“Following our AGM at the September meeting, we welcomed John Davey, who gave us a fascinating insight into the old industries of Lewes, many of which were still operating when the speaker was a boy in the town. His father, Leslie, wrote several books on Lewes history and amassed a collection of old photographs, many of which John used to illustrate his talk.
Lewes was once a hive of industry and its river banks were lined with cargo docks and warehouses. Key to the development of the town was its position on the River Ouse which, because it is tidal, became an artery that brought industrial activity to the town. Barges would bring goods up from the coast and deliver goods manufactured in Lewes to Newhaven until the coming of the railway in the mid 19th century. Hence the first industry John described was that of ship-building – the last to be built was The Lewes Castle which was launched in the 1820s. Sussex Sloops were unique to the River Ouse and were used to carry bricks up the river to build the viaduct.
Other industries that flourished were the manufacture of cement, iron and steel – in fact at one time everything that the town needed was made in the town itself. It was a centre of iron making from Tudor times and one or two foundries such as the Phoenix Ironworks survived until the 1960s. The first Lewes gasworks was established in 1822, and Lewes was one of the first towns in Sussex to have its own pumping station, there having been no running water in the town until 1833.
Ironically the coming of the railways in the mid 19th century heralded the end of industry in the town, as the river became less important. He described how the London Brighton and South Coast Railway line was constructed by navvies excavating the chalk with no mechanical aid. One spin-off of this was the huge amount of small beer that was consumed – an average of 7quarts(=14 pints) per day per navvy.
Another use of the tidal river was paper making, which required the construction of a water mill. The great paper mill was demolished in 1870, but part of the iron work that supported the water wheel can still be seen. George Baxter set up a printing works in 1802, and invented a way of printing in colour using a three-colour process. This also continued until the mid 1960s.
At one time the 7,000 inhabitants of Lewes could boast 70 inns and 7 breweries, and for 3/-(15p) could purchase a dozen quart bottles (24 pints) of Pale Ale. Inns were not just used for drinking and social purposes, they were places of refuge and warmth at a time when private homes were less comfortable than they are today. Other businesses John mentioned were: farming, ironmongers, wheelwrights, fishmongers, poulterers, purveyors of cheeses, pharmacists, coal merchants and milkmen, all of which could be seen in the town.
Finally there was Lewes race course, which closed in September 1964 after 200 years and a colourful past including the gangland fight in 1936 that was immortalised in the novel and film ‘Brighton Rock’ .
John provided a fascinating glimpse of the now vanished days when Lewes was both home and workplace to all its townsfolk, and when sons followed fathers and grandfathers in family trades and businesses.”
At theAGM the present committee of Chris Sugg (Chair), Kirsten Horner (Vice Chair), Linda Graham (Treasurer) and Committee members Jim Lusted, Nancy Holmes and Lynn James was re-elected and presentations were made to Mary Lewis and Brenda Brunsdon, who have now retired from the committee after many years’ service. The post of Secretary is currently vacant, and we would love to hear from anybody who would be interested in taking this on.
