Society marks 40th anniversary
THIS year of 2009 happens to be the 40th anniversary of the formation of our historical society, which seems difficult to believe. Time certainly can fly.
In the early days we were joint with Seaford. The interest response in both places was so surprising that we agreed to go our separate ways. There was so much to do and it was done.
An early quest, of course, was to find a base for a museum. One building that had attracted me was the unoccupied Military Hospital at the approaches to the Fort. A quick look through by kind cooperation of the caretaker, suggested it would be an ideal spot – in between the road to the sea and that up to the Fort, beyond it was the Master Gunners house, which had already been taken over by Cresta Marine, as their first yacht club. The dream of this fine locality – its hot food and flowing wine – failed to materialise. The first purpose built yacht club (later Villa Adriana) was under way. Our dream area and the large Drill Hall on the western side of the road to the Fort were all demolished.
One little item of interest: the military style huts, which were erected during the war on what is now the public car park for Fort visitors. They had been, during the time of conflict, quarters for the Air-Sea Rescue group and later Army offices and quarters when the mine clearing troops took over. These, in conjunction with the developing marina, became The Marinatel, a yachting motel, until, of course, the yacht club, with its accommodation, was able to take over. A lot was happening in a quiet way.
As regards to our search for a museum, attention was diverted to the old pilot house, directly opposite the Hope Inn. Attached to it was the official tidal gauge, a square and very strong concrete building.
I have a vague boyhood memory that at one time there was a display of some sort at the north facing side, which I somehow attributed to the one time Pilot, Councillor Dick Robinson. Yet there seemed no window space.
There was only the wide concrete path between these combined buildings and the river. On that side went up a short flight of concrete steps, up which, in the early days, Pilots would have gone, with the telescope to check the possible whereabouts of a vessel they were expecting and he, the Pilot, with his crewman would have to sail/row out to the visitor, board the craft, head for the harbour with their craft trailing behind.
On reaching the West Pier the visitor may be able to continue with reduced sail or have to be helped through the narrows by warping with ropes. A large capstan was positioned near the West Pier lighthouse for this purpose, it and the lighthouse top are featured in the gardens of Paradise Park.
It was our historical society's good fortune to be offered a disused storeroom in that Pilot building for our very first museum, 12 feet by 8 feet, no windows, two perspex roof lights and a 100 watt ceiling light bulb. The majority of the building was occupied by the St John Ambulance Brigade. This was our beginning and we displayed our national flag with justifiable pride. After two seasons at 5p per person admission we obtained the second museum, which remains today under the cliffs of the Fort as you approach the promenade, usually unoccupied, it was a good step up to the fine premises offered at Paradise Park.
But what of our first refuge? In the 1970s the foundations of the West Pier went walk-about. The collapse was incredible. The Pilot's old home disappeared, but the steps down that he and his boatman used remain, though health and safety prevent you from slipping off them and falling in the water.
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Weather for Lewes
Friday 10 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -6 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: -5 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
