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Cuckfield Connections
A personal journey of discovery





1914- 1918: The Queens Hall converted into a temporary hospital
Mid Sussex Times - Tuesday 10 November 1914 THE QUEEN'S HALL AS A HOSPITAL. —Last week sixteen wounded Belgian soldiers were received at...
Aug 3, 20202 min read


1928: Crowds see thrilling night battle in Cuckfield
Sheffield Daily Telegraph - Wednesday 05 September 1928 CROWDS SEE THRILLS OF NIGHT BATTLE. Thirty Hours’ Fighting. VALUABLE LESSONS FROM...
Jul 28, 20203 min read


1917: War wounded treated at Haywards Heath Cottage Hospital
Mid Sussex Times - Tuesday 24 April 1917 The army authorities on Friday sent to the Haywards Heath Cottage Hospital 27 gallant fellows...
Jun 25, 20203 min read


1900 - A War hero returns home to Haywards Heath and tells of his grim experience at Ladysmith
Charles Tucker writes: The photograph below was taken in May 1900 celebrating the arrival back home to Haywards Heath, of the injured...
Jun 14, 202014 min read


Haywards Heath celebrates the Relief of Mafeking
Mid Sussex Times - Tuesday 22 May 1900 HAYWARDS HEATH. In common with every other English town Haywards Heath received the glad news of...
Jun 7, 20207 min read


1919: Remembering local War casualties with a Memorial and a Recreation Ground ...
Mid Sussex Times - Tuesday 18 February 1919 CUCKFIELD’S MEMORIAL SCHEME Cuckfield last (Monday) night embarked on the provision of a...
Jun 4, 20203 min read


1939 - Air Raid Precautions in Haywards Heath
Mid Sussex Times - Tuesday 07 February 1939 AIR RAID PRECAUTIONS IN HAYWARDS HEATH. Almost every form of destruction known in modern...
Jun 4, 20204 min read


1916: Private JG Wynter, with the Army Ordnance in France, writes to a friend in Haywards Heath
Mid Sussex Times - Tuesday 25 April 1916 "OUR HALF-DAY PASS" IN FRANCE. CUCKFIELD SOLDIER'S LETTER TO HAYWARDS HEATH. Private J. G....
May 29, 20206 min read


1918: Fete for wounded heroes at Victoria Park
Mid Sussex Times - Tuesday 18 June 1918 OUR WOUNDED HEROES' FETE AND ENTERTAINMENT AT HAYWARDS HEATH A PERFECT DAY. A stranger visiting...
May 22, 20207 min read


Worst Rail Accident at Haywards Heath for generations
Mid Sussex Times - Wednesday 05 September 1945 RAILWAY ACCIDENT AT HAYWARDS HEATH. The worst railway accident in Mid-Sussex since...
May 16, 20204 min read


A blind ex service man was guided by his wife up the mound to lay a laurel wreath...
Mid Sussex Times - Tuesday 02 December 1924 HAYWARDS HEATH WAR MEMORIAL UNVEILING BY LORD LECONFIELD. Of your charity and for your soul's...
May 10, 20207 min read


Cuckfield Funeral for teenage casualty of the Great War
Mid Sussex Times - Tuesday 18 June 1918 IMPRESSIVE MILITARY FUNERAL AT CUCKFIELD. Day by day in Mid-Sussex the chord of human sympathy is...
May 8, 20203 min read


VE Day Celebrations in Cuckfield and Brook Street
Mid Sussex Times - Wednesday 16 May 1945 GERMANY DEFEATED: THE PEOPLE OF BRITAIN REJOICE CELEBRATIONS AND THANKSGIVING IN CUCKFIELD...
May 7, 20203 min read


Haywards Heath VE Day celebrations
Mid Sussex Times - Wednesday 16 May 1945 THIS WAS OUR FINEST HOUR GERMANY DEFEATED: THE PEOPLE OF BRITAIN REJOICE. CELEBRATIONS AND...
May 7, 20207 min read


1914 Haywards Heath Man writes home about his experience of the horrors of War
Mid Sussex Times - Tuesday 3 November 1914 THE HORRORS OF WAR A HAYWARDS HEATH MAN’S EXPERIENCE Mr and Mrs H. A. Baker, of Milton Road,...
Apr 14, 20203 min read


Celebrating the life of Cuckfield Boer War casualty Frank Bleach
Mid Sussex Times - Tuesday 02 April 1901 THE DEATH OF PRIVATE BLEACH. MEMORIAL SERVICE AT CUCKFIELD. CANON COOPER SUGGESTS THAT A TABLET...
Oct 15, 20187 min read


A Cuckfield Private's progress in the Boer War: life and death in South Africa
Frank Bleach Private, 1st Battalion, Active Service Volunteer Company. died at the Hospital, Bloemfontein, of enteric fever, on 14th...
Oct 14, 20185 min read


Back home in Cuckfield: Mr Herrington's Lantern Lecture for locals includes Frank Bleach image
Mid Sussex Times - Tuesday 30 October 1900 The War in South Africa : Lantern Lecture. —Men of all classes, rich and poor, filled the...
Oct 13, 20182 min read


Boer War and Cuckfield: Enthusiastic send off for local man Frank Bleach
THE MID-SUSSEX TIMES—TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1900. Going to the Front; Private Bleach Entertained. Private Bleach, of “A” Company 2nd V.B....
Oct 12, 20183 min read


War and Cuckfield: the town celebrates the Relief of Mafeking
Mid Sussex Times - Tuesday 22 May 1900 CUCKFIELD. The town of Cuckfield may be old-fashioned, and a casual passer-by might move in its...
Oct 11, 20186 min read
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