By Richard Bryant, Lindfield History Project Group
Welcome Home parade arriving at Kind Edward Hall
Today we have grown used to receiving news as it happens 24 hours a day, whereas one hundred years ago newspapers were the almost universal means for the public to receive news.
News of the Armistice on 11th November 1918 bringing to an end the fighting took time to spread and was not widely received until the following day. People needed to read it to believe it was true. There was a joyous but muted reaction in Lindfield and across Mid Sussex, with no organised public celebratory events.
The Mid Sussex Times reported that ‘During the past week the inhabitants of Mid Sussex have been in high spirits because of the cessation of hostilities. Joyous peals have been rung upon the church bells. Cottagers have displayed from their humble homes such flags as they could get hold of, bonfires have been lighted, and rich and poor have mingled together in the Services of Thanksgiving.’
Some took high spirits further than others. Ellen Baxter, from Horsted Keynes whose husband was serving in France, was brought before Haywards Heath magistrates. She had been celebrating with friends in Lindfield, and was found drunk and incapable beside the road at Town Hill, Lindfield on 12th November. Police enquiries failed to find out where in Lindfield she had been served her drinks. Mrs Baxter was fined five shillings.
Within weeks of the Armistice, thought was being given to a memorial for the fallen and welcome celebrations for the returning service men. Lindfield received praise from the Mid Sussex Times for being first to start planning a welcome home event. Following a well-attended meeting in the Reading Room, a committee of twenty was formed and a fund for donations opened in early January 1919; this received a Welcome Home parade arriving at King Edward Hall generous response. The date set for the Welcome Home Day was 28th May 1919, as it had been expected most servicemen would have returned by then. However, many were still to be demobilised which continued into 1920.
Shops and houses were decorated with flags, bunting and banners in readiness for the celebrations. These started at 5pm with a Service of Thanksgiving in All Saints Church. Afterwards, the men formed up behind the Ardingly Band and to the tune ‘Sons of the Brave’ marched down the High Street accompanied by their families and watched by a large crowd. Outside King Edward Hall, the crowd cheered the men into the Hall.
Following a warm welcome by the committee, about 140 men sat down in King Edward Hall to a ‘capital spread’.
The menu was:
Roast Beef
Hams
Tongues
Steak & Kidney Pies
Veal & Ham Pies
Braised Beef
French Salads, Tomato Salads, Potatoes
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Blancmanges
Strawberry Creams
Lemon Jellies
Fruit Salad
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Cheese & Oliver Biscuits
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Ale, Lemonade, Ginger Beer, Coffee
Cigars & Cigarettes
The meal was followed by speeches of thanks and toasts from the top table. After the formalities, the men were treated to musical entertainments and a ‘sleight of hand’ show. The evening closed with the National Anthem and Auld Lang Syne.
The Welcome Home Committee also arranged for demobilised men to receive complimentary membership of the Lindfield Club for 1919. From the funds donated there was a surplus of £55 and this was used to start the War Memorial Fund.
The Great War did not officially end until the Treaty of Versailles was signed on 28th June 1919. The government decreed Saturday 19th July 1919 as Peace Day and called for towns and villages across the country to organise events to celebrate the war’s end. Again generously funded by voluntary subscriptions, the Lindfield Peace Day featured a full programme of events:
10am Service at All Saints Church
10.30am Decorated cycle parade in fancy dress down the High Street
11am Cricket match on the Common; Cricket Club Captain’s Team v Wednesday Captain’s Team. Tennis and bowls matches were also played.
2pm Children’s sports on the Common followed by tea in the Reading Room
4pm Adults’ tea buffet in King Edward Hall 5pm Adult sports on the Common and aquatic events on the Pond
7pm A dance in King Edward Hall
9.30pm Illuminations around the Pond
10pm Fireworks and bonfire on the Common
A Victory Ball was also held in the King Edward Hall on Wednesday 23rd July 1919 with some 90 people attending, many in fancy dress. The dancing continued into the early hours.
After four years of sacrifice and hardship, the coming of peace brought many social issues, including an expectation throughout the country that returning servicemen should live in a land fit for heroes. In January 1919, with men starting to return, the Cuckfield Rural District Council asked Parish Councils about additional housing requirements for the working classes. The need for new low rent houses was discussed at length by Lindfield Parish Council. It was also considered Welcome Home parade in the High Street by the Lindfield Women’s Institute, whose members were concerned by the lack of workers’ houses and the insanitary conditions prevailing in many existing properties. This was emphasised by some ex- servicemen’s call for the village war memorial to take the form of public bath facilities.
The Women’s Institute advised the Lindfield Parish Council that many modern cottages were needed in the village. However, after much deliberation, regarding rents and costs, the Parish Council advised the District Council that only 10 or 12 new worker’s houses were needed. Less than half these numbers were built.
On a lighter note, the Parish Council asked the War Office about the availability of war trophies and was told to contact the Lord Lieutenant of Sussex. At the September 1919 Council meeting, the Chairman reported the Lord Lieutenant had advised twelve rifles would be available. ‘It is not what we hoped to receive’, commented the Chairman, with another Councillor suggesting ‘the centre of Bents Wood would be a good place to put them or they might dispose of them at a jumble sale’. However, it was resolved to accept the rifles. Clearly, the Parish Council were disappointed, as it is thought they were hoping to receive an artillery gun! What happened to the rifles is not known.