The Wadhurst History Society has an extensive collection of newspapers featuring interesting events and people. These include both national and local occurrences but all are likely to be of interest to the people of Wadhurst. Those shown below are taken from our indexes and are just a taster of what we hold.
From The Courier dated 26th April 1940, Page 9 – “Mark Cross Police Court – from Wadhurst- Kenneth George Aers of Cousley Wood was fined £1 for driving a motor vehicle at Wadhurst on March 30th with un-whitened bumpers and running boards. The facts being stated by PC W. Clements”
The Mirror dated 6th May 1982, Page 12 – “Every Wednesday Frances finished the dishes then dashed off to give the Queen a good old wash-and-set.” The royal car would pick her at 3.45pm and drive her 3 miles to Balmoral.
Kent and Sussex Courier dated 18th August 1961, Page 12 – “Bacon airlift helps the farmers in crisis.” Photograph of Michael Reid helping unload the bacon at Stongate after bringing it from Luton in his Tiger Moth. Editorial starts; “Pigs don’t fly, but five sides of bacon do. The airlift was to enable the Sussex Bacon Producers Association to meet urgent orders.”
Page 12 “Pigeon flies in from Holland”. It rests exhausted on C. Brewer & Sons yard in Calverley Road. After refreshment a pigeon breeder from Upper Grosvenor Road took it home to care for it until it had the inclination to return to Holland.
Sussex Express dated 26th July 1935 – Page 18 “Vice Admiral Edward Astley-Rushton buried at Wadhurst”
Vice Admiral Astley-Rushton CB, CMG of Webans, Wadhurst, was killed outright in a motoring accident on Thursday 18th July on his way from the Admiralty to Portsmouth. He drove into a tree at Adhurst near Petersfield. The Vice Admiral made Webans his home in 1928. Several mourners from Wadhurst are listed.
Full service honours were accorded to the Admiral at the funeral service in the Docklands Church at Portsmouth on Monday and interment in Wadhurst on Tuesday. Throughout Monday night the remains Lay in state in Wadhurst Church, the coffin being covered by a Union Jack surmounted by the Admiral’s cocked hat, sword and decorations.
The coffin was borne from the church to the graveside by Chief Petty Officers from Effingham including Chief Petty officer Evans, the Admiral’s coxswain. A large crowd of villagers gathered in the churchyard.
Page 18 – “Not enough money to go bankrupt. – Wadhurst woman’s predicament”
Gladys Hogg appeared before Mark Cross magistrates for £31 6s 4d. Mrs Hogg said she didn’t have a halfpenny to her name and had debts of £260. She had been a fishmonger, fruiterer and was living on the same premises and managing the shop for 12s 6d a week.