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Cuckfield Connections
A personal journey of discovery





1936: The perpetual driving licence
NOVEL EXCUSE CUCKFIELD. That ‘he thought the licence went on for all time’ was the excuse offered by George Walter Ellis, the Albion...
Jan 4, 20231 min read
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1881: Inspector judges Cuckfield Police Station to be 'entirely satisfactory'
Mid Sussex Times - Wednesday 28 September 1881 CUCKFIELD. Inspection of the Constabulary. On Friday last the annual Government inspection...
Dec 6, 20221 min read
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1882: Thief caught wearing shirt made from stolen Cuckfield lodging house blanket!
CUCKFIELD PETTY SESSIONS THURSDAY Before Major W.Sergison (chairman) and Mr T.T.C.Lister OUR ITALIAN VISITOR IN TROUBLE - CUCKFIELD...
Dec 2, 20221 min read
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1841: Man stoned or media hype?
A rumour has prevailed in the town for several days, that a man was stoned to death on Saturday by some labourers employed on the railway...
Nov 21, 20221 min read
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1902: Woman charged with multiple offences apprehended in South Street
Mid Sussex Times - Tuesday 28 October 1902 Girl’s alleged ‘doings’ Cases from Hassocks and Cuckfield. Annie E. Skinner, Nettleswell...
Nov 18, 20224 min read
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1847: Cuckfield inmate of Union Workhouse condemned for stealing 18 cabbages
Brighton Gazette - Thursday 24 June 1847 Magistrates’ Clerk’s Office—Friday, June 18. Before J. M. Norman, Esq. Davey Coomber, inmate of...
Nov 16, 20221 min read
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1787: Executed at Horsham for Cuckfield robbery
Last Saturday, the following malefactors were executed at Horsham, pursuant to their sentence, viz. Charles Roberts, for robbing Thomas...
Nov 15, 20221 min read
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1832: Fight before poachers detained
About 7 o'clock on Saturday morning, William Gates, gamekeeper to Sir George Shiffner, with three assistants; took three desperate...
Nov 3, 20221 min read
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1834: Highway robbery at Ansty
The proprietor of the wind and water mills on St .Johns Common was robbed near Ansty about 6 o'clock on Friday evening last by three men...
Nov 1, 20221 min read
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1824: Armed confrontation with hungry desperate labourers
Soon after the Board of Guardians had assembled at Cuckfield, a party of about 50 men, having the appearance of farm labourers, presented...
Oct 28, 20221 min read
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1913: Alleged bicycle theft in Cuckfield
Mid Sussex Times - Tuesday 26 August 1913 ALLEGED BICYCLE THEFT AT CUCKFIELD SMART CONSTABLE COMMENDED Yesterday (Monday), at Haywards...
Oct 27, 20222 min read
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1837: Daring highway robbery
As Mr Joseph Jeffreys, timber-merchant, Cuckfield Sussex, was returning home from Brighton market on Thursday evening last, between...
Oct 14, 20222 min read
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1881: Hard labour and prison for smashing a window in South Road
West Sussex County Times - Saturday 30 April 1881 CUCKFIELD. AT THE Petty Session House on Tuesday, before Mr. C. L. Peel (in the chair)...
Oct 7, 20221 min read
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1866: Drunken woman jailed after hitting policeman with a bottle
Sussex advertiser - Wednesday 13 June 1866 A PRECIOUS PAIR. James and Elizabeth Ann Ludby, fishmongers, but charged with being drunk and...
Oct 5, 20222 min read
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1834: Miller attacked on road
Desperate Highway Robbery and attempted Murder. Mr Gainsford, a miller of Hurstperpoint, was stopped at the bottom approaching Harvest...
Oct 4, 20221 min read
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1930: Historic Riot at The Talbot recalled
Mid Sussex Times – Tuesday 18 November 1930 PEEPS INTO THE PAST The Cuckfield riot: by Hubert Bates. The history of the Cuckfield riot...
Oct 3, 20225 min read
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1812: Deserters attack brewer and wine-merchant
Between seven and eight o'clock, on last on Tuesday evening, as Mr W Chapman, brewer, and Mr T Blaker, wine-merchant of this town, were...
Sep 30, 20221 min read
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1883: Nearly three months inside for stealing three eggs
Cuckfield Petty Sessions At this Court on Tuesday a lad about 15, named William Burt, was charged before Lieut Col Holden-Rose and Major...
Sep 22, 20221 min read
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1933: No hard feelings over hard labour sentence
Mid Sussex Times – Tuesday 03 January 1933 Hard labour for two casuals. Objected to Christmas in the workhouse. Two casuals named George...
Sep 15, 20221 min read
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1875: Frustrated traveller smashes Slough Green tollgate with Steam Engine
Hampshire Telegraph – Saturday May 1st 1875 SMASHING A TURNPIKE GATE WITH A LOCOMOTIVE STEAM ENGINE At the petty sessions, on Monday,...
Sep 13, 20221 min read
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