How West Sussex village grew to become an important part of Worthing

His vast collection of postcards and photographs reveals sights and scenes that have been long forgotten in the modern world.

They give a fascinating insight into the area known as Goring-by-Sea, from the time it was a small village with farming heritage to its growth as part of Worthing.

Ian, who is known as ​Worthing's 'Doctor Who of time travel', gave a talk on Goring-by-Sea, The Nooks and Crannies at Indigo Bistro & Bar in September.

He said: "Goring was described by visiting early 19th century seafarers as a rather desolate place full of thieves. Others talk of the vast areas of cornfields and its charm, providing a tranquil haven for nature."

An old map of Goring shows it to be a large area, from George V Avenue to Goring Gap, up to Arundel Road and on to Highdown Hill and the Miller's Tomb.

The talk covered many of the nooks and crannies, including the area north of Goring Wood, as far as Michelgrove and the Monarch's Way. Ian said truffles were once abundant there and were much sought after.

A picture from January 12, 1908, showed people skating on a frozen Patching Pond. Others showed thatched cottages in Patching and The Horse and Groom, now The World's End.

In the past, Goring was known for smuggling, marked by the naming of Smuggler's Walk, between Sea Place and Alinora Crescent. Here still stands Smuggler's Farm, a Grade II listed building.

Ian said: "It was an area notorious for smuggling over the centuries."

Nearby was Sea Place Farm, at one time owned by Robert Sherborne, Bishop of Chichester, while a picture from Sea Place looked back even further to Medieval times, with a wall that marked the eastern boundary of what was Sea Place Manor, built in 1321.

Ian said: "Goring became part of Worthing borough in 1929 and, really, that changed things dramatically."

Goring was the first part of the borough to have a regular refuse collection, as a picture from April 2, 1929, proves.

With the joining to Worthing also came development and Goring became known for its shopping parades.

Ian said: "The shops in Goring Road, at the top of Wallace Avenue, were constructed just before the Second World War. We can see over the decades how successful these shops have actually been, and what a credit they are to Goring. The magnitude of the parade is quite significant because of its size, extending to George V Avenue."

His pictures include one showing Patching estate agent, when it served as the headquarters for selling the Goring Hall estate in Worthing and Ham Manor estate in Angmering.

Further west, Ian pointed out Peacock Hall Hotel, on the site of The Mulberry, and said it was infamous. It was where nature writer Richard Jefferies stayed before he moved to Sea View.

Areas of Goring have been known for flooding and one picture showed a time where the sea overflowed, meaning provisions had to be taken to the houses by rowing boat.

Tragedies at sea have included the wrecking of the schooner Kings Hill on February 17, 1915, when lifeboatman Jack Burgess drowned during the rescue attempt.

Ian used many of his pictures to chart changes in the roads, from horse-drawn vehicles on quiet crossroads to the widening of Woods Way. Early pictures of Littlehampton Road at the junction with Titnore Lane show how different it was compared to today, with the lodge house of Northbrook Farm on the corner before it was demolished in 1938.

Ian was born in Worthing and runs two groups at East Worthing Community Centre, the Surfleet Historic Worthing & District Group and the Surfleet Transport 5021 Group.

Over 25 years, he has amassed a personal collection of literature and hundreds of photographs covering Worthing and the surrounding district.