Mid Sussex Times November 9 1979

A postcard history from around the villages

Nearly every Sussex village used to have its ‘receiver’ of post and a designated ‘receiving house’, forerunners of the sub postmaster or postmistress and sub post office. Some date from the introduction of the postage stamps in 1840, others from before then, while a few came into existence later than 1840, when perhaps population increase and the need for them persuaded the postal authorities to permit their establishment

Although today the villages of Albourne, Clayton and Streat no longer have a post office, they once did.

By 1845, Albourne had a receiver, a Mrs K. Unwins, as did Clayton, one of whose early receivers was William Durtnall in 1866. Streat’s sub post office, in 1870, was in the same building which housed the village’s National School.

Further afield, both Slaugham and Staplefield Common appear to have had receiving houses as early as 1817, though neither have post office is today, while Twynham, too, had a receiver, who, in 1855 was one George Simmons.

Within the parish of Slaugham is the village of Handcross, whose post office today serves the surrounding area.

Its postal history dates from at least 1805 and its importance at that time is confirmed by the fact that application was made, in 1838, for it to become a post-town, though this was subsequently not granted.

For Ardingly, its post office can be said to date from about 1791, while that of Balcombe dates from 1802, Bolney from circa 1845, with Dane Hill (c 1860), Scaynes Hill (1889) and Chelwood Gate (c 1890), being later developments.

Balcombe seems to have had two post offices at one stage – the one in the village, and another that functioned down at the railway station, some time between 1890 and 1900, with the station master, possibly Albert E. Tranah, also being the postmaster there as well.

Scaynes Hill P.O. came about largely thanks to a public petition to the postal authorities. Both Scaynes Hill and Balcombe, together with Ardingly, Bolney, Dane Hill and Chelwood Gate, still retain their post offices, with Balcombe having the distinction of being the last remaining village office to have a permanent staff of four postmen responsible for sorting and delivering the mail in that area.

HORSE POST

There is in existence a copy of a photograph of the old post office at Warninglid taken in 1904, showing New Oak and Old Post Cottages. The notes with this photograph, make interesting reading, part of which state that this was the location of the village’s post office from 1870 until 1954. Prior to 1870, the Half Moon Inn was designated at the receiving house. Today, the old smithy house is the post office, being just a few yards away from the original site.

In Jeremy Greenwood's excellent book "the posts of Sussex" the postal history of Cuckfield is given in some detail.

During the 18th century, the village was serviced by the postmaster of East Grinstead under a private arrangement. By 1791, there was an official post three times a week from East Grinstead and also by that date, receiver has been appointed there. By 1800, the village had a branch horse post from last Grinstead, on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays, the route going through Ardingly or Horsted Keynes on alternate days.

Cuckfield was finally created a post town in 1810, when the new mail coach from London to Brighton began, as it was also a stopping point for the change over of horses. Mr McGeorge the former receiver was appointed as postmaster.

By 1816, the Uckfield to Cuckfield post system had to be divided into two parts, as it had become too large with the letter carrier having a walk of 32 miles, six days a week.The exchange of mail bags possibly took place at Horsted Keynes.

The letter returns for July, 1836 show that approximately eight letters a day were sent to London, while in December, about two from Cuckfield itself, and five from its delivery, were sent to the G.P.O. In London. Cuckfield finally lost its status as post town in 1870, when Haywards Heath was given that role, something which had been foreseen as eventually happening by the inhabitants of Lindfield, who had petitioned the postmaster general of 1856 on this very matter.

The other offices in Cuckfield were later developments, with the Whitemans Green office dating from about 1895 with Arthur Beeching being the first sub postmaster there and the Broad Street office dating from about 1905, with Harry W. Nunns possibly being the first sub postmaster there.

Just outside of Cuckfield, is Ansty Cross, who is post office dates from about 1905, when W. E. Chambers was the first postmaster.

Postcards of yesteryear are now the subject of much activity and command ever rapidly increasing high prices, with those village scenes being no exception. Of particular interest are those which clearly show the village post office and which obviously assist in determining the old locations. They also often conjure up the atmosphere of a time when life was at a much slower pace and each village stood firmly as an entity in its own right.