussion resulted in a report that was “published” in 1928. The report led to the establishment of a Council Library sub-committee and it is from its reports that the following story is taken. The account takes the story through to the early 1930s as it is very much a self-contained element in the history of Horsham. Although there isn’t space in this story to cover the subject in any depth, I have included some of the statistics of the type of book borrowed which are given in the reports.
On 29 May 1928 the newly-formed Committee agreed that Mr. Hutton should be appointed Chairman (note: David Bryce chairman signed the minutes). The Committee had before them a report that the minutes summed up thus: “the suggested scheme for the establishment of the Horsham Branch Library as outlined by the County Librarian. Before adopting the scheme several points will require looking into and a further report will be made. In order, however, to make certain necessary preliminary arrangements and in particular to decide upon a room affording better accommodation than that now used at the Town Hall, it was agreed to recommend the acceptance of an offer received from the Workers Educational Association to let the WEA Hall for the purpose. The terms of the offer are for the partial use of the premises for the Local Library, times of use to be arranged later, at an annual rent of £50 inclusive of lighting, heating, caretaking and rates.”
Some five months later, an estimate of £68.10.0d from Mr. Potter was accepted for shelving and a counter and rent was paid for six months from September. Horsham’s Public Library opened on Wednesday 31 October with 700 registered users. There was an Honorary Local Librarian, Mr. F. W. New, who would run the library along with other volunteers.
Some six months later on 11 February 1929, the first Honorary Librarian’s Report to the Council was noted in the minutes[184]. As this was the First Report, the Honorary Librarian set out the basics of the Horsham Branch Library Scheme.
- The scheme supplementary to the County Library scheme that was set out in 1925.
- The administration of the Branch Library shall be entrusted to a voluntary committee appointed by the HUDC to whom it shall report.
- In addition to the Ordinary County Library rate there shall be levied on the Urban District Council of Horsham a special rate to defray expenditure in connection with the Branch Library.
- The rate will act as a fund.
- Books purchased out of the special rate shall be retained in the Branch Library at the discretion of the Local Committee.
- The levying of the County Library Rate shall entitle the Branch Library to receive a loan collection of books, changed at regular intervals, from the County Library Stock – 1 book per ten of the population.
The first year budget was also agreed 1 April 1929 to 31 March 1930; annual expenditure of £140 approved (rent £50, shelving expenses deferred from previous year £44 and £46 Balance available for other expenditure.) It was also approved that the Caretaker at the Town Hall get five guineas for services during the two years the library was at the town hall.
In May the noted local historian William Albery joined the Committee, and in June the Committee decided to test its powers by putting forward an increase in the additional rate from ½ d to 1d, or increasing the budget from £140 to £390. However, the full Council restricted it to 1/2d on the new assessment. This was followed two months later in July with the Hon. Librarian wanting from the County Library “as many books likely to appeal to boys and girls aged 14 and upwards[185] as can be spared from stocks, restriction of the service to residents within the Horsham urban area and £5 be spent on periodicals”. The Committee, probably with the support of William Albery, wanted to use a room in Park House (see later for Albery’s involvement over Park House). The success of the Library soon raised the question of employing a paid librarian, but nothing came of that in July and then, in October 1930, a special meeting was held to discuss the development of the Branch Library. There were three key points of the meeting:
- Extending the lending library means new arrangement with WEA and terms of lease of hall.
- New scheme would involve payment of a librarian.
- New cost would be £263 a year – with Librarian on £150 and caretaker on £20. It was noted that 1/2d in the rates produce £200 a year or, for just over 1/2d on the rates, the Town could have an extended library service. This was readily agreed to. That October the Library carried out an audit of its book stock, including noting the various type of literature lent out. It makes for fascinating reading and one that will pay dividends in the understanding of the Horsham culture of reading.
On 1 October there were 1,034 volumes of fiction: 705 were in circulation; 325 on the shelves and four missing. Of the 557 non-fiction volumes 53 were in circulation.
Of works by each of the following authors, ten or more were in circulation:
Benson (10 out of 15)
Buchan (10 out of 12)
Doyle (11 out of 15)
Grey (14 out of 15)
Sabatini (11 – all out)
Kaye-Smith (15 out of 17)
Wallace (13 out of 14)
Woodhouse (15 out of 16)
Mrs. Henry Wood (10 out of 15)
Total issues for the ¼ amounted to 5,912
There were 346 new readers admitted in the last 12 months; nearly half the total active members.
In the beginning of January 1931 adverts were placed for a Librarian, with interviews taking place in March. Five names were on the short list and two were selected for interview (3rd class travel paid to the two): Miss K. Hughes, Assistant Public Library, Hove, Miss Sharpe Senior Assistant Ashburton Branch, Croydon. On 9 March Miss Sharp was appointed. The hours of the library were extended:
Monday 2-4 &6-8
Tuesday 10-12
Wed 2-4 6-8
Thurs 10-12
Fri 2-4
Sat 10-12, 2-4, 6-8
With the extended hours, the Librarian could report an increase in borrowing. For the quarter ending in June 1931 there were 7,608 issues, 1,387 resident borrowers and, as all the tickets were re-written, it was possible to work out that out of the total number of borrowers (1532), although only 796 borrowed books, 736 did not use their ticket. The Library increased its popularity with the quarter October to December 1931, seeing an increase in borrowing of 3,000 books more than the same period last year, and there was increased borrowing compared to the previous quarter. The total number of borrowers had also increased, to 1819. In January to March 1932 there was a marketing campaign launched which saw the Scouts delivering a publicity leaflet to households throughout the town; some 3,000 were printed. This saw an increase in borrowing. The Librarian, in the annual report for the year 1931-2, could note that the following borrowing took place. It is interesting to note in an era of self-improvement how fiction, the most popular subject for loans, with 33,184 books being borrowed, wasn’t seen as worth recording in any depth whilst the factual books: those that were identified as self-improvement, were reported on. Reading for pleasure or providing pleasure on the rates wasn’t something that the Council would want to highlight, but reading for profit, for learning, could be something the Council could happily charge its rate payers for.
Borrowings
- General works 15
- Philosophy 155
- Religion 124
- Sociology 160
- Philology
- Science 262
- Useful arts 161
- Fine arts 217
- Literature 675
- History 415
- Travel 1,107
- Biography 573
- Total non-fiction 3,864
- Total fiction 33 184
- Total issues 37,048
The Librarian also noted that the number of reader residents represented 10.1% of the population, compared with an average of 10.2% in towns with a population between 10-20,000. She concluded her report with the suggestion of a new venue for the library instead of the WEA Hall.
At the beginning of 1933 the Minutes noted a reduction in the Librarian’s salary to £147, part of Government policy. It was in March, though, of that year that the Library Committee discussed and approved the most ambitious development. The WE. wanted to increase the rent from £50 to £60 at a time when there were reductions in costs as the Government sorted out savings. The Committee felt that it would have to accept the offer, when it was noted that the Church Lads Brigade had vacated the school hall next to St Mark’s Church. The School Managers were keen to see the hall being used, so agreed a rent of £10 a year for first five years and then £50 p.a. afterwards for the remainder of the lease. The tenancy to be 21 years though it could be terminated after 7th or 14th. That the total cost of refurbishment was £400. The Library Committee agreed to the new terms, and so it was the Library moved from the centre of the Carfax to St Marks Church.
The continued increase in borrowing books by the public, reported by the Librarian in April 1933, up by 10,000 loans with a doubling of request for history books from 415 to 916 (fiction still totalled 42,043) showed that the Library was now embedded within Horsham. The Librarian concluded her report, saying “that the library is a gradually increasing force in the life of the town. It is as yet only in its infancy and is, perhaps, a rather unfamiliar institution to the majority of the public. The library habit, as it is sometimes called, is only just beginning to appear in Horsham.” The only possible disappointment was the proportion of books borrowed that were non-fiction compared with fiction, with the report noting the following:
- General works 24
- Philosophy 173
- Religion 162
- Sociology 193
- Philology
- Science 308
- Useful arts 210
- Fine arts 237
- Literature 740
- History 961
- Travel 1462
- Biography 980
One of the questions raised this year was that of children’s books. The Librarian reported that there were no plans at the moment for stocking children’s books, but the Higher Education Committee was looking into it. Horsham Branch Library was a hybrid, part-funded by the County Council, part funded by the Town and using a number of volunteers. As a hybrid it had the flexibility to take advantage of various offers. The County would not fund the provision of children’s books, so the Townswomen’s Guild came forward to say it would collect books for children; the Librarian, possibly hoping to put them off, noted that the minimum number would be 600 books. In July its offer was accepted along with the 3,000 books they collected.
In April 1933 the Librarian could report continuing growth in the library service, with the following loaned for the previous quarter (Jan-March 33):
- General works 70
- Philosophy 266
- Religion 238
- Sociology 533
- Philology 15
- Science 635
- Useful arts 561
- Fine art 509
- Literature 782
- History 1,225
- Travel 1,746
- Biography 1,387
- Fiction 46,728
- Total 54,695
The number of non-fiction as a percentage of the total borrowed showed a marked rise, from 11.5% to 14.6%.
On 16 April 1934 the Town Library opened at St Mark’s Church Hall. By December it became apparent to all that the Library was too big for one person to run. So it was agreed to increase the wages of the Librarian from £150 to £200 per year in five annual increments and, from 1 April 1935, employ an Assistant Librarian on £52 a year. The Library was moving from strength to strength, which was reflected in the Annual Report of 1934 issued in April 1935, where it noted three key items:
- move to new premises
- the amalgamation of the reference library from Council premises (it had a room in Park House)
- the Children’s Library (in first 5 months 5,734 issues)
In July that year the Librarian reported that 5,000 more books had been borrowed for home reading, and the non-fiction issue which now represented 19.5% of the total had increased by 1,354 compared with the same period last year. Also, the provision of children’s books for the children’s library would now be taken over by the County.
In October 1935 the Committee received a letter from Miss M. Hilder at Roffey House, Horsham inviting the Council to accept six watercolour sketches of old Horsham which Miss Hilder had painted when visiting Horsham. Some of the places have been altered or pulled down. The donor offered to bear the cost of frames and suggested that the pictures might be hung in the Public Library; it was agreed that they be hung in the Reference Library. Those pictures are now part of the Museum’s collections and have appeared in William Albery‘s Millennium. The Library was definitely part of the town and valued by its inhabitants. This was reflected in the increased use of the service and in the number of non-fiction loans. Over 17,000 books were issued last quarter for adults alone – an increase of 4,268 – and non-fiction shows an increase of 1,140 loans.
In April 1936 the Annual Report was published, noting the success of a service that in the year 1935-6 had made 74,601 issues: an increase of 21,019 on last year; 1915 of the books being non-fiction. Each reader could borrow two books at a time: one fiction, one non-fiction; 23.3% of the population used the library book stock, which now stood at 5.500 books. In 1936 the Library would be open full-time. The Library will not appear in Horsham history again till a new building would be built in North Street in 1957.[186]
1929
Before we look at one of the iconic years of the 20th century and how Horsham coped: 1929, and the fall-out of the crash and depression, there were significant political and economic changes that occurred to local government between 1926 and 1930; changes which were reflected in the developments outlined above. And if you are wondering ‘why concentrate on local government?’, ever since the First World War local government has been the main driving force behind improving the lot of the common Horsham person. Individual companies may come to Horsham, or develop their businesses, which affected people, such as the change in cinema ownership, but the core developments in Horsham were down to local government. In 1924 Neville Chamberlain returned to the Ministry of Health, a Ministry which controlled a great deal of local government. He was ideally suited to this portfolio as he had been seen as a good Lord Mayor of Birmingham. In 1925 he introduced the Old Age and Widows’ Pensions Act, which was an extension of the National Insurance scheme, so it was contributory; a feature that appealed to the Chancellor, Churchill, as it tied people into the idea of a healthy capitalist system; from now on 65, not 70, was the pensionable age and whilst the level of pension wasn’t high, by the census of 1931 the majority of men over 65 had retired. In the space of 50 years there had been a major shift in economic and social policy, for in 1881 three out of every four men over 65 were in work – but before getting too carried away at the utopian ideal, the pension was paid whether you were in work or not, so there was still a substantial elderly workforce in an age when the death rate was below 70. (In fact, being retired was only made a condition of receiving a pension after WWII).
Chamberlain also wanted to reform local government, including removing the Poor Law structure that had been established 90 years previously and transferring various powers to the local councils, which had developed apace following on from World War One, and so clearly evident in the account above. The rather ad hoc in nature Poor Law Guardians’ powers were to go, and in their place specialist committees would be established as branches of the local Councils, with services of childcare, health and the elderly destitute, and old people’s homes. The other function of the Poor Law was that the able-bodied destitute or unemployed would be looked after by the mandatory Public Assistance Committees. The advantage of this for Chamberlain was the breaking of the practice known as Poplarism, named after the east London borough. Here, the Guardians would give the unemployed more money than the Poor Law Unions could afford, making them bankrupt, whilst the poor would work out what paid the most cash and move there.
The scale of the changes became even more dramatic, thanks to Churchill in his role of Chancellor. Local Government had received money from the Treasury by grants-in-aid in order to undertake certain functions. Those affluent areas that spent the most got larger grants, whilst those areas that were poor, so could not spend the money, got the smallest grants. So Horsham, for example, could spend money to build council houses and received grants to do so. Chamberlain wanted to change this to a system of block grants assessed on need, but Churchill disagreed with such a simple and simplistic change. Churchill wanted to tackle long-term unemployment; he couldn’t, for various reasons, use tariffs or cheap money (low interest rates), nor devaluation – he had linked the Pound to the gold standard, so he lowered the income tax to 4s in the Pound, or 20%. Then, to stimulate employment, he announced that industry would be exempted for local rates, or de-rated, whilst railways would only pay 50% of the local rates. The loss of local funds would be compensated by block grants, thus introducing Chamberlain’s idea, and Churchill guaranteed that no council would lose out. So it was that the De-rating and Local Government Acts of 1928 and 1929 were introduced.
In addition to these changes, in 1927 Churchill raided the Road Fund to balance the budget. It might seem the obvious thing to do, as ever since then there has been a clear break between the purpose of the Road Tax and its expenditure. In 1909 Lloyd George established the Road Fund, paid for by duties on motor-vehicles. In 1913 there were just over 100,000 private cars, by 1922 over 300,000, and by 1930 1 million with an additional million licences for other motor vehicles and cycles. So it was an easy way to raise revenue, but it was local councils who had to look after the roads, not the government; all the Council could do was claim for Treasury grants, so often the A-class roads, which started to be classified in 1920, were often second-rate.[187]
Local Government was increasing in power, economic management and influence. It isn’t surprising that some people felt disenfranchised; not those that had no electoral vote, which will be covered a little later, but the ratepayer. Horsham had a Ratepayers’ Association, whose main aim was to question any expenditure made by the Council beyond the basic. It was a pressure group whose greatest success was in the local election of 1929, yet whose impact was marginal as it could be, and was, outvoted every time. The other political movement that saw increased activity in the town was the Horsham Labour Party, an organisation that the local paper the West Sussex County Times covered, out of a sense of duty rather than enthusiasm.
In 1928 the Labour Party held an International Bazaar at the New Hall. The County Times covered the March event: “In aid of the recently opened Labour Institute at Horsham an international bazaar was held on Thursday at the New Hall, the opening ceremony being performed by Lady Slesser, the wife of the late Solicitor-General in the Labour Government With many stall-holders in picturesque garb grouped on the platform “England arise” was pleasingly sung and Mrs. Laughton J.P. in calling upon Lady Slesser, said she was dear to them as one of the grand army of women who stood with their backs against the wall in the dark days of the miners’ lock out. This bazaar was in aid of a new labour institute which they had opened, renting the premises for a year, hoping at the end of that period to become owners. They had an excellent club and meeting place, and the women and league of health had worked well, already giving a piano and other gifts to the institute, of which she was proud to be president (applause)”. Lady Slesser then responded with a political speech noting that there were a lot of young people in the audience and that “they could not have a better way of spreading Labour ideals and principles; and by means of the institute they could show people what they meant.” She went on to say that the Labour party had to win seats like Horsham, to show country people “that what had happened in nearly all the industrial districts was going to happen here if they did not look out.” She went on to say that there were two types of opposition, those that knew what Labour stood for and objected to it and the other being inertia, “people who would be on their side if they would take the trouble to find out what the Labour Party stood for”. The article ended with a telling comment “There were many attractions, the young folk showing much enterprise. Dancing by wireless Orchestra was indulged in late in the evening”.[188] The Labour Club and Institute was in Queen Street, offering a reading room and library, billiard room and rooms for committee meetings.
The report in the County Times focuses the attention, though in passing, on the attendance at the meeting of the young. Suffrage for men had been 21; in 1924 Stanley Baldwin was pressurised into promising equal franchise for women, which gave rise to the possibility of having more female voters than male for the first time. This led to some vehemence from the Right,[189] even though it was pointed out that the granting of the vote to women and increasing franchise by 200% in 1918 hadn’t produced any dramatic change[190], especially when the 1927 Electoral Reform Act was published, as it lowered the voting age for both men and women to 21. The National Review complained, “There are not too few but too many electors already”, whilst The Daily Mail ran campaigns which attacked women: “Stop the Flapper vote Folly”, or “Why Socialists Want Votes for Flappers”, or “Men Outnumbered Everywhere”[191]. The County Times in its own way was highlighting the influence of the young. In 1929 there would be a General Election and Labour would win a minority government; the first time it would be the largest party. Against this backdrop the events of 1929 would unfold.
1929 is a year dominated by one historic event, an event that shaped the world: the Wall Street Crash and the subsequent worldwide depression. Yet, as with any shorthand or iconic event, such a summary hides a much richer and nuanced history, and for Horsham it is the same. Writing this during the very slow recovery from the banking crash of 2008 and the recession of 2009 and having lived through the recessions of 1974/5, early 80s, 90s and 2000, it is clear that the impact of recession is very dependent on individual circumstances. I used to wonder how Horsham survived the Great Crash of 1929 as the narratives told in schools is of black and white film footage of the Jarrow march, or deprivation in industrial regions; images which obscure what happened elsewhere. What follows is that story; though glimpses you will have seen above show that, for Horsham, the Depression was not a period of unmitigated doom and gloom.
In the Council minutes for 13 December 1928 the topic of the distressed areas in Wales was raised as a matter of urgency by the Chairman. The Council had taken advantage of the distress to get its housing estate at Millthorpe built cheaply (see above); now, the Chairman noted that it was suggested that a movement should be established in Horsham “to assist the distressed areas in Wales, and elsewhere”. The Chairman referred to a public meeting convened by the Horsham Rotary Club at the Town Hall on 18 December to seek public support. It was agreed that the Council should lend its wholehearted support. At Collyer’s the profits of the Gilbert and Sullivan show, the first of nine staged between 1928 and 1938, and held at Christmas time, also went to help the distressed in South Wales.[192]
This was mirrored in the Parish Newsletter the following January, where the vicar asks the parishioners to help those in distress in the mining areas. “Arrangements are being thought out whereby in a properly organised way, our help in money and clothes may be sent to the greatest advantage of those for whom it is given, and with the greatest convenience to those who give it.”[193]
In April the local elections took place and, unlike many of the local elections of the modern era, local issues dominated the agenda; possibly because a month later the General Election would occur, so the need for making the local election a statement on the national scene wasn’t necessary. The one issue that still raised concern was the Council’s expenditure and its purchase of Park House, or rather the Council’s use of the rooms. William Albery and E. G. Apedaile stood with the support of the Rate Payers’ Alliance on a ticket of getting space for Horsham Museum Society, of turning out the Councillors and the officers of the Council out of the best rooms in Park House. The argument went along the following lines: the house was bought for Horsham, by the ratepayers of Horsham, for the town’s benefit; not to give Councillors luxurious accommodation at the exclusion of the town’s worthy bodies. The message was promoted through a sketch cartoon and one of Albery’s doggerel verses, but it was a message which saw him and Apedaile succeed. Their influence in the Council was marginal mainly because they had no political power base: Albery might have been a Labour party member, but he stood on one issue; one that the rest of the Council were not necessarily in tune with. This became apparent when the new Chairman in his first address welcomed the new members, noting that “It was very proper that Mr. Albery and Mr. Apedaile should be councillors. Both were Horsham men, born in the town, and had lived there all their lives; he supposed that it would be very difficult to find two other men with a more profound knowledge of Horsham past and present. That in itself was an asset.”[194] Not for their campaign, not for their public support, nor for their link to the Ratepayers Association, but because they knew the history of the town – something which they knew last year, but were not invited by any party to stand as a candidate.
In the same paper as the Chairman’s address there is mention of the start of the General Election campaign where Miss Keynes, the Labour candidate, gave a public address at New Hall. What, however, would be of interest to more readers was the report on food supplies by the Council’s Sanitary Inspector, part of Horsham’s Health Week (see below). The account goes into some detail over how to keep milk, in an age when refrigerators were few and far between. The Council, as reported above, had spent some time in organising the clean milk scheme, only to find its effects being negated by poor household arrangements. So the Inspector, without badgering, set out some methods, noting that clean milk will not sour if kept in the right conditions for up to 15 days. The Inspector recommended keeping milk “in a well ventilated pantry, on the floor, and covered to keep out flies, dust and dirt. In summer time the jug or bottle should be placed in water which requires to be changed twice a day.” Also noting that some people like their milk to be delivered warm, but it will sour quicker and the “law forbids a milkman selling uncooled milk unless he delivers to his customers twice daily.”
The Sign Post magazine also covered the Health Week, with a report in its June edition noting that during the week 22-27 April Horsham held a very successful “Health Week” organised by a Committee formed by H.U.D.C. in conjunction with Horsham Chamber of Trade, The Horsham Association of Display men, The Vicar, The Free Church Council, The Local Medical Practitioners, The County Education Authorities and The Elementary School Teachers. Most towns in Great Britain run health weeks with the object of explaining the link between Health and Cleanliness. The slogan adopted by the Town was “Where there is Dirt there is Danger. The programme included on Monday a lecture by Dr Elizabeth Foley “Healthy Life” with a small health exhibition next door, followed on Tuesday with lectures at Elementary schools with prizes (£1 book) for best essay. The Seniors (standard 5-7) had the subject, “how can I become a Health Citizen”, whilst the Juniors (Standards 1-4) had, “A day in the life of a happy, healthy child”. Both of these have echoes of indoctrination, particularly of the Communist Soviet or Mao type, but in a society without a national health service indoctrination was necessary as families could ill-afford to pay for medical services and the state wanted fit healthy children. This was followed on Thursday with a Baby Show at the Town Hall and on Friday Lectures and Cookery demonstrations by Mrs. Graham-Lacey of the Food Education Society. And if you thought by going to the Cinema or shopping you might escape the health drive, you would be mistaken, as in the course of the week Health Films were shown at the Capitol Theatre and the Central Cinema whilst special window displays were arranged by the Association of Displaymen.
The General Election, as noted above, resulted in the Labour Party having the most seats, though polling less than the Conservatives. Horsham and Worthing constituency continued to elect Lord Winterton, but Britain was now governed by a minority party, using support from the Liberals to enact any policy. Albery, who joined the Museum Society in 1900, two years after his sister Ruth, having been elected in the local elections was now pursuing his desire for the Museum to have a proper home. In May the Museum Society held an exhibition in Park House that attracted over two thousand people between the 14th – 25th , showing “an indication of the need for the establishment of a permanent Museum in the town.”[195] One of the items probably on display was a jug mentioned in the March edition of The Sign Post, which reported from Jury Cramp that “Just recently another jug of the same period 12 or 14 feet below the surface – this will be offered to the Horsham museum gratis with an Elizabethan bellarmine jug – this jug was discovered in the foundations of an old house in West street. Another peculiar old jug was discovered up a chimney in this town, George II period Fulhamware full of money, coppers unfortunately”. The town traders were supporting the museum through gifts and creating news stories. The Council relented and offered the Society a large room at the south of the building, provided the Society defrayed the costs. The Society agreed, subject to the Council sanctioning various alterations. Negotiations would continue for the rest of the year.
The problem the Council faced was how to pay for Park House; the Ministry of Health had sanctioned the purchase, and had to pay for the property within a month, which it did, but only by recourse to the Commercial banks; it didn’t have the savings, so took out a short-term loan with Lloyds, and in May the interest rate of 6% by Lloyds was reported as being too high so the Council sought a permanent lender. The costs of Park House were reported on at June’s committee, meeting probably for the new members. The report identified the period of the loan agreed by the Ministry of Health for each item, so land, for example, could be bought over 60 years; the amount to be loaned, or the cost of the item and the item itself.
| Period of loan | To purchase | Amount to borrow |
| 60 years | Purchase of Park land and house | £12,000 |
| 30 years | Public Offices, public walks & pleasure grounds | £2,715 |
| 20 years | Public walks and pleasure grounds | £1,740 |
| 10 years | Public offices | £320 |
The Total amount to be borrowed for the purchase was £16,775.
In addition to this were the various costs of the development of the facilities.
| 20 years | Tennis courts | £900 |
| 10 years | Playground equipment | £1,160 |
The total amount to be borrowed for the development was £1,160.
The Council also decided to roll up a couple of other additional expenditure items.
| 50 years | allotments | £670 |
| 10 years | Electricity wiring | £500 |
Making a grand total to be borrowed £19,105.
The Clerk reported that he had been in contact with various lenders and G. E. Freeman & Sons would charge 5% interest on the loan. The Public Works Loan Board would also charge 5% if the loan did not exceed 30 years. It would charge 5.25% if the loan was up to 50 years but could not extend the loan period beyond that. Other lenders had various further conditions or didn’t reply, so Freeman’s offer was accepted. However, a month later the loan by Freeman was not forthcoming so loans were taken out with the Public Loan Board for all but the purchase of the land, which at £12,000 over 60 years at 5%, was not possible so a loan of 5.25% rate was to be sought. The loan was then advertised and on 25 September it was agreed that the London and Westminster Property Company loan be accepted at 5.25% with a mutual break clause of 10 years – costs: £1 per cent plus stamps. Horsham Urban District Council had managed to find long-term loans for the purchase of Park House, or so it thought.
Just as the Council had managed to resolve the purchase of the Park, so the Church had a major problem on its hands, as revealed to the readers of the Parish Magazine. The Spire was in a very poor state. The oak beams had rotted and the shingles were in equally bad condition. The September issue revealed that the church spire required eight 15ft of “6×6” inch oak beams and 36,000 new oak shingles. The Vicar, who had had success through raising shares in the New Hall, to see its construction, decided to follow the same option, with requests for each shingle at 5d and a 5d share in the oak beams. He, like a number of people in Britain, had faith in shares as a way of investment, a faith borne out by what was happening in America with stocks, so used the same terminology to raise money, though in reality it was an outright gift; however, as shown below, such faith in shares was misplaced and no mention is made again in the vicar’s reports of “shares” in the oak beams. By November the Vicar, Morley Headlam, could report that Mr. Copnall had photographed the spire to raise funds, that there were Shingly Spire Cards for sale, and that in 1905 part of the south side of the spire had been re-shingled at a cost of £130. In the December he reported breathlessly that instead of £750 required, only £680 was needed to be found, of which £480 had already been donated with no gift; apart from one of over £10. He also reported that the spire “had been re-shingled in part just before 1862. The photographs taken then by members of the Padwick family make that plain…The height of the Spire and Tower is not 230 feet as stated in histories of the church, but 158 feet 6 inches…the spire itself…is 99 feet”[196].
The repair of the Church Spire wasn’t the only cost the Church had to find: St. Mary’s House and Home was overdrawn at the bank by £100 its limit and that had to be resolved. But Morley Headlam didn’t want parishioners to give to these two causes and not pay for the daily expenses of the church itself. Money was tight in 1929, even before the Crash.
Horsham had since the mid-Victorian period been the home of a number of commuters: either the very wealthy, who earned money in the City and then bought shooting estates in the area, or officer workers. The 1920s saw the realisation that Horsham, only 30 miles from London, was linked even more closely with the town. In May the Sign Post carried an article on fast morning trains from Horsham to London. It reported on a meeting held on Valentine’s Day when Mr. Trelfer pointed out that the question of catching a steam train to Dorking and then changing to an electric train wasn’t much use, “as this method had been tried by many people who had found it unsatisfactory. There is uncertainty of making the connection with the train from Dorking to London, and in some instances this had entailed half-an-hour’s delay at Dorking. He also stressed the fact that steam train passengers holding season tickets but making use of electric trains should be entitled to a rebate, as the season ticket for travellers by electric trains was cheaper.” By May, though, The Sign Post could report that “There is now a train leaving Horsham at 7.23am arriving at London Bridge via Three Bridges at 8.41am. There are altogether 32 new trains in this district and the late Thursday train from Town is now running every week-night.” Horsham would not be linked to the electrified network for another 9 years, reminiscent in part of the town back in the 1840s; being so close, yet so far.
Horsham, and the nation, were looking forward to a period of growth that would see a decline in the million plus unemployed that had lasted most of the decade; unemployment running at around 10%. In America, by March, the Dow Jones was at 313.86 and over the next couple of months fluctuated between 293.42 (27 May) and 316.62 (23 April), before stating a rapid climb to 381.17 on 3 September 1929.[197] Churchill, who had lost his post in the election, was now writing furiously for money and investing it in American stocks[198], and he was not alone: the British and European economies desperately needed the money to restore their war-damaged economies, but the US stock market was draining the cash and, from Britain, gold, meaning that there had to be higher interest rates at home to attract the money back to Europe and Britain. It was for this reason that Horsham had difficulty finding and affordable loan to pay for Park House. In September alone $1billion of new stock was issued on the New York Stock Exchange; one sixth of that year’s total offering of new stock. And then the decline started to happen, with a fall over the next month from 381.17 to 329.95; however, there are various fluctuations and by 10 October it had risen to 352.86, only to start its long decline.
On 21 October William Albery, a member of the Labour Party, received a letter asking him to contribute towards the purchase of toys and novelties to then re-sell at a large Fayre to be held in December at New Hall. The Fayre, to be opened by Mr. George Landsbury M.P., had one key objective, as Mr Coppuck goes on to state: “The object of the Fayre is to pay off the debt incidental to the transfer of this property (Labour Institute), we do not want to carry this over into the new year, & also for the honour of the local party it is well that this debt should be wiped out at the earliest possible moment…” (see below for an account of the Fayre). The day the letter was written the Dow Jones had fallen to 320.91. Seven days later 28th October Black Monday saw the Dow Jones fall by 12.8% to 260.64. The following day, Black Tuesday, the stockholders panicked, and 16,410,030 shares are sold with share prices dropping by an average of 80%; the Dow Jones stood at 230.07%.
It was just co-incidence but two days later, on 30 October, the Clerk reported to the Council that there was difficulty in financing the loan for the purchase of Park House, and that “The Governors’ of Greenwhich Hospital are now unable to supply this loan for the period sanctioned viz 60 years”. The Clerk had gone back to the money markets and found that Mr. F. C. Bailey of 27 Basinghall Street, London, EC2 would lend the money at 5.25% interest with costs at 1.25%.
Autumn in Horsham saw the Blue Flash Company, which now owned all three cinemas in the town: Central Hall, Carfax, and its finest, the Capitol, decide to invest in making alterations to the cinema mix. At the Capitol it installed, in October, sound apparatus so it could play talkies. The whole purpose of the Blue Flash Company was to provide employment for out of work bandsmen who had trained as part of the army; they were required to play live music to silent shows. Now talkies were being shown and demanded by the public, the need for live music rapidly declined. At the Carfax cinema they closed for a week and converted the Cinema to a live theatre with a season of plays by Frank Buckley’s Repertory Company, realising that it would be difficult for silent films now to compete with the talkies.
Another Horsham was celebrating its 80th anniversary and sent to the Council a commemorative booklet entitled Horsham Past and Present Illustrated history of the Town and District – 1849-1929, printed by The Horsham Times and The Wimmera Star. The celebrations would run from Saturday 19 October through to Saturday the 26th, and include a great deal of sport (wrestling, bowls, shooting and boxing), slide shows and “Talkie Pictures at Horsham Theatre”, as well as music concerts. The magazine-style booklet included a photograph of 1875 showing a fantastic plant-covered edifice saying ‘Welcome’, beneath which a wide North Street lies. The booklet then traces the town and districts’ history from the first survey by Major Mitchell in 1835, going on to set out how the town got its name:
“Now we come to how the town Horsham received its name. The township of Horsham was founded in 1849, and was named by James Monckton Darlot after a town of the same name in his native County of Sussex”. Previously, the booklet had explained that “The first settler to take up land was Jas. Monckton Darlot, in 1841, who named his run “Brighton” after his native town of Brighton, England”. So Horsham in Australia was named after Horsham not because of family ties, or ancestry, but because the founder in essence liked the name. The account then goes on to describe the trials of founding a new settlement, starting with “As the country around had been taken up by squatters there arose the necessity for some centre to be formed where the different interests pertaining to all orderly communities such as stores, hotels, police protection, etc; hence the origin of our present town.”[199]
The year ended with a Labour Fayre on 7 December, which was opened by George Lansbury M.P. who was First Commissioner of Works in the Labour Government. After giving a highly political speech about socialism and the problems of agriculture, the tone was lightened by Miss Keynes who had stood as a prospective Labour candidate at the election in May. She thanked Mr. Lansbury, going on to say “that for a number of years he had been fighting what seemed to be a hopeless cause, so that he must feel quite at home in Horsham. There were people who seemed to think that this was a hopeless cause, but they had not the slightest intention of looking upon it as such…” Running next to the account in the paper was a report on the Horsham Christmas Fat Stock Show, where the number of entries had increased to 320; 43 more than last year. The champion was Lieut. Col. J. R.Warren’s fine Sussex steer which won the Fitzgerald Cup, the Horsham Chamber of Trade’s and Horsham Butchers’ prizes. The degree to which agriculture was still in the hands of names familiar to Victorian Horsham was evident in those that received prizes or awards, such as, apart from the Colonel already mentioned: Capt. Broadwood, J. C. Capsey Bewbush Manor, Dame Alice Godman, Mr J. P. Hornung, Lord Leconfield of Petworth. Other names do appear, including J. Hole of Broadbridge Heath, C. Gent of Partridge Green and A. Charman of Southwater, but the overall impression is of long-term landed families still dominating the local agricultural scene. A scene that was mirrored in the annual fox hunting that took place with the Horsham and Crawley Hunt.
As a matter of urgency on New Year’s Day 1930, the Council met to approve the loan to pay for Park House. In America, the Dow Jones had recovered slightly from its depth of 198.69 points on 13 November, and now it stood at 248.48 on 31 December. But the Council needed to get the finances sorted. So the Council received a report from the Clerk that “Mr. Bailey offered the loan on the following terms £4,000 in January, £4,000 April and final instalment after the June Quarter – should the money become available quicker the instalment will be made earlier”. The loan was offered at 5.25% with mutual break clause after 10 years, with the mortgagee being a well-known Friendly Society. The cost of financing the loan was 1.25%, if Lloyds Bank was willing accept it (Lloyds had given a temporary loan and this option paid the money back to Lloyds in three instalments). The Councillors were unhappy about the situation and the Clerk reported to them the “difficulties experienced during the past few months in obtaining loans for financing works of capital expenditure”. They asked the Clerk to write to the Urban District Council’s Association to “be urged to submit to the Ministry of Health or appropriate Government Dept. the great difficulty experienced by the smaller Urban District Councils in relation to obtaining loans in the open market for financing works of capital expenditure and that all loans required by Urban District Councils be available from the Public Works Loan Board out of the Local Loans Fund.”
In the meantime, the Finance Committee agreed to the “mortgage with the Trustees of the Tunbridge Wells Equitable Friendly Society securing the repayment of £12,000 to be advanced by instalments with interest at 5.25% subject to a mutual break clause after 10 years.” It had taken 20 months to sort out the finance for the purchase of Park House and land over 60 years; it wasn’t paid off till 1989.
Part 2 – Horsham 1930 to 1939
“What is really menacing is the steady drift of persons from the ranks of the temporarily idle to those of the wholly unemployed has been alarming. We are anxiously awaiting solution of the problem. Sussex we are reminded in the “Sign Post” is more fortunate than most counties regarding unemployment. It ranks with neighbouring counties in having the least number of registered unemployed and this is partly attributed to the tendency of industry to come South.” Comment in the County Times.
“Britain, on the other hand (unlike Germany) experienced protracted deflation, partly due to falling world prices but also to the deliberate policy of her governments which were keen to drive prices down and maintain the value of the pound. Although this deflationary policy proved damaging to industry and thus employment, it had the effect of keeping wages and salaries buoyant throughout the inter-war period. In fact, by 1929 wage rates in Britain were at their 1923 level, while prices had fallen by 6 per cent during the same period. Even in the worst of the depression from 1929 to 1932, money wages fell by only 4 per cent while wholesale prices dropped by 25 per cent and the official cost of living index fell by 12 per cent. Consequently, despite hardship in certain sectors, most families enjoyed rising real wages between the wars; by 1935 the value of wages in terms of what they would buy had increased by 17 per cent compared with 1924. This is why the traditional pessimistic picture of inter-war Britain has been extensively revised in recent years”[1].
The 1930s seem from this distance a strange decade, sandwiched by the economic disaster of the Great Depression and the start of World War Two. Without understanding of what went on in the town it would be very easy to be trapped into the narrative of doom and gloom, of grey images and grey people. Yet, as will be shown below, the decade for Horsham wasn’t all depression; if anything it was one of remarkable resilience and determination, of a belief in the town that saw major investment in both private and public sector construction and infrastructure. One could be easily be mistaken that the local civic authorities had read John Maynard Keynes[2] and taken on board his suggestions for recovery, rather than being tied to the orthodoxy of the government: austerity and cuts. If they had read him they kept quiet about it, for his name doesn’t appear in the Council minutes or in the press reports of Council meetings, but his analysis and programme to get the economy growing seems to permeate throughout the early years of the decade. It can also be seen that the Urban District Council came of age in the 1930s, having been radically transformed in the First World War it now took on a commanding role in the town, stepping up a gear; the 1920s saw it becoming comfortable with its role, it now realised it could do more. Perhaps the acquisition of Park House gave it a sense of status, focus and prominence; perhaps it was just fortuitous accident, but as the following pages show the Urban District Council of the 1930s was a different Council from that of the 1920s as it took on the challenges of Horsham during the depression and, to a large extent, won.
One of the remarkable features of the 1930s was the degree of political debate that went on in everyday culture. I remarked above that if the Councillors had read Keynes they didn’t mention it. The perception of the reader might be why Councillors would have read Keynes – how many of today’s Councillors have read him, even though his analysis of the problem was astute and influential, particularly in post-War Britain. Yet back in the 1930s there was a culture of political debate that was almost forensic in its approach, as well as polemical and very public. The debates were an early example of mass media – the debate was carried out in films that dramatised the ideas; on the radio with actual debates and discussions, and in the papers that either commissioned commentators to write articles (Orwell and Shaw being the most well-known, but also Shipley resident, Belloc) or in reports of the speeches, and finally in the town and village halls throughout the country and then into the pub and parlour, the nation was imbibing itself with political discourse. How much of this was due to the expansion of the franchise in 1928, or the notion of a country in trouble with a desire to understand, is not a question that can be answered here. But what can be shown is an example, one of many from throughout the period that illustrates the sense of political discourse that took place in Horsham. The fact that the speech by a labour M.P. was reported fully in The County Times, a right/establishment leaning paper (it had in 1926 supported the Government over the General Strike), shows how influential the culture was, for not only was the speech reported on but the arguments were given in full; the paper knew its readers would want to know what was said, even if its readers would disparage the comments.
West Sussex County Times 15 March 1930
The unemployment problem was discussed by Mr. John Beckett M.P. for Peckham at the meeting organised by the Horsham and District Labour Party at the town hall on Friday evening.
“There was now a unanimous agreement on facts and figures that this country was passing through an extraordinary crisis. Whoever was trying to solve it the unemployment figures mounted steadily. Every party agreed that it would become worse with rationalisation. Yet this march of science and progress, however callous it seemed had to be faced. Those who were employed were also affected because they could not obtain better wages and conditions with so many available to take their place.
The standard of living must depend upon the amount of manufactures that we produced and the price at which they were sold, but these productions were not being consumed owing to competition by foreign sweated labour. Mr. Becket instanced Poland where the average wages were 17s 9d. Even if it were possible to lower the wages of the British worker that would not be a solution to the undercutting by less forward races driven by cosmopolitan capital, which had wrecked any attempt throughout history to make a decent civilisation.
For the solution not a change of personalities but a change of policy was needed. Public money could be poured out subsidising works, but the last state would eventually be worse than the first. The people in agriculture for instance should learn that there was only one solution to their problem – all land should be taken over for the growing of food. The industrial solution was to cut out the international capitalist, as co-operation and Socialist organisations proved to be cheaper and more economic. There was no hope for the British producer, Mr. Beckett considered, until this system of common sense was brought to bear.”
The speech was a conflation of many ideas including that of racial superiority; however, what it proposed was a narrative that offered hope to the unemployed. To engage with the debate demanded that the audience was educated; the self-taught person or the board school pupil who had taken advantage of cheap literature and the circulating libraries such as Boots. Or, as in Horsham, the opening of the new Library service, and as shown in the previous chapter the borrowings from the library reflected a thirst for demanding reading, not just fiction – a nationwide trend.[3] This was also reflected in the continuing success of the Museum Society and the outpouring of public support for the museum in its new home as shown in the Museum Society Annual Reports.
This was not the only incidence of such debates taking place. Some three years later another Labour M.P. would come to Horsham and his talk would be reported on in similar vein: “socialism was the only remedy for the social and economic troubles of the world and that the capitalist system was failing was the opinion put forward by Dr. S. A. Salter M.P. at a meeting held by the Horsham Labour Party at the Town Hall on Friday evening.” Mr. Salter went on to say “In the judgement of people with great economic knowledge there is only one problem in the world: that is the right use of leisure. If we had an organised system of production in this country I don’t think anybody denies that you could do all the necessary work by employing people four days a week and four hours a day”[4]. Radicalism was in the air and the depression led to bold ideas being talked about; perhaps this is why the town was open to quite bold initiatives, for now was not the time to be timid and with the local tradesmen becoming more aware, self-taught, engaging with the wider debate, such initiatives could be discussed and developed amongst the Council and the town at large. The active Chamber of Trade and the Rate Payer’s Alliance are just two such manifestations of this development.
The more traditional idea of education reared its head at the beginning of the decade with the County Times carrying an extensive report in January 1930 of the County Council’s Education Committee meeting in Horsham. The meeting agreed to radical changes in the town’s educational provision, particularly for the infant and junior children. As the paper reported, “East Parade to be reconstituted as an infants school for its own infants and the infants from Denne Road. A new small Infants School for the infants and juniors from Victory Road to be built (land available in Springfield Road), and this would help to take infants from the Hillside District. All Saints School would remain as a Junior and Infants school”. There was no time to lose so the suggested changes were to happen in the year 1930-1931 at an estimated cost of £4,000 for the reorganisation and £9,400 for the new school for 300 junior and infants.
It wasn’t till October 1932 that the County Times[5] could report on the opening of the brand-new school, Clarence Road Infants, and in doing so capture the obvious pride in the town of this development, a pride possibly engendered because it reflected and acknowledged the public investment in education for all. It was also the first school built in the growing town since 1914. Interestingly, the County Times also gave coverage to the new educational philosophy that had influenced government policy, thus providing the intellectual rigour for the changes, rather than the changes being seen as a whim: change for change’s sake. “The formal opening of Clarence Road Infants school took place on Tuesday last- the school forms part of a reorganisation scheme under which infant scholars are concentrated in one building, with junior and senior schools for older children – the building provides the maximum amount of fresh air and sunshine for pupils and embodies all modern ideas of school construction”. The paper went on to report that the school cost £7,473 to build, with costs being kept down by re-using the old furniture from Denne Road and East Parade Infants. It took a year to build on the playground behind the old school, which was described as a “ramshackle rabbit warren”…Major Shiner (Chairman of Education Committee) said that “This new infants school …has been designed to secure the maximum amount of sunshine and fresh air – two Heaven sent gifts which are mercifully not subjected to a Government grant.”
Mr. Skinner then went on to provide some historical and educational context to the new school, describing it as opening a new chapter in the history of elementary education in Horsham. The first elementary school in the Horsham area was opened in 1856, whilst the newest schools previous to Clarence Road Infants were opened in 1914. He then explained about the demolition of the old school, obviously one that caused some consternation in the town: “to those who might think that the demolition of the old school was an extravagant policy he pointed out that the old school was built in 1840. … The policy of demolition had been justified beyond question, for not only did the old school present every conceivable obstacle to efficient teaching, but the death watch beetle had made serious ravages into the roof timbers. In addition, the floors were perished with dry rot and some of the walls could be pushed over by hand.
“The modern view of education is to aim so that the span of a young child life dealt with in a school should be limited to one of four years.” Major Skinner continued. “This tends to make the most economical and best use of teaching power. The old system whereby a school consisted of all standards and an infants department as well does not allow proper attention to each stage of the child’s education. If as in this new school, there is a large number of children of similar ages then instruction can be much better graded…In Horsham they had schools for children over eleven years of age, and to take the scheme further an Infants department had been organised. The infants had been concentrated into the new school while the schools at Denne-road were now junior schools for children up to eleven.” He ended his speech with an appreciation of the work of the retiring head mistress of East-parade school, Miss Dewdney, who had been Head Mistress of the school for 21 years and had “made a special study of backward children, a service which would have a lasting effect”.
However. it was the government’s proposal to extend the leaving age from 14 to 15[6] that caused most discussion, as all the political parties were for it but agricultural areas deplored it. “A boy of 14 could go into an apprenticeship but a boy of 15 to do so would bring him into manhood by the time he had completed it, unless the Government were going to form a system of apprenticeships in their technical schools.” Although in 1930 they would not realise it, this would be one of a number of pieces of legislation “designed to extend secondary education to sixteen… but by 1939 nothing had been enacted; the Board of Education lacked the necessary clout to push the reform through at a time when free secondary education was not a priority for governments.”[7] The changes were supposedly to come into effect in April 1938 but it meant that Horsham and 39 other education authorities in the south of England were reorganising themselves in order to cope and to create schools for infants, juniors and seniors, rather than have mixed age ranges within one school. In fact, in 1938 another official investigation took place resulting in the Spens report which urged a rise in school leaving age to 16 and free secondary education for all, but war the following year stopped that being implemented.
Another view of childhood can be seen in the County Times of 1931 when it reported that “The annual outing for children by the Roffey Social and Ex-Services Men’s Club, took place last Friday, when a party numbering about 350 children and their mothers spent a happy day at Bognor. …The party had lunch and tea at Bognor Pavilion and when the children assembled in the train to commence homeward journey they were presented with oranges and silk flags.”; so reminiscent of pre-War Horsham.
In 1932 Collyer’s, Horsham’s Grammar School, celebrated its 400th anniversary. For it, the school issued a 36-page booklet printed by Price of Horsham. (See Appendix one for a copy) The commemorative publication which apart from its gold blocking on a thin green Russia[8] leather binding, had no title page. Interestingly, the crest was of the school, but the actual arms was the pseudo-historical one, using the horse’s head and two dragon tails with the central crest of the De Braose lion rampant holding an ‘h.’; a crest that had been created for the town in the 19thcentury. What is more remarkable for the publication is that it was the first published history of the school. The school had been founded in 1532, and in that time no history had been written. This might not be that remarkable, for history, as recounted in a previous volume, was a new discipline created in the late Victorian period, but Collyer’s had a model on its doorstep that it could have been inspired by: Trollope’s History of Christ’s Hospital, but no history master of the school felt so inclined, until the few pages were written in this souvenir publication. However, the reason for this could be that forty years earlier the link with Collyer’s had been all but destroyed when the school became Horsham Grammar School, a change forced on the school because of the amount of ill-feeling between the authorities and the town (see volume 3). In the published history it states that in the interval between the old school closing and the new school opening in Hurst Road, “during this interval the old School was ransacked. Registers, books, documents and many other things which would later have proved of the greatest interest and value disappeared. Nothing whatever was saved.” This suggests that there had been destruction by vandals – the destruction was a ransacking – whereas, as shown in Volume 3, it was probably done by the officials in charge[9],
However, with the founding of the Old Collyerian’s Association back on 9 December 1922, the culture changed and the school’s historical roots were promoted. The publication makes reference to the “School Museum”, reinforcing the emphasis on historical roots. This publication consolidated what was known, and provided a public document. As for the history, it was a basic chronological romp through the 400 years, enlightened by anecdotes which portrayed the school as having a rather quirky past; for example, they recount a problem occurring in 1820 with the Usher’s permission to graze a cow in the Croft, the name then given to the playground.[10] The history does acknowledge the following: “We are not totally devoid of documents from 1820 to the middle of the century, thanks to Mr. W. Albery’s gift to the school archives of his papers relating to the School amongst his extensive collection of old Horsham documents.”[11] Some of these documents might have come from the Hurst family, who noted in the opening speech back in 1893 when the school was opened that they held a number of early documents.
The booklet then goes into some depth dealing with the modern school, with photographs of the recent teachers/masters and successes of pupils who had attended the Hurst Road school, along with the establishment of The Fourth Centenary Fund which would be funded by sale of the publication at a minimum of a shilling. However, the most significant event for the school that year was the addition of “an extended Hall, four new classrooms at its north-east end and a “Sixth Form Laboratory.”[12]
Back in 1930 the town was seeing itself as a major shopping centre and the confidence in this role was given an extra boost when Horsham Market received a major investment. The market had moved from the Bishopric to the area opposite the railway station in 1927. (The cattle market had moved back in 1919). This enabled the Bishopric to be developed as an extension of West Street and along its hinterland housing to be developed. The market in its new location, however, according to the report in the County Times, was suffering from an “out of sight out of mind attitude with the Horsham shoppers. The expansion of its “offer” was seen as a way forward and according to the report was successful. However, the report also pointed out to the farmers that it is a two-way process, with the town expecting farmers to shop in it for their products. In effect, the paper was advocating the same message as The Sign Post (and, it must be said, today’s retail effort – shop local, buy local, support the local economy), which on a national scale would be seen as protectionism – one of the great economic tenets and disasters of the 1930s – but here is seen with an almost idyllic rural glow. (As reported previously, it wasn’t just the markets that were developing: in the December 1930 issue of The Sign Post the confidence in the town as a retail centre was also shown, with Tanner and Chart promoting its new Showroom in Middle Street with its greatly extended premises.)
“One of the suggestions made by the Farmer’s Union was that increased accommodation should be provided for produce, which is a general term covering everything saleable…which cannot rank as cattle or livestock. Accordingly a large shed was built in the Spring and there is now ample room for the eggs, butter, cream, chicken, plants etc. Since the new shed has been opened the number of eggs has increased by about one thousand dozen a week while entries of dead chicken and butter have doubled. Already the suggestion has been made that a third shed will be necessary…(but) prices recently have been lower than any time since 1914. …the low prices are mainly the result of large imports from abroad which reduces the demand for the English article, but surely the people of Horsham would rather support their own neighbours by buying local produce than encourage the egg producer of China or the cow keeper of Denmark. …The success of Horsham as a market can be seen in the Henry Smiths and Sons Special Easter Show in 1931 which saw the following items up for sale: 26 fat steers and heifers, 46 fat and suckling calves, 60 fat sheep, 68 fat and store pigs, porkers, 8 dairy cows, 600 live poultry, fat hens, spring chickens, 150 dead chicken, 120 dozens day old chicks, 4500 dozen eggs, 120lbs of butter, 200 dead rabbits, also large quantity of plants and potatoes.”[13]
The success of Horsham as a market town saw the development of what was in effect a “third way” market; one established not by the local council, nor by traders, but by charitable endeavours: the Women’s Institute Market. When I arrived in Horsham in 1988 it was still going strong, held in the Town Hall on Thursday morning. I was told by many that it was the first one in Britain – it wasn’t, as the recent history on the Women’s Institute relates, but it was a successful initiative born in the Depression years and coming to fruition in 1932, as the County Times reported: “Horsham Women’s Institute Market was opened in the Albion road on Friday. Twelve institutes in the group and the Horsham Townswomen Guild have started the market to encourage the small producer to grow more and better fruit, vegetables and other produce, and so help the country in this time of national need. It is the first market to be started in West Sussex.” On 17 February 1933 the County Times would recount a successful seven months, including a note on how it was formed, according to Mrs. Upton, Chairman of the Market: “it was originally proposed at a meeting of the Barn’s Green Institute that a market should be started in conjunction with the Horsham Group”; a meeting was held of interested parties and the scheme was fully explained “by organisers of similar markets at other places…A small warehouse in Albion road was taken for the Market, which opened on 1st July last.” The market had sold £476 3s 4d, of which they paid £408 4s 4d out for produce.[14]
The success of the markets in Horsham led to the creation of yet another market at the back of Pirie’s Place. This market was a private concern and seems to have occurred when planning permission for only limited housing was granted. In February 1933 General Purposes Committee minutes the following is recorded: “Messrs. Durrants wrote acknowledging the Council’s Interim Development Order acquainting them with the decision that only 4 houses can be built on the proposed site at the back of Pirie’s Place, and stated that they now propose to utilise this site as an Open Market space. The promoters also enquired if there were any by-laws or regulations governing the proposal. The Clerk reported that there were no by-laws in force regulating the matter.” This market would remain in Horsham for nearly 60 years, closing down with the development of Pirie’s Place in 1990/1, or rather being moved to a new location, thus enabling a major retail development, resolving a problem, as seen by planners, of an under-utilised space in the town centre. Back in 1932 it proved to be a popular development, which was mirrored in 2012 with the expansion of Horsham market.
Horsham may have had an agricultural past that it was using for its future, but the town leaders were also aware of changes occurring in the town; not just physical but also social, as reported in the County Times for March 1931[15]: “that considerable changes and enlargements would take place in Horsham during the next few years” was one of the optimistic forecasts made at the 22nd Annual Dinner of the Horsham and District Chamber of Trade held at the Black Horse Hotel; “attention was called to the number of young men holding executive positions in the town and the opinion expressed that with the combination of youth and experience working together the town was bound to go ahead.” Horsham was appealing to the middle class. Though this positive note might seem discordant today, as the speech continued with the following: “They would have public baths, a supply of electricity for next to nothing, cheaper railway facilities and a market exactly where they wanted it.” The public baths were never built in Park House, and cheaper electricity and railway facilities have always eluded the consumer, but it gave a very positive note in the age of recession.
The greatest commitment to the future of the town wasn’t its restructuring of the schools, or the investment in the market; both of which are symbolic and important, but the creation of a new sewage and waterworks that would provide fresh water for 30 or more years, or so the planners predicted. Interestingly, though, at least from our perspective, the sewage and the waterworks were treated as two separate developments, rather than one all-encompassing operation, though heavily linked – after all,, as shown the use of water closets saw increased demand for water, and it also meant that the sewage works had more effluent to deal with, but for the sake of grants, construction and planning they were taken as separate organisations, and it is fair to say that, just because there would be a new water supply, that didn’t mean there would be a new sewage works – though both were under extensive strain.
The first development was the provision of a constant supply of fresh, clean drinking water. It had taken two years of investigation and the previous decade of water shortages to come up with a solution, but the solution was dramatic, extensive and expensive, at a time when austerity was in the air, though not yet the watchword. Remarkably the scheme offered potential – it was for now and the long-term future; not just the immediate, and it offered the potential for Horsham to retain its regional status as it could supply water to its neighbours. The County Times carried the news of the scheme in June as it reported on the public enquiry.[16] The Council may have had its reports published in the press previously, but the Public Enquiry allowed for the full airing of views and information in response to questions and the answers proved illuminating as they answered tangential questions. So, for example, in the report below we now know how many new houses had been built in Horsham; we know how much the Council had borrowed, the size of the population: it makes for a fascinating snapshot of Horsham in 1930 and one not easily obtainable elsewhere.
The Council wanted to borrow £60,791 in order to provide water “for the town until 1960 at least”, as well as the possibility of supplying surrounding villages. The scheme would consist of two boreholes at White’s Bridge, the necessary plant and mains and a reservoir with a capacity for 1,600,000 gallons. Energy for the plant would be supplied by the General Electricity Board with electricity coming from the “grid”; not Horsham Electrical Works.
The report then goes into how Horsham had developed during the 1920s. Thanks to the expansion of the Urban District Council in 1927 “The urban area covers 1,843 acres with a population at the 1911 census of 11,314 and at that of 1921 11,413. It is now estimated at 12,410”. Mr. Slyfield went on to report the number of new builds in Horsham since 1924. “In the year ending March 1924, 14 houses were erected, 1925, 32; 1926, 55; 1927, 44; 1928, 126; 1929, 103 and 1930, 126; making a total of 500 during the past seven years. Of these, 209 were built by the Council.
This obviously put pressure on the water supply;, however the Council’s decision to require flushing toilets (mentioned in the previous chapter) also put increased demand on water supplies. Since 1922, 748 installations had been made, resulting in an “extraordinary increase in the amount of water used …from 1919 to 1928 inclusive average yield had decreased from 22,000 gallons per hour to 14,000 gallons. The average maximum consumption had increased from 16,984 to 21,709 and was still increasing. In 1894 with a population of 8,500 the average consumption was 16 gallons per head and 50,000,000 galloons were pumped, while in 1929 with a population of 12,500 the average was 20.8 and 94,500,000 gallons were pumped”.
The report then went into the funding of the scheme. The Council, as shown in the previous chapter, had borrowed extensively, often in the building of social housing. In 1930 the Council had £334,589 in outstanding loans. It now intended to borrow a further £60,000. However, the Council hoped to attract grants from the Unemployed Grants Committee: “the loan charges each year on the present scheme of £4,539 would be reduced by £3,190 by the Unemployment Grants Committee leaving loan charges amounting to £1,319. The total cost a year would be £6,045. To cover this present rate of 8d and meter charges would produce £3,866 while a rate of 1s ½ d (12 ½ d) would produce £6,049. If the Unemployment Grants Committee instead of considering the scheme as being for a Rural water supply gave only a normal grant for a revenue producing concern the water charge would be 1s 4d”.
A year later the Council minutes record the issuing of tenders for the waterworks as an Unemployment Relief Works with, three weeks later, the result of the tenders. Tender for Unemployment Relief Works New Water Supply set out the basic requirement: the provision and laying of approximately 3½ miles of 14 inch diameter spun iron main and 2¼ miles of 12 inch diameter spun iron main. Eight tenders were received – the lowest was Sir William Prescott and Sons Ltd at £20,965, 4s 2d, and the most expensive was George Wimpey and Co. Ltd. £27,455 18s 6d.[17]
It was whilst the tender documents were being sent out for the water mains that discussions took place in the Council over the sewage work and just like the towns water supply it was deemed “not being fit for purpose.”[18] For years the Council had tried to solve it on the cheap; now, unemployment grants might be a possible solution to funding the works; after all, they were successful with funding for the water works.[19] The Town Council came forward with an ambitious and far-reaching scheme, as related in the County Times.
So it was that on 3 January 1931 readers of the County Times would see the headline “£94,000 for Horsham schemes…it was decided to submit an application to the Unemployment Grants Committee inquiring whether financial assistance would be forthcoming, the schemes having been accelerated by three years…the estimated cost of the scheme was £71,367. (£4,728 pa over 15 years down to £1,182 pa with grant aid). This must not be confused with the sewage disposal scheme …Mr. Wheeler then proceeded to deal with the sewage disposal scheme, decided on practically the same lines of the Surveyor’s scheme of some six or seven years ago…about a year ago an inspector came to the town and condemned the present scheme of disposal of sewage and recommended the present one. …Although they considered £13,000 to £14,000 would be the figure required to bring this up to date, they found that £22,500 would be required (at a cost of £1,806 per annum, but with grant aid it would be reduced to £452: practically a penny rate).”[20]
On 28 March the Council decided to submit an application for the sewage works after it had heard in the committee meeting that “when the council took over the extended district two years ago there were very few cesspools – cost about £6 a year each; now there were 160 with the number increasing with building developments making the cost to the council of £1250 or £8 per cesspool – these would disappear if the sewage scheme was introduced.[21] The application triggered a Public Inquiry, and it was at the Inquiry that the public got to hear (and read, as it was reported in full in the County Times), the reasons behind the application as well as a brief history lesson. The public Inquiry took place on 11 July 1931.
At the Inquiry the Inspector asked if the County Council was willing under the Local Government Act of 1929 to assist with the two schemes; however, the County Council was uncommitted, whilst Horsham Council noted that it would only undertake the full scheme if it got the grant. The Council also identified four reasons for the scheme:
- The population of the area was now 12,500, the UDC area was 1,843 acres and est. number of houses 3,300.
- The main sewers of the town were laid in the years 1878-9 when the population was estimated at 6,800; the present system was partially separate, but during the past twenty years all storm water from new properties had been excluded from the new sewers, and it was now practice to have sewers for soil and storm water drainage.
- The Council’s Engineer reported that with the addition of modern sanitary arrangements the water consumption per head had risen from 17.23 gallons in 1920 to 21.11 gallons in 1930.
- Mr. Slyfield then identified the history of sewage disposal which formed the fourth reason: The Council bought Broadbridge Farm, Hills Farm and the Sewage pumping station and land: a total of 244 acres of which 147 was let; the total price of the property was £14,403 with the balance on loans outstanding being unsure) £2,425, rents received £200. In 1896 the Local Government Board sanctioned a loan for the purchase of Broadbridge Farm for sewage disposal by broad irrigation, the system used up to the present day. In 1926 the Council instructed its surveyor to report on its existing scheme, and later a consulting engineer confirmed the recommendations of its engineer to convert the present works into the modern sort. The report went to the Ministry with an application for an Inspector to visit the works and advise the Council, especially in light of the council having an extension of the boundaries in April 1927.
The inspector advised the Council not to invest in new works “until the farm had been tried thoroughly and systematically as a sewage farm instead of as that time treated as a farm primarily used for growing crops. The Ministry suggested that all land unusable or unsuitable for sewage treatment should be let and that the remainder, amounting to about 70 acres, should be left fallow each year for sewage treatment and be kept thoroughly open by constant ploughing. That course was followed, but the results were not satisfactory.
The Ministry was again approached by the Council in June 1929, with the result that another inspector visited the works, and following a conference at the Ministry in February last year the Council were advised to prepare a scheme for converting the existing works into a modern sewage disposal works.” The Ministry suggested that the whole of Broadbridge Farm and part of Hills Farm be sold and tanks and filter system be introduced and advised to prepare a scheme for converting the existing works into a modern sewage disposal works.”
The sewers would run in a circle around the town to pick up the new houses being built or planned, including 80 new council houses as well as the cesspools. “Practically the whole of the building land now available was not accessible to the present sewers.” Under the scheme the pumping station at Littlehaven wouldn’t be used; it would rely on gravity. Mr. Slyfield mentioned that the Council had a waiting list of 250 genuine applicants for Council Houses – some were waiting for 2-3 years.
All seemed to be going very well, and then came the announcement from the Government, reported on in the Council minutes.[22] After the Prime Minister’s broadcast on Tuesday evening the Chairman, Mr. Vernon, made a few remarks:
“We were all going to be hit by present conditions and The Council had had certain schemes forced upon them, but they had done their best not to indulge in unnecessary expenditure. Of the three big schemes water drainage and sewage and housing, the water scheme was so far advanced that it was not possible to modify it. Regarding drainage and sewage he thought they should go over matters again and see if they could not modify expenditure. With respect to the housing scheme this would not be a burden on the ratepayers when completed but while it was being carried out it would be an additional burden. “It is a question” he said “whether it would not be wise to hold up the housing scheme, or, failing this, to modify it.”
In December the press carried an advert for the tender for the sewage works; whilst the swimming pool (see later) may be the most public job creation scheme, Horsham’s sewage works was also an important development as it was a vast undertaking that insisted on unemployed labour. The tender notice for sewage scheme was for the construction of 7½ miles of concrete pipes of varying sizes. “The Contractor must undertake to comply with the special conditions relative to the engagement of labour in accordance with the conditions laid down by the Unemployment Grants Committee whereby 50 per cent of the total number of men employed must be recruited from a depressed area selected by the Ministry of Labour.”[23] So at the start of the year there was an announcement for water pipes and at the end of the year sewage pipes – both significant employers of unemployed labour and both unlikely to have happened without the grants.
Another significant development took place at the beginning of 1931. After years of negotiating, the County Times on 28February could report “that Horsham Electricity (Extension) Special Order had been approved by the House of Lords on Wednesday February 11th and by resolution of the House of Commons on the 16th February, and was therefore in force.” [24] Horsham could become a regional supplier of electricity.
Whilst major infrastructure developments were taking place behind the scenes, 1931 saw the 700th anniversary of the rebuilding of Horsham Church.[25] It seems appropriate to take the account of such an anniversary from the August issue of the Parish Magazine. As the article reported, in 1231 Bishop Ralph of Chichester instituted Rev. Roger de Wallingford as Vicar of Horsham. “Influenced by pious motives”, they handed over the patronage and valuable Church properties to the Priory of Rusper, reserving “a competent and honourable sustenance” to the Vicar. Bishop Ralph, in his Charter, adds: “We ordain also that on account of the size of the parish and number of the parishioners, the Vicar who shall officiate shall have one chaplain as his assistant, and two subordinate ministers, viz. a deacon and a sub-deacon, to officiate with him in the said Church.” The article goes on to say that “It is not known if this Charter still exists; but there is a copy of it in the Bishops Registry at Chichester. This copy was made in the time of Bishop Robert Sherburne Bishop of Chichester from 1508 to 1536 – the bishop probably had the copy made from the original at the Priory of Rusper, Rusper Nunnery, just before it was suppressed under Henry VIII…After the suppression of the Priory at Rusper, the Patronage of Horsham came to the Archbishops of Canterbury. So the present Archbishop is very kindly coming to mark the 700th Anniversary.” As a postscript to the report, it is noted that “the collection at the evensong on Thursday 8th Oct where the Archbishop will preach will be divided between the Church Fund and the Fund for improvements of St. Mary’s Girl school.”
The Church wasn’t the only organisation recognising its history in Horsham. The Council, thanks to the support of a private benefactor, Mr. Redford, had a board listing the chairmen of the council sign-written by Mr. Bristow, made and hung in the chamber. The board still exists today in the Council’s offices.[26] This interest in history might have been a reflection of awareness of’ the past of the town, enhanced by the creation of the permanent home of the Museum in Park House. The published annual report of the Museum Society showed a marked rise in membership and connections of the Society, and with it subscriptions and benefactions. As the A.G.M. reported, “1930 proved an eventful year in the history of the museum Society, since it was occupied in evolving a cradle out of a kitchen, a live and lusty infant out of an occasional exhibition, and the necessary expenditure and maintenance costs out of a Lilliputian purse…it was the Committee’s desire that the Society should not be saddled with debt as a result of establishing the Museum in permanent quarters: by the exercise of much forethought and by very careful expenditure this desire has been carried out. The appeal, together with subscriptions, brought the available sum to a total of £175.7s 7d. Our share in the alteration and adaption of the premises amounted to £49. 12. 0d, and the cost of the specimen cases and all other equipment and items was met out of the remainder, leaving at the close of the financial year a balance in hand of £4 14s 5d.[27]
The Society, after the opening ceremony, had tea in the new fire station; the following year the Council sold the old fire station for £750.[28] In 2012 the Museum was given an oak pediment from the old fire station which had been left in the attic of the new fire station which had been converted into Council offices. The pediment had the old borough crest painted on it.
The interest in history and, particularly, old English oak houses, saw the arrival in Horsham of two Tudor cottages from Stansted in Essex (estimated at 330 years old) to be re-erected timber by timber[29]. The cottages are actually in the Parish of West Grinstead and lie back from the A272 near Cowfold. The style of timber framing is typically Essex.[30]
A reflection of this interest in English history can be seen in the rising popularity of the novels of Georgette Heyer. What seems to have been forgotten in Horsham’s history is that the author came to Horsham to live above the shop, literally: a sports shop run by her husband in the Bishopric.[31] They bought the Russell Hillsdon Sports Store in the Bishopric in 1930. Georgette’s brother lived above the shop and her mother, Sylvia, lived for some years in the King’s Head Hotel in Horsham’s Carfax. Georgette’s only child, later Sir Richard Rougier (1932-2007), was born here and attended St George’s School, a local prep school. They then moved to Broadbridge Heath in April 1931, before moving to Colgate, then Warnham and finally to Slinfold.
Another arrival in Horsham was the writer Matthew Phipps Sheil (1865-1947) who today is seen as a cult science fiction writer. He was born in Plymouth, Montserrat, West Indies and showed a precocious talent as a young child, writing newspaper columns and an unpublished novel. By 1883 he had moved to London and by the 1990s he was linked with the well-known writer W. T. Stead. He would write a number of novels which became literary sensations involving “surreal images of obsession, hysteria, and horror.” One novel published in 1898, the Yellow Danger, introduced the menace of Chinese domination of the world. In 1929 Gollancz republished four of his novels, which gave a boost to his reputation. But that year also saw his second wife divorcing him, which led him to take up a peripatetic existence in lodging houses in London. However, in 1930 Sheil decided to move to L’Abri near Horsham. There he would write a further five books, “including a murder mystery (The Black Box, 1930) short stories (the Invisible Voices, 1935) and a science -fiction fantasy (The Young men are coming, 1937). He would also, thanks to his first bibliographer, receive a civil-list pension. He died in 1947 at St Richard’s Hospital, Chichester. Albert Vogeler writes of his books, “Shiel’s thirty books varied greatly in theme and quality…His books embodied preoccupations of his time – imperialism, the yellow peril, spiritualism, scientism, evolution – and encompassed many genres- adventure, romance, mystery, horror, fantasy, science fiction. At his best reminiscent of Poe and Wells, he could descend to potboilers and juvenilia. Misanthropy, racism, and anti-Semitism pervade his writing, as does fascination with a masterful, aspiring hero.”[32]
In the opening months of 1932 history also played a prominent part in local debate: that of the wall in front of Park House. William Albery, who, since the publication four years earlier of his Parliamentary History of Horsham, had taken on the mantle of the town’s historian, suggested something which surprised some in the town who thought he would want preservation: that the Park House wall should be reduced in height; so revealing Park House. The cost would be an estimated £50. That was in January. By 28 February over 1,400 people had signed a petition against the idea, even after Albery’s suggestion got the support of Christ’s Hospital master, Winbolt, who wrote to the County Times saying “The open order of the modern garden-city movement seems to me to be the right spirit and the hiding of lights under bushels is the wrong spirit…”[33]
Here we see a more nuanced view; retaining the wall might be historically right, but the future cannot be held back by the past, and if Horsham was to be of the future then modern ideas had to be accepted; and reducing the wall’s height can be seen as a modern view. However, not all agreed, and a week later a name from Horsham’s past, Thomas De Honywood, wrote to the paper attacking Albery for his historical vandalism. Reducing the wall didn’t take place and the story died, though when Albery’s documents were given to the town in 1950 along with them came his extensive bundle of correspondence and drawings; to Albery it was a significant battle, yet in reality it was no more than an interlude, a minor distraction amongst the stories of Horsham, though it could be seen framed as a debate over modernism, as portrayed by Winbolt; but in reality that debate never really happened. As a postscript in the letters attacking Albery, Thomas De Honywood, Thomas’s Honywood’s[34] son, wrote an aside giving a history of Park House. Nothing is mentioned in the letter that isn’t already known, apart from the following: “in the summer of 1701 “Cockman’s” was struck by lightning and badly damaged by fire, necessitating rebuilding, the present house resulting”[35]. (Unfortunately he doesn’t give his source). In Volume 1 the building of Park House by Wicker is covered in some depth but no mention is made in any historical record of this incident – it was assumed Park House was built reflecting the aspirations of Wicker, not that a lightning strike necessitated the rebuild).
The drama of the wall may have been portrayed, or attempted to be portrayed, as a battle between modernists and traditionalists, but 1932 saw Horsham well along the path of a fully-working modern town. The County Times carried a fascinating, if slightly breathless, account of the construction of both the water and sewage pipe works. It reveals the scale of the operation; one that links the town together, for these works were probably the first time that Horsham had been physically united in a comprehensive way: previously, the developments had taken place over a long time scale on an ad hoc basis, reflecting local concerns and micro-financial issues; now, the town was united in one development, thanks to the power of the Council; the corporate power, as it was the one body with sufficient financial clout to do it. It was “big government” working in a small town and having a major impact.
Water supply scheme started March 1931- finished December 1932 with sewers laid by December 33.[36]
“The boreholes go right down into the “Tanbridge Wells Sands”, Mr. Atkinson explains. “This is the same strata from which we get our present supply by the well at the Depot in Stanley Street. But that well is really an overflow from the main basin. Here we are on the strata and the supply will be inexhaustible as far as we know.” The boreholes go down 260 ft from White Bridge – just off Sedgwick Lane. The water is forced through 8 high-pressure filters and the pure water is pumped three and half miles away to the reservoir at Beedingwood – the route was as follows:, “the main runs up Sedgwick-lane across Brighton road to the lane opposite, down to St Leonard’s road and lying exposed, spans the stream here and continues up the track on the right. The main goes on through the fields to the right-angled bend in Comptons-lane and then taking a turning at the top of the lane, continues over the fields to Forest road. Following the road, the main eventually reaches the reservoir in a site on the left hand side. The reservoir 7ft deep will be increased with 7ft above ground, built with reinforced concrete and covered with earth.”
The newspaper describes the work building the sewage scheme, describing how “A small mining community is established in the field between the disposal works and Guilford road. Down the shafts welsh miners struggle to cut out the wet clay to form a tunnel through which the sewer can run. Shafts are sunk 50 feet apart so that miners in each one have to excavate a 25 foot tunnel in order to meet their comrades in the next shaft. Further along the field where the ground falls, it is possible to lay the sewer in an open trench. “Let’s go down this one,” says Mr. Atkinson, pointing to the most formidable shaft. …I follow him down a ladder by the side of the shaft having first politely refused an invitation to descend in a swaying bucket…Down below, standing in slush; we crouch in the tunnel while the roof dribbles on our backs. Across the way, in the flickering light of a candle, is a miner beating the merry tattoo of the road mender with a compressed drill as he carves out the clay….The work of sewer laying began last December, and it will keep gangs at four different points busy for two years…About ninety men (half of whom come from distressed areas) are engaged in this scheme.”
As an aside to the story of providing water, when in 1932 the Urban District Council wrote to all parish councils in the Rural District asking if they wanted to join their Fire Brigade scheme at the cost of one old penny rate, which would have cost Rudgwick £13-14 a year, the parish councillors had to go out and inspect the whole parish, all nine square miles of it, to ensure every property had a pond or substantial water supply within a 600 yard radius, the maximum length of hosepipe carried. They did, so Rudgwick joined the scheme in August 1932.[37]
Mention at the end of the report of men from the distressed area brings back the story of how Horsham coped with the unemployed. To many, the answer would be that they built the old swimming pool. That, though, is only part of the answer and a minor part at that. For what follows is the account of how the town, all all aspects of the town: charity, civic, corporate and private enterprise, tried to create employment, and in so doing helped to modernise Horsham. The town’s swimming pool might have been the most public manifestation, with the bricks moulded to tell of the scheme, but the infrastructure and fundraising works were also significant, clearly having echoes of the First World War community involvement, and becoming in effect a war on unemployment.
The first thing to realise that, in today’s jargon, the “fight” against unemployment was “multi agency” with many groups and individuals being concerned about the situation. Also that, whilst unemployment was bad in Horsham, that was relative to the normal situation; compared to other areas of Britain, unemployment was nowhere as severe, yet, as we all do, Horsham compared itself to itself, and it had to tackle the problem, rather than rely on the State or big government to sort it out.
One of the stereotypical images associated with unemployment is social decay, drunkenness and petty crime, rolled into one. If asked before doing the research, I would have expected to see a rise in the number of drunk people going through the courts, yet one of the unusual statistics to ‘emerge from reading the press are the figures for drunkenness in Horsham. The perception being that as recreational drugs were not common, opium having been made illegal in 1916, 1920 for cocaine and 1928 for cannabis,[38] the cycle of despair – unemployment, drunkenness etc., would have shown up in the statistics; yet that is not the case. The fact that the town had a strong temperance movement suggests that there was a need for one; either that or the temperance movement flourished in an area where drunkenness wasn’t a problem, almost a self-help group for the sober minded: though the number of pubs and inns, as well as having a major brewery, would indicate that drinking was a popular part of Horsham culture, drinking to excess wasn’t. It may be that the temperance movement was having a major impact, and thanks to the endeavour of people like the well-respected Cramp family, drunkenness was irrelevant for Horsham folk. I suspect in reality it was in fact down to police recording incidents, allowing a level of drunken behaviour to exist and only dealing with incidents that crossed the line.
On 14 February 1931 the County Times reported on the Annual Report of the Licensing Sessions for Horsham Division, which covered 78,528 acres and a population, according to the 1921 census, of 33,891. In that area there were 117 justices licences in the division, consisting of 60 alehouses, 36 beerhouses “on”, 6 “off”, 14 other premises “off”, and one other “on”. There were 16 registered clubs with a total membership of 2,478, with the two clubs added being the Horsham Yeomanry Club, registered on 5 March 1930, and the Crawley and Ifield British Legion Club Ltd, registered 25 January 1931. Yet there were only 11 cases of drunkenness reported for the whole year.
The need to do something for one’s fellow man came across in many different ways. The West Sussex County Times decided to set up an unemployment fund to distribute help to those who needed relief. So it was that on 4 November the County Times would report on a gramophone recital; that is, playing records in Albion Hall in conjunction with H.B.F. As the paper reported, “the programme had been arranged to suit all tastes …a record of Alexander march by the Borough band ….incidentally it may be mentioned that all the records were of British manufacture – floral decorations kindly lent by Mr. Riley Scott and Messrs. King and Barnes undertook the transport of the apparatus to and from the hall…the collection amounted to 13s 2½ d the whole of which goes to the West Sussex County Times Unemployment Fund.”
Another scheme to help the unemployed was that set up by Major Middleton, Director of the Blue Flash Cinema company, who had by 1927 taken over all three cinemas in Horsham: Capitol, Central (which had in 1930/31 become known as the Winter Gardens) and the Carfax (which in 1933 became Court Royal); he set up a scheme that gave complimentary cinema tickets for certain performances at the three cinemas under his control. The museum has a voucher with three unused tear-off tickets for weekday matinees during the week commencing 6 February 1933, with the message: “I have been informed that, through no fault of your own, you find yourself temporarily out of work. No doubt you are making every effort to get another job. But, in the meantime, the long hours with nothing to do must be very trying. I hope the complimentary tickets below will be of some assistance to you in your misfortune, and that you will have early success in finding employment: R. C. G. Middleton.” As all three cinemas changed their programme on Thursdays, there was always something different to watch. It was obviously well-received because 11 months after the birth of their daughter, the unemployed clubbed together to present her with a silver porringer and spoon and a napkin ring; the porringer had the following inscription: “To Pamela Ann Middleton, 3rd March 1932, with the grateful thanks of the unemployed of Horsham”.[39]
The same paper would report on the activities of the Horsham Multiple Managers Association: that is, the managers of the local branches of the chain stores that had moved into the town in the past few years. The report noted that “the committee received a check of £5 from the Directorate of Messrs. F. Woolworth Ltd and a £1 from Earl Winterton… 36 cases had received relief in kind ranging from food, children’s school boots and coal. A whist drive to be held in the Drill Hall where they hope to raise a considerable sum for relief.” Two weeks later the same paper revealed to a wider audience that the multiple managers had assisted 35 families at a cost of £17, with food being the main request though clothes were also needed. Just in case the readers thought too harshly of the unemployed the paper repeated the comment of the Multiple Managers report that they “did not come across many scroungers and their work extended to Partridge Green and Southwater”. The County Times went on to report that “The Schools Attendance Officer reported that people excused themselves from attending school because of lack of clothes and shoes.”
The degree to which the community was involved, and also the degree of innovation in assisting the unemployed became came clear in three additional reports made in the same paper; “That 2-3 tons of wood – logs, chippings each week from Messrs J&S Agate – to be distributed, that the wood would be stored in the shed next to the fire station and permits issued to receive the wood; and that a Boot repairing scheme was being established which involved teaching the men to do the work and to ensure its success Mr. H. Hutton J.P. was undertaking to place orders and boot repairing jobs. The Paper also carried a report that “the council were clearing ground for new allotments, though no applications had been received yet”.[40]
The growth of allotments throughout Britain was one way of dealing with poverty amongst the unemployed. In Horsham some 100 years earlier a similar scheme had been established under the aegis of The Horsham Labourer’s Friend Society[41], and John Stuart Mill, the 19th century political philosopher, had described allotments as “a contrivance to compensate the labourer for the insufficiency of his wages by giving him something else as a supplement to them”; a way of “making people grow their own poor rate.” During World War One the number of allotments had grown to around 1.5 million; had fallen back, but were now seeing a revival. Allotments were being established wherever there was waste ground, with The Society of Friends (Quakers) establishing a scheme to supply, initially free of charge, seeds, tools and fertilizer; such was its success the government in 1930 took up the project, only to find it hit by the 1931 economic difficulties, so the Friends stepped in again, persuading the government to provide match funding. Up to 100,000 people were helped this way, though the scale of allotments can be seen when in Sheffield alone 117,500 unemployed men were given “the requisites for a 300 square yard plot”.[42] Along with the allotments was the Land Settlement Association, “whose main aim was to turn the urban unemployed into small-holders, encouraged not only the cultivation of produce on small plots, but also the keeping of pigs and chickens to provide food and manure.”[43]
As mentioned above, in 1932 Collyer’s issued its 400th anniversary publication. This, however, was not the only commemorative anniversary publication. This year saw the Horsham Wesleyan Church Centenary and the church published an A5-sized booklet with thin card covers and an attractive woodblock illustration by Jack Carter, a Horsham greengrocer who was rapidly gaining a reputation for art and illustration. The cover incorporates a woodcut from Howard Dudley’s History of Horsham (1836) showing the church, with a woodcut of the current church. The booklet contains a mixture of historical anecdote and history of the church. It relates, for example, that in 1831 “the notable July Fair was held when women were sold as cheaply as 3/6 and as dearly as 45/-. One woman was sold for 30/-, but the man had to sell his watch in order to buy his wife”. Unfortunately it doesn’t say where this information came from, though wife sales were known to have taken place in Horsham. It then goes on to relate how “In a meadow in London Road a great feast took place to commemorate the liberation of Napoleon from Elba, and one of the tickets for the dinner is in the possession of Mr. Thos. De Honywood”. This was obviously wrong, because it was the defeat of Napoleon in 1814 that was celebrated, not his escape from Elba; however, the ticket is now in the Museum. But what is interesting is the next comment: “This meadow was bought by Miss Catherine Ireland of Brunswick Place and presented to those early Methodists. Here the first Wesleyan Church was erected in 1832 at a cost of £450”. So according to this account, we now know where the great Peace dinner took place: on the site of the Wesleyan Church. The account then describes the original church: “the inside was bare and plain, with white-washed walls and a small box pulpit high up on the back wall. This pulpit was reached from the small schoolroom behind by means of stairs, and the entry of the preacher appeared to the congregation like the “jack in the box”, for he seemed to appear suddenly as from nowhere. The coals were kept under the pulpit.” The booklet gives “A brief survey- Church Membership, 180; Average Evening Congregation 250; Wesley Guild, 90; Boys and Girls’ Clubs, 65; Boys and Girls’ Gymnasium 50; Sunday School Scholars, 110; Junior Guild, 70; Hockey Club, 50.”
Before ending 1932, there was one incident that must have brought some light relief to the town, when the Sunday Graphic and Sunday News of24 July carried a page of 15 cartoons titled Horsham Celebrities, as seen by the cartoonist Matt. Matt had visited the town and captured the likeness of the Horsham worthies, many of whom have dominated the story of Horsham in the 30s.
1933
In December 1932 the County Times would report on the meeting of the Horsham Town Unemployment Committee which was informed of another innovative scheme to help the unemployed, but one that was probably too ambitious for Horsham. At the meeting “Mrs. Canning Roberts of Barns Green described her “back to the land” scheme in which she offered to put a small dairy farm of 40 acres with home, buildings and model dairies at the disposal of a Land Association for the unemployed when formed and to devote herself to the cause.” It was as if the land would heal sick Horsham. On 10 February 1933 the County Times reported that it had been rejected as “the scheme would entail too much expense as men would have to be trained for the work first.” It was also remarked that Sir Merrick Burrell had said that there were unemployed farm labourers; the Chairman “thought that it was not advisable for them to take men from the towns to employ them on a farm when so many labourers in the country were without work.” This action received a letter from Miss. M. A. Howkins on 17 February: Sir- It is disappointing to read that the Unemployment Committee has refused to support the Barn’s Green Land scheme …the members of the Unemployment Committee appear to be content to dole out relief without effecting any permanent betterment in the condition of even one unemployed worker. Are they really representative” she then ends the letter by saying “A cow gives employment day in day out (and gives milk too) a front door gives employment for a short time only!”
Other aspects of life continued in Horsham with the County Times reporting that there would be a national rat week from 7 to 12 November, whilst, just as today, for some the hope of winning the Lottery would solve a number of problems; a Mr. A. Smith of 24 Shelley Road Horsham won £1000 in a picture puzzle competition given by a national weekly journal.
By Christmas 1932 the County Times could report favourably on its Unemployment Relief Fund, stating that it stood at £58 6s with donations received from 19, including the Queen Street Thrift Club via Miss Hunt of £9 10s 6d, Horsham Railwaymen £5. 5s 6d, Officials and Employees Surveyors Dept Urban Council £3 3s 6d – the money was handed over to the Hon. Treasurer of the Town Fund.[44] It was also reported that at the meeting of the Horsham Town Unemployment Committee held at the Council Offices, “a sum of £20 was granted from the General Fund to the Horsham Multiple Managers Association for providing extra Christmas relief. This amount is to be added to the £35 already raised by the Horsham Multiple managers association for this purpose”.
Whilst these were important events, and should not be thought as insignificant gestures to help the unemployed, there is a distinct air of needing something big that could have a major impact. This mood prevailed into 1933 with the paper continuing to drip-feed stories of fundraising efforts and help to the poor. If you were in employment you could not avoid unemployment. In the County Times for 20 January 1933 the paper published the balance sheet for the HMMA (Horsham Multiple Managers Association) showing that the money raised was going to the needy.
Table: Cases for relief
| Month | Week Ending | Number of cases of relief |
| October | 15 | 12 |
| 22 | 12 | |
| 29 | 13 | |
| November | 5 | 14 |
| 12 | 18 | |
| 19 | 17 | |
| 26 | 30 | |
| December | 3 | 20 |
| 10 | 19 | |
| 17 | 15 | |
| 24 | 343 (which cost £81/16/0d)[45] | |
| 31 | 4 |
The stark reminder of the effect of unemployment on the community, the creation of haves and have-nots, could be seen in the same paper which carried an advert for the Conservative Horsham and Worthing Division Ball on 27 January at the Drill Hall. The tickets cost 10/6 including supper, or 12/6 if bought after 24January. As this was a Horsham and Worthing event, the Ball used a band from Southwick, rather than a Horsham one. In very small print, “Supper for chauffeurs will be arranged at the Kings Head Hotel” Tickets 3s”. The very week of the Hunt ball the County Times ran an article on two soup kitchens set up in Horsham. “Further valuable assistance is being provided for the Horsham Unemployed by the establishment of two soup kitchens, one at the Roffey Institute and the other premises behind the Horsham Baptist Church. The kitchens will be open on Tuesdays and Fridays, beginning next week. For some time past Mr. T. Redford has run a kitchen for the benefit of families at the Common, so that the whole district is now well served. An urgent need exists for subscriptions for the Town Unemployment Fund….it is estimated that the Fund will be exhausted in three weeks. Gifts of meat and vegetables for the soup kitchens will also be greatly appreciated by the organiser.” Interestingly the article would continue with a comment by the “countrymen” that “it is anticipated that a need for it will continue until the end of March. By then the majority of the unemployed – many of whom are in the building trade – may have returned to work”[46], and it would be the case; for on 17 March 1933 the paper would report: “The Town Soup Kitchens will be discontinued after to-day. During the weeks that the Brighton-road and Roffey kitchens have been open approximately 300 persons have been supplied with soup each Tuesday and Friday.” In a letter from Tom Redford, he writes: “Sirs at the closing of my soup kitchen at “Combe Dingle” Swindon-road where with the help of my daughters we have distributed between two and three hundred gallons of soup. I wish to thank Mr. Hammond who has so kindly given all the meat for the same also a few others who have kindly supported me in this.”
The mention in the paper that most of the users of the soup kitchen were builders would also be reiterated in February’s press when Mr. S Barker, representing Horsham Master Builders, referred to it as “the staple industry of Horsham[47], a point that we will come back to in the near future. The granting of relief mentioned above was not conditional, as if the stigma of asking would stop those who were fraudulent in asking, for as Countryman reported, “the Chairman of the Committee Mr C. H. Munday, told the reporter that “In giving assistance we do not take into account any savings or some paid for insurances or the purchase of a home”.
However, within the fundraising world of Horsham not all was sweetness and light, as tribal loyalties seem to have surfaced. In January it was reported that, “The Hon Secretary (Mr. F Webb) read a letter from the Horsham Trades and Labour Council referring to the fact that its representative on the Committee had been called to resign. The Council felt that they should have been given an opportunity to discuss the matter. The Chairman said that he thought that the two members who left the Committee were representatives of the Unemployed Workers Movement, who had made a separate collection in the town and had generally worked in opposition to the Committee. Mr. Duffield did not intimate at the previous meeting when he was asked to resign, that he represented the Trades and Labour Council. Although they were members they acted entirely against the wishes of the Committee” Mr. Hutton remarked. The Committee decided to write to the Trades and Labour Council intimating that they would welcome another representative.”
It was obvious to those in charge that unemployment in Horsham was seasonal in nature; not tied to the farming but to the house-building trade, and owing to the trade being reliant on weather conditions there would be another peak in unemployment the following winter. This seasonal nature was reflected in The County Times, which would report on 31 March, “substantial decreases in the number of unemployed during the past month are reported by the Horsham and Crawley Labour exchanges. At Horsham the total has decreased by 118 to 320. This figure is made up as follows: Men 262, young men 22, boys 3, women 28, young women 4 and one girl”,[48] showing how the fall occurred with better weather. So in July thoughts turned to the approaching problem. A meeting was held in The Town Hall on 24 July with a report given in full in the local press with a lead line: “That efforts should be made to raise funds for providing useful work for the local unemployed during the coming winter was the decision unanimously reached at a crowded town’s meeting at Horsham Town Hall on Monday evening.”[49] The paper then continued the report with an account of the motivational speech by the Mayor of Guildford (Alderman William Harvey). His advice was: “Do something really useful, so that in years afterwards you can say, “That’s the memorial of the hand of brotherhood held out by the town to the chaps who needed it.” It was suggested that a contributory scheme should be established, the payments being 2d in the pound for each week from wage-earners and one per cent of income from salaried persons”; the impact of the speech was such that the meeting passed the following resolution: “that this meeting of residents of Horsham and District pledges itself to do all in its power to raise funds to provide work of a useful and beneficial character for the local unemployed during the coming winter. Such work to be carried out by the Urban District Council in consultation with the Unemployment Committee.”
To give the readers the context to the resolution and also to spur a sense of giving to the less fortunate, but not less deserving, the paper gave a summary of the work of the Horsham Multiple Managers Association: the relief committee from September to March had distributed 1,450 parcels of groceries, peat and clothing at a cost of £332 11s 8½ d. As many as 300 men were employed by the Council during the winter in addition to their ordinary staff, and even today the total was 212. The Chairman mentioned that the unemployed of the district now totalled about 200. “A similar figure last summer, however, increased to just under 500 during the winter.” One set of figures which would appeal to the townsfolk was that of the returns generated in Guildford. There the unemployed built a pool and lido, with the Borough providing the materials. They thought it would generate £800 income, but in the first month over £2,000 was raised, with 100,000 people paying admission.
All of this was discussed at the next Council meeting where it was agreed that the six Members of the Council be nominated onto the Horsham Unemployment Committee. This was followed by a Special meeting of the H.U.D.C. held on 23 August 1933 to discuss the proposals of the Employment Committee schemes “for relieving unemployment in Horsham during the coming Winter:
a) The provision of a Swimming Pool in Horsham Park
b) The development of the Barracks Fields
c) The levelling of Victory Road Recreation Ground
After a full debate it was agreed that the swimming pool should be constructed. And so it was that on 15 September 1933 the County Times[50] announced the launch of the official appeal to support the Horsham & District Employment Fund. “All householders in the urban area – numbering 5,000 will receive a copy of the appeal. Some 2,000 appeals are being sent by post to the larger householders in the Rural District”.
In October the Council changed the name of the Baths Committee, set up originally to look at installing public baths, which at one time the building of which was suggested in Park House, but now that the building was used in the main for civic purposes, no longer seen as desirable, to Relief Work Committee.[51] Then two days later on 18 October the all-important Finance Committee looked at how the Council could afford to build the pool. In other words, whilst it was grateful for public support, it knew it had to provide guaranteed funding if it wanted a scheme in place by the winter to alleviate the seasonal unemployment. Fortunately, the Council had assets on which it could take a mortgage: the sewage works land bought back in the 1890s. As the Committee minutes noted, “the Council had powers under the Public Health Acts under section 235 of the 1875 Act to borrow by a mortgage on the sewage works lands”. The Council had previously borrowed under this section to pay for the Bishopric Car Park and Blackbridge Lane Bridge – they could borrow up to £4,970 – Lloyds Bank held the title deeds for the sewage works lands – it would save costs to apply to the bank for borrowing powers – enable the council to raise a loan only by such amounts as required and to allow flexibility in repayment – the terms to be half above bank rate with a maximum of 5% interest.”[52] On 22 November it was reported that Lloyds agreed a mortgage with the minimum interest rate of 4% and a maximum of 5%.
It had taken nearly six months, but by the end of 1933 the Council had in place a scheme, to tide over a large number of its inhabitants during the period of layoffs by the building trade, in building a town swimming pool, a long-held ambition that had had a faltering start back in the 1870s.[53] Equally, though not stated in the minutes, the swimming pool was only really possible because of the new water supply being “put on tap”. A town having streets without water for eight hours or so could not be seen investing in a swimming pool; now water was in abundance, or soon would be, no problem. In effect the swimming pool can also be seen as a sign/symbol that Horsham had sorted out its drought issues. The town had celebrated the completion of the water supply scheme in May with justifiable pride, with a souvenir programme (see below); now, the building of a pool, the fact that they had the water to make it possible, was another symbol of this achievement.
Back in April 1933 the Water Committee issued handbills and placed adverts in newspapers stating that the new water scheme would start on 4 May 1933.[54] On 5 May the County Times would lead the news with “Horsham’s Water Fears Now Banished…Fears of a water shortage that have beset Horsham for the last few summers will be finally banished by the new supply system which was brought in to operation yesterday….. In addition to certainty and purity of supply the scheme will result in the pressure of water being doubled. This is caused by the force of gravity, the reservoir being about 300 feet higher than the old pumping station. The increased pressure will be appreciated particularly by residents in the Roffey area, where I understand, many unkindly remarks have been directed against the supply in the past, especially on wash-day.”[55] The increase in water pressure did cause some problems with a number of repairs being undertaken as reported to the Water Committee some 19 days later: “The new works were brought fully into commission on 4 May. The increased pressure from the new Reservoir, approximately 120 feet additional head, as was anticipated caused a number of bad leaks in mains and services. Up to the present the following repairs have been carried out:
642 taps and cisterns to Housing estates repaired
142 Notices to owners re defective fittings
36 services renewed or partly re-laid
15 repairs to mains and fittings
29 shut-downs for private repairs.”
The pride in the water works was evident in the decision to have an opening ceremony and the production of a souvenir brochure/leaflet. In the past the Council would have gone ahead with it, but now with money being tight they needed government approval; which they got (to think that the Ministry of Health needed to sanction such expenditure also shows how centralising power had become because of the Recession): “the Ministry of Health have sanctioned expenditure of £20 in connection with the matter and a brochure recording in brief the history of the undertaking, together with descriptive matter relating to the new Works, is in the press….posters displayed in the town the public had been invited to attend the opening ceremony” On 31 May it was reported that the costs would be £30 and the council would make an application to the Ministry for sanction under the Local Authorities Expenses Act 1887 to an increased sum of £30. On 21 June it was reported that they could spend “not exceeding £30”; they did, as the total of the accounts submitted was £30. 15. 6d – which was paid.
The programme is around A4 in size with a leather-effect embossed card cover and a cord stitched tie. In black letters, Inauguration of New Water Supply sites underneath the seal of the Horsham Borough; for the Council still didn’t have a coat of arms. The programme gives a great deal of information, much of it already related in the preceding pages above, but summarises it in a useful format. The following are the key points, which also indicate the scale of the works. The following are direct quotes from the programme:
- “The Pumping Station is at Whites Bridge, Magpie Lane, 1¼ miles S.E. of Horsham, and the Reservoir is at Beedingwood, Forest Road, 3 miles N.E. of the Town.
- The Boreholes are two in number, No. 1 (sunk in 1926) being 15 inches to 12 inches diameter, and No.2 (sunk in1930) being 30 inches to 24 inches diameter. The bottoms of the Boreholes are 265 feet below the Pumping Station Floor, or 108 feet below Ordnance Datum.
- The bulk of the water is obtained from the strata known as the Tunbridge Wells Sandstone, grey in colour, which extends from 84 feet to 257 feet below the surface.
- During…period of test pumping it was found that water was drawn away from the existing wells at Park Terrace East.
- The maximum quantity of water the Reservoir can contain is nearly three days normal consumption by the town.
- The Main through which the Water is pumped from the Pumping station to the Reservoir is 14 inches in diameter and 3½ miles long, and the Main which conducts the water by gravity from the Reservoir to the Town is 12 inches in diameter and 2¼ miles long.
The programme also gives a great deal of technical information which would interest water engineers, but not many members of the public, though it does contain some fascinating photographs which are included here.
With the new water supply on tap, work continued apace with the town’s sewage scheme. The scale of the work has been described above and the speed of the work was reported on to the Council throughout 1933, the following being just one of the monthly reports to the General Purposes Committee. On 18 January it was reported that a total of 4.04 miles had been laid, that so far £18,150 had been spent out of the total budget of £40,933.7.0d and that 97 workmen were currently engaged on the work, made up of 48 men from depressed areas, 40 local men, and 9 contractors. The reports then go into more technical detail before reporting that it was agreed that “electrical power” would be used at the sewage works.[56]
One aspect of the works that was not foreseen, but proved to be interesting to members of the Horsham Museum Society, was the amount of excavation undertaken and the discovery of archaeological finds, as reported by S.E. Winbolt in the Sussex Archaeological Collections of that year[57]: “the most interesting results have been got from the trenches from Worthing road, eastwards past the church to Denne road, along the old channel of the Arun. It is quite clear that in the distant past the Arun at Horsham averaged 100 yards wide, whereas it is now about 20 feet. At frequent intervals along the north side of the old channel near the church, black bog was found 10 feet down, with black oak trunks and branches lying in it. A few bones of bos longifrons were found in this horizon, covered with or almost completely transformed into indigo-blue vivianite (see The Times 23 February 1933) as this stratum was covered with 4 ft of yellow clay and (below it) with 2 ft of grey clay, it seems probable that the bog deposit belongs to prehistoric times. …three feet down in Cricket-Field road, in a shallow layer of grey clay was found, in three pieces, a skull, almost black with age in the ferrous soil. It was of a heavily-built man of modern type of about 50-55 years. Modern man does not preclude a Neolithic period for this man, but there is nothing to prove a particular epoch, although the condition of the skull indicates a great age. In Denne Road 5½ ft down in blue shale, were bones of an animal which were as black and polished as ebony. The sixteenth century road metal, iron slag from St. Leonard’s Forest, is still in position about 1ft 9in down.
The trenches in the Worthing road from Tan Bridge to the railway bridge also had something to tell. Before the present Worthing Road was made about 1760, its predecessor was a roughish road from the Clapper Bridge over the Arun at Tan bridge to a little way up Pict’s Hill. It was made of chunks of sandstone to a thickness of 6-8in. …There is not a scrap of iron slag in the make up, as there is in Denne Road, which was the south road out of Horsham before the Worthing Road was made. …(The) trenches ranged from 8 to 24ft deep”.
As reported on in Volume One[58], the skull, which is on display in the museum, is now, based on radio-carbon dating, thought to be Bronze Age, around 1600 BC.
1933 saw the continuing development of Horsham’s infrastructure and the growing regional importance of the town as it expanded its sphere of influence providing the local villages with much needed electrical supplies (see below). This was in complete contrast with the response from the Rural District Council concerning the water supply, for by February 1933 the Urban District Council had received no response at all to a suggestion it made back in July 1932, that it would provide water at a certain rate, even though individuals in the rural areas were requesting supplies. Was this because of the cost, or because the water was seen as being naturally available, so why pay, even though it was clear that society’s use of water was increasing as it developed – whatever the reason the Rural Council didn’t take up the offer. The impact of the water shortages was made in an aside in the Museum Society Annual Report for 1933. “In his zeal to ensure fine weather we fear that Mr. Allsop perhaps overdid it, as evidenced since in the distressing shortage of water in Broadbridge Heath and other rural districts of Horsham.”[59]
However, electricity was another matter and its development would see continuing employment of labourers and money being spent in the local economy. The scale of the work was reported at the first Electricity Committee meeting on 16January, when the Electrical Engineer reported that “Messrs. Callenders have commenced construction at Broadbridge Heath, and it is expected that work will now go forward rapidly”, The Engineer goes on to report that the work given to Callendars is only for the first year. “Definite applications for large supplies, namely to Sedgwick Park and Roffey Park, which have since matured, render an addition of the second year programme necessary; in addition there will be required a branch main from the Southwater line to meet demands from Hop Oast Farm, Kings Farm, Parsonage Farm and Colstaple. …I therefore recommend the Council to authorise the extension of Callender’s Contract to cover:-
(a) the erection of an 11,000 volt Main Transmission line
(I) from Monksgate to Broadwater Lane, via Sedgwick Park, approximately 2¼ miles;
(ii) from Spooners Road Sub-station to Faygate, via Roffey Park, about 2½ miles;
(b) A steel spur from the Southwater line near Pilfolds to Coltsaple, approximately 1 mile”.
And so on. In order to do this work an additional loan of £2,918 was requested from The Electricity Commissioners. On 11 October the Electricity Committee reported that “Public lighting at Broadbridge Heath and Warnham commenced on 1st Oct”. In Horsham the question of street lighting in the town centre was temporarily resolved with the scheme that involved shopkeepers to keep their shop lights on, though as reported on 8 February, twelve agreements had been reached “under which they have agreed to keep the light on till 10.30 p.m. on every week-day”; but some traders were turning their window lights off early.
As noted above, the sewage works would now use electricity for its power; however, for most people it was the use of electricity in the home that had the greatest impact. The old advertising slogan from this era, “don’t let housework kill your wife, use electricity”, may have had an unintended meaning, but the growth of electricity in the home was, or rather could be, substantial. However, it was also a chicken and egg situation: electrical apparatus had to be affordable, and it wasn’t, for most people. To make electricity cheaper it had to be used more, so the Council decided to go down the route of supplying appliances, renting them out to its tenants.
Electrical Apparatus on Hire – tenants of Council houses
| Object of hire | Rent per quarter |
| Cooker No. 48 Standard Finish | 7/- including kettle |
| Cooker No. 48 de Luxe finish | 7/6d including kettle |
| Breakfast Cooker size 0 | 2/6d |
| Junior Cooker list No. 25 | 1/9d |
| Grill – Boiler | 1/6d |
| Boiling Ring List No. 21 | 9d |
The museum has in its collections a kettle with an HUDC stamp on it. However, the number of Council tenants would not have had a significant enough impact to create the critical mass, so the Council decided to establish an Electricity Showroom; a shop that would display the latest products whilst also giving out information on the advantages of using it. In order to fund the shop the Council entered agreements with suppliers. “The council to provide the premises and attendance; stock and run the Showroom entirely, defraying all expenses in connection”, whilst the “Electrical contractors shall pay to the Council 5% on the retail price of all goods sold through the agency of the showroom.[60] The cost of the development was estimated at £455, whilst running costs were estimated at £430 per year – with income estimated at £140.[61] It would be five months later in February 1934 that the showroom would open, as recorded by The County Times on 2 March: “A notable development in the Horsham Urban Council’s electricity undertaking was marked on Monday afternoon by the formal opening of the new showroom in the Carfax. The attractive modern front of the show room so centrally situated has no doubt aroused widespread interest in this new civic enterprise.”[62] According to the Council minutes, the showroom opened on Monday 26 February 1934 at 3pm, and by 14 March it had had 191 calls to date, 12 cookers, 22 kettles and 3 wash boilers hired, and had sold £24/ 8/ 9d goods. The Council was entering areas of life that it probably never thought it would have, even five years previously, but in order to enable Horsham to develop, to improve quality of life, it had to be an agent of change. It ran the showroom at a loss – no private company would do that – but it could see the long-term gain by doing so. And to support this growth, in May 1934 the Electricity Committee approved the purchase of the publication ‘Electrical Handbook for Women’ for use in the town’s Reference Library.[63]
Horsham Urban District Council was also fortunate with the opening of the store, for the town still had a strong retail base; the showroom was opening in a town that was seeing a growing demand for stuff, be it food, electrical goods or clothing. This can be seen in no end of comments made in the Council minutes and the local press about new traders, shop refurbishment or market stalls. In the first month in 1933, for example, the following was agreed:
“a. That no permission be given for another trader to occupy a stand in Glynde Place, the Council have previously consented to Mr. J Howell of 20 Carfax standing his barrow there.
b. Further that the application of Mrs. Muriel Roberts to have a stand with her perambulator in Crown Alley to sell goods be not granted.
c. That the above applicants be reminded of the facilities of the new market in North Street.”
(The new market was the one mentioned above, built near the railway station).
Interestingly, there is obviously a need for a market in the town, not on its outskirts, (it must be remembered that Horsham Market was almost bordered by open fields at this time, so although near the town’s railway station it was on the outskirts of the town’s retail zones), a need being met or attempted to be met by small-scale traders setting up scattered stalls. The authorities might want order, a structure, regulation; but there was a demand for the in-town market and that demand was met, almost to spite the Council. For a month later, on 25 February 15 1933, the General Purposes Committee was told that “Messrs. Durrants wrote acknowledging the Council’s Interim Development Order acquainting them with the decision that only 4 houses can be built on the proposed site at the back of Pirie’s Place, and stated that they now propose to utilise this site as an Open Market space. The promoters also enquired if there were any bylaws or regulations governing the proposal. The Clerk reported that there were no bylaws in force regulating the matter.” In other words, because the developer could not build more than four houses, it would open a market and the Council could not stop it.[64] The market was a success, drawing, as it did, trade from the North Street market, and continued in existence until 1990 when the redevelopment of the area took place. The success of the Women’s Institute market was also reported on in the same meeting.
Some nine months later the County Times[65] would report on the development of a more structured retail operation, the major expansion of the well-known Horsham institution, Tanner & Chart: “the building work now in progress will result not only in considerable extensions to the firms showrooms but also in a vast “facial” improvement to Middle Street. Established in 1784 the firm will appropriately celebrate its 150th anniversary with this large extension of premises….with this new enterprise, however, the last of the butcher’s shops has disappeared….The pick-axe of the demolisher has torn it to pieces, with other premises, to make room for the advancing shop. …in a capacious chimney in which bacon was smoked the demolishers found a tablet bearing the date 1583. Moreover I am told that the word Glynde applied to a passage way running from Middle-street to Messrs. Atwater’s premises is actually an old term for enclosure, suggesting that this was where animals were kept before being taken to neighbouring slaughter-houses….work in clearing the site began at Christmas and the new premises, it is anticipated, will be completed by Easter. At present some 30 local men are working a shift and a half until ten at night”, going on to say more will be employed when the building starts. “In general the new building will conform with the extension erected by the firm three years ago. But there will be an innovation: an island group of windows will face Middle-street, an arcade running parallel behind it. The main shop window will be extended from Middle-street right down Glynde-road for a distance of 100 feet. Down this side there will be a canopy…the extension will provide an additional 150 feet of window space bringing the shop’s total length to about 300 feet. The extension will be a two-storey building, almost entirely comprising showrooms. The floor space will measure 4,500 square feet, making the whole premises about 12,000 square feet in area…. Mr. Chart said “Trade in the south has not been so affected by the depression of recent years and optimism reaps its own reward. We have borne these facts in mind when proposing our big extension, and are confident that by widening the pavement (by 2 feet) in Middle -Street and offering for inspection goods in sheltered windows, by an arcade and verandah, we shall attract many people who will be delighted with the comforts and conveniences we offer for personal shoppers.”
This sense of wellbeing, or improving situation, was given public voice at the A.G.M. of the Chamber of Trade in March 1934 which was reported on in full in the local press: “The tide has turned and we feel sure all tradesmen are looking with confidence to the future”. This was the encouraging statement made in the report presented at the 25th annual meeting of the Horsham and district Chamber of Trade at the Town Hall on Tuesday evening…Mr. F. S. Huke stated: “Last year in opening our report reference was made to the depressed state of trade and to the belief that the tide had turned. Your Committee are pleased to note that their forecast was accurate. The tide has turned and we feel sure all tradesmen are looking with confidence to the future. During the past year several new shop fronts have been put in, some are in the course of erection and other tradesmen are contemplating improvements to their premises.” However, it wasn’t all bright lights, as the report went on to say that “membership had decreased from 117 last year to 98.” And should readers think that the tone was too congratulatory, as the town still had unemployment, the paper related how the Chamber of Trade took the lead in inviting the various bodies in the town to combine to establish a Fund to provide work for the unemployed. “Mr. F. S. Sharland emphasised that the Employment Fund effort was really started by the Chamber, and certain members of the Chamber had devoted a large amount of time and energy to the work. This enterprise, he considered, was a landmark in the Chamber’s history.”[66]
Another sign that it wasn’t all going well; or rather, the economy was a little fragile, was the announcement at the A.G.M. that “Owing to the lack of support from advertisers the new issue of the Chambers Journal “The Sign Post” had been discontinued”, though another paper would appear soon afterwards: The Horsham Journal, but that is later on in our story of Horsham.
The success of Horsham during this time led to one company making a decision to invest in radio relay without having any customers. Radio relay was established in areas where there was poor reception. On 12 July 1933 the sub-committee reported that “they had interviewed the manager of the Sussex Radio Relay Company and had also inspected the rediffusion plant and wires affixed to properties at Burgess Hill. Burgess Hill has overhead electricity lines, and the same posts are used for the radio relay by agreement. The Radio Company are prepared to proceed at once and install the plant, commencing to relay without waiting for a guaranteed number of subscribers. The price suggested is 1/6d per week per loud speaker. Subscribers can use their own loud speakers, if suitable, or rent-purchase the Company’s loud speakers at 6d per week until the purchase price is reached. An extra charge per point is made for further loud speakers. The charge of 1/6d per week covering one loud speaker only.” The Council agreed.[67]
Another sign of success can be seen in the town having to resolve transport problems. Medieval Horsham wasn’t really suited to the motor car or heavy goods vehicles and the 1930s saw the town authorities try to solve problems that would continue way into the 1990s and beyond. So it was on 15 February 1933 the General Purposes Committee had produced the report of the Traffic sub-committee to restrict vehicles on specific roads and asking the Police and Chamber of Trade for their views. The report set out waiting time restrictions, no parking restrictions and, importantly, traffic diversions for heavy traffic:
“1. To be diverted at western end of West Street via Springfield Road and London Road;
2. To be diverted at eastern end of East Street via Park Street; and
3. Heavy traffic in the direction of Crawley from Brighton to be diverted via Clarence Road or Park Street.”
This would in effect create a ring road around the core of the town. It was a low-cost solution to a major problem: one that didn’t involve any upgrading of the roads. So unsurprisingly, by March 1938 the problem of traffic had to be addressed again; this time the Council decided that it would create a by-pass. The Council used a new pierce of legislation and introduced it under the Restriction of Ribbon development Act introduced in 1935 which forbade building within 200 yards of arterial roads, or any such road the local authority thought served the same purpose. (The developer liked such roads because it didn’t have to pay frontage charges.) It halted urban sprawl.[68] However, the County’s Town and Country Planning officer pointed out that the by-pass proposal only dealt with North South, rather than East West, traffic, and something had to be done about that. As this was not part of the plan, the idea stalled and nothing happened. So Horsham had an inefficient, low-cost solution; one in part that still exists today, with heavy goods vehicles being signposted off the Brighton Road, to miss the town centre. As usual, the traffic problems would not be resolved, and would in fact be a “driving force” for redevelopment in the 1970s and 80s.
Traffic was booming – and it wasn’t just road traffic. There was increasing interest in air travel. The Council, in May, after finding out that Sir Alan Cobham would visit Horsham as part of the National Aviation Day Crusade on 6 October, asked if the promoters would be willing to devote some of the funds raised to the Horsham Employment Fund. In September they said that 50% of the programme sales would go to it. So it was that on 6 October 1933 the County Times carried a short article announcing the winners of the free draw for ten free flights – about 250 applied. The National Aviation Day Display took place at North Heath Farm, Wimblehurst Road, Horsham.[69]
As I write this, the government of the day (Coalition: October 2012) has decided to reduce the number of planning regulations to stimulate housebuilding, including the possibility of building on the green belt. It is known that housebuilding is a great stimulus to the economy, soaking up large numbers of the unemployed (new houses require furniture, white goods, etc., on top of the actual bricks and mortar). Some 80 years previously Horsham followed exactly the same route, as the 1930s saw extensive building of private, and some public, housing. Today the papers are full of people actively campaigning against housing developments in their back yard. There is even the suggestion of building a new town to supply the demand that all the local councils are expected to meet. Yet 80 years ago there seems to have been no protest at all. I have not come across any local campaigns against building: public protests there were none; was that because people looked at the greater good? It helped to combat the evil of unemployment; or was it because the land was more plentiful, or that building took place on marginal land; that is, land that had little visual impact, or bio-diversity, and today we are looking at moving onto high-quality land. I don’t think so. I think that in the last 80 years there has been a cultural change embedded in Britain to value land not as agricultural/farming, but as an amenity, a space that purifies, soothes, and creates wellbeing; land has become something different in the psyche of the nation. This idea saw its mass appeal in the 1930s; C. E. M. Joad would write “The English have the ugliest towns and the most beautiful countryside in the world, and it was inevitable that sooner or later they would discover the fact. The credit for that discovery must go to our generation.”[70] As shown below, in Horsham the land was viewed more as farmland; land that had economic value rather than spiritual aspects, but here Horsham was behind the times. It was simply a trade-off: farmland or building land; building land generated more benefit for the town and farmland was plentiful with farmers moving out of farming. Horsham, surrounded by, and incorporating, farmland, didn’t see it as anything else, and that was plentiful (see below for a discussion on this).
Whilst Horsham didn’t see any reaction against the building of houses it didn’t mean that, nationally, there was none. The very popularisation of the countryside to the masses as typified by Joad’s comment meant that nationally there was an important vocal campaign that forced the government’s hand, and it is the forcing of the hand that led to the creation of the 1932 Town and Country Planning Act which became law in April 1933; and this Act was felt in Horsham. The fear of the commentators was “uglification” of Britain; a symbol of it was the Sussex coastline, with Peacehaven being a prime example, lying less than 30 miles from Horsham. “Previously known as ‘New Anzac-on-Sea’ as the result of a somewhat fraudulent competition to name the new estate during the First World War…Peacehaven, which had grown hungrily during the 1920s and early 1930s, did not only infuriate the conservationists – particularly since it was advertised as a ’a garden city by the sea’ …it also riled Brighton and Hove Planning Committee, ….since it required costly piped water services, made-up roads, refuse collection and other local authority services, while all the council could do was insist that the asbestos houses be demolished and the common cesspool enlarged.” There were 75 different styles of bungalow built.[71]
The Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) had been founded in 1926; it wasn’t against development, more against bad development and development driven by speculative builders leading to unplanned development scattered across the countryside. Allied to this was question of the national amenities, historic sites, how to protect them, and scenery. One campaign managed to stop rows of “Druid’s bungalows’ Cottages with the result that they “were not built on the perimeter of Stonehenge”. In 1931 the Labour Minister of Health, Arthur Greenwood, argued that “the whole question of how to deal with our national amenities…we cannot go on dealing with this part and with that separately, raising funds for purchase and so on.”
How to protect the things that made England, England.
These two issues found a focus in the Town and Country Planning Act, some of whom (or ‘: some’) saw it as “the shepherding of a grandmotherly government”, but a decade later it was seen as ineffectual and so in 1947 was replaced with the far stronger Act. However, it was a start along with the 1935 Restriction of Ribbon Development Act and the 1938 Green Belt Act. One of the successes of the Act was the fact that by the outbreak of the War, 85% of the Sussex Downs was protected from development.[72]
In terms of the design of the property the 1930s, with its iconic buildings such as the De-La-Warr Pavilion, might be seen as a golden age, but the Act tried to deal with future and past builds, and neither successfully. For the Act gave local authorities “the right to regulate the size, height, design and external appearance of buildings, and they could turn down plans for any building that they judged would be ‘likely seriously to injure the amenity of the locality” This meant that modernist architecture, if it didn‘t appeal to the Councillors, was refused permission, though “Appeals could only be made to the Minister of Health…who could then request that the President of the RIBA send in an arbitrator.”[73] As for older buildings, buildings built before 1714 and considered to be of national importance were protected by the Ancient Monuments Act; churches were excluded, so the new Act gave local authorities the power to protect buildings of architectural or historical merit: they had to compensate the owners; they had no funds to do so, so no building was saved by it.[74]
Having said all of that, from 1934 when the Act came into effect some degree of planning could be implemented: as you will see, the Council referred buildings developments to the County Planning Officer.
There is, though, another feature of the period that had an effect on housing: that of the standing of agriculture and farming in Britain at this time. The provision of food was politically important, but where it was produced and by whom, less so; farmers had been seen as saviours in the First World War,[75] whereby British agriculture could feed the country, at the end of the War, for 155 days a year compared with 125 days in 1914, and now they were no longer politically important: the urban masses were. In 1923, for example, their natural ally, Andrew Bonar Law, the Tory Leader, rejected demands for agricultural subsidies by saying “in every business you had to take the good with the bad. Farmers had had a good time during the war”. In the 1920s agriculture generated only 4% of national income and there was considerable deflation in price of goods farmers received throughout the 1920s. For example, ewes fetched £7 in 1920 and by 1932 fetched only £1 10s, wool prices dropped by a third, land that had fetched £24 an acre, fetched £10; in the 1920s nationally over two million acres were taken out of the plough; there was also throughout the 1920s the threat of foot and mouth with up to 2,000 outbreaks a year and in 1925 125,000 cattle being slaughtered.
The issue of clean milk and Horsham’s response has been highlighted elsewhere in this history; Horsham was not isolated in this campaign as throughout the 1920s Clean Milk Societies sprang up to run Clean Milk Competitions. All of this led to greater government involvement, with the creation of the Milk Marketing Board and national milk distributers such as Express Dairies which sold milk to the housewives in bottles. In 1931 the Government set up the Agricultural Marketing Act which saw the establishment of marketing boards for milk, pigs, wheat and sugar beet. By 1939 there were 17 such boards.[76] The boards would guarantee the prices by buying up the produce, and also restrict imports through quotas. This gave a boost to farming and protected the inefficient farmers.[77]
The scale of the problems with agriculture and farming continued throughout the 1930s, so that between 1918 and 1939 arable land fell by 4 million acres; 70% of British foodstuffs was being imported, and during the 1930s wheat prices fell by 50%. The imposition of tariffs and quotas restricted goods from Europe but not the Empire. This was not a long-term solution and went against the idea of free trade. The only way to improve the situation was to improve the productivity of the farms through drainage, soil improvement schemes and mechanisation; the latter would be of importance to the Horsham-based company Walter Wood which moved to Horsham in 1921, setting up a local retail outlet in 1931.[78] The other Horsham company that was involved in supplying machinery for farming was Rice Bros, agent for Ford tractors; however, in 1938 there were only 4,000 tractors in the whole of England.[79] This agricultural poverty fed naturally into the farming community with low wages, and farmworkers getting only 1/3 wages of their urban workers, and it was only in 1936 that agricultural workers were included in the National Insurance scheme.[80] Rural parishes also suffered with investment, so that nationally as late as 1938 almost half the parishes in England and Wales lacked a sewage system, a third had no piped water, and fewer than one in twelve farms had electricity,[81] so it isn’t surprising that farmland was built upon with more than 860,000 houses built in rural areas between 1919 and 1939.
And what of Horsham farms and farming? We have seen above how the creation of the market by the railway station and the building of a new shed was meant to encourage farmers to shop in Horsham, to trade their goods, but in reality Horsham farmers were also escaping from the land. The demand for milk by London and the Surrey suburbs continued unabated, so that by 1933 there were 1,418 dairy cattle on Horsham parish farms, but the acreage of other food stuffs had declined greatly, as the figures below show:[82]
| Product | 1875 | 1933 |
| Wheat | 1,493 acres | 300 acres |
| Oats | 1,040 acres | 262 acres |
| Pigs | 663 | “very many” |
| Sheep | 1,781 | “very few” |
Beef production by 1933 was also said to have declined, though egg production was said to have been the most up-to-date branch of agriculture, and required little land.[83] It isn’t that surprising that house-building in Horsham moved into the farming land that had surrounded the town.
Perhap equally important was the scale of house building and public engagement with housing which had been going on for at least ten years, ever since the end of World War One. Housing was part of the national debate. So far, the history of Horsham has shown how the town coped with changes in government policy on housing; after ten years or more one would have expected solutions to be in place; but they weren’t, and government, both national and local, tried to resolve problems of overcrowding, slum housing and very poor housing stock. To give some idea of the scale of the problem between 1919 and 1937:
- 12 million people, 30% of the British population, were re-housed;
- between the wars 1.1 million council houses were built; and
- at Becontree near Dagenham, between 1921 and 1934, some four square miles were covered with 25,000 dwellings, providing housing for 112,000 people; this was larger than Bath or Norwich.
In 1919 the Housing Act made it mandatory for local authorities to survey the housing needs of the working classes which, as shown above, Horsham did; but “of the 500,000 houses it had been estimated were needed, only 170,000 had actually been built by 1923 when all approval stopped.” The rent for these new working class houses had to be in line with the controlled rents of the older houses, even though they were a lot better. In the same year, Neville Chamberlain cut the subsidy, reintroducing a new one at a lower amount on the assumption that the private sector would enter the market and build more; they didn’t, and why would they? If local authorities could not afford to build working class homes, why would the private sector be able to do so? So between 1923 and 1929 only 75,000 local authority working class houses were built. I have deliberately emphasised the nature of these homes: they were for the working class; when we look at non-working class homes there was another tranche of house building. In 1924 the Wheatley Housing Act was passed, and he gave local authorities subsidies to build houses for letting at fixed rents. In the next nine years, until it was repealed in 1933, 508,000 houses were built, all but 15,000 by local authorities, including Horsham. “But of the two and a quarter million houses built between 1919 and 1934, only 31 percent were local authority, ‘council’ housing.” Unfortunately, with these houses, even with the Wheatley subsidy, many rents were too expensive and so they had to rely on the slum rents. There was a vague notion of a ‘filtering up process’ in which those who could afford the new rents would move into the homes, leaving the poor to move into the vacated homes. but it didn’t happen.
So in 1930 the Government introduced the Housing Act which would, it hoped, tackle the other problem: not of slum housing, but of overcrowding. By the Act rent books had to specify the maximum number of people in each dwelling, but the local authorities had to rehouse the overcrowded tenants if they prosecuted landlords. The Housing Act, known as the Greenwood Act, specifically allocated money for slum clearance. In order to avoid this just being an exercise in house clearance, the Act gave a subsidy to the person, not the property, and they were subsidised at £2.5s per person per year for 40 years, or more if the land was expensive. There was also a time limit of 5 years, so the schemes submitted had to solve the problem within 5 years.
But it was introduced at the height of the Depression, 1931, so the Act was put on hold till 1933, and it is here that we look at how Horsham dealt with its slum properties. But there was a problem with the schemes introduced across the country. The rents in the slum houses were a lot less than the new houses being built, even with the subsidy, so how could the tenants afford the new rents? The only way around the problem was for the local council to provide a bigger subsidy, but in doing so it reduced their budgets to build new houses, yet they had to move people out of slums. By 1938 more than 100 councils had introduced a differential rent scheme to cope with this dilemma, by setting out a standard rent and reducing it to match circumstances.[84]
It is against this national scene that Horsham approached its housing problems, including returning to a problem area that was first noted six years before, when it was agreed that an Area Reconstruction Scheme for Normandy and Queen Street would be developed. The Ministry of Health wrote in May requesting to know the position of the scheme, obviously undertaking an audit exercise before commencing with new schemes. The Finance Committee reported back that Queen Street was still awaiting an outcome, whilst in the letter to the Housing Minister it reported that the site of the slum houses in the Normandy would be left as an Open Space, and it had been paved and planted as a garden. It would seem that the Council hadn’t sought approval for this development; perhaps the Government had thought that the demolished slum houses would be the site of new houses. However, the Minister of Health replied that he would be prepared to consider the application by the Council “for consent to the appropriation of this site for purposes of public walks and pleasure grounds”, but required further information. The Council, probably feeling slighted, replied with maps of the site and a report saying that Council had used Section 95 of the Public Health Acts Amendment Act 1907 to fund this development.
In September the Public Health Committee reported on “a recent circular from the Ministry of health relating to the clearance of slums and the improvement of bad housing conditions as regards Clearance Areas and individual unfit houses.”[85] This was all part of the Government’s attempt to resurrect the 1930 Housing Act which had been stalled due to the depression. The Committee noted the following:
CLEARANCE AREAS
Property No of displaced persons
39,41,43,45,47 & 49 Bishopric 15
52,54,56 & 58 Queen Street 13
Individual Unfit Houses
A. 52, 54, 56, 58, 60 and 62 Bishopric 23
B. 198 & 200 Crawley Rd 2
C. “Moons Cottage” Moons Lane 3
D. 35 & 37 Springfield Road 8
E. 1,2,&3 Nelson Gardens Trafalgar Road 16
F. 21 & 22 New Town 10
G. 9 & 15 New Street 7
The Council agreed to “carry out or secure the carrying out of such re-housing as the Minister of Health considers necessary within a period specified by him.”
The report summarised Horsham’s requirement thus: “The number of persons to be displaced in the foregoing scheme is estimated at 107 and the number of new houses to re-house them at 30.” The Council noted that it planned to “clear and re-house in new houses in 1934”, along with a further recommendation “that a number of bungalows be built for aged couples and that the houses should be larger than 2 bed as families could grow.”
Whilst the Public Health Committee was tackling the issue from a health perspective, the Council also had a Housing Committee, and in September[86] it had to deal with the repeal of the Wheatley Subsidy on building council houses[87] though, as the circular from the Ministry of Health issued in May stated, subsidies would continue for slum clearance or re-housing schemes. The circular suggested that the Council should co-operate with building societies in building houses to rent. However, the Housing Committee had to complete work that had already started and in March of that year 74 houses, part of the Brighton Road scheme which would see 100 Council houses being built, had started, employing 71 men, but the quality of the brick work was poor, so a number had to be taken down and rebuilt.[88] By the September meeting it was reported that there were 84 men working on the site, of whom 60 were local, and that 12 houses would be ready for occupation by 2 October. Also at that meeting the rent was fixed at:
- 60 houses in pairs 6/- a week
- 4 end houses of blocks of eight houses 5/9d a week
- 36 other houses 5/6d per week
The names of the new development roads were also decided on: Elm Grove, Bennetts Road and Eversfield Road.[89]
However, all was not well with the build, and on 25 October the Housing Committee was told that “Grosvenor Construction Co Ltd – neglected or failed to proceed with due diligence of the works to build 100 houses on Brighton road site”. It was further noted that the work carried out so far was not up to standard, so the Council decided to step in and run the contract itself. On 10 November work re-started on the scheme, employing 72 men on building work, 5 on making pavements and 11 men from the Electricity Dept laying cables, making 88 in total.
The scope of the public sector works was matched in Horsham by the private sector which was putting forward to the Council a number of applications or approvals on a monthly basis, for example, and one picked at random, see the table of plans submitted to the General Purpose Committee 13 September 1933:
| Property | Owner |
| Bungalow Gorings Mead | C W Mitchell |
| Bathroom & store 120 Station Rd | T Shaw & Co |
| Shop window 20 Trafalgar rd | W A Comper |
| Shop front & store North Parade | A Ansell |
| Shop front 20 West street | John Lovibond |
| Pr of Houses Hillside | Redford, Son & Tarratt |
| Shop front 75 Crawley Road | C F Pulham |
| Extension 45 & 45A West st | F W Woolworth & Co |
| Swimming Bath Garden of Remembrance | H Lindfield & Co |
| Pair of houses Millthorpe Road | Brown & sayers |
| Shop front 106 Crawley Rd | E G Lyne |
| Alterations 45 Carfax | Southern Publishing Co. |
| 2 pairs of semi-detch. houses The Crescent | Redford, Son & Tarratt |
| Houses The Crescent Bungalow Oakhill Road | Redford, Son & Tarratt T White. |
One of the planning permissions that may have caught your eye was the construction at the Garden of Remembrance of a Swimming Bath. The story of it is covered in full in Keep Diving In by Mr. Chapman but, briefly, Cllr. Nellie Laughton decided that the town’s children should have a swimming pool and that hers would be given to the town for free. She had given the town a Garden of Remembrance in her late husband’s memory, thus providing the town with its first park, rather than playing field; now she would provide a swimming bath. She fought a vigorous campaign against the Council’s scheme for a swimming pool, but in the end admitted defeat, so created a paddling pool which proved to be very popular, opening it before the Council’s pool.
Horsham was clearly building itself out of recession and this air of confidence was showing itself in other ways. Instead of the town being depressed by the Depression there are clear signs that the culture was confident, looking forward; even the institution that looked backward, Horsham Museum. The Museum Society Annual Report for 1933 noted that Mr. Garraway Rice had died leaving a number of items to the museum, and reporting that “Those who think a museum in this town is of little use, may like to know that a gentleman is coming to it for local history in preparing a thesis for a high degree”.[90] This was probably Grahame Clark, who submitted his doctoral dissertation on 2 January 1934 on “The Mesolithic, Neolithic, and Early Metal Age Industries in Britain”. “Appendix C describes the Tardenoisian of Horsham, also in Sussex, and includes a classification of microliths grouped by percentages.” [91] Clark was one of the 20 century leading archaeologists who, in 1932, had published a book on the “The Mesolithic Age in Britain”. The Mesolithic period before Clark decided to investigate it “was considered a mere footnote to the flourishing cultures of the Late Ice Age. Until Grahame Clark came along, the British Mesolithic was “a sort of dust-bin into which any awkward industry which does not seem to belong to any period could be cast.” No-one really understood the nature of Mesolithic cultural achievements, or whether the Mesolithic was a transition to farming or a genuine regression of European Stone Age culture. Was it “more advanced” than the Upper Paleolithic, or simply something very different?… young Grahame Clark with his passion for flints was the ideal person to define the British Mesolithic”.[92] In his book, published in 1932, he included a drawing of a flint tranchet axe from the Horsham area, drawn in his own highly-skilled way.
Although today his work would be seen as very simplistic, he managed to create some order out of disorder, using surface flint finds to create a picture. So when he arrived at Horsham Museum he was already a dynamic young archaeologist making a name for himself in a field that was largely un-ploughed. He had travelled abroad in 1929 and made useful comparisons looking at prehistoric collections in Sweden and Denmark, as well as the environmental conditions; this would influence his understanding of the post-glacial period. He then travelled throughout Britain looking at collections, including those Mesolithic flints collected by Capt. Honywood and Mr. Piffard. This would result in a paper for the Archaeological Journal entitled “The Classification of a Microlithic Culture: the Tardenoisian of Horsham.”
In the opening paragraph of Clark’s paper he sets out the debt owed to local people who were obviously keen amateurs and, in effect, gives a very Horsham element to the paper. “As long ago as the eighteen-seventies, microliths were being collected from St. Leonard’s Forest in the neighbourhood of Horsham by a Mr. Thomas Honywood, whose illustrations of microliths must surely be among the earliest of their kind. (Honywood gave his description, not drawing, of the microlith, thus: “The next type is very curious. They are small, generally about one inch in length, some only half an inch, and about a quarter of an inch in width, and appear at first site to be mere chippings or waste pieces, but on examination, we find evident proof of design in their manufacture. Of this type I have dug up above one hundred specimens”. For well over thirty years past Messrs. C. J. Attree and E.G..J. Piffard have worked over the same area, and it is with the help of the latter gentleman, in whose possession the collection now is, that this record is being made. It is interesting to note that owing to the great span of the late Mr. Garraway Rice’s life he was able to lead Mr. Piffard to the site he remembered visiting with Honywood many years earlier. This site, known as Beeding Wood, has been worked by Mr. Piffard for many years, and is further important because it is the only site free from later admixture.” He notes in his footnote that “We have the sad duty of reporting the sudden death of Mr. Piffard while this paper in which he was so interested was going to press. Owing to the exemplary way in which he labelled his specimens as they were found, his death has not deprived his collection of all its value, as happens in so many cases.”[93] The heavily-illustrated article examined five sites: Old Faygate, Halt, Colgate, Warnham and Beeding Wood. Clark not only looked at the flints but also set out a classification system for microliths, the very tiny worked flakes of flint, still in use today, though slightly modified.
It is through the classification and analysis of the finds that he argued that the frequently-found “asymmetric hollow-based point” was a Horsham point, and from that identified a separate culture. He argued that there was a resemblance to the Middle Tardenoisian of Belgium, so labelled it ‘Tardenoisian of Horsham’, going on to point out the association of these microliths with axe sharpening flakes and tranchet axes on certain sites. The arguments put forward were elaborated on by others, giving the Horsham culture a status within archaeological literature. Clark argued that because Capt. Honywood was the first person to identify a distinctive group of flints, to raise important questions about the flints, it was only right that the name of the town he came from should be given to the Horsham culture as it was also only in this area that the flints were found. Whilst the archaeological world noticed the importance of the paper, it went unobserved in Horsham and would remain so till the 1960s when renewed interest in the Mesolithic period occurred, along with field walking by Sylvia Standing, when the whole idea of a Horsham culture was questioned by A. G. Woodcock and others.[94]
One thing that could not be ignored, though, was the cast of a Hyldosaurus dinosaur footprint as the Council allowed it to stand near the museum entrance along with a new brass plaque which was installed in 1934.[95]
So many of the comments raised above about affordable housing, financial matters, unemployment, have echoes in today’s (2008-12) recession,[96] making the 30s seem familiar, yet on other occasions the 1930s can seem what they were: 80 years away from today. One such example was the showing of films on a Sunday. It would appear that the local community could vote for Sunday opening, but if the cinemas did, then they had to pay a percentage of their day’s takings to charity with the amount decided by the local magistrates. The Archbishop of Canterbury approved of Sunday cinema[97], though in Horsham the opening did lead to the following letter by Scrutator in the County Times; not over the morality of opening, but more on the amount paid to charity which also resonates today over taxation policy. “In Horsham the taxing of Sunday performances is in the hands of the magistrates who have imposed a payment of approximately £1 15s per Sunday Show upon cinema proprietors. Horsham Petty Sessions Division has a population according to the 1931 census of 34,638.” The writer goes on to say that because it is arbitrary in one northern local area they get taxed 2s 6d per show, so the charity gets virtually nothing, and in Horsham the same because they are taxed too highly”.[98]
THE SIGNPOST FOR 1933
In the summer of 1933 Horsham The Signpost was published; now by Simpson (publishers) Limited of London for the Chamber of Trade – printed by S. Price of Horsham, containing the mixture adverts and local news; from its pages come the following anecdotal accounts:
Advert for Phelps and Son – a K. Shoe agency advertising an X ray machine to see your feet in shoes.
Wireless Notes and Hints – The BBC has under consideration plans for an improvement in the presentation of the News bulletins – current bulletins are boring – “Anything of even a remotely sensational character has been absolutely taboo, and the news given out, with the exception of that of a political nature, has usually been of the type found in some small paragraph in next morning‘s newspaper…the avowed policy of the BBC being not to broadcast reports of murder trials, accidents which have no outstanding significance, speeches which do not advance any important or new viewpoint and news which is concerned rather with speculation than fact.
Television speed up
Plans are in hand by four manufacturers to place television receivers on the market this autumn. This does not mean that television has reached a stage when it can be even supposed to be of real entertainment value, for, as a mater of fact, but little progress has been made within the last twelve months. Three of the systems will use the cathode ray principle and one the mechanical scanning. Of the two the cathode ray offers greatest promise, the latter has shown more practical results and the apparatus is cheaper and more simple. “More remarkable still is the fact that no system has been evolved which was not known over thirty years ago, but which could not be put into practice because we had not the valve and amplification of weak currents.
Horsham News
After two years’ work Horsham’s new water system is finally concluded. Cost £60,000 – ample water for Horsham and possibly surrounding villages. “Most of us can remember those summers when we had visions of water shortage. The reservoir situated at Beedingwood and pumping station at White’s Bridge – Mr. Scrase Dickins thanked for finding the location on his estate and refusing to allow the council to bore at Birchen Bridge which would destroy the scenery.
“Talking of work, very energetic steps are being taken to endeavour to wipe out Horsham’s already diminished unemployment. A packed meeting held in Town Hall on Monday 24th July when the Mayor of Guildford came over and explained the scheme which is operating so successfully in that centre.
Last winter there was a sudden alarming increase in unemployment in Horsham. The Chamber of Trade taking a serious view of the situation, created a special sub-Committee to investigate possible ways and means of alleviating the circumstances. After most exhaustive and diligent investigation, during which time the HMMA did much excellent work in relieving distress amongst Horsham’s workless, the Chamber’s sub-Committee brought forward several schemes for creating work.
The main Committee then got to work on the sub-committee’s report, sifted every suggestion eventually evolving a scheme which they discovered was almost exactly the same as that at Guildford.
They passed on the scheme to the Urban District Council as it was so large – the scheme is that of providing playing fields outlined at the recent A.G.M. of the West Sussex Playing Fields Association at the Town Hall.
The Horsham school managers are interested in a suggested project for assisting boys and girls to find suitable posts on leaving school. The present state of the employment market is making it increasingly difficult for our youngsters to find posts and any move in this direction by the School Managers will, I feel sure, be greatly appreciated both by the parents and the scholars.
The installation of the automatic traffic signals at the Black Horse corner will help considerably to overcome some of the traffic problems on the London-Worthing and Guildford roads. This new installation worked on the “bar” principle. Across the near side of the road and 30 yards away from the junction, a bar is laid flush with the road surface. A vehicle passing over the bar operates the light – holding up the cross traffic whilst it passes. In the event of a continuous stream of traffic from one direction the cross traffic will only be held up for 30 seconds.”
Simpsons appealed to the Council: “That Messrs. Simpson (publishers) Ltd have informed the Council that they are now proceeding with the publication of a new edition of the Official guide to Horsham, and in view of the fact that another Guide has recently been issued Messrs. Simpson ask that prominence should be given in the press to the fact that they are the only authorised firm to produce such an Official guide.
In November the County Times carried the report that the Rev. Morley Headlam resigned as Vicar of Horsham. On his arrival in the town on 21 September 1918, Horsham, and the nation, were still at war. After the War he had tried to create a monument to peace rather than a war memorial, a move that was defeated and then he fought a long campaign against having the names of the fallen on the memorial; again, he lost that, or rather found a way of saving face by creating plinths on the steps for plaques, and then a memorial wall.[99] However, the County Times doesn’t feature that: it draws attention to the innovative scheme to provide the town with a new hall, which he did; though the hall, known imaginatively as The New Hall, would in this year be sold to the Post Office. This might also explain why a planning application by Guildford & District Co-op Soc. Ltd to alter the Denne Road bakery to form a hall was approved by the Council in January of that year.
The council minutes also, for this year, contained requests for holding events in the town, such as using a concert by the Borough Silver Band for dances in the park to raise funds for the Horsham Unemployment Fund on four days in June and July.[100] The Band itself frequently played on the Town’s bandstand and the minutes contain a note that shows the effect of the recession. The Council had allocated £50 to pay for its repainting of the bandstand, including the use of gold leaf. However, they had only received one quote so changed the gold leaf to a paint tint. To some extent it is surprising that they even considered the extravagance of gold leaf, but the recession was also as much about changing mindsets, moving away from ‘always done it this way’ to ‘new affordable ways’.[101] It is, though, the requests to hold other meetings that cause the greatest frisson when reading of them, because we know what happens, and also because we know what they symbolise: an importance that history creates. At the time it is doubtful if any such thought occurred amongst the councillors who agreed the meetings. The first is the holding of a Peace meeting in Horsham Park by the Women’s Co-Operative Guild on 20 August[102], and the second at the end of the year when on 13 December the General Purposes Committee agreed to allow the British Union of Fascists to engage rooms at the Town Hall for meetings, but this should not be that surprising as they had a local branch at 10 Denne Road between 1936 and 1939, for they are recorded in the Blue Book for the years 1937-39 and 1939-41; the Blue Book being prepared in the preceding year; so when the B.U.F. were banned they still published the address).
THE BRITISH UNION OF FASCISTS IN HORSHAM
By 1933 the B.U.F. had developed a paramilitary system; in August of this year it had bought “Whitelands Teacher Training College (which became known as Black House) in Kings Road Chelsea where some 5,000 members could be accommodated. An elite section, known as ‘I Squad’, who wore breeches and leather boots, were paid £3 and trained to quell disorder against armed opponents. In effect Black House became a combination of barracks and social club….Headquarters also maintained thirty motor vehicles, including five vans specially-equipped with wire mesh windows and plating at the sides for protection against missiles, each of which held twenty or so men of the Defence Force for rapid transportation to disorderly meetings… Mosley always contended that, after his experience with the New Party, physical force was essential to prevent the left driving his movement off the streets; and like most fascists he still believed that on some future occasion he might have to save the British state from chaos and subversion.[103] As Martin Pugh relates in his book Hurrah for the Blackshirts, the perception has been that the Blackshirts were mainly “an aggressively male movement concentrated in large conurbations.” Yet here in Horsham and elsewhere they were arranging meetings, and this ties in with recent research that Pugh summarises: “But local evidence increasingly reveals a far wider social range and some distinct regional variations. The movement was highly opportunistic in that it exploited issues which had local relevance…What is less obvious is that from 1933 onwards Mosley devoted a high proportion of his time to speeches in market towns in agricultural counties…In May 1934 he commenced another five month tour of the agricultural districts involving four meetings in every agricultural county from Cornwall to Essex and as far north as Northumberland and Westmorland”[104].
Whilst today we might be surprised by the Council agreeing to allow the B.U.F. to hire the Town Hall, it was seen as a mainstream movement that barely a month after being approved by the Council had the active support of the Daily Mail, which on 15 January ran the headline “Hurrah For The Blackshirts!” and ran over six months an active campaign promoting the movement, including in April offering free tickets to the major rallies and £1 weekly prizes for readers letters on “Why I like the Blackshirts”, whilst its sister paper, Sunday Dispatch, focused on female fascists with articles such as Beauty Joins the Blackshirts”[105]. Today Blackshirts in Horsham are a closed book, forgotten about and ignored. The extent of it can be seen in Horsham’s M.P., Earl Winterton, Viscount Tournour. To many he is seen as an uninteresting character who barely registers in the history of Horsham, other than being its M.P. and one-time Father of the House (the longest serving M.P.); his biography given in the Oxford History of National Biography doesn’t suggest anything that is out of the ordinary. And yet when it comes to the history of fascism in Britain between the wars, he appears. The following is taken from Martin Pugh’s “Hurrah for the Blackshirts”, published in 2005, and in it he identifies Winterton as a supporter of Mosley and fascism, and as a founder of an opposition movement against Churchill. The account is rather disjointed as Winterton appears on the margins of the story; a story which is dealt with in over 300 pages, but he does appear; and appear, according to Pugh, who has had extensive access to papers and the time to undertake the research, as an active supporter of the fascists, a trait not revealed before, but which must have been known about by many at the time.
“At all events, by the start of 1934 a discrete traffic of ideas and personnel had developed between fascism and the Conservative right wing….Henry Drummond Wolff was reported by Special Branch as donating £500 to the BUF, while…Earl Winterton spoke or wrote in its support”[106]. Pugh goes on to suggest that this support was due to the low morale of politicians who thought the National Government was a failure, a view summed up by Cuthbert Headlam. “It seems to me that many of us might well fall in with a Fascist coup-d’état, preferring a bourgeois revolution to a proletarian one.”[107] During this year, there was a major rally held at Olympia that ended in violence. Rallies held indoors could be policed by the organisers’ own stewards, for in 1908 Parliament had passed the Public Meetings Act to stop suffragettes disrupting meetings; now the Act was being used by the B.U.F. The Act basically allowed groups to police themselves with the police only being called in if an offence had occurred, the offence being to create disorder at a meeting in order to prevent a speaker from speaking. At the rally there were about 150 MPs, many of whom had witnessed the violence when 30, later revised to 50, people were beaten up, which out of 12,000 attending wasn’t that many seen from the perspective of the London Police who had to deal with frequent attacks of political violence. “Earl Winterton pronounced himself relaxed about the injuries sustained as they had been inflicted ‘in the good old-fashioned way by the use of a fist”. The rally at Olympia raised the issue of the wearing of uniforms and drilling; in effect, the creation of a quasi-military force, with the Home Secretary sitting firmly on the fence over the issue. Earl Winterton congratulated him for undertaking to abstain from intervention.”[108] In fact, the situation remained inconclusive, representing Parliament’s mixed feelings on the issue.
Some four years later, in 1938, in a government reshuffle following the resignation of Eden as Foreign Secretary, Chamberlain invited Winterton and three other “fascist sympathisers into government.”[109] Winterton was made Deputy to the Secretary of State for Air. [110]At a Horsham Town Hall meeting of the B.U.F. it was reported in the County Times that Earl Winterton had been quoted by the speaker as stating that “the whole of Czechoslovakia is in the hands of Jewish Money-lenders”[111]. Winterton never wrote back to protest at the quote (he would have read the paper, and being a member of the Government he would have employed a newspaper cuttings service, so would have known about the quote.) Again, his allegiances came out when war broke out. Oswald Moseley wrote to Winterton, who was not his MP “but had shown sympathy for the fascists” to intercede on his behalf over detention.[112] This may be linked to the fact that Mosley had a branch of the family living at Mannings Heath, but according to Haines they had little to do with politics[113] but may have circulated among people who knew or could influence. In May 1940, once Churchill’s coalition had been established “a hybrid Opposition emerged, led by Emmanuel Shinwell (Labour) and Lord Winterton (Conservative) who were charmingly known as “arsenic and old lace.”[114] Interestingly, although the Town Hall was allowed to be used for the meetings,[115] in 1935, when the B.U.F were declining in popularity, the Parks Management Committee (18 November) discussed an application to place Fascist publications in the reading room at Horsham Park House, but agreed not to. And we know that Mosley did visit Horsham, but in 1939 and that story will be told then.
Almost as a postscript, in 1989 when the author was staging an exhibition on World War Two a member of the public came into the museum with a lead profile of Hitler’s face, found whilst dredging out a pond in Partridge Green – a pre-War plaque which during World War Two had to be hidden and post-War would have been kept as a memento of the conflict.
1934
The first week of the New Year saw the County Times carry a major report by “Countyman” on the development of the Tanner and Chart store in Middle Street. The account relates part of the history of the store before moving on to its redevelopment. “Established in 1784, the firm will appropriately celebrate its 150th anniversary with this large extension of premises. In this connection it is interesting to recall that Middle-street was formerly known as Butcher’s row. For then the entire street was occupied by butcher’s shops, the only exemption being the premises of Gallier, the chemist, on Carfax corner. With this new enterprise, however, the last of the butcher’s shops has disappeared. The pick-axe of the demolisher has torn it to pieces with other premises to make room for the advancing shop. The butchery business flourished on this site for hundreds of years there can be no doubt. In a capacious chimney in which bacon was smoked the demolishers found a tablet bearing the date 1588. Moreover I am told that the word Glynde applied to a passage running from Middle-Street to Messrs Attwater’s premises is actually an old term for enclosure, suggesting that this was where animals were kept safe before being taken to the neighbouring slaughter-houses. …Work in clearing the site began at Christmas and the new premises, it is anticipated, will be completed by Easter. At present some 30 local men are working a shift and a half until ten at night to push forward the scheme, and this number will of course be increased when the actual building starts.
Incidentally, the new building will be set back two feet so that there will be more room on the congested pavements of Middle-street….In general the new building will conform with the extension erected by the firm three years ago. But there will be an innovation: an island group of windows will face Middle-street, an arcade running parallel behind it. The main shop window will be extended from Middle-street right down Glynde road for a distance of 100 feet. Down this side there will be a canopy…(providing) an additional 150 feet of window space bringing the shops total length to about 300 feet. The extension will be a two-storey building, almost entirely comprising of showrooms. The floor space will measure 4,500 square feet making the whole premises about 12,000 square feet in area.”[116]
It was, though, in house building that 1934 continued in much the same way as 1933, with the private sector leading the way. In March W. H. Green submitted plans for 80 houses, roadway and sewer at Chesworth Lane.[117] This was on farmland and would be a trend throughout the year of building on land which until recently had been farmed. Then in April the Town and Country Planning Act came into effect and there was an alternative voice of planning guidance that had to be listened to. From now on the County Planning Officer would offer suggestions or demand changes, and throughout the Council minutes reference is made to this person’s view. So it was that an application for development[118] at the rear of Crawley Road for a proposed layout of roads and sewers for 38 houses was submitted by the developer, E. A. Bailey. The town surveyor told the Councillors that they should be consulting with the County Town Planning officer regarding a connecting roadway between Littlehaven Lane and the new estate, probably because this related to expanding into the farmland surrounding Horsham with the fear of urban sprawl. Another example of the officer becoming involved in Horsham’s planning can be seen a month later when, under the 1930 Housing Act, the Council wanted to demolish nos. 52,54,56,58,60 & 62 Bishopric.[119] This would release a parcel of land, so the debate occurred over whether to acquire the land for making an access road to Springfield Park from the Bishopric. The County Town Planning Officer suggested that it would be better to secure land for a roadway from Springfield Park into Jews Meadow at a point near the undeveloped plots owned by Messrs Redford Son & Tarratt at the north-west corner. The Council agreed to investigate this idea; however, on 13 June the proposal was abandoned and it was agreed to build houses instead on the land.
At the other side of the town developments were proposed at Chesworth, and owing to slum clearance, a development in Queen Street. The Council, back in March, had approved of the Chesworth development; all that had to be resolved was access into the estate. The demolition of some of the houses in Queen Street would provide that. However, the County Planning Officer came up with a solution: one that involved the developer providing land for the roadway at the north end of the estate to link in with Queen Street, on the basis that he would be allowed in return to build 10 houses per acre.
The clearance of Slum houses was all part of the 1930 Housing Act; the properties involved were nos. 52,54,56, & 58 and Nos. 26, 28, 30, 32,34, 36, 38, & 40 Queen street. At the May meeting the Council passed a formal notice to have houses 26-40 Queen Street (8 houses) cleared as slums. The owner was intending to sell them at £1,600; the Council offered £1,200 subject to the District Valuer agreeing. For the Council this was an expensive project as it involved costs at every stage; it made sense that if they had to build a roadway in order to develop some land, they might as well knock down slum houses to do so; but by doing so they had to pay the landlord for the property and then pay for the re-housing of the tenants. There were 40 tenants from this and the Bishopric clearance. They planned to build 32 houses and 8 bungalows in Roffey. Some 7 months later the minutes reported[120] that the Council had planned to buy both Queen Street sites to build a road, but that had changed and the Council would no longer purchase Nos. 52, 54, 56, and 58. On 23 January 1935 it was reported that the Minister of Health has sanctioned the borrowing of £31,300 for the purchase of the Queen Street properties. On 19 June 1935 it was reported that tenders had been received for building the houses – with Building & Public Works Construction Co. winning the tender, at a cost of £12,552 and 6 months to complete building 32 houses and 8 bungalows – this was over £3,000 cheaper than Horsham company Hoad & Taylor Ltd.
It had taken over 18 months to plan, get the funding and issue the tender to demolish and build new houses instead of slum dwellings. By the time the building was completed a new Housing Act was in force. The scale of housing development can be seen from the following list of plans submitted in May 1934:
| Site | Nature of development | Owner |
| Gorings Mead Y.M.C.A. Sports Ground | Dwelling house | Brown & Sayers |
| 61 & 62 West Street | New Shop front, shop & Store Room | Timothy Whites Ltd |
| Victory Road | Bungalow | R C Nudd |
| West Parade | Dwelling House | J Booker Ltd |
| Forest Road | 3 Bungalows | Godman & Kay |
| Orchard Road | Dwelling house | Brown & Sayers |
| Crawley Road | Pair of Houses | Brown & Sayers |
| Springfield Crescent | 2 Detached Houses & garages | Redford Son & Tarratt |
| Comptons Lane | Bungalow | C. E. Mills |
| Comptons Lane Horsham Institution | Female casual ward | West Sussex County Council |
| Worthing Road | Pair of cottages | G. Potter Ltd |
| London Road | Engine Room | G. Potter Ltd |
| Rusper Road | Pair of Houses | Brown & Sayers |
| Springfield Road (rear of) | Workshop & Furniture store | L. E. Lampard & Son |
| Gorings Mead | 2 Pairs cottages | W. T. Edwards |
In June there was an application from G. Potter to turn 16 Bishopric into shops and flats, whilst Godman and Kay sought to build 10 houses at Compton’s Lane.[121] Then in July came the major submission[122]: the development of Jews Meadow, off Guildford Road. The site had been used for fairs and events as well as a marketplace; now, thanks to the purchase of the Park and moving the Bishopric market to the railway station, the land was perfect for re-development. In fact, the Council wanted it to be developed as the previous month the Public Health Committee[123] had to consider a problem when the circus and travelling fair were using the site. However, that problem wasn’t considered to last if the land was developed; no travelling shows would be able to use the land. In effect, the Council wanted Jews Meadow to be developed to solve public health problems, for the area was seen as being a public health nuisance as inspectors often had cause to report on violations.
So it was with a sense of relief in the Council that in July Davis Estates Ltd. submitted the following: “This is a plan for the layout of an estate known as Jews Meadow off Guildford Road, and the Davis Estates Co., Ltd., who are developing this site have submitted a layout plan for the whole area but at the present time have only submitted detailed plans for the erection of 124 houses together with necessary sections of the roads, sewers, &c.” This innocuous-sounding submission doesn’t give the flavour of the impact of this development, for it saw the creation of an aspiring middle class estate; all other large-scale developments had been Council-led, tackling the issue of working class homes, and now a private developer was stepping in and seeing an opportunity in Horsham. It would transform a run-down part of Horsham; an area that only 20 years before had been reminded of its rookery status – a name that was suggested for one of the roads, obviously by someone who didn’t understand what it was describing (see below). And less than five months later, the developer submitted a further plan[124] for Jews Meadow with a layout plan for 273 houses; however, the County Town Planning Officer suggested 10 houses to the acre whilst the plan shows 11 houses to the acre. In November the planning committee was told that the first road would be named Rushams Road; then, five months later, further road names were submitted to the Housing Committee[125] and the Committee “Recommended that the name of the circular road to be constructed called “Cootes Crescent” and that the new road constructed parallel to the Rushams Road extension be named Rookery road. On 17April it was reported that the names be rescinded and that Cootes Crescent is now designated “Curzon Avenue” and that for Rookery Road “Vale Drive” be substituted”. Someone probably told them that rookery was a name given to an area of rough people, crooks etc.
The importance of this development to the town’s social geography was significant. The late Victorian and Edwardian middle class developed the land bordering Hurst Road, a ribbon development; the houses had space for a servant or maid, so wealthy middle class, those who had made it, but a large number still lived in the town centre. Now, for the first time, the lower middle class were moving out of the town centre to the town’s suburbs, and the shopkeeper was moving away from the shop premises to the town’s outskirts; only in the late 20th and early 21st centuries would you see a return, and that was for a particular lifestyle – the urban flat/apartment; more imported into the town that being of the town. From now on housing developments took place out of the traditional boundaries: in the 1920s the Council developed tracts of land that bordered Horsham new town, that 1870s housing development was aimed at the aspiring working class, so building homes for the working class made sense but on land that was geographically close to the town – the other side of the railway track – now, a private developer was making a housing estate for the aspiring middle class, not the wrong side of the track, but on land that had a past which modern Horsham had removed – the Bishopric was sterile – no market, no road name from the past and soon no fairs – which by now had changed to being mainly fun fairs, and as the note below shows will soon lose any semblance of the traditional fair. It was for Horsham a significant development. The preceding could maybe be broken up a bit for easier reading?
The issue of the fairs using Jews Meadow didn’t go away, however, as much as the Council had thought would happen when the development was undertaken. All the fairs did was to move onto adjacent land, thus lowering the tone of the area. As reported at the General purposes committee:[126] “A letter was read from the Davis Estate Ltd complaining of the detriment of the amenities of the district in general and their estate in particular arising in connection with fairs on land adjacent, and enquiring if any steps could be taken to abate the nuisance. The Clerk reported that he had discussed the matter with the County Town Planning Officer but that nothing could be done in the way of effective steps to prevent the fair, except by negotiations with the person responsible for running the fair, until such time as the Town Planning Scheme was completed, when the land could be scheduled for residential purpose only”.
The rising demand for houses was reflected in a very old, venerable Horsham institution: the Horsham Building Society, an institution whose early days are recounted in Volume 2 of this history. In September the 78th annual general meeting of Horsham Permanent Building Society took place in the Town Hall. The Chairman reported that the Society, even after competition from other suppliers and the Council, had seen an “unprecedented increase in business.” Share capital of investing members had risen from £27,908 7s 9d to £33,184 8s 3d, an increase of over £5,200 compared with £1,800 last year. The amount secured on mortgages had increased from £28,110 2s 3d to £39,083 13s, an increase of nearly £11,000 as compared with about £2,000 the previous year, and assets had increased from £80,906 13s 2d to £89, 288 14s 11d, an increase of nearly £9,000. The Chairman went on to complain about the government policy of income tax of 2s in the pound, that stamp duty at £1 per cent on property over £500 had to be paid on a transfer, and that there might be two or three transfers (obviously a new situation; one that today we take for granted occurs, but then, not so). The Society funded the income tax so the amount paid to the members was not taxed on the interest they received, so last year the Society paid £54 in tax on the interest. Writing this in a period of extensive criticism of banks, and moves to introduce banking reform, the following point has a certain empathy: “People in Horsham and district have a local society which treats them better than outside societies because the customers are known personally to us and are not just members in a book.” [127]
As an aside to the drama of the major stories developing in Horsham, in 1934 Horsham Fire Brigade was issued with a brand-new Bedford Tender. During World War Two it was commandeered by the Auxiliary Fire Service during the Blitz on London, and Horsham had to make do with an old engine. In the 1960s the fire engine was spotted in Hong Kong Airport, still with the Horsham Urban District Council written on its side, having never been returned to the town. In 1947 West Sussex County Council took over the local brigades so probably never pursued the return of the 1934 engine.[128]
One of the surprises on reading the minutes was the problem of water supply. Having the year previously opened the new water works and pumping station, I hadn’t expected to see the issue of water supply raise its head. But in 1934 it did, when, on 23 January 1934, the Water Committee heard that for a cost of £125 it could adapt the old reservoir to supply approx 1,800 people with consumption of 50,000 gallons; it would also give half a million gallons of extra storage. The Star Reservoir was brought back into use on 13 April that year. This might seem strange; creating so much extra capacity for what had been declared a supply that would last the town for over 30 years. However, it could also be classed as prudent as the town was growing fast and any growth had an impact on water demand. However, it seems as if it didn’t come on stream quickly enough, for in March the Water Committee was informed of the water shortage and that “The Water Engineer has been actively engaged in reducing the consumption of water…from 29.78 to 23.36 gallons (per head of population per day).[129] This had increased greatly once the water supply had been provided, from 20.57 gallons in 1932 as noted in the Official Programme for the water pumping scheme mentioned above, suggesting that once water was thought to be plentiful people used it without much concern, increasing consumption by 9 gallons a day. The Water Committee was right to be concerned, as Horsham continued to grow and the Water Committee seem to have been informed of any major development. So it was reported to them on 20 November that the Davis Estate (Kent and Sussex) Ltd planned to develop the whole estate.
Other developments reported to the Council included Orchard Road & Depot Road, 16 houses by Murrell Brothers, though this would be reduced to 13; on 14 November building plans were submitted for 14 shops with living accommodation over them in North Street by the developer G.W.H. Jones, along with the development of Cricket Field Road with a layout for 20 houses by Redford, Son & Tarratt. It isn’t surprising that at the same meeting Timothy White Ltd was looking at expanding its shop in West Street.
There was, though, probably another reason for wanting the reservoir and that was the Urban District Council selling its expertise and water to the outlying villages. The Council was taking advantage of its economic power base to move into the rural hinterland. It had used the taxpayers’ and grant aided schemes that the Council could take advantage of, to improve the facilities for its residents: now it could offer the same to the rural areas that didn’t have the concentrated tax base or supply; providing water to a town the size of Horsham was easier for the Urban Council than a dispersed community that the rural council had to serve. So the Water engineer reported to the Water Committee on 17 July that the Urban District Council would provide water to the villages of Warnham, Broadbridge Heath, Slinfold and Billingshurst on the following terms:
- “a) to supply water in bulk at the boundaries of the Urban District at the price of 12d per 1000 gallons
- b) The payment by the Rural District council of a yearly or half yearly sum to liquidate actual loan charges incurred by the Urban District Council in laying specific mains for the rural supply, estimated to cost £4,500, with annual loan repayments of about £245
- c) The Rural District Council to provide adequate metering arrangements to the approval of the Urban District Council.[130]
The Rural District Council was none too happy with the cost structure and replied in September “that it was considering its own scheme prepared by a well known Engineer and they are at present in negotiation for the necessary right to enable them to prospect for water.”[131] This air of hostility changed the following year, when in April 1935 the Water Committee[132] was asked directly about supplying the Rural District with water, as the Clerk commented “up to this time the correspondence has always been about enquiries; this was the first time they asked outright for the Council to provide them with water, including what the minimum daily quantity of water the UDC could guarantee to the Rural Council for the next 30 years.” Two months later the Council responded with a reduced price of 10.9d per 1,000 gallons.[133]
Not only in the field of water was Horsham becoming a regional focus: the supply of electricity also saw its intention to expand; a desire mapped out five years previously, though such an intention could only be carried out with approved loans, and so it was that the Finance Committee[134] made an application to make an Electricity Loan for £1,735 for Lower Beeding & Nuthurst extension cable. Another example was the town’s fire brigade when on 23 January 1935 the Finance Committee was informed of the following arrangements: “The following parishes will accept the Council fire brigade: Horsham Rural, Warnham, Rudgwick, Nuthurst, Cowfold, Barns Green and Itchingfield, Shipley and if they agree Lower Beeding.” Horsham Urban was becoming Horsham Rural District by default and by capacity. Though the Council didn’t always get its own way, as the Electricity Committee was informed that the Electricity Commissioners were not prepared to allow HDC to provide electricity to a property in Slinfold which Mid Southern Company are prepared to supply as soon as they get consents.[135]
It wasn’t only in the public sector that Horsham was developing a regional focus. Ever since 1868 Horsham had been a railway hub; now it was to be a regional hub for coaches with Southdown Motor Services Ltd. (Bus Company) wanting to build a garage in Denne Road. One question to ask is: why in Denne Road? Chesworth behind it was developing as a housing estate; the Drill Hall was a popular venue but not one that would cause buses to be stationed nearby. In all probability it was down to the availability of a semi-industrial site, the Arun Steam mill. The doubtful nature of the site led the County Town Planning Officer to question the submission when it came before the General Purposes Committee on 5 December, using words that would not seem out of place today: “the use of the premises as a bus depot would be scarcely consistent with the present use of the adjoining property.”[136] They politely ignored the advice.
The scale on which the Council was borrowing money, taking advantage of Government loans and schemes, becomes apparent when you look at the total loans recorded at a Finance meeting: it is quite staggering. On 28 March 1935 it was reported that the Council had loans totalling over £0.5m, made up of varying amounts and lengths of repayment as well as interest. This was the amount left; not total amount borrowed.
A summary of Loans balances at 31 March 1934
| Purpose of loan | Amount left in £s |
| Sewage and Sewage Disposal | 74,484 |
| Street improvements | 710 |
| Water | 63,310 |
| Electricity | 73,373 |
| Sewage Farm | 1,870 |
| Yard for Depot | 147 |
| Public Offices | 1,650 |
| Public Lighting | 1,780 |
| Public Conveniences, Carfax | 2,479 |
| Allotments | 621 |
| Pleasure Grounds | 16,292 |
| Fire Brigade | 2,177 |
| Car Park, Bishopric | 3,012 |
| Public Conveniences Bishopric | 2,337 |
| Private Street Works | 1,035 |
| Housing – Schemes by Local Authority | 147,489 |
| Housing – Private Enterprise | 87,945 |
| Housing – Small dwelling Acquisition Acts | 16,874 |
| Rehousing- 24 Cottages Millthorp | 9,822 |
| Burial | 1,773 |
| Swimming Pool | 2,000 |
| Housing – Assisted schemes | 44,275 |
| Housing – 10 cottages Roffey | 3,350 |
| Housing – 30 cottages – rehousing | 11,250 |
| Total | 572,055 |
The degree of indebtedness didn’t stop the Council seeking further ways of moving forward. The scheme to build the new swimming pool was one of them. The Relief Work Committee, in October 1934[137], after the pool’s opening earlier in the year, reported the following in respect of the pool:
- Total cost was £8,372
- Maximum loan approved £4,900
- Loan raised £4,900
- Grant, Employed Committee £1,500
- Total raised £6,400
- Excess expenditure £1,972 over income
- In the above figures it was noted that expenditure on labour was £2,723 18s 5d.
The Council had to find nearly £2,000 to fund the completion of the pool, but it had provided over £2,700-worth of employment to both the unemployed and the employed of Horsham. (The town had been asked earlier to raise an additional £500 for the Employment Fund to top £2000. They appealed for 1s from each resident, with the fund closing on 31 March 1943. They were unsuccessful, raising only an extra £195; the total raised was £1,695, through the unemployment committee).
The work on the pool had begun in the winter of 1933/34; Colonel Hurst had given half an acre of farmland next to the park on 25 October 1933 and work commenced on 1 December. Work was to commence irrespective of the ability to raise the funds, but by February 1934 over £1,100 had been raised, with £1,000 going to the Council to pay for wages. That amount of money had paid for a very large hole and “a demonstration lesson in geology such as is seldom provided”, according to Christ’s Hospital master and keen geologist Mr. S. E Winbolt. A remarkable film survives of the building work taken by amateur film-maker Cecil Cramp; this was one of the earliest films he took on his newly-acquired camera. The local shops started to advertise swimwear or, as they termed them, Swimming Suits (Chart and Lawrence); Bathing Wear (Tanner and Chart). Then all of a sudden the pool opened on 7 July 1934 at 3pm with the Chairman of the Council, and keen swimmer, David Bryce, taking the first plunge. However, his presence was overshadowed not by the pool itself, but by that of a tribal King from West Africa. The distinguished guest Nana Sir Ofori Atta KBE[138] was hereditary King of Akyem Abuakwa and a member of the Legislative Council of the Gold Coast, who happened to be staying with Colonel J. L. O’Connor DSO MBE, so was invited to take part. Obviously the invitation came in the day, for his presence is not mentioned in the rather grand invitation issued to guests, but take part he did, under a large umbrella shielding him from the sun, wearing tribal robes. According to Brian Slyfield the King wore a gold crown at the event[139] and had a retinue that included the “picturesquely dressed and diminutive sword bearer and the carrier of a large umbrella”.
As a job creation scheme the building of the pool was successful in providing 21,900 working hours, which cost £1,500 out of the £1,695 raised by the employment committee.[140] Today little remains of this civic endeavour apart from ephemeral items and two souvenirs: bricks stamped ‘Horsham Employment Scheme 1934’ and a commemorative brochure with an account of the opening day. The highly-regarded photographer E. W. Copnall took photographs of the occasion, a step down from the photographs he took of the Indian Durbah back in 1911, but for Horsham just as prestigious. As a financial concern the pool cost the Council £1,972; much of that cost was taken up by employing engineers, as there were non-unemployed. The last payment on the debt on the pool was paid off after 40 years in the last year of the Urban District Council in 1973. Horsham had its own cold water swimming pool.
In October the other aspect of water: the sewage scheme, was completed. However, there was a financial headache for the Council. The Council had obtained grants from the Government on the basis that it would be completed by 31 December 1933, not 19 October 1934. If the government insisted on the December completion date then expenditure on the scheme after that date would not attract government subsidy. Fortunately for the Council and its ratepayers on 23 January 1935 the Finance Committee could report that “The Minister of Labour agreed to accept the date of completion of this scheme as 19th October 1934, rather than the date approved in the original scheme 31st Dec 1933 – this means that all expenditure on the sewage scheme will now rank for grant aid on the basis of 25% of principal and interest for 15 years.”[141] The sewage scheme then had its first major test when in December the town saw heavy rainfall, some 8.5 inches of rain, which meant that “no less than 43¼ million gallons were pumped at these (sewage) works, compared with 10¾ million gallons of water pumped for the month at the Waterworks”.
One of the questions that had to be answered is: what next? The pool provided work for the unemployed but for the following winter, when it is unlikely that there would be full employment in Horsham; what should the town do? The Chamber of Trade asked that question at its September meeting. As the County Times reported, “Mrs. Laughton (scanning the walls and ceiling of the room in which the meeting was being held): I travel all over the county to different things and I have sat in many Town Halls, but I think Horsham Town Hall is the dirtiest of the lot. I have been told it is one of the most historic buildings in Sussex. – prehistoric I call it – but personally I am ashamed of it… “The Chairman intimated he agreed with the suggestion but the problem was unskilled labour, so Mrs. Laughton came up with another suggestion, that “Victoria Road site, which was to be used for building purposes could be formed into an ideal “garden city”. They did not require any more recreation grounds. What was required was cheaper housing.” The Chamber of Trade agreed to forward the ideas to the Employment Committee.[142]
A month before the opening of the pool the town saw a major development in girls’ education with the County Times[143] breathlessly reporting on a proposed expansion at the High School for Girls: “Handsome Addition to High School proposed. County Council Approve Scheme costing £11,350” Going on to report that “Extensive additions to the buildings of the Horsham High School for Girls, costing £11,350, were approved at the West Sussex County Council meeting at Horsham on Friday. The scheme which includes an assembly hall, two laboratories and rooms for domestic subjects and arts will now be considered by the Board of Education….This matter has been before the Education Committee for the past three or four years” observed Major Skinner the Chairman of the Education Committee.” A report showed that the school was defective in a number of areas. “The existing gymnasium (converted stables) is much too small: the school has only one laboratory which is too small for a full class and for the practical work in the three sciences taken in the school.; there is no art room; domestic subjects are taken in a very small room on the top floor; and the classroom accommodation is insufficient mainly because the existing classrooms while being sufficient in number, are, in the main, insufficient in size.” The Horsham High School for Girls wasn’t the only school undergoing redevelopment. For in 1935 Collyer’s, according to the history by A. N. Wilson, “gained more space by closing down the boarding establishment which had never been large and was dwindling as more secondary day schools went up all over the country. The Hostel was sold to the County Council, the original dormitories became the present Library and Common Room, the Headmaster’s drawing-room became a board room and the Prefects took over the original Master’s Common Room.”
Whilst the preceding stories have been in the main mainly impersonal, dealing with the infrastructure of Horsham, we close this year with a couple of accounts taken from the County Times for 1 June 1934. The first details the wearing of medals to which the person was not entitled. The gaoling of the person for the offence shows how raw the emotion of the War was, some 16 years after it had concluded. Would the person have been gaoled if it were their first crime, it is hard to say, though the person was clearly of criminal intent; one could argue no honest person would ever dream of wearing such awards if not entitled to them. It is included here because it is in many respects a crime of the period, for before the end of World War One very few people had medals to wear. “Herbert John Cooke, a farm labourer, of Two Mile Ash, near Horsham….pleaded guilty to a charge of falsely representing himself to be entitled to wear the D.S.O.., M.C., 1914-15 Medal General services and Victory Medals, and the French Croix de Guerre”.
The paper went on to report that this was the second time in a few weeks that someone falsely represented themselves entitled to wear medals: the last time, it was a woman. The paper gives an account of how Herbert John Cooke on 22 April called on Miss Violet Harriett Cummins of Brook Cottage, Barn’s Green, who had lost a brother, who was killed in action in France; that he was a Captain. “In conversation he told them (Miss Cummins and her mother) he had joined the American Army in 1914, and later was a captain in the Canadian Machine Gun Brigade in France. He said he had been awarded the D.S.O., the Military Cross, 1914-15 Medal, General Service Medal, Victory Medal and the French Croix de Guerre. Cook, witness continued, said he knew her brother very well as he was the dead soldier’s officer. He had taken a great interest in him.
In conclusion Miss Cummins stated that Cooke had arranged to take her mother over by air to France to visit her son’s grave and had given them some medal ribbons as a keepsake.
Sergeant Major George Jones, of the Record Office, said that he had the war record of “Bert” Cooke, the accused, which showed that he had served in the Royal Fusiliers, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force. At one time he was entitled to the General Services and Victory medals but these he had had to forfeit for several Army offences. He had never been an officer….P.C. Barker said he saw the prisoner at Barn’s Green on May 15th. When he was charged he said, “Well I did say I had won the medals”…Supt S. G. Alice read out a long list of previous convictions, including one for similar offences and others for bigamy and false pretences. Cooke was sentenced to two months imprisonment.”
The second account deals with a pillar of Horsham Society whose shop was under-going expansion.
The County Times[144]ran an extensive but interesting article on Mr. Lawrence who, since 1914, had been a JP and apart from a short break had been a member of HUDC. “Mr Lawrence who is a Norfolk man, arrived in Horsham in 1892 to become an assistant in a local shop. Incidentally, within a few days of Mr. Lawrence’s arrival, there arrived with his parents a lad who was also to become prominent in public affairs – Mr. David Bryce. The year 1898 saw the foundation of one of the leading commercial enterprises in the town, and also Mr. Lawrence’s marriage to a daughter of Mr. Jury Cramp. Mr. Lawrence went into partnership with Mr. Chart…This successful partnership was only broken last year by the death of Mr. Chart.
The partners took over the old-established business of Mr. Duke, the small shop being situated on the west side of the present stores at the West-Street and Carfax corner. A photograph shows the shop to have been modelled on really antique lines, with narrow windows and a flight of steps to the door over which pedestrians frequently stumbled. Limited window space, however, did not embarrass Mr. Duke. Indeed, he curtailed his chances of display still further by darkening his West-Street window, for as he explained, articles shown there always faded! The new firm, however, developed the business on up-to-date lines and gradually extended the premises…in a few months’ time a considerable enlargement of premises is to be undertaken by this enterprising firm.”
The paper goes on to say that Mr. Lawrence was appointed to the bench in May 1914, a month after he was first elected to the Council. The paper reported that Mr. Lawrence was on the Council until 1928 when “in common with Mr. Wheeler, he lost the election on account of the opposition to the one-way traffic proposals, which afterwards, of course, proved so successful. … He resumed his Council activities on being returned at the last election.”
Towards the end of October there occurred a disagreement between William Albery and the Labour Party, of which he was a member. We would know nothing of the spat if William hadn’t kept the correspondence, and whilst it is not of any real significance in the history of Horsham it does reflect on the febrile nature of politics in the 1930s and how that related to one individual who was passionate about politics, so provides a local angle on a national scene. On 30 October 1934 J. S. Middleton, the Assistant Secretary of the Labour Party, wrote to Mr. Albery stating “I have your letter of the 29th October. The fact that you are a member of the “Friends of the Soviet Union”, the “British Anti-war Movement”, and “Committee for the Relief of Victims of German Fascism” renders you ineligible as an individual member of the Labour Party. These three organisations have been declared by our Annual Conference as ancillary to the Communist Party”; he then gives chapter and verse of the Labour Party constitution.
Albery wrote back the following day: “Dear Sir, I received your letter of yesterday by which I find I am no longer eligible as a member of the Labour Party. This comes rather as a shock to me, after over 20 years consistent moral and financial, if not very active, support of the movement. The only reason you give for my disqualification is that I am a member of, and subscribe to, other organisations which you say are ancillary to the Communist Party. I had not considered them as such, and do not belong to that party: my only reason for supporting them was, and is, that I thought, and think, them ancillary to the highest humanitarian interests.
I have been a member of peace societies for over 40 years and have been very disappointed with their general inefficiency. The Soviet Union and the Anti-War Movement both appear to me more interested and more desirous for peace than does the Labour Party, which I now understand has withdrawn from its former decision for the General Strike against war; that instrument which proved so successful in preventing war between this country and Russia in 1920. (As will be shown later Albery has his facts wrong here) The title “Committee for the Relief of Victims of German Fascism” and the list of its members sufficiently explain its objectives and prove its genuineness and sincerity to me. Its usefulness was proved beyond doubt in the acquittal of Dimitrov and his associates in the Reichstag Fire Trial and feel thankful to have been associated with its success in this case. I must add, the condemnation of this Committee by the Labour Party Conference, appears to me perfectly inexplicable.” Albery ends the letter by pointing out that he is guarantor for £50 for the local Labour Party.
This led to a letter sent the following day by Middleton which was conciliatory but firm. “…I can assure you that the Party has not been anxious to take the steps that have been decided upon by various Conferences in respect of Communist Party activities, both direct and through various subsidiary bodies. I repudiate entirely that the “Friends of the Soviet Union” or the Anti War Movement” is in the slightest degree more desirous for peace than the Labour Party. …With regard to the question of the General Strike; there was no General Strike in 1920; the pressure exercised by the national Labour bodies, coupled with the concentration of the organised Movement throughout the country, was sufficient for the purpose. The position today, however, with regard to the possibility of a General Strike is entirely different. Indeed, the position is entirely changed since the International Federation of Trade Unions first put forward the proposal nearly two years ago. Since that date the German Trade Union Movement has been suppressed and the Austrian Labour Movement decimated both following the disappearance of the Italian Trade Unions. It is no good assuming that these historic events have no relation to the question of a General Strike in this country. The facts are not palatable, but responsible Committees have to face them. If they do not face them you can depend upon it the average rank-and-filer throughout the country will have no illusions on the question.”
The letter goes on, “I do not question your sincerity for a single moment in your support of the organisations you refer to. On the other hand, you are not in a position to question the result of our enquiries and the conviction that all three bodies are subservient to Communist activity….We have seen the effect on the Continent in the shattering of the industrial and political Movements from top to bottom; and frankly the overwhelming mass of our supporters throughout the country are not prepared to give any attention to the Communist manoeuvres. Their tactics are avowed; their methods are known, and their principles are totally antagonistic to those of our own democratic Movement.” The letter then ends with a note about the local party and encouragement to Albery to give up membership of the other parties and to continue the fight.
Albery replied on 5November, which led to a further letter from Mr. Middleton in which he states, firmly, “I rather gather that you have no idea of the association of the Communist Party with the various Movements about which you have written.” So he sent Albery a pamphlet documenting in detail “the attempts of the Communist Party to disrupt and eventually destroy our Party”, before ending in thanking Albery for his congratulations on Labour successes at recent elections.[145]
What is interesting in these letters is that Albery had an international approach: he was concerned about fellow workers and freedoms in foreign countries. He also forgot that he had served in a quasi-military role during World War One and was praised for it as well as promoting that involvement, so his statement that he had membership of peace societies for 40 years may be questionable. Either the group he belonged to decided that WWI was a just war and the call to peace didn’t hold, or Albery had selective memory loss. However, that doesn’t negate the fact that Albery, a town saddler, involved himself in international political questions.
We end 1934 on a note of congratulation: buried in the Council minutes was mention that the town had raised £294. 18s 7d for the Gresford Colliery disaster.[146] “In the early hours of 22nd September 1934 one of the worst mining disasters in British history occurred at Gresford colliery near Wrexham in North Wales when an explosion ripped through part of the mine …six miners managed to crawl to safety, three men were killed in the rescue attempt, and on the following night, Sunday 23rd September, it was agreed that the mine should be sealed with the dead miners entombed inside. A further violent explosion a couple of days later killed a surface worker: the disaster had claimed a total of 266 lives.”[147] When the final report on the accident was published no-one was to blame, and when the bereaved took action in the court against the company the cases were thrown out. Paul Robeson, the celebrated American singer and film star, gave a concert with the entire takings given to the 160 widows and 200 fatherless children of the miners. There was nationwide sympathy with over a much-needed half a million pounds raised for the community.[148]
Horsham gave 1/5 of what it had raised for the town swimming pool, for its own unemployed, to an area that it had no real connection with, except coal for its fires, such was the sense of compassion and national sentiment the miners had generated in Horsham; a tradition of giving that, as has been shown, goes back to the 1920s. Horsham cannot be said to be isolationist.
As an aside, and one of the fascinating aspects of this decade, Paul Robeson, a singer and actor who starred in the film Showboat as well as visiting the Soviet Union and becoming interested in communism, also starred in the popular 1935 film Sanders of the River. Though set in Africa –“tens of millions of natives, each tribe under its own chieftain, guarded and protected by a handful of white men, whose work is an unsung saga of courage and efficiency”, as the film described the continent, was filmed in England using 250 black extras drawn from, amongst others, dockers from London, Cardiff, Liverpool and Glasgow for the crowd scenes – among them one Jomo Kenyatta, who would live at Storrington for a while before becoming the leader of Kenya.[149] Kenyatta, with a group of London-based friends, would help educate Robeson to, in his own words, “discover Africa”. Kenyatta, in the 1930s, would give talks at WEA classes as well as write and publish his anthropological study about his own society and culture, Facing Mount Kenya.
1935
At the start of the year the County Times ran a major article on what people expected from the year ahead. The sub-heading, sums up the key points: “Expansion: Better Trade: Town Planning: unchanged Rate”. David Bryce, the Chairman of Horsham Urban District Council, wrote: “1935 should be a year devoted to an attempt to gain by the experience of the past rather than one of new schemes of enterprise”, before going on to explain the issue of providing water to the wider community through the 1936 Water Bill of West Sussex County Council, noting that “The County Council and the Urban Council have spent much time and attention in an endeavour to discover how to make Horsham’s water supply available where it is so much required by our neighbours in the villages, and at the moment are working together most harmonionaly.” Whilst the Charman of the Rural District Council started his short comment with “There is an old West Indian saying “Before dog – Mr. Dog: behind dog – dog” …When you have worked out the meaning of the phrase forget it. It should not apply in this country, and must not if we are to get forward with useful work for the community.”[150] Mr. Sherlock went on to write, “Let us make co-operation in an endeavour to obtain the best whether in public health, housing or water schemes”. Mr. Swain of the Horsham Chamber of Trade noted that Horsham would continue to grow and unemployment decline, whilst others commented on threat to freedom and events abroad.[151]
Mr. Bryce was right about the continuing expansion of Horsham, as four days after the article appeared the General Purposes Committee was asked to approve a planning application for Chestnut Lodge, North Parade and the layout of 21 houses by the developer Redford Son & Tarratt. What is interesting about this development was the comment made by the County’s Town Planning Officer which led to the development being turned down by the Council: “The present proposal appears to me to be too intensive” – no details are given in the plan but the officer suggests “that only well designed houses of first class materials, suitably varied in elevation, should be allowed to be erected…. as houses can, as you will appreciate, be of the very best class although quite small. I feel that if development takes place on the lines which I have suggested in this letter, it will be comparable with and cause no detriment to other property in the locality.” The Council was moving into matters of taste and design aesthetic rather than purely building issues; one in which they had no training, taking on board the ideas of the County Planning Officer.
Horsham’s electrical works were first built to provide electricity for lighting way back in 1902, but in the intervening 33 years the use of electricity had grown and spread from civic space into industrial and the domestic setting. However, the tariffs charged by the Council hadn’t changed, even though the Council had funded the building of an electricity showroom and created a rental scheme to hire domestic appliances. So in February the Electricity Committee heard a report[152] by the Electrical Engineer, entitled “All-in Domestic tariff. The great increase in the use of Electricity for domestic purposes, i.e. cooking, &c emphasizes the need for a Domestic or “All- in” Tariff. Such a tariff is available in a number of towns both larger and smaller than Horsham. A Domestic Tariff consists of
a) A standing charge
b) A Unit charge
The basis adopted for the Standing Charge may be any one of the following
1) Rateable value of the house
2) The floor area of the rooms in the house
3) The number of rooms in the House
4) The kilowatts connected or the maximum demand
The Engineer went on to explain that “Of the 400 undertakings in the country 207 have adopted 1, 92 use 2, whilst 55 resort to 3. None of the alternatives are flawless but on careful consideration (1) appears to have the fewest imperfections.” After giving all the figures he went on to say that “Although in every case a loss of Revenue is shown it is found in practice that increased consumption and expansion of business rapidly overtakes the initial reduction”
The Council agreed to a phased-in approach to what was a significant change deciding to go ahead with it from the March meter readings, probably because residents would get cheaper electricity, so there was no political downside. What this also meant was the Council was now fully committed to providing electricity for the domestic market, having restructured its tariffs for that market as well as running a shop to promote its usage. It was, quietly, a major revolution in the home, as major as today’s digital revolution.
A month later, in March, the Committee looked at the very issue that caused the electrical works to be built in the first place: the issue of lighting and, in this case, street lighting. The engineer came up with a price of £5,600 to improve Horsham’s street lights. This was quite expensive so a sub-committee was formed and reported back in May. The engineer suggested two forms of lighting: high posts with long arms along the pavements, or central suspension, using either gas or electricity. “This would necessitate the erection of approximately 165 (one hundred and sixty-five) such lighting points at an estimated cost of £3,600 (three thousand six hundred pounds) …. on the main streets and roads.”[153] He then outlined further works on 376 lighting points bringing them up to standard which would cost an additional £2,000. The Council agreed, as well, as a phased 3-year plan to undertake the work. Fortunately for the Council the Ministry of Health was prepared to consider the application to take up loans. However, the Council decided to refer the issue back to the committee.
You may wonder why such a note should be included in a history of Horsham. It is the provision of better street lights that has an impact on the town folk: greater sense of security, improved quality of life, and many of those lamp posts will be in existence for decades to come.[154] Although the cost was high, it is important to know how the town was developing. In many respects this is more important to the town’s history than how the town celebrated the Silver Jubilee, which took place in the same year, yet street lighting is not as glamorous, so doesn’t get covered in histories. How many people can remember when the street lighting improved, compared with memories of celebrating a Jubilee?
Another improvement that seems to get missed in histories is that of pavements. In May 1935 it was reported that the Ministry of Transport had approved, and was therefore willing to give a loan for, the building of a pavement from Kings Road to Compton’s Lane at a cost of £3,000. The Ministry of Transport had asked councils to forward five-year plans for road improvements. The surveyor had gone to the Ministry with a list of schemes, only to have all but one turned down, as “any scheme submitted to them must be of traffic value in connection with main roads.” As it is main roads, any scheme must be approved by the County Council. The County wrote back asking if the Urban District would pay 50% of any costs above the 60% that the Ministry of Transport would contribute (in other words 20% of the total cost). The 60% would include actual construction costs as well as a 60% contribution towards the compulsory purchase of land should it be required. (It was estimated a strip 3ft to 8ft wide would be wanted). The new footpath would start at the east side of the Kings Road/Station Road junction, run the entire length of Kings Road, then Crawley Road to Comptons Lane. It would include new fences, hedges, brick walls and a “reinforced concrete retaining wall to the Public Institution allotments.” The offer was too good to turn down, so the Council agreed. This, like the street lighting, helps to bind Horsham together.
In the same article there is a note to say that the Ministry of Health had allowed a grant of £25 towards the cost of erecting six pedestrian crossings in the town, towards a total cost of £41. The paper went on to report that further crossings, including one from Ower’s corner to the junction of New Street and Station-road(,) would be considered. The paper doesn’t say if they were the new style of crossing introduced after the 1934 Road Traffic Bill. The bill reintroduced the speed limit to 30 miles an hour in built-up areas; this resulted in a debate over what was a built-up area, with the decision made that it was an area with street lighting; obviously, the provision of street lights in Horsham, new or improved, would have an impact, making those roads a 30 mph limit. It also gave local authorities the power to introduce pedestrian road crossings for the first time and force new motorists to take a test before having a licence, whereas previously anyone could have a licence once they reached 17. The name of the minister who promoted the bill was Leslie Hore-Belisha, a name synonymous with pedestrian safety and the orange globes on 7ft high black and white posts known as Belisha Beacons. Originally, he had tried white lines painted on the roads with a post marked ‘C’, but after a near accident in Camden Town, Belisha introduced 19,000 of these beacons in London along with metal studs in the road. “These were provided, according to the ’motorist’ writing in The Listener, for the ’pampered pedestrians….without the motorists consent but out of the motorist’s pocket”. (In fact, not so, for as reported in the local paper road crossings were paid for by health, not transport). But the figures for road deaths and traffic accidents were horrendous: in 1933 1,894 pedestrians had been killed trying to cross the roads. The new measures didn’t have the dramatic effects that people hoped for: a year after the introduction of the Act the number of road deaths fell by 841 to 6,501, and injuries by 10,877 to 221,776, whilst pedestrian road deaths fell by nearly 500 to 3,079, though road deaths and injuries in built-up areas, where the new speed limit was in force, were reduced.[155]
1935 saw the nation celebrate the Silver Jubilee of George V, and one would imagine that Horsham would be keen to see celebrations. After all, Horsham, whilst not booming, had ridden out the recession and was seeing new houses spring up on all available patches of ground. But the newspapers and the Council minutes tell a more jaded story. On 22 February 1935 the County Times ran the following story: “One of the first public references in the town to the King’s Silver Jubilee celebrations was made at a general meeting of the Horsham and District Chamber of Trade in Horsham Town Hall on Monday night.”[156] It turned out that the Chamber of Trade was raising the matter as it had received a circular from the National Chamber of Trade saying that chambers of trade should support any local celebrations. In the ensuing discussion it was revealed that the Council was going to discuss the matter the following Wednesday. Mrs. Laughton’s view was: “we are first in the field and I think we ought to make suggestions. The villages are all getting ready and I don’t know why Horsham should have lagged behind.” Mrs. Laughton went on to suggest that “something will be done at this time to help the local Queen’s nurses. I think something should be done during the celebrations to help them out of their debt.” One suggestion that was made was holding a trade exhibition, the last one being held 9 years ago. However, for the Committee its biggest concern was the very low turnout at the meeting and falling numbers of members; they had 97, which just about covered their expenses.
At the Finance Committee meeting on 20 February the circular from the Ministry of Health was read out stating that “reasonable expenditure may be incurred” to celebrate the Jubilee, which after a debate ended up with the Committee agreeing “that provision be made not exceeding the product of a penny rate. And that various organisations in the town be communicated with, with a view to appointing two representatives to meet the Council at a meeting to be held at the Town Hall at 7.30pm on Tuesday 5 March to discuss proposals and establish such Sub-committee as may be necessary.”[157]
A month later the Council met and discussed the suggestions raised at the Town Hall meeting, noting that any grant given could only be spent on that day. Two days later the Finance Committee[158] agreed that the budget for bunting should be £75 for North Street, Carfax, West Street, East Street, London Road and Springfield Road. However, the lowest estimate received was £112, 18s 0d. As for the Jubilee trade exhibition the Chamber of Trade decided to hold one the following year, as the same day the Finance Committee met there was a proposal at the AGM to abandon the chamber as only 16 of the 96 members attended; 10 of those were committee members, whilst the debt had declined by 5s over the year from £14, 12s to £14, 7s. After a discussion it was agreed that they would carry on. However, they did decide to cancel the annual outing which was held on Thursday because of the jubilee celebrations. Mrs. Laughton argued: “what was the use of giving the employees a jubilee holiday if they were to be deprived of another to make up for it”. She contended that the outing which was held on a Thursday, was not a day’s holiday, but only five or six hours were taken off [159] as Thursday was half day opening.
In February 1935 Councillor Lower, seconded by Mr. Etheridge, put forward the following motion: “That this Council favour the abolition of the Household Means Test.” Mr. Padwick moved an amendment that no action be taken on the motion on the grounds that the Urban District Council is not the Authority administering public assistance”. Mr. Vernon seconded. Upon being put to the meeting, seven voted in favour of the amendment and four against, and the amendment was thereupon declared duly carried.”[160]
The Means Test was the symbol, for many, of the Depression. It was introduced in October 1931 with two ‘national Economy Orders’: the first reduced benefits from 17s to 15s 3d for a single man and contributions increased; the second: all ’transitional payments’ made when insurance benefit ran out, usually after six months, were to be reduced according to the total amount of money from savings, from other members’ earnings, coming into the household. It was to be policed by a means test man from the local Public Assistance Committee. There were many inconsistencies and loopholes. Income to pay life insurance policies was exempt, but not endowment payments; if you had £80 savings you had to spend £30 of it on subsistence at a rate laid down by authorities (so you were allowed to have £50 of savings), before being given any help, so many just transferred the £30 to another bank on the basis that overworked officials would not notice. The amount spent on benefit dropped from £110m in 1931/2 to £104m in 1932/3 even though the number of unemployed increased by almost a million.
This policy didn’t encourage any saving which, in many respects, fulfilled the suggestion of Keynes who in January 1931 gave the following message in a radio broadcast: “The best guess I can make is that whenever you save five shillings, you put a man out of work for a day. Your saving that five shillings adds to unemployment to the extent of one man for one day and so in proportion. On the other hand, whenever you buy goods you increase employment – though they must be British home-produced goods if you are to increase employment in this country ….Therefore, oh patriotic housewives of Britain, sally out tomorrow early into the streets and go to the wonderful sales that are everywhere ….And have the added joy that you are increasing employment, adding to the wealth of your country, because you are setting on foot useful activities, bringing a chance and hope to Lancashire, Yorkshire and Belfast”[161].
The very sales that Keynes talked about and the decline in the cost of goods in the early 30s meant that wage earners saw a real rise in the value of their income; you could buy more with less money, which had a mitigating effect on the means test; they had less money, but stuff was cheaper to buy, with a food bill for a family coming down from £8 a month in 1927 to £6 in 1933; however, it is always relative, and the fact that an unemployed man with a family was better off than an unskilled labourer in full work in 1913[162] didn’t feel like it, even if in terms of domestic purchasing power in 1933-4 the pound was worth 21s 5 ½ d of its gold standard 20 shilling value. Hence the motion at the Council. As for the nation, the mid-1930s boom was in domestic product industries rather than export trade; in 1929 overseas sales were £729m and by 1932 they were down to £365m, so Britain put up tariff walls which encouraged home production. Hoover vacuum cleaners, which were being made in Canada, set up a factory on London’s Western Avenue in 1931. Using men who had been on the dole, they built up a sales force and helped transform home production. In 1930, 37,500 vacuum cleaners were made in Britain with 140,130 imported, by 1934, 318,039 were made in Britain and only 11,205 were imported.
The effects of all this were clear to see in Horsham which continued to ride on a wave of relative prosperity, including the development of new stores. On 17 April the General Purposes committee had a request by Timothy Whites which wanted a number for their new store. Rather than re-number the whole street an ingenious solution was identified and is given here for future historians who become baffled by the entries in town directories. Hart’s changed from 60a to 61, Chart & Lawrence 60b and Huntley’s 61 disappeared, Timothy Whites no 62 &3 became 62, Maynards from 63a to 63 and Chart and Lawrence stayed as it was at 64. At the bottom of West Street the Surveyor reported on the proposed development by the executors of J, Rice, a new motor showroom, two lock-up shops and an extension to the hairdressers at the corner of Bishopric and Worthing Road.
On the 14 October there was a significant change in what was the town’s leading leisure time pursuit: the Blue Flash Cinema Company sold its three cinemas to the Union Cinemas. The sale was almost certainly done because the Blue Flash knew the writing was on the wall as the Union was planning to open a major new cinema in the town: The Ritz. Union Cinemas wanted to control all venues in a town so it is likely that by swooping in and buying out the local opposition it had hoped to frighten the other large cinema chain, the Odeon, which two days after the purchase put in an application for planning permission to build a new cinema in North Street. Which was approved. The architect was G. Coles. Two months after that Union Cinemas put in an application to build the Ritz, with its architect being Mr. L. S. Parsons of the local firm of Godman & Kay[163] and brother of Stan Parsons who became known as ‘Mr. Horsham’, a well-known Councillor.
One of the major issues concerning housing was overcrowding; it was seen by Ramsey MacDonald as the “second chapter” of the National Government’s Housing programme. The 1930 Housing Act stipulated that the rent book had to say how many were entitled to live in the property. But inspection of this was down to local authorities who then had a duty to re-house the extra tenants, so better/cheaper to keep quiet. The 1935 Housing Act stipulated that overcrowding is defined as when two or more persons occupied each ‘habitable room’, which excluded bathrooms and sculleries but included kitchens and living rooms. A person was defined as someone over ten, under ten was a half person, and babies did not count. Those aged over 10 of the opposite sex who were not married were not expected to share a room either. The Act gave statutory powers to local authorities to deal with the problem and some limited financial help to do so. So, another responsibility for the local authorities, which were stretched as it was. Government housing policy was being forced on local government to deal with, but with little financial help or support. The Act would come into force in 1936. So it was that on 18 November Horsham Urban District Council’s Public Health Committee issued a report on the Housing Act: “Section 1 of the new Housing Act places a duty upon every local authority to inspect its district with a view to ascertaining the extent of overcrowding, and the number of new houses required for the abatement thereof and submit a report to the Minister. Unless the local authority is satisfied that the new houses will be otherwise provided, proposals for the provision thereof must be submitted to the Minister.” This meant that the Council had to build the required houses if the private sector wouldn’t, and also investigate the degree of overcrowding; which it did, by employing an inspector.
This Act led the Council to undertake a review of its current status, providing a snapshot of housing need and, it turned out, housing want: not the same thing as was shown in the report the following month.[164] The report showed that there were 270 remaining applications for Council houses, which may seem alarming, especially after the Council’s extensive building programme related in previous chapters. But in terms of need and want, a different story emerges, for of the 270 remaining applications 123 already have houses, which leaves 147 in rooms. The report went on to say: “With regard to the applications who have houses, in the majority of cases the reason given for requiring a Council house is cheaper rent”. This would prove to be one of the major problems with the issue of overcrowding nationally; overcrowded accommodation was more affordable, and if the Councils built new homes for the overcrowded tenants, could they afford to live in them?
Having said that, for Horsham other concerns affected the want, rather than the need, of housing, including the location of the new council houses, as the Minutes went on to show. “Based on the last 10 months (since revision of list) the average number of applicants per month is 12…..During the past 12 months, 36 Council houses have become vacant. Nearly 60 applicants were offered these houses before tenants could be found. As recent as this month 5 applicants were offered the tenancy of 49 Mill Thorpe Road before a tenant could be found. The first four applicants declined, and the fifth decided to take it. A fortnight’s rent was lost in consequence. Various reasons are given for declining tenancy, and the main one seems to be a general dislike of Roffey.” How the Act was played out in Horsham will be covered in the next chapter.
The Council was also active in helping those who wanted to buy their own home, providing them with mortgages. The demand was such that the Council Housing Committee on 17 September instructed the Clerk to “apply to the Minister of Health for sanction to a further block loan of £10,000 under the Small Dwellings Acquisitions Acts” having already “exhausted” the loan of £10,000 sanctioned on 16 May of that year and having already made “further advances promised under authority of the Council.”
On a lighter note, in 1935 William Albery, the amateur town historian, saddler, musician and a former member of the Labour Party decided to write: “A rhymed history of Horsham consisting of 7,700 letters in 1,741 words, covering a period of a thousand years compiled and written by hand in the space of one shilling, believed (so far as had been found) the smallest writing in the world,” as the title to the small booklet he published promoted to the world.” According to the County Times it raised £7 for the Museum Society[165]. The actual manuscript had disappeared from the Society’s collections when I arrived in August 1988; however, after a thorough search through the paper and trial sheets I managed to find it in November 2013, in time for the re-opening of West Street, where his remarkable feat is recorded as a stone tablet. The act of micro calligraphy had a long history, but for Albery it was probably done just to promote himself and his views on the town. Albery had in the Victorian period produced some magnificent examples of calligraphy promoting the shop, or religious instruction. For the Reminiscences of Horsham by Burstow (1911) and the Parliamentary History (1927) he had produced attractive decorative title pages, but this wasn’t decorative in any way: it did showcase a talent. Unfortunately for Albery it wasn’t really in keeping with the philosophy of the Museum which the Hon. Curator J. B. Shrewsbury, who was Art Master at Collyer’s school, set out for the first time in 1935 in the report for the Annual General Meeting: “I have seen pass the age of hairless horses, human shaped potatoes, bottled monstrosities, freaks, fancies and futilities, and the dawn of an orderly arrangement of the natural resources, history and art of the locality. There is a wealth of meaning however, in the word ‘display’. We are now showing our collections – but we have not reached the era of display – for display means showmanship in a building specially designed, having space, light, warmth and colour. The ambition of a Society with a museum should be not only to attract by its exhibits but compel the attendance of every member of the community, by the building and its accessories. Here should come …the shopkeeper, the agriculturalist and the manufacturer. Children, greedy for light and colour, would be satisfied by the many beautiful things displayed, and learn the connection between life and art”. A rhyming history of Horsham in the space of a shilling would almost certainly count in “Shrew’s” eyes as one of the latter rather than former exhibit. Though the £7 raised would have been useful to the Museum.
1936
1936 was a year sandwiched between two royal events: the first the death of George V was expected; however, the method of his dying would, if known, have caused outcry, for “just before midnight on 20 January his doctors put him to sleep with a lethal injection of cocaine and morphia.”[166] The end of the year saw the abdication crisis of Edward VIII who, two days after George V’s death, had been publicly-proclaimed King. Thanks to a news blackout by the nation’s media, the internationally-known affair between Mrs. Wallis Simpson and Edward VIII was little-known in Britain until December of 1936.
It was also the year that saw the iconic event of the Depression era take place: the Jarrow Hunger March. The degree to which it has become the symbol of the era is clear, for the modern-day view of it ignores the actual record. The Jarrow Hunger March started on 5 October 1936: 200 men marched 300 miles to London; it was one of the smallest marches to London. The same time as the Jarrow March took place, so did three others: “the 1,400 strong sixth National Hunger March, the Scottish Veteran’s march, and a particularly poignant expedition by the National League of the Blind, ’tapping their way to London to ask for justice’ on behalf of 67,534 registered blind persons in England and Wales who wanted the age at which a blind person could draw a pension reduced from fifty to forty years. All these marches took much the same route”[167].
For Horsham, as for much of the nation, the start of the year was marked by Civic services and cancellation of events following the announcement of George V death, as the County Times recorded it in reverential tones: “from the time of the bulletin broadcast on Monday night that “the King’s life is moving peacefully to its close”, and the final announcement soon after midnight that that noble life had ended has there been sorrow in the hearts of his subjects….The hour of King George’s death dictated that the news was first heard in the privacy of home, and the loss, felt deeply and keenly, was manifest everywhere on Tuesday. Flags on all public buildings flew at half mast, shops dressed their windows in black and with mourning signs, and people themselves wore some articles of mourning”. The paper then gives a list of known activities and events postponed because of the funeral, which also reveals a rich networked society – events also included those based in Crawley revealing Horsham sphere of influence:
“Horsham Conservative, British Legion and Blue Star Harrier Whist Drives. Roffey Working Men’s Club Dance, Horsham W.E. Philharmonic Society Practice, …Blue Star Cycling Club supper at Warninglid… Crawley and Horsham Hunt have announced all meets are cancelled until after the King George’s funeral on Tuesday. Coming events which have been postponed include the following:-
Jan 24th – 4th Ba. Royal Sussex Regt. Gallipoli dinner; Horsham Rotary Club’s ladies night
Jan. 25th Horsham Blue Star Harriers’ dinner, 4th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment dance…
Jan 29th Police Ball, Horsham Drill Hall. 30th Horsham and District Rover Scouts annual dinner….”
The nation and the town then looked forward to the Coronation of the popular 41 year old King, with the town forming a sub-Committee of the Council to co-ordinate events and activities. It was to be a major event and the popularity of the new King showed itself when the sub-committee agreed to give every child attending elementary and other schools in Horsham Urban District a mug produced by the British Pottery Manufacturers Federation through a local dealer at a price of 6/8d per doz.[168] This sense of largesse extended to the proposal that the Council could buy the rest of Horsham Park, some 42 acres, from Col. Hurst. However, when the price came back at £30,000, which both the Council and the agents for Col. Hurst, King and Chasemore, thought cheap, or to use the official expression “too low”, the Council decided it could not afford it at that time.[169]
Whilst all this was going on, there was no mention in the British press about Mrs. Wallis Simpson; the world’s press, particularly those in United States, might be giving accounts of the growing relationship, but not the British media. That was until December when the Bishop of Bradford “said the King needed God’s grace in his calling.”[170] It was a chink in the news blackout which resulted in the full story coming out and, in days, Edward VIII had abdicated and George VI had been declared King. In Horsham the Council received a letter from “Messrs. John Wakefield Ltd. enclosing a communication from the firm supplying the mugs with regard to cancelling the order for King Edward VIII Coronation Mugs.” The Council confirmed the cancellation of the order.[171] But, as the County Times reported, there was still a Coronation to prepare for; just not the one intended. “Preparation for the coronation celebrations in Horsham will be resumed early in the New Year. The work had been proceeding rapidly until the crisis arose over the desire of King Edward VIII to marry Mrs. Simpson and the announcement yesterday week of his abdication. The accession of the Duke of York and his being proclaimed King George VI last Saturday, with the official decision that the Coronation should take place on May 12th as originally arranged, enables the committees to be ready to proceed as soon as Christmas is over. The majority of the 10 sub-committees, which were appointed to deal with the various events, however, have met and are in working order.”[172]
If, for the nation, 1936 could be seen as the year it lost two kings, for Horsham it was a year the town saw the opening of two new cinemas. In the autumn of 1935 planning applications had been approved and throughout the winter of 1936 the town could see construction work taking place as the buildings towered over neighbouring properties. The first to open was the Ritz Cinema which today (2013) is still standing and known as the Capitol. This cinema had a more local feel, designed by a local man, Mr. L. Parsons who was also captain of the Cricket club and whose brother would eventually earn the sobriquet “Mr. Horsham”, Stan Parsons, a local newsagent.
According to a member of the architectural practice, the cinema was laid out using a silver-topped walking cane on land that was known to suffer with water-logging, so had not been built upon.[173] This would bedevil its later life, as it lies on the course of a water source that runs from the Ritz through Horsham Park, where the pond is, down to Springfield; hence the name. However, back in June 1936, the only thing on people’s minds was the opening of the new cinema which was fully covered by The West Sussex County Times, in breathless tones under the heading: “Crowds throng to Ritz Premiere…. “hundreds of people lined North-street, Horsham on Saturday evening to catch a glimpse of the arrival of the celebrities for the opening of the National Provincial Cinema Co’s new super theatre The Ritz…‘shots’ were taken by Gaumont British cameramen who also took scenes among the crowds outside the building. These films have been shows during the week”.
This has obvious echoes of the celebratory Hollywood film opening that had become a staple of the entertainment news, and is still prevalent today. “I am the man who, for the past 12 years has been responsible for your cinema entertainment in Horsham” said Major R. C. G. Middleton, M.C. introducing Mr. E. T. Neathercoat, C.B.E. and Mrs. Neathercoat who performed the opening ceremony. “Last October” he continued “I handed over my trust to a company ….I’m sure I could not have found a better company to hand it to.” Just in case people did not understand the strong connection that the Cinema wanted with the town, an idea of a “community cinema”, Mr. Neathercoat reinforced it by mentioning in his speech it was the start of Horsham Cricket Week and that the architect Mr. L. Parsons of the practice Godman & Kay was also captain of Horsham Cricket Club. It was reported in the paper that the Ritz, which had asked for an extension in the Sunday licence to show its programme, had been turned down so remained at 8-10pm (rather than10.30) and they had to pay £20 to charity – £10 to the West Sussex District Nursing Association, £9 to the Horsham St John’s ambulance Building fund and £1 to the cinematograph fund.”
The Ritz tied its flag to the local mast: it employed local builders, a local architect and supported local charity; it was also the inheritor of the charity set up to help unemployed bandsmen from the First World War: the Blue Flash Company, of whom the Godman family were founder members.[174] The public who attended the opening also bought a souvenir programme.
Some four months later the Odeon would open and it had to somehow capture the local element, to show that it was of the people. The Odeon chain was owned by Oscar Deutsch and he employed the cinema architect George Coles (1884-1963) as a principal architect designing “streamlined, art deco style”. George Coles was born in Dalston, London; trained in architecture, he became “not only one of the first architects to specialize in this field (Cinema architecture, a field that developed after the 1910 Cinematograph Act that set safety standards) but also one of the most versatile, accomplished, and long-lasting.” George lived at Buck’s Head, Mannings Heath, Lower Beeding, where he would die on 30 April 1963.[175] It was he who designed the Horsham Odeon and so, like The Ritz, it was designed by a Horsham architect; a point specifically mentioned by the opener, the local M.P. Earl Winterton.
Like the opening ceremony of the Ritz, it would receive full coverage in the local press. “Crowds lined the Carfax and North-street when the Odeon, latest of Horsham’s cinemas was opened by Earl Winterton, P.C. M.P. on Wednesday (7th Oct)…An elaborate programme was presented and the proceedings lasted for about four hours, the brilliant exterior lighting of the theatre revealing the gathering of hundreds strong outside before the ceremony, and lighting a procession wending its way homewards long after midnight.” The paper went on to report that the attendants wore green uniforms, that this was the third Odeon opened by Lord Winterton in his constituency – Worthing and Lancing being the other two. Lord Winterton went on to say that “Odeon cinemas were all constructed of British materials and by British labour…He reminded the audience too, that Mr. Coles, the architect, was a local man, and that later in the programme the company would follow their usual practice at the opening by allowing a collection to be taken in aid of the local hospital.”[176]
Earl Winterton specifically pointed out that the Odeon used British labour and British materials in its construction and the Ritz had used local builders and local material, a point that was clearly indicated in the Odeon Souvenir programme which listed all the suppliers; however, not one of whom came from Horsham or Horsham district. The Odeon issued a quarto souvenir programme in full gold card covers with red and black lettering. It revealed that “Odeon (Horsham) Limited is a subsidiary of, and is promoted and controlled by, Odeon Theatres Limited.” It also had an artistic impression of the cinema – there then follows pages of self promotion of the Odeon chain and adverts of suppliers for the cinema – not a single supplier was Horsham-based.
What is strange, and would have been forgotten about if mention was not made in a small newspaper article,[177] is that the Odeon had employed the highly-talented local artist Bainbridge Copnall to paint ceiling plaques depicting scenes from Horsham’s history. Bainbridge, the son of the town’s leading photographer, Edward Copnall, had left Horsham by now and was making a name for himself in London as a sculptor working on prestigious buildings in London and had just finished wooden carvings for the SS Queen Mary. The Odeon didn’t invite him to paint scenes for any other cinema; it made no mention of the paintings in its programme, nor were any photographs taken of the views. Without the mention in the press they would cease to exist in the historical record. Whilst it cannot be proven I suspect, following on from the opening of the Ritz, the Odeon knew it had to create a connection with the local people, and what better way than painting scenes of Horsham’s past, a past that was creeping into the public’s consciousness with the local museum, William Albery’s Rhyming History of Horsham and his stream of press articles. Unfortunately, the paintings have disappeared and are forgotten. So the Odeon, a building like no other in Horsham, built without local labour or local suppliers, was opened by a Horsham and Worthing M.P. and was decorated with Horsham’s past to connect it to the town.
When the Ritz was opened it made great play of the fact that it used local labour. The commemorative souvenir programme announced: “Firstly, it is a building in which local materials have been used as far as possible, and is built with almost entirely local labour. Apart from specialist trades, naturally associated with a Cinema, between 95% and 100% of the labour has been drawn from the town and its immediate neighbourhood.” However, back in January 1936 the local paper ran a story about finding coal in Horsham. “It is about 12 feet below the surface of King’s Meadow where a new cinema is in course of erection. A rather ironical fact was that the coal was struck by some of the men who had left distressed Welsh coalfield areas. They, of course, knew for certain that it was coal, and several of them took pieces home and watched it burn. The seam is about two feet long and in the sandstone and rock which contains a considerable amount of iron. The coal has the appearance of pitch and is clean to the touch but burns with a nice bright flame. A coalman knows the type as canal-coal”[178]. It is in fact the plant remains when the sandstone beds were being laid down and small dark fragments are often found captured in the ripples of Horsham sandstone. But for us what is interesting is not the finding of coal, but the use of Welsh labour, cheap Welsh labour to build the cinema, though they may have been employed by a Horsham contractor, they cannot be said to be local labour. That being said the “walls are faced with local hand-made bricks and stone” (as above) so the cinema did source local materials. As seen before the plight of the miners continued to play on the civic consciousness and 1936 was no different, when the council agreed to pay 1/- (one shilling) extra per ton of coal “for the specific purpose of increasing the miner’s wages”. It was estimated that this increase would cost the council £200 for the next financial year.[179]
Whilst the Odeon noted the importance of local history in creating a sense of community identity, not everyone saw it in the same light. In February (23rd) the following motion was put forward at the Council meeting, but rejected that “The bandstand in the Carfax be enclosed (in some form) as a shelter for people waiting for buses, or failing that, the Bandstand be demolished and a suitable shelter built near on the site or any suitable site near the bus stands”. The County Times reported the view of the Chairman that “I think that the bandstand is an extremely awkward thing, and that it has been an eyesore ever since it was erected in 1892. When I pass it I often wonder whatever made them put a bandstand there, for it is certainly not a nice thing where it is.” As it was reported the Council had not been asked, it was erected by public subscription and given to the Local Board, which became the Urban District Council. Having lost the motion, it was agreed to investigate various options, which were reported back on 20 April, where one suggestion of building a shelter nearer the conveniences led to the clerk reporting that “the Conveyance of the 12th November 1877 from the Duke of Norfolk to the Horsham Local Board, which stipulated that the site known as “Gaol Green” could only be laid out and improved for purpose of public walks and pleasure grounds or any other purpose authorised by the Public Health Act 1875.” a bus shelter did not fit that remit. The issue was resolved when the Council decided it was not its concern to pay for a shelter for bus travellers; that was up to the bus companies and it would work with them if they wanted to find a suitable location and pay for its construction. Unsurprisingly nothing was forthcoming; the town retained its Victorian bandstand.
Horsham’s relationship to its history was quite fascinating; as mentioned above, history was ever present. There was an increasing awareness of history, not just of monarchs and a glorious imperial past, but also local history and its importance. Thanks to William Albery there was a growing critical mass, that made the town’s history reach a tipping point in public consciousness; in 1836 Dudley had published a small history book, that was followed by Dorothea Hurst 30 years later for another generation. Another generation later, in 1911, Albery’s edited version of Burstow’s Reminiscences, then, only 17 years after that, the Parliamentary History and the formation of a permanent museum, followed by local history articles and, in 1935, the Rhyming History. In 1936 and 37 you can see how the town was reacting to this growing awareness, but it was not cut and dried and, in retrospect, the town’s history mattered if it was economically beneficial. The town’s gas company used history to give a sense of identity, tradition and stability in an age of change as it was opening its new showroom; here, history mattered and was important, as the County Times reported[180]: “Gas Company’s 100 years of useful service”. The gas company marked its 100 years of service and opened “their spacious new showrooms and offices at 19 London Road, Horsham on Monday…Before the luncheon Mr. Bennett, (Chairman of Directors) addressing the gathering, said that last summer Horsham Gas Company completed 100 years of useful service to the town, and they decided to mark the occasion in a way which would be worthy of its importance….The company had also built a lecture theatre, in which their customers could see how to use gas economically … It was a complete product of Horsham since it was designed by Godman & Kay and erected by Messrs A. Lindfield and Son.” Mr Stenning, a director, in a speech praised the town with its “nice broad roads, with green swards running along their sides.” Going on to say that Horsham “lacked two things”: slums, “and the other was an aerodrome. Sooner or later that would have to come. It was a necessity which was being felt in many places, and Horsham would have to see that an aerodrome was provided”. Mrs. Laughton, who was in attendance, remarked that she was the only woman President of a Chamber of Trade in England.
However, in February of the same year, as related above, a Councillor who didn’t like the Bandstand proposed knocking it down or converting it into a bus shelter.
A clear example of the mixed thinking by the Council regarding heritage can be seen in 1937 when it decided to sell the original hand-painted silk Chinese wallpaper that hung in Park House because it got in the way of turning the reading room into a Collecting Department, compared to the discussions over the idea of keeping number 2 Barttelot Road.
The Council required additional space for its Collectors Department: when Park House was bought, parts of it were given over to public use, after considerable pressure put on it by Albery and others (see above). When the Council set up a public library it was decided that a public Reading Room would be established in Park House, where the reference library would also be situated. Because everyone knew the room had the Chinese wallpaper on its walls this key feature of the room was never mentioned; it was hidden in plain sight. The decision to convert the room into Council offices caused little or no comment until it was announced that the Wallpaper was to be sold off. On 20 September 1937 The Council received a deputation on the subject of utilising the Reading Room for the purpose of a Collector’s Office and the proposed sale of the Chinese wallpaper: “letters were also read from the Horsham District Trades and Labour Council, National Federation of Building Trades Operatives, and the local branch of the National Union of Railwaymen.” William Albery submitted on behalf of the deputation representations urging that the use of the room should be continued as at present and that the Chinese wallpaper be not disposed of.” However, they decided 7 votes to 6 to sell it. The Council had received advice that the wallpaper could be worth £600 but only one tender of £130 was received, which was accepted. In total 1,200 people signed a petition against the sale, or was it retention of the Reading room? According to the Council, they would have to spend £3,000 in building new offices if they did not convert the room. In October the County Times ran a photograph of the wallpaper being peeled off the walls.
What was the 18th century wallpaper like? Obviously, examples of similar paper exist elsewhere, and we do have two photographs taken by Copnall of the room[181], but the photographs are black and white and, for some reason, Copnall did not take a close-up of the actual design, suggesting that the photographs were taken, not for this purpose as a record, more photographs of the room at some stage, and were offered by Copnall at a later date. When the author met Miss Hurst back in 2002, I asked her about the room and the wallpaper, remarking that it was a shame no detailed drawings were done. She informed me that she embroidered two cushions with an exact copy of the wallpaper which she referred to as a gilded birdcage after the decoration, saying also that the background was blue. If the reader wants to see the effect of such a room, visit Brighton Royal Pavilion. As for the purchaser, Mr. H. C. Pembury, of Gloucester-place London, and what he did with the rolled-up paper, nothing is known.[182]
The Council showed a marked lack of inventiveness (why couldn’t a section be framed behind glass above the fireplace for example, why wasn’t there a desire to keep the wallpaper, or even a section of it? Unfortunately, the minutes do not give the full debate or thinking; nor does the County Times. Was it the imperative to save a possible £3,000 cost of a new build; was it that they didn’t see the historical importance of the paper? They didn’t apparently take any advice on it: no letter from the Victoria and Albert Museum on its significance, for example. Was it that they wanted to remove all vestiges of public engagement with Park House, to remove its history? It was a Council office first and foremost; not a historical building: after all, three years later the museum society would be forced out. Yet earlier in the year they had instructed Godman & Kay, the local architects, to investigate if it was worth trying to preserve a cottage with an interesting chimney stack. As the public health committee heard[183], No. 2 Barttelot-road, Architect’s Report “the structural condition of the building is very poor and architecturally there is little to recommend the preservation of the corner building alone. In doing so, it would be necessary to demolish part of the chimney stack which is the most noteworthy feature of the cottage. The building is of timber framed construction, but it is not a sufficiently good example to warrant the very considerable expenditure which would be necessary to preserve it. We are therefore of the opinion that the Council would be wise to demolish this building with the adjoining property”.
The Council was therefore keen to take external advice, interested in other people’s historical buildings and important architectural features but not interested in its own. Or were the decisions ultimately driven by economic pressure? Unfortunately, we do not know, as the Council never had a policy, so they can seem arbitrary. In light of the interest in local history and heritage the decision on Park House wallpaper seems perverse, and there was probably something else going on that meant that none of it was preserved in the house or in the town. The marketing and publicity potential of the room was ignored and never explored. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be the last time in Horsham’s history such events would occur.
However, what is important is that over 1,000 people signed a petition against the sale: history and heritage had a cultural hinterland and supporters, and a lot more than the couple of hundred who were members of the Museum Society.[184]
The building of two new cinemas in close proximity to each other was changing the geography of this area of Horsham. North-street had an unusual make-up of properties, with larger 17th and 18th century houses, a mid-Victorian church, the home of a Girls and Boys school; the latter becoming the town Library, and a mix of professional and skilled artisans living there. By 1936 Park House had become Council Offices, the Fire Brigade had a new station, Padwick’s house was pulled down to create a new cinema, open meadow was being in-filled, and in April the Church decided it no longer wanted to keep St. Mark’s. As recounted elsewhere (see volume 2), St Mark’s was a church unloved by church authorities, originally built in 1839/40 on the back of an overflowing congregation at St Mary’s brought about by a charismatic vicar; ever since he left, within a few years of construction, the church had a small congregation and could easily fit into St Mary’s, whose own congregation had fallen. Then it was enhanced and greatly extended as a memorial to the tragic loss of a daughter by the vicar; the church had a diminishing role ever since.
“I cannot myself doubt that the needs of the 5,000 people (including the 850 children attending school) on the east side of the railway are paramount …I am quite definitely of opinion that, at whatever date is most convenient in all circumstances, St Mark’s church should cease to be used for services on Sundays.” In these words the Bishop of Chichester announces his considered opinion on the church problem at Horsham, in a communication addressed to the vicar. The bishop went on to write “The church site on east of the railway was secured 40 years ago and I think that what is really surprising is that no building has yet been erected upon it. I am sure that there ought not to be any further delay. I would beg you therefore to do your very best at once to raise funds for a building on that site; to be used for mission work, including work amongst the children. I think the provision of such a building should be put in the forefront of the programme of the church’s work in Horsham at this juncture.” The paper also reported that Sunday services would end at the end of July.[185]
There was a rear-guard action by the parishioners, who sent the Bishop a petition with 1,785 signatures on it asking for services to be resumed, but as the County Times reported on 30 October that year, the church did not change its position. It was also reported on in The Sussex County Magazine.[186] “It appears probable that the decision of the Bishop of Chichester to close St Mark’s church for Sunday worship will be adhered to. The issue has given rise to some feeling in Horsham, from which an extensively signed petition was sent against the closure….the religious needs of the whole population of the town;” and he adds “that so long as no effort is being made to meet the needs of a population of 5,000 on the east side of the railway, the church in Horsham is failing in its duty….It is stated that preliminary plans for a combined church and church hall on the east side have been drawn up” The article goes on to comment about the number of valid signatories to the petition, suggesting that many were dubious. As it was commented at the time if the number of signatories attended the church regularly then it would not have closed. Exactly the same comment was made 55 years later when St Mark’s was finally demolished, though some 12,000 signed that petition.
One of the reasons why Horsham attracted two new cinemas was that the town was growing in size. This was reflected in the demands put on the Council’s surveyors’ department, which undertook a role that was far more than just surveying. When the Surveyor asked for additional staffing it attracted some press attention following an argument in the Council chamber.[187] Mr. Wheeler backed up his argument for more staff by detailing the amount of work carried out in 1920 compared to 1935, noting that staffing levels had increased by one junior clerk since 1920 when the Council employed “a surveyor, assistant surveyor and clerk”, before going on to give comparative figures which are presented here in tabulated form :
| Work | 1935 | 1920 |
| Years estimates | £19,353 | £6,900 |
| Letters received per month | 275 | 40 |
| Building plans | 134 for 480 properties | 36 |
| employees | 85 | 32 |
| Wages per week | £217 7s 7d | £84 19s 1d |
| Occupied properties | 4,203 | 2,730 |
| Mileage of roads | 21 | 15 |
| Water pumped per month | 11,234,000 gallons | 5,709,000 gallons |
| Sewage | 258,000,000 gallons | No record |
| Council houses | 430 | nil |
He went on to report that since 1920 the surveyor had managed £143,000 worth of extra work without having additional staff; “in addition the first housing scheme – Oakhill – was carried out by private architects at a cost of £1,300 in fees.” The Surveyors’ clerical staff are responsible for keeping 36 different books compared to 6 in 1921 and there was no stores department then, but there is now with 14 books to keep.” Local Government didn’t mean small government; and a modern developing Horsham that was led by a Council demanded administrators.
One area of work that demanded additional resources, and one that the Council had to address was the issue of overcrowding. As mentioned in the previous chapter the Government introduced a new Housing Act and expected local authorities to enact it. So it was that the County Times ran a large public notice about overcrowding on 31 January 1936. The Council was going to (had to) tackle the issue.
“A house is overcrowded when the number of persons sleeping in if it either-
(1) Exceeds the “PERMITTED NUMBER OF PERSONS,” as defined in the tables set out hereunder: or
(2) is such that any two of those persons being 10 years old or more of opposite sexes and not living together as husband and wife, MUST sleep in the same room….
Overcrowding Standard
The “PERMITTED NUMBER OF PERSONS” is the smaller of the two numbers determined in accordance with the two following Tables:
Table 1
| Table 1 | Table II | ||
| Where a house | consists of:- | The total obtained by room a number of | reckoning for each persons as follows:- |
| (a) One room | 2 | Where the floor area | of a room is- |
| (b) Two rooms | 3 | (a) 110 sq ft or more | 2 |
| (c)Three rooms | 5 | (b) 90sq ft or more but less than 110 sq ft | 1 ½ |
| (d) Four rooms | 7 ½ | (c)70 sq ft or more, but less than 90 sq ft | 1 |
| (e) Five rooms or more | 10, with an additional 2 in respect of each room in excess of five | (d) 50sq.ft or more, but less than 70 sq ft | ½ |
| (e) Under 50 sq. ft. | Nil |
In the above Tables “Room” does not include any room of a type not normally used in the locality as a living room or as a bedroom, and no account is to be taken of a child under one year old, while children between 1 and 10 years count as one half.[188] I have included in a footnote today’s reference to overcrowding. In effect the same criteria for overcrowding haven’t changed.
The Councillors knew, before the result of the survey was in, that there was overcrowding in Horsham. The initial results confirmed it, so on 21 July the housing committee, after receiving a lengthy report, agreed to build 81 additional homes to deal with overcrowding, even though the survey had only just begun. They decided to build 73 houses and 8 bungalows on the Brighton and Oakhill housing estates: a mixture of 11 x 4 bed, 62 x 3 bed and 8 bungalows at an estimated cost of £34,645. They would apply to the Government to get a subsidy. Unfortunately, on 7 December it was reported that the Minister of Health could not give a subsidy for 35 houses – such a subsidy could only be given if, without it, it “would impose an undue burden on the district”; in effect, HUDC was too rich. Horsham needed the houses, and could afford to build them, so the Council took out a loan and built over a three-year programme the additional council houses for rent. The survey itself was reported to have been completed to the[189] Public Health Committee in February the following year, where the findings revealed a number of properties needing repair. “The work of measuring properties in connection with the overcrowding survey has now been completed with the exception of 10 houses…the total now surveyed to 2,618…The Survey has been useful apart from the purpose for which it was intended, for all the working-class houses in the district have been visited, and this has enabled the Sanitary Inspector to get an idea of the houses requiring repairs. About 250 houses were found requiring inspection for this purpose. In addition, there have been many houses where minor repairs were needed, and a large number of these have already been attended to.”
The growing involvement of the state in everyday life through the use of local government meant that there was an increasing requirement for staff and management resources. This was reflected in the request for an additional surveyor mentioned above and the requirement by the Rural District Council for new offices. As reported in the County Times for 12 June, “Horsham Rural Council’s proposed new offices building in North-Street which it is estimated will cost £8,555 was the subject of an inquiry …at Horsham Town Hall yesterday…“the area administered by the council was 75,923 acres, and the estimated population 22,000.” The paper reported that the Council wanted to borrow £5,807 and the cost of the land was £1,200 with building costs of £6,500, with the rest (£855) for miscellaneous items.[190] The paper mentioned that the “Council decided to build a new office in October 1935 that when the current clerk was appointed 22 years ago there were just 4 staff, now they numbered 16 who were accommodated in two buildings a quarter of mile apart, their offices in the Carfax and at 42 Albion Terrace, with Council meetings taking place in the Town Hall.” Horsham District Council had addressed the problem in 1928; now, 8 years later, the Rural District was facing up to the same issues. The fact that the offices were to be built opposite the Urban District pointed out how perverse it seemed. However, back in the 1920s and ‘30s, rural living was seen as distinctly different from urban living, so required different administration. Today “rural living” is predominantly for most people “urban living”, but in the country; back then it was different, with many houses still without mains sewage, water, electricity or gas. There was not the critical mass that enabled step changes to occur in quality of life issues; a small village did not have enough customers to afford to do anything major without cross-subsidy from other villages, whereas in Horsham there was that mass; a mass that meant it could afford to borrow, build etc.
A great deal of Horsham’s story in the 1920s and ‘30s has been focused on social welfare, the rise of local government to deal with such issues as housing, overcrowding, health care, or with how leisure time was being spent or how Horsham coped with the economic cycles. There was, though, one issue that hung over the town and nation, and that was the threat of war. Thanks to the war memorial in the centre of the town as well as the rebuilt Horsham Hospital, the Drill Hall and the large number of survivors of the conflict, war was an ever-present issue in physical and emotional/psychological terms. Those that were too young to fight could not escape it and those that had fought could not forget it. The town had an active League of Nations supporters who, for example, in 1924 held a fete in Horsham Park[191] which included two speeches: one by the Chairman, who urged every village and community to support the aims of the League, and then by Dr. Littleton (ex headmaster of Eton) who argued that the League was important as it allowed the discussion of questions rather than going to war. Another anti-war organization which may have been strong in Horsham, though little remains of it, was the national No More War Movement which held a public meting in the Carfax in 1927 on 23 July 23. According to the County Times it was announced that a branch of the No More War Movement would be formed in Horsham during that autumn.[192]
In addition to this, there was a constant revisiting of it; or, rather, the lessons of the War. Virtually everything was looked at through the prism of the conflict, so that demand for housing was a reflection of building homes for heroes and so on. For example, in September 1937, 20 members of the Horsham branch of the British Legion returned after a week long visit to Germany “What impressed the delegation most of all was the sincerity of the friendship of the Germans, their loyalty to their leader Adolf Hitler, and the happiness and contentment which they showed under his regime.[193] In June of that year the Lest We Forget Association on their annual outing to Worthing stopped at the Dog and Bacon pub there the 300 totally disabled men were given flowers: “On this occasion 300 bunches of mixed flowers alone were collected, and in addition there were sufficient pinks and roses for each man to have some. Each of the 280 men also received a packet of cigarettes. The flowers have been given to these men for the past ten years, but seldom before have there been sufficient for every man to have a bunch.”[194] The First World War and its aftermath was everywhere to be seen and heard. Even the increasing interest in history, in all its aspects, manifested in the town (this aspect will be looked at a little later in another context) with the popularity of the museum, history book lending in the library, William Albery with his constant flow of articles, letters and publications, Belloc and his books: there was a strong acceptance that the present and the future must learn from the past, so reflections on the War permeated the general discourse of every day. This could be seen in the political debate taking place through the No More War Movement, Friends of the League of Nations etc.
Every now and again conflict would arise in some part of the world that would affect some families in Horsham, but in 1936 the Spanish Civil War can be seen as a conflict that punctured through the general level of awareness and raised the talk of war to a higher level. The Spanish Civil War caught the imagination of poets, artists and writers and lasted three years (at least officially). Some 2,500 volunteered to fight in the conflict from Britain, of which at least 500 died,[195] one of whom was Captain Sydney Holland, 53, who was said to “have been the oldest airman in England to be given a “B” licence, who was killed while fighting for the Government forces in Spain when his aeroplane crashed, after being hit by machine gun fire, while taking part in a raid near Vitoria.” He was the second son of the late Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Holland of Dunedin, King’s-road, Horsham. He lived in London and had an adventurous life, including during the Brazilian Revolution four years earlier. “Capt. Holland is said to have flown the rebel leader from Rio de Janeiro to San Paulo, but on the rebels being crushed he had to leave the country.” The County Times went on to report that after flying newspapers out to Paris from Croydon at 4.30am he would frequently be seen playing golf at the Mannings Heath Course at 9am; he also, like his father, was a keen chess player, competing in Horsham’s Y.M.C.A competitions.[196]
The fear of air raids and the impact on civilian populations was a major concern of the Government, driving governmental policy. “Assuming deadly mass air raids on London and other industrial centres, with possibly 600,000 deaths in the first sixty days, the government had developed plans for the mass evacuation of 4 million civilians, …The Ministry of Health scoured the country to find 300,000 hospital beds for the first months predicted casualties; the Home Office planned mass graves and the burning of bodies in quicklime because it could not afford an estimated 20 million square feet of seasoned timber every month to make coffins.”[197] It is in reflection of this worry that the next three years’ preparation for the War takes place. The Government took it seriously, and Churchill did his bit to instill concerns.
If accounts of deaths of Horsham volunteers fighting in the air didn’t bring home the threat of war and aerial threat of that, there was always Churchill and others who demanded increase, or rather, no further cuts, in the defence budget. Churchill was invited in June to the Horsham Conservative Fete where he gave an extensive speech, which was reported on in full in the local paper, 1,500 people attended the meeting .[198]
Mr. Winston Churchill attacks pacifists
“Mr. Winston Churchill, M.P speaking at Horsham Conservative Fete at Holbrook Park last evening accused the opposition parties to the National Government of minimising the necessity for the Government’s re-armament programme and said that there was no section which Nazi dictators would sooner attack than the Radicals and trade unionists. Among the left-wing intelligentsia, he declared, was an increasing number who considered it their sacred duty to support measures of defence and in the cause of freedom. Professional pacifists would be doing greater service if they went to Germany where the entire population was being welded into a vast fighting machine”.
There are a number of points to make about the speech. For a start it didn’t say anything new: Churchill was reiterating views he had expressed previously. However, the Worthing and Horsham Conservative Association wanted him, knowing what they would get. The fact that the speech was covered with extensive extracts given in the County Times, suggests that that paper, if no other, thought the message was important and needed to be heard. Today, because of hindsight, we can see its relevance, but if war had not broken out then it would have been a minor footnote in the history of the town. However, the speech has to also be taken in the context of Government reaction to international events and how that was feeding down to the local situation. The Government was demanding that local authorities should be prepared for war, and in light of this the speech can be seen as part of making people aware of what might happen, creating a culture of preparedness. Back in July 1935 the Council had discussed the Home Office official circulars that had been received, but decided to wait till detailed pamphlets had been issued; which they were in September. Just before Christmas of that year a meeting was held at County Hall about air raids.[199]
That was followed in April by a further report and a request by the Royal Sussex Regiment to know what the Council was going to do. This was followed by the creation of an Anti-Gas Committee. Then in October the full impact of what it meant to be prepared for air attacks and civil defence hit home when the Council discussed and set up a structure to manage its response. Churchill’s speech can be seen as being all part of this awaking response, given support by the local press. Although a long report, its contents are given in full from the Council Minutes as it reveals how thorough the Council had to be.
8 April – Selection committee
Air Raid Precaution
It was agreed on a previous occasion to defer the appointment of a Committee to deal with this matter until the Committees for the year were established. It will be remembered that copies of the County Council’s letter were circulated, and your Committee have received a recent letter from the Officer commanding the Royal Sussex Regiment enquiring if a Local Committee had yet been formed and what proposals of the Council are, the formation and the work of such Committees.
Recommendation 4
That a small Committee be formed consisting of three Members of the Council with power to co-opt from outside organisations and that this special Committee be formed of the following Members:- Councillors Bowen, Bryce and Padwick.
On 4 June it was recommended that Capt. J. V. Chriss from Horsham Fire Brigade be appointed to serve on the Anti-Gas Committee.
Report of Air Raids Precautions Committee for Horsham Urban Area October 1936
“After perusal of the literature received from the Home Office, and the County Council, it was felt that as the subject covered so many works of a special nature, it would be advisable to sub-divide the work into various sections with a specialist in the particular branch as the head of each section….
The County Council are to be responsible authority for the organisation within the area of their jurisdiction, the principle to be generally followed is that each local authority within the area should undertake those services which are related to its normal functions …
The authority for the Urban area of Horsham will be the Air Raids Precautions Committee formed by the Horsham Urban District Council …Your Committee recommend that the branches or sections be formed:-
Branch or section Officer in Charge
Medical Services and Nursing Dr E. C. Bradford
First Aid D. Bryce
Decontamination of roads and buildings E. Partridge (Sanitary Inspector)
Rescue Parties E. Partridge (Sanitary inspector)
Transport W. R. Guildford (H. Kay Ltd)
Fire Brigade Capt. J.V. Chriss (Capt)
Roads, )
Sewers )
Water Supply )
Sewage Disposal ) C G Atkinson (Surveyor &
Water Engineer)
Demolitions )
General Engineering )
Stores )
Electricity & Lighting F. Ffrench
Gas Works and Distribution J. W. Halstead (Gasworks
Engineer & manager)
Schools A. H. Eyles (Headmaster,
Victory Road School)
Publicity J. E. Lawrence
(Sussex Daily News)
The Police act under direct instructions from the Chief Constable, but are represented on your Committee by the Police Superintendent, and Mr. H. T. Knott, Chief of the Special Constabulary.
The Liaison Officer between Territorial’s and your Committee being the Adjunct of the local Territorial Unit.
The Responsible officer of each branch or section may form his own Committee by co-opting other persons specialising in the work of the branch.
The responsible officer of each branch or section to completely organise and train the personnel of his branch, in their particular duties, reposting from time to time to the main Committee.
First Aid
Your Committee recommend that the New Health Clinic in Hurst Road be the First Aid Post for the district.
Casualty Clearing Hospital
That the Horsham Hospital, Hurst Road, be the casualty clearing hospital.
Base Hospitals
The base hospitals will be the Horsham Infirmary and Southlands Hospital, Shoreham-by-Sea.
Laundries
That the Horsham Infirmary and Horsham Hospital Laundries be used.
Clerical staff
A staff recruited from offices in the district under a member of H.U.D.C. staff.
Training of Personnel
The St. John Ambulance Brigade has undertaken to instruct employees of the Horsham urban District Council and other personnel required, on the subject of gas and first aid equipment.
Instructions to the General public
The St. John Ambulance Brigade is prepared to instruct the general public and conduct examinations on the subject of gas and first aid treatment.
Your Committee recommend that a course of six lectures on the subject of Air Raid Precautions be given to the employees of the Horsham Urban District Council and the general public, and that such lectures should be held at the Town Hall on the following dates November 10th 17th, 24th; December 1st, 8th and 15th, and that the holding of these lectures be freely advertised in the local press.
Warning of Air Raids to General Public
The Home Office are, at the present time, considering the best method of giving warning of Air Raids to the general public, and no definite information can be given at present or until further instructions have been received from the Home Office.
Street Wardens
A system of Street Wardens will be organised by the local Police,
Lighting
The Home Office have issued special instructions to Lighting Authorities on the control of lighting.
Gas Lighting & heating
The Home Office have issued a special circular to Gas Works Authorities.
Personnel
Your Committee recommend that advertisements be issued in the local press calling for volunteers:-
Males over 45 years of age, under the following heads:-
Medical.
Dentists.
Dispensers.
Clerical.
Engineering and building trades.
Electrical.
Plumbing.
Transport Drivers. Dispatch riders.
Fire Brigade.
General Labourers.
Females:-
Medical.
Nursing.
Laundry Work
Clothing Stores.
Clerical.
Stores
Your Committee hope to report in the near future on the subject of general and engineering stores and the requirements of the various branches.”
Instead of Horsham Hospital they decided to use “Public Assistance Institution Hospital.” (which was the old workhouse).
The following note in the minutes jars but, as with all local government, things have to be paid for:
On 9December the Finance Committee was informed that “an officer or servant of the Local Authority, or any one nominated by the Local Authority receive injury whilst attending the Civilian Anti-Gas School the Secretary of state will indemnify the local authority.” The financial implications and costs to local authorities were raised again the following April when on 28 April 1937 the Finance Committee received a report concerning the financial cost of air raid precautions. “All representative Organisations have joined in a request to the Government that expenditure to be involved in air raid precautions should be borne by Government funds, and the Urban District Councils Association advise all Members to defer any further expenditure in connection with air raid precautions, including the emergency fire brigade organisation, until his Majesty’s Government has reached a decision on the financial issues raised by the Organisation”.
Horsham and the nation were preparing for the threat of air raids, a threat that the Spanish civil war and Guernica brought home to the public consciousness, though it had been experienced in the First World War. The County Times letters page was used as a space for public discussion on the merits of air raids and, in particular, the idea that Britain should bomb foreign civilians.” I myself wrote to Mr. Baldwin, imploring him to declare that whatever other nations did, Englishmen were above this baseness and would not do it. He refused to do so…We can and should reverse the policy of a government, which is, in the words of a spokesman, to “preserve the use of the bombing aeroplane…”; so wrote Mr. Moreton of Billingshurst while another writer wrote to say that when the R.A.F. bombed villages on the North-West Frontier of India they warned the inhabitants in plenty of time, so they could leave the villages; another writer wrote to say that “prevention is better than precaution”. (D H Trim).
The attack of Guernica led to a softening of the Government’s approach to Spanish evacuee children. Four days after the attack a letter was published in The Times calling for Basque children to be brought to safety in Britain. Thousands of children had fled to France (70,000 by October 1937 and 440,000 by the end of the War), Belgium, and the USSR but Britain refused until the bombing and then allowed 4,000 to come providing that there was not a charge on the British taxpayer and that they would be returned as soon as possible. On 23 May 1937 a boat designed to carry 800 passengers arrived at Southampton with 3,681 evacuees. They were resettled in a number of camps across the country including Herstmonceaux Castle in East Sussex, and Worthing.[200] They had to be provided for without a charge on taxpayers so fundraising efforts occurred in villages across the country. One such event occurred at Billingshurst which was reported on in the County Times in November 1937.[201] The concert was to raise funds for the 36 girls and 3 boys housed at Worthing. That in itself would make an interesting anecdote in the history, but what makes it more relevant is that the article goes on to spread the fear of air raids, adding to, rather than calming, apprehension, writing “On the day they left there was an air raid in which 11 children were killed and 1000 had to be left behind.” That it is a specific warning about death caused by air raids. The article, though, goes on to make a general point about air raids. “Some of the children were so nervous during air raids that often the examinations by British doctors and nurses (to make sure the children were healthy enough to be evacuated) had to be carried out at night time when the raids were less frequent”. The Spanish Civil War was reported in terms of the impact of air raids on a community; not in terms of the actual political struggle. It was used as a warning of what could happen, and in this one story you had death, psychological damage, evacuation and loss all rolled into one. These stories helped Horsham prepare for what might follow. Air raids, and the moral questioning of them, were current topics in Horsham and the surrounding villages, especially as nine miles north Gatwick had opened, as reported in the County Times 12 June 1936.
“London’s new airport at Gatwick was opened officially by Viscount Swinton P.C. G.B.E. M.C., Secretary of State for Air, on Saturday when a crowd of some 70,000 people flocked to examine this terminal air station and witness a display of flying by all types of machines. Gatwick Airport Station is the first airport-rail-terminal in Great Britain, and the Southern Railway have made it possible for passengers to travel from Victoria to the port in 40 minutes.” 70,000 people, even today, are a considerable number, but Crawley then was a small village and Horsham had a population around a 5th of that which attended the opening of the airport. It should not be forgotten that air travel was glamorous as well as threatening, and Horsham lay between two, the newly-opened Gatwick and the municipal airport of Shoreham with its still-standing Art Deco aerodrome.
The government’s approach to evacuee children was not reflected in Horsham or the County’s own response to its own children. At a time when there was no National Health Service 1936 saw growing state involvement in children’s health. On 22 November 1935 a Conference was held in Horsham on Immunisation Against Diphtheria (an illness that led to a thickening of the throat) held at the Town Hall. They agreed to immunise children in the county between 1-7 years old with extension of treatment to older children living in the same household on parent’s request. The cost would be 4s per child. The treatment would be based around the Maternity and Child Welfare Centres; there were 24 such centres in the County,[202] and it was estimated not more than 60% of children reached in first instance. It agreed that the County should pay all the cost rather than dividing it up between authorities, though it was agreed to ask if the local sanitary authorities agreed to that. HUDC naturally agreed that County should be charged.
1937
The year opened with the General Purpose Committee (13 January) receiving a petition by 57 residents in Hurst, Parsonage, Richmond, Rusper and Wimblehurst Roads against the “proposal to permit the erection of a factory on land lying to the north of the main Horsham and Dorking railway line… Although the plans of the new factory have not been received and in consequence an Interim Development Order has not yet been issued, your Committee have been advised that the factory will be constructed on attractive lines and that the layout could in no sense be said to depreciate the amenities of the district.” This would be the new C.I.B.A. factory whose story begins in the early years of the 1930s through to the end of the decade. It is an interesting tale because like the arrival of other employers to the town, rather than home-grown employment, it was chance that played a large part in the decision.
In 1934 C.I.B.A. which, by 1925 had coalesced its London-based operation around its Southwark Street site, realised that it required more space. It drew up a list of requirements (space, easy access by road, a railway siding and a good water supply) and identified 11 towns that could provide what they wanted. Horsham was one of them. They then looked in depth at what each location could provide and narrowed the short list down to three: Ashford, St. Mary Cray and Horsham. It was therefore down to when land could become available in the right location. On 24 April that year, King and Chasemore held an auction of land at which Mr. Gray, C.I.B.A.’s Company Secretary, was present. On offer on 25 April was “19 acres of the Wimblehurst Estate, described as ‘Ripe for factory or building development’…Inside the back cover of the auctioneer’s sale particulars, Mr. Gray wrote “£5,000 the lot, open to offer. Probably sell 5 acres”. The company took an option to purchase all the land, while continuing to look at other sites, since the water supply was a big unknown factor.” As the Council’s Water Committee minutes show, the Company was exploring the issue before building anything. On 22 September 1936 it was recorded that “A tentative enquiry has been received for terms for the water supply to a factory in Parsonage Road. The enquiry stated that the scale of charges would be prohibitive.” The Council could not alter the charge, which was “up to and including 100,000 galls. Per quarter – 2/ 3d per 1,000 gallons, Over 100,000 gallons per quarter – 1/ 8d per 1,000 gallons”. It should be remembered that the town was also having to supply water to the Rural District Council. (The meeting heard that the Rural District Council had taken 26.6% of the water pumped.) So the Council was not in a position to offer cheap water even though it was keen to attract new businesses.
However, the position regarding the water supply was developing rapidly, and on 22 June the Water Committee was hearing the following report: “C.I.B.A. Factory, Parsonage Road. The Committee discussed the terms for the supply of water to this factory. At present the estimated quantity required is 4,000 gallons per day for all purposes. The Company state that later if the efforts to obtain water sufficient in quantity and quality for cooling purposes prove unsuccessful, 100,000 gallons per day will be required and in that event the Company offer financial help with regard to a further source of supply.” They recommended that “providing consumption exceeds 200,000 gallons per Quarter a flat rate of 11½d per 1,000 gallons be offered”.
The Company was therefore exploring the possibility of extracting water; in fact, it was sinking a 250ft borehole into the Tunbridge Wells Sands, but if it failed, then it would asked the Council for help; the Council now backed down, not wanting to lose this opportunity, and offered far more realistic rates. In fact, the borehole proved successful and a plentiful supply was found, to the extent that in 1943 when there was a water shortage in the town, C.I.B.A. allowed it to take 10 million gallons in two months.
Everything was in place for C.I.B.A. It was pure chance that land came up in the right place at the right time. As you will recall, in 1934 Horsham was seeing land being bought for housing, rather than industrial use, but C.I.B.A. got the land and the Council was willing to back down over the price of water to ensure it stayed here, though that wasn’t required. However, it wasn’t all plain sailing after that, for the factory, which according to the planning note mentioned above would be attractive and not detract from the surrounding area, was a little too experimental. The design was built by O’Donahue and Halfhide in an Art Deco style. But the Council was unsure, as was the County’s Town Planner, so on 16 March 1938, before granting planning permission, the following was discussed at the General Purposes Committee: “Plan no 616, C.I.B.A. Factory and entrance lodge, Wimblehurst Road and Parsonage Road. This is a reinforced concrete structure and no calculations have been checked for the strength of the building. The Surveyor suggests that the Architects be asked to supply a certificate as to the design insofar as it relates to the strength or, alternatively, that the Council engage a specialist to check all calculations.” The Council did not agree with the Town Planners Observations and decided to require a certificate from the architects. On 4 April 1938 a contract was signed for the building of two entrance lodges and the roadway.[203]
The main building wasn’t finished till 1939. Even today the building stands out; though we are used to seeing 1930s architecture, something about it makes it different and that, I think, is its setting. If it was on the main road, it would be impressive, but not special. The architect decided that it would have two lodge houses at the front gate, replicating the 18th century lodges to a grand house. They could have put the building near the road, but they didn’t: they put it at the end of a grand avenue of trees. Park House in Horsham had a small amount of land between it and the highway, but Denne House has the grand avenue; were they replicating this? Why a tree-lined avenue? Why not open vista, as at Goodwood House? In some respects the factory was also ahead of its time in that, having bought the land, they built it in its own campus setting, in a park-like landscape, which the avenue of trees leads to, just as hi-tech companies in the 1980s and 1990s onwards were creating. We will never know why the architects decided what they did, but C.I.B.A., and its setting, were different for Horsham. It was the first international company to move to the town and it showed Horsham that it could market itself on the world stage as a place suitable for business. OK – the reason it came here was driven by the company rather than Horsham, but as shown by the Council being willing to reduce its water rates, the town was open for business. This would now be one of the stories of 20th Century Horsham.
The modern style of architecture that is so redolent in people’s minds of the 1930s also had a style of figurative decoration, for which Bainbridge Copnall, who left Slinfold for London, was getting commissions: notably, the Royal Institute of British Architects’ home in London. The better-known designer was Eric Gill, who designed Arial at Bush House for the BBC. Gill, unlike Copnall, was also a noted calligrapher. In 1934 a young David Kindersley joined Gill’s workshop at Pigotts, High Wycombe where he was introduced to letter-carving for the first time. Kindersley still wanted to be a sculptor but it would be through letter carving and alphabet design that he would make his name. Then on 16 June 1936 he left and moved to a remote cottage near Oakhurst, in Sussex. “Disappointed in his efforts he apparently buried many of his works in the garden. Gill was sending him lettering commissions and the proximity of Horsham Art School, headed by the painter Vincent Lines, enabled him to teach a lettering class. Kindersley developed an interest in progressive education.”[204]
Horsham Art School would teach lettering for shop workers who wanted to hand- write labels, sale notices etc. Kindersley was a popular teacher and in the early 1990s, he came back to visit Horsham and meet up with a one-time former pupil, Donald Standing, whose wife, Sylvia, worked at the Museum on the garden as a volunteer. It turned out that Don had been in correspondence with David, and David wanted to revisit places before he was too elderly. According to Don there were early lettering commissions by David dotted around Horsham, undertaken when he was a tutor at the School of Art. By 1939 he had left Horsham, moving to Dorset.
The continuing growth in the use of electricity became apparent throughout 1937. On 12 July, Electricity Committee was told by the “ Engineer that out of approximately 4,470 properties in the Urban District, 4,072 were connected for supplies of electricity”. In effect, in 35 years, from a standing start, 90% of the Urban District’s houses had been connected to the mains and most of this growth had occurred in the last 15 years. Today, because we take such a connection as essential, we are probably surprised it wasn’t 100%, but back in 1937 that was a remarkable achievement. When compared to the national scene, one can gain an idea of the achievement. “By the end of the 1930s two houses out of every three were wired for electricity – it had been only one in seventeen in 1920.”[205] We tend to forget that not only were 90% of the houses connected to electricity, but that those houses had to invest in new equipment to use the power, new kettles, irons, cookers, light bulbs. One way the Council encouraged such switchover was through the hire of the equipment as explored above, and the opening of an Electricity Showroom. The scale of such hire was revealed in January of this year when the Finance Committee heard that “Roughly £6,000 worth of electrical apparatus is now on hire in the town”.[206]
Another example was the use of electricity to celebrate the Coronation. As you may recall, the Electrical Works were built in 1902 to provide lighting, and only later did it move into providing power for other reasons. So in some respects it was apt that these town celebrations would see the impact that electricity provided for commemoration. The town had plenty of time to know what it was planning; however, that didn’t mean it was prepared, so a Special Committee of the Electricity Committee agreed on 22 Feb 1937 to hire floodlighting equipment at £48 to light the council offices and town hall for the Coronation celebrations. When in September the costs of the Council’s contribution to the town’s festivities were drawn up, they showed the Council had spent nearly another £100 on electrical illuminations. So out of a grand total of £273, nearly £150 was spent on electrical lighting. As a long-term reminder of such expenditure the Museum has a fine black and white photograph by Copnall of Park House lit up at night.[207]
The Coronation Festivities
The Clerk reported total expenditure, subject to the possibility of one or two minor accounts not received, amounting to £273 8s 3d against the provision of a 1d rate of £491; the principal items of expenditure were as follows:
£ s d
Streamers, etc. 56 9 6
Floodlighting- hire charge of materials 46 15 0
Electricity dept. illuminations 99 8 11
Surveyor’s Dept, labour, cratage &c 45 1 7
Miscellaneous items 25 13 3
£273 8 3
However, for the town the biggest impact of electricity was the announcement that the railway line would be electrified. This was part of the creation of “the biggest electrified suburban railway in the world”. The whole question of electrification was not as straightforward as an outsider would imagine. For a start, do you use the third line, or overhead cables? The overhead line meant that it was safer for maintenance workers who might stumble on the track, or the conductor rail icing up, breaking the contact. But the third rail was a lot cheaper and a lot of the South Eastern rail network had been built on the cheap, so tunnels and road bridges didn’t have the headroom to take the overhead wiring. “The third-rail system therefore had the advantage that it could be applied throughout the Southern Railway and, since it was cheaper and simpler to fit,” it was adopted.[208] However, this meant that Brighton, which had adopted the overhead system for its commuter trains, had to change. One of the first lines to be electrified was Waterloo to Guildford and Dorking, which was completed in 1925; then there was a 12-year hiatus before the line was electrified to Horsham and beyond. One of the many advantages of electrification was that it “allowed for much faster acceleration and braking, which meant that capacity on the railway could be greatly increased and trains could call at more stops within the same timetable …There was a “sparks effect” on every route that was electrified, with passenger numbers increasing….The government, anxious to create jobs, looked at funding a national scheme in 1931 but missed the chance, finding that it would cost £261m and earn, at best, 7 per cent return – which in fact for the railways would have been more than adequate….The Southern …was the only one of the four railways to generate sufficient resources from its own profits to enable it to undertake such an ambitious programme.”[209]
So it is not surprising that the town looked forward to the announcement, and when it came it was covered in full in the local press. However, whilst the electrification of the track was essential, what grabbed the imagination was the rebuilding of the railway station; perhaps because it was the most visual. Placing a third track between the lines doesn’t inspire, but a new station for the town does. So what was commented on, and the public were keen to know more about, was the railway station. For example, in November 1937 the Chamber of Trade heard that the plans for the new station would provide Horsham “with a really nice station”. That statement, not a view of the plans but the statement, was received with applause, even though they hadn’t seen a thing.[210] A month later the County Times ran an article under the heading “£100,000 Railway Station for Horsham”, which went into some interesting detail. “The building of Horsham’s new railway station which will be one of the most important events in the history of the town during the New Year is to cost about £100,000. It is hoped to have it erected by next December, four months after the completion of the electrification of the lines from London to Portsmouth, via Horsham. Involving 76 route miles, the electrification scheme is costing the company nearly £3,000,000. It is already well under way between Dorking North and Horsham, and Three Bridges and Horsham and it will be finished by July …the remodelling of the town’s station necessitates the pulling down of the present one and the erection of a new one…Everything will be on the most modern lines, pleasing to everyone…the front of the station will face the centre of the town instead of the junction of North-Street and Hurst road as it does at present…there will be a commodious hall and larger booking office, with the approach to the platforms behind, and these platforms will be like a one sided (sic) then two long, broad islands. The platforms between the lines will be approached by a bridge with stairways, instead of the present subway, and there will also be an entrance, as formerly from Station Road. On each platform, waiting rooms, restaurants and convenience will be provided. …For the benefit of the people using the railway a public meeting is to be held at Horsham Town Hall.
On 13 May 1938 the County Times ran an article that the first electric train arrived at Horsham station on Sunday on its way to Amberley as it tested the electrification. In fact, the train visited Horsham on a number of occasions that day, as the journalist of the paper on board the train explained. Not only did the paper explain the testing, but also the times the train could have been seen at Horsham and then details about the amount of cabling used. It was similar to those Victorian articles written by proud engineers. The train arrived at Horsham at 10.17am; it then “was run on to all the sidings on the east side of the station, and then the up line to Three Bridges was tested. A second run was made to Horsham and this time the train ran on to the other down line platform….After a short halt at Amberley the train returned to Horsham and then went on to Warnham up line. At Warnham it returned to Horsham, then to Amberley again, returning to Warnham, back to Horsham and then to Three Bridges. The train was watched by many people in houses cottages and fields, as it passed, sometimes at 50 or 60mph…
.0During the week residents along the newly electrified line have seen several electric trains running between Three Bridges and Amberley and Warnham and Amberley”; with the paper giving the timetable of these special testing trains. The paper goes on to describe how new electric signalling has been introduced, noting that signals could now be put anywhere along the line whereas “At one time 250 yards was considered the maximum distance for mechanical control”. It then goes on to note that “A total of about 276 miles of cable has been laid. About half of this is cable feeding current to the track, the other half being used for control purposes. All this has been brought to Horsham district by 66 cable trains which have arrived at Horsham Dept., bringing nearly 500 drums of cable. In the new signal box alone there is about 36 miles of wire connecting the various instruments and controls.” The paper, a month earlier, had a photograph of the first electric coach arriving in Horsham, though it was being hauled by a steam locomotive[211]; a fortnight later a large photograph was published of the new signal box explaining in detail how it operated[212], and a photograph of the new Horsham station under construction.
The electrification of the railway and the new infrastructure was big news for the town and covered in more depth than any other construction project in the 1930s in the town. It was not only saying that Horsham was a modern town, but that Horsham was an integrated town that could compare to other growing commuter towns of the South East. And it was electrification that was doing it, just as the town was upgrading its electric street lighting.
For 33 years Earl Winterton was Horsham and then Worthing and Horsham MP, achieving the feat of being both at one time the youngest member of the house and now the Father of the House. In June he was made Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, a Minister of State that was in effect roaming, taking up duties that the Prime Minister wanted. Then a year later he was made “a member of the Cabinet as Deputy to the Secretary of State for Air (Lord Swinton) on the Air Council and will deal in the House of Commons with all major air questions on the Service Side.”[213] This would be the high point of his political career and whilst the County Times ran fulsome articles, it had little or no effect on the town’s history.
How Horsham saw itself was portrayed through two different but complementary stories that occurred at the end of this year. We know that William Albery rather liked to portray a quirky side to the town; his rhyming history promoted that. The new railway station and the new C.I.B.A. factory, as well as the two “super cinemas” projected a modern approach: a town not looking backward but forward. But what about Horsham traders? In the late 1920s the town traders had launched a magazine called Sign Post to direct people to shop at Horsham. Some 10 years later that sense of encouraging people to shop in the town had changed as Sign Post became the Horsham Journal. In the December issue the magazine was very much geared to the Horsham trade. Sign Post by the early 30s contained very little about Horsham other than adverts and some very small pieces of local news. The Horsham Journal consisted of a rambling editorial about Christmas time, a very full account of the Annual Chamber of Trade dinner and historical anecdotes by Albery, as well as a full account of the Horsham vs. Hastings Sussex Divisional Final of the F.A. Cup competition which Horsham won. These articles are padded out by general stories as well as an account of Christ’s birth. The 14-page magazine, printed by Price of 48 West Street, was full of adverts from Aga cookers through to typewriters and cookery demonstrations by Horsham Gas Co. Ltd. Demonstration Theater in London Road. One advert that shows the times is that of Horsham Urban District Council Electrical Gifts, from iron, toaster, kettle, vacuum cleaner, fire or reading lamp. The key point is that it clearly identified itself with the town – the later issues of Sign Post could have been for anywhere, but Horsham Journal was for Horsham; Horsham had an air of self confidence, and that was reflected in the Journal.
Another reflection of this growing self-confidence was when the Urban District Council agreed to support an advertising campaign on coming to Sussex and then submit pictures of the district. Horsham believed it could compete with other towns in Sussex for tourism and the new railway station would support that self-belief.[214]
“Come to Sussex Association. The following letter has been received from the above mentioned Association. “This Association has been established with the main objects of attracting visitors, residents and industry to the County of Sussex by means of well directed and efficient publicity methods of which we give you the following details:-
1. The establishment of an Information Bureau for the free supply to all enquiries of particulars concerning the County in all its aspects.
2 The issue of advertising literature pertaining to the County to include posters, pamphlets, show cards and all methods of general publicity which it is considered would achieve the objects of the association in the County’s interest.
3 It has been decided in the first place to issue a comprehensive and fully illustrated Guide to the County …The Guide itself will be divided into Sections relating to each Council area in the County….
4 There will be included in the Guide an Article descriptive of the attractions of the County printed in French and in German for European distribution….
We would also confirm that no financial liability whatever would devolve upon your Council in their support of these projects.”
The Council agreed to support the association and in March asked Mr. Copnall to provide six attractive photographs of the district for the publication and the Council would show its support by taking out an advert. Interestingly, it wasn’t the Clerk or Councillor who would select images; but the photographer.[215]
Whilst for other Boroughs the decision to promote itself to the tourist trade reflected the long-term idea of themselves being worthy of visiting, for Horsham it represented a growing idea of self-belief. It thought itself worthy of visiting especially for the growing demand for attractions. The town had, as mentioned before, in the 1920s selected sites which should not be obscured by advertising hoardings; here is a deliberate intention to be part of a wider promotion, part of a Sussex brand. The growth in tourism identified below also saw a rise in guidebooks; often when looking through them Horsham is described as, at best, a place to stop off at and look at St Leonard’s Forest, or occasionally the Causeway, but the Carfax, Town Hall, the church are all bypassed Yet now the town actively wants to promote itself and could identify six views or, rather, asked the professional photographer to identify the views, with a photographer’s eye. If the threat and the War had not developed, Horsham may have travelled down this route and today (2013) be a tourist destination with a strong tourist infrastructure, rather than taking the first tentative steps. However, back in 1937 there were significant events at the national level that gave a boost to tourism.
The decision to set up a body to promote Sussex probably came on the back of the growing campaign to give paid holidays and not just bank holidays. In November 1936 a Private Members bill led the government to set up a committee to look at the whole question of paid holidays. The Trades Union Congress wanted 12 paid working days off a year, ideally spread between April and October. After a great deal of discussion 1938 saw the Holidays with Pay Act pass, which set up a special “Holiday” branch in the Ministry of Labour to oversee voluntary schemes before the introduction of legislation in 1940-41. By 1939 11 million white and blue collar workers were entitled to holidays with pay; one working week plus bank holidays was the usual. It had grown to become accepted, especially when considering back in 1937 4 million workers earning £250 a year or less, out of a total workforce of 18.5m, were entitled to paid holiday[216]. However, in 1937 an estimated 15 million Britons took an Annual Holiday; roughly one-third of the population. Thanks to the motor coach (82 million passengers in 1937), the 2 million cars on the road in 1939, the cycling clubs, and the rise in rambling and youth hostelling, Horsham, along with the rest of Britain, was opening itself up for tourism or the away-day traveller like never before.
1938
1938 was quite a year for the town. The year started with the County Times reporting that there would be major changes to the look of the Carfax with the demolition of “certain buildings” and the building of new shops. That “New Town was to be declared a Clearance area” with 25 families to be moved to the Brighton Road estate,[217] which was a very positive and forward-looking upbeat analysis of the forthcoming year. But hanging over this was the European question. The year’s local press would be dominated by the continuing development of Horsham against a backdrop of continuing tension and preparation for war and, in particular, air raids. What is remarkable is how much the threat of war was carried in the paper. It was as if any minor talk by any interested body was covered in great depth; as if the town was being prepared for the outcome. Yet a Horsham man who was at the very heart of the discussions over peace was not mentioned in the paper. Neville Henderson of Sedgwick Park is not mentioned.
Horsham has a remarkable ability to forget its past; to forget its sons and daughters, or adopted sons and daughters who have played a significant role in British or world history, but today are not mentioned in the annals of the town. The statement that I make when giving talks: that Horsham names a street after a donkey that lived in a field, but not after a Queen of England brought up in the town, is about Ben’s Acre and Catherine Howard (Henry VIII fifth wife – see Volume 1), but it could also be said about one man who played a central role in the major European political event of the year: The Munich Crisis. His name was Sir Neville Meyrick Henderson, born at Sedgwick Park, Horsham and British Ambassador in Berlin between 1937 and 1939. His story has been covered in part in a previous volume[218], but the events he was involved in so dominate the year in historical terms that it seems apt to recount them here – not in the detail of the 400-plus pages of David Faber’s Munich The 1938 Appeasement Crisis[219], but to give a sense of his role on the world stage. History is always biased to the successful outcome; if war had been avoided, if appeasement had worked, then Henderson would be lauded as a national hero, rather than a failure and so consigned to the dustbin of forgotten historical characters that appear only in history books, or autobiographies,[220] rather than the street names of the towns of their birth.
Like Winston Churchill Henderson tried to write his side of the conflict before historians and commentators would denigrate his efforts. However, unlike Churchill, who had an army of researchers[221] and a talent for self-promotion as well as an editor’s scalpel of historical documents, Henderson was dying of throat cancer and had to publish in a hurry, and his trove of documents were sealed up by the war he had tried to avoid happening. Equally, Churchill didn’t call his book “A failure of a mission”: a title that hampers the chances of a fair hearing; failures do not provide the correct spin, so it shouldn’t be surprising if historians would turn on Henderson. However, the speed of denigration was rapid and led by Sir Lewis Namier, one of the great historians of the 20th century, who would refer to the book as “pseudo-artistic claptrap’ and Henderson himself as “un homme nefaste.” As Peter Neville surmises Namier’s view of Henderson as “a posturing incompetent, who attempted in unconvincing fashion to defend his role in Germany as Ambassador”.
So what was the Munich Crisis? It was the culmination of a five-year policy of avoiding going to war, a policy that was fully-endorsed by the majority of the British public and the ruling elite. Henderson himself believed that “God had granted him a special ‘mission’ to save the peace and create a long-lasting Anglo-German entente.”[222] In essence, after the Treaty of Versailles the old Austro-Hungarian Empire had been dismembered, leaving a rump of Germany. The greater Germany was partitioned and countries around its core had to absorb German-speaking people and culture. Hitler, an Austrian, demanded a return to the motherland of these German-speaking areas; a policy that had its supporters in Britain. In addition there was the question of the return of former German colonies, removed by the Treaty. In March 1938 Austria, formed in 1919, ceased to be an independent country as it was “invaded” by Germany and then, six months later, Czechoslovakia would suffer the same fate. Henderson said of the country “Czechoslovakia is a state of nationalities, not a national state and in the former there can be no minorities but only equals.”[223] One of these nations was the German-speaking Sudetenland, population 3 million. Henderson’s view was “Settle the Sudeten and we can count on peace in our time. Fail and war will be a daily menace.”[224] Since 1937 the British Government had tried to encourage the Prague Government to deal with the Sudeten people fairly, without much success. As Henderson wrote, “British interests and the standard of morality can only be combined if we insist upon the fullest possible equality for the Sudeten minority of Czechoslovakia. If the Czechs cannot make their German fellow citizens into contented Bohemians instead of treating them as a German minority, they can only end by losing them altogether.”[225] Neville Chamberlain, the Prime Minister, writing to his sister, identified his policy of getting Hitler to “tell us exactly what you want for your Sudeten Germans. If it is reasonable we will urge the Czechs to accept and if they do, you must give assurances that you will let them alone in the future”[226].
And that was the view that Henderson took, a view that was at odds with the Foreign Office, but one clearly expressed privately to him by Chamberlain, a man who would negotiate directly with Hitler, face to face. The Munich crisis was over maintaining peace in return for giving Hitler what he wanted. Neville Henderson was at the heart of the negotiations, following a line indicated by the Prime Minister at variance to the Foreign Office. A Foreign Office that was at war with itself: “Eden (one time Foreign Secretary) mistrusted Vansittart, while Cadogan wanted Vansittart dismissed as Chief Diplomatic Adviser. Chamberlain distrusted the Foreign Office as a whole, and used Horace Wilson as his foreign policy advisor. Halifax fluctuated between slavish support for Chamberlain and crises of conscience over the treatment of the Czechs and the validity of appeasement. Little wonder that Henderson stuck by the most determined and consistent star in this uncertain universe: the Prime Minister.”[227] For his role in this Henderson has been attacked by historians, with only one recent attempt by Peter Neville to rebalance the view in the academic book Appeasing Hitler The diplomacy of Sir Neville Henderson 1937-39. In his book, Neville writes: “Henderson was never an apologist for the Nazi system, although he undoubtedly sympathised with German grievances because he had always believed (from the period when he worked in the Paris Embassy in 1919) that the Versailles Treaty was unjust. Hence his insistence on the importance of morality in Britain’s dealings with Germany. Making sure that Britain, and not Hitler, took the moral high ground was an essential part of Henderson’s approach to Anglo German relations. Yet at the same time he could be brutally realistic about Britain’s military weakness in 1938-9, while failing to perceive the ultimate objectives of Nazi foreign policy.”[228]
In a country where the fight for peace is hardly recounted compared to war, it should not be surprising that Henderson is marginalised in the town; however, his story is a fascinating one and some day the town might just recognise his efforts.
Sir Neville Henderson would continue to play a significant role on the foreign stage, even after appeasement so clearly failed, for he remained ambassador in Berlin, even though very sick, and, it would reappear, a year later on the world stage and in this history.
For the townscape the most significant development during 1938 was the demolition of Lintotts and the rebuilding of the site by Stirling Buildings. However, the building work took time and in December that year the County Times could carry an illustration of what the new building would look like, stating that “the elevation is early Georgian style and is to be carried out in multi-coloured brickwork with stone dressing and a tiled roof. The ground floor will comprise seven shops, each having a frontage of approximately 18ft 6ins and a depth in clear space of about 45 feet, and a larger shop on the corner with return frontage to Albion -road and a splayed entrance. The upper part will consist of self contained flats and offices.” Lintotts had been a fixture of the Carfax for nearly 100 years
Lintotts of the Carfax
In April 1935 the County Times ran a long article on the history of Messrs. Lintott and Son (Horsham) Ltd., wholesale provision merchants of 10 The Carfax. They owned one of the most substantial buildings in the Carfax, though, as the paper wrote, a month later they would be moving to North Street and the Carfax site would be re-developed for shops and flats.
The business was started by John Lintott who had a butchers shop in West Street, but as there was no back entrance, the shop’s pony had to be walked through the shop and parlour to get to its stall. In 1826 John’s 15 year old son William was asked (told) by his father to help run a grocer’s shop on the corner of South Street and Middle Street, which had been occupied by a Mr Osborn. According to the paper the shop was known as “Bank-shop” as the grocer was the town’s banker, though we know this was not the only bank in the town. In 1841, having been successful, William moved to the Carfax, erecting offices, stables, storerooms on the site of, amongst other buildings, a coopers shop. The new place was one of very few wholesale businesses near the South Coast, as those towns developed, so did Lintotts. Goods were collected from London by night wagons, taking bark up for the Bermondsey tanning trade and produce on the return. With the coming of the railway and then the motor car, the company grew to such an extent it decided to build a modern operation in North Street involving electric conveyors, central heating and a glass-covered yard. The pulling down of the old business enabled Albion Road to be widened and the building line of the new flats and shops in the Carfax to be set back to allow an eight foot wide service road in front.
It was, however, the threat of war that dominated the press. The following selection of headlines and brief accounts of the meetings and events give a flavour of the reporting and coverage and, if this was not enough to cause concern, an equal amount of space was taken up with the work of the Air Raid Precautions, as the town geared itself up administratively and logistically to cope with the threat of war and aerial bombardment.
West Sussex County Times March 17th 1938
Europe under Shadow of the Bomber. League Speaker on Mr. Eden’s return.
A resolution expressing deep regret at the resignation of Mr. Anthony Eden from the Foreign Office was approved at a public meeting of Horsham and District Branch of the League of Nations Union at Horsham Town Hall., on March 17, when Sir Ewart Greaves presided over a large attendance. He was supported by Mr. Brian Goddard, from the New Commonwealth Society who gave an address on, “Can Europe Keep the Peace?” The group passed a resolution “That this meeting of the Horsham and District branch of the League of Nations union expresses its deep regret at the resignation of Mr. Anthony Eden from the Foreign Office, also its conviction that adherence to the principles and methods of the Covenant of the League of Nations is the only effective way of securing peace. It urges His Majesty’s Government to make this the foundation of all negotiations and the work to secure the co-operation of other nations to this end.”
West Sussex County Times April 1 1938
“There is not going to be another European War.” Legion National Chairman urges Members to go abroad. 18,000,000 Ex-servicemen want peace.
I firmly believe that there is not going to be another European war, because I can not think that in these days of grace any country is so insane as to commit mutual suicide. This statement was made by the national chairman of the British Legion, Major D.L. Francis Fetherston Godfrey, O.B.E. D.L. who was the principal guest at the annual dinner of the Horsham Branch of the legion at the Black Horse Hotel on Thursday. It attracted an attendance of about 150…”
West Sussex County Times April 22 1938
Photograph of Easter Field training for Horsham recruits at Christ’s Hospital “For the first time recruits of the 4th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment were given field training at Easter. This took place at Christ’s Hospital on Saturday and Monday… The recruits were mainly those who had enlisted since last camp”.
West Sussex County Times July 1938
Friendship’s value to World Peace
“The value of the International Friendship League as an organisation for peace was emphasised at a garden party in Horsham on June 23. It was held by the Horsham branch in the beautiful garden of the residence of Mr. C. J. Padwick J.P. in North Street … The league has a membership of 7,935 in this country of whom almost 200 are members of Horsham branch”
West Sussex County Times August 5. 1938
Germans to visit Horsham. Ex-service Men as Guests of British Legion. Week of fraternity tours and meetings
“Twenty German ex-servicemen are to be the guests of the Horsham Branch of the British Legion this month from the 20th till the 27th… The committee of which Mr. A. E. Edwin is the Chairman, states in a forward to the official programme that
“they hope the visit will be the means of cementing friendships formed last year, and of making new ones, and that the visitors will return to Germany with as happy memories of their stay here as the Horsham Legionaries have of their visit to Germany.” It will be recalled that in August of last year 20 members of the Horsham B.L. Branch crossed to Germany where they were the guests of ex-foes”.
West Sussex County Times August 26. 1938
German Ex Soldiers in Horsham. Emissaries of Goodwill and Peace.
With two photographs: Nazi Salute at Horsham Alongside a long description of the visit “…Baron Wilhelm von Lersner (Potsdam) is the leader of the party…Baron von Lersner and Herr Kurz, the blind German Legionary, were prisoners of war in England during the Great War. The Baron is proud to tell how a dozen years ago the British officer, who had made him a prisoner and took his sword, returned the sword to him and won the close friendship by that noble gesture. Herr Kurz, who was a Uhlan, and incidentally had fought with Adolf Hitler at the front recalls with pride that the Prince of Wales shook hands with him while a prisoner at Dorchester… .Mr Edwin said it was the British Legion leader’s policy to meet Great War veterans of the nations, with the object of trying to see each other’s point of view, to dispel suspicion and to promote friendliness and friendship which would ensure the peace of the world”.
Why Mrs. Laughton moved Nazi wreath. “Not vindictive”
“I feel I did what Horsham people would have wished” Mrs N. V. Laughton J.P. told the West Sussex County Times reporter, when speaking of the removal by her of a German wreath from directly in front of the Horsham War memorial and substitution of a floral Union Jack, this week.
West Sussex County Times Sept 9 1938
Fascist Speakers heckled at Horsham Meeting. Czechoslovakian question causes uproar.
A somewhat boisterous meeting took place in front of Horsham Town Hall, on Saturday evening, when members of the British Union of Fascists gave addresses. The crowd, which was at first meagre, grew in size and volubility as the meeting progressed.” The meeting has been covered above except that when asked “whether his Party was in sympathy with Hitler in Czechoslovakian campaign.” Mr Swift the speaker talked “for some time on the rights and wrongs of the Sudetan Germans. Many of his listeners were apparently dissatisfied with this answer.”
West Sussex County Times October 7 1938
“Carry On” is motto for A.R.P. in Horsham.
Help from many volunteers. Horsham has now its full compliment of respirators assembled – 37,000. As was stated in the “West Sussex County Times” last week on September 29 the work on assembling the respirators was slowed down owing to the non-receipt of the final consignment of respirators from the Home Office, Horsham was waiting for 13,650 containers – the face pieces were already to hand. These containers arrived on Tuesday. Already many people in Horsham have received their masks and been measured for them. On Tuesday the issuing of masks was begun in the Horsham No 1 Area which is bounded on the south by Guildford-road and on the east by North-parade and Warnham-road…It is understood that the ARP centre opened in the Carfax during the height of the crisis will not be retained A permanent building similar to this is needed in Horsham and will in time be found.”
West Sussex County Times October 28 1938
How Horsham was surveyed for refugee –
Billeting Problem of 3,000 Children “Guests” in Report to Council
A report of the arrangements made in committee with the proposals of Evacuation of the Civil Population from London during the recent emergency as affecting Horsham Urban Area, was presented by the Clerk to the Horsham Council (this will be covered in more depth below).
Urban Council to Take Steps to Acquire A.R.P. Centre
Explaining a recommendation of the ARP Executive Committee that the surveyor should go into the question of erecting a building to provide headquarters for Horsham Urban and Rural A.R.P. scheme, a respirator and sandbag store, a training equipment and medical store, a decontamination centre and a lecture hall. Mr. D Bryce, J.P. said the matter was only a preliminary step and the lecture room was not for hundreds of people, but for small meetings. …We require 440 volunteers for all branches of ARP work, and so far we have 258 of them”.
West Sussex County Times December 2 1938 – Two public notices
A.R.P Help your town. 90 Air Raid Wardens Still needed in Horsham. Men (over 40 years of age) and Women Please enroll before 21st December for classes of Instruction starting in January next….
A.R.P. Auxiliary Fire service 50 Fit men still needed to complete the Fire defences of Horsham. (Age limits 25-50).
One question to ask is: why only over 40s for Air Raid Warden? Although not stated, there was obviously an expectation that there would be conscription rather than voluntary call-up to fight the war when it came. However, for the Fire Service they wanted fit men; therefore expected a number of “under 40s” to be available, though not very young men, so maybe those in restricted employment; though that could not be set out.
However, life in Horsham had to go on, and it was not a foregone conclusion war would occur, especially after the efforts of Chamberlain to secure peace. Although we know what would happen, it was not inevitable. So the Council and the town continued to run almost a split personality for the next couple of years: one of going on as if nothing was happening, the other preparing for war. So it was that the Council in February received a letter and plan from the solicitors Eager and Son outlining the proposal for a Masonic Temple on land at the corner of Denne Road and the Normandy, on part of the Vicarage garden. It was approved, and later in November the County Times would carry a short article announcing its construction at a cost of £5,000. “The building which will take about 30 weeks to construct will have a Temple, size 48 by 28 feet, a banqueting hall of the same proportions, an Inner Hall, two robing rooms, kitchen’s etc.”[229]
The General Purposes Committee also agreed to the building of a proposed church and hall on the corner of Clarence and Cambridge Roads.[230] This must have been one of the longest gestation periods for any church in Horsham. The land had been bought back in 1899, yet when it did open, as recorded in the County Times 28 July 1939, the article could so easily have been missed, as it consisted of a single column: no banner headline; just a discreet column and headline. Not only that, but the article forgets to name the Church; it was dedicated to St Leonard.[231] The Church and hall, according to the paper, took 44 years of preparation and planning, cost £5,250 and were dedicated by Rev. Bishop Walter Carey DD on the Monday; the act of dedication was completed on Tuesday when Holy Communion was celebrated. “Bishop Carey was for 12 years Bishop of Bloemfontein, South Africa. The New church will be used to minister to that part of Horsham which is growing rapidly in size and population. As yet a sum of £1,200 is required to meet all expenses of building and decoration.” The Bishop, in his sermon which he preached to a large congregation, including a number of local clergy, asked and answered the question on people’s minds at that time: “What is going to happen in this church”, asked Bishop Carey. Would it be involved in a war within the next few weeks or months? Personally he did not think so.”[232]
According to the Victoria County History the church was not consecrated and served also as a hall seating c70.[233]
One area where the threat of war seemed to have had little impact was in the continuing pressure on housing, with increasing demand to build houses for rent. The town had seen over 10 years of continuous growth from both the private and public sector, increasing its population as well as seeing an increasing rise in traffic and demands on what were, in essence, medieval road patterns. 1938 would not be any different, except there were clear signs of attempts to solve the problems before they became insurmountable: in effect, strategic planning. So it was on 27 July that the Council considered the plan to create a new road to link the Carfax to Park Street and to take traffic from East Street. There were three suggested routes:
- From Carfax through Durrants market and Mr. Chart’s property to Park Street.
- From Carfax through Mr Oldershaw’s property through line of cottages in Piries Place to Park Street.
- From Carfax through Carfax Cinema and vacant ground at rear, and on through Messrs Durtnall’s premises to Park Street.
The only one that was rejected was number 2, as that involved pulling down houses; the other two involved using open land. Unfortunately, none of the schemes were implemented.[234]
(However, a suggestion by the County Surveyor, reported on in September, that because of the “considerable amount of building development (that) is taking place in Compton’s Lane which is a convenient route for local traffic between north east and south-east portions of Horsham,” the lane “is widened to 42ft between fences and turned into a road”, was approved and was carried through, though again later than envisaged.[235])
Part of this housing pressure was caused by the Council continuing to develop the land it bought back in 1920 for housing. In July[236] the surveyor reported that there was enough land left at Oakhill to build 130 to 140 houses. The committee agreed to build the following:
- 12 bungalows
- 88 x 3 bed
- 20 x 4 bed
- 10 houses with adjustable accommodation 2-5 bed
They also requested that “both for building and road and sewer contracts, special provision be included that labour must be recruited from the local Labour Exchange and no outside labour engaged on the scheme until demand of local labour has been satisfied, subject to an exception in the case of leading hands where the Contractors be allowed to bring in outside labour at 10% of the total labour engaged.”
There was still demand for more housing with landowners coming forward with suitable plots of land. One such person was Col. Hurst who proposed selling a plot of land off New Street; the Council could see an opportunity to build what would be classed, in today’s jargon, as affordable houses to rent. What marks this scheme out is that the Council was not seeking any grants or financial support from the rates; it would rely on the rent to pay for the cost. The Council would build 37 houses similar to those in Oxford Road and the rent would be[237] 12/6d per week plus rates. However, the Ministry of Health was not happy, as it saw it as the Council taking on the role of a private developer, or, as they worded their response, the Ministry of Health “deprecates the erection by a Local Authority of houses of a type similar to those built by private enterprise but would be prepared to consider a scheme which the Council constructed the roads, laid the sewers and disposed of the frontage.” The committee argued that it would not conflict with private enterprise and rents would be substantially lower than the private sector. It asked the Clerk to obtain the proof and report back. At the same meeting the Surveyor submitted provisional layouts for two new housing sites: one to accommodate 140 houses, and another, 200. Housing was still a very powerful driver in the local economy.
Occasionally the council minutes throw up totally unexpected accounts. I had been brought up in the certainty that iron railings were removed during World War Two in order to provide much needed metal, though in fact most was unusable. So I had expected to find that the iron railings around St Mary’s were an example of that policy. It wasn’t: St Mary’s was done for aesthetic reasons, as the report to the Parks Management committee noted.[238] The Vicar of Horsham passed on a report by the Archdeacon: “I suggest that the appearance of the Churchyard would be greatly improved if the iron railings were removed. A beginning might be made with those on the north side of the nave. Now that it is closed for burials, a good deal more might be done to improve its appearance by levelling and removing tombstones, where possible, to one side.” Before agreeing, the Council wanted the views of the Church authorities and Parochial Church Council, who agreed to the removal.
Mention of the War brings us back to how the town’s institutions were dealing with the possibility of war. The town had no structure in place, so the demand to have Air Raid Precautions in place, and the number of areas the scheme would involve, related above, meant that a new committee would be formed; working as part of the Council but clearly separate from it. It also became clear that the ARP officer in charge would in effect take on a Chief Executive role; with the very small committee having delegated authority, and a budget that had no ceiling, overspending was permissible.
The year started with a report to the Finance Committee which identified that the financing of the proposal would be covered by the Air Raid Precautions Executive committee rather than by itself; thus clearly identifying where it saw its role,[239] though until the committee was fully established it would continue with an executive role. So it agreed to work with the Rural District Council and set up a joint scheme. It was the same committee in February (16) that agreed to appoint a Joint ARP Officer to organise the scheme. As a joint scheme both Councils met on 10 March and agreed to pay the officer £350 a year plus £100 travel expenses. So they went about advertising and interviewed various candidates before selecting, on 30 May, Capt. J. E. Pugh of Blackheath who would start two days later on 1 June, based at Comewell House, the RUDC offices. There was, however, one minor glitch: some three weeks later it was reported that the Home Office was willing to offer £300, but not £350, a year unless Chanctonbury District Council was included in the joint scheme. The Council agreed. In the meantime the Divisional Food Officer of the Board of Trade (Lt.-Colonel Tennant) visited Horsham on 18 May, and met the Chairman of the Council and the Clerk with the purpose of setting up a “shadow” organisation in the district for the controlling of food supplies and feeding-stuffs for defence purposes. The lessons of World War One had been only too well learnt (see volume 4).
With Captain Pugh in charge, the Council received regular reports on his actions, in very business-like, bullet point comments. To give a sense of how fast things were moving the reports will be given in chronological order, so that it is real time, rather than identify the solution after the issue was raised. The first, on 12 July, could state “Took up duties on 1st June 1938”. Obvious; but good to remind people. There then followed a number of sub-headings. So, under “a register of volunteers started”, he could announce: “Publicity has been promoted by means of the Press, Police, Pamphlets, posters placards on notice boards and vehicles, and by the efforts of recruits who have enrolled for ARP work.”
There then followed a surprising comment, at least for the author: “Mr. Dalton of East Street, Horsham, also contributed by giving a demonstration of A.R.P. methods by television in the pavilion of the Horsham Football Ground.” The first public talking picture on television had occurred on 26 August 1936 when 7,000 people queued to see, at the Radiolympia Exhibition at Earls Court, a broadcast from Alexander Palace some 10 miles away; now, less than two years later, they were watching it at Horsham Football club; televisions cost between £50 and £125 with screens measuring between 12 and 14 inches.[240] Under “Local Respirator store” it was reported that “a store is required for about 37,000 respirators for the urban and rural districts.”. These were gas masks, the symbol of World War II, though no gas masks were available for babies or children under 4 years old. The report continued with: “A letter from the Home Office referring to the enrolment of Women for ARP Services and for the expansion of Hospital Services which would be necessary if emergency arose was read. “The contents of this communication will be noted for further consideration.”
Electricity Committee 12th September 1938
“The Commissioners’ Circular of the 3rd August 1938 received attention. – recommendation 6 That the Engineer prepare a report in collaboration with the Surveyor upon the adaptation of the Old reservoir at the Depot for purposes of a shelter and report to the Committee further upon this and any other items requiring attention in relation to the Commissioners’ circular.” Interestingly, one would have thought such an issue would have gone under the purview of the ARP Executive committee, but obviously it was early days and part of the bedding-in process was issues such as this appearing under committees. Perhaps because of not yet being on a War footing, such demarcations were important.
ARP Executive Committee 20th September 1938 –
Cllr Bryce Chairman, Bowen, Saunders, Vernon
Respirator Store
Emergency Store – the A.R.P. Officer mentioned that he had arranged provisionally for St Mary’s Hall Barttelot Rd to be an Emergency Store for the Respirators, the total number of which is 13,650 (out of the 37,000 needed).
Permanent store
Committee thought the best result would to be build one on land at the back of North Street which was purchased by the Council as part of the Depot Extension transaction – the building would be done jointly with the RDC – to include headquarters for Horsham Urban and Rural A.R.P. schemes, Respirator store and sandbag store, training equipment & medical store, Decontamination Training Centre Lecture hall. A.R.P. officer asked for a clerk at £3 a week – agreed subject to Government approval of a grant.
Warning scheme
A letter was read from the Chief Constable of Sussex with regard to a permanent warning scheme in Horsham. He asks that the Fire Station be manned continually during war. If this could be done it would serve as a tentative warning scheme as the siren would be available. Council agreed – the aim, to have the siren tested on 11 October 1938 after warning the public.
The next comment in the minutes is interesting. “Upon submission of the foregoing Report it was agreed, in view of the National Crisis, that the whole of the A.R.P. Committee’s report should be deleted and that the Committee and its officers be given power to act.” The way the Council had operated was that reports would be read in to committee, the Committee would approve, and then at a Full Council the recommendation would be approved, or not; and at that point actions could take place. Here, it was recommended and approved that the process be shortened, so the Executive Committee’s approval was sanction to undertake the work. The A.R.P. Reports were never read into the full council reports; they would be minuted, but there was no other action.
Four days after the A.R.P. meeting the Council met, on 24 September 1938, and dealt with the issue of “Evacuation of Civil Population from London in time of War.” The Home Office and the County Council had sent Circulars out to the District Councils asking for/demanding help. It was such a large subject, involving so many areas of the Council’s work, that the Council decided that each committee would deal with the respective problems caused and identify the solutions. It did decide that the “Clerk was authorised to act as Chief Billeting Officer with power to secure such members of the Council’s staff as he may deem necessary to work in connection with billeting”. The Council also decided to appoint an Executive Committee to collaborate with the Clerk, Councillors Lawrence, Lintott and Vernon” in order to get things done.
ARP Committee 11th October 1938
“10/11 Carfax – the proprietors of these premises have very kindly allowed them to be used as local Headquarters for A.R.P. – the agents for the proprietors stated that the owners were going to demolish the building, but would halt if the council would pay 5% of the cost of the site as a rent.” The Council replied that “the council will require use of the house for a month, but within a fortnight the old part can be demolished”.
The Council had provided a budget of £500 in the current rates for ARP, but by October an estimated £402 had been spent which excluded the cost of a new siren (£62 7s 0d) and clothing for Reserve and Auxiliary Fire Brigade Personnel, the equipment required by 20 Auxiliary Firemen was:
1 suit dungaree Training overalls
1 pair rubber boots
1 uniform cap
1 belt, axe and pouch.
On top of these costs there was also the expense of training staff and volunteers, with the Government having set the training costs (the Home Office stipulated that St John Ambulance Brigade should receive 1s per person trained in First Aid, 1s for Anti-Gas and 1s for post-instructional training; the Council would pay a fee for a lecturer and examiner and pay for hall hire and any other expenses). Air Raid Shelters – A preliminary discussion on air raid shelters had taken place with the A.R.P. officer to report on the use of basements of buildings.
The meeting on 21 November 1938 had some more interesting news in that a solution had appeared to the problem of finding a suitable headquarters for the A.R.P.: No 9 Causeway, (the eventual home of Horsham Museum). As the report minutes state, “Your committee …have considered an offer from Captain Anthony to let his house, No. 9 Causeway, excluding the garden and garages at the rear.” The committee agreed on the following terms:
- 1 To rent … at a rental of £150 per anum, payable quarterly
- 2 The Council as occupier to pay rates on the premises rented
- 3 To take the premises for a period of twelve months certain, with option to the Council to purchase at the end of that period”
What is interesting is that Captain Anthony had leased the building from the Hurst family and ran it as an antique shop/living quarters. (See previous account of the Queen’s visit). So he was selling the remainder of the lease.
The Committee agreed to purchase 133 badges and 83 brooches, and Dr Sparrow was to conduct the medical examination for the AFB Service and advertise for 40 men to join.
29th November 1938
Joint meeting of sub-committees of the Horsham Urban and Horsham Rural District Councils, and it was reported that “9 Causeway taken on 1 year lease from 8th November, “It was reported that the premises when occupied on the 8th November 1938 were in a dirty condition and three days were spent in cleaning up.”
12th December at a joint meeting of the two Councils it was reported that Capt. Pugh had “almost completed the ARP Emergency Fire Brigade scheme, form FB1 for the Horsham Urban District and that he was preparing an emergency scheme for the Rural District”.
The question of ARP headquarters hadn’t been resolved, as No 9 was a temporary measure; therefore, the matter was still on the agenda, where it was reported that the Surveyor required more details before submitting a plan that he “proposed to inspect skeleton buildings which are being manufactured at Worthing for A.R.P. purposes.” However, now that he had a building the A.R.P. officer submitted a list of equipment required: 3 Desks, 3 office chairs, 1 typewriter, 1 typewriter desk, 2 filing cabinets, 2 steel cupboards, 3 index card cabinets, 6 Windsor chairs, 3 waste paper baskets, 3 letter trays – total cost £82 2s 6d – agreed. It was also agreed that 9 Causeway will also be the office for the Women’s Voluntary Services for ARP work.
The 4th Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment asked permission to rent storage space of approx. 500 sq feet at 9 Causeway to temporarily accommodate P.A.D. stores, to be issued for the use of men who were embodied at Horsham, pending building of a store at the Drill Hall Horsham. – For consideration
16th December 1938 A.R.P. Exec. Committee
A long discussion took place about casualty service, concerning the fact that there was no first aid post or cleansing centre. The suggestion that they could use the changing rooms at the swimming pool was discounted. In the end they agreed, subject to various conditions, that they would buy from Light Steel Sectional Construction Co. Ltd. of Worthing a building covering 2,400 square feet with a concrete base, corrugated asbestos sheeting, metal-framed windows and the provision of hot water supply and heating etc. which would cost between £500 and £600. They had to make an application to Ministry of Health to use this land in Horsham Park for such a purpose. It was also suggested that a First Aid point be set up at the Roffey Institute to serve that area and the adjoining parts of the Rural District. The Four First Aid Parties which it is proposed should be established in Horsham will need eight ambulances; they only had three so would need 5 vans for conversion. However, a suggestion to make a support to take 2 stretchers was approved to be fitted in vans. Preparing for war was an expensive business.
Horsham Fire Brigade had had a long history since its foundation as a volunteer brigade back in 1840. In 1911 it had transferred its status from voluntary to paid and was seen as part of the District Council’s provision (see volumes 2 and 3); however, with the threat of the possible aerial onslaught the Government decided that Fire Brigades had to be a certain size, and on 14 December 1938 the Fire Brigade Committee met to finalise arrangements that had taken place as part of the Fire Brigade Act 1938. Section 1 of the Act required the Council of every County District to make provision for the extinction of fires and the protection of life and property. Section 6 provided that “as from 29 January 1939 the function of Parish Councils in connection with the extinction of fires etc. shall cease and be transferred to Rural District Councils”. Horsham Rural District Council didn’t have a Fire Brigade; it had relied on individual parishes negotiating with the Horsham Brigade. The degree to which there was no service was brought home in the report.
The Urban District Council had agreements to provide the following parishes with Horsham Fire Brigade: Cowfold, Horsham rural, Itchingfield, Lower Beeding, Nuthurst, Rudgwick, Shipley, Warnham.
Then there were private agreements made with properties in Parishes not covered by agreement
In Billingshurst: Rice Bros, Duncan’s Farm and T. Keating Ltd.
In West Grinstead: West Grinstead Park
In Slinfold: Ranfold
So Slinfold, Billingshurst and West Grinstead, apart from above properties, were not served by Horsham Brigade. The suggestion was that Crawley Brigade serve Crawley, Rusper and a portion of the parish of Lower Beeding; Horsham would take on Slinfold, Billingshurst and West Grinstead and “will act as the primary fire authority in affording fire protection services.” The Council agreed, subject to acquiring additional equipment; it had no real choice in the matter as it was clear the Government did not want rural areas uncovered in case of conflict.
On 5 December the minutes of the Council meeting had the following note regarding Training of Refugees – The Clerk had asked Ministry of Health if “any financial assistance could be given in training a young refugee at the Council’s Electricity works which would involve a possible payment of ‘landing money’ upon emigration.” The minister replied that, after careful consideration, such money should come from voluntary funds.” Unfortunately, nothing can be found on the refugee; was he a Spanish Civil war refugee, or a German Jew who was escaping persecution? What we do know, though, was that the person would have been kept busy in the last days of 1938, for the town suffered a cold snap. “The cold spell which commenced in the early hours of Monday 19th December 1938, brought a considerable increase in business and also some anxieties. The maximum load on the 21st was 2,772 kw compared with 2,320 kw on the corresponding day in the previous year. At the time of maximum load 1,192kw was carried by our own generating plant that is to say, the station was loaded to 96% of rated output. Carrying this load on our plant enabled us to keep the demand on the C.E.B. (Central Electricity Board) supply within the declared maximum and may thus be considered as saving £3,874.” They ran the plant 12-15 hours a day using a great deal of coal supplies, buying up coal from local companies as well as their usual suppliers, receiving two truck loads on 24 December. The account in the minutes is all rather heroic in its telling, with just in time and delayed deliveries, but it would appear that there was very little disruption.[241]
Although there was little electrical disruption, the Council had to employ 120 unemployed people to clear the main roads and shopping areas of snow as well as haulage to ship it out of the way. This cost the Council £278 12s 11d in labour and a total cost of £447 4s 10d; they had only put £50 in the estimates for snow clearance, so the Council had to find £397 4s 10d[242].
These men employed in snow clearance remind the reader that unemployment was still a problem; it had not been solved during the 1930s and on 29 December 140 children of Horsham and District unemployed were entertained at the Albion Hall to a festive tea organised by two probation officers; the children had come from Horsham, Rusper and Crawley. On the platform “stood a brilliantly lighted Christmas tree, the gift of Princess Wolkouski, and a big pile of presents, the majority of which were received from the West Sussex County Times through Uncle Jim”. The County Times provides a list of local businesses who supported the event as well as those that helped with the tea, including the Princess.[243] It was not the only party that issue covered. Mention was made of a Basque Children New Year Party again held at Albion Hall where 200 members and friends were in attendance, with all proceeds from the Horsham Branch of the International Friendship League organised fancy dress party going to the fund for the Basque refugees at Lancing. The Horsham branch had increased its membership in 1938 to 225 members, which “compares favourably with all the other branches in Sussex”.
1939
The following is included in the history because it shows the hidden gems which can be found lying in the most innocuous minutes. The General Purposes Committee of 11 January agreed to change the status of a stretch of highway into a new street, some 788 yards long, obviously reflecting the growth of Horsham. The description of the roadway was “known as Blackbridge Lane or Fattingbarn Lane”. It is doubtful if the name of the lane occurs elsewhere; Blackbridge Lane does, and still exists, but Fattingbarn Lane, is a name that draws out a whole history of farming practices in the town. Obviously, the name refers to a barn where livestock was held for fattening before taking to market; stopping livestock from moving and keeping them warm and dry increases body weight – so, a fattening shed in today’s language. Was this barn open to all farmers, or only to the owner of that farm; was it rented out, seeing a surge in demand coming up to the Fair? The fact that St Leonard’s cattle fair was held near the site links in with its history; it is a shame it wasn’t kept as a street name.
Another piece of historical information revealed in the minutes which was not recounted at the time of its building was the actual construction of the Star reservoir out by the old Workhouse. In 1938 it was reported that the surface water was contaminated, so the reservoir was drained. “On cleaning out the reservoir it was found that the roof and walls were leaking badly, whilst roots were hanging from the roof in festoons. Investigation and trials have revealed that the roof is constructed of 4 ½ inch thick arches, the bricks being of a very porous nature, and the walls of 14 (inch) brickwork with a backing of very weak concrete, approximately 9 (inches) thick. The walls show evidence in several places of clay backing oozing through the inside of the Reservoir.” The Star Reservoir held half a million gallons and had served the town well; shortage of water was still a pressing issue in Horsham even after the construction of the waterworks, so it was repaired at a cost of £2,100. The report, though, does reveal the Victorian construction of this important service to the town.
Whilst theses two issues are historically interesting, in the grand scheme of the momentum of 1939 they could easily be overlooked; it was the preparation towards the possibility of war that concentrated the mind. On 10 January a small committee: Lawrence (Chairman), Lintott, Lower and Vernon, met to discuss the Ministry of Health Memorandum of 5 January regarding the Government’s Evacuation Scheme. The Committee agreed a 7-point plan of action to execute a survey of all householders, which is summarised below:
- Volunteers will call on householders
- Two paid office assistance, paid at £3 a week to run the scheme, subject to the Government paying this money
- Clerk of the Council to be in overall charge of the survey
- The survey to be completed by 14 February, with tabulation and final report completed by 28 February
- The Chairman, through a letter to the press, will introduce the scheme
- The form “What the Householder is asked to do” distributed to all householders in the Urban District
- Horsham Townswomen’s Guild and Roffey Women’s Institute approached to get 20 voluntary workers
Three days later the County Times carried an extensive and detailed article “Big Drive to amass Information for Emergency Billeting. 31 Women “Visitors” to Interrogate Horsham Householders.” The tone of the headings is interesting, for it is not the expected cosy request for help but the language of authority, military, almost bullying; “billeting” drawing a direct comparison to World War One when soldiers were billeted on Horsham householders, whilst ‘interrogation’ suggests a heavy-handed approach. They continue the tone with the following line: “A full list of the questions which appear on these forms and will be put by these callers, whose official designation is that of “visitors” appears below”. The paper also prints a full list of names and addresses of the visitors. After this the paper, under the heading of “Question of Cleanliness”, notes: “One important point which often arises with regard to children is referred to by the Ministry of Health. That is any householder who raises the question as to the cleanliness of the children, may be assured that schoolchildren are subject to regular medical inspection, and that there is no greater danger of dirt or infection from these children than from any other representative group in the country, and that the best possible arrangements will be made for their medical supervision”. The paper then published the full list of questions in bold type before going on under the heading “voluntary, but… There is an important note in the memorandum for the guidance of local authorities in conducting the survey. It states (then in bold quotes) “It is desired that so far as possible the acceptance of children by householders should be voluntary, but they may properly be informed that those who do not accommodate children may be required to take other persons”. At the end of the article there is a short piece, headlined “Demand for Evacuation Camps and Shelters. The West Sussex County Times understands that demands for the provision of proper evacuation shelters are being urged throughout the country, with the object of preventing compulsory billeting on householders in rural areas. Camps and shelters erected for refugees would be attended by proper camp guardians and sanitary staffs and would be provided with medical treatment so that any threatened spread of disease or crime might be immediately prevented. In times of peace such camps could be used as holiday camps, youth training camps, as temporary abodes for slum clearance populations etc. It is stated that the money and labour for the building of camps and shelters could easily be found and without increasing rates or taxes.”
The paper does not say who put forward the suggestion and, like the main article, it raises questions of cleanliness as well as the threat of crime – note also that the children are not evacuees but refugees; so more emotive language. Were health issues and the cleanliness of the children raised? Was the paper reflecting a perception that those evacuated from the urban centres would be criminals; dirty and sick? For a nation preparing for a possible conflict there is no sense of pulling together: more, of a burden imposed on rural areas.
That, however, was not the only survey taking place and, interestingly, the other survey did not attract the same tone of reporting. For on 6 January the paper carried a report headed “More A.R.P. workers wanted in Horsham”, with a final paragraph: “Yesterday, in an interview with the “West Sussex County Times” Capt. Pugh stated that he hopes with the assistance of the qualified Air Raid Wardens, to carry out a house-to-house survey in Horsham next week to discover the existing basement accommodation in the town and also to find out where there is room for trenches to be dug. The question of providing shelters for people in houses that have no reasonable accommodation will be considered”. The following week the paper ran an article with a photograph showing the building of Horsham’s first air raid shelter at the Manor House School, in the Causeway. “This particular shelter, which is being constructed by the Shoreham firm, is of the “C.C.” type that has been approved by the Government and certified to be capable of providing comfortable refuge, without air-conditioning, for at least two hours. It will be 81 feet long and 6ft 6in wide and will be capable to accommodate 100 people – there will therefore be ample accommodation for the boys and the staff of the school. It will be built in the form of a half -cylinder with 20 half sections of specially cast steel, each weighing 2½ cwt. These will be literally welded together with fero-concrete and will be set in a bed of the same material. Over all will be a 3-foot layer of earth.”[244]
The A.R.P. was starting to make its presence felt in the town, demanding action; interestingly, the minutes of the Executive Committee identified that there was a requirement for headquarters in both wartime and peacetime, whether they meant in the period leading up to war, or a long-term commitment to being in a state of preparedness. Either way, the A.R.P. officer recommended that the A.R.P. should take over the basement of Park House, install telephone switchboard equipment and undertake some structural work as well as install splinter-proofing and gas-proofing. He also recommended that, instead of purchasing new ground, they could demolish the outbuildings in the Park and build specifically-designed buildings. This would create a control and command centre that would have enough space for:
- Report Centre and Message Room for Control Headquarters, Urban and Rural District Councils
- Accommodation for senior officers for work in connection with A.R.P. control- Clerk to the Council, Medical Officer of Health, Surveyor, Chief Officer of Auxiliary Fire Brigade and Fire Brigade, First-Aid Commandant, Chief Warden, etc.
c) “Shelter for Horsham District Council clerical staff and messengers for Report Centre”.
He stated in his report that “As you know, it is one of the chief maxims in control organisation, to ensure that all your heads of services are as near together as possible, and in the same building”.
At the Parks Management Committee there was no apparent dissent to the proposal, and “following the Surveyor’s report the Museum Authorities be asked to remove the material at present stored in the basement of the Council Offices.”[245] On 20 March the Museum Society was given 14 days from the Council meeting (29 March) to clear with the Council, giving them no other accommodation.[246] However, a month later it was agreed that the Museum Society could store the goods in the loft of the old outbuildings. At the same meeting it was reported that Col. Hurst’s items stored in the basement had also been removed (24 April). (A further report on 18 February noted that “the Home Office were anxious that Local Authorities should make definite arrangements for control headquarters by the 15th March next.”[247]
Against this background it is rather reassuring to find more mundane issues being discussed at the same Parks Committee, namely: the proposed extension of Victory Road recreation ground by purchase of Spencer’s Road Brickyard; some 12½ acres from J&S Agate for £2,075, Agates wanted £3,000 but the District Valuer gave the lower valuation. The Housing Committee, on 14 February, following Ministry of Health approval also agreed to Brighton Road Housing Scheme No 3, for 160 houses and bungalows. However, on 22 February when the full Council met, “in view of present financial commitments” the Council decided against the purchase of Spencer’s Brickyard, but the following month the Housing Committee sought a Government loan of £61,783 to build the houses.[248]
It was in February that Horsham saw one of the country’s best known political figures give a speech in the town: Sir Oswald Moseley. Although by now the British Union of Fascists was no longer as popular, it was not discredited. The County Times, a month or so before the talk, ran a short article placing Sir Oswald in a local setting, giving him a local context. “Sir Oswald Moseley, who it is stated at the Fascist meeting, is to address a Horsham audience at the Drill Hall next month, has a connection with the Horsham district. His father, the late Sir Oswald, spent a good deal of time at his Thakeham residence, Abingdon, which is built on the site of a much older house long since burned down. According to Mr. J. Rapley, who has lived at Thakeham for over 50 years, the late Sir Oswald was a noteworthy figure in the village, where he used to walk about dressed in the traditional costume of John Bull… His son, the present Sir Oswald, also visited the parish during his father’s lifetime.”[249]
The speech attracted extensive coverage in the County Times, which not only reported on the content and the arguments Moseley raised but also on the audience reaction and Moseley’s dress: dark grey suit with a blue (almost black) shirt and tie. The paper noted that this was Oswald’s first visit to Horsham and that it “aroused considerable interest… all unable to gain admission formed an over-flow meeting outside and listened to loudspeakers transmitting from inside. In the large audience were people of all political views and persuasions. The meeting was conducted in a perfectly orderly manner, and the strong force of police posted in the vicinity of the hall was not required.” According to the late Labour Councillor of Horsham District Council, Frank Holmes, in conversation with the author, there was a running fight: “a good punch up”, after the speech and Moseley was heckled by the audience. Either the police decided not to get involved, not to record any fighting[250], or not to make any arrests. The paper reports on one lady asking for Mosley’s autograph in a gap in the proceedings when leaflets were being distributed. “After the last question had been answered the National Anthem was sung, and as the last note died away Sir Oswald gave his salute. A very large section of the audience also raised their arms in salute and cried “hail Mosley”. The speech itself was a familiar one at this time for Mosley, as he was arguing about saving British agriculture, the evils of “international finance” and the degree to which the Conservative Party, the Library Party and the Labour Party were dominated by it.
What is interesting about the paper’s reporting was: in the first article, why talk about Mosley’s home being built on top of an older house, unless it was to give a suggestion of deep roots in the community, to emphasise a historical element? If Frank Holmes was correct in his recollection, and there would be little reason to doubt it, why did the paper ignore the street fights and the heckling? If one remembers the paper’s coverage of the General Strike, the County Times was strongly in favour of the establishment; order, control: it had a right-wing bias in its reporting. The other thing that is unusual is that the meeting was held in The Drill Hall, a public venue paid for by the officers and men of the Royal 4th Sussex Regiment; the army and the reservists were non-political, so why did it allow the group to meet there? There were other venues available: Albion Hall, for example. Unfortunately, the documents that might explain this are not publicly available, even if they exist.
On 20 March the A.R.P. executive met and agreed a number of issues, the first of which was finance. with agreement that “5/- be paid to the Clerk at the Council offices volunteering for service to receive A.R.P. warnings from 9pm to 12 midnight”, and that the Home Office would give them a grant for work done to the basement, subject to certain conditions being met. It was noted that trenches should be dug in the garden at the rear of the health centre to accommodate 30 persons, that if the County Council was willing, to have adapted a building in the Tan Yard in Brighton Road; a space they bought back in 1913 as a temporary mortuary. The last comment reflects the level of concern over the numbers who would die through bombing.
The end of April saw a great deal of activity in Horsham over the War. At the Council there was a special meeting of the full Council held on the 24th. It met in response to a Home Office letter (18th April) requesting the acceleration of Air Raid Precaution schemes. This led to a review of where the Council was and how far it had to go. This also gives a good overview of the state of preparedness for a war that would, unbeknown to them, start in five months’ time.
Auxiliary Fire service
31 men in training, 7 men to commence training on 25 April. They were handicapped because of “non-delivery of the Auxiliary Fire Service Equipment”. Number of men required: 60.
A.R.P. Organisation in War-time – appointment of Emergency Committee
County Council had appointed its Clerk as A.R.P. Controller for the County and other County Officers as Sub-Controllers. However, Circular 57 stated the County had to consult with other Local Authorities “and investigate the question of whether District Controllers should be appointed, with Emergency Committees, in the County District”. HUDC resolved:
- “to appoint the Clerk to the Council as District Controller for Horsham Urban District”;
2. To appoint the Chairman of the Council with Councillors Bryce, Saunders and Vernon as an Emergency Committee to consult with the District Controller, with wide powers in time of War to act on behalf of the Council in matters of civil defence” (In other words, telling the County that they were in control; not the County).
Food (Defence Plans)
Instructions had been received from the Food (Defence Plans) Department, Board of Trade, for guidance of Food Executive Officers in time of war, in which it was expected that Local Authorities would provide clerical assistance to Food Executive Officer, until staffing could be arranged. The Council agreed that the Clerk, as Food Executive Officer, could use Council staff and “that Civil Defence matters must take priority over normal Council business”. Clerk stated he had already provided the government with various traders in foodstuffs who would be licensed.
Fuel etc control
The Ministry of Mines proposed that rationing of stocks would be carried out by the Local Authority. That a Local Fuel Overseer would be appointed and, later, an Advisory Committee “representative of the Coal, Gas and Electricity interests, including the Co-operative Societies” would advise the Overseer. The expenses would be refunded by the Government. Mr Atkinson was appointed.
Evacuation Scheme
Detailed report presented and Mr Partridge, the Council’s Senior Sanitary Inspector, be appointed Chief Billeting Officer to deal with evacuation and work with the Evacuation Committee.
Emergency Petrol Supplies
To be investigated.
Offices for Emergency Work
Food Control would take over Large Committee Room.
Evacuation work – Members’ Committee Room.
Fuel Control – Present Reading Room.
Special Council Meetings
Chairman empowered to call them as required.
ARP arrangements
Mr. Pugh reported on them.
Territorial’s
The Clerk will obtain a list of staff who are members of the Territorials.
The County Times carried an article that informed the public that “During Horsham Recruitment week, which begins on Monday, demonstrations of the various defence services will be given at the Ritz Cinema each evening from 7 to 7.30pm the air raid siren will be sounded each evening at 6.30pm and the week will culminate on Saturday with a recruiting march of all services starting at the Drill Hall and ending at the Ritz Cinema. The programme of demonstrations will be;
Monday: the Territorial Army, the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service and the National Defence Corps.
Tuesday: The British Red Cross Society
Wednesday: The St John’s Ambulance Brigade
Thursday: The Fire Brigade and the Auxiliary Fire Service
Friday: the A.R.P., Land Girls”
The number of organisations within the voluntary sector providing support was quite surprising, especially when, thanks to the popularity of a 1970s comedy programme on BBC TV, Dads Army, most know of the Home Guard and A.R.P.; the Home Guard is not even mentioned in the list of organisations. The multiplicity of organisations is not the most effective way of managing resources, but five months before a war that was not known for definite would take place, it is how the volunteer world could support the civil defence.
On 27 April the Evacuation Committee heard that the number of children allotted to Horsham was 2,500 and that there was sufficient accommodation for them. There would be six Distributing Centres: Oxford Road Schools, Roffey (All Saints) School, Collyer’s School, Clarence Road Infants School, High School, and Victory Road School. On 11 May another report went into further detail with the suggestion that it would be easier all round if children could have a mid-day meal at or near the school they were attending. This resulted in a request for 20 cookers to be bought for the five centres.[251]
A week later, on 4 May, a Special Council meeting took place to consider a report of the joint Air Raid Precautions sub-committee held on 2 May. The key item of the report was the decision to approve, subject to government approval and an Exchequer grant provided by the Air Raid Precautions Act 1937, the spending of £4,450 on the construction of suitable A.R.P. headquarters adjoining Horsham Park House. To also spend £500 on the provision of a Depot in Stanley Street for Rescue, Decontamination and Repair Parties.
The Council was looking forward to spending considerable sums on defence and assistance to the public, but the degree to which there was no joined-up thinking was quite surprising; but then panic may have kicked in. For example, on 24 May the Finance Committee turned down a request for financial assistance from Horsham Hospital, saying there was no money allocated in that financial year. As the Hospital Committee reported. “Our Balance sheet for 1938 shows a deficit of £8 5s 5d. At the present time we are about to make further provision in the way of a new X-Ray Department, and in other ways endeavouring to provide better service for our patients and improved salaries and accommodation for the Nursing Staff”, yet the Council was looking at finding a mortuary for taking a large number of dead bodies, as there were likely to be more injured than dead.
28 June – St John’s Ambulance Brigade Divisional HQ – opening of the headquarters
On 11 July the Council agreed to sell, with apparently little discussion, to the War Office, 23 acres of Broadbridge Heath Farm land adjoining Wickhurst lane for £100 per acre. This would develop into the secret arms testing depot; a story that will be told in the next volume. This is reminiscent of the Duke of Norfolk selling part of Horsham Common to the Office of Ordnance to establish an arsenal/Depot back in 1804[252].
Some seven days later, the A.R.P. Committee met[253] and received an extensive report updating it on Horsham’s preparations for Civil Defence. Seven Warden posts were identified, some equipped with telephones:
District No 1. Car Park, Bishopric
2. The Common-Room of Collyer’s School, telephone to be installed
3. Roffey Institute
4. In hand, not yet decided
5. Town Hall
6. Odeon Cinema – Cloakroom was Warden Post
7. In hand- not yet decided
Public Shelter at the Junction of Kings Road and North Street.
Messrs J&S Agate made the offer to the Council of a steel and concrete building for conversion; at the same time it would be used as a shelter for the workmen.
At the Joint Air Raid Precautions Sub Committee that met on 2th July it received a report from the Home Office to say it disapproved the proposals for construction of permanent premises. However, it did approve the construction of temporary premises of the hutman type at a cost in the region of 4½d per foot cube. The Surveyor produced plans for the erection of a proposed temporary headquarters on the same site as the proposed permanent ones at a estimated cost of £500. In effect, one can see that Mr. Pugh got so involved with the threat of war that he envisaged it to be a state of permanence; whereas the Home Office was looking at getting through the next war, should it come, and then address the possible threat. The image comes to mind of Mr. Pugh getting above himself and expecting the Government to pay whatever he thought necessary.
On 30 July the Fire Brigade Management Committee received a report to say that that an Inspector from the Home Office visited Horsham and considered Messrs. Jackson Brothers’ premises in Springfield Road were ideal for the purpose of an Auxiliary Fire Station. The Council would have to provide sand bags, dark curtains for windows and hurricane lamps for lighting, two telephone lines, and increase the number of Auxiliary Firemen from 60 to 70 men.
Whilst all this threat of war was going on the Council still had to deal with day-to-day issues. So it must have been quite a relief for the Parks Committee to deal with a rather generous request from “Lieutenant Colonel Innes of Horringer Manor Bury St Edmunds enquiring if the Council would take over the Trusteeship and management of the Roffey Cricket Ground, together with the Endowment, the income from which is not quite sufficient to pay the cost of maintaining the ground. If the Council take over the ground Colonel Innes would like it to be known as the ‘Innes Recreation Ground’ as it was originally given by Colonel Innes’s Mother in memory of her husband.” The Committee agreed.[254]
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