New Worthing history walk reveals fascinating facts about famous people with links to the town

Worthing town crier Bob Smytherman launched his new walk on Tuesday, followed by afternoon tea at Worthing Town Hall to raise money for the mayor's charities, Broadwater Support Group and Community Hub, CYCALL inclusive cycling and the Parkinson's UK Worthing and Washington Group.

The history walk came the day after his April Fool's joke on Facebook, in which Bob suggested he would be hanging up his bell after 10 years as Worthing town crier. To cement his very much continuing position, he highlighted the place where he first took the role, at Christ Church in the play A Just Cause in 2014.

Using information provided by The Worthing Society, Bob led a group of around 20 people on a three-hour walk around the town centre and seafront, giving many stories of the area's history en route.

After gathering in Worthing Town Hall, where Bob explained the history behind the coat of arms, he started the walk at the Assembly Hall, with a blue plaque dedicated to musician Keith Emerson, then moved to the front of the Town Hall to talk about Charles Cowles-Voysey, who designed the building, and Ellen Chapman, the first female mayor.

Bob said Charles was not recognised during the official opening of the Town Hall but he had ensured his name would not be forgotten by including it in the carpet.

After Worthing Museum, Bob moved on to The Venue, formerly St Paul's. He explained it was built as a Chapel of Ease, hence the naming of Chapel Road. People who wanted to worship there had to pay for their own pew, so it was very much for the rich people.

The house in Ambrose Place where Harold Pinter lived was highlighted before walking past Christ Church to visit a plaque in Liverpool Gardens dedicated to Ethel Methold, a pioneer of health and social care in the town.

After pointing out Holder's Corner, Bob led the group to Anchored in Worthing, in Montague Place. This was once the home of Worthing's longest-serving town crier, Henry Richardson.

At the Worthing beacon on the promenade, Bob read a declaration, The Secret of Worthing's Greatness. He then spoke about the Lido and the Pier before taking the group to Bedford Row, where naturalist William Henry Hudson once resided.

The walk continued to the Dome Cinema, then past Steyne Gardens and the Triton Fountain to Warnes, the motorists' mecca and said to be the first hotel garage, or engine house, in England.

We learned about the tragedy of the fishermen who died after attempting to rescue an East Indian trading ship, leading to the launch of Worthing’s first lifeboat, and then the sad story of Jumbo by the elephant statue at Bayside.

We moved on to the site of the house where Oscar Wilde wrote The Importance of Being Earnest before stopping at Splashpoint Leisure Centre, where Bob told the moving story of Olympic swimmer Angela Barnwell. Then the walk moved on to Beach House, where King Edward VIII stayed.

At Pizza Express, the cottage where Jane Austen wrote Sanditon, Bob said: "There are lots of places that take credit to Jane's work. I think it's really important that we put Worthing on the map because actually Jane Austen's links here were really very important."

In the Guildbourne Centre, Bob pointed out the bell from the original Town Hall and said new pictures of that building had been installed alongside recently to help illustrate its history.

WPC Gladys Moss, who features in the film Wicked Little Letters, was based at Worthing Police Station and Bob told some of her story before the final stop in Union Place, home of Dr Frederick Dixon, the founder of the town's first hospital, known as Worthing Dispensary.

Bob is offering his Worthing history walk to charities for free. All you have to do to take us this fundraising opportunity is organise the bookings and refreshments. Visit worthingtowncrier.co.uk for more information or contact Bob at [email protected], telephone 07867 562538.

Meet 14 famous Worthing people honoured with blue plaques