Expert to give talk on suburban life in Victorian-era Lewes

Dr Sue Berry, whose research covers social, economic and landscape history in Sussex, will give her audience a chance to deconstruct the social history of Lewes when she visits King’s Church on Brooks Road for a talk about Victorian and Edwardian-era suburbs in Lewes on November 11.

Her talk will look at everything to do with the development of the suburbs: who built and lived in them, the difficulty of making them profitable and the way increasing legislation changed house building projects of all sizes.

According to Dr Berry, the late 19th century was a period of such massive change for Lewes.Aside from new innovations like fresh water and sewerage, Dr Berry believes rapid industrialisation meant that access to the railways was now vital for businesses. At the same time, living away from the town itself, which was defined by the stink and sound of the iron foundry and breweries, became more necessary than ever.

All these influences, claims Dr Berry “helped to shape the town and the imprint of development still does.”

The doors will open at 7.00pm for a 7.30pm start. Tickets cost £3 and, though everyone is welcome, members of the Lewes History Group, which has organised the talk, will only be charged £1. Tickets will be available on the door. To find out more about the Lewes History Group and their meetings, visit their website.