Wed 2 March: It was truly an evening for the 'anoraks' who made their wintry way to hear Neil Rose tell us the history of the railway through Wadhurst. Those who 'chickened out' missed a fascinating account, supported with some excellent slides projected on our new mini cinema size screen. Neil’s research project started back in the ‘70s and in '82 he produced a paper for a University of Sussex Local History Research Group and had published an explanation for the narrow tunnels on the Hastings line. He admits to losing interest post electrification but the Society had rekindled his researches.

He gave us an excellent account of the development of the railways from the 1830s onwards which started with a veritable nation-wide mania in building railways, fuelled by speculators and contractors all competing to get their share of this burgeoning new industry. Numerous railway companies were spawned each taking on the development of separate lines—hence the early creation of the Dover and Brighton Companies, the former becoming the South Eastern Railway. By the early 1840s lines to Brighton and Dover were built and open. Although a branch to Tunbridge Wells had been first mooted as early as 1836, it was not until 1845 that a line to the Spa town was completed. However, it was destined to remain a terminus for a further 6 years before problems and disputes between rival railway companies and the engineering difficulties of building a direct line from Tonbridge through to Hastings, taking in Wadhurst as an intermediate station, were overcome. On opening, the route to London was via Redhill, with a reversal at Tonbridge; the route that we now know via Sevenoaks was not opened until 1868.

Wadhurst got its first intimation of its future as a railway town in 1845 when survey teams came to produce plans; these Neil was to show us. Today the surrounding countryside is much the same and was readily recognised by many of us. It was interesting to note that the Station Road of today existed before the Station was built, albeit somewhat narrower. Royal Assent was given to the new line in 1846 and a labour force of some 1,000 to 1,200 was mustered from far and near. Many were sons of local agricultural labourers, as shown in the 1851 census which was produced shortly before the line was completed. Their pay was about £1 a week and much beer was drunk and much roughhousing went on in the many ale houses around the town. An outbreak of 3 cases of cholera was reported—two of whom died, the third finally recovering after imbibing a bottle of brandy! Work was pretty gruelling with little or no mechanisation—pick and shovel were the order of the day and today's health and safety at work unheard of, resulting in 4 deaths in 1848. The Greyhound was the chosen venue for the inquests.

The terrain around Wadhurst was difficult to work and the tunnel was to be the longest of the line at 1205 yards taking 3 years to complete, with Wadhurst Station sitting at the highest point on the line. It was fascinating to see photographs of Wadhurst Station without its footbridge but still very much the station of today if one ignores the signals, signal boxes and rather attractive gas lamps. The platforms were staggered as they still are and the Station House, the plans and photographs of which Neil showed us, still very recognisable.

In 1852 the Station was manned by 4: the Station Master, an Inspector of Gates for the line and 2 Porters. The daily service consisted of 3 trains each way, the journey Wadhurst - London taking 2 hours. Fares were 12/11d 1st Class; 9/5d 3rd Class. Whilst these fares were significant sums, it was not surprising—and today rather amusing— that when the line was inaugurated, the London press in extolling the beauty of the new journey through the countryside of East Sussex suggested it would not be long before the wealthy of London would soon make it their home.

The new line had its teething problems largely due to faulty and below-specification workmanship which necessitated the relining of tunnels and the speed of trains had to be reduced due to inadequate ballast on the lines. We refrained from making comparisons with today although sniggers were clearly audible when a reference was made to average delays of 16¼ mins in journey times in 1878.
However the impact of the new railway on Wadhurst and other stations on the line was remarkable in that it enabled the townsfolk to travel more widely and at speeds that they had never envisaged; goods and services flowed in and out of the town at significantly reduced prices and people were able to travel to work across a much wider area. These benefits were only too well illustrated from photographs of the commercial activities taking place in the Station yard and the platform packed with men (and just 14 women) off on a jolly we know not where!

It was a most enjoyable step back into a not too distant past for all of us and an opportunity fully taken for those present to question an authority on what is clearly his favourite and well researched subject.          Brian Wheeler

Wed 6 April: The change of talk from ‘Smugglers’ to ‘The Saxon Foreshore’ saved the audience from my rendition of Kipling’s Smugglers! Chris Wade offered us a fascinating glimpse of the Kent coast line from Gravesend to Reculver; another lecture is needed to end the walk at Rye in Sussex. The path follows the one the Romans used to patrol the coastline against marauding Saxons with forts at Reculver, Richborough, Dover and Lympne.

The talk covered many subjects from History, the burial of Pocahontas at Gravesend, to the pyramid and Whittington Stone at Upnor which showed how far the Port of London’s authority reached. The Dutch, in the Second Dutch War, sailed up the Medway and stole King Charles II’s flagship “The Royal Sovereign”. It is said that without Medway sailors the Dutch would not have succeeded. Dickens cropped up especially at Rochester which also has a splendid Norman castle. Smuggling crept in when CW mentioned the North Kent gang who were pursued by a certain James Bond! Possibly the finest gems are the Abbey of St Stephen at Faversham, destroyed by Henry VIII in his English Reformation, and the Roman fort at Reculver.

The sea plays its part with the oyster industry based at Whitstable; here the Oyster Company, rather than the Crown, has rights over the foreshore. Thames and Kent barges are repaired up and down the coast as well as the mooring of more modern yachts.
The arrival of the railway at Gravesend saw the redundant Medway canal tunnels used to carry the track under the surrounding hills. This canal built to protect shipping during the Napoleonic Wars was only finished when the wars were over!

As the traffic roars past on the M2 a different world exists along the pathway. It seems as though the life has stood still. The bird life is plentiful, the scenery is charming, and there is much to be explored. I for one look forward to visiting this varied and tranquil landscape. John Breeze

Wed 27 April: ‘Food, Drink and Table Manners’. Paul Clark began his story in AD.1200 in the reign of King John. There were basically two classes: Peasants and Knights.

The Peasants – scraping along on cereals, vegetables, cheese and an occasional piece of pig meat.
Cereals included Rye, which if badly stored would develop the Ergot fungus which would bring on symptoms of madness (sometimes whole villages would be affected).  The pig was the cottagers’ easily kept animal; when one was killed a number of people would partake since raw meat storage was difficult.  For the peasants, the 14C. saw widespread starvation across N. Europe.

The Knights – Meat, fish and various birds featured strongly in their diet.  Main meal of the day was 12 noon on tables erected in the main hall (trestles and boards).  Seating was one side of the table only and in strict order of importance. The salt cellar marked the division line between those of some standing and the lower classes who ate humble pie (Umbles were chitterlings, chaps and liver and lights etc).  Forks weren’t invented and instead they used a slice of bread (a trencher) to carry the food cut with a knife to their mouth but they did not eat the bread which was generally handed down to the peasants after the meal.  It was generally a three course meal each being a jumble of various dishes which was cleared away after each course (impolite to ask for a dish once it was cleared away) the last course being nuts, fruit and sweet puddings etc (the “dessert” coming from deserted = cleared away).    Drink was light beer (they fermented a wide range of cereals/fruits) and cider.

AD. 1600 the middle class appears.
In terms of food the peasants were still on their poor diet.  There was a new invention—the Plate. This was wood or pewter and rectangular in shape (hence a good square meal). Forks made their appearance.  Importing of food started properly with increases in spices and sugar from America. Potatoes were considered suitable for peasants and cattle.  Turkeys were a new arrival and became the principal festive roast (not herons and swans) Pepys had a dinner party in 1660 with a turkey which cost him a fortune of 30 shillings.
In 1700 Turkeys cost only 2 shillings and 6 pence (today – 12p) equivalent to a monthly wage - as labourers earned 1d (penny) per day.

AD 1650  The time of the main meal was starting to change, moving over the next 200 years from 1 pm to 5 pm and on into the evening as it is today. Also sitting on both sides of a table became the norm as it was easier to talk to more people (and avoid the bore ) – as it is today.  Also about this time the hot drink made its appearance – tea, coffee, tar water etc. Tea especially took off and also coffee houses where business was conducted.

AD 1675   Wine not only came in wooden barrels but was starting to be bottled with wooden corks.

AD1700  Cheap Gin started to be imported from Holland. It was so successful it created a social problem and the population actually decreased. The Gin Act encouraged a move towards drinking beers.

AD 1750  The saucer came in and was used to drink tea from. Also tea became one of the main staples of smuggling being light in weight and high in tax.

AD 1850  There was a water problem in big towns–sewers and water pipes were being built but in 1858 the hot summer caused the smell of raw sewage to close Parliament (The Great Stink).  The Victorian era (1870) had a colossal alcohol problem since it was also used as a pain killer - as well as opium – and there were a lot of aches and pains. Cook books frequently had large sections in them dealing with medical matters and offering home remedies (sticky blood could be cured with mouse dung + sugar). Medical science really coming in the last 100 years.

AD 1900  The course at dinner became a single dish (not the jumble of earlier years) hence 7 courses were not unusual. In 1900, Chatsworth House was reported as having only 16 guests and 7 courses for Dinner (quite small). However, the poor were not much better off than the old peasants and rarely had meat.  This period was the start of the healthy eating we see today.

ETIQUETTE
1740 –1890 A strange mix of hands on table – spittoons - bord de lieu behind a screen. Manners become fussy to downright complex with vast books written on the subject.      Michael Kent

Visit to Lewes: Sat 14 May. 36 intrepid members and friends set off in unpromising weather for a full day in Lewes. First stop Anne of Cleves House and Southover High Street—splitting into two groups. The house was never occupied by Anne and has been virtually rebuilt by the Sussex Archaeological Society [SAS] to reflect what it might have been like in the 16th century with furniture in character. The collection of Wealden iron was also of considerable interest—as was the museum of Victoriana including a good selection of children’s toys. Southover High Street is an interesting example of urban development with a ‘posh’ terrace of gentry houses in Priory Crescent and artisan cottages along the street; St John’s church also had points of interest, including the bones and tomb cover of Gundrada, wife of William de Warenne, founder of Lewes Priory. The second group found the weather a bit too much and spent more time having coffee in the gardens of Southover Grange than in exploring the neighbourhood!

We then had a private tour of Lewes Priory remains, conducted by our chairman—providing an interesting contrast with Bayham Abbey. Founded about 1145, but not completed for more than 100 years, the priory boasted over 100 monks and a Great Church, longer than Chichester cathedral but now no more than a few traces in a derelict market garden. The coming of the railway split the site in two and only parts of the living accommodation remain—but enough to give a feel for the scale of the original buildings.

After a lunch break, we again split into two groups to tour the castle and barbican, and Barbican House the headquarters of the SAS—where thought had been given to putting out material in their collections about Wadhurst; the castle tour benefited from a highly entertaining and informative guide!       MJH

Our castle guide also runs walking tours of Lewes every Wednesday—details from Barbican House [01273 486 290] or the Lewes Tourist Information Office [01273 4834 48]