A-Z Challenge 2025: April 8th : G is for Gamekeepers

Cuckfield is in a rural area and so I thought I would look to see how many Cuckfield parish residents put Gamekeepers as their occupation.  I used Find My Past for this information.

1841        0

1851        2

Edward Bentley aged 40, living with his family at Bents Cottage.
Benjamin Tulley aged 40, living with his famiy at New Cottage

1861        2

Henry Field aged 26, living with his father and other family at a cottage of no name

Reuben Russel aged 56, living with his family at Old Mill

1871        5

Traiton Anscombe, aged 26 , living with his father and other family at Highlands Cottage

Thomas Anscombe, aged 16, living with his father and other family at Highlands Cottage

William Budgen, aged 47, living with his family at Borde Hill Cottage

Henry Elsey, aged 45, living with his family at Little Brantridge

William Steer, aged 50, living with his family at Penland Cottage

1881        5

Traiton Anscombe, aged 33, living with family at Penland Cottage

Francis Bozier, aged 48, living with family at Dorcas Cottages, Staplefield Common

Robert Edwards, aged 46, living with family at East Lodge, Borde Hill

Cyprus Moore, aged 40, living with family at Upper Common Cottage

David Terras, aged 29, living with family at Beech Cottages

1891        4

Trayton Anscome aged, 46, living with at a cottage at Beech Farm

Henry Churchyard aged 60, a servant living with the Naylor family at Hazeldean

John R Edwards aged 56, living with family at East Lodge East at Borde Hill

George J Halfacres aged 36, living with family at Woodlands, High Street

1901        0
1911        0
1921        0

My blog: Cuckfield Compendium

My website: Cuckfield Compendium 

A-Z Challenge 2025: April 7th: F for First War 1 soldiers

Like in many villages in Britain, there were many First World War men who died for their country.  These are memorialised around the base of The Cross of Sacrifice War Memorial in the churchyard of the Parish Church, Holy Trinity and on a memorial stone in the church.  

There is also aboard listing all the men inside the Queen's Hall, up the hill.

Shirley Bond has also written a book about the men, detailing regiments, letters they had written home and as much other information that she could find.  Her book is called "Cuckfield Remembered"  ISBN  0955891108.

Shirley also kindly wrote a page about Cuckfield during the war for my website Cuckfield Compendium

There is also page called "The Fallen" on my site that lists the names of the fallen for the Boer War and the two World Wars.

Here is a link to the Roll Of Honour for Cuckfield that gives information about the men.  

My blog: Cuckfield Compendium

My website: Cuckfield Compendium 

A-Z Challenge 2025: April 5th: E for Earning a living

Here are some of the people earning a living in Cuckfield, taken from Pigots Directory 1832-1834:

Innkeepers:  
Dolphin - George Taylor
Kings Head Inn - James Webber
Rose & Crown - Chas. Juniper
Talbot Inn - Faulconer Best

Saddlers and Harness Makers:
Bennet Henry

Tailors:
Bray Henry
Dumsday Hezekiah
Jones Emmanuel

Watch and Clockmakers:
Bates Edward
Cox Edward

Corn Dealers:
Heryett William
Sayers John

My blog: Cuckfield Compendium

My website: Cuckfield Compendium 

A-Z Challenge 2025: April 4th: D for Death

Death and In Memorium notices from newspaper archives:

1854:  July 15, at Cuckfield, Sussex, of hooping (sic) cough, Sydney Cromwell, the infant son of Mr Daniel Pratt, aged four months.

1856: Akehurst - April 29, at Cuckfield, Esther, daughter of Mr Superintendent Akehurst, aged 15 years and 11 months.

April 1867:  On the 22nd inst. , at Cuckfield, somewhat suddenly from dropsy, Mr Joseph Agate, of Westup Farm, in his 42nd year.

10th January, 1882:  4th inst at Cuckfield Workhouse Infirmary, William Attwood, aged 56 years.

March 1883:  4th inst., at Highlands, Cuckfield, Frank Edward, the second twin child of Mr. Chas. Goddard, aged 15 months and 3 weeks.

28 July 1885:  13th inst., at Oaklands, Cuckfield, Mr. Richard Coates, aged 66 years.  22nd inst., at Clifton-ville, Cuckfield, Mr. William Beggs, aged 57 years

Sept 1885:  30th ult at South Street, Cuckfield, Miss Mary Mitchell.  2nd inst. at Brook Street, Cuckfield, Miss Lucy Batchelor, aged 32 years.  3rd inst at Cleaver's Lane, Cuckfield, Sophia, widow of the late George Cooper, aged 67 years.  5th inst at Broad Street Cuckfield, Mr John Norris, aged 39 years.

16th August 1887: We have to record the death on Friday last, at Rose Cottage, of Mr T J Crowhurst, who practised for a number of years as a veterinary surgeon at Cuckfield, and was well known in the surrounding districts.  The "doctor", who was 49 years of age, had been ill for some time before his death.  The funeral took place this afternoon.

18th October, 1887:  14th inst at Brighton Hospital, after undergoing a painful operation, James Rowland, greengrocer, Cuckfield, aged 63 years.

June 1888:  Elizabeth Jane Chambers, born July 11th, 1844, died June 11th 1888.  The funeral took place in the Parish Churchyard, the Vicar, Rev J H Cooper officiating.

July 1888: 16th inst., at Cuckfield Park, Warden Sergison, Esq., J.P., aged 53 years.

January 19th, 1892: 16th inst. at High Street, Cuckfield, George Webber, in his 85th year.  17th inst. at Briggs Farm, Cuckfield, Louisa Welfare, widow of the late George Young, aged 70 years.

1893:  Baker - On Dec 13, at Cuckfield, John Baker, J.P., late of Hockley, Essex, 82.

1893: Mr Edward Norris, Builder of Broad Street, a native of Cuckfield.  He was attended by Dr Byass and Dr Wells but their efforts were to no avail.  He was 52 and left a wife and seven children.  He took over the business from his father and it would be taken over by Edward's sons who were already connected with it.

Basil Frank Vaughan-Powell 9th April 1899 at Leyon House, Cuckfield.  Only son of James Nevil Powell.

My blog: Cuckfield Compendium

My website: Cuckfield Compendium 

A-Z Challenge 2025: April 3rd: C for Cuckfield Parish Church Vicars

Informaion here about two of the vicars of Holy Trinity Church, Cuckfield, whose names begin with the letter C.

Charles Ashburnham; vicar in1761.  He also became Canon of Chichester Cathedral, Preb. of Chichester in 1761.  

He was born in 1723 in Chichester, Sussex, England and baptised at St Bartholomews, Chichester. He was admitted at Corpus Christi, School, Charterhouse, Cambridge in 1744 and matriculated 1745 with B.A. 1747-8 and M.A. 1756.  He was vicar of Cowfold in 1755 until he moved to Cuckfield. During his tenure in Cuckfield he was instrumental in the rebuilding of the new vicarage in 1780.  Charles passed away on 16 December 1800 and was buried in Chichester Cathedral.

Canon Charles William Goodall Wilson; vicar in 1915  Wall memorial for him reads:   "In affectionate and grateful memory of Charles William Goodall Wilson MA, Prebendary of Thorney in Chichester Cathedral; Born 1860 - Died 1948; Vicar of Cuckfield 1915 - 1936.  I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help. Given by friends in Cuckfield"

He was born in 1860 and passed away in 1948 He was also an alumnus of Pembroke College, Oxford, where he matriculated in 1880 and later earned his B.A. in 1883 and M.A. in 1887.

You will find information about other vicars on my website, Cuckfield Compendium 

My blog: Cuckfield Compendium

My website: Cuckfield Compendium 

A-Z Challenge 2025: April 2nd: B for baptisms

Some more baptisms to add to my website.

Baptisms  1819

July 15th:  Richard, son of John and Elizabeth Haylor, Cuckfield Labourer

Sept 5th:  Steven Molineux (illegitimate) son of Mary King, Cuckfield

Sept 13th:  Catherine, daughter of William and Charlotte Noble, Cuckfield Gent

Oct 24th:  William, son of William and Rachael Haselgrove, Cuckfield Labourer

Baptisms  1891

March 1st:  Arthur Thomas, son of  William and Sarah Murrell, Long Acre Labourer

March 1st:  James, son of  Ernest and Maria Rowland, Cuckfield Labourer

March 21st:  Albert Edward, son of  Mary Sayers, Cuckfield Union

March 30th: Emily Natalie, daughter of  Thomas William and Martha Field, Cuckfield Hop Merchant

My blog: Cuckfield Compendium

My website: Cuckfield Compendium 

A-Z Challenge 2025: April 1st: A for Anniversaries.

There aren't many anniversaries of marriages for today as in most years it would have fallen in Lent.  However I did find these in published transcriptions for early years:

1627:    Richard Brishar and Katherine Renfield  .....   398th anniversary this year

1657:    Thomas Winpenny and Mary Jenkin  .....        368th anniversary this year

1673:    John Gatland and Susan Tomsat  .....             352nd anniversary this year

My blog: Cuckfield Compendium

My website: Cuckfield Compendium