Sidlesham Heritage Centre
The content of the Sidlesham Heritage Centre has been updated to include a Timeline of Sidlesham LSA and Amelia Littler’s Story (No 32) of their journey from Newcastle to Sidlesham as well details of other local heritage trails.
Sad news
Iain Wilson (No 103, 1971-78 & then Southgate Growers) passed away in January. Iain was a keen supporter of the LSA project. His wife Judy was instrumental in giving me access to Sidlesham WI archive photos.
LSA Quiz
(1) Sidlesham Growers started in 1983 with 89 members, Telephone lists record 65 names in 1986, 50 in 1990 and 35 in 1991. But when did Sidlesham Growers actually cease trading?
(2) When did The Highleigh Pound (public house) close? Piggery path from Lockgate Road and Fletcher’s Lane led LSA tenants to the pub. Sidlesham FC played on a field next door and, allegedly, changed inside the pub? Do you have any more stories?
LSA on TV
Grand Designs (Channel 4 in January) showed clips from the 1937 LSA film ‘Here is the Land’ and a glimpse of an LSA house on the Fulney Estate in Lincolnshire. LSAs have made previous TV ‘appearances’. Both Penelope Keith’s ‘Hidden Villages’ (2014) and Michael Portillo’s ‘Railway Journeys’ (2020) visited Newbourne LSA in Suffolk. Sidlesham LSA featured on BBC South Today prior to the launch of the heritage trial in 2015. I also have transcripts of BBC Radio programmes made in 1939 and 2001.
Update on other LSAs
Crofton (Cumbria)
Find them on Facebook. Final draft as complete as possible from 400 miles away! Copy available on request.
Foxash (Essex)
Find them on Facebook. Final draft a complete as possible from 150 miles away. Copy available on request.
Snaith (Yorkshire)
I am helping Snaith Local History Society to tell the Snaith LSA Story. A source of information and support has been the son of the headteacher of Hirst Courtney School (1942-65) which LSA children attended. He now lives in Fishbourne, 6 miles away!
Fulney (Lincolnshire)
Following the appearance of an LSA house on a Grand Designs programme I contacted three local history groups, none had done any research on the LSA. The LSA offices were in dairy of a former ancient priory, now a listed building. The son of a former tenant has contacted me as the family used to holiday in a caravan on the Sidlesham LSA – watch this space. Chain Bridge Forge (Heritage South Holland) are now telling the Fulney LSA story.
and there’s more . . .
Sidlesham LSA is not the only LSA to have a book (Marianne Heath–Sit Small and Sing). Newbourne in Short Trousers by Leigh Belcham, The Glass Village (Chawston), Go Home you Miners (Fen Drayton). Abington LSA has a collection of former tenant’s stories (unpublished). Oxcroft LSA produced a film. Newent LSA has a website.
This bulletin contains updates from our Sidlesham Heritage Project.