At a meeting of the Cuckfield Rural Parish Council in the Queen’a Hall on August 28 it was derided to ask for a precept of £100 on the Cuckfield Rural District Council (amounting to a little less than a 1 1/2 rate) in respect of the lighting system which the Parish Council propose to inaugurate in Ansty, Brook Street and Staplefield.

The Clerk (Mr H Plummer) reported that the Ministry of Fuel and Power was unable at present to release materials for public lighting except in those cases where the requirements were for the restoration of a lighting system which was in use before the war. A more hopeful letter had been received, however, from the Central Sussex Electricity Co. Ltd., who, in spite of shortage of labour and other difficulties, indicated the possibility of street lighting being provided before the end of the war. Mr Plummer observed that in view of this possibility it would would be advisable to ask for the precept.

Lighting in bygone days

A remark by Mr Plummer that 'I never expected to live to see lighting in Brook Street led to a number of amusing reminiscences from other members of the way some sort of lighting was provided in the villages in bygone days.

It was reported that the present balance of the Council amounted to £25 0s 11d., and it was decided to ask for a further precept on the Cuckfield Rural District Council of £30.

The Council decided to take no action in the matter of nominating a person for co-option to the Cuckfield Rural District Council in the place of Mrs BV Bevan, who

recently resigned as one of the representatives of the Cuckfield Rural area on that Council.

In addition to the Chairman (Mr. C. Webber), other members present were Mr BJ Burtenshaw, JP, Mr WE Mitchell, Mr AH Stacey and Mr AJ Green.

Mid Sussex Times, 5 September 1945.

Photograph: Wikimedia public domain image. A man, standing on a ladder, carries out maintenance on a street lamp [street lamp] in the Boschstraat in Maastricht. In the background a busy market. Date unknown.

Contributed by Malcolm Davison.