Eastbourne Gazette - Wednesday 15 June 1881

CUCKFIELD.

BURGLARY.

—A lonely cottage on Moonhill Farm, near St. John's Common. inhabited by an aged couple, named Bartlett, the man having nearly reached fourscore years, and his wife somewhat older, was broken into on Saturday, in a rather mysterious manner.

It seems that the old man was employed in the fields, and his dame having occasion to visit a neighbour, left the cottage, as she supposed, locked up and secure, but on her return, found that it had been entered by some person, who, without disturbing any other article of furniture, had proceeded up stairs, and forced open two boxes, in one of which was deposited £18 in gold, the hard earned savings of their long lives. This they found missing.

The couple had been advised repeatedly to deposit their hoard in the Savings Bank, but refused, as they feared the Union officers would cause their parish pay to be stopped, and no doubt the robbery was committed by some persons well acquainted with the fact.

Some little clue has been obtained as to the perpetrators of the cruel robbery.