Characters / people

Jun 142 min read

What links 6’s and 7’s and ‘the Old School’?

Merchant Taylors’ Livery Company and the livery companies are the source of the expression ‘being at 6’s and 7’s' . The Old School...

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Jun 123 min read

c1470: Apprenticeship in tailoring

This article explains how tailors would learn their craft and progress through the trade and, on successful completion, become ‘freemen’....

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Jun 63 min read

1982: 58 years of Cuckfield memories for couple celebrating their diamond wedding

Mid Sussex Times November 26th 1982 A Romance that began below stairs King George V and Queen Mary in gilded coaches, a Russian princess,...

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Jun 32 min read

1982: Asylum history on display

Mid Sussex Times: October 8th 1982 Pot-pourri of hospital history The changes in social attitudes and medical care that transformed the...

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May 262 min read

1989: GCSE student uncovers 'Cottage glove industry' in Cuckfield

Mid Sussex Times January 27 1989 They made gloves fit for a Queen Cuckfield once had a thriving glove-making industry, and Queen Mary...

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May 216 min read

1520: Cuckfield’s early welfare support

The Fraternity of our Blessed Lady In the 15th and early 16th centuries villagers would have been grateful for the work of the Fraternity...

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May 174 min read

The Edmund Flower research project

For the past couple of weeks we have been revealing the latest research on Edmund Flower, the school founder, and we thought you might be...

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May 146 min read

1503/4: School founding date and other Tudor schools

Cuckfield Grammar School was one of many grammar schools being set up in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. Some of these...

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May 107 min read

1503: Flower V City's vote to bribe the King

The Merchant Taylors’ plan to introduce a new charter* sent shockwaves through the clothing industry. Some tailors would be deprived of...

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May 75 min read

c15th: Merchant Taylors, who were (are) they?

Edmund Flower, the founder of Cuckfield Grammar School, was a member of - and for two years Master of - the Merchant Taylors' Company,...

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May 414 min read

Edmund Flower, Cuckfield school founder 2/2

Part 1 of this article is Edmund Flower, Cuckfield school founder 1/2 Researched and written by Malcolm Davison Tailors ‘merchants for...

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May 115 min read

Edmund Flower, Cuckfield school founder 1/2

Researched and written by Malcolm Davison You will find the first article at: 1492: Edmund Flower welcomes the King back to London It's...

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Apr 286 min read

1492: Edmund Flower welcomes the King back to London

Contributed and researched by Malcolm Davison. In the first of a series of over a dozen articles, and after two years research, we look...

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Apr 241 min read

Intriguing stories from Cuckfield's past

Malcolm Davison gives the background into his research on Edmund Flower, founder of Cuckfield Grammar School. A series of articles will...

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Mar 293 min read

1908: Twynihoe William Erle, Cuckfield stalwart

It is with feelings of deep regret that we have to record the death of Mr Twynihoe William Erle, who for many years lived at Mill Hall,...

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Jan 183 min read

1841: Local naval hero from Bolnore

Although we covered this story in October 2020 the following obituary has been found that appeared in national press and gives us more...

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Dec 7, 20233 min read

1896: Armour loaned by Cuckfield

The loan exhibition On Monday next the Loan Exhibition, illustrating the Age of Chivalry and the Religious and Civil Life of the Middle...

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Dec 5, 202311 min read

1914: More tales from the wise Mr Crick

The impending reirement of Mr William Crick Following our earlier posting we have unearthed another account, two years after the first,...

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Dec 2, 20235 min read

1915: An almost forgotten Cuckfield grave

Mid Sussex Times - Tuesday 13 April 1915 A CUCKFIELD WORTHY MONSIGNORE R. H. BENSON’S FAVOURITE NOVELIST. AN ALMOST FORGOTTEN GRAVE. By...

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Nov 9, 20232 min read

1948: Adrian Hill's Cuckfield inspiration

When I was growing up I used to enjoy the BBC children's TV programme about art presented by Adrian Hill in from 1955-1963 called...

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Cuckfield Connections

A personal journey of discovery