November 16 1979 Mid Sussex Times

Contained at post office H. Q. Records are three articles which appeared in the Sussex Daily News on: March 11th, 18th, and 25th, 1935, under the nom de plume “Wayfarer, Senior.” The writer was Mr. A. W. Mapey, the local representative of the Sussex Daily News for many years, who wrote the articles, in retirement, from his intimate knowledge of the area.

To the postal historian and indeed the social historian, these articles are of great interest and provide the starting point for many a consideration of local history in the Sussex area. Also of note and at times of amusement are the personal comments of Mr Mapey.

All three articles appeared under the general title of "postal progress in mid Sussex," with the first article entitled, "Episode one – The Muster Green," the second, "The Boltro Road," and the final one, "the Government Stamp.”

The articles, in fact, traced the postal history of Haywards Heath and District from about 1840 to 1935, which was the subject of an article by myself some weeks ago. Mr Mapey's articles and other publications have indeed helped in the preparation of these articles, together with many other sources of information.

What is interesting in the three articles are the personal “asides” comments and interpretations of Mr Mapey, and a selection of these now follow, so that one may perhaps proceed through one man's eye, a view of things in 1935.

Writing of the Muster Green Post Office, he states: "Muster Green is now a very well preserved residential as well as historic spot. Shop builders have their envious eyes on the advantages of Muster Green but no one in these days would dare suggest to the town planning authority that a shop would improve the amenities of Muster Green. Shops have advanced as near as they dare to that delectable spot.

"Medical men have their residences there. Mr Ernest Raymond and his talented wife look out upon the Green from their home, and are no doubt inspired by what the historic spot stands for. The oldtime inn, the “Sergison Arms”, guards the approach from Cuckfield and the Urban Council have a vacant piece of land at the other end, which may become a motor park but certainly not a parade of shops”.

Mr Mapey then goes on to describe the Muster Green P.O. together with its staff and in particular "Old Bill,“ the telegraph "boy", who he describes as a local character.

"Old Bill was very tender on his feet. Sometimes he could hardly walk. Often when sent off with a telegram he would hobble along and rest at times by the wayside. If anyone whom he knew came along he would tell a pathetic tale about his poor feet and ask his friend to deliver the telegram for him. I obliged him and the Postmaster General once or twice by acting as Old Bill’s assistant, and delivering a telegram or two."

The events here being described by Mr Mapey certainly occurred prior to 1887. He continues by noting that the office moved in 1888, and describes what then happened to the Muster Green shop.

"The shop on the Muster Green became a florist’s and eventually a fire closed its business career.

The house and shop has been transformed into a delightful residence known as Muster House. No one would now suspect that it was once the Haywards Heath Post Office and a shop.”

In his second article, Mr Mapey opens by giving a detailed commentary on the history of Boltro Road.

The Boltro Road at Haywards Heath is one of the most interesting roads of the town. It was one of the earliest "new" roads to come into being when the town began to be shaped.

The old Lewes to Cuckfield Road across the Heath has become the South Road. The old coaching road, Lindfield to Brighton, went up the present Oathall Road. The Lindfield to Cuckfield tracks have become the Paddockhall, Perrymount, Sydney, Mill Green and College roads….”

He continues: "the Boltro Road in the days of long ago was apparently a farm road leading from the Bull trough farm to the Lindfield lanes and the old mill. The name of the farm was shortened by time to “Boltro”, giving the road its name. Learned folk state the original name was Booltrave meaning bulltrough.

“The farm, with its oast houses and yew trees, gave way long before my time in this pleasant Mid Sussex country, but Boltro Road has always been interesting to me as typical of East meeting West, or I should more correctly say, North meeting South, the old time associations coming into contact with the modern times, the residential characteristic encountering the tide of commercialism rising from the railway station…….”

With enthusiasm, he expands and develops this: "the clash came midway along the road and there it remains today. Shops began to creep up the road on the east side. Official importance was given in 1888 by the erection of the Petty Sessional Court House and police headquarters at the lower end of the road. The learned Clerk of the magistrates, Mr Edward Waugh, also established his offices there and there came a branch of Barclays bank.”

This bank retreated in time to its present more imposing and commodious building in marketplace, near its original starting place, now the labour exchange by the Station Hotel. Another bank, the Capital and Counties, now Lloyds bank, established itself in Boltro Road. 

"The local newspaper was launched in the same road, and Messrs Drawbridge and Ansell well-known auctioneers, had their offices there. Then, another great mark of officialdom planted itself on the Boltro Road, the Cuckfield Rural Council’s palatial offices erected in 1901-02.

“Shops and offices had then reached their high tide Mark. Residential properties brought them to a full stop. ‘Oaklands’ on the west side and several properties on the east side maintain the old time character of the road. Oaklands has since capitulated to officialdom. It has become the Civic Centre of the town and district.”

Mr Mapey then returns to the main topic of his article: "in my previous article, I stated that the postal centre of the town shifted from the Muster Green to the Boltro Road and that the provision of post office premises was left to private enterprise. Mr. T. Bannister, J. P., The founder of the Haywards Heath Stock Market, had his first office and his residence in the Boltro Road. To meet the needs of still more commodious premises for the postal advance of Haywards heath, he built a fine office on his property in that thoroughfare, adjoining the new petty sessional and police offices.

“This was considered to be the last word in post office accommodation. It was opened in 1894 and was then described as embracing front office, postmaster’s room, clerk’s room, large sorting office, telegraph room, messenger’s room, ladies’ waiting room, storeroom, cellarage, et cetera., together with a residence for the postmaster."

He goes on to describe how this building, designed by local architect Mr Holloway was built in the then record time (for Haywards Heath) of six weeks, by Mr Jesse Finch, a local builder, who worked with the trowel himself to speed up the work.

When the G. P. O. again moved, in 1915, the history of these premises becomes quite varied. The basement part was first let as a "cigar divan," "and then as a tea room. During the 1914-18 war, when Haywards Heath was occupied by soldiers in training and for "the defence of the railway," the building was used by the military. After the war, it was sold to a refreshments contractor, but by 1928 it was back in the ownership of the post office, how much to give value and service as the telephone exchange.

In the third and final article, Mr Mapey describes the building of the present main post office in Boltro Road. Built by Mr Horace Finch, a son of Jesse Finch, it was begun in December, 1914, and despite losing some 60 men to military service, Mr. H. Finch completed the building by September, 1915.

"Architecturally speaking the building was quite a change. It was much more solid in style than Haywards Heath folk had been accustomed to. The public, of course, are well acquainted with the front office and public counter, with its courteous and obliging young ladies.”

Mr Mapey concludes with a few facts concerning the telephonic situation: "there are now about 560 subscribers (in Haywards Heath).… At the exchange are the switch room, inspector’s office, sales representatives office, test room, retiring room, linesman's room and engineers storeroom... The staff includes the supervising telephonist, seven lady telephonists, three male telephonists, mechanics, et cetera.

It is the hub of the telephonic district which includes local exchanges at Ardingly, Balcombe, Bolney, Cuckfield, Chelwood Gate, Danehill, Handcross, Horsted Keynes, Lindfield and Warninglid. There are seven telephone kiosks in the town.

He finishes with: "So,… Haywards Heath fully merits the description of being one of the important postal and telephonic districts of Sussex. It represents a remarkable growth for a wild and woolly bit of countryside in which the railway was regarded as a nuisance, disturbing the peaceful somnolence of Cuckfield."