Jackson Live in Concert - Martlets Hall, Burgess Hill, Nov 2015

By David Tingley

I must confess to being something of a closet fan of the late, controversial and bizarre musical genius that was Michael Jackson. I wasn’t lucky enough to have seen him in concert back in the day – and I had assumed I had missed it. Until, that is, a friend recommended the tribute show Jackson Live in Concert. I looked them up and, as luck would have it, they were about to play The Martlets Hall in Burgess Hill. I was booked!

The show, which consisted of six band members and three dancers, opened with an incredibly powerful rendition of Gotta Be Starting Something. The band was tight and sounded great from the off. The first thing that struck me about the show in that opening number was how much of a show it was. Clearly MJ always brought a huge show when he was performing in stadiums and arenas, but I had imagined that this would simply be a band playing the hits. The in-sync dancers, the lighting changes right on cue, the false endings on songs; all made a fantastic live show. 

The professional musicians all played their part in the imitation. The mysteriously mono-named ‘Ben’ has been a Jackson tribute artist for ten years and he really takes the role seriously, complete with ‘hee-hee’, ‘sha-mon’ and some very odd facial expressions which I could easily imagine Jacko doing! In Earth Song he donned the legendary white shirt and took on MJ’s somewhat misguided saviour position for the chorus. And the lead guitarist too; for Black or White he performed the solo triumphantly and walked amongst the audience with MJ while excited onlookers grabbed selfies while they could. 

The dancers really added to the production, whether it was the start of The Way You Make Me Feel and seductive slow moves by one in a sparkly blue dress, suited for Smooth Criminal or jumping off the stage as ghosts in Thriller for the second half. 

It was especially great to see an almost packed house of a local theatre on a Saturday night in ‘X Factor season’ – sadly almost unheard of these days. The reputation of this formidable tribute show went before it and the crowd came in droves, shouting ‘we love you Michael’ as they did!

Meet the guy who makes the Guy - Martin Durrant, Lindfield Bonfire Society

By Claire Cooper

On the morning of 5th November, Lindfield’s giant Guy Fawkes will once again take his seat outside the butchers in the High Street.

He’ll spend the day being admired and photographed by dozens of passers-by, and later take his place in the bonfire procession before meeting a grizzly end during the evening celebrations.

The unveiling of the Guy is very much a village tradition – thanks to the sterling effort of one very creative Bonfire Society member.

For more than 40 years Martin Durrant’s creation has been the centrepiece of the village bonfire celebrations. He explained how it all began: “Lindfield has always had a Guy, and when I came on the scene they were made by bonfire society stalwarts Ted Haskell and ‘Sooty’ Anscombe,” Martin recalled. “They used to pinch an old suit from the jumble sale and stuff it with straw. “One year I suggested making something bigger – and was immediately handed the job!”

Over the past 40 years Martin has perfected his design which is based on the traditional Guy Fawkes, complete with red jacket and black top hat.

Read the full story in the November 2015 issue of Lindfield Life

Lindfield Bonfire Night, West Sussex, 5th November 2015

Members of Lindfield Bonfire Society are gearing up for the 121st village bonfire celebrations on 5th November.

Programmes are currently on sale at SWALK, Glyn Thomas Butchers and Sarah Lacey Dry Cleaning in Haywards Heath. The programmes include a colouring competition for children with prizes generously provided by Masters and Sons.

The itinerary for the 5th November is;

6.30pm – Fancy Dress Competition at the King Edward Hall. (The competition is free to enter and open to both the public and Bonfire Society members.)

7.30pm – Torchlit Procession The procession moves off from the King Edward Hall at

7.30pm. It will then go via Black Hill, Hickmans Lane, The High Street and onto The Common. (Torches will only be given to members of the Lindfield Bonfire Society and those attending from other Bonfire Societies who are in their stripes, costumes or fancy dress.)

8.15pm – Lighting of the Bonfire – preceded by the Traditional Bonfire Prayer

8.30pm – Grand Firework Display on Lindfield Common Please do not cross the safety fence at any point during the evening, even after the fireworks have finished. It’s there for your safety as there may be unexploded fireworks after the display has finished.

9pm to 9.15pm – End of show

9.30pm – Roads reopen to traffic

Members of the Bonfire Society fundraise all year in order to keep the event free with events including coffee mornings, a craft fair and Village Day. “We’d like to thank all those who support our events,” said secretary Mark Tampion-Lacey.

“We’d also like to congratulate Martin Durrant on building his 40th Guy!” (You can read more about Martin’s creations on pages 18.)

Mark added that the society recently welcomed several new members, including some who joined at the recent Badge Night at the Stand Up Inn.

“New members are always welcome and can join and support the Society by completing a membership form available in this year’s programme or on the website www.lindfieldbonfiresociety.co.uk,” said Mark.

A few reminders for a safe and happy bonfire night: 

• Don’t bring sparklers, fireworks or bangers into the village or onto the Common as it is dangerous and against the law (yes, even the sparklers!)

• The society operates a strict no fireworks policy outside the display.

• Leave your pets at home.

• Please be considerate to fellow residents before, during and after the event.

• The Red Cross will be positioned at the top of the Common in the Bowling Club car park.

Lindfield Bowling Club Ladies raise over £1k

On a gloriously sunny Saturday 1st August, the ladies of Lindfield bowling club, hosted by captain Vera Stevens, held a charity Ladies Captain’s Day in aid of Breast Cancer Now.
     Twelve teams from all over Sussex attended, dressed in pink for the charity. Following a light lunch, they played in five different challenges with the overall winner being the ladies of St Francis bowling club. Over the course of the day players had the opportunity to buy tickets for the raffle, lucky dip, plant pot auction, jewellery sale and a chance to win a bottle of champagne.
     Following the game, they sat down to a superb meal prepared by a team of ladies from the club. Following speeches and prizes, they also had the opportunity to bid for homemade cakes provided by club members. Tese actions gave the club a grand total of over £1k for the Breast Cancer Now charity.
     On Sunday morning, 2nd August, the club hosted the annual fun event with The Lindfield Club. This raised £265 for St Peter’s and St James Hospice. Earlier in the season Men’s Captain’s Day raised £651 for their charity.

See page 13.

Fundraising art sale - Lindfield Arts Festival

A prolific painter, creating abstract works in acrylic, oil and pastel as well as sketches and collages, Alex was also very knowledgeable and appreciative of other artists’ work, particularly early 20th century modern art.
     After being diagnosed with Dementia with Lewy Bodies in 2008, Alex continued to paint but as his condition deteriorated it brought his painting career to an end.
     “He was at home, confined to a chair and tragically no longer had the motivation or inspiration to paint, let alone hold a brush,” said Laura. “But he still talked a lot about his art and selling and exhibiting his paintings.”
     Following the death of his wife in 2013, Alex moved to a nursing home where he died in April, aged 82.
     “After the private family funeral, I felt I wanted to have some sort of memorial for him and started thinking about how I could ensure his work would live on,” said Laura.

Full article available on Page 8.

By Claire Cooper
     Fans of abstract art can pick up an original painting and help raise money for Dementia UK at a unique exhibition at this year’s Lindfield Arts Festival.
     Laura Morgan, from Haywards Heath, will be exhibiting and selling the work of her late father, Alex Wilson, who died earlier this year. It will be a fitting tribute to the Eastbourne artist, from the daughter he lost contact with for many years. 
     Laura explained that the family became estranged following her parents’ divorce. “It was only many years later, when I moved to Sussex, that we got back in touch,” Laura recalled.
      “We rebuilt our relationship as adults and found we had much in common, including a shared love of art. I remember as a child he used to sketch a lot but I don’t think he got into art seriously until he reached his sixties.”
     On moving to Eastbourne, Alex set up his own art studio and began to exhibit his work. He also ran a jewellery shop with his wife and became an expert on coins, publishing a well respected coin guide.
     “Alex was an intelligent man; a former chess champion who also enjoyed tennis, cricket and yoga,” said Laura. “He was fit, enthusiastic and full of character, always telling awful jokes!”

Becky Stevens - Village People

One of the highlights of Becky’s dance career was an open-ended contract with Disneyland Paris!
     “I danced in the parade and enjoyed working in the park as many characters, including Pluto and Eeyore! It was great fun!” 
     But life as a Disney dancer could be challenging. “I remember dancing in the parade in the middle of February in the snow and it was so cold that my jaw froze in a smile position!” said Becky. “Not only did it really hurt, I also looked very silly for about 15 minutes until I could move my jaw again - much to my work colleagues’ amusement!”
     After her amazing Disney experience, Becky decided to form her own professional showgirl dance troupe called Dancesation, working in Tenerife. “We danced in many hotels and casinos around Tenerife but after three years I decided to bring the troupe back to the UK and started working in the South West. While we were there we had the great opportunity to dance in a circus and also joined a tribute act called Rogue Minogue.”

Read full article on page 28.

By Claire Cooper
Lindfield dance teacher Becky Stevens will be bringing a touch of Disney magic to the Arts Festival next month.
     Becky, who has worked as a dancer in the Paris theme park, will be introducing her new Popsteps classes to the village over the Festival Weekend.
     Events will include a performance outside the Red Lion on Saturday 19th Sept at 2pm and an open class on Sunday 20th Sept at 1pm.
     The class is open to people of all ages. “Popsteps is for everyone, so we would love to see boys, girls, parents and grandparents!” said Becky.
     Popsteps was created by Becky, who began dancing when she was just 3 years old. She went on to train at the Laban Centre, London where she gained a BA (HONS) Dance Theatre degree and, on leaving, danced professionally for 14 years.
     “I jumped straight into my first dance contract abroad in Tenerife,” Becky recalled. “I stayed there for about two years, dancing for many professional dance troupes, and then left to work in UK holiday parks as dance captain and choreographer.”

Lindfield ladies run for charity

Back in April 2015 Lindfield resident Jill Sayers took a group of school mums out on to the nature reserve for their first run. Jill runs Firefly Fitness locally but most of the group had never run at all since leaving school (several years ago!) but slowly, after pounding the streets three times a week for three months, they were fit and ready to run the Vitality British 10K together on 12th July.
     The girls decided to try and raise some money for charity and chose Cancer Research because two of them (Catherine and Nikki) had been diagnosed with breast cancer last autumn. The end of last year was a difficult period for both but after surgery (and in Catherine’s case a tough few months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy) they are carrying on with life. 
     The support and help received from friends and family in the village was overwhelming and both girls are incredibly grateful. Meeting up every week and running together has also been an important part of recovery.
     At the time of going to print the group has raised an incredible £6,772.86. If you would like to sponsor the girls please go to www.justgiving.com/teams/mumscanrun.
     The group included Jill Sayers, Catherine Cole, Karen Hastings, Heather Martin, Helen Robinson, Nikki Smith, Sophie Hazeu, Katie McNeill and Judith White.

Also available on page 12.

Alan and Wendy retire

Villagers and traders were determined to make Alan and Wendy Stamford’s last day in Lindfield a real Red Letter Day!
     Customers, friends and fellow traders gathered outside the village post office to give the popular couple a special send off, presenting them with cards, flowers and gifts.
     The gifts included two hampers packed with goodies, membership of the National Trust, rose bushes and a cheque for almost £900 to help pay for the couple’s trip to Australia in September to visit their daughter.
     “It’s been a long time coming,” said Alan. “It’s been a week of so many different emotions as people have been calling in to say goodbye. We’ve had cards, presents and enough plants to fill our little garden which is lovely!”
     Wendy added: “We’ve been totally overwhelmed by the generosity of our customers and fellow traders, and are so thankful for everything they have done for us. It’s lovely to know how much they care.”
     Making the presentation, parish councillor Christopher Snowling said Alan and Wendy had been a huge asset to the local community.
     “This is a very sad day for a lot of people in the village and Alan and Wendy will be greatly missed but we are so delighted that they are able to retire and to visit their daughter in Australia,” he said.
     Alan and Wendy’s retirement also coincides with the decision to move the post office from the corner of the High Street and Lewes Road into Martin’s Newsagents.
     “Without doubt this is the end of an era for the village, as the post office has been on the corner of the High Street for as long as I can remember,” added Cllr Snowling. “It’s going to take a bit of getting used to.”

Also available on page 25.

Lindfield's village school eighty years ago - Local History

     The salary paid to the Head depended on attendance, so it was important that children attended every day! Many questions were asked if you missed a day. There Lindfield’s village school eighty years ago was a man employed by The Board of Education to chase up absentees and it was a disgrace if the School Board Man was seen at your home! I remember Mr Newman held this position while I was young. He lived in the cottages facing the Common near the Pond and his son ‘Chic’ was a great friend of mine. Older children were often kept off to help at home in times of need.
     Lessons were very formal. There was a lot of repetition and learning to read meant reading round the class and woe betide you if you missed the place in the set book. This must have been agony for those who found reading difficult. Arithmetic came straight from a text book with sums to copy. Writing was copy work from the blackboard on to specially lined paper. There were history and geography lessons and drawing but very little painting.
     I remember competitions arranged for collecting and displaying wild flowers, leaves and twigs. I remember my parents helping to mount my collections on sheets of brown paper.

Full article available on pages 20/21.

By Eric Dawes
I was born in Lindfield in 1926 and attended the Village Council School from 1932 to 1938.
     The old school on the Common was a good well-built Victorian building for children from 5 to around 14 years old. There were five or six classrooms, those for the older children were ‘stepped’ with several levels, like a lecture room.
     There were no corridors and windows were set high up – no doubt to avoid any distraction during lesson time. Heating was basic in the form of a ‘tortoise’ stove near the front of the classroom. The caretaker would fire these up early in the morning and then the teacher would keep them going with coke all day in the winter. The cloakrooms were simple - cramped, cold and not well appointed. A few crude sinks provided cold water and a drinking tap. They were not heated and very wet coats were sometimes hung on the large fire-guard round the stove. Toilets were outside in the playgrounds – one for girls and Infants and one for boys.
     Classroom desks were long, seating four to six children with a little shelf underneath for books and papers. Dual desks came later. All desks had holes for the little china ink wells. There were great tall store cupboards, a blackboard and easel and a tall stand-up teacher’s desk (near the stove!) There were some very uninteresting pictures on the walls, alphabet letters for the lower classes, times tables for Juniors and maps and diagrams for the Seniors.
     Punishments were handed out in school and there was little reference to parents over this. Discipline was strict but always fair. The cane was used frequently – boys on the hands or backside, girls on the hands, always administered by the Head. Teachers had a favourite ruler that was used on knuckles to ‘correct’ bad writing, talking in class and poor work. Playtime could be stopped and younger children made to ‘stand in the corner’ for long periods. Keeping children ‘in’ after school was common.

Emma Wickens - Village People

By Claire Cooper
Lindfield’s Emma Wickens is a mum with a sense of adventure who loves a challenge.
     Over the years she’s been jet-skiing, parascending, run half marathons, abseiled down mountains and climbed waterfalls.
     But today some of Emma’s biggest challenges happen in her own kitchen as she painstakingly creates and ices cakes that are set to be the centrepiece of many special days.
     Emma launched WickyWooWoo cakes 18 months ago after a birthday cake she made for a friend’s daughter led to a flood of requests. “Everyone loved it, the orders started to come in and my feet haven’t touched the ground since.”
     Orders have ranged from Disney characters to fivetier cascading wedding cakes and even a curled up corn snake, but Emma takes it all in her stride.
     “On average I make two cakes a week, although a tiered wedding cake can take all week,” said Emma. “I’ve got customers all along the south coast as far as Cornwall, have created a wedding cake for a couple in Spain, made Tiffany boxes, an MG car, roulette wheel and sugar shoes in a size 6!”
     Emma moved to Lindfield eight years ago after marrying her childhood sweetheart. “We originally wanted to live in Cuckfield but then came across Lindfield and completely fell in love with the village,” she said. “We moved here and it’s been brilliant - we’ve never looked back!”

     At the time Emma was working in HR. “After leaving school I studied Art and Design at College but jobs were really hard to come by so I ended up doing a variety of office jobs,” she said.
     Emma continued to work after the birth of her first child, Oliver, but when Jessica came along in 2011 she decided to take a break from part-time work. “My job in HR just didn’t fit around family life,” she said.
     “However, I soon realised that I needed to start earning money again, so I started restoring and painting wooden furniture and giving it a new lease of life.”
     With more time on her hands, Emma also started making cakes for family and friends.
     “Before long I had to get rid of the wood furniture to make way for cake decorating space,” said Emma. 
     Since then Emma has created an array of celebration cakes, including a bride and groom driving a tractor, fairy castles, spaceships and a wedding cake of stacked suitcases!

Read full article on pages 22/23.

Success in tag rugby tournament

By James Smyth
Lindfield village certainly seems to be the place for high quality tag rugby in Mid Sussex! For the fourth time in the last five years, one of our primary schools has been crowned Mid-Sussex champion and this year both schools contested the final! Lindfield Primary School (champions in 2013 and 2014) and Blackthorns Community Primary Academy (champions in 2011) went into the tournament, at Burgess Hill Rugby Club, well prepared after a number of training sessions and even a training match against each other on their field. As a result, confidence was high in both camps.
     In the group stages Lindfield remained unbeaten throughout, defeating WPPA, St. Wilfrid’s (BH), Holy Trinity and London Mead as well as drawing with St. Joseph’s. Blackthorns also topped their group, defeating Harlands, Birchwood Grove, Manor Field and Northlands Wood.
     With only the winners of each group reaching the latter stages, it left a playoff between both village schools to see who would be crowned champions and gain qualification for the County Final. The quality of rugby was high throughout the match, with Blackthorns just pipping their local rivals 6-5. Thanks must go to Mid-Sussex Active which ran the competition and well done to all the children from both sides for the high quality of rugby and great teamwork. Good luck to Blackthorns in the County Final later this month.

Photo: Blackthorns – William James, Joe Barnett, Harry Pulham, Tom Spensley, Ben Anthony, Lauren Healey, Harry Clark, Jessica Cox, Jenny Tame, Jamie Filce, Henry Rakabopa and Daniel Childs. Teacher – Terry Harris
Lindfield: Patrick Stedman, Nathan Weekes, Alex Pedley, Seren Billson, Lio Robinson, Harry Russell, Jack Flower, Georgia White, Ella Greenslade, Barnaby Grout, Alex Owen, Hannah Taylor. Teacher – James Smyth

Also available on page 7.

VE Day Parade

By Claire Cooper
Lindfield celebrated the 70th anniversary of VE Day in traditional style with a procession down the High Street and a gathering on the Common.
     Despite strong winds and a little rain, the procession attracted villagers of all ages, from Beavers, Cubs and Scouts to WW2 veterans proudly wearing their medals.
     Standard bearers from British Legion branches throughout Sussex marched alongside representatives from the Haywards Heath 5th Squadron Army Cadet Force and the 172 Squadron Air Training Corps in a parade led by the Surrey and Sussex Drum and Bugle Corps.
     They were joined by Year 5 children from Blackthorns Primary School dressed as evacuees. 
    On arrival at Lindfield Common, a welcome was given VE Day Parade by Captain Derek North DL.
     Entertainment was provided by the Victory Sisters.
     Village florists Flower Craft, in Lewes Road, joined in the celebrations, creating a commemorative window display on behalf of Royal British Legion Lindfield Branch. The event was organised by Sonja Moss and Lauren Selby, Community Fundraisers for Sussex Royal British Legion.
     “We felt it was really important to commemorate VE Day in Lindfield and remember all those who fought to enable us all to live the lives we live today,” said Sonja. “We were very pleased to see so many people turning out to support us on such a blustery day, particularly the stall holders brave enough to put up gazebos!”

See all pictures on pages 10 & 11.

Eric Dawes - Village People

Last month we were delighted to hear that former Lindfield Primary School teacher Eric Dawes had returned to the village after 68 years. 
     Eric, who has been living in Turners Hill, made the decision to return to the village after losing his wife Carol in May 2014. The couple had been married for 66 years.
     Now settling into his home at Little Compton, co-incidently next door to Littlecote, the private house that Carol left on her wedding morning to marry Eric at All Saints Church, Eric is busy compiling his memoirs. 
     Eric’s story recalls life growing up in the village, and memories of the school he attended as boy, never dreaming that one day he would become a teacher!
     We are delighted that Eric has agreed to share some of his memories with us.

Shops and businesses

My first ‘shop’ memory is of the Pond Shop (now the Barber’s), an old glass-jar sweet shop full of delights! Mr Startup was there and later he went to The Stand Up Inn. There was a little petrol station and garage, a small second-hand furniture shop and then the White Horse Inn and The King Edward Hall. There was a builder’s shop by the Pond at the end of Pond Croft Road where Mr Anscombe had his builder’s yard, and the large barn, which is still there as a private dwelling.
     The main shop of the village was Masters. I recall some very frightening looking Man Traps hanging on the wall where the shop started. First came the Furniture and Funeral Department with double windows, then a driveway for vehicles. The main shop had two departments – Grocery and Haberdashery. The Grocer’s was a wonderful place selling just everything you needed from cheese to wine, paraffin oil to biscuits! Butter was cut from a huge slab and ‘patted’ into a small block, bacon was sliced on a great whirring machine with a deadly looking circular blade and cheese was expertly cut with a wire to your requirement from a huge slab!Dried goods were weighed and deftly contained in

a twisted paper cone and biscuits were kept in square tins which were stacked all along the front of the long counters. Up the stairs at the back was a great store of soaps, candles, oil and paraffin, giving that area a very distinctive mixture of odours and smells!
     There was a raised office where the cashier sat overlooking the store where you could pay bills – also the end of the line for the amazing overhead pulley system used by the staff. Cash and orders were loaded into a small canister which travelled on an overhead wire to the cashier when the sender pulled a handle. Change was duly zipped back to the counter! This was a great fascination for small children!
     The Haberdashery shop sold all you needed for sewing, mending or garment-making, plus many good clothes. Like all village shops, if they did not have your needs in stock they would get them in for you! The Masters’ family lived in a house on the corner of Denman’s Lane called The Downs. I well remember Mr Jerry Masters, his father Mr Leslie and his grand-father Mr George.

Read full article on pages 22/23.

VE Day Parade 2015 (video), Lindfield, West Sussex

The Royal British Legion organised this Parade down Lindfield High Street on Saturday 9th May 2015 in celebration and commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. Many residents of the village lined the street to watch it process down the village and on to Lindfield Common. 

Various groups were included in the parade including Scouts, Beavers and the Air Training Corp.

Alan and Wendy Stamford - Village People

When Alan and Wendy Stamford close the door of the village Post Office next month they will be marking the end of an era for the village.
     The little Post Office on the corner of the High Street and Lewes Road has served generations of villagers, often patiently queueing outside the door to buy their stamps and post their parcels.
     For the last 17 years Alan and Wendy have been the friendly faces behind the post office counter, along with staff Glenda (four years) and Janet (two years), so it seems appropriate that they are all retiring together next month.
     As they prepare to leave the village, Alan and Wendy spoke about how they came to buy the Post Office and become an integral part of village life, how, faced with adversity, they were touched by the kindness and support of customers, and how they are looking forward to their first proper holiday in 17 years!

By Claire Cooper
Alan and Wendy first met as teenagers when they worked at WH Smith’s in Churchill Square in Brighton. “I was only 15 1/2, and it was my first job,” said Wendy.
     Romance blossomed and the pair were eventually married, moving to Grimsby working at WH Smith before returning to Sussex and running Dillons newsagents in Worthing for 25 years.
     With many years’ experience running newsagents’ shops, it was only a matter of time before Alan and Wendy decided they would like a business of their own.
     “We had always thought about running our own business but didn’t want to take the risk while our two children were young,” said Wendy. “Alan had always wanted to own a card shop as he loves choosing and ordering greetings cards!”
     Tired of the long hours involved in running a newsagents, the pair started looking around for a business that didn’t involve getting up at the crack of dawn to organise the morning paper rounds.
     “So we were delighted when details of the Lindfield Post Office arrived in the post!” said Wendy.
     However, at first it seemed an impossible dream as the sale included both the shop and house next door and was way beyond the couple’s budget. “I spoke to the estate agent who sang its praises and suggested we still came and looked as there might be an opportunity to buy just the Post Office. Even without the house it was still slightly over our budget but we loved it straight away.” 
     So the couple jumped in at the deep end and bought the Post Office. “We had to stretch ourselves just to buy this bit and we wondered if we were pushing ourselves too far,” Alan recalled. “But it proved to be absolutely the right decision.”

Full article available on pages 20 & 21.

Sir Vivian Dunn - Stories from the graves

This month we are pleased to return to our series of Walstead Burial Ground features and tell the story of a world famous musician, composer and Military Band leader. Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Francis Vivian Dunn KCVO OBE FRAM FRSA was the Director of Music of the Portsmouth Division of the Royal Marines from 1931 to 1953 and Principal Director of Music of the Royal Marines from 1953 to 1968. He was also the first British Armed Forces military musician to be knighted.

By Claire Cooper
Francis Vivian Dunn was born on 24th December 1908 in Jabalpur, India. His father, William James Dunn, was bandmaster of the Second Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps and later director of music of the Royal Horse Guards.
     Dunn studied piano with his mother, Beatrice Maud, and undertook choral studies in Winchester. In 1923 he attended the Konservatorium der Musik in Cologne while the family was in Germany with the Army of the Rhine, and on returning to England two years later he went to the Royal Academy of Music.
     He studied conducting with Henry Wood and composition with Walton O’Donnell. As a violinist, he performed in the Queen’s Hall Promenade Orchestra (under Wood) and in 1930 was a founder member of the BBC Symphony Orchestra with Sir Adrian Boult.
     Dunn was released from his contract with the BBC and on 3rd September 1931, aged 22, commissioned as a lieutenant in the Royal Marines to be director of music for Portsmouth Division of the Corps. This appointment also carried with it the responsibility of directing the Royal Marines Band on the Royal Yacht. He took part in the royal tour of South Africa in 1947 aboard HMS Vanguard and in a Royal Marines band tour of the US and Canada in 1949.
     His appointment as Principal Director of Music of the Royal Marines, the subsequent promotion to Lieutenant-Colonel and election as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music were all achieved in 1953. Later in the Coronation year, Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh embarked in SS Gothic for a world-wide tour of the Commonwealth, for which Dunn directed the accompanying Royal Marines Band.

Read full article on pages 30 & 31

Rifle Club celebrates centenary

Last month Graham Davison, the President of the Lindfield Miniature Rifle Club (LMRC), gave an inspiring speech to the gathering before making the toast to commemorate the centenary. He made the point that the club owed a debt to Mr Sturdy and Miss Savill for their generous donation, made 100 years ago, of the land and money to build the range.
     The Club Secretary, Richard ‘Dickie’ Bird, the person responsible for the safety and regulatory compliance of the club, noted how different things are today. “The range, initiated to teach young men to shoot straight for their participation in an awful war, is now used for theenjoyment of a technical and disciplined sport.”
     The club also has a tradition of supporting the Scouts in their pursuit of firearm skills. Encouraging the youngsters of the district assists in the aims of the club, which is to bring new talent to the sport.
     A feature not overlooked by Alex Henderson, who observed that LMRC is amongst only a few that encourages adolescents in this way. Alex, who joined the club when moving into the area, found the club inviting and the members friendly. He went on to represent British Schoolboys and now represents the Sussex County Team in .22 as well as shooting in the LMRC Teams.
     Another member who holds high aspirations is Oliver. He joined the club along with his father James. He had used an air rifle under the supervision of his father prior to joining the club but wanted to stretch his skills. As a member of the Air Training Corps (Haywards Heath) he is currently training for the ‘Cadet 100’. If he makes the grade he will be eligible to be selected for the GB Junior Squad. We wish him every success in all his competitions.

Full story available on page 16.

Village Day 2015 - Join in!

By Sarah Richmond
What links a Caribbean steel band, a tug of war and a beer tent serving Sussex specials? Yes, it’s time for Lindfield Village Day 2015. A fun day out for all the family, the event takes place on Lindfield Common on Saturday 30th May, starting at 12.45pm with the procession down the High Street and finishing with the Grand Raffle Draw between 4pm and 4.30pm.
     Set to raise at least £7,000 for the charity which runs and maintains the King Edward Hall, the Day will play host to over 100 stalls on the Common selling everything from crafts to cuddly toys, books to barbecue food - plus a range of activities including the famed minirailway, the fun fair and lots of activities for the young and young at heart. 
     This year the arena will be home to lots of traditional games, including sack and egg and spoon races hosted by volunteers from Potential Personal Training. People who’d prefer to put their pets on show can do just that - no pre-entry required, just come to the King Edward Hall tent on Village Day and enter your pet so he or she can take centre stage on the arena in the middle of the Common.
     For those with a bit of muscle, or simply sheer grit, there’s the Tug of War competition in the afternoon, again in the arena, where Lindfield teams will battle it out to become 2015 Lindfield Tug of War Champions.
     Bakers and gardeners should note that the Grand Competition is being rested this year but there’ll be plants and cakes aplenty on sale from the experts at Lindfield Horticultural Society and the Village Hall’s own renowned cake stall respectively.
     A beer and music tent makes its debut, with ales and cider from local brewer 360 Degree Brewing and a range of bands to make the the afternoon go with a swing.
     Earlier in the day the traditional procession through the High Street this year is set to be anything but! A steel band will lead the parade, which has a Caribbean theme to reflect the musical atmosphere following the success of last year’s carnival procession. Throw on some Caribbean fancy dress or come as you are - individuals, families and local groups are all invited to join the procession which will gather at Hickmans Lane Playing Fields at 12.15 for judging at 12.30 and departure for the Common at 12.45.
     Look out for the Village Day programme, on sale in the village shortly, with all the details of the Day’s events. At just £1, with all proceeds going to the King Edward Hall, it’s money well spent and will guide you through a fantastic day out. Entry to Village Day is free, so invite your family, bring your friends and come and enjoy your village. If you can spare an hour to sell 20 programmes to neighbours along your street, please get in touch – every little helps: villageday@kingedwardhall.org.uk
     For more information about the event and about the 5k/10k Village Run, which takes place on Monday 25th May, see www.kingedwardhall.org.uk.

Also available on page 20.

Trekking in New Zealand

In January, 62 year old Lindfield resident Peter Candy flew out to join his son as he trekked the length of New Zealand.
     Rob Candy (inset) set himself the challenge of raising money for two charities by walking the 3000km across both North and South Islands which he started, with friend Joss Smale, back in November last year. The pair hope to finish the trek later this month.
     Peter, who describes himself as semi-retired, says it was an opportunity he couldn’t miss: “For a variety of reasons, the timings of joining Rob out there worked well. I hadn’t seen Rob for a couple of years and have never travelled to New Zealand either. I wanted to spend time with and support Rob as he perseveres with this incredible challenge.”
     Peter, who has worked as an overseas aid worker, an airline insurance manager, a deputy warden of student accommodation in central London and a Christian missionary in Tanzania, made the 40 hour door-to-door journey to meet Rob in the country’s capital Wellington. “At this point Rob and Joss had already walked 2000km,” Peter explained. “I had a couple of days’ wait as we weren’t exactly sure how long it would take for them to arrive in the city. They can have a number of days without any mobile signal at all, when they are completely incommunicado.”
     The section of the Te Araroa Trail that Peter walked with them is known as the Queen Charlotte Track. A 70km stretch with variations in altitude of nearly 400m.
     “I tried to prepare myself before I went with practise walks around home,” Peter said. He set off each time with a 20kg backpack walking, for example, a 12 mile route up to Ardingly, to the Balcombe Viaduct and back home. “The most dangerous part of the whole adventure felt like walking on the roads just north of Lindfield where they are no footpaths!

Full article available on page 45. 

Wendy Box: meet Mrs Bonfire - Village People

She’s known to many as Mrs Bonfire but, after spending time in the company of Wendy Box, perhaps Mrs Lindfield would be more appropriate! Not only has Wendy lived in the village for all her life, she’s remained in the family home which was designed and built by her father in 1939. A lifelong member of the bonfire society, former youth club leader and one of the instigators of Village Day, Wendy has made a huge contribution to village life as we know it.

By Claire Cooper
Wendy, the only daughter of George and Lucy Edgerton, was born at home in Beckworth Lane in the house that was designed and built by her father. 
     “At that time only one side of the road had been developed and the house looked out over fields,” said Wendy. “One of my earliest memories is of watching the cows from East Mascalls Farm being led down the road to the flelds twice a day.” 
     Wendy enjoyed a happy and carefree childhood growing up in the village. “We would wander off to play in the woods and felt like we could do whatever we wanted as long as we were home by tea time!
     “I remember going to Sunday School with all my friends at the Sewell Memorial Mission, and the pastor was Mr Makepiece. I also went to Brownies at the Tiger.” 
     Wendy’s maternal grandparents, Henry and Flo Drake, ran the Red Lion pub in the village, while her father’s parents owned the bakery in Horsted Keynes. “My Mum was a telephonist at the Lindfield exchange, which is now Limes restaurant.”
     A sporty and hard working child, Wendy attended Lindfield Primary School (on Lindfield Common) before passing her 11 plus and getting a place at East Grinstead Grammar School.
     “Getting to school involved two train journeys, which included the steam train which is now the Bluebell Railway,” Wendy recalled.
     “In the summer I went on my bike as it was much quicker, particularly on the way home when it was all downhill! I was always in a hurry to get back to Lindfield, particularly when we had a stoolball match.”
     Wendy started playing stoolball for the Lindfield Junior team and later progressed to the seniors. A natural sportswoman, she was chosen for every school sports team and went on to play netball for Burgess Hill Ladies for 33 years. She also qualified as a netball coach and umpire, and later as a football coach. 
     The coaching experience came in handy when Wendy took over as one of the youth leaders at the Albemarle Centre at Oathall Community College.

Read full article on pages 24/25.